Remember when carbohydrates were nothing to worry about? We ate jsut about anything we wanted.  You simply could not go wrong by eating carbs and they were the staple of most of our diets. Thanks to the wild popularity of the Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, and other low carbohydrate diets, we have been brain washed and led to believe that carbohydrates are “bad”.

What exaclty are carbohydrates, also known as carbs? Carbohydrates are any large group of compounds(include sugars, starch,and cellulose) which contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are made up of sugars and starches, which provide energy for humans and animals, and cellulose which make up many plant structures.

Carbohydrates are claimed to be the culprit of unflattering flab and a large cause of the obesity epidemic. White bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods, may definitely increase weight gain and cause you not to loose the unwanted pounds.

On the other hand, not all carbohydrates are bad. Whole grains, beans, fruit, vegetables, and other sources of intact carbohydrates just to the opposite. They promote good health and keep our bodies on track to shed those unwanted pounds.  Do not be misled by the dangers of carbohydrates. They are an important part of a healthy diet.

When trying to diet, which we all have tried at least once in our lives, choose good carbs, not no carbs. Many popular diets treat carbs as if they are just plain evil and the root of all body fat and excess weight. This was true for the original Atkins diet, which became widely popular in promoting the no-carb approach to dieting. There is evidence that shows that a low-carbohydrate diet may help people lose weight more quickly than just an ordinary low fat diet. Unfortunately, that this diet is short lived. Once you cut out all carbs completely, you will drop weight. It is something you can not do forever. Once you start to bring back carbs to your diet, you will gain weight back.  Carbs are needed in your diet, so add good carbs to your diet.

Adding good carbs is not hard to do and is very satisfying. Get your grains intact from foods such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and other types that a lot of people are not very familiar with like quinoa, whole oats, and bulgur. Your mainstream grocery stores are all carrying these products to help promote good healthy eating. You do not have to shop at a fancy organice supermarket and pay double the price.

To make a lifestyle change, we all have to make changes. It is so much easier to buy products that are heart healthy and good for your whole body. There really is no excuse of why you can not add whole grains and good carbs to your diet. In the long run, you will feel better, look better, and be glad you did. So remember, choose wisely. Carbs are not bad, if you choose the right ones.

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Everyone seems to think that consuming tons of protein will build up muscle and that you will lose tons of weight if you stick with a protein rich diet. This is not true and can actually be harmful to your body, creating numerous side effects. Protein does not help boost your muscle mass. On the contrary, consuming more than 30% of your daily caloric intake in protein can cause a lot of stress on the body causing a buildup of toxic ketones. Essentially, you can dehydrate if you exercise heavily because your kidneys will rid your body of these toxic ketones and you will lose a ton of water weight. Moreover, you will lose muscle mass and bone calcium in the process. These symptoms can make you feel very weak and lead to a myriad of other problems.

Basically, eating massive amounts of protein each day can lead to many problems such as weight gain, dehydration, kidney problems, intestinal irritation, seizures, nutritional deficiencies and can put you at risk of heart disease. If you are consuming an excess amount of calories from protein, they may be stored as body fat. Everyone also knows that too much protein can lead to constipation as well. Plus, if you are getting all of your protein from unhealthy sources, this can lead to heart disease.

It is important to note, however, that the above issues are associated with excessive protein diets, but only when you suffer from dehydration and are not eating a balanced diet. Protein is very important to the body, but should be consumed in the appropriate amount with a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains and complex carbohydrates. Furthermore, it is crucial to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

The amount of protein you need depends on a number of factors. Mainly, it depends on your weight and daily calories consumed. It is most beneficial to eat about a third of your body weight in protein a day. So, if you weigh 150 lbs., you should consume approximately 50 grams of protein a day.

For an individual who exercises regularly, the recommended protein intake is 1 gram per pound of body weight. This will provide your body the necessary amount of essential amino acids to build muscle tissue. This is the appropriate method for building muscle, not just consuming an uncapped amount of protein per day. Don’t risk your health to build muscle. Research and study the appropriate ways depending on your body type and level of exercise to make the right choices for yourself when it comes to daily protein intake.

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For those of you who have always heard the negative aspects of sodium, listen up, because there are actual health benefits to this electrolyte! It’s not all bad, as we’ve always been told!

Sodium is very important and plays an important role in enzyme operation and muscle contraction. It is needed for blood regulation and helps with heart performance. The recommended dosage is 120mg/day and if you are deficient in sodium, this can lead to a myriad of problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, low blood pressure, weight loss, muscular irritability and even headaches just to name a few. Sodium is needed to regulate cells and nerves in the body.

