"In reality, cow's milk, especially processed cow's milk, has been linked to a variety of health problems, including: mucous production, haemoglobin loss, childhood diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, arthritis, kidney stones, mood swings, depression, irritability and allergies."

Townsend Medical Letter, May, 1995, Julie Klotter, MD

Milk has always been promoted as a “superfood” and the Dairy Council has ensured we are constantly reminded of the many benefits of milk. In addition, we were all encouraged by our elders to drink milk as children - a habit a lot of us have maintained through our adult life. But is milk really all that good for us? Recent research indicates that incorporating cows milk into our food pyramid as an essential food group was not such a wise idea after all!

The Calcium Myth
One of the biggest selling points of the Dairy Council is that we need to drink milk to get sufficient calcium, but the truth is that calcium from milk does not adequately absorb in the human body. In order to absorb calcium, the body needs comparable amounts of Magnesium. Milk and dairy products contain only small amounts of magnesium, without which the body will only absorb approximately 25 percent of the available dairy calcium content. What’s worse is that without magnesium the excess calcium that is not absorbed can actually cause problems in the human body, creating atherosclerotic plaque on artery walls, kidney stones and contributing to arthritis.

While optimum calcium intake in childhood and adolescence is important for achieving proper bone density, calcium intake in adulthood has little significance because your bone mass does not increase after the age of 35. Osteoporosis is now a major concern for people as they age, particularly females, as after the onset of menopause there is an accelerated rate of bone loss.  During this period, estrogen replacement is most effective in preventing bone loss.  This is because a lack of estrogen is a common factor in the development of osteoporosis. Exercise and fresh air have also proven more effective than calcium (with Vitamin D)in the prevention of osteoporosis . In addition, excess protein that milk provides is considered a major cause of osteoporosis. Dr. H Egsted an English M.D. has written for years about the geographical distribution of osteoporosis. He has discovered that the countries with the highest intake of dairy products are invariably the countries where osteoporosis is most common.

So where should you get your calcium from? Well the best source is from the same place the cows get it, by eating green leafy vegetables. The calcium in vegetables is much more bio available and easier for the body to utilise.

Food for Babies
Each species of mammal has developed nature’s own perfect formula for its young. The milk of every species of mammal is unique and specifically tailored to the requirements of that animal. Milk is a hormonal delivery system; it is an appropriate food for infants who must gain weight rather quickly. Cow’s milk however does not have the same nutritional make up as Mothers milk. It has three to four times more protein then human milk and it has five to seven times the mineral content. However it is markedly deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA’s). Mother’s milk has six to ten times the EFA content of cow’s milk, especially linoleic acid. In the past formula fed babies developed skin lesions due to a lack of linoleic acid in the formula. The make up of Immunoglobulins, Lactoferrin and carnitine all differ between our species milk.

Lack of iron and milk’s irritating qualities for intestinal mucosa can lead to intestinal bleeding in infants and milk is also known as the leading cause of childhood allergies. There are many studies describing irritated intestinal lining, bleeding, increased permeability as well as colic, diarrhoea and vomiting in cows milk-sensitive babies.

 Nature provides newborns with the enzymes to metabolize lactose, the natural sugar found in milk. This ability is often lost after the age of four or five and most adults don’t produce the enzyme needed to break down lactose. While formulas are an excellent alternative to breast feeding when not possible, human breast food is the superior food for human babies for many reasons.

Lactose intolerance
You may be surprised to hear this but the majority of humans today don’t drink milk. Most of them simply can’t because it makes them ill. Approximately half of the human race does not produce rennin, the enzyme needed to digest lactose in milk. Different ethnic groups tend to tolerate dairy differently. Up to 90% of Blacks can be lactose intolerant. Approximately 30% of Caucasians and about 50% of Orientals are lactose intolerant. If you are lactose intolerant then drinking milk can cause your body to react to this foreign allergen by producing an excessive release of histamines and other mediators within the body.

Lactose, however, is largely digested by bacteria so  you may be able to enjoy cheese and yoghurt despite lactose intolerance. Casein is a slow releasing protein in milk which is one of nature’s strongest glues, and possible reactions by those intolerant can include increased mucous, earaches, constant colds and congestive problems.

Modern milk processed through Pasteurisation and Homogenisation
Pasteurized milk is heated milk which has been cooked to kill bacteria. It destroys vitamins and enzymes and kills the goodness and flavour. There is however a good reason for pasteurizing milk: unpasteurized milk is the ideal environment for bacteria to rapidly multiply. Pasteurization's great claim to popularity is the widespread belief, that tuberculosis in children is caused by the harmful germs found in raw milk. There are those that promote the drinking of raw milk but this is a hotly debated topic.

The fat in milk normally separates from the water and collects at the top. Homogenization forces the milk at high pressure through small holes breaking the fat into smaller sizes so it no longer separates. The fat molecules are reduced by a factor of more than 10 times.  Ordinary cow's milk is composed of large globules, these globules, being larger than those in human milk, cannot penetrate the walls of the arteries and are thus prevented from getting directly into the bloodstream. However, by the process of homogenization, the globules are broken down and are more resistant to digestion. They can then cross directly into the human bloodstream where they eventually clog up the arteries and can cause heart problems to arise.

