Fit & Well PILATES Supports Local Charity Runs!

Thank you to runners of Buckeye School District Run For Education on 9/22/13 in El Dorado Hills!! Thank you to runners who ran to end human trafficking in the Run For Courage of Folsom, CA!!  The beautiful showing of community at these events warms the heart and serves the vulnerable of our society.  Runners please visit fitandwell.com to view runners packages at our pilates studio.

What is Neuro Pilates?  The rehabilitative component of Pilates for neuromuscular disorders is not new.  The foundational elements for regeneration of nerves has been in the method since Joe Pilates created it.  Targeting specific exercises and movement patterns is effective in combatting progressive neurological illnesses such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinsons.  This is also true for the type of nerve damage we see in patients post stroke.  Repair and prevention of further debilitation can come from exercises which can be achieved on the reformer as well as attention to muscle firing patterns or sequencing of muscle use for a particular movement.  Initiating movements with our core increases limb strength and stability.  Incorporating the foundational movements learned in development, such as crawling, can helps us walk.  Many physical therapists and rehab specialists apply their knowledge in Pilates practice. 

Many certified Pilates instructors have taken additional coursework in rehabilitative Pilates.  If you have a neuromuscular issue and would like to achieve better strength, balance and coordination through Pilates, find an instructor that is passionate about this work.  Donna Fettig, R.N., is a Stott Certified Pilates Instructor with additional training in Injuries and Special Populations and owner of Fit & Well Pilates in El Dorado Hills, CA.  Donna Fettig is a preferred provider of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and funds are available to assist MS clients with pilates training at Fit &Well Pilates.  Visit www.fitandwellpilates.com

 

Best Prices on Pilates at Fit & Well PILATES in El Dorado Hils,CA!

Fit & Well PILATES in El Dorado Hills, CA is offering an amazingly low priced pilates package.  This promotion offers 30 DAYS UNLIMITED REFORMER & MAT CLASSES for $99.00!!  Beautiful studio, top of the line reformers, small class size, Stott certified pilates instructor.  Limit one per client.  Must be purchased by 9/30/13.  See www.fitandwellpilates.com

Your Metabolism, Hormones, Excercise, Diet , Environmental Toxins and More!

Jillian Michael's "Master Your Metabolish" interesting tidbits...

Want to burn more fat and build more muscle?  Read on.  If you only want to know what to eat, then scroll down at your own risk.  This is important stuff.

Your endocrine system was designed to do this with hormones!   Learn how to bolster your favorable hormones and calm those that increase fat.  I have found a HUGE resource in this battle to be Jillian Michael’s “Master Your Metabolism” because it is medically sound, consistent with highly respected resources and well organized.  It is a must read!

Here are some highlights… We impact our endocrine system with exercise, environmental toxins, food toxins, food addiction, sleep patterns and stress.  For example, EXERCISE does more than you might think.  Exercise is the number one form of preventive medicine and it dramatically impacts our hormones.  When we exercise we release fat burning, muscle building growth hormone.  Exercise reduces cortisol which contributes to fat storage.  Exercise makes our cells more sensitive to insulin so we use glucose better.  Exercise increases DHEA, a building hormone, which increases muscle, strength, libido and energy.    Exercise releases endorphins which improves our reaction to stress, enhances mood and increases the release of growth hormone.  To achieve maximum metabolic results prioritize strength training first, then cardio. 

Sleep is another huge hormone regulator!  When we sleep well for 7 hours a night, we bolster our fat burning and muscle building through the release of growth hormone.  On the flipside, not getting your regular 7 hours puts you at increased risk for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and depression.  About one hour after sleep begins we get our greatest dose of growth hormone in a 24 hour day.  However, if you eat late or eat too many carbs in the evening, circulating insulin inhibits this awesome dose of hormones!  After two nights of poor sleep, our hormone leptin which makes us feel nutritionally satiated is reduced by 20% and ghrelin, our hunger hormone, is increased by 30%. 

Lack of sleep and stress both produce cortisol which makes us store fat.  Stress also plays a role in the food addiction cycle.  Because endorphins are released when we eat, people use food to medicate for stress.  If you eat something sugary, you will have the insulin response that leads to hunger and you are likely to start the cycle over.  Chronic stress can lead to chronic overeating.

Let’s talk trash!  We need to trash foods  that prevent the release of weight loss hormones and those that  encourage the release of weight gain hormones.  Busy lifestyles and buying in bulk have been very profitable to companies manufacturing processed foods.  Preservatives, chemicals, MSG, flavor enhancers, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, additives that enhance texture and artificial colors are not food.  The following  “frankenfoods” disrupt your metabolism and should not be eaten. 

