Low-Carb Frozen Burritos - For a month!

For the last three months, nearly every morning, I have a frozen burrito. Recently, I completed "round 4" of my burrito madness, and a friend asked me for the recipe, so I put this together for him. 

Why frozen burritos? It's a simple and fast breakfast item with a wide variety of options... but the best part... I only have to cook breakfast once a month!



Shopping List:

Ingredients can be switched out/changed based on preferences. The following makes around 38x  low-carb high-fiber burritos (around 5g to 6g carbs each, 11g fiber).
  • 5 to 6 packages of Bacon (I buy extra as some never makes it into the burritos... and prefer the thick sliced applewood bacon)
  • 5lbs Mild Tennessee Sausage
  • 3 Large Sweet Onion
  • Salt/Pepper/Garlic Powder to taste (optional)
  • 2 Dozen Eggs
  • Large Bag (or 2) of Shredded Cheese (any variety)
  • 5 packages of Low-Carb High-Fiber 8" Wraps (get enough to make 38 to 40 burritos - low-carb shells tend to be small and have 8 per package)
  • Freezer Paper
  • Gallon Freezer Bags
  • Green Onions (optional, haven't been using these lately as they stick in my teeth).
  • Salsa (used for eatin', not in the cooking process).

Equipment


Cooking Directions
  • Bacon: I prefer to bake my bacon (saves time). I'll use 4 roasting pans, like this one, line the bottom in foil and place the bacon on the roaster rack. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook for 15 to 30 minutes depending on the oven. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn! Place on paper towels to remove excess grease. Rinse and repeat until all bacon has been cooked. Crumble bacon by hand or use your kitchen aid with the dough hook attachment (Aaarrrr Arrr Captain!). Or cook in a pan over medium heat.
  • Sausage: While the Bacon is cooking, get your largest stove pan(s) and cook the sausage. Break it up into small pieces. Drain the grease. Use your kitchen aid with the dough hook or flat beater to have the sausage broken more - or do by hand.
  • Onions: While the sausage is cooking, cut up your onions into small pieces. Use a onion chopper (think White Castle slider onion size). Cook the chopped onions in a small stove pan for a few minutes.
  • Eggs: Sausage should be done by now and your large pan free. Crack and open all 2 dozen into a bowl. I typically do a couple at a time into a smaller bowl, remove the broken shells (horrible at cracking eggs), and then dump the contents into my kitchen aid bowl. Melt a stick of butter in the microwave for about 45 seconds, add to eggs. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Mix with your kitchen aid egg beater attachment - or by hand. Cook over medium heat. Watch it like a hawk. Eggs hit a certain point where they will start sticking, wait too long and you'll have 2 dozen burnt eggs!
  • Place contents in fridge. Finish making the burritos another day! You just spent 2 to 3 hours of cooking and clean-up! Or wait until they are cooled to continue.
Extra 2-lbs of sausage here in left most container.
 Tortilla Wrap Directions
  • Setup your assembly line of low-carb tortilla shells (set out 2 to 4 depending on counter space).
  • Take  0.1875 cups of eggs (around 3/4 of 1/4 measurement cup) and place on each tortilla shell.
  • Take 1/4 cup of sasuage and place on each.
  • Add a heaping teaspoon of onions.
  • Add your chopped bacon.
  • Add shredded cheese - your preference (less if lactose intolerant). 
  • Place hand over ingredients, push down/mash/flatten the pile so you can roll-up the wrap.
  • Fold in the sides of the wrap, while rolling the wrap - be gentle so they do not tear.
  • Use frozen parchment paper for the wraps (see tips below)
  • Place in gallon sized freezer bags.
  • Should be good for a month (I've gone 40 days).