IGF 1
IGF-1 is a protein hormone identical in both humans and cows. It is a hormone similar to insulin that causes cells to grow; since it resembles insulin and makes cells grow it was called insulin like growth factor or IGF-1. Growth hormones make existing cancers grow and IGF-1 has been recognised as a key factor in the growth and proliferation of cancer. When you eat steak the hormones in the meat are destroyed in the stomach by strong digestive acids and enzymes. When drinking milk the stomach acids are diluted and the strength of the acid environment, measured by ph, changes to a less acidic condition causing the hormones to survive. IGF-1 is not destroyed by pasteurization; it survives the digestive process, is absorbed into the blood, and produces potent growth promoting effects.

Cause for concern?
All of this sounds very frightening and might put you off milk for life! The truth is that perhaps milk is not the superfood the Dairy Council would have you believe. There are very few benefits of consuming milk, particularly when compared to the negatives. The main reason for its consumption is because we like how it tastes! Ice cream is probably the best reason we consume it! I rarely drink milk and don’t recommend it to my clients for many of the reasons above. If you feel you can’t do without milk in your life Rice milk and Almond milk are good alternatives.

Return to top

Most people would readily admit that expecting to loose 10 pounds of fat or gain 10 pounds of muscle in two weeks is unrealistic. Yet subconsciously, many people want to believe that these results are not only possible but are actually likely. Now you can blame advertising for brain washing you into believing that results can be achieved in moments with little or no effort, but once you stop blaming and start accepting reality then the quicker you will be on the path to success.

Often things are less difficult then we think they will be, but take much longer then we think they will take. That’s the reality. Clients come to me all the time with unreasonable expectations as to how quickly they can loose weight. When you are waiting for change to happen progress can seem slow but over the long haul your achievement when looked back on, will be dramatic. If you’re a woman at 30% bodyfat and your losing 1% fat every month, by the end of a year you will be just 18%. You will have gone form obese to athletic in one year. So that 1% a month might not sound like a lot at the time if you are busting your gut in the gym and watching everything you eat, but by the end of the year you will look and feel like a different person.

To lose weight or make any sort of body composition change you need to train at least three to four times a week. You also need to ensure your diet is exceptionally good. Any less then that and you can expect your results to be insignificant. Are you willing to do everything it takes to get there?

You also need to match your behaviours to your goals. If your goal is massive life changing weight loss then you need to make more then inconsequential lifestyle changes. The 90/10 rule is a prescription for success and by adapting it you can guarantee yourself a healthy living pattern. The rule is, if you are good ninety percent of the time then you can be naughty ten precent of the time. It is important to have what I call a cheat meal once a week when you can eat whatever it is that takes your fancy.  If you have been sticking to a low calorie/low carb diet then you will need the break, both physically and mentally. Just remember your cheat meal is a cheat meal, not a cheat day and if you haven’t been a good boy or girl for the rest of the week then you don’t deserve it.

Do you know someone who trains frequently at the gym and has done so for ages but doesn’t have the physique that normally accompanies a regular fitness enthusiast? These people are often weekend warriors and while they may train hard during the week they don’t stick to the 90/10 rule. Just because you workout does not give you a licence to overindulge for two days out of seven. The rule is 90/10 not 70/30 and you can’t expect to see changes in your body with that sort of ratio.

To see long term weight loss and an improved healthier lifestyle then you need to build habits that ensure success. Habits can be built in as little as 21 days. Start with whatever habit you need to change or build most and implement it over the next three weeks until it becomes just that, a habit. One of my best habits and one I encourage all my clients to foster is ensuring your fridge is never empty and learning to prepare your food daily. If you always have healthy foods at hand you are much less likely to eat rubbish. Make your food shopping a priority and establish a routine of setting aside time every day to prepare your meals.

The Kaizen principle is a Japanese concept which is used frequently in resistance training that teaches you to make continual progress, even if only in very small increments. Tony Robbins uses the same principle to convince people to make small strides toward personal development. Making small incremental changes to your lifestyle makes the overall job less overwhelming and allows you to continuously move forward to a healthier life and better physique long term. When you build a house you start by laying a strong foundation and then work one brick at a time until you end up with your dream home. You need to do the same with your body, building a strong foundation with an appropriate training regime and adding successful nutritional habits to build the physique you have been dreaming of.

You must give yourself a level of accountability and use a method for the measurement of your success. This is why regular bodyfat measurements are vitally important. They help ensure you are on track to achieving your goals. Clients who fail to make their appointments to have there bodyfat taken regularly, inevitably fail to change their body shape. The regular measurement of bodyfat is an effective tool to help you set goals and determine if you are reaching them. If you don’t see the changes here then it is time to see what changes you can make elsewhere to help keep driving you forward.

Expect to fall off the wagon every now and again. When you have a bad day and overindulge or don’t eat well. Then sit back and realise that it is only a slip and that tomorrow is a new day when you can start afresh. We all have bad days now and again and that is nothing to be ashamed of, the important thing is to ensure it doesn’t turn into a continuous habit. The only shame comes from trying to convince yourself that you are doing everything you need when you’re not even coming close.

