Category: Insulin Activity

Squishy & pinchable or firm & pressable? The kind you have can make a difference to your health.

10/7/2020

So this week I thought I'd focus on something that we all have...
FAT.

Good news though - Fat doesn't make you FAT!

In fact it is essential to our ongoing good health.

Not only does it help our body to absorb vitamins and minerals, it also produces and releases hormones that affect your organs.

But now don't get all complacent about your body fat.

There are 2 different types of fat.
And where they are found is critical.

Just like in real estate, it's a case of Location, Location, Location!

There is subcutaneous fat.
This is the fat that lies below your skin. It keeps you warm and cushions you from a fall or bump. It stores calories.
It is PINCHABLE.

The other type of fat is Visceral Fat.
It stores calories too.
It is found deep inside your abdominal cavity. It surrounds your organs. It is Firm to press.
It is not squishy and pinchable.

When you have too much visceral fat it can increase your LDL cholesterol. That is the bad kind.

It can also increase your blood pressure.
Visceral fat makes your body less sensitive to insulin which can increase your chances of Type 2 diabetes.

How do you know if you have too much visceral fat?

It is all about apples and pears!
What does fruit have to do with it, you ask...

Well think of the shapes of these 2 fruits.

And apple is round and a pear is triangular.

They give you a picture of where fat is stored on your body.

Pears store weight on their hips, thighs and bum.
And it is subcutaneous fat.
It is surface level fat.

Apples on the other hand, store fat around their bellys. Hence the name Belly Fat.

To get a more specific confirmation of whether you could be an apple or pear, there are 2 measurements to take.

The first is your waist measurement.
Feel where your hip bone is.

Feel the top of it and measure around from this point.
Take a couple of measurements
and Don't Hold Your Breath!
You want an accurate measurement!

It is best to have a waist circumference of less than 89cm (35in) if you are a woman.
If you are a man then your waist circumference should be less than 102cm (40in).

The second measurement is your hips.

Measure 20cm down from the top of your hips. That is the point at which to measure your hips.
Take the measurement with your feet together.

Now for a bit of maths!

Take your Waist Circumference and divide it by your Hip Circumference to get your waist to hip ratio.
WC/HC = WHR
e.g. 74cm/97cm = 0.77
Women should have a WHR of less than 0.8 and men should have a ratio of less than 1.

Having a greater ratio of visceral fat is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, strokes and other chronic diseases like Alzheimers.

Belly fat also produces inflammatory molecules that go into your blooldstream.

Continuous long term inflammation puts your body under severe stress.
As a result we become one big hormonal imbalance.
And that is a topic for another day.

So since you can't spot reduce fat around your tummy what can you do?

4 things.

1) Keep track of your measurements. They are far more telling than the scale ever will be.
I have been tracking my measurement for 19 years, off and on!!

When you lose cm you're losing FAT.
If you're losing Fat then your risk of Type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle diseases are decreased.

2) Sweat each day.
Belly fat responds well to endurance exercise that raises your heart rate. Running, biking, swimming, rowing are going to help.

3) Choose to eat foods that are whole i.e. they aren't packaged and processed - vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats.

4) Sleep - get 7 - 9 hours of sleep per night. Your body needs time to repair itself. Lack of sleep affects your appetite.

And now I'd like to invite you to book a Free 20 minute strategy session so that we can work out some ways to help you move forward & start losing your belly fat.

Click the button below to book your session on my scheduler. It sounds fancy but it's not really!

Talk to Me about Your #1 Health Challenge

Food Foods That Can't Satisfy

2/5/2020

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes Click Here

After we eat, we want to feel satisfied, right? Not hungrier!

And there are foods you'll want to avoid. Or at least, eat them in combination with satisfying foods that leave you feeling full.

These foods that leave you feeling like you need more are easy to identify because they don't have the well- known satisfying ingredients in them.

And those satiating ingredients are...?
* FATS * FIBRE * PROTEIN.

Take fruit juice for example.
It pretty much has no fat, fibre or protein.

