Are you someone that cannot consume dairy (whey or casein protein), or simply looking for a plant-based protein powder, but not sure how it all stacks up? Even though we should try to focus on mostly consuming nutritious whole foods, sometimes on the occasion a post-workout protein smoothie may be in order if one is short on time.

What are some of the experts saying?

It appears that leucine (one of the BCAA) is the key amino acid for stimulating muscle protein synthesis. 

“many nutrition researchers now believe that the leucine content in any given protein intake is the rate-limiting factor in terms of maximizing muscle protein synthesis within the capacity of skeletal muscle, rather than simply the total amount of protein ingested”. (1)

Let us look at rice protein for an example.

“rice is an intermediate-speed leucine-poor protein, though the rise in leucine in the bloodstream appears quickly after consumption of rice protein; large doses of rice effectively stimulated muscle protein synthesis to the same extent as a higher-quality protein when matched for leucine content (63). Therefore, the leucine content of the protein, and possibly the speed of leucine delivery, appears to be the determining factor for acute changes in maximal stimulation of muscle protein synthesis.” (2)

The NSCA is referring to a study that goes on to say, “the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of higher doses of rice protein compared to equally high doses of whey protein on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, lean body mass, strength and power when given following 8 weeks of periodized RT in those individuals with previous RT experience.” And they found no difference between the whey protein group and the rice protein group. (3)

There is your answer! Just remember, more is not always better!

It is important to be careful and check any supplement(s) to ensure they do not encompass harmful preservatives, artificial dyes, and other things that may hinder the muscles and/or the rest of the body systems. This may not be favored by all, but I tend to gravitate towards the Organic NutriBiotic Raw Rice Plain Protein. It is naturally Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, No Pesticides, Herbicides, or PCBs. Rice protein such as this is easily digestible with high-quality occurring amino acids including the important BCAA. One could try a post-workout smoothie including – Rice protein, Oatmeal, Ground Flaxseed, Chia Seeds, Kale, Spinach, Banana, and lots of Berries!

Protein from rice? How does that work?

Well, “NutriBiotic Rice protein is produced by means of a unique enzyme process. A proprietary blend of organic plant enzymes is used to separate the fiber and carbohydrates from the protein portion of the whole grain, sprouted brown rice. Low temperatures used during the processing prevent denaturing of the amino acids. NO CHEMICALS are used at any time.” (4)

Enjoy!

References:

• NSCA’s (National Strength and Conditioning Association) the fourth edition of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning textbook; 238
• NSCA’s (National Strength and Conditioning Association) the fourth edition of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning textbook; 212
• PubMed: Nutrition Journal 2013; 12: 86 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3698202/
• Rice Protein: NutriBiotic.com 

Day 24: I’m surprised how I’m feeling about it. 

Since I’m me. I go by my own rules. I’m following the listed to-do’s and have maintained this 75 Hard with my own twist (I didn’t take the ‘hard’ out, just different) and it hasn’t been hard per se, because of how I’m looking at it. Perspective and mindset are everything. I’m digging it. But here’s the thing, I’m a Coach, I’m comfortable with who I am, I know how to scale my intensity and recovery practices to make this work. I can see where this would be hard for folks that don’t necessarily have that gauge or don’t have the flexibility in their schedules like I do. Nor do I have kiddos to chase, so I have a few hurdles already out of my way. 

I read his book in the first few days and it was pretty decent. The 75 hard podcast didn’t fire me up as I’d hoped, but I could see how it could others. He’s a cool dude for sure. Still wanted to give it a whirl. For his book, I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says or does (especially nutrition), but it’s rare that I agree with everyone on everything. So that is nothing new. However, I can appreciate differences and that is what makes it interesting. I could understand his perspectives on things for him personally because of where he was coming from, so I can respect that. Plus, this really helped him. He did a good job shedding light on “why” he chose those pillars. After reading his book, it’s obvious he has worked his ass off in many components of his life, so major kudos to him (not just in his personal fitness/wellness journey). Seems like a respectable human. I do like the list he put forth and could see how reading the book before doing 75 Hard could be helpful to some that want to try it. I could see where some people may love it, and it may not be right for others.

