What referring health professionals are saying...  

 Nirvana's integrative programs are very different from the traditional western medical approach that most American medical doctors learn in medical school. Every so often we get an opportunity to turn a medical doctor into an advocate for our approach when they get the chance to do a program for themselves. This past July, Nirvana was honored and privileged to have world renown brain surgeon Don Becker, MD., come for a two week intensive anti aging program to test out the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and supporting therapies for this purpose. We invite you to read his personal testimonial of his own experience with our anti aging program.

Patient Testimonials

At Nirvana, we love our patients! New patients come to Nirvana as strangers and they leave as dear friends. Our highest priority is fullfilling our patients needs and wants so to facilitate their healing and rejuvenation process. Nothing makes us happier than seeing them recover their health, their happiness, and their quality of life. Since we opened in April 2010, we have had the opportunity to meet some extraordinary people and we would love to share with you some of their own testimonials about their experiences at Nirvana. Here's what they have to say about our one of kind treatment programs for:

Fibromyalgia & Parkinson's Disease - Cindy Stevens

Rejuvenation & Anti Aging - JS S

Autism Spectrum Disorder - Audrey Griswold

Respitory Illness - Leslie Franklin

Rapid Recovery from Injury - Sara Dominguez

We will be adding to this page often so please check in periodically, or even better call us.  We'd love to introduce you to HBOT so that the next great experience is yours.

Also, we invite you to share your experiences or ask us questions on our FACEBOOK PAGE as well.

Warm regards to all from the entire staff at Nirvana!

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

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2/21/2012

 THAT’S GOOD JO!

Happy President’s Day.  I hope you all enjoyed the weekend, for some of you it was a 3 day weekend.  I just got back from a camping trip.  While the elements tested our will, we were still able to enjoy the time away from home, as we pretended to be homeless (also known as camping).  On a serious note we all had a great time and enjoyed good food hanging around the camp fire.  We each took a night to prepare a dinner.  My dinner menu consisted of jumbo shrimp seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano.  The shrimp was served over sautéed mushrooms, a chili pepper, a jalapeno pepper, white and purple onion, chopped garlic, and red pepper tossed in vinaigrette.  I wrapped all of it in aluminum foil and threw it on the fire.  After dinner we may or may not have had smores.

Is coffee good or bad for you?  This question has been a debate for some time now.  There is research that supports both sides of this argument.  Coffee has a history for being blamed for many ill-effects on the body.  But recent research and literature suggests that maybe it’s not that bad for you.  Please continue reading as you sip on your morning java. 

The health benefits of drinking a cup of the bean sauce:

• Rich in antioxidants – Antioxidants help prevent oxidation.
• Reduced risk of diabetes- Has the potential to protect against developing type 2 diabetes.
• Reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease
• May protect against gallstone formation
• May lower the risk of kidney stone formation – Coffee increases urine volume
• Improved mental performance – Coffee promotes attention, ability to focus, and alertness.
• Reduce asthma symptoms – caffeine can open airways and improve symptoms of asthma
• May protect against Alzheimer’s disease
• May reduce the risk of developing liver cancer
• May lower the risk of colon cancer

Don’t be discouraged but here are the cons of your morning brew:

• Heart disease – This is controversial because it depends on consumption.
• Heartburn – Coffee can trigger this
• Blood pressure – Coffee can increase the risk of sustained hypertension in people with elevated blood pressure.
• Cholesterol – Heavy consumption can raise “bad” cholesterol levels
• Dehydration – A natural diuretic and increases urine output
• It creates  dependence (addictive)
• Can create problems such as sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, and restlessness

Most of these cons are based on heavy consumption.  I would consider heavy consumption to be more than 4 cups per day.

Why does coffee make me feel so good?  Coffee stimulates the release of dopamine.  Dopamine is a neurotransmitter.  Dopamine produces the euphoria and the good mood feelings that people associate with their first cup of coffee.  How does this become addictive?  At first the arousal was all you needed to get through the day.  As you continue drinking coffee each day, your liver compensates by metabolizing the caffeine more efficiently.  Ultimately, you need more and more coffee each day to maintain that same level of arousal.  Go a morning without the morning brew and some may get moody, show aggression, show attitude and be snappy with others.  If this is you, do all of us a favor and make sure you get your hot cup of coffee on your way to work.