Eating Directions

  • Remove frozen burrito. 
  • Wrap in damp paper towel (see tips).
  • Microwave for 2 minutes 33 seconds (find that sweet spot for your microwave).
  • Immediately remove paper towl as it will stick to the low-carb wraps if you wait too long (see tips for additional information).
  • Let cool.
  • Add your favorite salsa or hot sauce to top and devour - personally I use a mix of Mrs. Renfro's Mango (has a bit of a kick) and Newman's Mango (no kick).
Tips
  • On non-workout days, 1 sustains me until lunch. On work-out days, if lifting, I'll have 2. So cook accordingly to how much you require dependent on your goals. Just two burritos will give you around 22g of fiber a day (read here why you need fiber in your diet)!
  • I'm not a fan of eggs, you can add more if you choose (get 2.5 dozen), but the low carb tortilla shells tend to be small at 8" so it's hard to add more ingredients than listed above. If I run out of eggs, I'll make a burrito or two only with sausage.
  •  For frozen parchment paper, you can place two wraps on a single large sheet (parchment paper comes in a standard and larger size). Roll the first wrap up 1.5x times, then add second wrap, roll 1x time, fold in sides, finish rolling. This will keep them from touching and save a bit of time from wrapping 38 burritos. You can then remove one burrito from a wrap and place the other wrapped burrito back in the freezer bag. Or, on lifting days, just pull out the wrap with 2-rolled up burritos. 
  • Run the frozen burrito under water for a second to add additional moisture. This seems to help with the wet paper towel from sticking. If that paper towel sticks when removing after microwaving, expect to see half your low-carb high-fiber tortilla shell removed!
Enjoy! If you have questions, please comment below.

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The MCR-1 Apocalypse Superbug

You've likely heard about superbugs - bacteria that is resistant to antibiotic drugs. The latest of these is known as MCR-1. Diseases that used to be (and currently... are) treatable could become deadly due to the MCR-1 gene. Why am I blogging about this? FoxNews.com released an article today; an urgent call to cut antibiotic use in livestock that prompted my interest in world wild calamities (... I watch the Walking Dead, so obviously I find this interesting) .

Researchers were looking for the first plasmid-mediated polymyxin resistance mechanism (aka MCR-1) through 3000 E. Coli samples.. and they found it... in both people and food.

Technically not a bug itself, but a gene that makes bacteria invulnerable to antibiotics, such as colistin (one of the last-resort antibiotics for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter - Wikipedia), which is also used to fight bugs like E. Coli.
"When an E coli strain, SHP45, possessing colistin resistance that could be transferred to another strain, was isolated from a pig, we conducted further analysis of possible plasmid-mediated polymyxin resistance" -  The Lancet Article

How does it spread? 

It's been found in mobile DNA (aka plasmids). "A plasmid is a small DNA molecule within a cell that is physically separated from a chromosomal DNA and can replicate independently." This makes it easier to spread than typical, actually it can spread fast which is why this is so alarming. You now have a fast spreading invulnerable superbug.
Interpretation of the Lancet Article: "The emergence of MCR-1 heralds the breach of the last group of antibiotics, polymyxins, by plasmid-mediated resistance. Although currently confined to China, MCR-1 is likely to emulate other global resistance mechanisms such as NDM-1. Our findings emphasise the urgent need for coordinated global action in the fight against pan-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria." - The Lancet Article

Where is it?

According to news.com.au, it's feared that this "untreatable superbug is now firmly embedded in Europe" as samples of food between 2012 and 2014 were found to contain bacteria with the MCR-1 gene in Denmark. They also mention that early last month there was a Chinese outbreak among people and pigs with a bacteria containing MCR-1.

"The scientists discovered the MCR-1 mutation in 16 E. Coli and K. Pneumoniae samples from 1,322 hospitalized patients." And from E. Coli samples taken from both animals an raw meat in china, "On average, more than 20 percent of bacteria in the animal samples and 15 percent of the raw meat samples had the gene." (source: dw.com)
"If MCR-1 becomes global, which is a case of when not if, and the gene aligns itself with other antibiotic resistance genes, which is inevitable, then we will have very likely reached the start of the post-antibiotic era."  

"At that point if a patient is seriously ill, say with E. Coli, then there is virtually nothing you can do." - Professor Timothy Walsh of the University of Cardiff - study collaborator (source: dw.com)

Antibiotics in Livestock

Today, its being urged that antibiotics in farming to be reduced. In the review, Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Neill, noted that more than 70% of medically imported antibiotics, in the USA, were used in livestock than in people! These antibiotics that are being pumped into our livestock are promoting the creation/development of superbugs. And now we have a superbug that is impervious to our known antibiotics.

What can you do?

