Autism is a developmental condition that can be difficult to deal with and is surprisingly common as well. It is a neurological developmental disorder, characterized by problems with social development and communication, and children with autism often perform repetitive or compulsive tasks.
Widely believed to be genetic in nature, cues or stresses from the environment can trigger or worsen these sorts of conditions. You've may have heard some of the controversial arguments about the possible link of certain vaccines and autism- we're not going to get into that in this article. Rather, I'd like to discuss a supplement called theanine and it's potential for helping those with autism.
Theanine is an amino acid commonly found in tea and also available as a supplement. One of the interesting properties of theanine is that it can cross the blood-brain barrier.
Your brain does not use blood for nourishment like the rest of your body. Rather, the central nervous system is supplied by a filtrate of blood called cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF). This is the fluid drawn off and tested in a "spinal tap".
Most substances including medications cannot pass this barrier and get filtered out. Some thing can make it through, and therefore can have an effect on the brain, like theanine.
Studies suggest theanine can affect levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. More importantly, theanine has been shown to increase alpha wave activity in the brain.
Alpha waves are brain patterns which are typically referred to as "wakeful relaxation". Think of being awake and alert but with your eyes closed and being very calm. That's an alpha wave state.
Some believe that by encouraging the alpha wave state in the brain, some of the symptoms of autism could be alleviated. While there are no studies specifically on this, it does seem to make some sense physiologically. It's certainly not a cure, but it is possible that it may help.
If you're wondering if theanine really promotes alpha waves and calm, our very own Rita swears by it to calm herself down for the dentist!
There isn't any reason not to try it. Theanine is extremely safe and has been shown to be safe even at high doses.
Source article: Theaninie Autism Supplement?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Red Meat Not Bad For You After All
Good news for steak lovers. New research shows that the long-standing theory that red meat is a big part of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic ailments isn't correct after all.
Instead, the main issue appears to be with PROCESSED meats. It appears that in previous research, the researchers simply lumped all forms of red meat together, whether or not it was processed. So, people eating grass-fed steak (a healthy variety of red meat) got lumped in the same category as somebody eating a ketchup-covered hamburger with a side of french fries.
Since most of the red meat in this country is processed, this creates the appearance that ALL red meat is bad for you. However, once you seperate out the actual true physiological cause of chronic heart disease and other complaints, it becomes evident that the real problem is in the processing of the meat, and also, what is consumed along with it.
People rarely eat hamburgers without a soda and fries, right? And so if I'm a researcher and I see that everybody eating hamburgers is fat and has heart disease, I might assume it's become of the red meat, not the fact that the people involved are also eating tons of fried, salty potatoes and sugar-rich soda.
There's actually nothing wrong with red meat. In fact, grass-fed cattle produce a very healthy meat balanced in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids (I've posted articles before on this in relation to fish oils). So don't run away from a nice, grass-fed steak... just don't smother it in sugary barbeque sauce and eat a pile of french fries with it!
Source file: Red Meat Bad for You?
Instead, the main issue appears to be with PROCESSED meats. It appears that in previous research, the researchers simply lumped all forms of red meat together, whether or not it was processed. So, people eating grass-fed steak (a healthy variety of red meat) got lumped in the same category as somebody eating a ketchup-covered hamburger with a side of french fries.
Since most of the red meat in this country is processed, this creates the appearance that ALL red meat is bad for you. However, once you seperate out the actual true physiological cause of chronic heart disease and other complaints, it becomes evident that the real problem is in the processing of the meat, and also, what is consumed along with it.
People rarely eat hamburgers without a soda and fries, right? And so if I'm a researcher and I see that everybody eating hamburgers is fat and has heart disease, I might assume it's become of the red meat, not the fact that the people involved are also eating tons of fried, salty potatoes and sugar-rich soda.
There's actually nothing wrong with red meat. In fact, grass-fed cattle produce a very healthy meat balanced in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids (I've posted articles before on this in relation to fish oils). So don't run away from a nice, grass-fed steak... just don't smother it in sugary barbeque sauce and eat a pile of french fries with it!
Source file: Red Meat Bad for You?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
How Sugar Makes You Fat
Have you heard of terms like “glycemic index”? How about just “low carb diets”? There’s a ton of buzz out there about sugar and sugary foods and how they make you fat, but not a lot of people know just how that whole thing works.
It’s not magic. It’s actually a pretty straightforward mechanism.
It’s all about insulin, a hormone that your body uses to remove sugar from the bloodstream. When sugar is released into the blood by digestion, the body releases insulin to clear it out.
