Technology gets the best of me....AGAIN!

Ok, let’s try this again. 

I’ve learned from my mistake and will be typing out all blog entries on Word first, and copying them over.  No more lost entries!

Last week, I asked for requests regarding post topics, and you guys came up with some pretty good ones!  The most commonly asked-for topic was to detail my diet for a week.  It kind of surprised me when this was originally requested, but the more I thought about it- the more it made sense.  Learning concepts/ideas/facts/information regarding nutrition, health, exercise, etc… is often the easy part.  The harder part for most people is learning how to incorporate that new knowledge into practice. 

 

For Starters:

All meat listed below has either come from Wallace Farms or U.S. Wellness Meats, my two main sources for healthy grass-fed, free-range, sustainable meat.  All fish is wild-caught, not farm-raised.  

I’ve been lucky enough to know Nick Wallace for a few years now, and all of his products are delicious and raised in a responsible, humane, and sustainable manner.  U.S. Wellness Meats is probably the country’s largest purveyor of grass-fed, free-range, etc… meats.  They will ship anywhere in the United States, and I highly recommend checking out their site!

The eggs listed below are pastured eggs from MooGrass Farms, my local raw dairy co-op.  Depending on where you live, I could help you find a local source for these delicious and nutritious eggs.  The benefits of pastured eggs and grass-fed meats have been detailed in previous blogs, so I won’t get bogged down in that.  Needless to say, they are completely different foods compared to what you would find at a local supermarket.  

The water that I drink is alkalized, ionized Kangen™ water.  I believe this to be the best water in the world, available straight from the tap.  I may do a blog entirely on this water at some point in the near future.

The black tea that I drink (to help with hemochromatosis) is organic decaffeinated black tea from Arbor Teas, which is Fair Trade certified.  These guys sell some seriously awesome tea!

I am on currently on a supplement protocol including liver support, Omega-3 supplementation, Vitamin D, and a couple things to help my body re-program itself and hopefully eliminate the hemochromatosis.  Don’t think your genes can change?  You should check out the up and coming science of epigenetics, which is the study of environmental factors changing gene expression!  Really cool stuff! (CLICK HERE for an interesting article about this emerging science from TIME Magazine)

All fruits and vegetables are organic and either from Angelic Organics, GenesisGrowers (two local CSA’s), or Whole Foods (when I HAVE to).  I plan on moving to Door to Door Organics for the winter.

Ghee is essentially just clarified butter, and I get mine from Pure Indian Foods.  It is organic and grass-fed.  Ghee is completely tolerable by those with even the most lactose-intolerant systems, as the milk solids are removed.  The health benefits of ghee are endless, as it is even used as medicine in India.  Completely delicious and safe for dairy-free diets! I order this in bulk to help people save money, if you'd like a jar, let me know!

 

Coconut Oil is truly a miracle food.  One of the healthiest things you can ever consume, I use it every day in some manner.  The coconut oil that I believe to be the best in the world is from Tropical Traditions.  There are entire books written on the benefits of coconut oil, and it can even be used on your skin!!  Amazing stuff!

Notice I don’t use the terms “breakfast”, “lunch”, and “dinner”, but merely write times.  I don’t believe it’s necessary to have structured mealtimes.  I eat when I’m hungry.  I don’t eat when I’m not hungry.  That approach has worked for human beings for hundreds of thousands of generations, why stop now?

Day 1

7:10am- 3 eggs, mushrooms, green peppers, bacon, tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper omelet cooked in Ghee, topped with homemade hot sauce.  (mainly apple cider vinegar, Habanero peppers, and Serrano peppers)

1:30pm- Walleye (leftover) with sautéed veggies (squash, zucchini, onions, hot peppers) cooked in coconut oil.

6:30pm- Grass-fed beef burger w/ sautéed veggies. (onion, green pepper, hot peppers, tomato)

9:00pm – (Out Watching Bears Game) 6 unbreaded chicken wings with hot sauce.  {DID NOT FEEL WELL}

Day 2

7:15am- 3 slices bacon (Wallace Farms sells the greatest bacon on the planet, hands down.  It is uncured and nitrate-free, and 100% delicious.) and 1 apple.

12:45pm- Giant salad w/ grilled chicken breast (Out at business lunch), olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.

5:50pm- Grass-fed beef pot roast with veggies & broth. (potato, onion, carrot, kohlrabi) 1 Avocado.

Day 3

7:15am- 2 Eggs w/ onions, hot pepper cooked in ghee. 3 slices bacon, 1 apple

11:30am- Leftover Turkey chili (ground turkey, spices, onion, green pepper, hot pepper, potatoes)

8:00pm- 2 Cups homemade beef stock, Appx. 10 radishes (raw), very small cup turkey chili.

Day 4

7:00am- 3 slices bacon, 1 apple, 1 cup homemade beef stock

10:30am- ½ bar Pemmican from US Wellness. (cherry and honey-free kind….basically just grass-fed beef jerky and tallow (fat))

12:00pm- 1 cup French Onion soup without croutons or cheese, mixed field green salad with apples, dried cranberries, spinach, w/ olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. (Out at business lunch)

2:30pm- ½ bar Pemmican

8:30pm- Roasted Leg of Lamb (delicious) and roasted butternut squash w/ spices and coconut oil.

