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Berry Power Pancakes

If you are struggling to see past cereal and toast in the morning and that thought of eating a cooked meal for breakfast (remember, breakfast literally means you are breaking a fast (not eating) from sleeping) give these a shot.

Packed full of good fats, protein and a whole host of vitamins and minerals, they will give you a great boost for your day

Berry Protein Pancakes…

Ingredients

80g of organic quinoa flakes or gluten free oats
1 ripe banana
3 organic free range eggs
1 lvl tsp Cinnamon
Berries (Blueberries, raspberries etc)
Coconut Oil or Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Break up the bananas and add to a blender.
2. Add the eggs, cinnamon and quinoa/oats to the blender
3. Mix the ingredients together until you get a smooth consistency.
4. Heat a small frying pan with coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil, add the mix to cover the pan.
5. Once mixture has started to firm up, add any berries you want and gently push them into the mixture before turning the pancake over.

Serve on their own or with a dollop of full fat greek yoghurt

Enjoy

P.S. you don’t have to wait for pancake day for these, enjoy them any time for a great start to the day 🙂

Health, Nutrition, performance nutrition

The BIG Cholesterol Con

Find out why Cholesterol is essential for health and performance.

I am going to bust probably the greatest modern health myth of all right now.

The Cholesterol Myth!

This myth has been gathering quite some pace in the last few years and for good reason, it is HIGHLY profitable to certain companies who cast fear to the general populous and then provide a solution, conveniently forgetting to tell the whole story so as to line their pockets.

You could be under the impression that cholesterol is the dietary villain and a primary cause of heart disease? Well that is what we are led to believe.

But nothing could be further from the truth!

I am also gonna assume that you might have been told not to eat certain foods such as eggs because they are high in cholesterol or to avoid other healthy animal foods such as butter and grass fed beef? Or worse still that your cholesterol is too high and you need it lowered by using drugs?

Its time to put the record straight!

So what is Cholesterol Anyway?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and is vital for the normal functioning of the body. It is mainly made by the liver but can also be found in some foods. It is what you call a pre cursor to steroid hormones, which means it is needed to create hormones that your body needs and 80-90% of cholesterol is made by the liver… yes your body makes cholesterol!

Every day your liver will make up the deficit of cholesterol your body needs that doesn’t come from your diet. So even if you avoid the foods you have been told to, you would still get the same level of Cholesterol in the body every day and for good reason, it is essential for life!

Why does Cholesterol get a bad rap?

For one thing, the pharmaceutical companies and the food industry have created trillions of pounds in revenue based on the fact that cholesterol is the main source of heart disease and have created drugs and “low fat/cholesterol” products to sell to the consumer.

Cholesterol is touted as the primary factor of Coronary Heart Disease or CHD.

That one fact is enough to keep doctors prescribing these drugs without an understanding as to why Cholesterol is labelled as bad.

It is true that Cholesterol is used to form plaque in arteries, but this is not due to eating excess cholesterol. In essence, this is down to that fact that it is used as a “sticking plaster” to repair poor arterial walls caused by vitamin deficiencies, smoking, stress and Environmental pollution. In effect the formation of plaque is the consequence of developing disease that is to blame not the primary cause.

Your body does the best it can to keep running, but poor diet choices in this modern world are putting our bodies through such stress and strain that your body has to do the best it can with the tools it has e.g. vitamins and minerals etc. If your body had the right tool for the job, arteries wouldn’t get “clogged” up in the first place and there would be no need for plaque to build up in the first place.

The only thing cholesterol is guilty of in this instance is to keep your arteries working.

So what is the advice that we get to “control” cholesterol? Yes that’s right, lets all take statins.

What they don’t tell you is that apart from the side effects, statins are dangerous and there has been more people that have died using statins that have been “saved”

What are statins and why are they not needed?

Statins are the drug industries way of halting high cholesterol, which have been touted as the saviour to heart disease. Unfortunately statins are flawed.

Why?

Because cholesterol is not the primary cause of heart disease, inflammation is. There are secondary risk factors for sure, but cholesterol in not the prime reason we suffer Coronary heart disease.

It is actually low levels of cholesterol that cause more serious health problems and has been linked to things such as violent behaviour and changes in brain chemistry, in particular serotonin activity. As you may know, serotonin is out happy neurotransmitter and low cholesterol has been shown to reduce serotonin in the brain.

The other major issue is that statins block the production of both cholesterol AND CoQ10. This is a potent anti-oxidant that helps prevent free radical damage, it is also the main nutrient to keeping our hearts healthy. So the drug that is supposed to help the heart blocks the absorption of the only nutrient that helps it beat and beat and beat.

It has been proved that when vitamin C levels are low, Cholesterol is high and when more vitamin c is consumed cholesterol levels decline. It has also been observed that vitamin C inhibits the same enzyme as statins do, concluding that vitamin C does the same job but without the side effects.

But unlike statins, vitamin C promotes the production of CoQ10, which statins block. Win / Win!

The majority of people taking statin drugs are doing so because they believe that lowering their cholesterol will prevent heart attacks and strokes. How many would continue to do so if they knew the very same drugs have been linked to decreased heart function and increased stroke risk?

