Archive for the ‘Health News’ Category
Is Your Protein Powder Toxic?
Consumer Reports Sounds the Alarm! 
Consumer Reports, one of the most trusted guides for buying reputable products, has found heavy metals in protein supplements and is warning you to use caution.
Officials for consumers says it purchased 15 protein powders and drinks mainly in the New York metro area or online and tested multiple samples of each for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.
The results were very disturbing, considering how many people consume these highly processed food products and how MUCH they consume per day.
The results showed a considerable range, but levels in three products were of particular concern because they exceeded the daily exposure limits proposed by USP for arsenic, cadmium or lead. This is if you assume 3 servings per day which is the average for most consumers. Some eat more some eat less. For many products, levels of those contaminants were in the ‘low to moderate range’.
Personally I would not find even “low to moderate” exposure acceptable considering how many other toxic products we find in our environment. We have enough health considerations just dealing with life without wondering about a product we specifically consume for health or fitness!
Cadmium exposure is particularly scary because it accumulates in and can damage the kidneys, the same organs that can be damaged by excessive protein consumption. It can take 20 years for the body to eliminate even half the cadmium absorbed today.
Imagine what will happen to the large group of teenagers and twenty somethings wanting to ‘bulk up’ today. They are the ones who eat a LOT of these products and who may be in for a very unpleasant surprise some time from now.
”This (Cadmium) is a highly toxic metal, and while there are some cases where decisions have to be weighed against relative risks, accepting that you have to be exposed to any cadmium at all in your protein drink after your workout is definitely not one of them.” says Michael Harbut, M.D., director of the Environmental Cancer Initiative at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Royal Oak, Mich.
Even some plant sources can contain cadmium by the way. This is because of the heavy use of cadmium-containing phosphate fertilizers in commercial farming. Potatoes, rice, sunflower seeds, spinach, and other leafy greens are suceptable to this but of course this is not a problem IF you are eating organic.
Below is the average finding for three serving of the protein drinks.
You can see that Muscle Milk and EAS were the most toxic brands while the whey products faired better than the rest generally. This is just a small sampling of products. The protein powder you buy from the store may be better but it may be worse.
You can read the complete findings (5 pages) at consumer reports.
Why Bother?
Many health experts argue that very few people need to be eating high quantities of protein to begin with, and consumer report points out there are many protein sources from the grocery store which can supply all the protein you need that are NOT toxic.
Protein is essential in the body for our muscles obviously but also for most cell functions since it makes up enzymes, hormones and even DNA. Most protein is recycled though, so unless you are growing rapidly or are breaking down the body a lot with extreme physical exertion, there is not the need for a LOT of new protein. Very few people in North America are protein deficient.
At Real Food for Life, we like to remind everyone that you can get all your protein requirements from whole real food. Every single whole plant food has protein.
Beans, grains, seeds and sprouts have high levels of proteins but even fruits like oranges, banana, and even watermelon have complete protein. You just have to eat more of those foods which have lower levels. In North America, most people are generally eating a LOT of food. If that food was whole, there is an abundance of ALL NUTRIENTS.
Copyright © Randy Fritz You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page ww.RealFoodforLife.com or the direct link to this post.
Do You Want to Help the Environment?
UN researchers reveal: One quick solution to lower our effect on the environment.
Do you know the United Nations calculated the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat and found it was more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together?
In a recent article published in July 2010 by the Guardian.co.uk, leading journalist John Vidal reported how vegetarianism may help save the world by eating less meat.
Behind the majority of the joints of beef or chicken on our plates is a phenomenally wasteful, land and electricity hungry system of farming that devastates forests, pollutes oceans, rivers, seas and atmosphere.
We mostly breed four species (chickens, cows, lambs and pigs) which need vast amounts of water and food, emit methane as well as other greenhouse gases and produce mountains of physical waste.
During the past year, the United nations calculated the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat were about 18% of the global total – more than cars, planes and all other kinds of transport put together.
