We’ve discussed the weight loss market in Japan and what Japanese people eat to lose weight. One product that she told us about was Shiritaki noodles or Konjak.

Get Miracle Noodle here

I wish I had a pound for every person who has told me that they could never give up rice or pasta in order to lose weight, here is the answer now they don’t have to.

What is special about these zero carb noodles is that they are made from glucomannan which is a soluble fibre that comes from the Konjac plant.

How to use zero carb pasta and noodles

Zero Carb Pasta Fat Loss

You can use these in any of your favorite pasta or noodle recipes. Spaghetti bolognaise could be on the menu any day of the week now, I like to cook a bit of extra broccoli when I have spag bol.

Stir fry noodles no problem, throw them into your tum yum soup.

Zero Carb Pasta for Health

There are lots of pasta type recipes that are best avoided if you want to maintain your weight. Typically those which have high levels of fat usually from a creamy sauce, e.g. pasta carbonora (bacon and cream).

A piece of sage advice that Matt Lovell gives is to avoid high fat and high carb meals as this is a recipe for FAT GAIN.

If you are going to have a high fat meal then it needs to be low in carbs and similarly a high carb meal needs to be low fat.

By using zero carb noodles and zero carb pasta you can now have a favorite creamy based pasta dish and not feel guilty about it.

At our last seminar the attendees tried these noodles out and thought they were great.

Check them out and let us know what you think?

We’ve put together a couple of  fantastic pancake recipes that are incredibly healthy.

Check out what we put in our muscle building pancakes and our low carb pancakes for fat loss.

By increasing water retention the rises in heart rate and core temperature were reduced during exercise.

Despite these positive effects, a substantial water retention could potentially impair endurance performance by increasing body mass…

This present study on 15 male endurance runners investigated the effects of combined Cr and Gly supplementation. Athletes ran for 30 min at 60% maximum in both hot and cool conditions before, and then after supplementation. 11.4 g of creatine and 1g per Kg of glycerol were administered twice daily to for a 7-day period.

Exercise trials were conducted pre- and post-supplementation at 10 and 35 degreesC and 70% relative humidity.

Supplementation increased water retention and therefore helped exercise in the heat; heart rate and core temperature were both reduced.

Although the supplementated group increased body-mass by a kilo due to increased water retention, the energy-cost of exercise, and perceived exertion were the same. Supplementation improved heat tolerance, so the added weight didn’t impair performance!

Weighing up the evidence on endurance really is aminefield. In addition, Glycerol used in this trial has now been banned by the World Anti Doping Agency due to it’s use as a masking agent; covering up steroid-use! To optimise you performance, particularly where supplements are concerned, seek professional advice!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/consultations-2/consultations-matt-lovell.html

Lukas Y Beis, Thelma Polyviou, Dalia Malkova and Yannis P Pitsiladis (2011); The effects of creatine and glycerol hyperhydration on running economy in well trained endurance runners; Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition; 8:24

This randomszed double-blind cross-over placebo-controlled trial looked at thirteen trained adult males consuming either the novel Sports Drink containing carbs (68.6 g), BCAAs (4 g), caffeine (75 mg) or placebo throughout exercise. The men completed two separate running tests, either consuming placebo or sports drink.

Firstly, athletes completed a 2 hr time trial, recording their total distance run. Next, subjects exercised for 2 h at 95% of their average speed, while blood sugar, blood lactate, perceived exertion, heart rate, and the volume of oxygen used during exercise were recorded before and after exercise. Additionally, neuromuscular function was determined by looking at the electrical activity around at the junction of the nerves and muscles. Peripheral fatigue (when the muscle is fully activated but is at its maximum capacity) and Central fatigue (where an individual is unable to fully activate their muscle) were recorded by analysing electrical activity.

Ingesting the sports drink improved running performance, maintained blood sugar, and reduced central fatigue as well as peripheral fatigue). Maximal strength and heart-rate did not differ between the two conditions.