Remember I stated Cholesterol is a secondary risk factor? That is because the Primary factor of determining your cardiovascular status is the weakness and instability of your blood vessel walls, which vitamin C helps to protect.

What is this HDL and LDL?

HDL stands for High density Lipoproteins and LDL stands for Low Density Lipoproteins.

You probably know them as good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol, however this statement is untrue. There is no such thing as good or bad cholesterol and in addition to that, HDL and LDL are not cholesterol at all! They are the carriers of cholesterol around the body.

Fat and cholesterol are not water soluble so they need to be carried around the body in something to do their vital work. The carriers of such substances are called lipoproteins. Imagine lipoproteins as tiny ‘taxi cabs’ travelling round the blood stream acting as transporters. Remember, lipoproteins are carriers of cholesterol – oh – and they also carry triglycerides and phospholipids and protein. All lipoproteins carry all of these substances – just in different proportions. LDL would more accurately be called the carrier of fresh cholesterol and HDL would more accurately be called the carrier of recycled cholesterol.

So there you have it, there is neither good nor bad cholesterol, but we are led to believe this so that we can be manipulated into taking drugs or eating certain foods. Remember, there is no money in healthy people, this is solely to line the pockets of the food and drug industry.

What are the health Benefits?

Cholesterol has many health benefits. As I already mentioned the liver makes up to 80-90% of our cholesterol. If cholesterol was so bad, why does your body make up to 1000mg per day depending on how much dietary cholesterol is consumed?

Your brain cells need cholesterol to make connections with one another (called synapses) making it essential for learning and memory.
It plays a role in the conversion of Vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight.
Many studies have demonstrated that cholesterol plays a key role in cell function. Your body contains trillions of cells that need to interact with each other. Cholesterol allows this to happen to provide each cell with the structural integrity to survive.
Cholesterol is a key component of Bile. Bile is released by your gallbladder to help with food digestion, especially fats
If this is the case, why do we take drugs to lower cholesterol, when it is vitally needed AND produced by the body?

There is something seriously wrong with the logic that cholesterol is bad.

What has this got to do with performance?

Having correct cholesterol levels allows the body to survive. It provides structural integrity for each and every cell in your body. That’s pretty bad ass. It also creates the synapses in our brain essential for learning and memory. To be proficient at martial arts for example we need to learn and practice, pretty fundamental right there.

Taking statins has the side effects of causing fatigue, muscle pain and muscle weakness, the exact opposite of what you want if you want to perform at a high level.

But before you go to your doctor demanding to be taken off, make sure your diet is adjusted accordingly. Eating crap food = crap performance. Not only that it also = crap health, even though it is not visual, doesn’t mean that you can ignore it.

As I have said in previous articles, improve your diet, look at one ingredient foods, eat, fresh meats and poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables nuts and seeds. Essential fats are exactly that, the best being coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil and fish oils.

Cut down on the processed foods and foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce.

Include a general supplement program to cover all your vitamin and mineral bases and essential fats.

Even if you don’t take statins, getting the correct amount of cholesterol AND making sure your body has plenty of the nutrients necessary to keep you healthy and Cholesterol in check.

How to Make the Most of Cholesterol

Make sure you eat Cholesterol rich foods including saturated fats, eggs and liver. Even though your liver makes it, if you have poor dietary habits your liver will be in poor health and will struggle to make up the deficit.
Remember, Cholesterol is made in the liver every day, and any shortfall through your diet will be made up by your body.
You do not need statins, they induce fatigue and a whole host of other side effects that you do not need.
There is no good or bad cholesterol, HDL and LDL are simply carriers of cholesterol.
Make sure your nutrition is addressed cut out the C.R.A.P foods
Coffee
Refined Sugars (Sugar, Fructose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, agave nectar etc)
Alcohol
Processed Foods
Supplement with CoQ10 for a healthy Heart
Supplement Vitamin C to maintain healthy blood vessel walls (preventing plaque build up) look at 3g per day

Conclusion

The word is out, Cholesterol isn’t bad, it is essential. Its time we stopped being fearful of this substance and start to embrace it.

It is essential for health and it is essential for you to know that it isn’t the devil everyone makes it out to be.

If you are on statin drugs to “control” it I would seriously think about talking to your doctor and making it your business to do further research and take your health into your hands, not into the hands of people who are just interested in their bottom line.

If you want further reading I recommend the book the great cholesterol con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick.

****If you are taking any prescribed medication or have any medical conditions ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist BEFORE taking vitamins or supplements. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If pregnant or lactating, ALWAYS consult your doctor before use. Or if you have any queries about any supplement ALWAYS consult a QUALIFIED medical professional.****

To your strength and Health

Dean Coulson

Health, Nutrition, palate, performance nutrition

The Omega Conundrum

Why You Need More Fat in Your Life

I am going to tackle head on something that has almost become a dirty word and what everyone fears….

FAT!

Fat gets such a bad rap, so much so that the word FAT makes most people shudder

They think fat makes you fat, which seems kinda logical, but it is more complicated than that. That is in fact a myth that has grown and grown over the last 30 odd years.

