The Protein Review

… Protein, Weight Loss and Training

Archive for July, 2009

Health Benefits Of Ginger

Jul 30

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Health Benefits Of Ginger

Ginger is a root tuber that has been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years.  There are many health benefits of ginger to be gained just from including this spice in your diet.  Now, science is studying this plant and researchers are finding amazing information about the health benefits of ginger.  Ginger has been found to work wonders in the treatment of everything from cancer to migraines.

health benefits of ginger

Medicinal Uses Of Ginger

  • ginger promotes the release of bile from the gall bladder which assists people suffering from gallstones
  • joint pain from arthritis may be decreased by ginger
  • ginger also demonstrates blood thinning and cholesterol lowering properties
  • ginger is effective in treating nausea caused by seasickness, morning sickness and chemotherapy
  • compounds in ginger are active against a particular form of diarrhea
  • tea brewed from ginger is believed to be a remedy for the common cold
  • ginger has been used to treat inflammation
  • research suggests ginger may be useful for treating diabetes
  • studies have shown ginger induced cell death in ovarian cancer cells
  • ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells
  • ginger has been used as a natural heartburn remedy
  • ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels
  • cancer-inhibiting compounds 6-gingerol and 6- parodol are found in ginger

The list goes on and on!  No wonder the Indians called ginger the king of spices.

As you can see the health benefits of ginger are enormous.  It doesn’t matter whether you include it in food or drink it as a tea, either way you will enjoy better health and wellness.

Reference

University Of Minnesota (2003, October 29). Dietary Ginger May Work Against Cancer Growth. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 31, 2009,

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Digestive Cycles and Diet Success

Jul 25

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I don’t really know why I ended up doing this vid. It’s pretty boring content but I have to admit that I was excited when I discovered this info at the time.

Anyway, in true internet geek form I created a post about it…

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Interval Training for Weightloss

Jul 23

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Interval Training for Weightloss

Interval training for weight loss is very effective and has been proven in a number of studies.  The University of NSW and the Garvan Institute studied 45 overweight women over 15 weeks, putting them through a 20 minute cycling regime in which they sprinted on a stationary bike for 8 seconds followed by 12 seconds of cycling lightly.  They found that this program was the most effective for creating weightloss.

Traditionally, interval training uses longer times such as sprinting for 30 seconds followed by 1 minute of light work.  There are many other variations used by athletes and these are good for building stamina or developing specific athletic techniques, however, the researchers have found that the shorter intervals create the most fat burning effect. They also found that cycling on the stationary bike to be the most effective exercise for the purposes of fat burning.

Interval training for weightloss on a stationary bike is excellent for obese people as there is no impact on their joints.  With a heavy bodyweight it is easy to develop injuries with jogging, walking, gym classes or other forms of impact exercise.  Even for healthy people, not everyone is suited for running or walking.  I know that everytime I try jogging I quickly develop shin splints which then makes it hard to even walk.  I found the stationary bike to be excellent with no bad effects to my legs at all. This idea could be applied to other exercises and I think that the rowing machine would be another suitable machine that anyone could use.

Interval Training for Weightloss Programs

Developing a program for this goal is pretty easy.  It’s a 20 minute workout with an 8 second sprint followed by a 12 second backoff.  You just do this for 20 minutes up to 3 times a week.  If you are starting out fresh maybe start with twice a week and build up to 3 times a week.  Of course you still need to watch your diet.  If you eat bad food it will be a lot harder to achieve any results.

The results of interval style training is dramatic because it keeps on burning calories for about an hour after you finish. This results in rapid weight loss in a short period of time if you stick to the program. You will also improve your stamina as your heart is exercised and you will feel more energised. So, by sticking to the plan and doing the exercises, you will feel healthier, stronger and lighter with interval training for weightloss.

Boutcher, S (PhD, FACSM Director of Fat Loss Laboratory). Overview of the 8-second fat loss study. Faculty of Medicine, UNSW. 28 January 2007.

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Appetite Control with Protein

Jul 21

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Did you know that eating more protein can help control your appetite?

Research has found that an increase in protein raises the level of glucose in the small intestine.  Once this happens a message is sent to the brain that there is no more requirement for food.