This study shows that sports drinks are better than sweetened placebo… however, it doesn’t tell us a great deal! The placebo had nowhere near the calories of the sports drink, so we don’t know whether BCAAs and caffeine had any additional effect over simply giving athletes more carbs! What is certain though is that any endurance athlete should support their energy needs with a considered nutritional strategy.

If you want to optimise energy, improve performance and improve body composition, then take a look at our endurance E-book:

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/goals/endurance/endurance-nutrition.html

Peltier et al., (2011); Effects of carbohydrates-BCAAs-caffeine ingestion on performance and neuromuscular function during a 2-h treadmill run: a randomized, double-blind, cross-over placebo-controlled study; Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2011, 8:22

Heart rate was 182 all the way up…….

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me!

However, different types of protein may be more readily used by the body than others, and some specific proteins may even influence the activity of enzymes in order to effect performance, health and body-composition.

Protein from the Chinese Grass Carp, prized in Chinese Cuisine, has been previously shown to affect the production of antioxidant enzymes in the body. This study revelead that in mice models, this property can go on to improve endurance!!

Mice were fed the fish-protein once per day before swimming exercise for a 28 d training regime.

Exercise metabolism was monitored by looking at glycogen concentrations (carb stored in the muscles and used during exercise) blood sugar and lactic acid,and protein metabolism. In addition, antioxidant enzymes in the body were analysed (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase (CAT).

Compared with those mice on a normal diet, fish protein significantly prolonged exercise time; increasing the time mice could swim before exhaustion! The high-dosage was the most effective .

Liver glycogen was remarkably increased by seven times or more, showing that the fish protein actually helped carb storage to support endurance! Fish protein also sped up the removal of waste products such as lactic acid, and urea.

Antioxidant enzymes were unaffected by the fish-protein, but metabolic improvements seemed to allow supplementation to enhance performance.

Our own “bioactive protein” strategies have helped numerous athletes support a high training load and enhance performance. Bovine Colostrum may stimulate the body to produce anabolic hormones as well as immune-cells, to help you maintain a high training load:

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/proteins/colostrum.html

Ren J, Zhao M, Wang H, Cui C, You L. (2011) “Effects of supplementation with grass carp protein versus peptide on swimming endurance in mice”; Nutrition. Jul-Aug;27(7-8):789-95. Epub 2010 Dec

I’m defo going to need to take some lactate buffers before that one!

At a recent seminar I was suprised a how few people were aware of lactate buffering. Every sport that has periods of activity that last for more than 20 seconds should be using some type of lactate buffering protocol.

Let me know if you use some sort of lactate beffering strategy just a simple yes or no on the blog post will do?

P.S. If you wanted to sponsor me for the NSPCC here is the link.

Inactive individuals may have an average risk of catching an infection — typically 2-3 URTIs per year.

Unsurprisingly, those undertaking regular moderate exercise (e.g. a daily brisk walk), can reduce their chance of catching a respiratory infection, such as a cold, by up 30%, making colds only an annual occurrence.

So… train more, get fitter, and get impervious to colds, right? Wrong! Periods of prolonged strenuous exercise actually increase the likelihood of illness. In the weeks following a marathon for example, even elite athletes may suffer a 2-6 fold increase in the risk of developing URTIs!

Speaking recently at the Association for Science Education (ASE) Conference on January 6, Professor Mike Gleeson from Loughborough highlighted the risk of a high training load on an increased prevalence of flu symptoms. At this time of year, the cold weather and damp will also add to the stress on the body, meaning that you should really consider a gradual return to fitness rather than storming ahead and colliding headlong with illness!

