Monday, 30 August 2010
Written by: Krista Reader
The fields of health, nutrition, and fitness are full of half-truths and misunderstood bits of information. Sometimes this is due to the conflicting recommendations made by various health and exercise gurus, and other times the unfiltered nature of the internet can be responsible. Regardless, health conscious folks are often left confused. So let’s take a scientific approach to expose the top 5 of the most common misconceptions about fitness.
MYTH #1 – Weight training workouts make women bulky.
This myth has kept women out of weight rooms for years. The truth is that there are two critical ingredients for serious muscle growth. It comes down to diet and hormone levels. Herculean results from weight training exercises only happen when there is a surplus of calories and high testosterone levels. So if you’re a women and don’t make a habit of ingesting enough protein to satiate a professional football player, then stop worrying about getting “bulky” from weight training. The majority of women simply don’t have the physiology to make it possible (there are pharmaceutically-enhanced exceptions).
MYTH #2 – Running is the best way to get in shape.
You might be hearing theme from Chariots of Fire right now, but the fact is that there is no one best way to exercise. The effectiveness of any exercise program depends on individual fitness levels, interest, time availability, and access to gyms, parks, or fitness equipment. Besides, “getting” into shape is just the beginning. True health and fitness is achieved when we find activities that easily fit into our lifestyles, and in a way that we can “stay” in shape for the rest of our lives. When you focus on exercise that you enjoy, it will be easy to be maintain for the long haul.
MYTH #3 – Exercising allows you to eat whatever you want.
The dirty secret in the fitness industry is that DIET is actually more important than exercise when you’re looking to shed pounds and optimize your health. Some experts estimate that what you eat will determine up to 80% of your results. That leaves a measly 20% for exercise. The exact breakdown is almost impossible to pinpoint, but the take home message is that there is no amount of exercise can offset a dietary intake packed with caloric-dense and nutritionally-deficient “food”. Consider that it would take 5-6 hours of a spinning class to burn off the calories consumed in a typical meal at your local Mexican restaurant. And that’s just to come out even, no weight gain and no weight lost. A week’s worth of exercise for 1 meal hardly seems fair, but that’s the reality.
MYTH #4 – Doing sit-ups and crunches will get rid of unwanted belly fat.
If it weren’t for the late night infomercials with magical pieces of equipment that will “slim and tone your midsection”, then exercise professionals wouldn’t have nearly as many inside jokes. And that’s just about all those pieces of plastic and aluminum are good for – jokes between trainers that know better. Deep down, we all realize that the promise of a six-pack of our dreams for just 8 minutes of squeezing and crunching is too good to be true. The truth is that the muscle tone (how well you can see the muscles) of your midsection is completely dependent on overall body fat percentage. And unfortunately, it’s not possible to pick and choose where your body will burn fat. So you can do sit-ups until your blue in the face, all you’ll get in return is a sore low back and a tender tailbone. If you’re serious about trimming your stomach, it mostly depend on ……wait for it…………diet. Shocking, huh?
MYTH #5 – Not sticking to an exercise program is a lack of self-discipline
Depending on the research study cited, somewhere between 50-80% of people who start an exercise program won’t stick it out. Exercise adherence has been quite a popular research topic over the last few decades, with a heap of great insight coming from the findings. As you might guess, the reasons that some people stay with an exercise program for the long haul while others don’t, has multiple interdependent factors. However, amongst the reasons that programs aren’t completed is NOT a lack of self-discipline or will power. Instead, the element of “Oh well, I’m just not disciplined enough” is a self-imposed label. Blaming a character defect is easy and something we’re all good at, especially when uncovering the real reasons requires more work. The truth is that even the most disciplined of us will run out of pure will power at some point. There has to be something else fueling the desire to be healthy and fit. If you’re having a tough time sticking with an exercise program, instead of blaming yourself, pick an activity you like, do it with some friends, and then establish a weekly routine that fits into your schedule.
Victor Hall, Director Healthfit 4 Life
Friday, 27 August 2010
Written by: Dr. Kenneth Cheng
We decided over 7 years ago to become private, concierge doctors because we were tired of having to see 30-40 patients a day and having no time to help our clients be proactive about their health. As concierge doctors, we now have the time to not only get to know each and every one of our clients, but we also get to be more than just a doctor, we can be their health coach. Why is this important?
Think about all of the different services we pay for, gym memberships, private schools, tax advisors, estate planning, golf lessons, the list goes on and on. But what do we do to invest in our health? What are you doing to stay healthy? Is there more you could do to prevent long term illness? What if you become sick or injured, what will you do?
These questions are tough, but we can help you. Our doctors are not just there for you when you get sick. Because we have such a limited practice (only 350 patients each) we have the time to get to know you and to serve as your own dedicated health coach.
As your coach, we can help you to look and feel the way you have always wanted. Are you tired all the time? Do you want to shed a few pounds? Maybe run a 5k?
As our client, we will do a very comprehensive, yearly physical that includes a full body composition assessment in addition to your current fitness and nutrition levels. From there, we will work with you to create a plan to be healthier and be there for you along the way.
Feeling good about ourselves helps improve our self esteem and ultimately can help us to lead a longer, happier life. We only have one life, so making the most of it is very important. We are here to help you achieve the health goals you have always dreamed of.
To learn more, please click here.
Friday, 27 August 2010
Written by: Dr. Marcia Whalen
On our journey to constantly help our clients learn to eat healthy, we know that the best way to create change is to make sure it is easy. By just adding a few more healthy foods to your regular diet you can realize significant health benefits. Check out our list of the top ten foods you should add to your daily diet and why they are so great!