The worst thing about it though is that it turned people to using low fat products which are laden with sugar and using carbohydrates. We need carbs for energy, your brain alone needs around 120g of glucose per day to function. However it made people eat them to excess and it is that that has caused the increase in overweight people that we see these days.

Since then the world has cottoned on that excess carb intake leads to fat storage and fat gain, so the world moved on again to high protein diets and so the cycle continues.

The truth is, we need protein, carbs and fat at varying levels depending on a number of factors such as:

Fitness goals
Exercise load
Stress levels
Body fat etc
Nutrient timing is also key to getting the best results.

So what do you need to do?

So now that we have established you actually need fat, lets cover the most obvious questions…

what kind of fat do you need?

why do you need them?

How much do you need?

what are the good fat sources?

What are Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s)?

What do they actually do?

So lets start at the beginning….

You have probably heard that there are good fats and bad fats. If you have then give yourself a pat on the back and a big high five! You have paid attention to someone somewhere. There ARE good and bad fats, but it is not just about how much fat but the quality of it. As you can imagine, all fats are not created equal, which is why there is so much confusion.

Lets keep things simple….

At a very basic level it should be obvious that eating battered fish from a chippy is not the same as eating a salmon or avocado salad. Both contain fats but the salmon and avocado provide sources of ‘good’ fats rather than the trans-fatty, heart stopping battered fish.

Fat is the body’s most concentrated fuel source. To use your body fat and get rid of the excess, it must be broken down into fatty acids by the body and transported via the blood stream into the cells where the fatty acids are utilised to create energy for the body.

Trouble is, from a performance perspective that doesn’t happen very quickly.

Lets take Jogging and walking for example, 2 activities that can use fat for energy as they are low to moderate intensity and aerobic (with oxygen) in nature. But before you start jogging to reduce your love handles, slow cardio isn’t necessarily the best way to lose body fat. You only burn the energy when you are doing the activity. Furthermore, the more you do it the efficient your body becomes and the less fat you will use, just like a cars mpg.

Intense weight training and interval training however increase your metabolic rate BETWEEN sessions when fat can be burnt up to help your body recover, resulting in much greater and faster fat loss without simultaneous muscle loss.

What else does fat do?

Fat has many more uses beyond being a fuel for training. That’s not to say you should carry excess, you definitely need to burn that off to increase performance whilst training.

Fat also plays a huge part in cell structure, all 100 Trillion of them!

Each of your cells membranes need fat to function. Your cells run EVERYTHING from metabolism to your immune system, your nervous system, transporting certain critical fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K) and also slowing down food digestion. This prevents the hunger pangs often associated with the aftermath of rapid digestion of carbohydrate based meals.

NB if you are deficient in fats in your diet, your body will struggle to transport fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E and k) and you may suffer symptoms even though you are eating enough.

e.g. Poor transportation and uptake of Vitamin D for example, can lead to many problems from depression to bone loss and energy production.

Types of Fat

There are three types of natural fat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Saturated fat

Found in certain meats and dairy produce, saturated fat is required like all fats but should be limited.

A couple of portions of red meat per week is generally enough. Saturated fat should account for no more than 10% of daily calorie intake.

Unsaturated fat

Unsaturated fat are much more biologically active in the body so much better for consumption. We can split unsaturated fat into 2 types:

Monounsaturated: Found in most fish, avocado, olives, olive oil, vegetable oils and nuts (and nut butters), monounsaturated fats are very heart healthy and should be consumed daily, but not to excess.

Polyunsaturated: Found in fatty fish (Salmon, mackerel, sardines etc.), whole grains and seeds. You have probably heard of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 have different properties and effects on the body.

When we ate a diet with lots of fish and natural food before the dawn of processed foods, the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 was about 1:1 – 2:1 .

Now with the rapid increase in the use of processed vegetable oils in almost all prepared foods, that ratio is now more like 20:1 or 50:1 causing significant nutritional imbalance.

Omega 6

Omega 6 is derived from linoleic acid. The body needs Omega 6’s to create hormones which aid nerve impulse transmission and has anti-inflammatory properties. However, too much can actually be highly-inflammatory causing swelling, pain sensitivity, increased blood thickening

Omega 3

Omega 3 Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) comes from Plants such as flaxseed in the form of ALA (Alpha-linoleic Acid) and from fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies in the form of EPA (EicosaPentaenoic Acid) and DHA (DocosaHexaenoic acid)

Omega 3’s are also highly effective in reducing exercise-induced constriction of the airways leading to the lungs so if you suffer from poor breathing during exercise, increasing your Omega 3 consumption could make a big difference.

Since Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory, adequate intake of Omega 3’s is also needed to reduce the inevitable post-workout inflammation and accelerate repair and reducing any soreness after training. This will help you recover and progress much more quickly.

How Can I tell if I am Deficient?

Here are some potential signs of fatty acid imbalance. Please bear in mind that one of these does not necessarily indicate an imbalance, however, if you are seeing at least 4 or more that you can relate to then it is possible you are deficient in EFA’s.

