Anti-Aging, Anti-inflammatory Superspice!

(NaturalNews) Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties have been known in Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicines for thousands of years. It is the active ingredient of turmeric, which is a component of the curry preparations used daily in Indian and other South Asian cuisines. Since those cuisines have infiltrated the west, modern science has also been investigating the health benefits of turmeric and curcumin.

Curcumin/Turmeric Health Benefits

Don’t confuse curry powder with turmeric. Turmeric is the substance that gives curry its yellowish color, while curcumin is the active ingredient of turmeric that offers the health benefits known in earlier medical traditions and that is being discovered now in western nutritional medicine. Curcumin comprises five percent of turmeric.
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Cool the Fire in Your Belly

Did you know where you carry your fat plays a big role in inflammation?

 In a recent study published in the journal Atherosclerosis, 1,514 men and 1,528 women were evaluated to determine how inflammation related to body fat. Researchers also looked at where fat was stored on the body—either in a normal distribution or centrally (around the middle). The researchers found that those with more central fat had significantly higher levels of inflammation including: 53% higher C-reactive protein, 42% higher interleukin- 6, 30% higher tumor necrosis factor, and 26% higher amyloid A.

Now you know that keeping blood sugar levels low and achieving a healthy body weight are two of the most powerful weapons against deadly inflammation. Living a low glycemic lifestyle can help you realize both of these essential health goals, while pleasing your palette and satisfying your cravings too.

Learn more about how a low glycemic lifestyle can keep you healthy, drop unsightly fat and increase your energy by signing up for our Customized Ultra-Light Program.

Dear Dr Bartz: How can I recover faster from my workout?

A: Athletes in intense training (ie. marathoners, iron-man athletes etc.) recover faster by getting off their feet immediately after they finish their hard workouts and not even walking until it’s time for their next day’s recovery workout.  

Eating a high-carbohydrate meal within one hour of intense workouts hastens recovery (Journal of Sports Sciences, January 2004). 

Adding protein to that meal hastens recovery even more (Sports Science Exchange, 87:15, 2002). Adding salt and drinking lots of fluids are also necessary for a faster recovery (Journal of Sports Sciences, January 2004).  So within one hour after your intense workouts, eat fruit, vegetables, cereals and grains (for carbohydrates), seafood or corn and beans (for protein), add salt to replace what you have lost, and drink plenty of fluids preferably one with high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

 Click here to see the high potency product I use and  recommend to all my athletes…

Top 5 Natural Mood Boosters

Here are the top mood-boosters in your foods and how they work:

1-   Omega-3 Fats: These fatty acids are absolutely essential to your brain, yet up to 80% of us don’t get enough. Omega-3’s help build the neuronal connections in the brain as well as create the receptor sites for neurotransmitters. Also, the more omega-3s in your blood, the more serotonin you make and the more responsive you become to its effects. Serotonin influences a variety of psychological functions, and is vital for helping to relay messages from one part of the brain to another. Optimize your omega-3s by enjoying wild, sustainable seafood (like salmon and sardines) and by taking a high quality fish oil (like Carlson’s).

2-   Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin can help brighten your mood. But up to 90% of us are deficient, at least part of the year. As many as 50% are critically deficient. Optimize your vitamin D levels with 20-30 minutes of sunlight, 3-5 days a week or take 2,000-5,000 IUs of vitamin D daily.

3-   B Vitamins: Vitamins B6, B12 and folate also help to produce serotonin – the “feel good neurotransmitter”. But that’s not all. They also lower homocysteine – an amino acid that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease… and depression too. In fact, a 2002 study found that women with high homocysteine levels had double the incidence of depression.  Read more

5 WAYS TO JUMPSTART YOUR WEIGHTLOSS

Last month we talked about how the hormone Grehlin can wreak havoc on your battle with unwanted weight gain.

This month I’ll give you the 5 best ways to jumpstart your weightloss program.

Track it

“If it isn’t managed it isn’t mastered.” This means that if you don’t know where you are starting from you will never see where you need to be. Write down the things you eat for seven full days and you will be surprised at how many things you can pick out that may be sabatoging your weightloss efforts.

Detox

Detoxifying your system means clearing all the junk that is left over from making poor food choices. Its like spring cleaning for your body. Sweep out all the dust and cobwebs to start with a clean slate. Fried foods, soft drinks, and processed foods all leave behind a trail of destruction in your gut that will stall any weightloss effort to a snails pace.

Detoxing can be done with a kit (try the 7-day detox kit from nutrametrix) or with a simple fasting diet.

Know Portions

There are two types of dieters: the one’s that think they know what proper portions are but don’t; and the one’s that know proper portion sizes but simply can’t abide by them due to hunger. 

The one’s that think they know should do some research and find out what a portion of food should be. For example, a portion of protein should be no larger than the palm of your hand (not including the fingers).

The people that know proper portions but have trouble sticking to them remember 2 things: you may need an appetite suppressant to break the habit (see #5) and that cutting portions doesn’t necessarily mean eating less, just by changing the frequency of meals you can often satiate that need to overeat.

Exercise

Ok, so this seems obvious but it is one of the best ways to start the thermogenesis effect that burns off those excess calories. Are there other ways to induce thermogenesis? Yes (see #5), and they can be very effective for people that have a medical or any other condition that prevents vigorous exercise.

Supplements

    Nothing derails a weightloss program faster than a plateau or slow results. That’s where supplements can make a huge difference in the quickness of visible weightloss. The three that work best together are:

1) CLA– this natural powerhouse for weightloss and gaining lean muscle mass. It has been shown in study after study to work well to decrease bodyfat and increase lean muscle mass needed to increase metabolism. As an added benefit it works as an antioxidant and possible cancer fighter.

2) A Fat Inhibitor– be careful with this one. Some supplements (that start with an “A” and end in “I”) say they block fat from being absorbed but end up coating it in your digestive system. The end result is an undesirable situation in the toilet to put it nicely. The transitions Fat Conversion Inhibitor I recommend has an natural appetite suppressant and blocks the conversion of foods to bodyfat at the chemical level not at the digestive level. A difference that saves you trips to the bathroom.

3) Carbohydrate Inhibitor-These work at the chemical level also to halt the conversion of sugar and simple carbohydrates to fat. The good one’s will contain a natural blood sugar regulator like chromium so you don’t have to take yet another pill.