High protein diets work because it is a natural way for the body to eat.  Of course you need fibre as well to maintain your health, along with vitamins and minerals.  A balanced diet, low in carbs, high in protein will provide you a lean healthy body.

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Swine Flu Obesity Link

Jul 17

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Interesting trends are emerging about how swine flu is targeting obese people.  They still don’t know exactly why obese people are affected, but generally speaking, we know that most obese people are unhealthy.

If you don’t follow a good diet and get all the amino acids, vitamins and minerals you need then you will be at risk of every bug floating around.

Read the news item here

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Chewing Gum to Lose Weight

Jul 16

Posted by Ty in Articles | 1 Comment

Chewing Gum to Lose Weight

A study presented to the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Obesity Society revealed that chewing gum to lose weight can help with weight reduction. Researchers found that chewing gum after meals for approximately 15 minutes per hour prior to snacking reduced the craving for snacks.

Further to reducing the cravings, participants in the study also kept healthy snacks on hand, such as baby carrots, low fat yogurt, low fat cheese, whole grain crackers and fruit.  Keeping the focus on fibrous snacks also assists in the weight loss because of the filling nature of fibre.

I think it’s important to note that chewing gum to lose weight won’t work by itself.  The study shows that it can provide assistance as long as you are committed to changing your eating patterns.  Eating plenty of fibre and healthy snacks instead of junk food is the key to long term change.

Mood Alteration

One interesting note from the study is the reported change in mood after chewing gum.  People found that chewing gum helped them relax.  Some also suggested that it reduced their feelings of anxiety and stress, as well.  Perhaps the act of chewing induces a medatitive effect which helps with relaxation.

I believe this to be true.  Just the act of eating can induce an altered state of mind and we always feel contentment after eating a fine meal.  So, chewing gum to lose weight would also assist in providing some feelings of relaxation.

It would be interesting to see more studies in this area in the future.  But for now don’t get carried away thinking that chewing gum will make you thin, but realise that it can assist with coping with a new diet.  Once you change your eating habits you can let go of the gum and carry one by yourself.

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High Protein Breakfast – Eggs

Jul 14

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High Protein Breakfast – Eggs

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Herbal Remedies To Quit Smoking

Jul 13

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Herbal Remedies To Quit Smoking

We are all aware of how harmful smoking is to our general health. Unfortunately we still see many professional athletes smoking, although they do go to great pains to hide it from the public and sports fans. For the genetically gifted smoking doesn’t seem to impact on their athletic performance a great deal. They are the lucky ones.

For most of us mortals smoking will impair your ability to perform, especially your lung capacity. It doesn’t seem to impact on muscle growth, however. I have seen one study that set out to measure this and they found no difference in testosterone levels between smoking and non-smoking athletes. If anyone else can reference and studies that dispute this I would be interested in looking at them.

Just like diet fads there are many quit smoking fads as well. Whether it’s hypnosis, patches, gum, medications or whatever else is out there, people will flock in their desperation to quit smoking. Just like the diets, these fads cures are just taking advantage of people and fleecing them of their money.

Given that nicotine comes from a plant I wonder if herbal remedies to quit smoking may be a lot more productive and gain quicker results?

These herbal remedies to quit smoking help generally by relaxing the nervousness and irritability associated with nicotine withdrawals. They can also assist with sleep. Some of the other herbs change the taste of tobacco which also helps with the whole process.

Some of the herbs that are used to help with quitting smoking are:

  • Lobelia inflata (Indian Tobacco) – a herb whose pharmaceutical properties are similar to nicotine. It is dual in its activities, acting as both a relaxant and a stimulant.
  • Cinchona officinalis (Peruvian Bark) – treats edginess, nervous exhaustion, indigestion.
  • Daphne indica (Spurge Laurel) – helps with tobacco cravings and inability to sleep.
  • Plantago major (Plantain) – produces disgust for tobacco in those who chew it and cures neuralgia resulting from tobacco.
  • Calcarea phosphorica (Calcium Phosphate) – used to treat headaches, hoarseness, burning throat and cough which can be made worse from tobacco and tobacco smoke. Smokers are usually deficient in calcium.
  • Nux vomica (Poison nut) – used in minute amounts as a restorative preparation. Used to treat insomnia and irritability as well as coughing and scraping in the throat made worse by smoking tobacco.