Coffee may not be harmful, but if you’re the person who orders the mocha or adds sugar and cream to every cup, remember that you are adding fat and calories to your diet.  If you are forced to decorate your black coffee, maybe you don’t care for coffee that much.  There are other ways to get the benefits of coffee.  If it’s the caffeine you are craving each morning, try a cup of hot tea every once in a while in place of that black coffee that isn’t so black after your additions. 

I’m not a coffee drinker, but I do enjoy a trip to Starbucks or the local coffee shop on the weekends.  Although I think I enjoy the hot chocolate more than the coffee.  I partake because it’s trendy, not because I need it.  Whether it’s the taste, the smell, the arousal, or the energy it gives you, I say enjoy your daily cup of brew and conquer the day.  But like everything in life, enjoy with moderation.

Diet Success Challenge:  This week let’s count your carbs.  Typically I don’t count calories, but sometimes it’s good to count carbs to see how many you consume on any given day.  I challenge you to keep your carbs under 100 grams per day.  If you are already on somewhat of a low carb diet, challenge yourself and drop your intake by 25 grams if feasible.  Remember if you have any health condition or illness always consult your physician before making any changes to your diet.

 Coffee Humor:  I met someone in the elevator who was drinking coffee and complaining about how coffee made him nervous.  I said “Why don’t you quit drinking coffee?”  He said “Because if I didn’t have the shakes, I wouldn’t get any exercise at all.”

“Drink coffee.  Do stupid things faster with more energy.”

“A morning without coffee is like sleep.”

Your “Fitness Advocate”

Thaddeus

Gary Foresman, M.D.

NIRVANA HOSTS ANNOUNCES THE  FIRST FREE SPOTLIGHT EVENT OF 2012:

TREATING CANCER

"A HUMAN APPROACH"

A COMMUNITY HEALTH UPDATE BY GARY FORESMAN, MD

 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012

What: Gary E. Foresman, MD. Fellowship Trained and Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Functional, Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, and Fellow in Integrative Cancer Therapies, presents this educational discussion on dealing with cancer in a proactive, positive manner.  Dr. Foresman will review the science, physiology and psychology of making important decisions on how to approach healing cancer from both a Western and Natural perspective as part of your journey to overall health and healing.

Why: Dr. Foresman will discuss:

• Treating the Person with Cancer
• The Truth About Anti-Oxidants
• When to Use Chemotherapy
• How Natural Approaches Improve Chemotherapy Effectiveness
• How to Support Your Body and Feel Better if You Choose Chemotherapy
• How to Improve Your Overall Wellness and the Process
• A Holistic Approach to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Cancers Like Breast, Prostate, and Colon Cancer

When: Saturday, February 25th, 2012

• 10:00 am - Complimentary refreshments, registration and tours
• 10:30 am -12:00 pm -- Presentation by Dr. Foresman
• 12:00 pm - Q&A with Dr. Foresman

Where: Nirvana Hyperbaric Institute - 2028 Village Lane, #104, Solvang, CA

RSVP: Joli Foster: info@nirvanahbo.com  -  805-693-8100

About Nirvana: Founded in 2010 and rooted in modern modalities combined with ancient healing techniques—Nirvana = A place of complete bliss, delight and peace. Hyperbaric = 100% pure medical grade oxygen delivered under pressure to rejuvenate, heal and optimize body and mind. Institute= An organization devoted to a cause, dedicated to learning and achievement. Nirvana is open daily offering a wide variety of wellness services including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Exercise with Oxygen Therapy, Infrared Saunas, Medical Message, and more. Details: www.NirvanaHBO.com

###

Nirvana Hyperbaric Institute ◊ 2028 Village Lane #104 ◊ Solvang, CA 93463 ◊ 805-693-8100

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

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2/15/2012

 PINK SLIME SANDWICH

Hi everyone, Happy Valentines Day to all of you.  For a nice touch to your dinner celebration this evening add some oyster shooters as an appetizer.  Serve with a ginger sauce, horseradish, or keep it simple with a lemon squeeze.  My wife and I have recently introduced “Oyster Fridays” into our weekly tradition of dinner plans, to go along with our “Champagne Thursdays”, and “Wino Wednesday”.   You can expect on Friday that I will be in the kitchen shucking oysters and preparing not so clever quotes as we indulge in oyster shooters.