Day 5

6:45am- Pork breakfast sausage (Wallace Farms) with 2 eggs cooked in ghee, 1 apple

12:30pm- Pot roast leftovers

8:00pm- Leftover turkey chili

Day 6

8:00am- Pork breakfast sausage, 2 eggs w/ diced onion & hot peppers

3:00pm- Leftover turkey chili with diced onion, hot peppers, & tomato, 1 avocado, a few pecans

Day 7

8:00am- Pork breakfast sausage, 2 eggs w/ diced onion & hot peppers, 2 slices bacon

2:00pm- Leftover leg of lamb

5:00pm- Olives, 1 piece of white fish, 1 chicken breast, and sautéed veggies from Whole Foods take-out food bar.  (Went to watch Bears game and avoided the Pizza everyone was eating by stuffing my face with olives)

So there you have it…nothing too magical or difficult.  Leftovers are my friend.  Salads with oil/vinegar and meat on them are my friend when I must eat at a restaurant.  Now, of course, the foods from the restaurant are not organic, so that isn’t optimal- but sometimes I can’t avoid situations like that.  I hope this helps shed a little light on the “how” behind the “why”.

I will be writing a full breakdown of grains (focusing attention on rice), and of so-called “health foods”, such as Lean Cuisine, Seattle Sutton’s, etc…

I also have a huge project in the works to put together a FULL DAY workshop covering the basics of healthy human nutrition, healthy cooking, sourcing food, and the six foundations of optimal health!  This will include visits and presentations from other professionals, and will be a VERY hands-on, interactive learning experience which has the potential to CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!  So keep your eyes peeled!!

As always, I’m open to any questions or feedback! 

Look for a post on the perils of grains sometime soon….definitely NOT a health food!

A Week in the Life of....

Sleep is King

Basics of a Paleo/Primal Lifestyle - Part 3 - Sleep & Rest

 This post will be short and sweet.... but very important.  We NEED quality sleep in order to be healthy.  Did you know that it takes YEARS off someone's life to work overnight shifts for an extend period of time?  Or that an overnight worker has the same cognitive function of a well-rested person with a .08 blood alcohol content? (Legally drunk in Illinois)  Not to mention, this is the time that our body builds new tissue and repairs damage, as well as re-charging our brain, nervous system, and immunity.

We are designed, genetically to sleep when the Sun sleeps, essentially.  Winter in Chicago doesn't allow for that, as it is often dark by 5pm and not light again until 7am.  I'm not saying we need to sleep for 14 hours!! (Although, we are designed to be less active and sleep more in the winter time - because food was often scarce) 

Modern society has VERY recently changed our sleep and rest patterns quite dramatically.  Just in the last 100 years, we have introduced artificial light, television, and the internet.  These things confuse our body's natural receptors and confuse our hormone production stations.  If you're up until 11pm with all the lights on, watching TV, and surfing the internet on your phone - your body has no idea that it's dark and you should be sleeping.  You may have difficulty falling asleep in this situation, and your body will be full of stress hormones (if you can fall asleep)...so you will not wake up refreshed, and the repairs/recharging will be incomplete. 

Chronically under-sleeping is a very serious detriment to our health, an experiment that we are just learning the consequences of.  Grok (our Paleolithic ancestor hero) would have started winding down his daily activities (which by evening generally consisted of lounging around and socializing) once the sun went down, and would be asleep shortly after.  If your goal is weight loss and you are having trouble, SLEEP might be what is holding you back.  Poor sleep habits = chronic stress on the body = chronic stress hormone production = increased bodyfat, lower metabolism, and a host of other problems!

When the body detects sunlight in the morning (yes, it does this while you're sleeping), it begins to change hormone production from rest/repair (sleepy) hormones to those that will wake you up, naturally.  If you are jolted awake by an alarm, while it's still dark- your body does not have the ability to make this smooth transition.  You will get a surge of stress hormones, and we all know the results of that.  (Crabby, tired, foggy, etc...)  Yes. It is natural for you to hate the alarm clock.

For my particular case, I do awaken slightly before it gets light.  I am looking into a quality sunrise-imitating alarm clock.  It will gradually begin to light up my room 30 minutes prior to the time I'd like to wake up.  At the "alarm" time, it is at full brightness and has an easy sound vs. harsh alarm.  By this time, my body is ready to wake up, due to the light, and the transition from sleep to awake is smooth and stress-free.  I would recommend this for anyone who wakes up before dawn!