On the other hand, overdose of sodium can lead to many problems, mainly high blood pressure. Everyone knows that using too much salt can lead to many health issues, but it is actually beneficial to your health if taken in the appropriate amount. Therefore, stick with the recommended dosage of 120mg/day if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Sodium can be beneficial to your health in many ways. One, it helps to restore youthful looking skin by fighting free radicals which accelerate the aging process. Who doesn’t want to look younger? Two, it assists in the removal of excess carbon dioxide in the body which is a great factor. Three, it helps maintain glucose absorption. Four, sodium keeps the mind sharp and assists in the improvement of brain function. We can all use that some days! Five, it helps with muscle cramps by restoring the amount of electrolytes needed in the body. Last, but not least, it maintains blood pressure in the body and therefore, keeps your heart healthy! Isn’t it great to find out that sodium can actually be beneficial?

The best sources of sodium can be found in apples, leafy vegetables, bananas and egg yokes. Sodium can be found in almost every food, but adding 120mg/day in the form of common salt is necessary for optimal health, unless you suffer from kidney problems and diabetes where restriction of sodium in your diet is necessary.

Ultimately, staying healthy doesn’t mean you have to cut sodium out of your diet completely. On the contrary, it is important to consume a recommended daily amount in order to reap the benefits listed above. This all goes back to my philosophy of “everything in moderation”!

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Most people who are advocates of health and fitness understand that potassium is essential for optimal health. Potassium is a major macronutrient. This nutrient helps carry oxygen to the brain and is essential for healthy brain function. There is also a positive association between potassium and bone mineral density. Intake of high potassium fruits and vegetables has a direct beneficial effect on bone mass.

Moreover, potassium can also help our kidneys by preventing kidney stones from developing. Kidney stones form from calcium in the kidneys and the potassium keeps the calcium from forming those stones. Last, but not least, daily intake of potassium can lower your blood pressure. Those who suffer from hypertension will directly benefit from this.

Potassium and sodium have a direct correlation to one another in that in order for the body to use this nutrient appropriately, an adequate amount of sodium needs to be in check. They work together to regulate our water balance in the cells of the body. It is important to note, however, that diets that are too high in sodium may contribute to potassium deficiency. Eating a lot of processed foods can also lead you to become deficient in potassium.

If you experience the following, then you are deficient in potassium – irritability, excessive sweating, chronic fatigue, earaches, muscle weakness or poor circulation, heart palpitations, insomnia, intestinal pain, swollen glands, water retention and a fast heartbeat. Intake more potassium in your diet and you will see these signs disappear. You will find many natural sources of potassium in orange juice, bananas, spinach, almonds, prunes, peaches, pineapples, cantaloupe, sunflower seeds, potatoes and tomato juice just to name a few.

Essentially, your daily intake of potassium should be about 3,500 mg. There is a small amount in multivitamins so you need to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables in addition to that daily. Remember, however, that potassium can throw off your electrolyte balance if taken in excess and this will ultimately slow down your heart. This is extremely dangerous.

Overall, scientists have linked low levels of potassium to many common diseases such as diabetes and heart disease as well as disorders such as hypertension. It is imperative to increase your consumption of potassium rich foods to avoid these from ever developing. Luckily, it is one of the easiest nutrients to get and is found in many fruits and vegetables as discussed. If you want to feel better and stay healthy, it is recommended that you include potassium rich foods in your diet!

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Net carbs is a term that is commonly used in many of today’s fad diets such as Atkins, South Beach Diet, etc. and most people do not truly understand what it means.  Most people think that carbs are carbs and have been scared into the delusion that “to lose weight, I’ve got to cut out carbs!”.  This is, however, not true.  You must understand what net carbs are and how to effectively use that number when working towards obtaining your weight loss goals.

In reality, “net carbs” is a term made up by manufacturers of low-carb diets in order to make their carbohydrate count look much lower than it really is.  The idea behind low carbohydrate diets is to eat foods which will not cause your blood glucose level to spike up.  Some of the ingredients which are in typical low carb diets are not nearly as straight forward as the manufacturer would like you to believe.  There are some ingredients which contain carbohydrates which are much better for you than others.  Let’s take a closer look.

Fiber is fairly straightforward.  The total fiber count can be subtracted from the total carbs because fiber does not digest in the small intestine and therefore does not get broken down into glucose and released into the bloodstream. Therefore, it IS safe to subtract total fiber from total carbs.