You are on the road, and getting hungry.  It is really easy to stop and get a burger and fries at the next exit.  At the time it seems so easy and even tastes good.  If you eat fast food on a regular basis, this might be the turning point that keeps you from taking that turn into the drive thru.  Have you heard of “pink slime”, and would you eat anything that had this in it?  A client mentioned this pink slime to me and I immediately was sickened by it.  A celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver introduced this pink slime on his show that was aired back in April.  It raised several questions about the safety of beef processing methods.

What is this “pink slime”?  Pink slime is a food additive used in 70% of our ground beef.  When a cow is butchered there are pieces that are leftover.  These pieces are fat trimmings or beef scraps and are considered unfit for human consumption.  These fatty trimmings are susceptible to contamination including E.coli and salmonella.  In these factories, the company liquefies the trimmings using a centrifuge to separate the fats from the meat.  This paste (pink slime) is then treated with ammonia to slow spoilage.  It is then frozen and sold as a low cost additive to hamburger.  These trimmings are from the outermost part of the cow.  It was considered inedible due to the amount of dangerous bacteria in it.  This low-value waste product used to be sold primarily as pet food.  A dog’s stomach can handle this reprocessed and repurposed meat in a dog food but the human stomach can not.

Ammonia (a potentially deadly chemical) treated meat can be found in most grocery stores, fast food restaurants, and your kid’s cafeteria.  The USDA allows companies to use this ammonia treated meat for production without any labeling requirements on the packaging.  The FDA allows the pink ammonia slime to be labeled as a “processing agent”. 

I didn’t want to get political with this, but I will go ahead and name drop for you so we know who has partial responsibility.  The fast food giants including McDonald’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell all have used the pink slime in their recipe of burgers that appear on their menus.  These fast food empires say they have or will stop using the pink slime, but at this point who can you trust.  You may also find it at the grocery store.  If it is labeled as hamburger chances are it may have the pink slime additive.  Most school cafeterias as mentioned before probably contain the pink slime in any of their lunches that consist of ground burger.  Who is initially responsible?  Beef Products Inc. (BPI) of South Dakota produces more than 7 million pounds of this pink slime per week.  This is the world’s largest manufacturer of this product.  Its product is mixed into most of the ground beef sold in the U.S. 

Essentially we are eating garbage.  Garbage that has been cleaned up with ammonia.  I am no rocket scientist, but I am fairly certain that ingesting ammonia can’t be good for us.  Ammonia is a corrosive substance and can cause burns of the skin, eyes, mouth, and lungs.  Ammonia is found in cleaning solutions, window cleaners, and floor waxes.  Typically you would keep ammonia with the rest of your toxic chemicals locked up in a locker or at least out of reach of your children, now it can be found in a Happy Meal.   

How do we avoid this poison?  As a consumer we obviously have been tricked.  Shame on the responsible parties for manipulating us.  Shame on us for not educating ourselves.  From now on know where your meat comes from.  When you are at the butcher, ask questions.  If they don’t have answers, it’s time to find a new place to purchase beef.  The best route would be to watch the butcher grind the meat in front of you, and most will.  Buy beef from grass fed cows, which are found at natural and organic stores and markets.  Boycott fast food, even if they stop using the pink slime additive their meat consists of several other additives that have nothing to do with nutrient health.  If you need a fast food fix from time to time your only choice should be In ‘n’ Out.  They use their own livestock and packing methods.  Educate yourself on your kid’s lunch program.  Find out where they get it.  Your best bet is to pack a lunch for them.  This way you control what goes in your kid’s mouth.   