Target: 8 to 9 hours of QUALITY SLEEP

Here are a few tips:

• Dim the lights in your house, or turn them off, an hour before bed.  I like to read to a somewhat dim light in bed for a while before sleeping.  If you do this, keep the material light and easy- even reading something stressful or particularly complicated will cause too much brain stimulation.  
• No TV, internet, phone, etc... an hour before bed.  Your body can't tell the difference between a stressful situation on the TV or one in real life.  You don't want to load up on stress hormones just before sleeping.  Also- the light and electromagnetic radiation put off by TV's, monitors, phones, etc... tend to disrupt sleep patterns.
• Room should be COMPLETELY dark.  I have recently unplugged my alarm clock (use my phone, which is face-down and on the dresser where I can't reach it) and purchased light-blocking drapes for the bedroom.  This prevents lights from outside (streetlights, etc...) from getting in. Your body is designed to sleep in darkness.  These drapes would be essential for anyone who must sleep during the day.
• Do NOT sleep with the TV/Radio on.  This will cause you to get horrible sleep.  
• I LOVE Young Living Essential Oils at night.  Some of my favorites are Lavender, Peace & Calming, and Frankincense.  If you're interested in learning more about essential oils, I'd be happy to talk with you about them.  
• Exercise in the morning/daytime, if you can....especially any intense exercise.  Intense exercise at night can prevent your body from achieving an optimal sleep state.

Technology Gets the Best of Me....

So I've been writing daily blog posts this week, and guess what?  

None of them actually got posted, for some reason!!  I blame this on my technological deficiencies.  Instead of releasing them all 3 at once and overwhelming you, I'll just post one per day.  Here is "Part 2" of the series which began on Monday:

Basics of a Paleo/Primal Lifestyle ~ Part 2 ~ Evolutionary Exercise

Disclaimer #1 I mean no ill-will towards my running, spinning, cardio, etc... friends.
Disclaimer #2 Everyone is different.  This is NOT an exercise prescription specifically for YOU.  I do not recommend/prescribe any exercise to clients (or anyone else, for that matter) before I have put them through proper physical assessments to determine strengths, weaknesses, imbalances, goals, etc...

Now that we have that out of the way, let's discuss movement.  Your body is designed to walk, lunge, squat, lift, bend, twist, throw, pull, push, jump, and swim.  There is no way to get around that fact.  When we are sedentary, it is bad for our health. 

Walking from the house to the car to the desk back to the car to the couch doesn't count as exercise....and has caused our species to DEVOLVE in the last 10,000 years!! Even our brains have gotten significantly smaller over the period since we began farming/agriculture.

  Does this mean that ALL exercise is good for us?  No.  It doesn't.  The human body evolved over millions of years to perform (and respond) well in certain situations.  We are not designed to endure chronic moderate to high intensity exercise for long periods of time.  Many endurance athletes (marathon runners, distance bikers, etc...) are finding out later in life that the stress they've put on their body has very serious consequences to their health.  We are NOT designed to do this type of exercise.  It puts an incredible amount of stress on many systems in the body and has a catabolic (breakdown) effect on muscle and body tissues.  This can result in serious wear & tear injuries and chronic pain. (knees, feet, ankles, back, hips, etc...) Spending hours on the treadmill are not going to improve your health, or give you the physique that you want.

The masses have been duped by a profit-driven and uneducated "fitness" industry for far too long.  Here are some suggestions, based on physiology and truths about the human body and exercise:

• Be active. Our ancestors (99% of the time that human beings have walked the Earth) walked a great deal, looking for food and traveling.  Activities such as walking, climbing, hiking, and kayaking, are all fantastic.  Park further away from the building.  Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.  Walk the dog every day.  Even gardening and yard work are great activities!  Moving more on a regular basis will improve your health and help you lose weight, increase your energy, or whatever else you're looking to do.

• Lift Heavy Things & Use All Your Muscles.  No, I don't mean you have to look like a bodybuilder.  They are not healthy.  Many people are afraid of strength training because they don't want to "bulk up".  This is completely unfounded, as it is very difficult and takes very specific dietary and lifestyle modifications, in addition to hours of regular training, to "get big".  The benefits of strength training (when done properly) include, but are not limited to:

• Increased Insulin Sensitivity  (relates to diabetes and a host of other health problems)
• Increased Bone Density 
• Increased Metabolism
• Decreased Body Fat
• Increased Strength & Athletic Performance
• Hormone Balance & Increased Sex Drive

So what does "proper" strength training consist of?

• Big movements (squat, lunge, push, pull, bend, twist, etc...) using many muscle groups.
• High intensity, relatively short duration.  I do not recommend high intensity training for beginners or for those who do not have supervision and instruction.  There is no need to spend hours at the gym!  (Or even go to a gym, for that matter!!)

• Sprint Occasionally.  Yes, really.  Our ancestors (99% of human evolution) walked around a lot,  lifted heavy things, and every once in a while, RAN LIKE HELL!  Either to chase food, or be chased by something that wanted them as food!!  We had to have the ability to escape danger when needed, but we are not designed to run at high intensity for any significant duration of time.  Doing so triggers stress hormones in our body, which are detrimental on a number of levels.  Again, this is not for beginners or those who have not exercised in a long time. 

Crunches are not proper exercise.  Isolation training is not natural to our physiology.  (think about the guy doing bicep curls in the mirror)  Weight machines do not work stabilizer muscles and allow your core to become weak and lazy.  Grok did not have machines and was FAR more fit than we are.  

The reason that I do not recommend intense heavy lifting or sprinting for beginners is simple, our bodies are so out of whack (joint weakness, core deactivation, muscle imbalances, poor posture, improper breathing) that this type of exercise could cause significant injury, pain, and discomfort.