One of the things I adjusted was “read 10 pages every day”. To me that is easy, so to up the ante, in addition to reading, I’ve asked myself to share on social media a story or post that I think could be valuable and hopefully helpful to others in our world at least once a week. Just trying to do my part, ya know? I’m not necessarily dieting, just no crap. I’m focusing on how I can best fuel my body to make it the most optimal healthy machine. I’m not even missing my mid-week Margarita, ha! So no alcohol, no problem, it will only help my performance. Another one that is easy, I typically drink a gallon of water a day anyway, I just had to measure it a couple times just to make sure. With extra physical activity, you tend to consume more water naturally, so that works. Where I’m training more, this was a good time to transition into hypertrophy. And I love that I go outside everyday for something, a nature walk, kiting, running, whatever. Movement is medicine, I’m not mad about it. So, keeping the daily checklist in check, it’s all good! 

So that’s my update! 

And More!

Most of us have heard of how ginger can assist with nausea and an upset stomach. But what about ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe sore muscles after a hard workout?

Take a quick listen to this 62-second clip from Dr. Mike Clark, Chief Science Advisor and Founder/Previous CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) who succinctly shares more on how we can do so! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEGx5OdOIn0 . It’s worth the watch!

Plus, ginger can be supportive in many other regards! Ladies, ginger can also be helpful for easing menstrual pain; likely as effective as some of the over-the-counter options.

Check out this article from Dr. Josh Axe as it relates to the 12 benefits of Ginger for our body and brain!

12 Major Benefits of Ginger for the Body and Brain

Enjoy!

Good energy and good health to you! Stay cool, don’t forget to breathe, love yourself, move that body, and eat well!

Do you or know someone that has Low Back Pain, but findings have been inconclusive? Not really sure why it hurts?

This could be something contributing to it. Listen to these super quick clips below…

And try not to be uninterested by the clip titles, and here is why...

They are finding out now that half of patients even with “ideal cholesterol” with no symptoms of any sorts have underlying risks that effect not just the heart, but our brain (stroke, Alzheimer’s), and sexual disfunction (ED)…It’s all connected, and this is why I want people to know about how circulation can affect the back creating pain. It can be a big deal. They are finding by the age of 49 years, 97% of discs showed at least Grade II degeneration for those eating the SAD.

And yes, there are ways to help this! Just a side note – I have even read pieces of autopsy reports from so-called healthy skinny marathon runners who have dropped dead of a heart attack (RIP)… I’ll post an article about people having so-called normal cholesterol levels contributing to underlying heart and other organ risks below the video clips if it’s of interest.

1.) https://youtu.be/Ndqn2cQ1t5w

2.) https://youtu.be/vG44nMXpTrQ

https://www.cardiosmart.org/news/2017/12/half-of-patients-with-ideal-cholesterol-have-underlying-heart-risks.

There are some really great books out there that can help steer folks in the right direction. Even our local Cardiology Center includes a program that is helping people reverse heart disease (which help our other organs) with just certain lifestyle practices. If you want a couple books to read, message me and I’ll shoot you some names. If you need other resources, let me know. I want people to have good quality of life man! Like anything, reach out to your doctor, review these clips from Dr. Greger with them.

P.S. Did you know that having low Vit D may also be a contributor to LBP? Have you checked your levels lately with your doc?

The old saying is……Don’t judge a book by its cover, right? Think about that for a second. What does that mean to you? Have you ever done that?

Would you say that in today’s world we can agree for the most part that cigarettes are not healthy? Statistics show that 90% of lung cancer is from smoking. But think back in the day from the 1950’s-80’s for sure….back then it was NOT common knowledge, right? Even a certain cigarette brand put “organic tobacco” on their so-called book cover of the cigarette package. They advertised it was better for you as they added filters and lowered the nicotine levels and convinced folks it was okay. So what is my point?

It is important to get all of us thinking and take a pause on these so-called labels or “book covers” and really look at the “meat of the content” no pun intended. “Don’t trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar“…..The covers are meant to sometimes deceive us to think something might be healthy even if it is not.

Would you consider Organic Orea’s healthy?

Just because it has a label in which the intention is for you to think it is “healthy” does not mean it always is. Just because someone is an omnivore or a vegan does not imply they are healthy. It is the food choices within those models that are important. A vegan could eat organic Oreos, potato chips, and diet soda all day, technically that is vegan and not considered a nutrient dense way of eating. So be careful when looking at “labels” you must look on the inside.

