Trans Fats - Dancing with the Devil

From hunters and gatherers to the hunted and herded, that seems to be what the food manufacture’s marketing schemes have done to society.   The drive for company profits has driven many food manufactures to push the envelope and hide one of the body’s biggest enemies, which in my opinion is “Trans Fat” (fully hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil or fat) and it should be outlawed!  In 2006 the FDA required manufactures to list the amount of trans fat in products, this was a good step in the right direction, but the FDA allows manufactures to state “0 Trans Fat” as long as the amount is below 0.5 grams per serving.  Any amount of trans fat is poison to the body and should be avoided, after all who eats one serving?

THE CASCADING EFFECTS OF TRANS FAT

At the molecular level the trans fat configuration is straight, a normal configuration will have a slight bend (cis formation), the human body does not know what to do with this unnatural “trans formation”, so it’s treated as a toxin.  The trans fat molecule attaches itself to the cell walls, blocking cells from absorbing the needed nutrients.  When these fats go rancid and oxidize they cause inflammation.  The body then sends LDL to repair the damaged area.  HDL is then sent to clean up the mess, but the LDL pattern B remains stuck in the nooks and crannies of the inflammation.  This contributes to plaque build up, heart disease and many other negative health factors and why cholesterol is proclaimed to be the enemy.

Cis-9-octadecenoic acid

Trans-9-octadecenoic acid 

               

                                                                                                                                                                   

Due to the inflammation and the trapping of LDL pattern B particles, LDL gets a bad rap and the manufacturer’s marketing campaign begins hunting and herding us by pushing their “Cholesterol lowering” products.  Limiting this inflammation is one of the many reasons for including Omega-3 and anti-oxidants in our diets.

PROTECTING YOURSELF

Read food labels and avoid anything that contains the words “trans fat”, “hydrogenated” and “mono-diglycerides.”  Mono- and di-glycerides are the new label tricks that are designated as “emulsifiers” rather than fats, so the trans fats they contain don’t count until you ingest them. 

 

For more information on Label Tricks reference the following links:

• Trans Fat Labels
• Label Makeover
• Food Label Tricks and Truths

Vegetable oil subjected to high heat is just as bad and is used often by fast food places due to its low cost.  The alternative would increase cost and would be bad for business.  Believe it or not, frying in lard or coconut oil would be a healthier alternative because at least the body can burn it for fuel.  

"Shocker" avoid eating at restaurants; they are not required to display nutrition information about the food they serve.

These poisons are all around us and are used by many food manufactures; however these manufactures live by profit, so they can die by profit.  Don’t purchase their products and that might get their attention!

Continuing with my belief in the power of Visualization, I hope visualizing the damage that food containing trans fats can do, gives you the needed will power to avoid the next order of french fries or donuts!

Sources: www.health-report.co.uk; Treelight.com; Mayoclinic.com; Fi.edu; Natural-health-information-centre.com; Scientificpsychic.com

Feel free to contact me.

"Redlining" Yourself

Most vehicles these days have a tachometer designed to read the engines Revolutions Per-Minute (RPM) which allows the driver to operate the vehicle at a proper and safe engine RPM level, exceeding the RPM levels can cause serious damage to the engine.  The gauge typically marks the maximum RPM level with a set of numbers highlighted in a red or by a red line.  Therefore, the term “redlining” refers to pushing the engine to its breaking point. 

*** Caution***

As usual thanks to all those sue happy people that don’t take responsibility for their own actions I must post this disclaimer:  The following are my own opinions, follow them at your own risk and consult your physician before starting any physical activity.

Just like different vehicles have different RPM red line levels, different people have their own red line levels or breaking point.  However, our red line levels are not pre-set and can be increased through proper exercise.  I will use this analogy to describe a workout routine that I often attempt at least once or twice a month.  I call this routine “redlining”, (original I know:), it's not a routine I look forward to and its purpose is to take me to my breaking point, little by little.

REDLINING ROUTINE DEVELOPMENT

In my opinion, a good “redlining” routine should make you fear it, hate it and make you feel like avoiding it all together, otherwise it may be too easy for you.  The ideal custom “redlining” routine should challenge you at all levels to include, fitness, mental and motivation levels.  Use extreme caution when performing your custom “redlining” routine, don’t rush it and pay close attention to your body.  This is why I put so much emphasis on the “Self-Awareness” connection and why I always suggest more anaerobic activity. 