Savoury biscuits?
They contain a little fiber but mostly it's carbs.
They won't satisfy your hunger unless you add some healthy fats such as avocado or ricotta.

Salads are great, especially in summer. They deliver a good serving of healthy fibre.
A salad will satisfy you for much longer if you add a portion of protein like chickpeas, chicken, salmon or gammon.
Or you could add a healthy fat - and again think of the avocado.

Now what about yogurt?
It has plenty of fat and protein, but fiber?

Nope, it has none of that.

The fact you can swallow it without chewing tells you there's pretty much no fiber in it.
As a result this won't satisfy you for long.

BUT if you add some nuts or seeds or berries and it's a whole different story.

When choosing your yoghurt make sure you are choosing a low sugar variety that is full fat.

Click Here: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes

Now what is a food that won't satisfy you.

It's usually white foods that have been processed like;
* white bread
* pasta
* pizza (it's that white flour again)
* sushi (not much fiber, not much protein)
* boxed commercial cereals

Why won't these foods satisfy you?

Because they have been processed and the fibre and important nutrients have been removed.

When you eat these kinds of foods they get digested quickly and broken down in to glucose.

Glucose then enters the blood stream very quickly and that is not good for your body.

As a result insulin is released which helps to move blood sugar out of your bloodstream and into the cells.

This creates a cycle of blood sugar high, insulin being released which leads to a drop in blood sugar and your energy levels which results in you reaching for another snack or food to increase your energy and so the cycle continues.

What can you do?
Choose foods that contain FPF (Fat, Protein & Fibre)

Ask yourself when you are reaching for something to eat?
Does it contain FPF?
If not then you need to put that food down and find an alternative.

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes Click Here

Why this supplement can help you handle stress & Lose weight...

11/12/2017

Oh my word the days are running into each other and I don't seem to be touching sides...

The information while I was writing this article for you was overwhelming. There is just so much more to FATS.

But here's the low down - We all need a certain amount of fats daily.

And Fat has a role to play in delivering key nutrients to our bodies.

Vitamins A, D, E & K are known as fat-soluble vitamins because they need to bind to fat to be absorbed by our bodies...

…If we’re not eating fats then these vitamins cannot be utilised by our bodies which could lead to deficiencies.

Fat also provides energy to our body and it is an important part of every cell membrane. Fatty tissue protects our organs from trauma and temperature changes.

It also helps to regulate our body temperature.
It helps our cells to communicate,
our nerves to send messages,
our glands to make hormones and
our bodies to move vitamins and other substances where they are required.

Have you noticed how some people just don’t seem to feel the cold? Could be their fat storage or it could be hormones.
But hormones for another day....

There are different types of fats that you need to eat.
There are Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA),
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) and
Saturated Fats.

One fat to avoid is man-made trans-fats because they have been shown to increase bad cholesterol and reduce good cholesterol.

Trans-fats have been chemically altered through a process called hydrogenation….

…So when you see “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in an ingredient list on a product, avoid it!

Now, omega 3 & omega 6 oils are part of the PUFA group.

There has been a great deal of research done that clearly shows that the balance of omega 3 to omega 6 is very important to our health.
Studies show that the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 should ideally be 2:1 and no more than 4:1
The modern diet ratio is in favour of omega 6 at a ratio of 10:1 or even higher at 17:1

This high intake of omega 6 compared to omega 3 has shown in studies to be linked to;

Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
Obesity
Difficulty losing weight
Heart disease
Chronic inflammation

Aim to reduce omega 6 oils in the foods that you eat. Omega 6 is found in

Oils that are liquid at room temperature like Sunflower oil, sesame seed oil, corn oil, soybean oil
Durum wheat, breads
Processed foods
Peanuts

Foods that contain Omega 3 are;

Fish – mackerel, sardines, salmon, tuna, anchovies
Linseeds (flax)
Chia seeds
Walnuts
Egg yolks
Cod liver oil

The 2 acids in omega 3 – EPA and DHA – (they have long Greeky sounding names!) have been shown in many studies to reduce triglyceride levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.
EPA & DHA have also shown to reduce the stickiness of blood so clotting is reduced and heart attacks lowered.
EPA & DHA also have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and this could help with inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

The benefits of taking a supplement of fish oil are far reaching, from decreasing depression and Alzheimer’s to decreasing death from heart disease, to improving body composition.

