Artificial Sweeteners: The Sweet Deception

Artificial Sweeteners: The Sweet Deception

Hey guys here is a great article from my Nutrition Buddy Mike...

I wanted to talk about artificial sweeteners today because I've noticed that there's a lot of confusion and misconceptions revolving around these non-caloric sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners and the huge list of products sweetened with them are marketed to you relentlessly as "healthy foods" or "healthier" than sugar or corn syrup sweetened products. But are they really?

Just to clarify, some of the most popular artificial sweeteners on the market today are:

Splenda (sucralose)
Aspartame
Saccharine
Acesulfame Potassium (aka - acesulfame K)

These artificial sweeteners are used in abundance in almost every "diet" drink, "lite" yogurts, puddings, and ice creams, most "low-carb" products, and almost all "reduced-sugar" products. Heck, even most protein powders are loaded with artificial sweeteners too (just look on the ingredients and you'll usually see one or more of them).

Splenda is probably one of the worst offenders of claiming to be "healthy" as they say that it's made from real sugar. Don't be fooled! It's still an artificial substance. What they don't tell you is that Splenda is actually a chemically modified substance where chlorine is added to the chemical structure, making it more similar to a chlorinated pesticide than something we should be eating or drinking.

The truth is that artificial sweeteners are not even close to being healthy, and as you'll discover in a minute, can easily be just as bad for you, if not worse, than sugar or corn syrup. Most people think that they are doing something good for themselves by choosing the "diet" drinks or "lite" yogurts compared to the sugar-laden versions, but the problem is that you're exposing yourself to a whole new set of problems with the artificially sweetened drinks and foods.

I know you're probably frustrated by all of the contradicting messages you hear each day about which foods are good for you and which are bad. I'm sure just today you probably saw some clever ad or commercial somewhere screaming health benefits for a food product that is loaded with artificial sweeteners. Don't worry.

Just stick with me and I'll get past the marketing hype for you and decipher the truth. I'll also give you some ideas for great alternatives to artificial sweeteners as well as alternatives to sugar or corn syrup sweeteners.

The fact is, artificial sweeteners vs. sugar or corn syrup is really just a battle between two evils. Which evil is worse?

I'm sure you already know the problems with sugar or high fructose corn syrup sweetened products. The excess empty calories, blood sugar spike, and resulting insulin surge this creates in your body not only promotes fat gain, but also stimulates your appetite further, making things even worse.

On the other hand, artificial sweeteners save you calories, but there's growing evidence that they can increase your appetite for sweets and other carbohydrates causing you to eat more later in the day anyway. Therefore, you don't really save any calories at all. Also, studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can stimulate high insulin levels in your body too, which again can promote fat storage.

All of the 4 artificial sweeteners listed above are nasty chemicals that the human body is simply not meant to ingest. However, most of us are ingesting a whole lot of these chemicals on a daily basis. Aside from the problems I touched on so far, other health issues that have been related to artificial sweeteners in scientific studies as well as observations are:

• some have been linked to potential cancer risks
• negative effects on the liver, kidneys, and other organs
• stimulating cravings
• gastrointestinal problems
• developmental problems in children and fetuses
• headaches
• and too many more issues to list

Now some of the above potential health problems are definitely not proven as fact in studies. However, some of them have been shown in animal studies given high doses. Regardless of the fact that any real health problems for actual human use are not proven yet, I don't know about you, but I'd rather protect myself and steer clear of these possibly dangerous artificial chemicals.

Of course, despite all of the health issues potentially associated with artificial sweeteners, the companies that sell the products will continue to claim that they are fully safe and they have studies that prove that they are safe. The bottom line is that the body was not designed to deal with foreign substances like artificial sweeteners. Take my word on that one.

So what are your options for alternatives? Well, your best alternatives for sugar or corn syrup are either raw honey, organic maple syrup, or even a little-known high antioxidant syrup called sorghum syrup (common in the southern US). Even though these alternatives still have the same amount of calories as sugar or corn syrup... honey, organic maple syrup, and sorghum syrup actually provide some nutrients and antioxidants, so it's not just empty calories. Empty calories stimulate your appetite more because your body is lacking nutrients.

Now you're probably thinking that you'd like to still save on calories but avoid the nasty artificial sweeteners. Good news... You can!

You've probably seen me reference this natural sweetener in a lot of my recipes. It's called Stevia. I' ;ve been using it for years as an alternative sweetener when you still want to save a little on calories and sugar.