From EatingWell.com
1. Berries: All berries are great sources of fiber—a nutrient that most Americans don’t get enough of and one that is important for a healthy digestive system. Fiber may help to promote weight loss. Raspberries boast the most at 8 grams per cup—and also contain ellagic acid, a compound with anti-cancer properties. The same amount of blueberries has half the fiber (4 grams), but is packed with anthocyanins, antioxidants that may help keep memory sharp as you age. A cup of strawberries contains 3 grams of fiber, but more than a full day’s recommended dose of skin-firming vitamin C.
2. Eggs: A source of high-quality protein, eggs might give your meal more staying power too. A recent study found that when people ate a scrambled-egg-and-toast breakfast, they felt more satisfied—and ate less at lunch—than when they ate a bagel (that supplied the same number of calories) another day. Even if you’re watching your cholesterol, a daily egg can likely fit into your eating plans. Egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin—two antioxidants that help keep eyes healthy. In fact, mounting research links lutein and zeaxanthin with reduced risk for age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over 50. And lutein also may help to shield your skin from UV damage.
3. Beans: Beans are a good plant-based source of iron (up to 13 mg per 3/4 cup), a mineral that transports oxygen from your lungs to the cells in your body. Because your body can’t absorb the form of iron in plant-based foods as well as it can the form found in beef and poultry, pair beans with a vitamin C-rich food, such as sweet potatoes or lemon juice, to boost your iron absorption. Beans also boast fiber: 1/2 cup of cooked navy beans packs a whopping 7 grams of fiber, while the same amount of lentils and kidney beans provide 8 and 6 grams, respectively. Much of this fiber is the soluble kind that benefits blood cholesterol levels.
4. Nuts: Nuts are rich sources of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Studies of Seventh-Day Adventists (a religious denomination that emphasizes healthy living and a vegetarian diet) show that those who eat nuts add, on average, an extra two and a half years to their lives. Walnuts may be the spotlight-stealers, though, with their high level of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that’s been linked to heart health and improved mood. Walnuts’ high mono- and polyunsaturated-fat content also helps reduce total and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels while maintaining healthy levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.
5. Oranges: An excellent source of vitamin C, just one large orange (or a cup of OJ) contains a full day’s dose. Vitamin C is critical for producing white blood cells and antibodies that fight off infections; it’s also a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from free-radical damage and plays a key role in producing skin-firming collagen. Oranges are also high in fiber and folate.
6. Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are so brilliantly orange thanks to their alpha and beta carotene. The body converts these compounds into the active form of vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes, bones and immune system healthy. These phytochemicals also operate as antioxidants, sweeping up disease-promoting free radicals. One medium sweet potato—or about 1/2 cup—provides nearly four times the recommended daily value of vitamin A, plus some vitamin C and B6, potassium, manganese and lutein and zeaxanthin, prompting the Center for Science in the Public Interest to call it one of the most nutritious vegetables in the land.
7. Broccoli: This green powerhouse packs vitamins C, A and K (which helps with bone health) and A, as well as folate. There is another reason broccoli frequently earns a top spot on “superfoods” lists: it delivers a healthy dose of sulforaphane, a type of isothiocyanate that is thought to thwart cancer by helping to stimulate the body’s detoxifying enzymes.
8. Tea: Studies show if you drink tea regularly, you may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s, diabetes and some cancers, plus have healthier teeth and gums and stronger bones. How? Tea is rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids. Regardless of the variety of tea you choose, maximize the power of its flavonoids by drinking it freshly brewed. If you want to keep a batch of cold tea in your refrigerator, add a little lemon juice—the citric acid and vitamin C in that squeeze of lemon, lime or orange help preserve the flavonoids.
9. Spinach: Spinach is teeming with important nutrients: vitamins A, C and K—as well as some fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamin E. Spinach is an easy, delicious and good source of folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps produce DNA and form healthy new cells, making it especially important for mothers-to-be. A cup boasts 15 percent of the recommended daily intake.
10. Yogurt: In the 1970s, Soviet Georgia was rumored to have more centenarians per capita than any other country. Reports at the time claimed that the secret of their long lives was yogurt, a food ubiquitous in their diets. While the age-defying powers of yogurt never have been proven directly, yogurt contains “good bacteria” that help maintain gut health and diminish the incidence of age-related intestinal illness. It’s also rich in calcium, which helps stave off osteoporosis. Just 1 cup of yogurt provides nearly half the recommended daily value of calcium and is rich in phosphorus, potassium, zinc, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and protein.
Eating healthy is critical to long term wellness. Enjoying a mix of these types of foods in addition to keeping portions small and low in fat, can help you to achieve your long term weight goals and live an energetic, happy life!
Dr. Marcia Whalen
Sunday, 15 August 2010
Written by: Dr. Jeffrey Barke
We tend to believe that Orange County is more health conscience than many other parts of the world (or the country, for that matter).
In our casual (non-doctor-mode) asking around, we have found that most health-conscience people know that “Omega-3’s are good for you” – but, from what our informal research shows, that’s about where the knowledge for most stops.
The key metric for knowing your Omega-3 level is called The Omega-3 Index. Knowing your Omega-3 Index helps us to understand the potential silent inflammation that you might have. Inflammation that can eventually lead to illness and long term disease. We encourage our clients to get tested for their Omega-3 level so we can then work with them to improve it and support long term health.
Earlier this year, we began offering a proprietary test called The HS-Omega-3 Index from OmegaQuant . We are one of the first Orange County concierge medical practices to offer this test. The test, is generally not covered by insurance, but only costs about $100.00 for our existing clients (less than the home-test, and more accurate). Check out our own Dr. Jeffrey Barke talking about this industry leading test.
Come see us today if you would like to learn more about your Omega-3 Index and our industry leading, private medical services.