I’m not a smoker myself so I can’t say personally that these herbal preparations work 100%. But, many ex-smokers have used these preparations with success.

One product on the market that has all these preparations is Cigarrest. They come in the form of gum, lozenges or tablets. There is no different between the three, it’s just whatever you prefer.

Apart from the herbal preparations, their products also contain vitamins and anti-oxidants which assist in the prevention of cell damage from cigarette smoke.

If you want to check out their range of products you can find them here:
CigArrest Official Site

The vitamins and anti-oxidants in Cigarrest products are:

  • Vitamin E – incorporated into LDL cholesterol where it protects the molecule.
  • Vitamin C – destroys free radicals dissolved in blood plasma and also regenerates vitamin E.
  • Beta Carotene – anti-oxidant that helps to maintain a healthy immune system.
  • Glutathione – regenerates vitamins C & E.
  • Ellagic acid – provides protection against benzopyrene, one of the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes.
  • Lycopene – reduces LDL oxidation by neutralizing free radicals before they do damage to healthy cells.

All in all, I think herbal remedies to quit smoking are a much healthier alternative to other products out there.

Check them out and see what you think.

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See How Easily You Can Achieve Diet Success

Jul 11

Posted by Ty in Articles | 1 Comment

See How Easily You Can Achieve Diet Success

It’s so frustrating when you feel like everything that you try in your diet fails. Especially when everyone around you at the gym seems to effortlessly shred off bodyfat without even trying. If you’re not careful you can psyche yourself out watching all those around you..

How can they do it and why does it happen so easily for them? You know if you ask them about their diets they won’t really give you a clear answer. If they are competitive bodybuilders or athletes trying to make weight they will be holding something back because they don’t want their competition getting the edge over them. It’s almost like they are part of some secret group that helps each other out and you’re left out in the cold. It can be so frustrating that you can even feel disrespected when you don’t get the answers that you expect. What is it that they do that you can’t find out about?

Well, guess what? You Are Not Alone….

  • 70% of gym members stop attending regularly in their first 3 years
  • 90% of people will give up on exercise completely
  • 48% of people consider that they have poor health
  • 90% of free time is spent watching television

So many people never achieve their ideal bodweight or image because they believe that they are not successful at what they do. They lose the motivation and drive to keep trying and become trapped in poor performance and mediocre effort. As a result they become distracted and do other things to hide from the pain of failure. Because distractions stop them from working they start looking for quick fixes and that’s were the so-called “diet gurus” come in. They know what’s going on in the minds of these people because they have seen it all before and they know exactly how to manipulate those feelings of frustration to create impulse buying decisions.

Don’t believe their hype.

The REAL Secret of Diet Success

If you really want to discover the “secrets” to diet success you need to start studying the successful people and what they do. Don’t ask them, study them.

They won’t tell you what they do for 2 reasons:

  1. they are naturals and don’t realise what they do, things just seem to work for them!
  2. they are in a competitive industry and won’t reveal their system publicly, even if they are aware of it!

The first thing you should notice about successful people is that they don’t follow diet trends. They have a method or a system and they stick to it because it works. They way they develop their method is through hard work, motiviation and TESTING. Testing is the important factor of successful dieters. They try something new in their diet and measure whether it works or not, or to what degree it works. If it doesn’t work, they throw it out and try again. As they progress they build up a system that works well for them and then they focus on the most successful methods and just keep doing them.

It’s A Simple Formula

This is a sure-fire formula that anyone can learn: TEST, MEASURE, REPEAT

It sounds simple doesn’t it?

  • Try something – TEST
  • Analyse how successful it was – MEASURE
  • If successful, keep on doing it – REPEAT
  • If not successful – TRY AGAIN

Honestly, a lot of successful bodybuilders don’t even realize that this is what they do. It just comes naturally to them to try things on their own and collate their results. They observe what works and just keep doing that. It’s so simple it’s almost embarrassing.