For starters, E. Coli prevention, wash your utensils, use hot soapy water. Clean anything that comes into contact with raw meat; your counter tops, cutting boards, everything. Keep raw foods away from your other foods and use a different cutting board for your raw meat. Basically, avoid cross-contamination. Also, cook vegetables and meat to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (core temp) for at least 15 seconds. You should be already be following these basic guidelines... if not, start.

Let's hope our scientific community can find a way to mitigate or stop this, at least before scientists discover the next gene that makes bacteria invulnerable ("MCR-2").

Additional Reading:


Resources:

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/bacteria-containing-mcr1-gene-resistant-to-all-known-antibiotics-found-in-denmark/news-story/1f48056ecd4ffad01acbb5eb4af914f4
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099%2815%2900424-7/abstract
http://www.dw.com/en/scientists-discover-new-antibiotic-resistant-gene-mcr-1-in-china/a-18861469

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/12/08/british-review-calls-for-urgent-cuts-to-antibiotic-use-in-livestock.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmid
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Artificial sweeteners and fatty liver disease

http://myidlife.net/hydrate
A recent study indicates that drinking artificially sweetened beverages instead of sugar laden varieties can reduce intrahepatic fat. The intention of the study was to determine if the substitution would reduce markers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The conclusion of the study suggests that it "may have beneficial effects on liver metabolic health."

However, there may be some harmful side effects for artificial sweeteners. Mostly, they have been ruled as 'cancer free', even though some studies in the 70's linked saccharin to bladder cancer in laboratory rats. Overall, there is a lack of scientific evidence to say they are harmful.

"The FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose. It has also approved one natural low-calorie sweetener, stevia. How the human body and brain respond to these sweeteners is very complex." - Harvard

So the question is, should you substitute your high sugary drink with an artificially sweetened one to help with NAFLD or weight-loss? That all depends on your view. For me personally, artificial sweeteners can cause abdominal pain (as I've mentioned in a previous post on Lactose Intolerance, Protein Powders, and Sucralose). The only sweeter I use is Stevia as it doesn't cause me any gastrointestinal distress.

If your goal is to lose weight or lower your fat in your liver, then by all means, find some substitute until you get to the point of drinking healthy alternatives that are natural and do not contain artificial substances. 

If you want a high quality drink formulated with vital electrolytes, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that supports cardiovascular health and provides nutrition to the body’s muscular and nervous system check out IDLife's Hydrate.

Additional Reading:


Resources:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21310/abstract?campaign=woletoc
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936
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Overweight and thinking of pregnancy?


A commentary regarding preconception and obesity was released in the Obesity Journal today. The article details how obesity during pregnancy (high intake of calorie-dense and nutritionally depleted diets) has a correlation to infant death.
In their analysis of more than 1.2 million recent pregnancies and births in Pennsylvania, the risk of infant mortality increased linearly with maternal BMI, such that the risk of infant death (infant death per 1,000 births) for a mother entering pregnancy as normal weight was 3.7 compared to 4.6 for overweight, 5.3 for obese I, 6.5 for obese II, and 7.0 for obese III.

In the article, Leanne M. Redman and Suzanne Phelan, say that the Institute of Medicine suggests that women should not gain more than 20 pounds during a pregnancy and that they should enter the pregnancy at a normal weight. The increase in weight from being pregnant, along with poor diets, can lead to health issues for the mother and also her baby. The infant could be born small or larger than normal and have a higher risk for obesity in their life.

Infants born to women who begin pregnancy with obesity [body mass index (BMI) 30 kg/m2] are about 40% more likely to die than infants born to normal-weight mothers


Recommendation?


Reduce excessive weight if you plan on becoming pregnant (even though 50% of pregnancies are not planned!). Eat a proper diet and find a high quality nutrition program! 80% of weight loss is your nutrition and diet.

Further reading:
You can read the entire commentary here and associated article here. 
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Kids Multivitamins | IDLife Kids Nutrition - Product Review

There are many kids / children's multivitamins on the market and it's difficult to determine the best kids vitamin. IDLife Kids Nutrition is a high quality vitamin for ages 2 and up. This review will show you how IDLife is creating a standard that other companies are striving to meet.

