The Balancing Act of EFA's

EFA's, essential fatty acids, are substances in our daily diets that aren't probably very familiar to the average eater.  It's time that the average "Joes" out there start paying attention....Why? Their diet may be slowly killing them!  Essential fatty acids are starting to get their time in the spot light.  Some media outlets are starting to tout the health benefits of this branch of our nutritionary needs, but it's not out there enough yet!  Chances are you will not find this helpful information at the local grocery store; you're gonna have to hunt for the real answers.  We feel compelled to spread some basic information on the subject to get you started.  We are not forcing you into becoming a "foodie", but hoping that you take what you read here seriously and begin taking control of your diets.  After all, government-guided dietary guidelines are generalized and don't take into account how different the dietary needs are for each of our own unique bodies.  We are all different, and different foods, ratios of macronutrients, and times to eat affect us differently.  Pay attention to your own unique metabolism. 

Let's keep it basic.....Essential fatty acids are essential because our bodies do not make them.  These are things that we have to get from our diets.  Easy enough to understand.  But, some people out there are scared to death of fats and try to avoid them at all cost, others couldn't care less and eat whatever they want, usually whatever is quick and easy.  Both of these approaches are not too smart.  There are both "good" and "bad" fats out there in the culinary world, and believe-it-or-not, our body needs fat.....the "good" kind.  That's what we're talking about here.  EFA's are the "good" fats.  The problem with EFA's is that there is such an imbalance in the ways that we are getting them.  There are two EFA's that we are concerned with, Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.  The balancing act comes into play because of the fact that Omega 3 reduces inflammation in the body, while Omega 6 promotes inflammation.  We are eating way too much Omega 6 in comparison to Omega 3.  There needs to be a balance between the two to maintain homeostasis within our immune system.  Inflammation is not a bad thing; it's the body's defense mechanism against an injury, infection, or something it sees as not right.  The true problem is the condition in the body of chronic inflammation, the repeated process of an inflammed response repeated over and over until this is the constant internal state of the body.  This is bad and has been noted as an environment that invites in numerous disease processes. 

Experts suggest that we should have a 1:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3.  This is close to what it was probably before farming and cheap grains overtook our food choices.  Unfortunately, with today's diet we are consuming anywhere from 11 to 30 times Omega 6 to 3!!! We may be at a ratio of 20:1.  This huge imbalance that creates a body riddled with chronic inflammation may explain the last century's rise in diseases such as:  asthma, coronary artery disease, different cancers, autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, and depression.  There are some studies that suggest diets high in Omega 6 lead to more agression and violence!  How are we eating too much Omega 6 you may be wondering? Well, most of the time it's hidden in our foods, and usually in the wrong foods.  One of the big guilty parties is partially hydrogenated oils found in so many of the processed foods (cookies, crackers, most snack foods and sweets) and fast foods that seem to be so convenient for families these days.  Grains are loaded with Omega 6 too, and that includes the grains that are fed to all livestock such as:  cows, pigs, and chicken.  This leads the animals' bodies to also be riddled with inflammation, and since we eat them, further increase our intake of inflammation promoting Omega 6. 

  

So, what do you do? These fats are essential, no question that we need them.  The answer is that we have to take control, be aware, balance out these vital keys to our nutrition.  Omega 6 is found in seeds, nuts, and oils extracted from them.  Omega 3 is found in cold water fish (Salmon, Makerel, Tuna, Anchovies, Sardines), fish oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables, and nuts.  We need them both for proper brain function and normal growth and development.  We have to watch and plan our food choices better and not get stuck having to cave in to the "convenience" of already prepared processed foods or fast food.  We have to stay away from grains.  We need to up our consumption of organic fruits and vegetables which are great sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and anitoxidants.  We need to eat meat like grass-fed beef, wild caught fish, and free-range chicken.  We need to stay away from highly processed cooking oils and stick with olive, coconut, avacado, palm, and other "safe" oils.  All it takes is a proactive approach, a little research, and the work will lead to a body that feels better and will allow you more capable of fending off the all to common ailments of today, like:  heart problems, high triglycerides, depression, and rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few.  With today's food choices, it's easy to feel like the guy up in this picture.  Just do your best, be aware of your body and under control of your diet.        