Return to top

A lot of people these days simply don’t get enough sleep. Now the truth is we can probably all get by on a minimum amount of sleep for a while but if this sleep deprivation is long term then the consequences can be detrimental to your health. Your circadian rhythm is an internal biological clock that regulates a variety of physiological processes according to an approximate 24-hour period. Chronic long term circadian stress often leads to depressed immunity, illness and chronic fatigue.

Despite our change in modern living, our physiology is still the same as our ancient ancestors. We are still tuned to the natural rhythm of daily and seasonal light/dark cycles; this is our natural sleep/wake cycle. Many of our hormones are produced in tune with the cycle of the sun. Stress activating hormones are produced as the sun rises and peaks around mid- morning. As the day progresses stress hormones decrease and the production of growth and repair hormones increase. Our bodies are designed to wind down from sunset until about 10pm when sleep should begin. Physical repair takes place between 10 -2pm and psychological repair takes place between 2pm and awakening.

So if you are not getting to bed on time then you could be missing out on vital bodily repair. Sleep is not a luxury it is a necessity! Ensure you are getting the optimal 7 to 9 hours every day and make sure you are in bed well before 11 pm. If you are a bit of a night owl and you aren’t getting to bed till one o’clock every night then you are missing those first couple of hours the body uses to cleanse, regenerate and for physical repair.

For those of you who are training to loose weight, tone up or build muscle tissue you should be aware of the effects a lack of sleep can have on your results in the gym. Two vitally important facts you should know are.

• Your body produces growth hormone at night so if you don’t get enough sleep you won’t get the results from your training in the gym because the body won’t be able to grow and repair.

• A lack of sleep can effect your ability to loose bodyfat. Charles Samuels of the institute of sleep in Ontario Canada has been quoted as saying that “1 week of disturbed can impair sugar management by up to 40%.” So if you don’t sleep you can’t expect to tone up and get the body you want.

If it sounds like you need to improve your sleep patterns then written below are a number of easy to follow solutions that can help you improve the quality of your sleep. 

• Leave your mobile phone in the other room and do not use it as your alarm. Clean your room of any electro magnetic fields unplugging any electrical items, Electrical currents can interfere with your bodies own circadian rhythm.

• Do not watch TV or be on your computer for at least 45 mins before bedtime. The bright lights from your television or computer can stimulate the pineal gland fooling your body into thinking it is time to wake. Fluorescent lights, TV and computer screens flicker on and off between 60 and 120 cycles per second which your brain interprets as morning sunlight. So I would advise you not to have a television in your bedroom.

• No caffeinated beverages after 4 pm. The average half life for a cup of coffee is anywhere between 3 and six hours depending on the strength. An eight ounce cup of strong coffee contains about 300mg of caffeine. So, if you have coffee at 3pm you will still have 150 milligrams of caffeine in your blood stream at 9pm. Caffeine stimulates your adrenal glands to produce cortisol an awakening stress hormone.

• Set up the bat cave! Make sure your room is completely dark. Either use an eye mask or blackout blind to ensure you have complete darkness in your room. When you are in complete darkness your body is able to produce melatonin a neurotransmitter which induces sleep.

• Red wine also helps increase the sleep inducing neurotransmitter melatonin. So a glass at night helps you relax and has the added benefit of supplying you with plenty of antioxidants. But be careful not to drink more then one glass because this can lead to dehydration. Which as you can see from the next point prevents sleep.

• When dehydrated the body responds as though its experiencing stress. If your body is stressed it produces stress hormones, which are awakening hormones.

• A decline in the quality of diet over the last few years means many people don’t get enough vitamins and minerals from their diet. B vitamins are often lacking in the average persons diet and magnesium and zinc are two of the most common mineral deficiencies found in the human body. A lack of either of these vitamin and minerals will depreciate sleep quality. Supplementing your diet with magnesium, zinc and B vitamins can help to improve your sleep.

• The grateful log is one of the most powerful tools for clearing the mind and helping to promote happiness. It is important that you clear the mind before you sleep and go to bed on a positive note because the mind processes your taughts while you sleep. To keep a grateful log simply write down all the things that you are currently happy about in your life. This can be anything from a promotion you just got, to a delicious meal you enjoyed.

• Set the mood for sleep. Try to dim the lights in your house for the few hours before bedtime to induce relaxtion. Your body responds to light and the natural rhythm of light through nature. It prepares you for sleep when it begins to become dark and awakens you at sunrise. So bright lights will stimulate and keep you awake and a dimmer light will encourage sleep.

• The detoxification and Regeneration of your body which takes place in your first few hours of sleep is bumped for digestion if you have eaten just before bed. So if you are the eating the majority of your calories in the evening then try to switch and eat them earlier in the day. If you do choose to eat late then choose easily digested foods such as rice and mince. These foods also contain Serotonin a brain neurotransmitter that helps relax.

Return to top

“Medical professionals of today do not understand the vital roles of water in the body; medications are palliatives. They are not designed to cure the degenerative diseases of the human body.”
Dr F Batmaanghelidj author of “Your bodies many cries for water”

The human body is 75% water and brain tissue is 85% water. The brain while only accounting for two percent of your bodyweight requires about 20% of your water intake. Being even mildly dehydrated can affect you both mentally and physically. Dehydration symptoms generally become noticeable after 2% of one's normal water volume has been lost. Symptoms of mild dehydration can include headaches, poor vision, low blood pressure, dry skin, constipation, fatigue, dizziness and fainting. Athletes suffering from mild dehydration will experience a loss in endurance and rapid onset of fatigue. They can quickly suffer a loss of performance of up to 30%. Note these are symptoms of mild dehydration; severe dehydration can lead to much more serious side effects and losses of more than 15% of the bodies’ fluid reserves are usually fatal.