Here are 10 benefits of eating a fish oil supplement –

Decrease the occurrence of depression & anxiety
Lower blood pressure
Lower stress response
Assist in treating psoriasis and dry skin
Assist in lessening the body’s insulin response to food
Cut the risk of osteoporosis and bone loss
Reduce the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis
Decrease total body inflammation
Lower triglyceride levels
Help in turning on fat burning genes
Aid in treating ADHD
Improving health and reducing the symptoms for those with autoimmune diseases

Okay, 12!

Fish oil could help to improve lean body make up in a number of different ways. So if you are a guy with more than 15% body fat or a woman with more than 25% then fish oil could help you to lose fat. PLUS it will help to stabilise any blood sugar issues you may be dealing with. And it could help you to gain muscle faster which you NEED in order to burn fat.

To find suitable fish oil you need to look at a couple of factors.
EPA & DHA
To reduce body fat you need 2-3grams of total EPA & DHA per day. Most store brand fish oils have a combined total of 0.3g per capsule. So that would mean you’d need to swallow up to 10 capsules each day!!!
So an alternative that makes a lot of sense is to look for fish oil where the total EPA & DHA is at least 0.5g
You can find ones that have up to 0.75gg which means fewer capsules to swallow.

Currently my total EPA & DHA is only 0.3g per capsule.
I take 4 in total each day = 1.2g
I’m going to increase that! I don’t mind swallowing extra capsules.
And when these ones in my cupboard have run out then I’ll be looking for a greater EPA & DHA combo.

Studies have found that foods with healthy fats like avocado pears, almonds, olive oil take longer to digest and so they keep you fuller for longer.

Combining them with complex carbohydrates will keep your blood sugars stable and you’ll avoid hunger spikes and dips.

In short, FATS are your friends.

Could you be deficient in this 1 mineral?

21/11/2017

Welcome to Part 2 of What's in my Tablet Box...

Meet Zinc, my main mineral!!!!

This mineral is an absolute must have in your health box.

It is needed in more than 100 enzymes and it is involved in more body functions than any other mineral.

It’s also fairly common to be zinc deficient. This is as a result of soil losses and food processing losses.
Where do we find zinc?
OYSTERS!
Red meat and liver.
Egg yolks.

The zinc found in animal sources is better absorbed by the body than those sources in plants.

It is possible to obtain adequate zinc from plant sources, though. Whole grains are rich in zinc – wheat, rye and oats.

Pecan and Brazil nuts contain high amounts of zinc. And pumpkin seeds are considered helpful to the prostate gland.

What is Zinc for?
Zinc is required for

normal growth and development,
maintenance of body tissues,
sexual function,
the immune system,
detoxification of chemicals and metabolic irritants.
Carbohydrate metabolism is influenced by zinc.
The making of DNA & RNA requires zinc which in turn helps the body in the healing process.

What does Zinc do?
It is involved in many body functions.

It aids the liver in detoxifying alcohol but drinking alcohol flushes zinc from the liver.
So you’ll need to take extra zinc after you have indulged in those cocktails!

Zinc helps the body to use and maintain levels of vitamin A. This action may help to keep healthy skin cells and make new skin cells.

In one study of macular degeneration the supplementation of zinc resulted in significantly less vision loss.
We all need our eyes so what a good idea to add zinc each day…

It is needed in energy production. Do you feel tired and lethargic?
Maybe it’s time to up your zinc…

Zinc is important to the male sex organ function and reproductive fluids.
It is helpful in treating infertility by improving sperm count and motility of the sperm.

It helps in digestion.
Zinc attaches to over 300 enzymes (structures made of protein that break down other molecules).
It is needed by the body to use amino acids from the food we at. It also helps to break down carbohydrates which are a source of energy for the body.