Stevia is not artificial like the other chemical sweeteners I mentioned above. Stevia is a natural non-caloric herb. It is a South American herb and when dried into a powder, has a sweetness about 200-300 times stronger than sugar.

One problem I've noticed with using Stevia is that the pure powder is a very powerful sweetener, so you can easily use too much. However, I've found some good Stevia products that use a bulking agent added so that you can measure out the stevia powder in direct comparison to measuring sugar.

I've yet to see any negative reports or health concerns regarding stevia and only positive potential health benefits. I definitely give Stevia my seal of approval. Do yourself a favor (and your family), and if you are currently an artificial sweetener junkie, please consider switching to stevia.

Stay lean,

Mike Geary
Fitness/Lifestyle Coach
Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Founder - http://truthaboutabs.com

An Approach to Acid/Alkaline Dieting and Lifestyle made easy! (Part 2)

Hi again, I'm back to give you guys part 2 of the basics of Acid/Alkaline dieting.

Continuing on from Part 1 which can be found here: http://bodybyweb.blogspot.com/2007/11/approach-to-acidalkaline-dieting-and.html

The following is an acidic to alkaline food group breakdown:

Acidic foods are: Meats, fish, eggs, sugar;

Slightly acidifying foods are: Grains, legumes, and nuts;

Mildly alkalizing foods are: Vegetables, fruits, berries and dairy;

Strongly alkalizing foods are: Leafy green vegetables, Superfoods, Seaweeds (My personal favorite)

There is more info on the exact PH of certain foods as well as what’s called Acid and Alkaline forming foods. Such as Oranges which are very acidic but when your body digests them they become alkaline for the body. I find in general it all follows under the basic principle under what foods are Acidic or Alkaline so as long as you’re eating natural fruits it can be assumed that it is alkaline.

There are powders and drinks on the market as well categorized as Superfoods or SuperGreens. You may have heard of Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, Spirulina or Chlorella. They are highly nutritious and alkaline grasses and algaes that present enormous benefits to the body! They are also blended into drinks on the market such as Vital Greens, Greens+, NuGreens, BerryGreens etc.

These are powder or drink mixes that have blended superfoods as well as other herbs and nutrients that help boost energy and alkalize the body. These drinks should be a staple in EVERYONE’s diet since it is one of the most effective ways to Alkalize the body! A stat I heard tossed around is that 1 pound of Wheat grass has the greens value you could call it of 100 pounds of baby spinach!

So to sum up everything,

1. Do deep breathing and/or cadio exercise daily if possible

2. Eat more vegetables especially leafy green vegetables and try to eat moderate amounts of meat grains and sugar. Rule of thumb is if it’s refined or packaged it’s more than likely acidic.

3. Take a mineral supplement, Calcium and Magnesium but make sure that it is an equal amount of Calcium to Magnesium, ideally in a powder, liquid or capsule form. Also if you exercise you MUST take an electrolyte drink I cannot stress this enough since in order to stay alkaline you need minerals following a workout to remove the lactic acid buildup to prevent body tissues from becoming immediately acidic.

4. Take a Greens drink of somekind, I personally prefer the individual superfoods such as Spirulina or Chlorella to maximize the amount of greens. Try them out and remember even though they can taste sorta nasty the benefit FAAAAR outweights the taste!

This was a pretty brief explanation of the priciples of Acid/Alkaline dieting. I encourage you to look up books on the subject to get fully broken down charts of the ranking of each food as far as it’s acid or alkaline level. Following the advice I gave you though will promote an alkaline environment in your body and you should see your energy levels rise and health reaching it’s full potential!

Top 5 Fat Loss Tips

Top 5 Fat Loss Tips

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Men's Fitness magazine recently asked me for 3 of my best fat loss secrets. Since most times the magazines just don't have enough space to run my full tips, I thought I'd give you a more detailed explanation of my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn't send to the magazine).

Secret #1 - Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your
fat-loss workouts.

Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure my workouts. Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main source of energy. So it's obvious the workout is designed to burn carbohydrates during the training session.

I have no interest in you trying to train in your "target heart
rate zone" for fat burning (aka - the fat burning zone). The whole idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the body works during exercise.

Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated
trainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your "fat
burning heart rate zone").

If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time,
focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.

Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather than fat? In order to burn more calories after the workout, that's why. When you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.

Alwyn Cosgrove calls this 'afterburn', and I call it 'Turbulence'.
By any name it gives you the same results - maximum
improvements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).