The effects of chronic dehydration are relatively unproven but one Doctor believes that dehydration could be at the root cause of many chronic diseases. Dr Batmanghelidj believes most people simply don’t drink enough water and that often people are prescribed medications to battle chronic diseases when often the solution is much simpler. He believes that these people are often chronically dehydrated and he even claims to have treated over 3000 people with dyspeptic pain with water only.

Are Dr B’s claims too fantastical to be true? Probably not, if you consider waters many functions in the body it is obvious that it is vital for healthy living. One of its most important roles is as a solute helping to transport around the body hormones, chemical messengers and nutrients to all the organs.  This action is vital to maintain the bodies homeostasis. And if homeostasis is not maintained then chronic disease is sure to follow. The alternative to looking after the body is to rely on medicine to help keep you in good shape but if you look in any medical book you will find that for all chronic diseases the aetiology is unknown. Hypertension, Asthma, peptic ulcers, allergies, arthritis and many more are never cured. They are merely quietened.

For anybody looking to ensure they get adequate water intake they need to drink a minimum of six to eight, eight ounce glasses daily; more if you are active or live in a hot climate. In today’s  society people often mistake tea, coffee, alcohol or manufactured beverages as a suitable substitute for water but these substances are diuretics and can actually cause you to dehydrate further.

The thirst mechanism in the human body is notoriously poor and having dry mouth is often the last sign you are becoming dehydrated. However with an increase in water the thirst mechanism becomes more efficient and you will start to recognize your need for water. In people over age 50, the body’s thirst sensation diminishes and it continues diminishing with age. So for the elderly staying hydrated is even more important. A sure sign you are dehydrated is if your urine is either dark yellow or orange. This should show you that the kidneys are working hard to get rid of toxins without enough fluids to do so. Urine should ideally be almost colourless or light yellow.

If you wish to increase your water intake then avoid drowning yourself with large glasses of water gulped down all at once. The cells of the body are like sponges and they will absorb water but if you try to make up for long periods of draught with an excessive consumption you can trigger the body to excrete water and further increase your dehydration. Try to increase your intake gradually and allow your body to adapt and absorb.

There are many debates over what are the best sources of water. Tap water is fine but can contain fluoride and other contaminants. Bottled water is fine but can contain some plastics leeched from the plastic it is contained in. Also be aware that there are many different qualities of water available. Still water is just that, its water of inferior quality that inevitably could just come from the tap. Mineral water should be sourced from a spring and have a more optimal mineral composition. My advised source of water would be to use tap water that has been filtered to remove silt and undesirable contaminants and store this water in a BPA free bottle. BPA is the chemical bisphenol often found in plastic bottles which can leech into water and then be absorbed into the body.

It is my own personal experience that many clients who come to me for training or treatments are suffering from dehydration and once this is addressed both their physical and mental health improves considerably. So please ensure you get at least your eight glasses a day and always remember that water is the cheapest form of medicine to the dehydrated body.

Return to top

Our modern day society subsists on a diet which considers grains as a fundamental part of our daily food intake. The USDA food pyramid which is established throughout the world as our basic dietary requirements, recommends seven to eleven servings daily from this food group. But things have not always been this way, agriculture and farming have existed at most for ten to fifteen thousand years and humanity has been on this planet for a great deal longer. For over 2 million years our hunter gatherer ancestors survived with barely any grains at all. That means we have been eating grains for less then a ½ % of the history of humanity. This is but a blip in our evolution and it appears for some this has not been long enough for us to adapt to a grain based diet.

Rye, Barley and all wheat grains contain the protein Gluten. The cultivation of gluten grain originated in the Middle East and spread westward to the Mediterranean basin and Northward into Europe. The Romans aided the development of grain cultivation in throughout most of Europe. However they did not conquer everywhere and parts of Ireland, Scotland, and Finland managed to evade Roman rule. The people of these regions have been consuming only small quantities of grain until recently and may not have had time to genetically adapt to grain consumption. Hence the exceptionally high rate of Gluten intolerant people in these regions.

Celiac Disease is a permanent intolerance to gluten, the protein found in the aforementioned grains that results in damage to the intestinal lining in those who are Celiac. Celiac Disease is one of the most common lifelong disorders in both Europe and the US. Celiac disease affects the villi which are the finger like projections present in the lining of the gut that help us absorb the nutrients from our foods. For those people who are celiac consuming gluten will cause these villi to become damaged and they may no longer function properly. Removal of dietary products containing wheat often results in complete resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms and a resumption of normal health.

While Celiac disease has long been recognised as a problem by the medical community it is grossly underestimated and often overlooked. Many practitioners are not familiar with the many ways in which celiac disease presents or with the non-invasive methods available for identifying the disease. The majority of celiac patients had visited 5 or more Doctors prior to diagnosis and it had taken an average of 5 to 10 years, after initial presentation, for Celiac Disease to be diagnosed. About 47% of patients will have been misdiagnosed, and of those with classical symptoms of celiac disease, 59% have been misdiagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome. IBS is the most common bowel disease in the world afflicting 22% of the Western population estimated at a whopping 85 million people. About 60% of these people are taught to be allergic to wheat.