Getting to the CORE

*The following is derived from our studies of Paul Chek's book, "How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy" 

Your core is also known as "the Action Center".  Every single move that we do in the gym, outside of the gym involves the middle of our body, our core.  Repeating:  EVERY single movement that we do in our everyday life involves the core of our body.  
  Lets look at Core functions:

1. Protection of your central nervous system (CNS) and internal organs (it's a shield)
2. Supports the natural mobilization of your internal organs (our organs do move a bit inside our bodies)
3. Circulatory support (pressure changes that assist heart and extremity muscles circulate blood and lymphatic fluid throughout body)
4. Foundation for movement

We must have healthy, strong core function for proper efficient body processes inside and out.
With this being said, why is the core the most neglected part of the body for most gym goers? I think that the answer to this is that people simply only think about the front of their core and just work on their abs with crunches (the quest for the washboard 6-pack).  There are countless infomercials touting ab machines and other implied spot reducing machines promising to melt away abdominal fat.  It's not that easy, there's no such thing as spot reducing......and your core goes all the way around and includes the abs, lower back, and hips.  Some people argue that the core is really your entire torso.  Our extremities rely on the core for stabilization and force production.  We must strengthen all aspects of the core, and we can get you started with the most basic move, the plank.

1. Start by lying face down on the ground or use an exercise mat. Place your elbows and forearms underneath your chest.
2. Prop yourself up to form a bridge using your toes and forearms, have a straight-line from your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, to ankles.
3. Don't cheat! Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground. 

Next, try the slightly more difficult plank, a plank with arms extended (push-up position).  The further your body is from the floor, the more unstable it is and harder to maintain the plank form.

When you are ready to spice up the basic plank movements, make your foundation a little more unstable by throwing up an arm, leg, or both!

You should transition to performing the Side Plank and make sure that the bottom hip doesn't sag.  When you perfect this basic side plank or get bored, up your game by raising your arm and leg, Star Side Plank.

As humans that enjoy being vertical, it is imperative to strengthen and maintain a healthy core.  Take these exercises and incorporate them into your gym workouts or even do them in the comfort of your own homes or hotel rooms.  Remember, our core musculature keeps our torso upright.  You have to have a strong core for the functional movements of everyday life (e.g. carrying a suitcase, picking up a child, carrying the groceries in from the car, etc.) because like Paul Chek says, "You can't fire a canon from a canoe". 


Now from my (Jami's) perspective: The core is actually the entire torso but most thought of is the area at the base of the ribs to right above the pubic bone. This is the area of the 2nd and 3rd chakra or Zone 2 and 3. Chakras are invisible centers of energy. We have 7 from the base of our spine to the top of our head.

Zone 2 or the Second Chakra muscles are, the lower abdominal, lumbar spine and legs and feet. It's related functions are sexual functionality, elimination, and water regulation.

Zone 3 or the Third Chakra muscles are the upper abdominals, mid-back. It's related functions are digestion, assimilation and muscles.

I will use the words zone and/or chakra interchangeably. Our energy centers are meant to move but at a balanced speed. Not too fast or too slow. Imbalances are experienced in our bodies and life when our chakras are out of balance.  Zone 2 imbalances will manifest as stress over relationships and sex. Zone 3 has to do with our personal power or self will and digestion. Low self esteem and not being able to be one's true self are imbalances in the 3rd chakra along with digestive distress.

Along with nutrition and exercise, it my opinion that it is part of the "becoming healthy/healthier" journey to look into these other areas of our life. These are the areas that will connect us to a deeper part of ourselves. Our spiritual self. 

"Exercising the muscles for each zone (1-6) delivers beneficial energy to the hormonal & organ systems, as well as to issues related to the spinal segments in that particular zone. This system is the foundation for yoga, tai chi, and the zone exercises presented in this book."

                                                                      Paul Chek

Fire Up that Metabolism, Feel the Burn!