It supports immune function.
Zinc helps to boost the immune system in fighting the common cold and prevents the progression of viral flu symptoms.

It supports insulin activity.
This is especially important for people who have diabetes. Zinc binds to insulin. Insulin is stored in the pancreas and is released when glucose enters the bloodstream. Zinc allows digestive enzymes that are needed for insulin to bind to cells so that the glucose in the bloodstream is used by the body for energy and not stored as fat cells.

Zinc helps with your taste sensation.
A study done with anorexic patients found that by increasing their zinc intake their appetite and taste function improved. Of course there is more to anorexia than just not eating. But by not eating their zinc levels would be low and so they would have a reduced appetite. A vicious circle.

It can speed up recovery time post op. (I’m thinking post C-section, tell your friends who are preggers).

Zinc is useful in treating skin problems like acne, dermatitis, bedsores and boils.
Teenage acne has been successfully treated with zinc supplementation.

If only I had known this when my brother was suffering the worst of acne. He was staying in a back packers at the time and living on baked beans. Nothing wrong with baked beans just not for every meal for every day….

As we grow older the absorption of zinc is reduces as well as our intake.
This is because our digestion is not as good as it is when you are younger AND you tend to eat less so there is less nutrition to be gained.

When we are pregnant our need for zinc increases. This is probably because we are growing another human who requires zinc too.
PMS and using birth control pills are associated with lower zinc levels.

Have you ever noticed white flecks on your nails? This could be a sign of low zinc levels.
Being under stress causes the body to use more zinc.

Have you ever wondered why you have a white tongue? It could be a sign of low zinc levels!!

It has also been found to improve behaviour and IQ in children who may be deficient in zinc.

There is a product for children called Zinplex. It comes in a liquid form and tastes great. Ask my Boys!!!
Both my boys take it from time to time.
When I notice that J is getting a cough or post nasal drip then he'll get Zinplex for a few days.
When M is teething that usually brings on a snotty nose and I give him Zinplex which seems to stop the runny nose.

In two studies, extra zinc was given to Alzheimer’s patients.
The improvements in cognition were dramatic.
It seems that a deficiency leads to plaque forming and nerve cells being destroyed in the brain tissue.
Do you know an older someone? Make sure that they are taking zinc…

How much zinc?
The RDA is 12mg.
The average American consumes 10mg.
We can safely assume that we also are somewhere close to that number. The result? We’re short on zinc.

I use a product called Zinplex. It provides 9.5mg of elemental which means available zinc per 50mg. I take 100mg twice per day.
When I’m fighting off a cold or infection then I take 150mg twice per day.

A side note…
Cadmium is a toxic trace mineral that COPIES Zinc. Ther is no benefit to cadmium and yet it is found in our foods!!
Its toxicity is kept under control by zinc.
Whole foods have a beneficial ratio of zinc to cadmium. BUT when a food is processed and refined then zinc is removed from the food and cadmium dominates.
It is found in coffee, tea, shellfish, sugar, white flour and white rice.

Chat soon, Lee

If you know of another mom who’s looking to bring harmony & health to her life, please share this with her.
She’ll appreciate it and so will I…

Click here to get quick meal ideas for your kids

FREEBIE: Belly Flattening 4 Day Meal Plan - Click Here

Squishy & pinchable or firm & pressable? The kind you have can make a difference to your health.

Food Foods That Can't Satisfy

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes Click Here

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes Click Here

Why this supplement can help you handle stress & Lose weight...

Don't Miss out - get your Health & Harmony tips

Could you be deficient in this 1 mineral?

Categories

Archives

FREEBIE: Belly Flattening 4 Day Meal Plan - Click Here

Squishy & pinchable or firm & pressable? The kind you have can make a difference to your health.

Food Foods That Can't Satisfy

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes​ Click Here

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes​ Click Here

Why this supplement can help you handle stress & Lose weight...

Don't Miss out - get your Health & Harmony tips

Could you be deficient in this 1 mineral?

Categories

Archives

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes Click Here

BONUS: Foods That Do Satisfy -Grab Your Free 4 Day Meal Plan + Recipes Click Here