The above figures may seem frightening but what is even more worrying is that there is another piece of the puzzle that the medical community doesn’t even consider. That is, not everybody who is affected by gluten has classical celiac symptoms and that many patients have what is termed silent celiac disease, which may remain undiagnosed because the condition has no Gastro intestinal symptoms. Gluten sensitivity is regarded as principally a disease of the small bowel but it is often more then that. The immune response triggered by sensitivity to gluten may find expression in organs other than the gut including the central and peripheral nervous systems. There is reason to believe that gluten sensitivity may have a role in a myriad of diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, psychological disorders, chronic pain, infertility and problematic pregnancies.

This form of silent celiac disease may not show as dramatic damage to the intestinal wall, but sufferers may have non specific, non abdominal symptoms. Those who have specific antibodies against gluten circulating in their bloodstreams but do not show intestinal damage are often forgotten. Unfortunately they may have underlying damage to other organs. Gluten grain may affect brain health because gluten grains contain morphine like substances that effect behaviour, cause learning difficulties, change emotions and moods, and cause or worsen neurological diseases. In those diagnosed with celiac disease there is a much higher rate of neurological disorders and autoimmune disorders occur 10 times more commonly in celiacs than in the general population. Depression is reported to be a feature of coeliac disease and DR. F Dohan Philadelphia researcher and psychiatrist found that there is a strong link between celiac disease and schizophrenia and in cultures where gluten containing grains are rare schizophrenia is rare or nonexistent. Many cases of osteoporosis and muscle weakness have been found in long term celiacs. Surprisingly these symptoms of musculoskeletal pain often resolve and bone mineral density normalizes when a gluten free diet is maintained. Untreated Celiac disease often increases the risk of miscarriage by as much as 50% and can affect the babies’ birth weight significantly. In one controlled study the academic performance of the celiac group was found to be inferior to that of the control group, in fact thye had a poorer employment rate, as well as occupational classification and socioeconomic status which suggests a uniform tendency to underachievement by the celiac subjects.

Patients who are diagnosed with celiac disease often react with grief and many have a hard time understanding or accepting that something so fundamental to their diet could be injuring them. The therapy for the disease is a gluten-free diet; however, the response to therapy is poor in up to 30% of patients. The break away from gluten can be a difficult one because the gluten derived opiods in grains often cause an addiction to these “comfort foods” and for those who are gluten intolerant they will often find themselves facing symptoms of withdrawal or detoxification once a gluten free diet is initiated. Unfortunately our society is based around the premise that grains are healthy and should be a major part of everyone’s diet. However this is not true for all, as can be seen a diet based on grains can be devastating for some. We are now suffering from growing gluten gluttony and it appears our health may be paying the consequences.

Articles figures referenced from Dangerous Grains by James Braly M.D., Ron Hoggan M.A., and Jonathan Wright

Return to top

DNA codes our behaviours and physical functions but it is only as good as the transport system it creates for the transmission of information. That system relies on electricity. Just as you need a battery to start your car the human body needs electricity to stay alive. It is the literal spark of life, which energizes the body and creates our consciousness.

Electricity in the human body reaches the brain and is processed through four biochemical neurotransmitters:  dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA, and serotonin. Dopamine and acetylcholine act as the electrical on switch for the brain; they create energy for the body to use for power and speed. On the other hand, GABA and serotonin are the electrical off switches; they create electricity for calming the body and producing sleep.

Most people will have a strong leaning toward one of the four brain chemicals. This can dictate people’s character; For example those who are more left brained or GABA dominant will focus more on thinking, analysis and accuracy. They may be more introverted, have more practical skills, be disciplined and be well organised. For those who are more right brained or acetylcholine dominant they will focus on feelings, intuition and aesthetics, they will be more sociable and active, more impulsive and spontaneous and they are usually more empathetic, intuitive and subjective.

Being more dominant in one brain chemical is perfectly normal and will help you to be yourself. The danger arises when your neurotransmitters are out of balance. This can cause a variety of problems both in the mind and the body and if left unchecked can eventually have disastrous consequences. For example changes in dopamine can cause feelings of hostility and anger to increase. As stress levels go up, cardiac muscles strain and blood pressure increases. Eventually you become so wound up you begin to burn serotonin which leads to insomnia and when serotonin levels fall carbohydrate cravings increase. You eat more; gain weight and your kidneys begin to strain under heavier workload. In this downward spiral obesity takes over; your heart becomes enlarged and your liver fatty, which can lead you down the path to a stroke, a heart attack, or even cancer. This is what’s known as the domino effect and what we more commonly refer to as stress.

Levels of these neurotransmitters can be balanced through simple diet and lifestyle changes. In severe cases when the imbalance is greater pharmaceuticals can be used for support and to help get you back on track. In fact prescription drugs have the fastest and most powerful impact on a biochemical imbalance. However prescription drugs should be used for the shortest time possible because they can often have serious side effects. Therefore diet and lifestyle should be your first port of call when rebalancing your neurotransmitters. Everything we put in our mouth first affects our brain. The best example is if you drink coffee all day long you can end up nervous, irritable and unable to sleep. You will spike your dopamine and strain both your GABA and serotonin as they try to calm you down. 