IDLife has formulated a vitamin that covers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, the basic nutrients for bone development, nervous system, cardio vascular development, but more important, brain (neurodevelopment, memory development) and vision (eye/retina development).

The safety of the product, the healthy levels of ingredients, the quality... nobody has a product like this on the market, it simply didn't exist until now. IDLife is creating a benchmark for other companies to try to achieve (and this applies to all of their product lines, not just IDLife Kids Nutrition). IDLife Kids Nutrition is the leading vitamin for children, and I'm going to show you why, so let's dig into the details...

Background on IDLife Kids Nutrition and Competition


About 14 months ago IDLife starting looking at nutrition for kids. They looked at what was currently available from competitors and what science was available. Unfortunately, not many studies are out there, and what is available, has your standard recommendations between 11 to 18 minerals (think of the cartoon character that drives the stone car). They wanted to find out what was good out there and what they should include in their formula.

They were mortified by what was available. These other companies selling nutrition products for kids to caring parents to supplement diets from fast foods and non-nutritious foods... giving them a vitamin expecting all bases to be covered. These vitamins have labels promising health and vitality and it's just plain deceptive. Why? Most of those vitamins with the standard 11 nutrient formula have no minerals. There is one that has no B1, B2, or Vitamin K. Another had a moderate level of iron (which for children under 6 can have a danger of poisoning!). Many had no calcium or manganese.


The "Bad Stuff"


Many kids vitamins contain artificial ingredients; chemical forms of sweeteners, synthetics, artificial flavoring, preservatives, and other additives - all of the "bad things". Others have label paint, a lot of ingredients listed that impress people thinking that they have plenty of coverage. But when you look at the amounts, the levels of those ingredients, they do not meet what science indicates as being efficacious.. required by the body. They end up being sub-potent and do not meet the bodies requirements.
"Unlike most children’s vitamins that contain artificial ingredients and fillers, IDLife Kids Nutrition offers a formula that will ensure your child is getting the best ingredients available with no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives or additives. Boasting 24 vitamins and minerals, these easy-to-chew tablets deliver all the necessary ingredients that your child needs to fill their nutritional gaps with a great taste that will have them begging for more." - IDLife

IDLife Kids Nutrition Ingredients


So what is IDLife's philosophy on a good kids vitamin? I mentioned some of the bad stuff that may be in your kids vitamins. Or simply the lack of what should be included. Paul Sullivan, the Chief Formulator, for IDLife decided that the vitamin should include, what he calls, the three "A's" and two "P's".

The three A's.
  1. Anti-inflammatory
  2. Anti-neurotoxic
  3. Antioxidant (read about free radicals and oxidants here)
The two P's
  1. Pro brain development
  2. Pro eye development
Many focus on the A's, but everyone misses on the P's.
"Kids, like adults, are deficient in certain vitamins and minerals due to a number of contributing factors. To address these nutritional gaps, IDLife has developed a fun and great tasting chewable packed with 24 vitamins and minerals designed just for kids." - IDLife
Cofactors

IDLife included cofactors in their vitamins which many others lack. Cofactors are basically an insurance factor that helps with metabolism and absorption, cellular absorption as well; they are complimentary to the vitamins. And nobody else does it to the extent that IDLife does.

So, let's take a look at some of the ingredients (vitamins, minerals, and cofactors) that are in IDLife Kids Nutrition.

 Methylfolate and Methylcobalamin

They mandated two ingredients, methylfolate and methylcobalamin. I've mentioned folic acid and the associated dangers in a previous post, and many of you probably have heard of the MTHFR gene abnormality (having this marker hampers the process to properly absorb folic acid). Why is this important? Not a single kids vitamin has methylfolate and nobody has requested to use it, which is shocking. Both of these ingredients are so critical to overall health.
"Folate deficiency in the periconceptional period contributes to neural tube defects; deficits in vitamin B12 (cobalamin) have negative consequences on the developing brain during infancy; and deficits of both vitamins are associated with a greater risk of depression during adulthood." - Journal on the Effects of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency on brain development in children.
Methylfolate alone may help in clinical depression. Folate (B9) is an essential nutrient that is required for DNA replication, it cannot be synthesized by the body, it can only be obtained from diet or supplementation. Methycobalamin (Methyl B12) rescues neurons from cell death due to excess homocysteine (toxic to neurons). It has also been shown to help with Autism. There are many other benefits as well.