Day to day, an athlete may have little need for antioxidant supplementation as a healthy diet will provide these nutrients without the risk of mega-dosing; excessive antioxidant intakes may slow down fitness gains! However, if your ability to train is threatened by illness, the evidence on antioxidant supplementation supporting immune-health is valid and consistent. Moderation is the best option in winter, but if you want to “train through the pain” you may reduce your risk of illness by getting some antioxidant assistance!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/vitamins/vitamin-c.html

Society for General Microbiology (2012, January 5)

It’s a tradition to give something up for Lent, commonly people choose alcohol or chocolates.

As you are on my fat loss list I’m going to suggest you give up ‘Processed carbs’ for Lent.

If you just make this one change and stop eating

• Sugars
• Bread
• Pasta
• cakes and pastries
• wheat
• soft drinks and fruit juices
• Rice
• Pizza

You will be amazed at the difference there will be in 6 weeks time.  You’ll feel healthier, you will be leaner and you’ll have more energy.

Grab a copy of my sheet ‘How to lose weight‘

Print a few copies off and then stick them up and keep them with you for reference.

If you think you need a bit more help then pick up a copy of the Four Week Fat Loss program and you’ll be in great shape by Easter.

104 Elderly patients were assessed with MRI scans to analyse the relationship between various nutrients and brain health.

In these 104 individuals (mean age was 87) years high plasma levels of B-vitamins B (B1, B2, B6, folate, and B12), and antioxidants (C, D, and E) were associated with better cognition, and less brain-shrinking with age! Diets high in marine ω-3 fatty acids were also beneficial.
Trans fat was associated with lower cognitive abilities and less total cerebral brain volume – they grow your belly but shrink your brain!

Bigger brains can be supported with oily fish and b-vitamins (vegetables, dairy, and lean meats).

Eat a good balance of fats and maintain a good micronutrient intake with food. In times of stress and limited time, you may benefit from a multivitamin or powdered greens to compensate for shortfalls in your diet…

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/vitamins.html

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/green-drinks.html

Bowman GL, Silbert LC, Howieson D, Dodge HH, Traber MG, Frei B, Kaye JA, Shannon J, Quinn JF.
Nutrient biomarker patterns, cognitive function, and MRI measures of brain aging.
Neurology, (2011) [Epub ahead of print]

This study saw 53 healthy university students between the ages of 18 and 27 years undergo supplementation with French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®) for 8 weeks.

The most important criteria to asses supplement trials by, is the specificity of the trial; how similar and applicable are the findings to real life? Well, the students were tested by performance in their university examinations, and the results showed that those given Pycnogenol® tended to fail fewer tests (6.25 compared to 10.71% for controls).

The average test score among those given Pycnogenol® was 26.1 as compared to 23.81 in controls. The supplemented students also displayed statistically significant improvements in cognitive function, specifically, improved sustained attention, memory, executive functions and mood ratings.

Pycogenol is a botanical antioxidant in the same mould as Resveratrol. Antioxidants can prevent cellular damage, impacting on brain health. For our own formulations of evidence supported antioxidants, visit our shop, and stay sharp this January!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/optimized-resveratrol-with-synergistic-grape-berry-actives.html

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/life-extension-comprehensive-nutrient-packs-30-packets.html

Reference: “Pycnogenol® supplementation improves cognitive function, attention and mental performance in students,” Luzzi R, Belcaro G, et al, Panminerva Med, 2011 Sept; 53(3 Suppl 1): 75-82. (Address: Irvine Labs, Department of Biomedical Sciences Chieti – Pescara University, Pescara, Italy. E-mail: cardres@abol.it ).

After analysing 20 trials, including a total of 1,415 subjects, it was found that green tea catechins (doses ranging from 145 to 3,000 mg/d) reduced total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol compared to controls. These effects could be found after supplementation periods of 3-24 weeks , although no significant changes in HDL cholesterol or triglycerides were found.

If you’re good/bad cholesterol ratio is improved, then fat loss is made more efficient and the risk of cardiovascular disease decreases. Fancy a cuppa?