If you identify a deficiency in one or more of your brains biochemical’s then you need to consume the best foods for those specific neurotransmitters. Combine dopamine and acetylcholine foods for max brain power or GABA and serotonin for maximum calming effect. Lifestyle then can affect how you feel and operate. Moderate amounts of stress cause the body to produce dopamine, which gives us the energy to perform, to plan, to work hard and to achieve. Weight bearing exercise also builds dopamine, while more aerobic activity such as running or swimming supports the other three natures. Read on to discover which your dominant biochemical is and how you can balance any deficiencies.

Dopamine affects the power of your body and mind. It monitors your metabolism and works as a natural amphetamine controlling energy, motivation and excitement.  Dopamine can be characterized by it’s by product, adrenaline. Individuals with a dopamine nature are likely to be strong willed, self confident, highly rational and more comfortable with facts and figures then with emotions. Those who are dopamine deficient can exhibit symptoms of procrastination and have a tendency towards their own company. More serious side effects can include addictive disorders, obesity, severe fatigue, and Parkinson’s. For a diet high in dopamine you should ensure the body has a steady supply of tyrosine and phenylalanine, two amino acids that are precursors to dopamine. These are found in many protein rich foods.

Acetylcholine affects brain speed, thinking, creativity, comprehension, intelligence and attention. It acts as a lubricant keeping the internal structures of the body moist and also helps produce the body’s insulation called myelin. All this helps for energy to pass freely through the body. When acetylcholine is balanced, you are creative and feel good about yourself. When you are out of balance, negative effects can include slowing of cognitive function, loss of memory, intuition, visual perception and language disorders. Deficiencies cause the body to need more choline which begins as a B vitamin and is then converted into acetylcholine. It is a natural component of plant and animal products. It is highest in foods such as egg yolk, meat, liver and cereals. Often the best sources are foods with high fat contents and this is why those with an acetylcholine nature often crave fatty foods. Supplements for increasing acetylcholine include Phosphatylseridine and choline.

GABA is the brains natural valium. It controls brains rhythm so you function at a steady pace both physically and mentally, it provides calmness to body, mind and spirit and directly affects your personality. It houses the functions of memory and language and assists in balancing the frontal lobes which govern personality, and the parietal lobes which control thinking and action. The backup for GABA is endorphin which is your own endogenous morphine. Those with a GABA nature are characterized by stability, consistency and sociability. They are dependable and have concern for others. Deficiencies may cause feelings of anxiousness, nervousness, irritability. Complex carbohydrates create a steady supply of glutamine, an amino acid that is a precursor to GABA. To include GABA producing foods in your diet, you should contain organ meats especially liver, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, cantaloupe, oranges and mushrooms. To supplement you can take Inositol which is related to phosphatidylcholine – they work together to build and protect cell membranes. It is in the B – complex family and produces a calming and relaxing effect.

Serotonin controls visual processes. It regulates the brains ability to rest and resynchronize. Serotonin provides a healing, nourishing, satisfied feeling to the body. Those with serotonin natures can be playful, impulsive, optimistic, cheerful, easygoing and they love to participate in activities. Serotonin affects your ability to rest, regenerate and find serenity. Too much however can make you hesitant and distracted. Unbalanced levels affect the brains ability to recharge itself and effects can include depression, hormonal imbalances, PMS, Sleep disorders and eating disorders. When levels are appropriate, you can sleep peacefully, enjoy food, and think rationally. In your diet the amino acid, tryptophan is converted to serotonin in the body. It is found in many protein rich foods including wheat germ, turkey, and cottage cheese. A deficit will cause carbohydrate cravings for foods such as pastas, rice and also heavily salted foods.

For further reading on this subject I would highly recommend “The Edge Effect” by Eric Braverman.

Return to top

1.    The Progressive overload principle.
On any program you must push yourself to progressively lift heavier weights or you will not experience any gains. If the body is consistently challenged with the same weight then it has no reason to adapt. All gains in strength should be made gradually never allow form to suffer as you progress.
 
2.    The Consistency Principle.
You need to make it to the gym on a regular basis and keep it consistent. You start to lose your strength after as little as ten days. A two week holiday is more then enough time to see your strength slide so ensure you make it to the gym regularly and if you have a busy period keep up what you can. You can maintain your current level of strength by training with as little as two thirds of your normal frequency. The intensity however should remain the same.

3.    The One hour Principal
Testosterone levels peak after 15 minutes of training and level off after a further 30 to 45 mins of training. Cortisol levels start to rise after 55 minutes and if you want to see gains in muscle you need to keep testosterone high and cortisol low so one hour is the optimal training time. Forget training for two or three hour sessions because hormonally you won’t get the response you want and training form will suffer. Train for one hour only and keep the intensity high.

4.    Adaptation principle.
Muscles adapt and become stronger during rest periods. 48 to 96 hours is needed before you can work the same muscle groups to allow for protein synthesis and tissue repair. Training muscles again before they are fully recovered can cause overtraining and lead to injury. Ensure your post workout nutrition is up to scratch to provide full recovery. Taking your post workout shake immediately after and ensuring you consume a meal within one to two hours of training will mean you have the necessary proteins for muscle repair.