Poor exercise recovery / muscle aches
Dry skin
Irritability
Dry, unmanageable hair / Dandruff
Excessive thirst
Brittle nails or soft nails
Hyperactivity
Learning problems
Poor concentration
Attention Deficit Disorder
Allergies
Lowered immunity
Patches of pale skin
Cracked skin on finger tips
Weakness
Fatigue
Dry eyes
Poor wound healing
Frequent infections

What Else to Essential Fatty Acids do?

Essential Fatty Acids play a huge part in the body. It has been speculated that it is EFA’s introduced in the human food chain through eating fish and shell fish that allowed us to develop our intelligence and become the dominant species on the planet.

The Brain

It is no wonder that in modern society, where EFA’s are not consumed in anywhere near as much as we need that our health is beginning to suffer.

There has been various conditions linked with a deficiency in EFA’s . People who get little or no DHA in their diet for example have been linked with Multiple Sclerosis, depression, PMS, ADHD, schizophrenia and hyperactivity.

60% of your brain is fat, if you are deficient in EFA’s it affects how your brain works, brain cells cannot be serviced correctly, which can affect your concentration, senses and anything the brain is linked with, which is pretty much everything, including muscle contraction. If you are having hearing or vision problems, look at upping your EFA’s before starting down any surgical procedures.

Energy

Supplementation with EPA and DHA can cause significant improvements in exhaustion and weakness

Stress

Stress is caustic to the body, it effects every one of us every day and our ability to deal with it comes in part to what we fuel our bodies with. Stress can damage the fatty acids in the brain and so EFA’s are essential to the diet. If you are stressed all the time consider supplementing your diet with EFA’s to help counteract its effects (reducing stress of course is the best way)

Moods, memory and Behaviours

EFA’s by way of fish oils improve mood by boosting levels of the feel good neurotransmitter serotonin. It is well documented that many people with abnormally low brain and blood levels of serotonin are depressed.

The Nutrition Approach

So far we have covered why EFA’s are so vital for your health and performance. But it is only part of the picture. You have to pay attention to your whole nutrition approach, as simply increasing Essential Fatty Acid intake may not have much effect if you lack certain other nutrients.

This is why addressing your nutrition as a whole is massively important.

The following vitamins and minerals are also important in fatty acid conversion in your brain.

Vitamin B3 and B6
Magnesium (aids reactions involving fatty acids)
Zinc (antioxidant within the brain)
Vitamin C, E and A

Fish Oils

As you probably know Fish oils are now widely accepted as an essential part of any good diet and are a great source of the Essential Fatty Acids detailed above. Even if you do not like fish, there is nothing stopping you from supplementing with a high quality oil to make sure you cover your daily intake.

As mentioned earlier, EFA’s, especially EPA and DHA are abundant in “fatty” cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout.

What people do not realise however is that many of these fish are now farmed and are fed on a poor diet and fed certain food to keep the flesh the correct colour for selling, rather than roaming freely in oceans and rivers. When they are in their natural environment they feed on natural marine plants/algae. Farmed fish are often devoid of these fatty acids because the original source is actually the plant life – and you are what you eat! It is the marine algae that provide the EPA and DHA (Essential Fatty Acids).

With this in mind it is becoming more and more important to supplement EFA’s with either good quality, non-polluted fish oils or with supplements derived from marine algae sources.

Realistically, everybody exercising hard and wanting to ensure they get all the nutrients they need, should be supplementing with Essential Fatty Acids.

Also bear in mind that omega 3 oils are anti-inflammatory and can aid the reduction of inflammation, especially systemic inflammation (See Martial Arts Illustrated May 2014 issue for my article on inflammation)

Supplementation Guidance

Fish oils are so vital to our species from brain function to cellular health that it is important that you take 4-6g fish oils per day with food as your digestive enzymes in your stomach will improve absorption.

Make sure you split the intake of the fish oils throughout the day with food.

To get the most from fish oil you have to be consistent in taking it and can take 30 days of increased fish oil consumption to bring about noticeable differences so ensure you take it daily.

As well as EPA and DHA in Omega 3 oils, Extra-virgin olive oil, sesame oil, turmeric and ginger, nuts, avocado have also been found to reduce systemic inflammation so regular consumption of these foods is important.

You should also ensure your diet contains lots of the following anti-oxidants, which help your immune system:

Vitamin C
Polyphenols from berries and dark-coloured vegetables.
Coenzyme Q10
Beta-carotene
Vitamin E

Also make sure you reduce your intake of Omega 6 fatty acids particularly vegetable oils. Throw out all processed starches, vegetable oils and margarine, high sugar foods, canned fruits and vegetables.

The more you control insulin with proper nutrition habits, the less fish oil is required so reduce your consumption of starchy sugars such as pasta, potatoes, rice and bread.

Some rice or sweet potatoes are okay after hard exercise to refuel.

Final Thoughts on Omega Oils

As long as you implement the following action steps you should see improvements in your overall health and wellbeing as well as your time spend training and competing.

So do the following:

Increase your intake of ‘good’ fats detailed throughout the article.

Reduce your carb intake (restrict to refuelling after exercise and some fruit at breakfast)

Reduce your intake of saturated fat, red meat, vegetables oils and of course, processed food

Take high-grade fish oils (4-6g per day spread throughout the day) or a plant based source such as V-Pure EPA/DHA.