When sugar levels rise slowly, there’s no problem. The problem arises when blood sugar levels spike from consuming high-glycemic (sugary carbs) food.
When that happens, your body also will spike your insulin levels to meet with the sugar demand. This is where we start running into problems.
High levels of insulin tell the body to store and keep fat. In fact, with high insulin levels, you’ll keep fat even if you’ve cut your calories down and feel like you’re starving.
In addition, insulin blocks the action of glucagon, the hormone that your body uses to use up fat as a fuel source, so it turns into a double-barrel problem.
Make that triple! Insulin also blocks the action of growth hormone, which also burns up fat and also is involved with the creation of new muscle growth. So, high levels of insulin have a multi-pronged effect on your body. Think of it as the Triple Threat of Fatness.
As your blood sugar levels start to drop due to the action of insulin,that signals your body to start feeling hungry. So, not only does insulin keep you fat, it makes you want to eat more! And especially, it makes you want to eat more carbs!
So, it shouldn’t seem too surprising that high-carb, high-sugar diets make us fat. With insulin levels jumping all over the place, making us fat and hungry at the same time, it’s a recipe for disaster!
If you’ve got a little extra jiggle around the middle that you’ve been meaning to get rid of, stop in Triune and ask about our new personal trainer, Ann Gruber. She’s a fitness competitor and offers free trial sessions, so there’s nothing to lose but inches!
It’s not magic. It’s actually a pretty straightforward mechanism.
It’s all about insulin, a hormone that your body uses to remove sugar from the bloodstream. When sugar is released into the blood by digestion, the body releases insulin to clear it out.
When sugar levels rise slowly, there’s no problem. The problem arises when blood sugar levels spike from consuming high-glycemic (sugary carbs) food.
When that happens, your body also will spike your insulin levels to meet with the sugar demand. This is where we start running into problems.
High levels of insulin tell the body to store and keep fat. In fact, with high insulin levels, you’ll keep fat even if you’ve cut your calories down and feel like you’re starving.
In addition, insulin blocks the action of glucagon, the hormone that your body uses to use up fat as a fuel source, so it turns into a double-barrel problem.
Make that triple! Insulin also blocks the action of growth hormone, which also burns up fat and also is involved with the creation of new muscle growth. So, high levels of insulin have a multi-pronged effect on your body. Think of it as the Triple Threat of Fatness.
As your blood sugar levels start to drop due to the action of insulin,that signals your body to start feeling hungry. So, not only does insulin keep you fat, it makes you want to eat more! And especially, it makes you want to eat more carbs!
So, it shouldn’t seem too surprising that high-carb, high-sugar diets make us fat. With insulin levels jumping all over the place, making us fat and hungry at the same time, it’s a recipe for disaster!
If you’ve got a little extra jiggle around the middle that you’ve been meaning to get rid of, stop in Triune and ask about our new personal trainer, Ann Gruber. She’s a fitness competitor and offers free trial sessions, so there’s nothing to lose but inches!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Dangerous Weight Loss Drug Pulled From Market
A very dangerous weight loss supplement called Que She was recently pulled from the market by the Food and Drug Adminstration, and for good reason. It contains various prescription medications, including one of the two drugs in the Fen-Phen combo that was outlawed in 1997.
This particular drug created a lot of heart problems for those taking it, in particular, issues with damage to the valves of the heart. When the one-way heart valves are damaged, blood can back up and leak back into the heart, making it harder for circulation to proceed normally. This is the cause of what many people refer to as a "heart murmur". A lot of people ended up having these kinds of problems from taking this weight loss medication, and as a result, Fen-Phen was pulled from the market and a whole lot of lawsuit began to fly.
There were several other prescription medications found in Que She, all of which have the potential to create or worsen various cardiovascular conditions.
The most important thing to take away from this is to recognize that short cuts just don't work with weight loss. The only true way to lose weight and get fit is to fix your diet and get the right kind of exercise.
That can be difficult, but you do have resources to help you. Here at Triune, we recently brough on board an excellent personal trainer named Ann Gruber. Ann is a fitness competitor with ten years of experience in the fitness industry. She offers one free training session to Triune members, so ask us about it on your next visit and give her a try!
But skip the crazy, dangerous supplements!
This particular drug created a lot of heart problems for those taking it, in particular, issues with damage to the valves of the heart. When the one-way heart valves are damaged, blood can back up and leak back into the heart, making it harder for circulation to proceed normally. This is the cause of what many people refer to as a "heart murmur". A lot of people ended up having these kinds of problems from taking this weight loss medication, and as a result, Fen-Phen was pulled from the market and a whole lot of lawsuit began to fly.