5.    The Weakest link principle
You really are only as strong as your weakest link and so if you want to make significant strength gains you need to train your fixator and stabilizer muscles. If stabilising muscles are weak then they will shut down the neural output to the larger muscles to prevent you lifting a weight they cannot handle. For example if your shoulder stabilisers can only handle eighty kilo but your chest can handle more then you will only ever be able to bench press eighty kilo because the stabilizers realise a heavier load may damage your shoulder joint so they will not allow you lift more.

6.    The Superset principle.
The pairing of muscle groups allows you to get the biggest bang for your buck; allowing you to contain the maximum number of exercises in your program while minimising fatigue. You can be training one muscle group while the other gets the appropriate rest and recovery. In programs I often use supersets for antagonist (opposing) muscles to prevent imbalances and disruption of the bodies’ alignment.

7.    The Variety Principle.
Changing your program frequently is imperative since the body is smart and can adapt to any constant stressor and when it does so progress stops. If you follow the overload principle then you will progressively lift heavier weights and grow stronger but at some stage you will begin to plateau. You will not be able to make any more gains on your program. This signifies that you need to change your program and give the body a new stimulus. Complete beginners can do a program for as much as eight times before they need to change but for most this will be as frequently as six workouts and for those who are trained it can be as frequently as three to four workouts. After six workouts the rate of progress is often so insignificant that it is usually futile to continue on the same program.

8.    The Balance Principal.
If training as a form of stress is consistently and correctly applied the body will adapt in a positive way. If the stress is applied in an improper or inconsistent manner the body will either not adapt or will adapt in a negative way leading to overtraining or injury. Often times people will over emphasize muscle groups in their training program and this can lead to muscular imbalances which predisposes them to injury.

9.    The Success Principal.
Weight training is the only sport in the world where you have to fail to win! Maximal voluntary contractions are essential to the strength training process. The last rep of each set is accomplished by the muscle reaching fatigue ie. You cannot perform another repetition. When you have fatigued the muscle it is then time to let the adaptation principle take over, give the body the appropriate rest and nutrition and it will grow stronger.

10.    The Recovery principle
The length of the rest period is dictated by your training goal. Whether it is endurance, strength, relative strength or hypertrophy you are aiming for, the length of the rest period will dictate the bodies’ hormonal response to the workout. When training high repetitions you need to keep the rest periods short to help produce as much lactate as possible. When you are training low repetitions, for strength the nervous system needs longer to recover and your program should reflect that.

Return to top

Hi all and welcome to my May Newsletter. Sorry I am a little late this month in getting it out but been busy. This months article its about my favourite subject food or in this case “Superfoods”. The Term “Superfood” has become very popular of late but what exactly is a “Superfood” and why does it deserve to be given “Super” Status. Well there is no one particular “Superfood” that deserves to be glorified over all others because all foods contain varying nutrients and have their benefits. But there are certain foods that contain more nutrients then others, have more health benefits and should form a staple part of your diet. Everybody has there preferred foods and today I am going to give you my top ten and tell you why I think these foods deserve the title of “Superfood”.

1.    Grass fed beef. The natural diet of cows is not grain, its grass. When a cow is taken off its natural pasture and fattened on grain it loses many nutrients. It will have less vitamin E, beta carotene and more importantly as little as 1/3 it’s omega 3 fatty acids. The ratio of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6 is of enormous importance to our health because a diet too high in omega 6 can contribute to the development of disease. My favourite cut is round steak because it is lower in fat, cheap and tastes great!

2.    Blueberries are brain food! The polyphenols contained in Blueberries help the neurons in your brain communicate better helping to keep your memory sharper. They are also full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds; in fact blueberries have the highest ORAC value of any food in the world. ORAC stands for oxygen radical absorbance capacity and is a rating system for antioxidant power.

3.    Nuts and nut butters. Nuts are so often under appreciated as a health food but they are a great source of healthy fats. Perhaps the word fat is what scares so many off, but the truth is that the monounsaturated fats contained in nuts have been shown in virtually every research study to be associated with lower levels of heart disease and cancer, not to mention longer life spans. I recommend eating up to 50gms of nuts daily. 

4.    Salmon. All cold water fish are a good source of omega 3s which are helpful for heart and brain health, inflammation, circulation, memory, and blood sugar control. But Salmon is one of the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids on the planet! It is imperative however that you eat either wild or organic salmon because like cattle if Salmon are farmed and fed grain instead of there natural diet they have very little omega 3s in comparison. Farmed salmon also receive a lot of antibiotics in their feed which then works its way into your system.

5.    Broccoli. If all of the foods listed today are “Superfoods” then broccoli is the superstar of the bunch. One cup contains more then 2g of protein, 2g of fibre, 288mg of potassium, 43mg of calcium, 81mg of vitamin C plus folate, magnesium, phosphorous, beta-carotene and Vitamin A. The flavonoids contained in Broccoli help lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and reduce blood pressure. It has plenty of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidants and supports the immune system and eyesight.