Jefferson Squat

 You all know the feeling, you are working out, halfway through the exercise and you feel the BURN.......All these thoughts start racing through your head....You begin to think to yourself, is this pain normal, is this self-imposed punishment worth it, where am I, why am I here? All of these questions, depending on what you're doing at that present moment, are probably logical.  In regards to the is this worth it and is this normal, the answers are YES and YES.
Let's talk about the role of Lactate and specifically an interestingly, cool form of weighted-resistance training known as Lactate Training.

Ladies and Gents, when we put our bodies under the stress of

Deadlift

exercise, it must have an energy pathway producing energy to get our
muscles moving.  There are 3 different pathways that operate both together and independently.  The first is ATP energy production, which happens for about the first 20 seconds of any movement.  It fades quickly and the body transitions into the glycolytic or Anaerobic energy pathway.  This pathway is good for about 2 minutes of work and if we are still continuously moving, the body moves into the next method of energy production, the Aerobic pathway, which is the preferred energy system for endurance exercises like running, swimming, or cycling.  These are vague, quick explanations, but fine for some background info.

Stability Ball Shoulder Press

Now, back to lactate.  Intense exercise will quickly max out the aerobic physiology, forcing your body into anaerobic energy production.  We need energy faster than our bodies can adequately deliver oxygen; so, the muscles generate energy anaerobically breaking down glycogen molecules into pyruvate, which eventually becomes lactate.  We have heard of lactic acid before, but actually, lactic acid was first found in dairy milk (Lactic Acid, AKA, Milk Acid).  Lactate is the actual compound produced in human metabolism.  During intense exercise, the aerobic capacity becomes "cashed out", hydrogen ions from the breakdown of ATP energy begin to accumulate in the muscle cells.  These hydrogen ions are actually the culprit for the burn that you feel in the muscles, not lactic acid buildup, as we commonly thought or heard! These hydrogen ions cause the pH of the cell to become more acidic, thus the "BURN" (acidosis).  The lactate is actually the "good guy, " grabbing the rouge hydrogen ion and buffering against the pH change, reducing damage.

Split-Squat

During "power" exercises, when the demand for energy is higher, lactate is produced faster than the tissues ability to remove it.  The lactate concentration in the bloodstream rises.  Why is this beneficial, you are asking? What does this mean for my muscles and body metabolism? Science has shown us that there is a direct link between lactate and Human Growth Hormone (HGH).  HGH plays a huge role for burning or metabolizing fat for energy production.  Actually, lactate is a chief promoter of 2 powerful muscle building and fat burning hormones, Testosterone and HGH.  This increases lean muscle mass and decreases fat mass.  Your muscles will tone up and the energy production required will strip fat away.  This is what you want, this is WHY you workout, the desire for a more comfortable, more efficient body (that looks good and fits into your flashy clothes)!

Tricep Floor Press

OK, what you've been waiting for......the recipe on how to do Lactate Training:

• Do Compound Movements, ones that involve multiple muscle groups like the pictures you see here.  Do these as opposed to isolation exercises (bicep curls) or machines.  Compound movements are well-suited for fat burning because they require many burnt calories to accomplish the movement.  You work more muscles, burn more calories all in one complex movement.  WIN WIN!
• Take it SLOW through the movement.  3 to 5 seconds through the concentric or action phase of the movement (e.g. the upward press on bench press), Pause, then 3 seconds on the eccentric or negative phase of the movement (the return to the starting point of the exercise).  Take it slow through 12 to 15 repetitions, concentrating on proper form.  Because these are slower reps, you will want to use a lighter weight during the set. Minimize rest between sets to only about 10 to 15 seconds during the circuit.   Depending on the number of exercises in your circuit, you will want to complete the circuit 3 to 5 times total.
• Short rest intervals between circuits.  Rest no longer than 75 seconds between your circuits.  If you rest too long, the oxygen you breath will clear the lactate from the bloodstream.