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/goals/fat-loss/egcg-green-tea-extract-400-mg-90-vcaps.html

“Green tea catechins decrease total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Kim A, Chiu A, et al, J Am Diet Assoc, 2011 Nov; 111(11): 1720-9. (Address: University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Hartford, CT, USA).

Volunteers were randomized to take either the multi-nutrient supplement or a placebo for 28 days before 1 week “wash-out” and repeating the trial on the alternative intervention.

The supplement was a combination of B-vitamins, essential for protein synthesis, anabolic amino-acids, and herbal antioxidants. It contained vitamin B5 (20mg), B6 (6mg), folic acid (.4mg), B12 (.25mg), taurine (500mg), 1-leucine (2,000mg), isoleucine (500mg), valine (500mg), Cat’s Claw (uncaria tomentosa, 100mg), quercetin (100mg), green tea (50mg), and grape extract (25mg).

The results in a study are only as good as the measures employed, and some caution must be employed in interpreting these results which were mainly subjective reports of how the volunteers felt. The researchers found increased energy levels in both men and women, as well as benefits to joint pain, by men but not women.

Women, but not men, experienced improvements in both anxiety levels and balance.

However, in combination with more subjective measures, improved inflammatory status was shown by biochemical markers of inflammatory markers (IL6) while and strength, and power improved in men. This study suggests that a multi-nutrient supplement may help middle-aged individuals maintain physical health and an active lifestyle.

Dunn-Lewis C, Kraemer WJ, et al, (2011), “A Multi-nutrient supplement reduced markers of inflammation and improved physical performance in active individuals of middle to older age: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study,” Nutrition Journal (epub)

Just had a consultation with one of my clients he’s an intelligent businessman, works hard and likes to exercise. He’s driven and wants results fast.

Over the years his weight has yo-yoed up and down between 75 and 110Kg, it’s quite a difference in old money it’s about 70lb or 5 stone.

So he’s started on Four Week Fat Loss and he has started dropping weight, he’s down about 7Kg already. He’s that determined he actually started Xmas Eve!

Most people would be happy with 7Kg in 12 days and content to keep on trucking along.

However some people like to try and shortcut the shortcut. Don’t do it!

In the past he’s lost weight faster, but he was doing all sorts of crazy stuff like starving himself.

Sure you are going to lose weight fast if you do that but it’s not a long term solution is it?

The weight loss soon plateaus when you starve yourself.

The problem with severe calorie restriction is you start to burn muscle for fuel, your body needs stores of fat to make hormones that are essential for body function.

Genetic survival mechanisms kick in and your body starts to break down more muscle and less fat, as you can do without muscle but you cant do without fat.

With some weight loss plans particularly those that are low fat and high carbs your actual weight loss may be as much as 50% muscle and 50% fat.

The main reason you want to preserve muscle mass is that muscles require a lot of energy just for your body to maintain them.

With more muscle you might need 2000 calories a day to stay at your current weight, less muscle you may only need 1750.

That 250 calorie deficit could add up over a year to an extra 26lbs of fat.

This is one of the reasons that people end up yo-yoing.

A major part of the Four Week Fat Loss philosophy is that it’s a method that you use for the rest of your life it’s not about a quick fix.

When you dont need to lose any more weight you make slight adjustments to your food and activity levels to stay at the same level.

Matt Lovell

P.S.
FWFL has a money back guarantee. The only thing you have to lose is unwanted flab

In this study examining the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and airway structure and function in 86 children, severely asthmatic children were found to have lower vitamin D levels than either moderate asthmatics or non-asthmatics.

In these children (average age 11.7 years), higher vitamin D levels correlated with reduced airway inflammation and improved airway structure and lung function.

The results suggest that vitamin D supplementation may be useful in treating asthma. However, many health problems are either caused or made worse by excessive inflammation, meaning that vitamin has a role in supporting all areas of health.