There is a good piece on Youtube that I urge you to watch.  Go to “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” or punch in “pink slime”.

Diet Success Challenge:  Try greek yogurt as your afternoon snack each day this week.  Add some berries and/or flaxseed to your serving.  Try it with some almonds or walnuts.  Diet Tidbit: If you use sour cream with certain meals, replace the sour cream with greek yogurt. 

Your “Fitness Advocate”

Thaddeus

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

Blog Entry

2/8/2012

WHO SAYS YOU DON’T HAVE A BACKBONE, YOU HAVE THE PAIN TO PROVE IT

Hi everyone, how was your Super Bowl weekend.  After a buffet of foods that are probably on the naughty list, it’s time to get back to the routine of healthy eating.  We had a small party and served appetizers throughout the day.  Antelope jalapeno poppers, lentil hummus with a veggie tray, steak bites soaked in red wine, were among the few that we served.  We all enjoyed the game and the commercials as we sipped on Bloody Marys, and red wine. 

Back pain is the most commonly reported pain condition in America.  Low back pain is second only to the common cold as a cause of lost days at work.    Roughly 8 out of 10 people will suffer from back pain at some point during their lives.   If you experience lower back pain obviously you are not alone.  Back pain is not a specific disease; rather it is a symptom of many other processes.  There are many causes of back pain and we won’t dive into that, but we will talk about what we can do to prevent or at least aid in pain relief. 

If you spend your day sitting at a desk, or on an airplane, in a car, or at your computer, chances are you have experienced some sort of lower back pain.  The good news is that you might be able to help yourself.  I encourage you to read on.  Sitting on our butts causes tightening of muscles.  The indirect muscles involved are the hamstrings and hip flexors.  These muscles in the seated position are contracted or shortened.  When you have been in this position for a long time the muscles want to stay in this position.  Any muscles that may tighten and connect to the lumbar are going to pull on the lower back.  If you add this to a weak core and weak lower back you have created a perfect situation for pain and discomfort. 

The best course of action is to visit your doctor and get a diagnosis.  In a lot of cases, your diagnosis may be lower back pain.  After you have had low back pain for the first time, it is likely to come back.  If you do not suffer from many of the spinal disorders, diseases, or disc problems you can apply your own therapy to help with the pain.  There are many Do’s and Don’ts in preventing and alleviating lower back pain.  The best action is to prevent the pain.

• Get mobile – The worst thing you can do for the pain is lie in bed.  Immobilization diminishes circulation and can induce inflammation.
• Exercise daily – Resistance training is important, the stronger your body-the lower the chance of an injury that could cause back pain.  Concentrate on strengthening the core.  These muscles include the abdomen, obliques, hip flexors, and lower back.  You need to perform back exercises to increase strength in that area as well as the stabilizing muscles. 
• Non-impact movement – Don’t add unnecessary stress with high impact exercises or activities.  If you typically run as your form of cardio, jumping on the bike and going for a spin would be a better choice for you.  High impact motion can aggravate the lower back.  The body treats it as trauma and will cause inflammation as a defense mechanism, and swelling can cause pain.
•  Stretch and flex – Stretching is a must.  You need to stretch daily, and put emphasis on trunk flexion, psoahs, hamstrings, and your piriformis.  These are all muscles when tight or inflammed can cause back pain.  Stretching the psoahs and piriformis can add significant relief, if you suffer from sciatica.
• Get the right mattress – You spend about 1/3 of your life sleeping.  One of the best ways to protect your back is with a mattress and sleep positions that support it.  Keep your body in natural alignment.  Try sleeping with a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side.  Do not sleep on your stomach, this position puts the most strain on your joints.
• Practice good posture – Your knees should be at 90 degrees and your spine is neutral with your feet flat on the floor.  If you have a desk job, make it as ergonomic as possible.  Get up and move around every hour to keep from stiffening up.  Use a footrest if possible, this may allow the spine to unload creating less stress and pressure on the lower lumbar.
• Control your weight – Additional pounds can add strain to the back.  The lower part of the spine doesn’t have the support of the rib cage or the hip so extra weight gain in the stomach causes this part of the spine to work harder in support to be upright. 