A Bangladeshi family living off rice, beans, vegetables and fruit may live on an acre of land or less, while the average American, who consumes around 270 pounds of meat per year, needs 20 times that.
Academics have calculated that if the grain fed to animals in western countries were consumed directly by people rather than animals, we could feed at least 2 times as many people – and perhaps far more – as we do now.
Eating a steak or a chicken points to an extreme water consumption, that the animal has required to live and grow. Vegetarian author John Robbins calculates one pound of beef needs around 20,000 lbs of water.
Farming, which uses 70% of water available to humans, is already in direct competition for water with cities.
Industrial scale agriculture now dominates the western livestock and poultry industries, and a single farm can now generate as much waste as a city.
Farming animals generate manure and urine which is funnelled into massive waste lagoons sometimes holding as many as 40 m gallons. These cesspools often break, leak or overflow, polluting underground water supplies and rivers with nitrogen, phosphorus and nitrates.
A meat diet is normally considered twice as expensive as a vegetarian one. According to the Vegetarian Society, meat eaters get increased probabilities of obesity, cancer, heart diseases and other illnesses as well as a hole in the pocket.
So what now? How can we start contribute save our world?
Here a quick and simple recipe to find a good meat substitute:
Tofu and Green Onion Veggie Burger
This healthy tofu based veggie burger receive an extra nutritional boost from wheat germ. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.
Ingredients:
* 1/2 container firm or extra firm tofu, mashed
* 1 onion, diced
* 3 green onions, diced
* 2 tbs wheat germ
* 2 tbsp flour
* 2 tbs garlic powder
* 2 tbls soy sauce
* dash pepper
* oil for frying
Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into patties.
Fry patties in oil in a large skillet until brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Now it's all to you…
About the Author – Martha Volz writes for the http://www.vegetariansupplements.org her personal passion blog related to vegetarian healthy eating ideas.
P.S. from Randy - Martha contacted Real Food For Life after reading our Nice Cow, Baaad Cow article . You can see it contains many of the same ideas. I'd like to hope that great minds think alike!
10 Foods (and fixes) To Improve Your Mood
Don't Let SAD Get You Down
In winter time when the days are short, many people (mostly women) suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
What was once thought of as a ‘silly mood’ that you should be shaking off by a bit of positive thinking and some hard work has now been recognized as a real physiological condition with real causes and luckily, real strategies to help.
Winter Blues is the most common kind of SAD. Its symptoms include:
• Depression and/or hopelessness,
• Anxiety,
• Oversleeping,
• Cravings and Weight Gain
• Difficulty concentrating and processing
Everyone experiences some of these at some time so it is worth knowing how to deal with this process.
Serotonin – the Big Culprit
All these low mood symptoms are directly associated with low levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter. Proper levels of serotonin are created in the brain when there is the proper balance of tryptophan, an amino acid, certain B vitamins, and certain enzymes. It’s creation is also influenced by blood sugars, fatty acids and the proper balance of melatonin – the ‘sleep hormone’.
It’s all in the BALANCE. You can try to ‘fix’ this condition with drugs but that can throw the body balance out and create even worse symptoms. The best solutions involve using whole foods that have been proven for thousands of years to help nourish the body to happiness and simple strategies that bring our daily routine into a more natural rhythm.
10 Solutions (Fixes):
1. Eat Your Whole Grains
All whole foods have amino acids (proteins) in them in different quantities. For serotonin to be produced you need a higher percentage of tryptophan than other amino acids in your blood stream. A moderate amount of carbohydrates will create this proper percentage. Whole grains certainly have tryptophan in them and their carbohydrate content also allows the tryptophan to be a high enough % so it can get to the brain where it is needed. Whole grains also contain B vitamins which help the tryptophan to be converted to serotonin.