These are my first steps will all new clients:  (Most are beginners, but I would go through these steps regardless)

• Correct posture and muscle imbalances.  
• Teach proper form and breathing for "big movements".
• Properly activate the core.  This is essential for generating power and protecting the back.

Once someone has corrected their posture, addressed imbalances, learned proper movement form, retrained their body to breathe, and reactivated their core - they are ready for some evolutionary exercise!!

Tomorrow: Part 3! Sleep is KING!

You Are the Result of 2+ Million Years of Successful Evolution

So I've been dabbling with the idea of a Paleo, Primal, Caveman, etc... type lifestyle for at least a year- since first learning about this growing movement.  In my quest to become SuperHuman, I decided to give a read to a few books, snoop around on the internet, join a Paleo group on Facebook, and ask a lot of questions to those with experience with this Paleo Lifestyle.  Notice I did not, and will not, use the word "diet".  The word "diet" implies that something is temporary, a quick fix, or that you're starving yourself.  None of these things are good.

I'm going to run down the basics of this Lifestyle over the course of this week, and encourage anyone and everyone to join me on this journey!!  The science is very sound, the results are not debatable, and I am totally psyched to see where this takes me!  Anyone who has an auto-immune conditions, weight issues, chronic joint pain, allergies, skin conditions, fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, or just about any other condition - I would seriously recommend you consider this lifestyle.

Books to read:
The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, PhD (www.thepaleodiet.com)
The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf  (www.robbwolf.com)
The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson  (www.marksdailyapple.com)

Basics of a Paleo/Primal Lifestyle - Part 1 - Eat What Grok Ate.

If Grok (our fictional Paleolithic-era Hero) wouldn't eat it, you shouldn't eat it.  For millions of years, our ancestors (and now our closest living relatives - Chimps - also fall into this category) didn't eat grains.  They relied on a diet rich in meat, fish, eggs, and vegetables, with a little bit of fruit and nuts/seeds mixed in.  Just so you can grasp the concept of millions of years, if our evolution was drawn out as a timeline the length of a football field, we started consuming grains just about 36 INCHES ago!!  The USDA, FDA, big agriculture, the industrial food machine, and big-pharma (among others) will tell you that 6-11 servings/day of grains is the key to good health.  Nutrition Fail.

• Focus on grass-fed, free-range, pastured, etc... meats and eggs.  This is a different food than what you'll find at your local grocer.  I will go into this topic at length in an upcoming blog post.  I will also provide sources for you to find good food.  For now, visit my website at www.NaturalEvolutionHolisticFitness.com  and click on the tab "Good Food" at the top.

• Fish should be wild-caught, not farm-raised.  You would be sick if you saw a fish farm, and understood what that meant for the fish, and your health.

• Vegetables should be organic, locally-raised (when possible), and in season.  Take some time to learn what veggies are in season during what months!  Farmer's markets, Co-ops, buying clubs, CSA's, etc... are all great options for produce.  More info to come on the "Good Food" blog post coming soon.

• Fruit should be organic (Grok didn't eat poisonous pesticides) and eaten sparingly.  For those with a weight-loss goal, no more than once/day - and stick to berries, apples, pears, & citrus. (the fruit, not the juice)  Same rule goes for nuts.  Macadamias are the best (but also pretty $$$).  Raw, organic nuts should be a treat/condiment - not a staple.

• Quality fats are key.  Personally, I will be using coconut oil, lard (yes, lard...from healthy pigs), ghee (clarified grass-fed butter - delicious), unprocessed organic palm oil, and (to a lesser extent) extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.  I will also be supplementing with a QUALITY Omega-3 supplement.  (95% of these on the market are garbage)

• I will Not be consuming the following foods:

• Grains.  Yes, really.  None.  Zero.  Zip. Zilch.  At least for 30 days.  After that, I can re-introduce things, such as rice, and see how my body tolerates them.  I will write an entire post about grains & gluten sometime soon.
• Legumes. (beans)  These are a poor source of protein, and have many anti-nutrients which disrupt digestion and nutrient absorption.  
• Dairy.  All dairy.  Except for ghee.  (ghee has milk solids removed, and is safe for occasional use during a strict Paleo experiment)  As I've mentioned, I only recommend grass-fed, raw dairy products.  I'm even cutting those out for 30 days, to be re-introduced later.  Then I will be able to tell how my body truly feels about dairy.
• Anything processed (think boxes, cans, etc...) or with added sugar.  Sugar was most definitely not part of Grok's diet. 

Tomorrow:  Part 2! Move Like Grok!....

Mind Over Matter....For Real...

Scientists have recently proven that DNA can be altered by words and frequencies.  This has been widely believed by those into energy healing, Eastern medicine, or any other form of traditional healing....but now it's been proven!

CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE TO READ SOME REALLY DEEP STUFF ON DNA ~ VERY COOL

Did you know that cancer patients who, when first diagnosed, develop a negative/pessimistic outlook die at a much greater rate than those who keep a positive/optimistic outlook?