Choline

Choline is essential for the integrity and signaling functions of cell membranes. It's primarily for brain and memory development. Some prenatal vitamins even lack this critical nutrient, so the child is pretty much depleted of that nutrient right out of gate. It helps develop those neurotransmitters, the signaling pathways within membranes in the brain. It also helps methlyfolate to develop cells and DNA in a healthy manner.

"Choline is critical during fetal development, when it influences stem cell proliferation and apoptosis, thereby altering brain and spinal cord structure and function and influencing risk for neural tube defects and lifelong memory function." - Journal - Choline: Critical Role During Fetal Development and Dietary Requirements in Adults

Inositol

Inositol works closely with Choline for nerve cell communication. And it can help fight depression in children as there is evidence that depressed kids have lower levels of inositol. Adults as well.
"A double-blind controlled trial of 12 g daily of inositol in 28 depressed patients for four weeks was performed. Significant overall benefit for inositol compared to placebo was found at week 4 on the Hamilton Depression Scale." - Controlled trials of inositol in psychiatry.
It's also beneficial for the eye membranes.

Lutein

There are few vitamins out there for kids that have ingredients to help the eyes. Lutein is essential to both the brain (helps improve neurons) and retina. They also have zeaxanthin and carotenoids listed in their ingredients. For a child's first 4 years these nutrients are important, eye development is very rapid in the first year. Long term cognitive performance, learning and memory all are impacted by these nutrients.
"Oral supplementation with the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) formulation (antioxidant vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc) has been shown to reduce the risk of progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Observational data suggest that increased dietary intake of lutein + zeaxanthin (carotenoids), omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] + eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]), or both might further reduce this risk." - Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 Research Group.
These are the basic nutrients for bone development, nervous system, cardio vascular. But more important, brain and vision. Before the child can even speak they use their vision to learn.

And it's not just for children. I take a zeaxanthin supplement (EyePromise Restore) as I have a low MPOD (Macular Pigment Optical Density) score, which as seen above, can lead to macular degeneration when you are older.

Other Vitamins and Minerals

  • Vitamin A deficiency can result in poor immune function. Infant impaired neural cognitive development is another result from a deficiency in Vitamin A. It promotes normal growth and development; tissue and bone repair; healthy skin (inside and out), eyes, and immune responses. It also helps protect against many forms of cancer. 
  • Zinc is used in over 200 enzymes in the body. It promotes a healthy nervous system and brain, especially in the fetus. 
  • Calcium for building strong bones, contracting muscles, teeth health, clots blood. 
  • Vitamin D helps maintain healthy and strong bones by retaining calcium. 
  • Vitamin K for metabolism pathways in tissue and bone. It can reduce neural damage and stop free radicals. Also controls blood-clotting.
  • Vitamin E is an important antioxidant. It protects the cells from damage. It prevents blood clots, improves wound-healing, it's good for the skin, and helps against cancer.
  • Vitamin B1 (aka thiamine) is essential for energy function and intellectual development (brain function). It helps the body make use of protein. 
  • Riboflavin (aka B2) is also used for energy (by converting fats, protein, sugars), healthy skin repair and maintenance, used for hair, nails, eyes. Also important to help protect against free radacals. 
  • Niacin (B3) helps lower cholesterol levels and balance blood sugar. Also helps with diarrhea. 
  • Pantothenic Acid (B5) controls fat metabolism, creates anti-stress hormones, helps with immunity. 
  • Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) has been shown to help with protein digestions, brain function, hormone production, help balance sex hormones (more useful in older individuals with PMS and menopause), used as a natural anti-depressant, and known to help with allergic reactions. 
  • Biotin (B7) is particularly important for children to prevent pain and fatigue in muscles, that ache from physical activity. 
  • Vitamin B12 is essential for energy, it helps to carry oxygen in your blood. Also helps with allergens and deals with toxins. It's also essential for the nerves. 
  • Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) - What doesn't this remarkable nutrient do? It's a very important antioxidant that strengthens the immune system. It fights pollutants, helps to protect the heart from disease, it protects against cancer, turns food into energy, helps making those anti-stress hormones, keeps joints, skin, and bones firm by making collagen. 
  • Selenium is another antioxidant that helps protect the body from free radicals. It can also reduce inflammation, fight infections, and helps the Vitamin E's processes. 
  • Manganese is important for the thyroid and calcium absorption. It helps cartilage formation, tissues, nerves, stabilizes blood sugars, promotes healthy RNA, and is important for insulin production. 