The grain that already has the HIGHEST % of tryptophan is buckwheat but most grains work well. They are complex enough and have enough fiber that the sugars are released into your blood stream slowly. This prevents the energy highs and lows which also complicates your moods. Brown rice is one of those properly balanced grains. For a sugerless tasty brown rice pudding click here. Rice Pudding
2. Eat Your Greens
The University of Kuopio in Finland conducted a study with 2,313 men for more than 10 years and they found that leafy greens are good for your brain. Greens are high in almost all vitamins and minerals but they are particularly high in folate – a B vitamin that has been shown to reduce depression. For more about greens click here. Greens
3. Enjoy Your Banana (and other fruits)
Even fruits have amino acids in them and bananas are surprisingly high in tryptophan. That along with its natural sugars makes an ideal situation for creating serotonin. This is not why monkeys seem so happy but it sure doesn't hurt! Dates and Papaya are also high in tryptophan, but most fruits have enough to make a difference. Any food with a sweet taste will have a calming effect on the nervous system beyond its carbohydrate content.
4. Avoid Stimulants & Junk Food (that includes chocolate …sob)
Stimulants like Chocolate and Coffee do create serotonin for a short time but continued use actually interferes with its production by disrupting your insulin levels.
Ice cream unfortunately is in the same category. The milk aspect will supply the amino acids and it has the carbohydrates but too much sugar and fats is just a bad combination in the long run. Any of these ‘foods’ taken in small amounts; will not harm you but don’t depend on them for energy or happiness.
5. Eat your Nuts and Seeds
Most people are low in omega 3 essential fatty acids which have been shown to help increase brain functioning and moods. The brain is after all MOSTY made of fatty acids. A common way to get omega 3’s is with flax seeds and flax oils. Whole seeds and nuts have the benefit of containing protein and therefore have enough tryptophan to help out. You can learn more about the benefits of almonds, and other seeds and how to sprout them at Nuts & Seeds.
6. Let the Suuuuun – Shiiiiiiine In
Yes this is much more than a 60’s song title. People with SAD have been found to have higher levels of melatonin than they should during the day. Melatonin’s effects tend to be the exact opposite of serotonin. It causes the body and slow down and prepare for sleep instead of wake up and be happy.
When your body notices there is no sunlight then the pineal gland signals your brain to convert serotonin into melatonin. Normally in the morning the pineal gland then signals for your brain to start making more serotonin. With SAD this cycle has been disrupted because of decreasing daylight hours.
The solution is to add MORE sunlight – by walks outside, drawing back curtains or even using a sun light. The timing of the light is sometimes more important than the amount.
David Avery, professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington, suggests the simplest solution is to use a dawn simulator, a device that creates gradual light, or program your bedside lamp to turn on about 20 minutes before you wake up.
Also nothing can beat a good walk during the brightest part of the day. This has far more benefits than just your serotonin/melatonin balance.
7. Exercise
Exercise is good for so many things that it’s not surprising it helps with your mood. Research has linked exercise with higher levels of serotonin but also increased dopamine levels, which causes relaxation, and endorphins which take away the pain. If that sounds like a powerful combination – it is.
8. High Quality Protein
One can’t talk about serotonin and tryptophan without talking about turkey. Many people have heard that the extremely high levels of tryptophan in turkey is what causes that relaxed tired feeling after a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Many researchers now think this is somewhat of an urban myth. A turkey dinner certainly would raise your serotonin levels but much of the effect is simply from the HUGE quantity of food consumed. Your body just needs to focus all its energy on digesting! Turkey and white meats are usually more balancing for your body than beef, port or other red meats. Lowly beans contain extremely high amount of balanced proteins plus provide many other benefits for your body and the environment.
9. Enjoy your Tea
Nothing is more soothing that a cup of tea during the colder months of the year. Another study from Finland shows that 2,000 surveyed Finns who drank black tea every day reported less incidences of feeling down or depressed compared to Finns who weren’t regular tea drinkers. The study also shows that the theanine naturally found in tea helps calm you down. Herbal teas can have similar benefits depending on the herbs used and they usually don't have caffeine.
10. Get to Bed on Time
If your serotonin/melatonin balance is messed up one thing you can do is develop routines that TELL your body that you want to go to sleep. This will start the melatonin cycle early so that it can be finished early and you can enjoy waking up properly the next day. The old “early to bed, early to rise” saying works.