You don't have cancer?  Well, that's good.  So what does this mean for you, and for my journey to the realms of SuperHuman?  It means that your thoughts, words, and state of mind can LITERALLY change your body, from the inside.  If you have recently started to eat healthier, maybe exercise a little bit, go to bed earlier, or have adopted any of the other basic guidelines I've put forth ~ you know that results are not immediate.  Lifestyle changes, which lead to permanent changes in your body and your health, take time to develop and require the right mindset.

A client of mine once shared this story, about our obsession with immediate gratification:

"I told a co-worker of mine how I'd lost all this weight by eating organic, exercising, etc... and he said 'I ate an organic meal last week, didn't feel any different, I think it's a bunch of nonsense'".  I am, of course, paraphrasing...but you get the point.  Eating one meal of healthy food is not going to alter your life. 

It is essential to envision what you want, in life and in health, believe as if you already have it, and go out everyday to do the things that will lead to you actually having it.  The belief that the weight will come off, the blood pressure will go down, the blood sugar will get under control is JUST as important as the actions that you take to lead to these outcomes.

You can eat healthy, work out, go to bed earlier, etc... but if you are completely negative all the time "I'll never lose this weight", etc..... then you are working against yourself!  Every single extremely successful person in my life has told me the same thing. 

It's all about mindset.  I know I already touched on this in the original post ~ but I feel it's worth repeating.  And since I found that really cool article about DNA, I wanted to share it with you.

Hope you check it out!

Tricks and Supplements...

Okay, before I even get into this, I'd like to make a statement on supplements.

1)  95% of supplements on the market are complete garbage.  Many will do more harm than good.  This goes for protein powders, power bars, vitamins, and just about anything else you'll see at a GNC, Walgreen's, etc...

2)  Supplementation only does ANYTHING if you have everything else in order.  If you are eating poorly, not sleeping properly, dehydrated, stressed-out, etc... taking supplements will do very little for you at all.  The ONLY reason I am taking so many supplements (which I will discuss) is because I am attempting to achieve OPTIMAL health, and am already eating a nearly perfect diet, and doing everything else listed in the previous emails.  Also - these have specific purposes/uses to help me achieve my goals.


That being said, I figured I'd do a post on the supplements I am taking, as well as some tricks I learned to lower Iron absorption.  For those without this condition, you likely don't have to worry about lowering Iron levels, so don't worry about that end of things.

Supplements

• NutriHarmony -  In my opinion, the best vitamin, etc... company in the world.  All ingredients are beyond organic, very minimally processed, and made from REAL food!!  No synthetic crap here!  Learn More Here!
• Multi-Vitamin
• Life-Code - The very materials that our DNA is made of, the only product of it's kind on the market.
• Calcium - At night, for optimal sleep, repair, and hormone balance. Also may lower Iron absorption.
• Non-GMO, Fermented Soy - Again, optimal hormone balance and rest, at night.  MOST SOY FOODS ARE DETRIMENTAL TO HEALTH, AND I DO NOT RECOMMEND CONSUMING THEM.  This product has been specially processed and grown organically

• BioImmersion- Incredible "therapeutic foods", made from plants, and laboratory tested for effectiveness.  The best probiotics, and plant-based "therapeutic" products I have found! LEARN MORE HERE!

• Garlic - Organic, freeze-dried, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-viral, etc...
• Cruciferous Sprouts Complex - Shown to improve detoxification & liver function
• Chlorella - Nature's original food.  Among other things, it cleans the blood.
• Triple Berry Probiotic -  Probiotics should be a part of any healthy diet. 
• Chromium - From beets.  Helps control blood sugar and may lower Iron absorption.

• Great Lakes Gelatin - Very easily absorbed source of anti-inflammatory protein.  It can be added to shakes, smoothies, soups, stews, teas, etc... absolutely any liquid.  Helps joints, hair, skin, nails, etc... and helps any condition which produces inflammation.  LEARN MORE HERE!

• Essential Oils - I love Young Living essential oils, and use them for just about anything you could think of!  They are all-natural, therapeutic-grade essential oils, and have been proven effective for a wide number of conditions.  I am using one called JuvaFlex for liver support, and use others on a daily basis to help strengthen my immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep, deepen spiritual experiences, clean around the house, and countless other things.  LEARN MORE HERE!

Lowering Iron Absorption
First off, I'd like to thank Nina Campagna, a student at the National University of Health Sciences.  She is studying to be a Naturopathic Doctor, and well on her way ~ in my opinion.  Thanks for sharing this useful information with me!!

• Black Tea -  Has been shown to inhibit iron absorption.  I have purchased THE most delicious tea I've ever had from Arbor Teas.  I specifically recommend the organic, decaffeinated cinnamon black tea!! 
• Calcium - Some studies have shown that calcium inhibits iron absorption.  (SEE CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT ABOVE)
• Chromium- Competes with the same receptors as Iron, may lower Iron absorption.

I've also stopped (unfortunately) using my cast Iron pan, as it has been shown to impart large levels of iron into the body.  It's a shame, because that thing makes some tasty food!

In addition, I am attempting to get more of my protein from non-inflammatory sources (lower in Iron, also) from broth (beef, chicken, etc...), gelatin,  NutriHarmony Whey Protein (the only whey protein I would ever recommend or consume), and grass-fed raw dairy products!