Olmedillas H, González-Agüero A, Moreno LA, Casajús JA, Vicente-Rodríguez G.(2011) “Bone related health status in adolescent cyclists”. PLoS One.;6(9):e24841. Epub 2011

Can you give us any feedback on this one page sheet, so we can make any changes before we start really sending the message out. There is a lot of nonsense out there when it comes to weight loss and we wanted to try and cut through the clutter and get our simple message out there.

Right click here and save as for pdf version

or right click on the image below and save for .jpg or image version.

The combination of low energy availability, menstrual disturbances and low bone mineral density is referred to as the ‘female athlete triad’.

Current recommendations focus on either increasing energy intake or decreasing energy expenditure; eating more, or training less.

Meal replacement products can help increase energy intake and may be a useful addition to a female athletes diet. In addition, ensuring sufficient intakes of calcium and iron are particularly important for female athletes.

A referral to a sports nutritionist will also give more perspective and can be an effective way of managing energy intake, although severe cases should be referred to a doctor.

Ducher G, Turner AI, Kukuljan S, Pantano KJ, Carlson JL, Williams NI, De Souza MJ. “Obstacles in the optimization of bone health outcomes in the female athlete triad”.

Sports Med. 2011 Jul 1;41(7):587-607.

Subjects were assigned to 40 g/day supplementation of soy protein, milk protein or complex carbohydrate from wheat each for 8 weeks in random order with a 3-week washout period between interventions.

Perhaps surprisingly, soy protein came out on top, improving cholesterol profiles significantly more than milk or carbohydrate. Previous research has suggested that soy may mimic oestrogen and as such exacerbate certain cancers, while compared to milk proteins it’s always second-best for muscle growth. However, this trial indicates that soy protein may surpass other supplements for cholesterol lowering properties…

“Effect of soy and milk protein supplementation on serum lipid levels: a randomized controlled trial,” Wofford MR, Rebholz CM, et al, Eur J Clin Nutr, 2011 Sep 28 [Epub ahead of print].

Start ‘em young! Fish oils for tiny immune subsystems may help wrap up your immune-system for winter!

How young is too young for omega-3 supplements? Well, as the foetus’ brain develops in the womb, before an infant’s brain continues to grow throughout the first 2 years of life, supporting a healthy essential fatty acid intake can’t start too early. Supplementing a nursing mother will also benefit the child via enriching her breast-milk.

In this trial, researchers studied 60 pregnant women, half of whom were randomly assigned to receive 400 mg/day DHA from the 12th week of gestation until the 4th month after birth. This is the component of fish-oils that makes up the membranes of nerve-cells, as well as immune cells. The other 30 received no treatment or placebo.
All mothers consumed a diet supposedly sufficient in DHA content.

At age 4-months, infants’ blood was tested for contents of immune cells. Immune cells known as CD4+ lymphocytes were analysed – these “helper cells” are essential in combining with other immune cells that engulf invaders or produce antibodies.
Although they did not differ between groups, their precursor “naive cells” were found to be significantly higher in infants in the supplemented group. A marker of inflammatory stress (IFNg) was also significantly lower in the supplemented group.

DHA supplementation may improve immunological response in infants, although the results of this study are far from concrete!

What is certain is that looking after the immune function of mother and children is essential for supporting a child’s development. Why not take a look at some of our immune bossters as we head into winter!?

“DHA Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation Affects Infants’ Cellular but Not Humoral Immune Response,” Granot E, Jakobovich E, et al, Mediators Inflamm. 2011

In a systematic literature review, study authors investigated the effects of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on clinical outcomes in patients with cancer, or in patients who undergo surgery or critical care.

Researchers found omega-3 contributed to the maintenance of body weight and quality of life, but not necessarily on survival in cancer patients. Although many studies would argue that a good intake of essential fats may help prevent cancer, you probably need tore than fish-oils to help you if you develop the disease fully.

Postoperative supplementation may also reduce the length of a hospital stay.

Add omegas to your arsenal for good health!