Trans fat is a man made fat.  We know trans fat is bad for our heart.  In fact, a 2% increase in trans fatty acids in your diet, increases your risk for heart attack by 23%.   This trans fat also causes interleukin-6 (a hormone) induced inflammation, causing the liver to stop responding to growth hormone. This decreases muscle and lowers our metabolism.  This hormone is also linked to hardening of the arteries, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimers. 

Refined grains have a longer shelf life because the bran, germ, most of the fiber, vitamins and minerals have been removed.  Enriched products have added some of the vitamins back in.  These refined grains are empty and so easily digestible that they quickly raise blood sugar and cause insulin spikes.  The high levels of insulin lead to muscle saturation with glucose and fat storage when the rest of the glucose cannot be used.  Then remaining insulin leaves you hungry!  The next sugary snack isn’t needed at all by the glucose saturated muscles, so it goes straight to fat storage.  If this happens enough, your cells begin to ignore the insulin.  The glucose then remains in the blood and you have type 2 diabetes.  Beware, products that say whole grain are only required to 50% whole grain.  Look for 100% whole grain labels. Whole oats and barley reduce blood sugar.

The worst of all the refined grains is high fructose corn syrup.  Tufts University reports that Americans consume more calories from high fructose corn syrup than from any other source.  HFCS does not suppress gherlin in the way other sugars do so you continue to be hungry.  It also increases triglycerides which prevent leptin from working in the brain.  Again, you continue eating.

So what about artificial sweeteners?  They must be better than sugar, right?  There are two problems with artificial sweeteners.  First, we lose our ability to judge sweetness and you begin to overeat sweets.  It is also suspected that NutraSweet is an excitotoxin that quickly excites and kills brain cells.  This causes permanent damage to our brains appetite center!  Studies show that the younger you are when you start consuming NutraSweet, the more obese you will be later in life.  There is a debate on the insulin response issue.  Some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners spike insulin, other studies have shown that they do not.  But there is agreement that artificial sweeteners are associated with overeating.   It is probably safe to say that if you are trying to cut back on eating, artificial sweeteners are not helpful.

On to artificial colors and preservatives.  There are many studies showing the strong association of these chemicals to hormone disruption.  There is also an association to  cancers, other illnesses and behavioral disorders  in children.  Bright colored popsicles might contain blue 1 and 2, green 3, red 3 or yellow 6, associated with thyroid, adrenal, bladder, kidney and brain cancer.  Credible studies are linked to chemicals still labeled by the FDA as “generally recognized as safe” and they are used in many foods.  Another example, BHA, a preservative is shown to reduce testosterone levels! It is used in butter, cereals, baked goods, sweets, beer, vegetable oils, chips, snacks, nuts, dehydrated potatoes, flavoring agents, sausage, poultry, meat products and food packaging.  It is also used in cosmetics.  Sodium nitrate and nitrites are in hamburgers, hot dogs and processed meats.  The American Institute for Cancer Research states eating 3.5 ounces of these foods daily increases your risk for colon cancer by 42 percent!  We do not need these chemicals in our food to keep them fresh in our refrigerator. 

Another hormone disruptor is glutamates, such as MSG, which are added to foods only to enhance flavor.  Glutamates are an excitotoxin, exciting brain cells and causing brain cell damage.  Animal studies have shown that glutamates damage the hypothalamus and lead to obesity.  According to Jillian Michael’s, Doritos contain five types of glutamates!  MSG has been shown to damage leptin receptors in the brain and create a leptin resistance.  Leptin is the hormone that makes us feel nutritionally satiated.

The subject of pesticides and environmental toxins is difficult to discuss quickly.  The studies are quite clear that chemicals in the environment cause disease.  It is a bit scary that they are sprayed on our foods and used to make water bottles and much more.  First, lets focus on how they make you fat.  There are thousands of FDA approved chemicals and so many are exoestrogens.  This means that they simulate estrogen and cause hormone disruption which leads to weight gain.   Infertility, gender specific cancers, change in male sex organs are on the list of identified effects.  Studies have shown that in order to store the influx of chemicals into your body new fat cells are created and grow.

The following are some specific chemicals, their health implications and where they are found.  BPA is suspected to be in the urine of 95% of Americans.  It is found in plastics and interior liners of food and beverage cans.   Individuals with high levels of BPA are at a 300% increased risk of cardiovascular disease.  BPA increases the risk of breast and prostate cancer, infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome, insulin resistance and diabetes.  Even low doses of BPA creates new fat cells. 