So that's the supplements and strategies for lowering my Iron levels and helping my body reach optimal health levels!!  Hope it helped you people with hemochromatosis!! 

SuperHumans are NOT Starving.

No Pain, No Gain!

She is not SuperHuman

Calories In vs. Calories Out

No Carb Diet

Fat-Free Diet

Recognize any of these?  I'm sure you do.  These are all very common phrases and concepts in the "health" and "fitness" industry.  What do they all have in common?

Well...simply put, they're all a bunch of crap. 

Pain is not good.  Exercising until you are fatigued is one thing.  If something HURTS, that is your body telling you to stop doing it.  This is a fantastic way to blow out a knee, sprain an ankle, or throw out a back.  Intense exercise also produces a ton of stress for the body.  If you aren't eating properly, sleeping adequately, etc... (See earlier post on stress), then this type of exercise will be detrimental to your health. 

What is a "calorie"?  Have you ever seen one?  Tasted one?  Is 50 calories of Twinkie the same as 50 calories of Apple?  Organizations like Weight Watchers told us for DECADES that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie.  This is ridiculous.  They have since changed their tune, admitted their fault, and completely re-done the way they advise people to "diet". 

When you starve yourself (calorie restriction, missing meals, etc...), your body produces cortisol (stress hormone), which slows your metabolism, inhibits digestion, causes inflammation, breaks down muscle, negatively effects sleep, and so on and so forth....   Does this sound healthy?  No. 

I don't mean you should stuff yourself, absolutely not.  Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly, eat until you BEGIN to feel full, then stop.  5 minutes later you will be full, your food will digest well, and you will get maximium nutrition from your food.  Don't swallow meals whole, eat while you're driving, or eat until you're going to explode.  If you are eating real food, you will get full from less food.  Your body will tell you when you are full and you should stop eating.  This is a very simple process, not some complicated equation.

Carbs are bad, right?  Some, yes.  Fat is bad, right?  Yes, some.  So to become SuperHuman, would one avoid eating carbs or fats?  No.  But you said....

Again, this is not complicated.  Fruits and vegetables are "carbs".  Most people don't even realize this.  Fruit and vegetables are good.  (Organic, free of poison)  Don't cook them too much, and always make a point to eat some raw fruits and veggies on a daily basis.  Grains, contrary to popular belief, should NOT be the base of a healthy diet.  In fact, many grains (wheat, barley, rye, etc...) contain a protein compound called Gluten.  This stuff is bad for most people, and causes a list of problems longer than this entire post.  So are some carbs bad?  Yes.  But some are essential (fruit & veggies).

What about fat?  If you eat fat, you get fat, right?  No.  But eating saturated fat raises your cholesterol levels, right?  No.  There is no conclusive evidence that shows a connection between saturated fat (animal fat, coconut oil, etc...) and cholesterol levels.  To take that a step further, there is no conclusive evidence that proves elevated cholesterol to be the cause of heart attacks.  What?!  But my doctor said....

Yes, your doctor told you cholesterol and saturated fat will kill you.  Your doctor is only educated in pharmacology, not nutrition.  Drug companies pay MILLIONS of dollars to doctors in gifts, sponsorships, etc...  The "cholesterol danger" is a sham. 

There are "bad" fats, yes.  Hydrogenated oils are poison.  Vegetable oils, corn oils, soybean oil, canola, grapeseed, etc.... I wouldn't recommend eating any of those oils if you would like to become superhuman.

I would recommend a healthy dose of grass-fed, organic, raw butter, coconut oil, ghee (more on that later), and healthy fats from HEALTHY animals.  These fats are ESSENTIAL for optimal health.  A SuperHuman eats super animals.  Only makes sense, right? 

Another post soon....I apologize for the delay.  I was out of town at a conference for 4 days, and then life got in the way.  Slowly but surely, we'll get the whole plan down and get into some more details.

A Good Night's Rest.....Essential for Health.

Hello!!

Happy Monday!!  First off, I must admit...I was at the Bears game yesterday (I'm a season ticket holder), and I ate some food that is NOT part of my SuperHuman program.  I value honesty, so I wasn't going to hide it from those following my blog.  It's not like I ate anything completely terrible, like fast food or highly-processed garbage food, but I strayed from my 100% organic goal. 

Needless to say, I can feel it today.  I feel almost hungover, and I didn't have one sip of alcohol.  Interesting how strong the body's reaction is to improper nutrition once it begins to clean itself out!!

Ok, on to the good stuff for today... I am going to touch on the value of sleep, and proper exercise. 

Sleep

Our bodies operate on a number of natural cycles and rhythms.  The main one pertaining to sleep is the Cirdadian Rhythm, and involves our relationship to the Sun and Moon.  Our bodies are designed to sleep from around 9 or 10pm until around 6am.  The further we stray from that, in either direction, the more it will effect our health.  It took me MONTHS to get back to this rhythm after almost a decade in the restaurant and bar industry.  I know that I felt 5x better immediately upon getting this rhythm back into place.