Wait, No Iron?

You may have noticed there is no Iron. This was an executive decision by IDLife, and included many many long conversations. Why? Because under the age of 6 it’s a big danger. There should be a warning on vitamins that contain iron. Just imagine if you had an open bottle of delicious candy (to your 1 or 2 year old) laying around. They could ingest far too much and cause iron poisoning.  If they are over 6, you can probably add iron. But IDLife decided against adding iron, especially since they wanted to create a vitamin for children as young as 2 (like my son in the picture at the beginning of this post). They did find safer versions of iron that could possibly work, but it's a risk they do not want to take.

Summary


With the risks we are seeing today, such as the dangers from sugar (primarily fructose) and associated cancer risks from processed meats, it's your duty as a parent to make sure your children are meeting their requirements to live long healthy lives. It can be difficult to determine if they are getting their required essential nutrients. It's more difficult to find a high quality product that doesn't contain artificial ingredients (colors, preservatives, additive, sweeteners).

The intentions and the way IDLife designed their kids nutrition product should tell you that it was a labor of love. The science behind it, which keeps changing, is solid (and they will reformulate as the science evolves). IDLife has created a product line that nobody else has, it simply didn't exist at this quality. It will help to develop your kids immune system, help protect them from everything they are exposed to, they'll be healthiest kids on the block.

Order IDLife Kids Nutrition <-- CLICK HERE!
30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

Order IDLife Kids Nutrition


FAQ


Q: When should my kids switch to IDLife Nutrition?

A: At the age of 12+ and 100 pounds healthy weight, once they have reached maturity.


 Resources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3218540/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3137939/
http://www.clinicaleducation.org/2011/11/01/methylfolate-and-methyl-b12-play-a-profound-role-in-health/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2441939/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3607807/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140638/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inositol
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9169302
Conference call with Paul Sullivan - October 2015 
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Fit-Bullet Friday #10

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #10.
  • Workout Equipment: I'm working on building an "adjustable" squat box using leftover wood from my DIY Bench and Squat Spotter Catchers (and other home projects). I'm discovering as I do squats that I'm not very limber, same with dead lifts and especially hack squats. So, to help with that, I'll use the squat box for my regular squats. I'll also place a couple of the boxes (multiple sizes) on the floor to raise the Olympic bar up higher, until I gain the flexibility to do dead lifts/hack squats properly. I'll post the plans and images soon.
Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.
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Champion Barbell Revolving Multi-Exercise Bar - Product Review

http://amzn.to/1GJYhHJ
The Champion Barbell Revolving Multi-Exercise Bar is awesome! I love this thing! I use it primarily for three exercises:

- Overhead tricep cable pushdowns (like this dude here).
- Standard tricep cable push-downs.
- Low seated cable rows (youtube example).

It's quite versatile, solid, sturdy, and heavier than I expected. You can also use it for bicep curls, pull downs, etc. I paid $30.77 at the time. Of course, you'll need a cable pulley machine of some sort.

Also, in my research, I purchased this over the rubber coated CAP version (CAP Barbell Deluxe Multi-Exerciser). I didn't like the idea of thick rubber for hand grips, and I usually wear gloves (except bench and dead lifts)... Yes, I wear gloves. I have a wife too. If that makes sense, and you want a nice pair of gloves, check out Harbinger 155 Power StretchBack Glove.

Overall, it's heavy duty and well made for the price! You can purchase the Champion Barbell Revolving Multi-Exercise Bar here.
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Study shows cutting sugar improves children's health

http://myidlife.net/kids
A study conducted on 43 children, published in the journal Obesity, found reductions in diastolic blood pressure, lactate, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol when sugar was substituted for starch (complex carbohydrates) over the period of 10 days. The children had very little weight change in this time, less than 2 lbs, in fact they tried to not have a reduction or change in weight. No other dietary changes were made or exercise introduced. They also noted that glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemia improved.