Sugar is a different story altogether.  Sugar and its alcohol derivatives (-tol’s) all have a very high impact on blood glucose levels.  However, when you look in most “low carb” products, you’ll see a common ingredient named maltitol.  Many of the low carb companies subtract sugars from total carbs, but using this example you can see why this should not be the case!

As you can see – the “net carbs” is not a number which you can always trust 100%.  It’s always better to get back to basics and read the ingredients on the product label before determining if a product is good for you in your current diet or not. You simply cannot always believe what the product manufacturers tell you.  Trust me, many times they’re telling you EXACTLY what you WANT to hear, but unfortunately not what you NEED to hear.

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Protein is the only macronutrient that promotes lean tissue growth (anabolism). In other words, to grow muscle you need protein! Protein also has other important functions in the body beyond building muscle. Those functions include: building and repairing blood, bones, teeth, skin, hair, nails, and your internal organs, provides immune protection and can provide a source of energy (when there is excess dietary protein or inadequate dietary fat and carbohydrate). As you can see, protein is an extremely important nutrient for good health. In fact, the word protein comes from a Greek word meaning “of primary importance.”

Proteins & Amino Acids Proteins are highly complex molecules comprised of linked amino acids. Amino acids link together to form chains called peptides. There are 20 or so amino acids that make up protein – eight are essential (body can’t make them on its own). Those essential eight are: leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and lysine. Another amino acid, histidine, is considered semi-essential because the body does not always require dietary sources of it. The non-essential amino acids can be made from the essential amino acids. The non-essential amino acids include: alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, hydroxyproline, proline, serine and tyrosine. Conditionally essential amino acids, so named because during certain periods, such as infancy or certain metabolic states, can be considered essential for that period of time.

There are also branch chain amino acids (BCAA). They are named “branch chain” because they branch off another chain of atoms rather than form a straight line as other amino acids. The branch chain amino acids are leucine, valine and iso-leucine. These are used (oxidized) during exercise and make up to one third of the amino acids in muscle tissue. They play a critical role in the turn over of lean body tissues (muscle) and is muscle sparing (i.e. anti-catabolic) in a variety of muscles wasting states. L-leucine appears to be the most important to preserving hard earned muscle mass; intense exercise and certain disease states have been shown to eat up a great deal of L-leucine. Proteins, specifically whey protein, is very high in BCAA’s.

Complete Proteins Different foods contain different proteins, each with their own unique amino acid composition. The proportions of essential amino acids in foods may differ from the proportions needed by the body to make proteins. For instance, unlike animal proteins, plant proteins may not contain all the essential amino acids in the necessary proportions. The proportion of each of the essential amino acids in foods containing protein determines the quality of that protein. Dietary proteins with all the essential amino acids in the proportions required by the body are said to be a complete protein. Complete proteins include whey, egg, meat, fish, milk and cheese. Proteins are ranked according to Biological Values (BV), arbitrary numbers given to protein to show comparisons in their availability within the body. At the time the system was introduced eggs were given the highest BV of 100 because they are the most bio-available natural protein. Afterwards whey was isolated from milk and shown to have a higher BV, and depending on the process used can yield percentage from 104 to 154 on the scale. The top ranked proteins include:

• Whey Protein Isolate = 157
• Whey Protein Concentrate = 104
• Whole Egg (yolk & egg white) = 100
• Milk = 91
• Egg White = 88
• Meats = 80
• Casein = 77
• Soy = 74

Click here to read Part 2:  Incomplete Proteins

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Omega 6 fatty acid is a polyunsaturated fat that is technically known as, alpha-linoleic acid, or LA. Omega 6 is an essential fatty acid that is considered a “good” fat necessary for optimal health. Omega 3 is another type of essential fatty acid. These fats are considered essential because the body can’t produce them itself. Your body must get them from your diet.

Omega 6 fatty acids are an interesting group of fats because on one hand they are good for you, but on the other hand, too much can be bad for you. Unlike omega 3 fatty acids, you can go overboard on omega 6. An important point to remember, however, is that you always want to maintain the right balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

Interestingly, nutritionists are now finding that imbalances of these essential fatty acids negate their healthful benefits! Most Americans obtain an excess of omega 6 in their diets at the expense of omega 3 fatty acids. For most people, getting more omega 6 in their diet is not an issue. In fact, most people need to cut back on omega 6 and increase their omega 3 intake.