Secret #2 - Use a range of repetitions in your strength training
workouts.

In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set in order to work the muscle the most effectively.

This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth as possible when you are keeping the calories low.

Secret #3 - Use the stationary cycle for interval training.

I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible
because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.

Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large
amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the Turbulence in my training.

But please note: I don't use low-intensity, fast pedaling
'spinning' intervals as I'm convinced that the hard, resistance
based intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients only
cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.

I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to do
intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau, try the bike.

Secret #4 - Increase meal frequency

Okay, so this isn't really a secret to anyone that has read about
fat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering post-meal insulin levels.

Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake, and you'll see your body composition improve rapidly.

If you need more nutrition help, then you'll love the new
Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women - written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.

See below for more details...

Secret #5 - My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts

My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean. The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are
efficient and effective - getting you in and out of the gym in
under an hour.

Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase

- use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training
schedule:

a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity

b) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your bodyweight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or later in the afternoon or evening)

If you are advanced, you can use squats, push ups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.

If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified push ups, and stick-ups.

c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do
in each workout.

Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two
weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit

www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Just letting People Know We have a Forum

Hey, guys & gals. I just want to let you know I put together a forum on the subject of health, fitness and weight loss. I encourage you to sign up and post a new topic. In the forum you can create any topic you want to discuss. You can post to the forum and interact with other members of the forum. The purpose of the forum is to help assist people further in their weight loss, fitness and health goals.

Overall the forum will;
-help members interact with one another
-increase your chances of success
-create a community with values, and respect for one-another
-a support channel
-bring awareness on current health topics

Check it out! The forum is new so I encourage you to sign up and help build it up!

http://fat2fit.forumotion.com/index.htm

Can Cayenne Peppers Really Cure a Headache?

There hasn't been a day thats gone by that I hear at least one person complain of a headache. Here is a quick cure that may be helpful at putting your headaches at bay. Enjoy!

Chronic headache sufferers may soon have some new alternatives. The active ingredient in cayenne peppers, capsaicin, is believed to bring headache relief by depleting Substance P, a neurotransmitter that helps send pain signals.

Although some are still skeptical, a number of studies have tested the claim, and most have found evidence to support it. One prominent study on capsaicin for pain relief was published back in 1998 in the Clinical Journal of Pain. Their review of 33 previous studies found that capsaicin worked better than a placebo for cluster headaches.

Most studies suggest that the capsaicin needs to be applied topically, such as swabbing the inside of your nose, in order for it to be effective.

Sources:

• New York Times October 30, 2007
• Clinical Journal of Pain June 1998;14(2):97-106

Do You Know the Dangerous Chemicals in Common Baby Products?

Do You Know the Dangerous Chemicals in Common Baby Products?

The Environmental Working Group is again sharing shocking news. After surveying 3,300 parents, comparing the baby products they use to lists of chemicals known to cause allergies, hormone disruption, damage to the nervous system, and cancer, the group found that children are exposed to 27 chemical ingredients on a daily basis that have never been assessed for safety. Not by the industry, nor by the government.

Dr. Rebecca Sutton, the environmental scientist who conducted the study, points out that:

1. 2 bromo, 2 nitropropane, and 3-DIOL create allergies and skin irritations, and in certain products can break down to form new cancer causing agents
2. Desitin diaper cream contains sodium borate, which can collect in your child’s brain and liver, causing detrimental health effects
3. Sunscreen with oxybenzone can trigger allergies, and disrupts your delicate hormone system

Surprisingly, 89 percent of products labeled “Recommended by doctor” are actually some of your worst offenders, containing what Dr. Sutton considers dangerous chemicals.

Manufacturers have responded with the following statement from the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association:

"Companies utilize a complex, multi-tiered scientific approach to extensively evaluate the safety of individual ingredients and finished products. These processes can take many months to several years to complete and utilize the expertise of leading chemists, toxicologists, biologists, dermatologists and experts from other scientific disciplines and medical specialty areas."

Sources:

• Environmental Working Group October 31, 2007

The One Question Everyone Asks Me

I receive hundreds of fitness questions every day from people all over the world, but by far one of the most common themes in these questions revolve around the struggles that most people are having with losing that flabby stomach fat that doesn't seem to want to go away no matter what they try.

Just recently I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow fitness professional named Mike Geary of www.truthaboutabs.com. Now Mike is a well-known expert who deals exclusively with the most effective strategies for losing stomach fat so that you can finally uncover those elusive six pack abs that everyone desires.