The children's diet contained comparable amounts of protein, fat, and carbs with a reduction in sugar (from 28% to 10%). The only change; sugar was substituted with starch. So instead of pastries or high sugar/fructose foods, they had other complex carbohydates such as those in fruit, bagels, cereal, pasta, and bread.
"This “child-friendly” study diet included various no- or low-sugar added processed foods including turkey hot dogs, pizza, bean burritos, baked potato chips, and popcorn that were purchased at local supermarkets. "

 

Why limit sugar to 10%?

 

In January, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) presented their scientific report for U.S Dietary Guidelines (which is 571 pages long!). In their findings they recommend 10%, maximum, for daily sugar intake.
"The DGAC recommends limiting added sugars to a maximum of 10% of total daily caloric intake. This recommendation is supported by: 1) the food pattern modeling analysis conducted by the 2015 DGAC and 2) the scientific evidence review on added sugars and chronic disease risk conducted by the Committee." - Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (page 466+)
This is also based on the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. If you want to read more, download the report from here.

Why not just remove all sugar? 

 

Other studies have looked at removing all sugar, or using excess sugar to test it's effects. There are also studies that specifically test weight gain only with sugar. Whereas this study focuses on those that already have metabolic syndrome and adjusting their daily intake of sugar (and fructose) to the daily recommended limit and not focusing on weight loss/gain, - just the impact of limiting sugar on their diseases, even though in 33 children they did see weight loss (more on this below). 
"Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of at least three of five of the following medical conditions: abdominal (central) obesity, elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting plasma glucose, high serum triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Metabolic syndrome is associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes." - Wikipedia

Is sugar bad?


So, the question, is sugar bad for you? Or is the resulting weight gain from sugar the cause for health problems? This study may help answer that question, even though it was only conducted on children that were obese and had metabolic syndrome. It was not conducted on children within a healthy weight range. However, please note that the associated diseases also occur with those that have a normal weight. But, they are more prevalent in obese children. Additional studies will be needed.

Weight loss 

 

An interesting side note, they wanted to keep weight stable to show just the impact of reducing sugar and fructose. The study points out that fructose "does not suppress the hunger hormone", which results in you consuming far more than you should. And it also, "stimulates the nucleus accumbens resulting in increased reward and continued ingestion".
"After the first 17 participants were studied, seven were noted to have lost >2% in weight, so caloric targets for each participant were increased by 10% thereafter."
Of course, those that didn't lose weight, saw the same improvements and trends in health as the other children who did lose weight.
"Furthermore, we analyzed the 10 participants who did not lose weight over the 10 days in a separate post hoc sensitivity analysis, and the results were directionally consistent as compared with the entire cohort."

What can you do?

 

Watch what your kids consume. Cut out the sugary drinks and the pastries, especially those that contain fructose. While you're at it, cut out artificial flavors, synthetics, and processed meats.

If you are looking for high quality vitamins, snack bars, kids shake, or a substitute for sugary drinks like Gatorade, take a look at IDLife's Kids nutrition line.

http://myidlife.net/kids
Develop healthy habits for your children

Resources:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21371/abstract
http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_syndrome
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Processed meat and cancer


http://myidlife.net/idnutrition
A team of scientists reviewed 800 epidemiological studies, with greatest weight to high population-based case-control studies, on the association of cancer risk due to consumption of processed meats and red meats. They just released a journal today: Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat - and as usual, the news is running wild with the story. "Meat causes cancer!". Perhaps it does...

First, let's define processed meat and red meat.

Processed meat is meat that has been transformed through a process like salting, smoking, fermentation, curing, and other methods to improve preservation or to enhance the flavor of the meat.  Hot dogs, baloney, ham, sausage, bacon (le sigh).

Red meat is "unprocessed mammalian muscle meat"; Pork, lamb, beef, veal, etc.

Note: The article does not mention if the studies were conducted with pasture-raised/grass-fed meats or industry meats.

How does meat processing cause cancer?


Smoking or curing meat can result in the formation of carcinogenic chemicals. Cooking meat, can also produce carcinogens. And High-temperature (frying, grilling, barbecuing) produces the highest amount of carcinogens. 