PCBs have been outlawed for 30 years, but are found in contaminated waters and therefore, farm raised salmon and freshwater fish.  Fish in contaminated waters have been found to have sex changes.  That is seriously scary.  PCB is also associated with skin and nervous system disorders, respiratory disorders and cancer. 

Dioxins are a byproduct of industrial processes and are found in nonorganic animal products.  Studies indicate dioxin disrupts thyroid function, lowers testosterone and decreases the size of male genitalia.  Other chemicals to avoid are phthalates in plastics, VOCs in household and personal products and NPEs in detergents and cleaning products.

The following foods do contribute to fat storage, but can consumed in small amounts.   These foods are starchy vegetables, tropical fruits, canned fruits, dried fruits, soy, alcohol, organic full fat dairy, organic fatty meats, canned foods and caffeine.  

Would you like to hear some good news?  You can eat foods that trigger your weight loss hormones and discourage fat storing hormones!  According to Michaels and researchers the following is a list of the 10 best types of foods and how they work for you.

1.       Legumes - (best:  red beans).  These are great carbs.  Soluble fiber and digestion resistant starch (RS1) offer blood sugar control.  RS1 also fights intestinal and systemic inflammation, bad intestinal bugs.  Adding 5% of resistant starch to your meal increases your postmeal fatburn of fat from your meal and stored fat! Unlike other phytoestrogens, legumes do not raise circulating estrogens.

2.      Alliums – (best:  garlic), onions, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots are amazing  detoxers and free radical destroyers.  Alliums stimulate the body to produce glutathione, an antioxidant that lives in our cells and fights free radicals throughout the body.  In the liver, glutathione removes pharmaceuticals and other chemicals.  The anthocyanins in alliums are free radical destroyers.  Also, eating two cloves of garlic a day works as well as some medications in lowering cholesterol!

3.      Berries - (all are best).  Berries are amazing!  Berries have high levels of polyphenols, anthocyanins  and  flavonoids.  They are powerful in antioxidants.  Berries reduce inflammation.  Berries stop individual fat cells from getting larger, lower postmeal blood sugar and reverse leptin and insulin resistance.  The polyphenols in raspberries and strawberries reduce absorption of certain starches and fats.  Nice!  (Eating enough organic berries can be inconvenient and expensive.  There are also whole foods supplement options.  We are Juice Plus consumers in our family for berries, fruits and veggies.)

4.      Meat and Eggs – (best:  wild Alaskan salmon).  Vegetarians may not agree this one.  Meat is the best choice of amino acids that you need to build muscle.  Both meat and eggs contain L-arginine which is important in the production of protein and release of growth hormone.  The amino acid tyrosine controls appetite, reduces body fat and supports function of thyroid, pituitary glands and adrenal glands.  Leucine, found in meat, eggs and fish help the body produce growth hormone, regulate blood sugar and grow muscle tissue.  The egg also has almost every essential vitamin and mineral our bodies need.  Protein and omega 3s found in organic free range eggs, meat and fatty deep sea fish slow digestion and decrease appetite.  Salmon is also a source of selenium, vitamin D which preserves muscle, and a large amount tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin, the feel good brain chemical.  Eating fish decreases your production of prostaglandins, which are hormones responsible for inflammation, pain, fever and cramps.  Omega 3s in salmon and organic free range meats and eggs help manage blood sugar and fight obesity.  Fish oil capsules are a great option.  Vegetarian sources are very healthy but convert to important EPA and DHA at much lower levels than meat sources.  Wild caught Alaskan salmon and canned version and fish oil capsules are good choices. 

5.      Colorful fruits and vegetables – (best:  tomatoes)  Powerful phytonutrients and fiber are in all colors of fruits and vegetables. 

Orange – high in beta carotene which increases our ability to avoid cancer

Yellow - vitamin C lowers stress hormone, Cortisol, lowers blood pressure

Purple – resveratrol, a type of plant antibiotic being studied for its power in antiaging, anti-inflammation and lowering of blood sugar

Red – contains Lycopene, an antioxidant cancer preventing agent.  Lycopene also decreases oxidative stress and therefore, hardening of the arteries.  Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, vitamin C and fiber.  Heating tomatoes for 2 min increases lycopene by 50%, 30 minutes by 150%. 

6.       Cruciferous vegetables  – (best:  broccoli)  The cancer fighting power of these veggies is their enzymes.  Isothiocyanates eliminate carcinogens and help prevent bladder, cervical, colon, endometrial, lung and cervical cancer.  The sulforophane in broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower protects blood vessels from the damage of diabetes.  They are super high in fiber and low in calories.  Don’t overcook them.