Eat LOADS of organic, fresh vegetables high in antioxidants to give the Essential Fatty Acids plenty of support.

To your strength and Health

Dean Coulson

Fat Loss, Featured, Health, Nutrition, palate, performance nutrition

Supplementation for Health and Performance

I am a big fan of supplementation.

Make no mistake though supplements do not make up for a poor diet. Nutrition is paramount. Once you clean that up, then you look at whether there is a need to supplement.

There are times however when supplementation is necessary. In fact I would go so far as to say that because of intensive farming methods, supermarkets buying in massive quantities and cold storing you will not get the nutrients that your body needs from the food you eat.

Couple that with modern life and the high stress levels that robs our bodies of vital nutrients and environmental pollutants that do the same, there can be a strong argument for having a daily supplementation regime in place.

NOTE: supplementation is not ‘meal replacements’ or ‘drug taking’. There is a huge difference.

Of course making the statement above I always get the question of…

“Why do I need supplements? Shouldn’t we get everything we need from our diet?”….

Put it this way…. If you live in a cave in a faraway land, away from all the pollutants (chemical and electromagnetic), spend most of your day keeping active instead of sitting on your arse in an office with poor oxygen, where you had access to a natural source of fresh clean drinking water instead of partaking in the office coffee round. Have no stress, sleep like a baby, have all the energy you want in a lean muscular physique instead of grabbing a quick sarnie from the sandwich van, eat nothing but lean organic game meat that you caught yourself, with some organic fruits and veggies that you picked that very same day, then you probably won’t ever need any further help and support for your body.

At a guess I would say that isn’t you and that your day quite possibly consists of sitting behind a desk or wheel of a vehicle, grabbing a quick sandwich and being bored.

You see it is getting so hard to get the correct nutrition and be in an environment that we as a species thrived in. Instead we have the weight of the world on our shoulders trying to make ends meet with a stress meltdown just waiting to happen. We are in a survive state, far removed from the thrive state we were once in.

So that prompts the question…

What the hell do we do about it?

If we are not getting the nutrients we need daily, then where do we start?

How do we choose the right supplements given that if you walk into the average health shop you will have a choice of 1000 different products, most with names you couldn’t spell without looking?

With dubious advice from people who work there who in most instances do not practice what they preach?

Of course you could have these “discussions” until the cows come home so I thought I would give you a helping hand in what you should look into. These recommendations are what have worked well for me personally and for my clients in my own fitness company. Assert Fitness.

They are based on what is required for the person, not the biggest and best magazine advert or what is on special at a supermarket or what “Derrick” from work says!

The greatest thing that the general populous have to deal with daily are that most have some kind of hormone imbalance, so simply buying things “off the shelf” rarely benefits the person as there may be other underlying factors. With our clients these usually appear in conversations we have and can be addressed. It is always better to seek professional advice from someone who knows what they are talking about such as a nutritionist.

Remember, Stress plays a major factor in every ones lives and it can kill. Make no mistake, if you are highly stressed due to relationships, finances, people or your job, the effect of supplements will be limited, but could just help keep you stable.

There are so many things touted for the management of stress there are simply too many to mention and some do not suit certain people. However, I am going to stick with what I have experience in so don’t readily discount things if they are not mentioned in this article.

I always look for best bang for buck so 90% of the time the supplements will do the job, where the other 10% may just need something more.

Before addressing supplements for stress though the following actions are the most important before you consider anything else.

Train and rest/recover well. Get lots of sleep
Train correctly, at the right intensity and regularly
Focus on eating clean and keep toxins out of your system as much as you can. That being said don’t feel guilty about eating anything you want once a week.
Learn to manage stress
Those closest to you aren’t the best people to guide you with this stuff. Most of them are in the same boat and would rather keep up a pretence and mock you rather than admit their own problems.

Be aware that if I mention brand names than it is simply because that is what I trust to do the job based on the results I have seen. There are always alternatives, but I cannot comment on what I have not used.

LOW ENERGY

This is such a common ailment that I wanted to start with it first. It certainly affects us in daily life and certainly when we are training. These are the supplements I recommend

Greens drink full of vitamins and minerals – Take: twice per day. Recommendation – Lean Greens from lean-greens.co.uk
Alkalizing Salts (sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium) – Take: twice per day. Recommendation: – Alkalising salts complex.
Vitamin C – Helps with stress as well as the immune system and repair. Take: with every meal. Recommendation: – 3g is a minimum requirement with upwards of 10g per day when training.
Vitamin D – Especially if you live in a high latitude location (e.g. UK) or live in a sunny place but live in your office!

NOTE: I would also look at a magnesium-zinc complex may also make a difference to your energy especially as you head over 30 towards 40 and beyond. Along with recovery after training it also helps increase testosterone levels that are a key consideration for many reasons. That is a topic for another article

LOW ENERGY / EXCESS MUSCLE SORENESS

Next up is a combination that ties in with low energy. We all know that training tires you out… or it should do! And there is a good chance that it can make muscles sore. I am sure you have had DOMS before 🙂

What we are looking at here is if you are always shattered the day after training, then you will have to look at your post-workout recovery. Most people either take nothing or just bang in a whey protein shake, but you can do much better than that…

Post Recovery Drink. A well balanced combination of carbohydrates and protein (and creatine if you engage in a lot of strength training). You can buy these individually and make it up yourself or my recommendation is Anabolic Drive or Vegabolic Drive by Phil Richards Performance.