Diet Success Challenge:  Boycott the grocery store this week.  I challenge you to buy all your fruits and vegetables from your local farmers market.  The goal is to eat everything you purchase.  It looks good sitting on the counter, but doesn’t offer any nutrient advantage unless you eat it.  If you are a first time reader, I encourage you to read the past Diet Success Challenges.   

Fit Challenge:  I challenge you to perform a plank exercise everyday over the next 7 days.  Do 5 sets each day whether it is a part of your workout routine or you are sitting in front of the TV.  Start with 15 second sets and work up to a full minute per set.  This isometric exercise is great for building endurance in both abs, and back, as well as the stabilizer muscles.  This move is great for building strength for pushups.  How to perform this exercise:

1. Lie face down on the floor with forearms and toes resting on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on your elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, and in a straight line with no sagging or bending.
4. Tilt your pelvis and flex your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.
5. Your head is relaxed and you should be looking at the floor.
6. The secret to getting the most out of this exercise is pulling your belly button towards your spine. Imagine making your waistline as tiny as possible.  When drawing in the belly button it allows you to engage the deepest abdominal muscle to support your back.

Blog Teaser:  Next week tune in for the “pink slime”

Thank you

Your “Fitness Advocate

Thaddeus

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

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1/31/2012

BLUEBERRIES TO THE RESCUE

Hi everyone, we are 30 days in to the New Year.  It’s time to evaluate how you are doing with your new fitness lifestyle.  Are you on track with all of your short term goals?  Have you been eating the right foods?  How do you feel?  Are you getting enough workouts per week in?  Have your workouts progressed?  How has your body transformed?  How do you feel?  Ask yourself these questions in evaluation of yourself and let this guide you on the changes or restrictions you need to make. 

I sit and talk diet and food with people on a daily basis, and lately have had requests to see what is in my lunch box.  Today I will share what I have in my lunch box with you.  I have 3 carrots, 4 broccolletes, and a chunk of cauliflower which I will dip in hummus.  I have 2 kiwis, a banana, a pear, and an apple.  I will dip the cut up apple in natural peanut butter (yes it is salted peanut butter, don’t tell my wife).  The banana is my post workout snack.  I also have a protein shake, which I will consider my lunch since I didn’t put together anything for a real meal.  I packed a Luna bar (my dessert) also, I know it’s made for women but they are so good.  I will eat all of these foods throughout the day.  This doesn’t include my breakfast and dinner which I have at home.  My breakfast this morning was oatmeal with honey and blueberries.  Dinner will be????

Blueberries are truly one of the most powerful healing foods that we have access to and they taste great. They are considered a superfood.  What is a superfood?  A whole food that is very rich in nutrients with health promoting properties.  To be considered a superfood, it should have a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.  Blueberries pack a powerful antioxidant punch.  Antioxidants decrease and repair the number of free radicals (damaged cells) in our bodies which help to decrease the damage they cause to our skin, bones, and organs.  Blueberries can be used to minimize exercise-related muscle soreness.  They help ward off muscle fatigue by soaking up the additional free radicals that muscles produce during exercise.  Here are some more of the many benefits of these power packed berries:  They combat against cancer, known to shrink tumors, protects your heart, stabilizes blood sugar, boosts memory, aids in constipation and digestion, relieves aches and pains, slows the progression of arthritis, aids in preventing high blood pressure, preventing infections, guard against urinary tract infections, improves brain function, and reduces cholesterol levels.