There were several other prescription medications found in Que She, all of which have the potential to create or worsen various cardiovascular conditions.
The most important thing to take away from this is to recognize that short cuts just don't work with weight loss. The only true way to lose weight and get fit is to fix your diet and get the right kind of exercise.
That can be difficult, but you do have resources to help you. Here at Triune, we recently brough on board an excellent personal trainer named Ann Gruber. Ann is a fitness competitor with ten years of experience in the fitness industry. She offers one free training session to Triune members, so ask us about it on your next visit and give her a try!
But skip the crazy, dangerous supplements!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Fish Oils and Breast Cancer Risk
Breast cancer is a devastating disease with a tremendous amount of impact on our society, so it's always good news when any forward strides on dealing with this menace are found. Recently, scientific study examined the relationship of fish oil supplements with the incidence of breast cancer, and found some surprising results.
The study itself was massive... over 30,000 women were interviewed and followed over the course of six years. It's always incredible to me when I read about long-term studies of that magnitude, and try to realize the scope of effort required to track that many people for that long of a time.
In this case, the payoff was worth it. Those women who reported that they were taking fish oil supplements also had a significantly lower incidence of breast cancer.
How much lower? Over 30% lower! Talk about a big difference!
This is big news for women who have a family history of this type of cancer, of course, and the best part of it is, fish oils are a natural substance that have significant health benefits in many other areas, especially inflammation. So, now there's another very big reason to consider adding fish oils as a supplement to a healthy diet and wellness lifestyle!
Source: Fish Oil and Breast Cancer Risk
The study itself was massive... over 30,000 women were interviewed and followed over the course of six years. It's always incredible to me when I read about long-term studies of that magnitude, and try to realize the scope of effort required to track that many people for that long of a time.
In this case, the payoff was worth it. Those women who reported that they were taking fish oil supplements also had a significantly lower incidence of breast cancer.
How much lower? Over 30% lower! Talk about a big difference!
This is big news for women who have a family history of this type of cancer, of course, and the best part of it is, fish oils are a natural substance that have significant health benefits in many other areas, especially inflammation. So, now there's another very big reason to consider adding fish oils as a supplement to a healthy diet and wellness lifestyle!
Source: Fish Oil and Breast Cancer Risk
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Caffeinate Your Workout
By Ann Gruber Triunes Personal Trainer and Nutrition Consultant
I am proud to announce that I am a Starbucks Gold Card holder! The day I received my Gold Card in the mail was a very exciting day. My loved ones (my boyfriend) scoffed at my Gold Card out of mere jealousy and tried to claim his alleged “VIP” status at the Vitamin Shoppe was better, but I’m the one getting free coffees and refills at Starbucks! I frequently hear people telling me they proudly abstain from coffee and caffeine for health purposes; however, research has shown that caffeine provides so many benefits, especially for those who are looking to maximize their time in the gym.
Several studies have shown the benefits of working out while caffeinated. Such benefits include increased strength and endurance, better fat burning and improved recovery. If that is not enough to convince you, then maybe this will. Research has shown that individuals who drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day have 25% less chance of acquiring type-2 diabetes. Furthermore, studies that have looked at coffee’s effect on prostate health found that male participants who drank the most coffee had a 60% lower incidence of prostate cancer. One of coffee’s many polyphenols is likely responsible for this. Coffee contains many polyphenols which are potent plant chemicals and are, most likely, the root of many of the health benefits attributed to coffee.
If you are convinced now, then try supplementing with 200-400 mg of caffeine capsules about one hour before you work out. Eight ounces of coffee generally contains between 60-135 mg of caffeine. Other healthy sources of caffeine include espresso, black tea and green tea. I, personally, consume green tea extract before my cardio sessions. The downside of caffeine, unfortunately, is that it can be addictive. I have been drinking coffee ritually in the mornings for years, and when I have been forced to miss my morning coffee, the pounding headache I have by the afternoon is enough to make me sick. This may not sound appealing at all, but moderation is the key to life! With that being said, some key points to remember when embarking on a program of caffeine supplementation: 1) it is most effective when ingested prior to your workout, 2) stick with healthy caffeine sources such as coffee and green tea, and 3) don’t buy the Dunkin Donuts Box O’ Joe, unless you have 10 friends you want to share it with, or else you are asking for a headache.
Ann Gruber is an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant at Triune. Contact Triune today to set an initial complimentary personal training session with Ann.