The idea is not to create a routine that you can master on the first try; the idea is to create a routine that gives you a long term challenge.  Believe me, I didn’t get to this level overnight, so don’t set your sights too low.

My “redlining” routine: (rest < 30 seconds between sets and stages, complete all 5)

• Run for at least 18 to 20 minutes on tread mill at a speed setting of 8
• Perform 100 pull-ups in 6 minutes or less
• Perform 200 push-ups in 5 minutes or less
• Perform various types of abdominal exercises, from the supine position, for 10 minutes without stopping 100 situps in 3 minutes or less
• Perform 100 dips in 5 minutes or less

As you meet your targets, increase the requirements.  Some will take longer to reach than others.  Pull-ups are very difficult, if you find yourself doing less than 3 reps, feel free to substitute some dumbbell presses instead.

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

                                                ~ Michael Jordan

Feel free to contact me.

Self-Awareness and Fitness

Let me first state that these are my opinions that are based on my experiences and application.  So, at the risk of sounding a little weird to some of you, I feel it's necessary for me to discuss the subject of  self-awareness and how it can make a positive impact on your long term fitness goals and overall well-being.  I hope to maybe help someone achieve their fitness goals and maybe eventually turn the proverbial "Third Eye" inward. 

He who knows others is learned;
He who knows himself is wise.
~Lao-tzu, Tao te Ching

Getting fit should be and is a goals that many of us strife for and some achieve.  The amount of information published and available can be so overwhelming and confusing that it may even sap your energy and desire to continue the journey.  Many fitness goals start off as long term goals, but after awhile become short term sporadic goals for various reasons and before you know it, time has gone by, making it even harder to start up again.  One of the many factors that many routines or trainers fail to incorporate or take into account is the need for self-awareness and that true long term fitness requires a certain level of body and soul alignment.

The human body is very powerful, capable and can adapt very quickly.  We don't even fully understand or comprehend the human body's potential capabilities, but what we can do is assume and believe in its potential.

In addition to other potential positive impacts to your life, self-awareness will help you not only better understand yourself, it will help you understand others.  Understanding others may save you from harm or maybe even prevent you from getting involved with the wrong kind of person by feeling the negative energy, much like animals do.  You can also achieve a high level of discipline and pretty much kick any bad habit you want and for those that fear being alone, consider it a non-issue.

From a fitness perspective, self-awareness impacts your fitness goals by establishing a communication pathway between you and the body (organs, cells, arteries, muscles, etc...), a good understanding of the human anatomy helps.  Because the body can't speak it communicates by visual interpretation by accessing memories and emotions stored in your brain.  Most people have weird dreams when they are sick, or pain in a certain part of the body.  Ever notice the dreams you have when you need to use the bathroom?  Maybe a situation that irritates or aggravates you, that always gets me up, anyway I digress and I hope you get my point.


Some basic methods of achieving self-awareness are:

• Try asking yourself (silently of course) and truly figuring out why you feel a certain way sometimes.  What and why certain things or situations make you angry, sad or happy and why you make certain statements.  Don't be afraid to discover that maybe you may not be so nice, that's OK, that is what you want.  It's better to see, know and face the ugly part of you than to turn your back on it while it destroys you.  The good part is always easier to look at.  After all if a plant grows better when you talk to it, why can't the body react when you apply a similar concept or why does everyday stress have a negative impact on your body?  Use this double-edged sword towards your advantage and make it positive.

• Try to pay attention to you body while working out, picture the muscles involved, it is important you visualize the part of the body you are exercising and shaping.  Have a picture in your mind of what your end state is.  Therefore it is crucial you respect your body when exercising, that is why I recommend working out alone.   

 Self-Awareness works hand in hand with the visualization element of the Stress Free Fitness philosophy and is a crucial part of long term fitness and overall well-being.

Whereas the average individuals "often have not the slightest idea of what they are, of what they want, of what their own opinions are," self-actualizing individuals have "superior awareness of their own impulses, desires, opinions, and subjective reactions in general.
~Abraham Maslow

What say you?