“Omega-3 PUFAs in cancer, surgery, and critical care: a systematic review on clinical effects, incorporation, and washout of oral or enteral compared with parenteral supplementation,”  van der Meij BS, van Leeuwen PA,  Am J Clin Nutr, 2011 Sep 21. [Epub ahead of print].

Although these “good bacteria” live in the gut, they represent the first line of defence of the immune system, and easing the burden on one part can have profound effects for the rest of your immune-function. In addition, results from animal and human studies suggest a moderate cholesterol-lowering action.

Probiotic bacteria ferment indigestible carbohydrates to produce short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which can inhibit the body’s cholesterol production, and may also interfere with cholesterol absorption from the gut.

This meta-analysis assessed randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of probiotics consumption on bloo-fats – markers of obesity and cardiovascular health. Assessing 13 trials, including 485 participants with high, borderline high and normal cholesterol levels.

Total cholesterol for those treated with was 6.40 mg dl-1lower in those treated with probiotics compared to controls. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol was 4.90 mg dl-1lower and the mean reduction in blood-fats was 3.95 mg dl-1.

So… probiotics aren’t too good to be true, they’re just too good!

“Influence of consumption of probiotics on the plasma lipid profile: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials,” Guo Z, Chen W, et al, Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2011 Sep 17 [Epub ahead of print].

If you are a woman reading this then you are 3 times more likely to have a problem than a man. I was surprised about that difference

So what does sleep have to do with fat loss?

Quite a lot actually as fat loss is about more than just calories and exercise.

If you are lacking in sleep in then you are more likely to suffer from depression, I’m not citing any references, common sense dictates that if you are depressed then you’re more likely to go off track when managing your eating and that can be the start of a spiral downwards.

Hormones have a massive role to play as well. An important hormone involved in fat loss that is often overlooked is cortisol (the stress hormone).

The main reason that it is often overlooked is that it’s not directly involved in blood sugar control like insulin is or fat metabolism like growth hormone is.

Higher levels of Cortisol have been shown to interfere with how insulin works and causes the body to become resistant to the effects of insulin a condition referred to as insulin resitance which is often a pre cursor to diabetes. High levels of cortisol cause the liver to produce blood sugar (hepatic gluconeogenesis) from fat and protein sources, this creates a double whammy because even though you may be eating to try and control your blood sugar your stress levels end up creating more.

I’ll leave it to another day to write more about insulin resistance as I wanted this document to be more
about sleep and how that affects your fat loss.

I’ve written a short guide about how to improve your sleep through nutritional and behavioural strategies, it will be ready by Wednesday, I’ll be sending it at no charge to those of you who have already purchased four week fat loss so keep an eye out for it.

Let me know if you have any awesome tips that aid sleep that I may have missed and I will add them to the report.

Please be sensible though, no answers like 12 pints of Cider and a kebab.

Sleep tight this week

• Think of immune protection in 3 stages;
• Prevention
• System support
• Recovery when ill
• What can I do to avoid getting ill and recover quickly if I get ill?

IMMUNE SUPPORT AND TRAINING

• Balance training with recovery – don’t go over drawn
• Nutritional Recovery is key to enhancing the immune response
• Recover Aggressively and appropriately after each exercise session
• Use Antioxidants as part of your recovery strategy when you feel you may be immune compromised
• Add vitamin C powder to your recovery shake
• Always take a recovery shake after each session

LIFESTYLE HABITS TO AVOID ILLNESS

• Basic hygiene
• Wash hands regularly
• Avoid ill people
• Avoid places where many hands meet
• Avoid dehydration
• Never share glasses or drinks bottles

• Pay particular attention to post training immune support during winter months
• Maintain constant temperature
• Avoid frequent fluctuations in temperature

STRESS, SLEEP AND THE CORTISOL CONNECTION

• Exercise induced stress and mental stress are the same to the body

• Avoid becoming stressed out unnecessarily
• Use stress management techniques like meditation and visualisation to help combat mental stress
• If you are not sleeping well seek help, there are many natural remedies which help proper sleeping patterns