Lactate Training = Slow reps, long sets, with short rest

Stability Ball Hamstring Curl

The take home message is this:  Lactate Training will ignite your fat burning metabolism (because of the HGH correlation), and after weight training, this furnace will run on high all day long (even when you're kicked back on the couch watching Fraiser or filling out TPS reports at the J.O.B.)  But remember, you have to work your entire body and stay away from isolation exercises.  We want to keep that heart-rate pumping during this workout.  Don't get caught chatting it up with Joe Blow about how bad NBA basketball sucks or grabbing digits from the opposite sex, you're there to WORK! So, get to it!

Side Note: Unfortunately, aerobic exercise doesn't boost the metabolism post-workout like weight-training does.  Don't get me wrong, I like to run a few miles and do some races, but you have to diversify your fitness with some weight-training.  Mix it up, your body will thank you and working out will be more fun in the long run.

Get out there, MOVE, enhance and embrace the BURN!

So That's Where Butterflies In the Stomach Come From

Here is a really interesting article discussing the link between the gut and the mind.  A really cool scientific explanation that really had me shaking my head a few times.  Our bodies are truly amazing! Give this a read just because of the fact that, more than likely, this is information explaining a connection you have never heard about.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/12/beware--bacteria-growing-in-your-gut-can-influence-your-behavior.aspx

Beautifully RAW

Jami has us eating raw today (Sunday) and I love it! We thought to take a day to load up on vitamins and minerals and cleanse a little bit.   Isn't it beautiful, what colors! Tastes amazing also!
This is a dish with papaya, strawberries, and lime juice.  Good on its own, but we actually used it in green smoothies.

An incredible taste to this dish today that we had for lunch, Nori rolls with avacado, fresh veggies, sea salt, yummy! It was really cool too, the avacado played a "meaty" roll to the dish.  Really neat how that worked out.  Delicious! Jami is quite the chef!

Raw Kale salad, loaded with some poweful minerals and fiber that are so beneficial for our gut.  We all want healthy guts!  Gotta have good pipes; an unhealthy gut can lead to a bad day at the office. 

For a negotiated fee, Jami will come to your house and be a raw chef to help lead your gut to the promised land of peace and tranquility.  : )
I am one blessed dude to have her skills.  Glad she's on my team!

And I'm Jami Lynn......

I don't know why it has taken me so long to introduce myself and say HELLO!!! I've been wanting to be really clear about my intention for writing on this blog. It has made me think a lot about what I put out into the world, into our universe. I have been exploring my authentic self. Most of my life has been about pleasing others....or I guess I should say, squashing my own being in order to not ruffle any or anyone's covers. Keeping the peace, smiling and being NICE. Although I think while growing up this was just the way I knew how to survive the world, now as an adult I'm realizing that some of the peace that I felt so strongly was my responsibility..wasn't!!! I have really protected some of me from the world simply out of fear ....so as this blog came about, which I was extremely excited about, I snuck back into my safe place...tucked away inside.
SO...all that to say, here goes!

I am a health and wellness junkie!! I love nutrition, all things natural, nature and fitness which is currently my weak link but in progress. I feel like the connection between my body, my mind/emotions and my spirit is what it's all about. I have a friend that calls it being connected to your GOD Presence. I love that. I desire to live my life through that connection and let that be what I share with the world.

I am so excited that Keith and I are both passionate about this lifestyle as a team. We make a great team! We laugh a LOT together and I am so thankful for that! I love him. I am excited for this journey that we have embarked upon to work together and share with others what we have learned and are learning about living connected ....being healthy in body, mind and soul.

Right now we are writing a daily motivational for a group here in Little Rock who is doing a Green Smoothie Challenge, for 21 days!!!! This is our second go round and we now have a name and logo, Green Mustache Club. It is a lot of fun to team up and write to folks in a way that hopefully inspires and stokes something inside of them that wants to come out and LIVE!  I am excited for all things coming up too.....not even knowing yet what they might be.

Until next post.....peace!

We Have to Teach Each Other

Check out this powerful video explanation about food safety from Robyn O'Brien, a food safety author/advocate.  We have to make some changes in food quality.  We are the most powerful nation on the planet but yet we are sick! Healthcare cost are astronomical.  We can't be naive anymore.  We must teach each other, and it starts with our family and friends.  Pass it on.  Let's spread these words and make some positive changes.  Our bodies need whole foods, real foods!