Copyright ©Randy Fritz You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com or the direct link to this post.
Men Married to Smart Women Live Longer
Are Men Really That Helpless?
Women have known throughout the ages that men are lousy at taking care of themselves. Now a study by the experts at Stockholm University has proven so.
Data from a 1990 Swedish Census showed that the factor that was best predictor of a long life for a man was the level his wife's education and NOT the man’s education. This study seems to prove that a wife’s well intentioned nagging DOES have a positive benefit….IF the woman knows what she is talking about.
The revealing truth is a man will live longer with any woman at his side. This has been found before in many past research but it was hard to figure out from these studies just which came first – the chicken or the egg. Researchers could always question – do married men live longer than their single counterparts because marriage helps them in some way or is there something about men who live longer that predisposes them to marry? (Perhaps being smarter!) Now we know for sure it is the woman’s touch.
The trouble with men is that they don’t seem to KNOW how bad they are at taking care of themselves. Given the choice between hooking up with a smart women or a dumb blond a man will most often chose the bimbo because he THINKS he is smart enough for both of them.
Personally I think the real problem is our male ego. Perhaps we have always known on some level how hopeless we are at so many things but we don’t want to admit it. Maybe the smart women in the study don’t know a lot more about health and nutrition than the less educated ones but they are smarter at getting the men to follow their advice, or even better – at getting to men to think the advice was the husband’s idea.
For some reason, I can write about how helpless (dumb) men are – and it doesn't bother me. Perhaps by writing about it – I put a some distance between me and all those 'other ‘ guys. If you look at this closely, this is just male one-up-man-ship all over again. And the distance is very small. I had to learn about nutrition and various health strategies because I got myself in trouble, but the fact is, late into my life I am constantly being reminded of how hopeless I am at the most simple of household events. For some reason though, I am happy in my dumbness. It seems to contrast our more noble virtues. I thought it would be fun to list a few of my KNOWN gaps plus stories I have come across on the net. Please share you own comments and stories below.
5 Plus Ways Men are Helpless (Dumb)
1. After decades of trying I still haven’t learned how to wash clothes properly. My 20 years old daughter will not allow me to even touch her clothes. This sounds reasonable with a 20 year old but this started over 10 years ago.
2. Most women are somewhat horrified by my level of cleanliness. I just don’t get what all the fuss is about. When we have business meetings in my home, one of the business associates, (Diana) comes over an hour early to organize and clean what I think is an immaculate home.
3. I have friends who think that the way to balance off a meal of pizza and fries or burgers and fries is with equal amounts of coke or beer. The coke is considered the smart choice because the acid in coke somehow helps digestion.
4. As Shane Watson of the UK times writes, “Men will only do exercise that results in a calf injury, and only in binges, so they are grey with exhaustion every day for a week, then laid up for the rest of the month" (rather than yoga.) There’s also the “struggle to prevent men walking to work in winter with sopping wet hair, wearing only a shirt; or reminding them not to shut the tea towel in the oven door, because that’s what causes all the black smoke and flames.”
5. Reasons Why Men are Like Computers: (jokes are usually funny because they are TRUE)
- They have a lot of data but are still clueles.
- They look nice and shiny, until you get them home.
- Even the best are unreliable and insecure.
- To get their attention, you have to turn them on.
- Despite years of evolution, they still can't think for themselves.
- They''ll do whatever you say if you push the right buttons.
We hope that the health information in Real Food For Life.com will be a help not only to those dumb men but also to the many women who are trying to take care of those dumb men. Diana's upcoming ebook was made with the beginner in mind. I was very impressed with it. I don't know what that means. Here is the link to it: http://realfoodforlife.com/randy-reviews-recipe-book/
P.S. The average woman will live longer than a man. To any guy who is bothered by this – the solution is simple – get married. If you are already married – start LISTENING your wife!
Got any more stories or ideas? List them below and we will pick a few of our favorites to acknowledge.