I bet we could virtually agree that flowers would not do their best if we watered it with soda and sprayed it with hairspray? You would probably see some sad slumped over flowers…… or if we put bleach in our car instead of gasoline, it may not run as well as we had hoped, right? Well, if flowers need specific fuel to grow, and our cars need specific fuel to work, why do we think we do not? Science has definitely and clearly proven otherwise!

→Did you know that there are about 24,000 articles published in the English Medical Journal every year. Could you imagine being a Physician and trying to keep up with all of these new articles? If they did, they would have to read about 65 articles every single day (365 days) goodness. They have a lot on their plates and trying to help the best they can with all the other medical components they were trained to do. So with that being said…….There are physicians out there focused on “nutrition” trying to help their fellow physician colleagues and the public stay abreast of the latest science evidence-based nutrition information. One example is Dr. Michael Greger who has a team of researchers including himself where a big part of their job is to read those articles every single day and get important information to the public in a way that is easy to understand. You can access their website yourself where you can watch free videos and articles uploaded almost every day! It is a science-based public service provided by Dr. Michael Greger, providing free updates on the latest in nutrition research for your general information! Also, NutritionFacts.org is a member of the True Health Initiative, a global voice for lifestyle as medicine. 

→Did you know that science in 2013 debunked that fish oil was good for us? It may actually be causing more heart disease! Yes, there are safer alternatives to get your DHA + EPA.

→Did you know that recent studies suggested that frequent milk consumption and higher dietary calcium intakes in middle-aged women were shown to not have protection against hip or forearm fractures? Women consuming great amounts of calcium from dairy foods had significantly increased risks of hip fractures, while no increase in fracture risk was observed for the same levels of calcium from non-dairy sources. The World Health Organization recommends only 500 milligrams of calcium intake per day and we can get that through our whole foods. Come to find out dairy products provides us with 60-80% estrogen and may affect our hormones in our body negatively. Dermatologists have started to catch on that dairy may be a huge contributor to a lot of skin conditions, especially acne. And, The National Dairy Farm Magazine reported that most dairy herds about 89% of them are infected by BLV (Bovine Leukemia Virus) which is closely related to a virus that causes leukemia and lymphoma in humans.

→Did you know that calcium supplements may do more harm than good? In a recent study along with meta-analysis studies, they have observed a statistically significant increase in heart attack risk by 86% among those that take calcium supplements. However, there did not seem to be an associating with cardiac risk by ingesting calcium through dietary means.

• 64% increase in hip fractures with calcium supplements

 

Disclaimer: These were just some things that raised my eyebrows when learning some of the newest (some old, and it just re-surfaced in science). Certainly, when I share general education, it is meant for your general information only. Recipients should seek medical advice and be closely monitored by their physician or a licensed health care professional before starting or continuing any lifestyle changes such as but not limited to, dietary changes, supplement changes, or physical activity changes, especially if you are pregnant or have any pre-existing injuries or medical conditions. You should read any information provided by the product manufacture and any product label or packaging prior to using any medication, nutritional, herbal, food, homeopathic or other products. Certain medications may have contraindications with introducing or continuing any supplemental or dietary changes, and that medications may need adjustments before and/or during your lifestyle changes. Adverse effects may lead to permanent damage or death if your medication(s) and/or healthcare needs are not properly monitored and amended between you and your physician. Do not disregard or delay medical advice or treatment because of any nutrition-related information that has been shared with you. Your decisions regarding your health and wellness are ultimately your own responsibility and the information provided is not to be taken as absolute nor is it a substitute for your medical care. Nutritional or supplemental suggestions including information that may be provided directly or by linking to a third-party, or any affiliates are intended for your general nutrition-related information and education only and we will not be held accountable for the use or misuse of any suggestions described therein. Please note that, over time, currency and completeness of the information may change. These services or information provided do not promise or guarantee protection from past, present or future illnesses and it should not be construed as dispensing medical advice or claiming to diagnose, treat, prevent, mitigate, prescribe, or cure any diseases, conditions, mental or physical, real or imaginary and that it is not a substitute for regular medical or psychological care.