Our bodies (and brains) also heal and grow stronger while we sleep.  This is essential to increasing strength, becoming more lean, losing weight, increasing our metabolism, finding relief from chronic aches and pains, and preventing chronic illness.  Studies have show that working an overnight shift literally takes years off one's life!!  I will discuss, in later posts, some tips on improving sleep, and many more details about the importance. 

My goal during these 171 days is to be in bed by 10pm, asleep by 10:30, and awake between 6:00 and 6:30am, at least 90% of the time.  Dimming lights, avoiding TV and computer late at night, using candles, certain breathing exercises, and meditation are all ways to increase production of "night time" hormones, which will help you fall asleep.  (And will make for quality sleep)

Proper Movement

Movement is life.  There is no way for a completely sedentary individual to achieve optimal health.  I'm sorry.  I don't make the rules.  We are designed to move.  Now it is how we move that determines our results (both internally and with our outward appearance) in regards to exercise.  Like we spoke about last time, the production of stress hormones is detrimental to our health on a number of levels. Therefore, I do NOT advocate spending hours on the treadmill, doing intense bootcamp style workouts, spin class, or anything else of that manner...unless you are a well-conditioned athlete with proper posture, form, technique.  Also, to benefit from this type of training requires a quality diet, optimal hydration, quality sleep, and low overall stress-levels.  Then someone's body can handle, and adapt to, the added stress.

For most people, they do not fit all these criteria.  Since one of the glaring symptoms/problems presented by this hemochromatosis has been fatigue and general lack of energy, I am not going to jump straight into that type of training.  I am focusing on walking my dog every day (we walk through Fermi Lab, where they smash atoms!), practicing yoga, some corrective exercise, core strengthening, zone exercises (energy cultivation), and light activity such as kayaking, canoeing, etc...  I will work my way up to more intense training, but I do not recommend that anyone participate in running, circuit training, bootcamps, etc... unless they take care of everything else and have built a strong foundation!

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO DIE, STOP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING.  Proper movement should leave you feeling more energy than you had prior to the exercise.  You should not feel like your heart is going to explode, or that you may lose your lunch!!  This is an outdated mentality which does more harm than good!! 

Next Time:  Fad Diets, Calorie Restriction, and Balancing Meals!!

Is There a Tiger Chasing You?

I'd sure hope not.  If there is, I cannot help you. 

If not, your body might be thinking there is!

Our body treats all stress the same.

For example, if you're stressed about work, a personal relationship, money, or anything else...the hormones produced are the same that would be produced if you were to encounter a large angry jungle cat!  This is often referred to as the "fight or flight" response.  It is designed to be an emergency response, not a regular state of being!! 

When we are chronically over-stressed, it causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.  Sound like anyone you know?  Other effects of chronic elevated stress levels are inhibited digestion, poor immune function, ADD, anxiety, weight gain, fatigue, infertility, impotence, insomnia, addiction, depression, dehydration, blood sugar fluctuations/diabetes, and on and on...

Any of these conditions sound familiar?  Probably.  We are currently the least healthy industrialized society, by a wide margin.  Our life expectancy? Around 40th.  Overall health?  Below Cuba, somewhere in the low 30's.  Far below the other industrialized nations of Europe and Asia, Canada, and Australia.

An over-production of stress hormones can also cause an under-production of other, essential, hormones the body needs of optimal function.  Testosterone, DHEA, Progesterone, etc... are all hormones that can be reduced when stress hormones are over-produced.  Everyone probably knows someone who has been diagnosed with some kind of thyroid condition.  Hormone imbalance.

A few things in our everyday lives that cause over-production of stress hormones:

• Poor Nutrition
• Mental, Emotional, and/or Spiritual Stress
• Skipping Meals
• Stimulants & Sugar
• Improper Sleep
• Exposure to Toxins, Chemicals, Drugs, etc...
• Temperature/Environmental Stress
• Inappropriate Exercise  (Bootcamps, Running, Intense Circuit Training, etc...for those who already have high stress levels)
• Dehydration
• Electromagnetic Pollution (Cell phones, Electronics, etc...)

On Tuesday, I discussed feeding the body properly, reducing mental & emotional stress, and making sure that the body is properly hydrated.  Tomorrow we'll discuss the importance of adequate sleep, appropriate exercise for your body, and the mistake of calorie-restriction and skipping meals!

As always, I welcome all questions and comments!!  About to take down some grass-fed beef and lentil soup for a mid-morning snack.

Mmmmm.  Food.

Will you be able to fly!?

Day 23 of 171  -  6lb reduction in body fat ~ Energy at least 50% higher ~ Still no ability to levitate.

So What IS SuperHuman?!


Am I going to learn to fly?  Hopefully, probably not.  The skydiver in me would argue that I already can fly.

Will I achieve ultra strength?  Possibly, probably not.  I will, however, be much stronger than I was when I started.

X-Ray vision?! As interesting as it would be... this is very unlikely.

Simply put, I am going to give my body everything it needs to heal itself of almost anything, and through this I will achieve optimal health and a near SuperHuman physical condition.  I feel the body is capable of healing itself of almost anything if given the proper nutrition, hydration, rest, focus, movement, and so on...  I'm going to share with you some of my general plans, and will expand on them going forward.  As a general rule, I recommend to follow these guidelines 80% of the time.  If you do so, your body will be able to absorb the other 20%.  To become SuperHuman, I am adhering as close to 100% as I can.  If you choose to do so, I promise that you will be very happy with the results.