Some of Mike's strategies deal with nutrition aspects and others deal with training techniques, but I was impressed to see that Mike has put together one of the most comprehensive resources for dealing with all of the aspects necessary to finally get rid of that nasty belly fat for good.

The key is that Mike focuses on the REAL techniques that are going to get you lasting results, and teaches you how to avoid all of these "quick-fix" scams and gimmicks that are all over the infomercials and the internet these days.

Several of the mistakes that Mike see's every day where people are going wrong in their fat loss attempts are:

1. Most people are wasting too much of their time doing hundreds of reps of ineffective crunches, situps, and other "abs pumping" exercises in their attempt at losing stomach fat.

Mike has discovered that there are certain highly effective exercises that stimulate your metabolism much better, and increase your fat burning hormone levels much more. These exercises that Mike outlines are the best of the best for getting a lean, chiseled body.

Surprisingly to most, the majority of these most effective exercises for stomach fat loss are NOT "abs-specific" exercises. Not only that, but Mike shows you how to combine and sequence them to get the best metabolic and fat loss results possible, changing the shape of your entire body.

2. Most people are wasting way too much time doing hours upon hours of boring monotonous cardio routines.

Mike has researched this topic extensively, including an entire course he's taken comparing different modalities of cardiovascular exercise. After all of this research, we've come to the conclusion that the majority of people out there are not doing the right types of cardio exercise. In fact, most people may actually be inadvertantly decreasing their metabolic rate by doing too much of the wrong types of cardio!

The strategies that Mike reveals in his program go beyond "interval cardio" too.

3. Most people are failing miserably with fad diets.

Mike reveals exactly why most low-carb or low-fat diets are actually working against what your body needs to become lean and ripped and maintain it for life! Mike shows you exactly how to stop falling for the gimmick diets and finally develop a truly healthy eating style that you can actually enjoy for life without being overly restrictive. It's actually easier and more enjoyable than you believe!

Go to Mike's Truth about Six Pack Abs site today and discover the exact system that Mike is using to help thousands of his clients from all over the world get leaner than they've ever been before. This system will help you to lose that stubborn stomach fat that has plagued you for years, so you can finally get that sexy six pack that you've always wanted.

Again, here's the link: www.truthaboutabs.com

Don't forget to visit Mike's site today, as he's giving away some great free bonus reports and other tools that might not be available much longer.

To being lean, strong, and healthy for life,

Thanks Guys, and please don't forget to subscribe to the site. Upon subscribing I will be sending everyone a free ebook, on the foods that make us fat!

7 reasons why you can't lose weight

1. You don't really want to lose weight. I see this all the time. People start a weight loss program or diet and they end up making excuses to get off the weight loss program or diet.
   
   "I can't workout today because the sun is too bright or I can't go to the gym because that annoying lady is there"
   
   These are some types of excuses people make (subconsciously) so they don't have to work to lose weight. When you really want to lose weight nothing and nothing at all will stand in your way. You exercise way too much and burn yourself out. This is almost the opposite of the first reason. You want to lose weight so bad you do everything in overdrive.
   
   You start off running/walking 5 miles a day. You're spending 4 hours at the gym and before you know it... you're too sore to try to lose weight or you got injured from working out too long and hard.
   
   Take your time and pace yourself. You got to realize your not going to lose 20 lbs in a day but only about 1-2 lbs. of fat a week.
2. You think not eating is all you have to do. You think coffee for breakfast, a small bag of chips for lunch and salad for dinner is all you need to do to lose weight. You think all you need is enough willpower to last you long enough to reach your weight loss goal.
   
   The truth is you have to eat and in some cases depending on how you eat now... you may have to eat twice as much as you are now to lose weight.
   
   And forget 3 meals a day... You should eat at least eat 6 meals a day. Eating just the right amount of food powers your metabolism and helps you burn fat.
3. You try to lose weight too fast.
   
   Only shoot for 1-2 maybe 3 lbs a week of weight loss. You may get lucky and have a 5 lb. weight loss week, but trying to lose 10 lbs a week is only going end up disappointing you.
   
   Is it possible to lose 10 lbs. a week? Of course it is but...
   
   Usually to do it - You have to go on some kind of diet where you don't eat and even if you do lose 10 lbs. in a week... You'll gain it all back once you finish the diet.
   