There seems to be some debate on what is the perfect balance of these essential fatty acids. Some researchers and nutritionists suggest that the perfect ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 is 1:4 (one Omega 3 to four Omega 6). Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., the world expert on oils in nutrition, says that in his practice in working with people, the ratio that gives the best results consistently comes from oils blended to be richer in Omega 3 (but not too rich) than Omega 6. He suggests the optimal ratio is 2:1 in favor of Omega 3 (two Omega 3 to one Omega 6). Most Western diets range between 10 and 20 to 1 in favor of omega 6! This excess amount of omega 6 is not good for your health and can cause a variety of health problems such as increased water retention, raised blood pressure and raised blood clotting to name a few.

Erasmus developed his own oil blend that is in the optimal ratio of 2:1. It’s called, Udo’s Choice Oil Blend, and it’s a very popular supplement. View my recommendations on the best essential fatty acid supplements to read more about his oil blend and other popular oil supplements.

So how can such a “good” fat, be such a bad thing in some cases? Well, the explanation to that question gets a little technical but if you’re interested, read our article on eicosanoids. Now that sounds like a fun read, doesn’t it! Seriously, though, it’s really not that difficult of a read and provides a simplified explanation as to why too much of omega 6 is a bad thing.Health benefits of omega 6 (if taken in the right ratio to omega 3):

• Reduces the aches and pains of rheumatoid arthritis
• Relieves the discomforts of PMS, endometriosis, and fibrocystic breasts
• Reduces the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis
• Clears up acne and rosacea
• Prevents and improves diabetic neuropathy
• Aids in cancer treatment

Food sources of omega 6:

• Flax seed oil
• Flax seeds
• Flax seed meal
• Hemp seed oil
• Hemp seeds
• Grapeseed Oil
• Pumpkin seeds
• Pumpkin oil
• Sesame oil
• Walnut oil
• Pine nuts
• Pistachio nuts
• Sunflower seeds (raw)
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Borage oil
• Evening primrose oil
• Black currant seed oil
• Chestnut oil
• Wheatgerm oil
• Corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean and cottonseed oils are also sources of linoleic acid, but are refined and may be nutrient-deficient as sold in stores.
• Chicken

For optimum weight loss, reduce your overall fat/oil consumption to a sensible level. Erasmus advocates 15-20% of your total calories should come from fat – and the majority of that should be essential fatty acids. To determine how many grams of fat this translates into, you multiply your total daily calories by 15% (20% for the high-end of the range) and then divide the result by 9, which is the number of calories in a gram of fat. Here is an example:2,500 daily calories x .15 = 375 375 / 9 = 41.6 or 42 grams of fat per day – the bulk of which should be essential fatty acids

Essential Fatty Acids – An overview of what they are and a list of their many health benefits

Omega 3 Fatty Acid – Why we need more in our diet, health benefits of, and natural food sources

Omega 9 Fatty Acid – The health benefits of and natural food sources

Essential Fatty Acid Supplements – A review of the two best essential fatty acid supplements you should be taking

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• The Health Benefits of Omega 9 Fatty Acid

Omega 9 fatty acid is a monounsaturated fat that is also known as, oleic acid. Omega 9 is not technically an essential fatty acid because the body can produce a limited amount, provided the essential fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6, are present. If your diet is low in these essential fatty acids, then your body can’t produce enough omega 9. In that instance, omega 9 becomes an essential fatty acid because your body will need to get it from your diet.

Health benefits of omega 9:

• Lowers cholesterol levels, thereby reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduces atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Reduces insulin resistance, thereby improves glucose (blood sugar) maintenance
• Improves immune function
• Provides protection against certain types of cancer

Food sources of omega 9 fatty acid:

• Olive oil – the best source of omega 9
• Olives
• Avocados
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Sesame oil
• Pecans
• Pistachio nuts
• Cashews
• Hazelnuts
• Macadamia nuts

For optimum weight loss, reduce your overall fat/oil consumption to a sensible level. Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., the world expert on oils in nutrition, advocates 15-20% of your total calories should come from fat – and the majority of that should be essential fatty acids. To determine how many grams of fat this translates into, you multiply your total daily calories by 15% (20% for the high-end of the range) and then divide the result by 9, which is the number of calories in a gram of fat. Here is an example:2,500 daily calories x .15 = 375 375 / 9 = 41.6 or 42 grams of fat per day – the bulk of which should be essential fatty acids

Essential Fatty Acids – An overview of what they are and a list of their many health benefits

Omega 3 Fatty Acid – Why we need more in our diet, health benefits of, and natural food sources

Omega 6 Fatty Acid – Why we need less in our diet, health benefits of, and natural food sources

Essential Fatty Acid Supplements – A review of the two best essential fatty acid supplements you should be taking

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• The Good and Bad of Omega 6 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 efas are a form of polyunsaturated fats. Every cell, tissue, gland, and organ in the body requires omega 3 efas. Omega 3 fatty acid is technically known as, alpha-linolenic acid, or LNA or ALA. Confused yet? The only thing you have to remember is that omega “3″ has a “three-letter” acronym, as opposed to omega 6, which has a two-letter acronym.

Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., the world expert on oils in nutrition, states that a diet deficient in omega 3 efas may result in a host of conditions including: heart attack, stroke, or embolism, arthritis, inflammatory conditions, auto-immune problems, weak bones, low energy, dry skin, overweight, obesity, type II diabetes, depression, poor focus, hormone imbalance, poor healing, mental fatigue, poor ability to deal with stress, and symptoms of mental illness (including schizophrenia, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety) and Alzheimers.

According to Erasmus, all of these conditions can be signs of insufficient omega 3 efas in the diet. He further states that all of these conditions readily improve when the intake of omega 3 fatty acid is increased.

You might be wondering about fish oil supplements as they are often hyped as the best sources of omega 3 efas. Fish oil supplements contain the non-essential omega 3 efas, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosaphentaenoic acid (EPA). A healthy person will convert omega 3 fatty acid into these non-essential fatty acids on its own provided there is enough omega 3 fatty acid in your diet to begin with.

Your body’s ability to convert omega 3 fatty acid to DHA and EPA also relies on the presence of vitamins C, B6, B3, and minerals zinc and magnesium. These specific vitamins and minerals are needed to convert omega 3 fatty acid to DHA and EPA.

This conversion is also slowed if you are getting too much omega 6 fatty acid in your diet. Provided you are getting enough omega 3 fatty acid in your diet (and not too much omega 6), and provided you are getting enough of those specific vitamins and minerals, fish oil supplements aren’t necessary.

For a fat that seems to be so important to overall health, 95-99% of the US population is deficient in this essential fatty acid. For optimal health, it’s imperative that you aim to get more omega 3 efas in your diet. In addition to increasing your intake, you also want to make sure you maintain the right balance of omega 3 efas to omega 6.  Nutritionists are now finding that imbalances of these essential fatty acids negate their healthful benefits! Most Americans obtain an excess of omega 6 in their diets at the expense of omega 3 fatty acids.

There seems to be some debate on what is the perfect balance of these essential fatty acids. Some researchers and nutritionists suggest that the perfect ratio of Omega 3 efas to Omega 6 is 1:4 (one Omega 3 to four Omega 6). Erasmus says that in his practice in working with people, the ratio that gives the best results consistently comes from oils blended to be richer in Omega 3 (but not too rich) than Omega 6. He suggests the optimal ratio is 2:1 in favor of Omega 3 (two Omega 3 to one Omega 6). Most Western diets range between 10 and 20 to 1 in favor of omega 6!

Erasmus developed his own oil blend that is in the optimal ratio of 2:1. It’s called, Udo’s Choice Oil Blend, and it’s a very popular supplement. View my recommendations on the best essential fatty acid supplements to read more about his oil blend and other popular oil supplements.

Food sources of omega 3 fatty acid:

• Flax seed Oil (has the highest linolenic content of any food)
• Flax seeds (flax seed & flax oil are the best sources of omega 3)
• Flax seed meal
• Hemp seed oil
• Hemp seeds
• Walnuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Brazil nuts
• Sesame seeds
• Avocados
• Some dark leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, purslane, mustard greens, collards, etc.)
• Canola oil (cold-pressed and unrefined)
• Soybean oil
• Wheat germ oil
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Sardines
• Anchovies
• Albacore tuna

For optimum weight loss, reduce your overall fat/oil consumption to a sensible level. Erasmus advocates 15-20% of your total calories should come from fat – and the majority of that should be essential fatty acids. To determine how many grams of fat this translates to, multiply your total daily calories by 15% (20% for the high-end of the range) and then divide the result by 9, which is the number of calories in a gram of fat. Here is an example:2,500 daily calories x .15 = 375 375 / 9 = 41.6 or 42 grams of fat per day – the bulk of which should be essential fatty acids

Essential Fatty Acids – An overview of what they are and a list of their many health benefits

Omega 6 Fatty Acid – Why we need less in our diet, health benefits of, and natural food sources

Omega 9 Fatty Acid – The health benefits of and natural food sources

Essential Fatty Acid Supplements – A review of the two best essential fatty acid supplements you should be taking

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