NUTRITIONAL INFLUENCES

• Higher tissue turnover
• Higher requirement for nutrients
• Modern food is low in essential nutrients
• Eat organic where possible
• Avoid anti-nutrients
• Avoid empty calories

AVOID THESE;

• All refined foods
• Sugar (except post training)
• Excess Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Cakes, biscuits and pastries
• Crisps and confectionary
• Soda Pop
• Refined Wheat
• Chips
• Fast and junk foods
• Snack a jacks
• Doughnuts
• Breakfast cereals
• All chemically assisted foods

DO THIS;

• Eat vegetables or fruit each time you eat
• Choose veggies or fruit which are high in ORAC units
• Choose organic whenever possible
• When its not possible then wash all veggies and fruit thoroughly
• then go and buy some organic ones

UNDERSTAND THIS;

• Excess wheat and refined wheat suppresses immunity
• Excess dairy causes excess mucous production
• If you are constantly ill then food intolerance can be a cause

ACTION POINTS;

• Avoid Wheat
• Choose non wheat based unrefined cereals
• Choose wheat free pastas and breads
• Use different grains like quinoa, wholegrain rice or buckwheat

RECOVERY WHEN ILL – AND ADDITONAL TIPS TO AVOID GETTING ILL

• Chicken Soup is a proven immune boosting recipe
• Thai Tom yum soup has additional immune and recovery benefits
• Both of these will help recovery from injury and immune support

HERBS AND SPICES;

All herbs and spices help immunity and health use the following regularly;

• Turmeric
• Garlic
• Ginger and Thai ginger
• Lemon grass
• Coriander
• Chilli’s
• Coconut Milk

AS SOON AS YOU SENSE ILLNESS

• Make sure you are eating lightly according to the basic principles
• Increase your intake of vitamin C from food and supplements
• Drink Cat’s Claw tea and add ginger and lemon
• If you have a cold then take a dessert spoonful of Sambucol 4 x per day
• Use Manuka honey in detox tea to clear mucous and support immunity
• Increase use of bovine colostrum

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

• Use the immune supplements provided to support your immunity
• Chinese Green Tea may have specific additional immune boosting properties
• Manuka honey also has immune supportive properties

IMMUNE RECIPE TIPS

• Hot lemon, ginger and honey; use 1 teaspoon manuka honey, ½ lemon and 1 teaspoon or powdered or fresh ginger
• Use tom yum soup paste to make soup and drink this regularly
• Add shitake mushrooms to recipes regularly
• Eat fresh lightly cooked vegetables regularly
• Eat vitamin C rich fruits regularly

The participants were randomly assigned to either whey protein (providing 56 g and 400Kcal per day) or equal amounts soy protein or carb. 

Whey is by far and away the winner – its amino acid profile and possibly even its proteins’ conformations mean it is used differently to other sources. Not just quantity – but quality!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/proteins.html

Baer DJ, Stote KS, et al, (2011); Whey protein but not soy protein supplementation alters body weight and composition in free-living overweight and obese adults," J Nutr; 141(8): 1489-94.

The study population was unique in that all were Seventh-day Adventists, who, because their religion, are all non-smokers, consume little if any alcohol, are more physically active, and consume less meat than the general population. This means those who maintained a lower BMI did so intentionally with healthy lifestyle choices rather than as a result of smoking or poverty.

Men over 75 with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 22.3 had a 3.7-year shorter life expectancy. This is in the healthy range and not even considered overweight – most athletes fall into this category! Women over 75 with a BMI greater than 27.4 had a 2.1-year shorter life expectancy – a value considered mildly overweight, but not problematic.

Men had a higher sensitivity to body fat than women, possibly because of the effect of oestrogen. Body fat is the primary source of oestrogen; beneficial in post-menopausal females, but meaning that the negative effects of extra weight in older mean appear at lower body-fats than women.