Did you know that fried food causes a significant amount of free radicals? And nitrosamine, which is a common chemical found in processed and cured meats, causes cancer ("90% of nitrosamine compounds were deemed to be carcinogenic" - Wikipedia). 

"A  majority of the Working Group concluded that there is sufficient evidence in human beings for the carcinogenicity of the consumption of processed meat." 

Not all 800 studies were used. For example, 12 of  18 cohort studies that provided relevant data showed positive associations of colorectal cancer with processed meats. In a meta-analysis of colorectal cancer from ten studies, they saw an 18% increase per 50g per day of processed meats.

What about red meat?


Only 7 of the 15 case-control studies, with relevant data, showed positive associations of colorectal cancer with high consumption of red meat, which is a limited data set. In a meta-analysis of colorectal cancer from ten studies, they saw an 17% increase per 100g per day of processed meats.

However, red meat also contains important micro-nutrients, such as B vitamins (B12, B6) and iron. It also has high biological-value proteins. Meat also contains CoQ10, which is an antioxidant that helps protect cells from carcinogens (also in fish, nuts, and seeds).

Summary


"A  majority of the Working Group concluded that there is sufficient evidence in human beings for the carcinogenicity of the consumption of processed meat." However, for red meat, they found that there is limited evidence to support carcinogenicity of red meat consumption. But they classify it as "probably carcinogenic to humans".

Most people already know processed meats are unhealthy. This is not ground breaking news folks! And just to put things into perspective, about your risk from meat, there are over a million deaths per year from smoking, and red meats? Assuming all of the above is accurate, less than 34,000.

What should I eat/do?


Stay away from processed foods. Not just processed meats, but party goods, ice cream, deli, etc.. You can also up your veggies and fruit intake - your antioxidants. For example, grapes, strawberries, and raspberries contain ellagic acid that can neutralize carcinogens before they mutate or damage your DNA.

Or, if you are open to a high quality nutrition program, take a look at ID Nutrition, which depending on your personal lifestyle, health, medical conditions, environmental factors, hereditary history, allergies, and diet, can contain significant amounts of antioxidants to help fight carcinogens. 

Also stay away from artificial colors and flavorings, soda (including Diet Soda), white flour, corn syrup (your pastries) -  you know the drill.


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Fit-Bullet Friday #9

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #9.


  • Quote:

    "You are strong, smart, capable and motivated to make a positive difference. Get past the fear, and do all the good things you know you can do." - The Daily Motivator

Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.
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GNC sued due to ingredients in supplements

Back in Feburary, an investigation by the New York State attorney general’s office, tested store-brand herbal supplements at GNC, Target, Wal-Mart, and Walgreens. They tested 24 products and all but five contained unknown ingredients or a form of which was not related to the product. 

“Contamination, substitution and falsely labeling herbal products constitute deceptive business practices and, more importantly, present considerable health risks for consumers,” said the letters.


Currently, this week, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has filed a lawsuit against GNC due to substances called picamilon and BMPEA. Both of which are illegal in the US. Picamilon is a prescription drug which has been used to treat neurological conditions. And BMPEA has been banned for athletes, it's a amphetamine-like stimulant.
"It is scary to know that certain products sold by GNC contain an ingredient that is not even labeled -- let alone approved in the United States," Rosenblum said. "When Oregonians buy a dietary supplement, they deserve to know that the ingredients in the products are safe and comply with the law."
Apparently, Vitamin Shoppe, back in April, had to pull supplements off of shelves due to BMPEA as well.

Scary stuff! And just another example, an outbreak of hepatitis struck at least 72 people in 2013. This was across 16 states! And it was all due to a contaminated supplement. One woman died. Three others had to have liver transplants!

There are no guidelines, no regulations for the supplement industry. It's all up to the manufacturer. So who do you trust for your supplements?

If you are looking for products that are high quality, pharmaceutical grade, and follow FDA regulations (even though they are not required) check out ID Life. They have Vitamins, Pre and Post workout supplements, Weight loss supplements, Energy, Meal replacement drink, and even a Kid's line. Or you can read my ID Life review here.

Be Safe! Research what you are buying, read the ingredient labels.
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