7.      Dark green leafy vegetables – (best:  spinach) More than 1,000 plants have leaves that we can eat.  Dark green leafy vegetables decrease your risk of diabetes more than any other veggie.  Their fiber and magnesium help thyroid hormone secretion, metabolism and nerve and muscle function.  The manganese is essential for glucose metabolism.  Romaine lettuce and turnip greens are high in vitamin C which helps the adrenals without the risks that come with megadoses of vitamin C.  Spinach and swiss chard are high in iron which is needed for metabolism.  Leafy greens prevent prostaglandins which cause inflammation, arthritis pain and blood clotting.  The soluble fiber is prebiotic, promoting good intestinal bacteria.  They even contain a fair amount of omega 3s and a small amount of protein.

8.      Nuts and seeds (best:  almonds & walnuts)  Consumed regularly, nuts lower your risk of heart attack by 60%.  The omega 3s, antioxidants, fiber, l-arginine and magnesium in nuts reduce inflammation.  Seeds, like beans, are a good source of resistant starch.  Pine nuts stiumulate production of our satiety hormone.  Flaxseed has both omega3 and alphalinolenic acid (ALA) which prevent inflammation.  Pumpkin seeds have omega 3s and zinc good for testosterone production and prostate health. In a Loma Linda University study, clients placed on the same diet and exercise regimen, saw a significant increase in weight loss for those that added 15 almonds daily.

9.      Organic dairy – (best: organic lowfat plain yogurt)  Much research supports the role of dairy calcium in weight control.  Calcium deficiencies impact fat burning within cells and decrease metabolism.  Grass fed dairy contains conjugated linoleic acid, a healthy fat that moves fat out of tissues allowing it to be used.  This healthy fat and high protein trigger our appetite suppressing hormone, CCK.  Zinc in milk supports leptin, also an appetite suppressing hormone.  If you like sweetened yogurt, sweeten plain yogurt by adding a teaspoon of organic cane sugar which has 4 grams of sugar.  Some presweetened yogurts have 20 grams of sugar.  Also try organic lowfat cheese sticks sliced on salads. 

10.   Whole grains – (best:  oats & barley)  Whole grains contain as many or more phytochemicals and antioxidants as some vegetables.  They are powerful in the fight against heart disease and cancer.  The fiber resistant starch and oligosaccharides fight colon cancer and promote detoxification by the colon.  The fatty acids in whole grains stimulate the release of satiety hormone Leptin.  The fiber also slows blood sugar release.  Again, whole grain products are only required to be 50% whole grain.  Look for 100% whole grain or read the ingredients label. 

This has been a very brief look at Jillian Michael’s “Master Your Metabolism”.  I recommend the 240 page read for more details, sample diet plans, shopping resources and informational websites.

Boosting Your Metabolism As You Age

Boosting Your Metabolism As You Age 

Many of us find it harder to keep off the pounds as we age and our metabolism slows. We can help ourselves with a little education about metabolism. First, know that 65-75 percent of the calories you burn daily is a result of your resting metabolism. Another 15-30 percent comes from activity level and another 5-10 percent from the processing of food. In a review of recent research by Johns Hopkins Medicine, the following is a brief summary of recommendations to boost all three ways we burn calories:
1. Add Muscle. Replacing 5 pounds of fat with 5 pounds of muscle decreases your weight by 2 pounds yearly.
2. Get Moving. Moderate exercise for 30 minutes, 5 times per week, decreases your weight by 15 pounds yearly.
3. Eat More Often. Eating more frequently than 3 meals and 2 snacks per day will increase metabolism, just don't increase overall calories.
4. Eat Breakfast. Your metabolism remains sluggish until the first meal and you are also more likely to grab an unhealthy snack.
5. Eat Enough Protein. Your body uses extra calories to digest
protein. Sufficient protein ensures that weight loss comes from fat and not muscle. Recommended intake is 46 grams for the average adult female and 56 for the average adult male.
6. Drink Plenty of Water. Digesting two cups of water can speed up your metabolism by 30 percent for the next 30 minutes. A good portion of this energy is used to warm the water to body temperature.
7. Get Your Sleep. Sleep deprivation increases hormone ghrelin which makes you hungry, slows metabolism and promotes fat retention. Dieters lost twice as much weight with 8.5 hours of sleep when compared to dieters who slept 5.5 hours nightly.
8. Stay Cool. Maintaining body temperature in cooler temperatures burns calories.
9. Don't Crash Diet. Not eating enough puts body into starvation mode and slows metabolism. They recommend a reduction of 500 calories per day. More if you were previously eating excessively.

10. Caffeine and Chili Peppers - Caffeine increases heart rate and peppers contain capsaicin or capsinoid. Both temporarily boost metabolism.
John Hopkins Medicine, November 2011.