By Ann Gruber Triunes Personal Trainer and Nutrition Consultant
I am proud to announce that I am a Starbucks Gold Card holder! The day I received my Gold Card in the mail was a very exciting day. My loved ones (my boyfriend) scoffed at my Gold Card out of mere jealousy and tried to claim his alleged “VIP” status at the Vitamin Shoppe was better, but I’m the one getting free coffees and refills at Starbucks! I frequently hear people telling me they proudly abstain from coffee and caffeine for health purposes; however, research has shown that caffeine provides so many benefits, especially for those who are looking to maximize their time in the gym.
Several studies have shown the benefits of working out while caffeinated. Such benefits include increased strength and endurance, better fat burning and improved recovery. If that is not enough to convince you, then maybe this will. Research has shown that individuals who drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day have 25% less chance of acquiring type-2 diabetes. Furthermore, studies that have looked at coffee’s effect on prostate health found that male participants who drank the most coffee had a 60% lower incidence of prostate cancer. One of coffee’s many polyphenols is likely responsible for this. Coffee contains many polyphenols which are potent plant chemicals and are, most likely, the root of many of the health benefits attributed to coffee.
If you are convinced now, then try supplementing with 200-400 mg of caffeine capsules about one hour before you work out. Eight ounces of coffee generally contains between 60-135 mg of caffeine. Other healthy sources of caffeine include espresso, black tea and green tea. I, personally, consume green tea extract before my cardio sessions. The downside of caffeine, unfortunately, is that it can be addictive. I have been drinking coffee ritually in the mornings for years, and when I have been forced to miss my morning coffee, the pounding headache I have by the afternoon is enough to make me sick. This may not sound appealing at all, but moderation is the key to life! With that being said, some key points to remember when embarking on a program of caffeine supplementation: 1) it is most effective when ingested prior to your workout, 2) stick with healthy caffeine sources such as coffee and green tea, and 3) don’t buy the Dunkin Donuts Box O’ Joe, unless you have 10 friends you want to share it with, or else you are asking for a headache.
Ann Gruber is an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant at Triune. Contact Triune today to set an initial complimentary personal training session with Ann.
Wow! Chocolate can help your heart!
Good news for you chocolate lovers. Turns out your dark master, the cocoa bean, can actually help with your cardiovascular health.
A new study shows that a supplement high in flavanols- the antioxidant in chocolate- can increase the levels of Circulating Angiogenic Cells (CACs), which are cells that float through the bloodstream and fix and maintain blood vessels. They also help create new blood vessels, but in this case, we're mostly interested in that they fix the regular wear and tear that occurs on a day to day basis in your vascular system.
Like any other part of your body, the blood vessels suffer micro damage on a daily basis, like scuff marks on drywall. The CACs float around, note that damage, and fill on the hole and repair it like spackle in drywall.
When that does NOT happen, those holes and pockmarks get worse and worse, and the damaged arteries begin to fill up with plaque deposits made up of cholesterol, eventually leading to blockage of the artery. You've probably heard of this before in connection with people suffering from heart attacks- their cornonary (heart) arteries get blocked up to the point where the heart doesn't get enough blood supply and begins to suffer damage as a result.
So, flavanols in chocolate will help keep your arteries maintained and healthy, so that this process doesn't occur. Now, don't go overboard, or the calories will end up making you chubby, and look for the darkest chocolate you can find. The darker the chocolate, the more flavanols are contained within.
Source article: Chocolate for a Healthy Heart
A new study shows that a supplement high in flavanols- the antioxidant in chocolate- can increase the levels of Circulating Angiogenic Cells (CACs), which are cells that float through the bloodstream and fix and maintain blood vessels. They also help create new blood vessels, but in this case, we're mostly interested in that they fix the regular wear and tear that occurs on a day to day basis in your vascular system.
Like any other part of your body, the blood vessels suffer micro damage on a daily basis, like scuff marks on drywall. The CACs float around, note that damage, and fill on the hole and repair it like spackle in drywall.
When that does NOT happen, those holes and pockmarks get worse and worse, and the damaged arteries begin to fill up with plaque deposits made up of cholesterol, eventually leading to blockage of the artery. You've probably heard of this before in connection with people suffering from heart attacks- their cornonary (heart) arteries get blocked up to the point where the heart doesn't get enough blood supply and begins to suffer damage as a result.
So, flavanols in chocolate will help keep your arteries maintained and healthy, so that this process doesn't occur. Now, don't go overboard, or the calories will end up making you chubby, and look for the darkest chocolate you can find. The darker the chocolate, the more flavanols are contained within.
Source article: Chocolate for a Healthy Heart
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