Each individual is unique – ideally a personalised plan offers the most benefit for health, taking into account you unique physiology!

http://www.sportsnutritionvlog.com/nutritional-consultations/

Pramil N. Singh, Ella Haddad, Serena Tonstad, Gary E. Fraser. Does Excess Body Fat Maintained After the Seventh Decade Decrease Life Expectancy? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2011; 59 (6)

This randomized, placebo-controlled trial on 52 hemodialysis patients (27 men, 25 women) provided either supplementation with L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10,or placebo, for 3 months.

Levels of specific lipoproteins, (fat-transporting markers of cardiovascular stress), were found to be significantly reduced on supplementation compared to placebo.

Absolute levels of circulating fats didn’t budge, so it’s no miracle cure, but any impact on improving fat transport will have knock-on effects on cholesterol levels, energy release and the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.

We source a high quality supplier of coQ10, as well as a combination product that provides all the essential ingredients for mitochondrial, cardiovascular and respiratory health.

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/coq10-100mg-120softgels.html

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/mitochondrial-energy-optimizer-with-biopqqtm-120-capsules.html

Shojaei M, Djalali M, et al,(2011); Effects of Carnitine and Coenzyme Q10 on Lipid Profile and Serum Levels of Lipoprotein(a) in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients on Statin Therapy;  Iran J Kidney Dis, 5(2): 114-8.

It’s therefore vital that you undertake depleted state training as part of a considered endurance- programme to maximise training adaptations and fat loss, without overtraining. Otherwise, all this hard work will be for nothing!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/consultations-2/consultations-matt-lovell.html

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/goals/endurance/endurance-nutrition.html

Antonio Paoli, A. Et al., (2010) Exercising Fasting or Fed to Enhance Fat Loss? Influence of Food Intake on Respiratory Ratio and Excess Post exercise Oxygen Consumption After a Bout of Endurance Training; 10, 55-64

Here’s what we suggest

Use a plain whey protein ( no added sugars) and mix it with water or milk, you can add some extra yoghurt or cottage cheese and then have some of the kinetica fat burner ( fat burner link to thermo 5) Thermo 5 to go with it.

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/brands/kinetica.html

Poole, CN, Roberts, MD, Dalbo, VJ, Tucker, PS, Sunderland, KL, DeBolt, ND, Billbe, BW, and Kerksick, CM. (2011); The combined effects of exercise and ingestion of a meal replacement in conjunction with a weight loss supplement on body composition and fitness parameters in college-aged men and women; J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Jan;25(1):51-60.

So often, oestrogenic foods like soy are made out to be the bad guys. For a male bodybuilder or athlete trying to optimise their testosterone synthesis, this may be so, but many women, particularly those who’ve gone through the menopause, may benefit from optimising oestrogen function. In this 6 month controlled study on 100 overweight/obese postmenopausal women, supplementation with 70 mg/day soy isoflavones reduced the percentage of leg-fat. Interestingly this is an area typically associated with excess oestrogen!  Whereas exercise alone improved body fat, soy seemed to have a hormone balancing effect by reducing fat accumulation on the legs!

As well as soy supplements, zinc supplementation and DIM are particularly helpful hormonal healers. So, to get a hold of your hormonal weight-issues, why not try some of these supplements?

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/hormonal-support/female.html

Choquette S, Dionne J, et al, 2010, “Effects of soya isoflavones and exercise on body composition and clinical risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in overweight postmenopausal women: a 6-month double-blind controlled trial,” Br J Nutr [Epub ahead of print]

It would be wise to ensure an adequate intake of micronutrients and antioxidants in your children’s diet, and particularly in the diet of expectant mothers…

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/anti-oxidants.html

Adams JB, Audhya T, et al, (2011) Nutritional and Metabolic Status of Children with Autism vs. Neurotypical Children, and the Association with Autism Severity; Nutr Metab (Lond),8(1): 34