   When you lose weight slow it's going take forever for you to gain it back and you'll probably never gain any weight back because usually the weight loss plan you used to lose 1-2 lbs. a week slowly will prevent the weight from ever coming back and when you lose weight fast it comes back fast almost the next day.
4. You may already have a slow metabolism because...
• You're lazy - your not active during the day - so any extra calories you eat will turn to fat
• You're not eating in the first place (see reason # 3). No food means no fuel for your fat burning metabolism.
• You may have hypothyroidism
• Hypothyroidism is a condition where your thyroid is not functioning at a high level making your metabolism slow.
5. You're stressed out a lot. More stress = more body fat. When you get stressed out you eat because your body releases hormones telling your brain you're hungry.
6. You try to lose weight based on the latest weight loss gimmick and not your own common sense.
7. You eat your biggest meal right before bed

CLA - Weight Loss Wonder

CLA - Weight Loss Wonder

by: Patricia Valle

CLA - Weight Loss Wonder Trade name "Tonalin" - CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) is a naturally occurring fatty acid that is found in primarily meat and dairy products, and is also derived from safflower oil. CLA has gained a lot of attention in the past few years, due to its safe and effective use as a weight-loss product. CLA not only helps with weight loss, but converts excess fat into lean muscle mass. There have been numerous studies showing that CLA is being used for other health benefits besides weight loss, but the main reason of its popularity seems to be focused on the reduction of body fat. CLA increase lean muscle mass which helps slim the body; because the more muscle mass, the more the body uses up calories, thereby speeding up the fat-burning process. Some of the studies have shown that people taking this supplement lost a significant amount of weight without changing their diet. CLA interferes with a substance in the body called "lipoprotein lipase" which stores fat in the body. By interfering with this substance, the body uses stored fat and turns it into energy. Not only does this remarkable supplement help burn fat, but it seems to interfere with the growth of tumors and cancer. It has a great cancer-fighting potential. It has also been shown to be effective against breast cancer. Some of the other health benefits of using CLA, are for an enhanced immune system, as well as for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protection. Another interesting point is that CLA seems to have the ability to prevent the build-up of cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Diabetics may also benefit from CLA, because of its ability to normalize impaired glucose tolerance in people who are non-insulin dependant; thus playing an important part for the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes. Studies are still being conducted at many universities to explore other aspects of using CLA. Suggested use of this supplement should be 1 capsule with each meal. Although this supplement has no known side effects, caution should be used if you suffer from gallbladder problems, liver disease, or if you have a problem with fat digestion. Make sure you are getting pure CLA (Tonalin). CLA can be found in health food stores.

Why Do We Beat Ourselves Up?

A Look at Self-Destructive Thoughts

By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer

If we had friends that treated us the way that many of us treat ourselves, they wouldn’t be our friends for very long. Imagine a friend who calls up just to complain–about you. Or an alleged buddy who quickly says “I told you so” when you screw up. Or someone who encourages you to give up instead of encouraging you to do your best.

Why do we do this? Why do we treat ourselves in such horrible ways? For some, the negative self-talk is so bad that it would literally be considered verbal abuse if coming from another person. Do any of these sound familiar? “I’m not good enough.” “I knew I’d fail.” “I can’t believe I messed it up again.” “Why can’t I be more like (fill in the blank)?” “I don’t deserve to be happy.” If someone said these things to you, imagine the impact it would have on your confidence.

Negative reinforcement can easily turn into a damaging self-fulfilling prophecy where you live down–instead of up–to expectations. It’s a bad habit that could strangle any growth and needs to be dealt with now. This is not “friend” talk. Yet it’s exactly the kind of destructive feedback we give ourselves.

This kind of language can have serious consequences, but people turn it on themselves all the time. Why? What did we do to deserve this? Is our self-esteem so low that we think we need to be talked to–even by ourselves–like this? Hopefully not.

You’re a fantastic person on an exciting journey, in the middle of creating a life that you want. If I were you, I wouldn’t put up with that negative voice in your head. You deserve better. If anything, your self-esteem needs to be built up, not torn down. What’s so wrong with reminding yourself of how wonderful you are? Isn’t that what you would do for a friend who needed a word of encouragement?

Sometimes, this can be easier said than done. Any self-bashing you might do may actually have its roots in something other people have told you over the years. Harsh words can leave scars that never go away. Still, that doesn’t mean we have to carry on the legacy of beating ourselves up.

You deserve to be treated with respect, encouragement and patience. You demand that much from people you know. Demand it from yourself.