For the record, these are in no particular order.  Each aspect of becoming SuperHuman is equally important.

1) State of Mind - Often overlooked when one is looking to improve their health, lose weight, battle a chronic condition, or achieve optimal performance.  Negative thoughts and emotions DO cause responses in the body (increased heart rate, production of stress hormones, etc...), which can cause negative physical effects.  Guess what! This means that a clear mind, positive thoughts, and a reduction in stress can cause POSITIVE physical effects!!  Stress is the #1 cause of poor health.  To improve my state of mind, I am focusing on meditation, personal development, and yoga.  Avoiding the news, negative people, and negative/stressful situations have also become part of my daily routine.

2) Feed the Body Properly - Most of what we find in a modern grocery store is not food.  A good friend and colleague of mine refers to this as "phude". (Thanks John Welch)  Chemicals, pesticides, fungicides, additives, preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, steroids, and synthetic flavorings are not food.  These things all have negative effects on a person's health, cause strain on their body (especially the liver, which is effected by hemochromatosis), and will prevent someone from achieving optimal health.  To become SuperHuman, I am avoiding these "phudes" and consuming entirely organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed and free-range organic meats, raw grass-fed organic dairy products, and occasional organic rice, beans, and seeds.  Some so-called "health" foods are actually bad for most people's bodies, and are therefore being avoided.  (soy, processed dairy, and wheat, for example)  In addition, I am not consuming alcohol, caffeine, or any other drug (including over-the-counter and prescription meds) for the duration of this project.

3) Your Body is Made of Water - We are made up of over 70% water.  Not Coke, Pepsi, Gatorade, Vitamin Water, Kool-Aid, or any other acidic, sugar-laden chemical concoction.  There are some who believe that chronic dehydration can cause just about every known chronic health problem!  I personally drink what I feel to be the best water on the planet.  Alkalized, Ionized Kangen water.  It is used in over 200 hospitals in Japan, and is structured to mimic our ancestral glacial water springs, such as the one in Lourdes, France.  In absence of this water, I would recommend a quality artesian or spring water.  Tap water is filled with drugs, chemicals (including very toxic chlorine and fluoride), and other things which your body doesn't like.  Most experts recommend consuming at least half your body weight (lbs) in ounces, daily.  For example, if you weigh 150lbs, that means 75oz. of quality water.  To become SuperHuman, I am drinking my entire body weight in ounces, every day, of the best water available anywhere on the planet.

As to not get long-winded, I will keep it at just 3 topics today.  There will be daily posts this week, covering 3 more SuperHuman topics each day.  Once finished, each will be expanded upon, along with occasional attempts at humor and entertainment!

Feedback is much appreciated! I wish you all a glorious Tuesday....see you tomorrow.

What the Hell is Hemochromatosis?!?

Hello!

Being the first post, I figure you deserve an explanation as to why this blog exists in the first place.  Simply put, I am going to become Superhuman in 171 days ~ and this will be my journal.  After telling some people about my situation, more than a few suggested that I document my journey for their reading enjoyment.  

So, here we go.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Mike.  I'm 31 years old, and live in the western suburbs of Chicago.  I am a holistic health and fitness professional.  You should visit my website.  It's pretty awesome.

Approximately a month ago I found out that my Ferritin (Iron) levels in my blood are about 3x what is considered "normal and safe".  (I've never really had a thing for safety...)

Ferritin. I have too much.

The chiropractor who I am working with (www.fcihealth.com) tells me that I likely have a condition called Hereditary Hemochromatosis.

I know, right?  What the hell is Hemochromatosis?!  I had no idea.  Never heard of it. 

It turns out my body is retaining far too much Iron.  Way too much.  Pretty much enough for 3 people.  Seeing as I am only one person, this could present a problem.  Long-term side effects include liver failure, heart failure, arthritis, and a whole bunch of other really fun things.  Short-term side effects include fatigue, lethargy, muscle pain, joint pain, and headaches.

The only "treatment" for this condition is phlebotomy. (Giving as much blood as you can, as often as you can.)  Great.  I am one of "those people" with a ridiculous mental panic associated with shots, needles, etc...but I have 6 tattoos, figure that one out.

No thank you.  I've decided I don't want this condition, so I'm going to get rid of it.

Apparently it is incurable, I "will not be able to lower" my Iron levels and return my blood counts to normal. 

I beg to differ, and I will show you that I am right.

I went to a hematologist and she tells me I only have 1 of the 3 genes that lead to Hemochromatosis.  This means that it is a weak form of the condition.  Perfect.  Sure, it would be more impressive to conquer the full-blown raging bastard form of the condition...but I am not going to complain.

Me. In 161 more days.

I believe the human body can cure itself of just about anything, if given the proper tools to do so.  To prove this, I am going to heal myself.  I am going to become Superhuman in 171 short days.  This is day 10.

In the next post, I will share with you how I plan on becoming Superhuman, step by step.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you ~ what a ride it shall be.

Mike