So, now you know. Without having to pay thousands of dollars for the latest diet shake, just try something, anything! It doesn’t matter what you try, what matters is that you record and analyze how successful it is. Collate all the different ideas you have tried and determine which are the most successful. And then?

Keep on doing what works!!!

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Nutrient Timing

Jul 10

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Nutrient Timing

With regards to nutrient timing, a lot of people talk about the “Golden Hour” after training and how you should consume the appropriate nutrients around this time to enhance your recovery. Unfortunately this is a very simplified approach, probably based on one or two studies that someone read. When you take a comprehensive look at all the information out there you start to see the whole picture and what you really need to do.

Early research focused only on total amounts of nutrients digested within a 24 hour period and how it affected an athletes development. Modern research is suggesting that the timing of nutrients around training is far more influential because of the recovery ability of the body during and after training. The most insightful studies have determined 4 important phases for nutrient timing around training.

They are:

  • Pre-Workout
  • Immediate Pre-Workout
  • During Workout
  • Post-Workout

Pre-Workout

The Pre-Workout phase is a meal eaten anytime 1-4 hours before training. This meal should be whole foods containing a good combination of protein, carbohydrate and healthy fats. If you are training first thing in the morning, this phase can be skipped without consequence. As far as the volume of food consumed is concerned, 4 hours before training you could eat whatever you wanted as you will have plenty of time for digestion. 1 hour before training you will need to limit the volume of food consumed and it would probably help to limit fats and fibre as these will take too long to leave the stomach.

The Pre-Workout meal will balance out muscle and liver glycogen, as well as blood glucose, which will prepare the body for optimal performance.

Immediate Pre-Workout

Immediate Pre-Workout nutrition is designed to optimise blood glucose levels and maximise protein synthesis.
Hydration is also an important factor within this phase too.

It has been shown that consuming nutrients that are rapidly absorbed immediately before training can improve protein synthesis in the muscles. A combination of whey protein and a carbohydrate like dextrose or sucrose will provide this result. Taking this in a liquid form will allow for fast emptying from the stomach into the blood stream thus providing the required nutrients in time for your training.

During Workout

The primary role of nutrient timing during your workout is to maintain hydration, stabilise blood glucose levels and prevent muscle breakdown. Recent research has shown that proper nutrient timing during your workout can improve performance as well as enhancing recovery afterwards. The inclusion of a dilute solution of whey protein mixed with a simple carbohydrate will keep insulin levels high while lowering cortisol.

Maintaining this state during training decreases protein breakdown within the muscles being worked and will also improve performance at later training sessions. It is wise to use whey as the protein source as this leaves the stomach very quickly and the solution used during training should be very dilute anyway.

Post-Workout

The final phase of correct nutrient timing is the 1-2 hours after finishing training. It’s important that nutrition is consumed immediately after training, again in the form of a liquid protein and carbohydrate mixture. The carbohydrates can be similar to what was consumed during training but the protein should be more of a slow release protein. Casein would be ideal for this.

There is a popular trend that whey should be taken after training because of its fast absorption. What many studies are showing, however, is that the longer it takes for nutrients to be digested, the more efficiently they are absorbed. If the pre-workout and during workout phases were followed correctly you will already have plenty of amino acids in your bloodstream. Now is the time to introduce a slower releasing protein to ensure long term absorption.

It is hard to find a protein powder that is pure casein, these days. What’s currently emerging on the market are blends that contain whey, casein and egg albumen. Finding one of these that has an appropriate amount of casein and egg albumen added to it will be suitable for immediately after your training session.

Within 1-2 hours of finishing training you also need to consume a whole food meal, similar to the pre-workout meal. Again, this meal ensures a slow release of required nutrients to ensure complete recovery from your workout.

Summary

As you can see, there is a lot more to nutrient timing than just talking about “golden hours” or “anabolic phases”.
If you time your meals right during the day, and then take a good mixture of protein and carbohydrate before your training, you will create the right anabolic environment for your body. This will maximise your performance while using a dilute mixture of nutrients during the session to stabilise your system and prevent muscle breakdown.

Feeding the body straight after you finish and then continuing with a regular meal plan for the rest of the day will ensure that you fully recover and improve before your next training session.

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