Post recovery nutrition is the best time to pack in nutrients as your body is screaming out for them after you have depleted them during training. Your body is open to absorbing many more nutrients rather than storing excesses as fat at this time.

POOR SLEEP

Poor sleep can add to stress and certainly affect your health and most bodily processes get to work when you are in dreamland. There are various things you can look at taking to aid in a more restful sleep.

Magnesium – a complex based on nature’s relaxant which promotes overall wellbeing and relaxes the muscles. Take: before sleep. Recommendation: Magnesium Relax.
An amino acid complex designed to reset your brain waves and ‘slow your brain down’ – Recommendation: Amino Relax. When to take: Before Sleep
Tulsi Tea. Not a supplement but definitely helps. Not many people know of this tea, but it not only helps with sleep but tastes great too. Take: any time after 2pm.

EXCESS FAT

This is a bit of a minefield and can be due to a variety of hormonal issues but in general I would look at the following…

Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. Massively important that you address what you are eating. Start by basing your daily intake on low carbs to allow your body to use fat for energy.
Fish Oil – Look for a high potency fish oil high in essential fatty acids. Take: 6-10g per day spread out with meals. Recommendation: Ultimate Fish Oil as a great source of Essential Fatty Acids which tastes nice and orangey instead of Squeezing the guts out of a fish and chowing down.
Post Workout Recovery shake to improve recovery and maintain high metabolic rate
Thyroid complex. Sometimes addressing thyroid issues has been found to work, however you should seek clearance from your GP first especially if already on thyroid medication. Recommendation: Iodine Forte. Take: 1-2 caps with breakfast

BE AWARE…

Lots of people look at “fat burners” to help get rid of excess fat. I do not recommend thermogenics. They are high potency stimulants and can have an adverse effect on your adrenal. If you are a stress head then these can add to your symptoms and make your situation worse.
Energy drinks seem to be taken with reckless abandon these days. If you are engaging in 60 mins or less of gym training, no matter how intense of how often, you don’t need energy drinks! This will blunt any effort to lose noticeable amounts of body fat. Your body cannot burn fat if you keep giving it an alternative fuel source! Eat good meals and you’ll be good to go.

POOR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Your immune system should be able to fend off bugs and viruses with ease. Instead we compromise ourselves via poor nutrition and high stress on a daily basis. Reaching for the flu meds has never been so high. How about instead you nourish your body and become indestructible? You breathe in pathogens every day, it is how well our immune systems are as to whether we breakdown and let it in. Here is what I am recommending to kick those bugs into touch…

Greens drink
High dose fish oil
High dose Vitamin C
Alkalizing Salts

The recommendations and doses are as above in the other sections. Keep your body strong!!

DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS

Everything starts with the gut. Get your digestion right and you will feel better, more positive and have more energy.

Greens drink due to powerful inflammatory effect in the bowel area
Digestive enzymes – If your greens drink doesn’t have them in then look at supplementing. Helps make more energy and nutrients available for absorption
Provides support for digestive and immune health, enhances balance of good bacteria in the gut
L-Glutamine – helps repair the gut lining after damage.

DEPRESSION

Before I start on supplements, without doubt, mindset coaching is more important than anything else. However, anything that supports the brain is going to help get over depression or anxiety.

Fish Oils. Make sure it is high quality (as recommended above). The brain is made of 60% fat and is essential to get you thinking more clearly
Vitamin D may also help is you suffer Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is due to lack of vitamin D via the sun and that is very common to be deficient in. Vitamin D helps to create serotonin, the feel good hormone.

Two for the Ladies…

PMT

Nutrition plays a major part in this too, so eating nutritionally dense food will help. Foods that give you loads of vitamins and minerals to aid the hormonal response. Here’s a supplement that will help you along.

Magnesium complex, especially if you experience increased chocolate cravings around your period.

CELLULITE

Follow the above fat loss advice as standard for this, but there are other things you can do. Cellulite is a made up word to describe the orange peel, dimple effect of the skin in the lower body in women.

Supplement with more heavy leg workouts as well (I know…nobody likes them but they’re less distressing than wobbly legs right?)
Vitamin C. Add a high dose into the mix to help with collagen reformation. This will prevent the skin ‘collapsing’ causing the infamous dimples!
Magnesium should also be added to help with circulation and toxin removal.

SPORTS SUPPLEMENTATION

However to summarise – it largely depends on intensity, duration and volume of training but these guidelines will hold you in good stead:

Pre workout nutrition. 60+ minute sessions, take 1 scoops of Heart Fuel (opens up the cardiovascular pathways) and 1 scoop of Amino Work Capacity (amino acid complex) 45 minutes before you start and 15-20 minutes in. If you are in a competition, chug it down 30-45 mins before your fight.
Post recovery nutrition. See excess muscle soreness above.