6.    Extra virgin Olive oil. Olive oil is very high in compounds called phenols, which are potent antioxidants. It is also made up of monounsaturated fat which is shown in research to be extremely healthy for your heart. Unfortunately all olive oil is not made equally, due to modern manufacturing methods a lot of nutrients and the respective health benefits are lost during processing. That is why it is important to buy “Extra virgin” olive oil which is of the highest gradient. Take note when any oil is heated it oxidises and loses a lot of its nutritional properties. While olive oil is one of the best oils to cook with because it is more resilient to heat then other oils, you should try to use it freely in its natural state as a dressing for salads and vegetables to get its full health benefits.

7.    Eggs are one of the best sources of protein on the planet containing all nine essential amino acids. They are also loaded with vitamins and nutrients like choline and lutein which are great for the health of you brain, liver and eyes. In the past eggs may have received bad press as a source of cholesterol but you should not be concerned about eating the egg yolk because the effects on your cholesterol levels are minimal.

8.    Oats. Now I normally spend a lot of my time telling my clients to avoid grains because quite often people have two many in their diet, particularly the processed type but there is one grain I’m very fond of and that is oats. Oats are filled with fibre and fibre should be your no 1 weight loss supplement. Oats also contain the highest content of protein over any other cereal as well as containing phosphorous, potassium, selenium, manganese and iron. I often recommend eating porridge first thing in the morning along with some fruit a great way to start the day.

9.    Carrots are high in carotenoids, antioxidant compounds found in plants that are associated with a wide range of health benefits. Carrots contain calcium, potassium, a little magnesium, phosphorous and vitamin C, fiber and a whopping great dose of Vitamin A making carrots great for eye health. I love carrots because they are easy to prepare, they go well with anything and they are a lovely sweet vegetable! While they do have a high glycaemic index their glycaemic load is low meaning they have a very modest effect on blood sugar. 

10.    Spinach. Calorie for Calorie, spinach provides more nutrients then almost any other food on the planet; It is a real heavyweight among vegetables, no wonder Popeye loved it so much! It is loaded with bone health vitamins including Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and K. It also has vitamin A, manganese, folic acid, iron, vitamin C, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound called quercetin and antioxidant and anti-cancer agents called flavonoids.

If you enjoyed this article and want to find out more about the powerful effects of your favourite foods. I would strongly recommend reading “The 150 healthiest foods on Earth” by Johnny Bowden. My new website should be ready to run in the next few weeks so keep your eye open for Derry Temple fitness where you will be able to access all my health and fitness articles. Ciao for now!

Return to top

Most gym goers spend hours on the treadmill bike or rower and are convinced that they are doing everything necessary to lose body fat and tone up and what’s worse is they have probably been doing the same exercise for years with little or no results. There is a common misconception that in order to lose fat you must spend hours pounding on the treadmill and working up a sweat when in fact the opposite is true. Long duration aerobic work is easy for your body to recover from and adapt to. The bad news is that when you adapt to it you become more efficient at it and this means you have to work longer to get the same results that you did before.

What then is the answer? How can you shift bodyweight without spending hours in the gym every day? The answer is through a combination of resistance and interval training. Both these anaerobic forms of training (anaerobic meaning without oxygen, aerobic meaning with) place huge strain on your muscles and create shifts in your metabolism causing you to burn more calories even after you have finished training.
   
During aerobic training you burn calories but this ends shortly after you finish your workout. With anaerobic exercise you not only raise your metabolism, burning calories while you train but you also burn calories after training. In fact you can still be burning calories for up to 48hrs after your training session. The other great news is that you can increase the intensity of this training in a number of ways as your body begins to adapt.

“The optimal approach to fat loss is Resistance and Interval training.”

Now the usual response from women is “but I don’t want to be muscly or bulky”. Well guess what, it ain’t gonna happen so you don’t have to worry about it! Unless you are naturally gifted with Herculean amounts of testosterone and you are training and eating specifically with the goal of getting bigger its highly unlikely. What most people don’t realise is that a lot of us will experience a drop in metabolism of about one to two percent per year after the age of twenty, largely due to a loss of about one to two pounds of muscle tissue every year. That means we are burning five percent fewer calories at age thirty and ten percent at age forty and so on. By the time we turn fifty we could be burning fifteen percent less calories then when we were twenty and carrying an extra thirty pounds of fat!

The optimal approach to address this metabolic drop is resistance and interval training. For every pound of muscle you gain you burn an extra 50 calories per day. Your goal should be to make your body more anabolic (to promote muscle growth) to help you burn more fat. If you are worried about putting on too much muscle tissue remember that you are not just going to wake up one morning with oversized Popeye arms. When you reach your goal of looking and feeling your best you simply switch to a maintenance program and work on keeping your new slimlined figure intact.

Along with your resistance training rather then train low intensity cardiovascular exercise you need to train high intensity interval training to stoke up your metabolic fire. Interval training can be any form of aerobic training which is performed at high intensity followed by a period of rest or low activity. You work hard at a 9/10  intensity level and then in your rest and recovery phase drop the intensity to 4/5 out of ten. This is perfect for challenging your heart and helping it become stronger as well as the effects it produces to help speed up your metabolism.

“To lose fat you need to train with intensity.”

Now you know what you have to do so get in to the gym and put the work in! Remember to reach your goal of fat loss you need to train with intensity. This means pushing yourself hard but it also means you can get in and out of the gym in half the time and get twice the results!
 

Return to top