CONCLUSION

Supplements make a big difference, but remember as a rule of thumb, the cleaner your base nutrition, the bigger the impact the supplements have.

The worse your diet, the less effect they will have in taking you up another level in terms of energy, strength, stamina or body composition.

If you need any more advice on supplementation or want the links to the supplements we recommend then get in touch via email on info@assert-fitness.co.uk and I will help you out.

Oh by the way. I mentioned at the start that 90% of the time supplements work? Well here is the 100% er…

WATER.

Drinking a good 2-3 litres per day of good, clean water will do wonders for all of the above conditions provided you aren’t totally out of balance in any other areas.

It controls the function of every cell in your body which controls everything else!

Yes water is that important!!!

To your strength and Health

Dean Coulson

Fat Loss, Health, Nutrition, performance nutrition

Thyroid -The Master of Metabolism

I want to talk to you about something that may well be robbing you of your energy.

And when you have no energy or feel lethargic the last thing you want to do is go and train.

I don’t know about you, but I want max energy to get the most out of what I am doing, so lets delve deeper to see how this affects you and how to make sure it is firing on all cylinders.

What are we talking about?

If you feel wiped out, there may be something that you should consider, especially if it is ongoing or chronic…

What are we talking about here?

Your Thyroid!

Your thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that sits at the base of the throat. It controls your metabolism, which is your body’s ability to break down food and convert it to energy.

We are all unique and “burn” fuel at different rates. As food essentially fuels your body you can see that this could be a real issue if what controls your energy output is impaired.

Comments such as “fast metabolism” or “slow or sluggish metabolism” are related to not only how effective your body is at creating that energy, but the type of fuel you put in. If you constantly putting in toxic food, you are robbing yourself of your performance. Just like poor fuel for a car, you just won’t get what you need to get you where you want to go.

Now I for one want to perform at my best every time I am fighting and I certainly don’t want to lose based on lack of energy output!

How does it work?

The thyroid gets is instructions from the hypothalamus at the base of the brain by way of the pituitary gland, which is the master endocrine (hormone) gland.

Essentially, a signal from the hypothalamus tells the pituitary to send thyroid stimulating hormone to the thyroid for it to release thyroid hormones (T4) and (T3).

If everything goes as it is supposed to, you will make what you need and the hormones T4 will be converted to T3. The production and release of thyroid hormone in the thyroid gland is regulated by a feedback loop, creating a dynamic balance, continually controlling the levels of thyroid hormones you need.

Every cell in the body has receptors for thyroid hormone. These hormones impact virtually every system in the body and are responsible for most basic aspects of bodily functions.

Importantly, thyroid hormones increase the metabolic rate of almost every tissue in the body. If you can imagine the thyroid gland as a furnace and the pituitary gland as the thermostat and thyroid hormones are like heat. When the heat gets back to the thermostat it switches off, until the temperature drops and so the thyroid once more is fired up sending thyroid hormones round the body.

Assuming the endocrine system is healthy and functional, this goes off without a hitch.

However, if the liver is “backed up” with toxins from poor food choices oryour body has oestrogen dominance or if insulin is imbalanced and dysfunctional, or even cortisol levels are uncontrolled (as is the case with adrenal fatigue), this system becomes dysfunctional.

Deficiencies

One of the main nutrients needed for thyroid health is iodine. Since we cannot produce it in the body ourselves, we have to ingest it via the food we eat. It is commonly found in food such as salt water fish (e.g. Cod, Salmon, Tuna, Sardines etc), shellfish, sea vegetables, seaweed and eggs. You can also supplement it in your diet.

The number one cause of hypothyroidism or low thyroid function is iodine deficiency. It is stated that around 2.2 billion people around the world suffer from iodine deficiency to some degree, so it is important that you make sure you have sufficient daily.

Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that can use and absorb iodine. Along with the amino acid tyrosine, iodine is used by cells to make T3 and T4.

T3 is critical for your cells to signal them to turn up your metabolism and increase fat burning in your mitochondria. Mitochondria are your cells powerhouses, which create energy for your body to use. This is why T3 helps lower cholesterol, keeps you lean, relieves muscle aches and improves memory.

If your body produces too little T3 or if T4 is not converted to T3, your whole system becomes dysfunctional as your metabolism and mitochondria don’t get the correct signals. This results in the opposite effect, namely weight gain and general symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid function)

Other deficiencies in the following vitamins and minerals can also cause thyroid issues.

Vitamins B2, B3 and B6
Selenium
Copper
Magnesium
Zinc
Vitamin A

By now I hope you can see that it doesn’t take much to cause a thyroid problem, making it difficult to lose weight no matter what diet you are on or training program you use.

Stress

Stress can play a major impact on your thyroid

Chronic stress results in raised cortisol and adrenalin levels, which has a negative impact on thyroid function. They are intrinsically linked, so if stress is high Thyroid function is low.

Under periods of chronic stress adrenalin and cortisol produced by the adrenal glands interfere with thyroid hormones and can contribute to weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and whole host of other symptoms.

Using Thyroid medications alongside prolonged adrenal fatigue will most likely fail to work. If your adrenal system is burnt out due to prolonged stress, the burden of thyroid medication will actually cause even more stress. It is like pouring petrol on a fire.

It is important to consider the role of the adrenals when assessing thyroid issues. Otherwise, it is possible that a doctor would prescribe even higher doses!

Your adrenals actually need rest through proper stress management (See April 2014’s article on cortisol and stress to find out how)

Environment

Environmental toxins also play a major part in your thyroid health. There are a number of heavy metals and chemicals that find their way into our everyday lives that just don’t belong.

It is this acceptance that we think things are safe when they really aren’t that really winds me up and should be addressed as quickly as possible. Health should be our number one concern, but is often the last thing we address, sometimes to our detriment.

These are just a few, which you should be aware of:

PCBS (Polychlorinated biphenyls) alter thyroid hormones in humans. Their structure is very close to that of thyroid hormones and so once in the body interfere with their function. Food can be a major source of PCBS from farmed fish and animal fat. That is why it is so important to each wild caught fish and organic meats.

Mercury – Considering this is the 2^nd most toxic metal on the planet next to plutonium, I am astounded that mercury makes up parts of the amalgam fillings that dentists use to fill cavities in your mouth. Even though it is deemed safe I don’t believe it for a second! Mercury leeches into our bodies and can migrate into your thyroid gland and block iodine reaching the thyroid.

Fluoride – A Common additive of water supplies and of course in dental hygiene, many studies have proven that fluoride has no effect on preventing dental cavities. In fact up to the 1950’s doctors used fluoride to reduce the activity of the thyroid gland for people with over active thyroids (hyperthyroidism)

Chlorine – Also blocks iodine in the body. So chlorinated water for drinking and bathing should be kept to a minimum. If you have ever seen chlorine added to a swimming pool for example, hazmat suits are worn to protect the worker!

Bromine – This is very common in everyday lives and prevents the absorption of iodine in the thyroid and stomach. It is scary that this finds its way into many parts of our lives:

Flours and other grains

Pesticides on fruits and vegetables

A fire retardant on carpets and furniture

Carbonated drinks and plastics in cars and computers

Being aware of your environment is essential to our health. We take far too much for granted. Time to become more aware of what goes on around us and not taking things for granted with our health!

Since all of these play a part on the health of your thyroid, if at all possible eliminate as many from your life as possible.

Symptoms

There can be one or a number of symptoms that point to poor thyroid health.

If you are nodding your head to the following symptoms, you may be suffering from hypothyroidism, which occurs when the production, conversion and action or your thyroid hormones are inhibited. This results in too little thyroid hormone in your blood.

Fatigue
Lethargy or sluggishness
Cold all the time?
Cracked nails
dry, coarse or thinning hair
depression
weight gain
morning headaches

What can you do?

So what can you do about it?

Low thyroid is very common and below are some things you can add to your diet to nourish your thyroid:

Fresh Orange juice: Freshly squeezed by your good self (not the stuff in a box) is pro thyroid as it contains good amount of magnesium to work with thyroid to moderate stress. It also increases glucuronic acid which combines with other substances such as drugs, toxins, and hormones, and either carry’s them to other parts of the body or eliminates them through detoxification processes. This combining makes substances more water-soluble and easier to pass out of the body through the urine.

Bone Broth Or Gelatine: Bone broth or gelatine is a Godsend for thyroid function as it is incredibly nourishing and healing to the mucous membranes of the intestinal lining, incredibly good for “leaky gut” or IBS. Both bone broth and gelatine are nourishing for those with Celiac’s Disease or a gluten intolerance due to their rich proline and glycine amino acid profile as years of “micro tearing” from whole grains due to gliadins, lectins, and gluten take their toll on the villi of the intestines. Glycine is the simple amino acid imperative to the manufacturing process of other amino acids. It is vital in the body for the production of heme, the part of the blood that carries oxygen. It is also involved in glucogenesis (the manufacturing of glucose for energy), supports digestion by boosting HCL (hydrochloric acid) and other gastric secretions. The great thing about bone broth is it requires little work to make yet is such as nourishing feed, just get the bones on boil and away you go!

Healthy saturated fat: Coconuts are like a food of the gods. Everything from the meat to the milk are nutritious to humans. In particular, coconut oil is very pro thyroid food. It contains lauric acid. They are Medium chain fatty acids (MCT’s) that not only give you instant energy and curbing carb cravings but also stimulates your metabolism and your thyroid for hours.

Well ripened fruit: Fruit will help refuel the liver with glycogen to resume its role in thyroid hormone synthesis (the conversion of t4 to t3 requires glucose), my suggestion would be try tropical fruits such as mango and pineapple.

High Quality protein: The best proteins are anti-inflammatory protein such as free range eggs from chicken’s, wild fish, shellfish and raw milk and or unprocessed raw cheese.

Supplement With Iodine: Iodine cannot be produced by the body as you know so supplementing is a great way of making sure you get enough.

Try adding some of these specific foods to a clean “non toxic” diet to start nourish your thyroid and let me know how you feel.

To your strength and Health

Dean Coulson

(Reproduced from my article in Martial Arts Illustrated Ed Sept 2014)

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