Blueberries are a good source of minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients, dietary fiber, and flavonoids.  A ½ cup contains only 40 calories and it’s low in sodium and fat.  Blueberries contain Vitamin C and potassium which improves iron absorption, improves immune function, and aids in collagen formation.  Vitamin E is another important nutrient in blueberries that act as an antioxidant and protects cells from damage.  Blueberries also contain a dietary fiber (pectin) which slows digestion and the absorption of sugar.  These berries have tannins which act as astringents that reduce inflammation in the digestive system.  Most berries contain 3 or more types of anthocyanins (antioxidants), blueberries have 20.  Anthocyanins are what give the berry its blue color. 

When shopping for blueberries select the ones that are firm and dry.  Gently shake the container and observe for movement.  No movement would be a sign of soft, damaged, or moldy berries.  Discard soft or damaged berries to prevent spread of mold.  They should have a whitish bloom.  The chalky bloom is a sign of freshness, not mold.  Do not wash until ready to eat.  The chalky bloom helps prevent spoilage.  They can contain a high amount of chemicals and pesticides, so make sure you buy organic.  Keep in covered container in the fridge.  Blueberries last about two weeks freshly picked, so use them as soon as possible because they perish fast.

Diet Success Challenge:  This week’s challenge is to have 2 servings of blueberries each day for the next 7 days.  The peak season is May through October, so they may be hard to find depending on where you grocery shop.  Throw a ½ cup in a salad or a bowl of oatmeal.  Try them in cottage cheese or eat them by themselves.  Remember to buy them organic and enjoy!

Blog Teaser:  Be sure to check out next week’s blog.  I will have an exercise challenge for you that should test your core strength and muscle endurance.

Thank you

Your “Fitness Advocate”

Thaddeus

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

Blog Entry

1/24/2012

Your Organs Deserve a Vacation

Hi everyone, I want to share a recipe with all of you.  My wife prepared it, so I can’t take credit for it.  I’m not sure what to call it but for namesake let’s call it “modified eggs benedict”.  Two fried eggs served over prosciutto and a bed of cooked spinach and garlic, topped with a homemade hollandaise sauce.  Have it for breakfast or dinner complimented with a glass of orange juice or a Viognier you can’t go wrong.   Enjoy!!

You have probably heard about detox diets and diet cleansing from TV ads, magazines, doctors, or even have a couple of friends that do it from time to time.  Let me shed some light on diet cleansing and what it can do for us.  Let’s give your digestive organs the vacation it deserves by allowing it to cleanse itself and regroup.

What is a cleanse?  A cleanse is a health regimen designed to remove toxins from the body.  Some cleanses or detox diets target the entire body, while others focus on specific organs such as the liver, kidneys, or skin.  In most cases, a cleanse requires a temporary change in diet.  Cleanses can be used to improve health, as a weight loss tool, and to treat underlying medical causes. 

How do we build up harmful toxins?  Your body stores excess toxins and impurities in fat cells.  Your liver is working overtime to process all the toxins whether it may be environmental or metabolic.  The body creates fat cells to store the excess toxins the liver can’t deal with.  Since fat is inactive, your body won’t let go of the fat until the impurities are gone.  These toxins and chemicals are known as mucoidal plaques.  Toxin buildup occurs over time through chemicals and pollutants by exposure to air, water, and food.  Some common environmental toxins are pesticides, herbicides, prescription and over the counter medications, and carbon monoxide.  Food additives are another category that can create toxin buildup that the body can’t naturally detoxify.

Does my body detoxify itself?  Your body is constantly detoxifying and cleansing toxins from your cells.  Most of the toxins are broken down by your liver, and then eliminated from your body via the kidneys, colon, skin, lungs, and mucus linings in your nose and ears.  Once your elimination channels cannot keep up with the toxin buildup, your body will store them in fat tissues.  Eventually it can cause health issues at the cellular level.

Do I need to detox?  Everybody is exposed to toxins on a daily basis, unless you have built a functional bubble that protects you from everything around you and everything you put in your mouth.  If considering a detox diet, it’s important to consult with your physician prior to starting.  People with certain health conditions such as diabetes, anemia, and kidney disease should refrain from starting a cleanse or detox.  A cleanse is unsafe for a pregnant woman as well.  Here are some questions you will need to answer to confirm if a detox is for you.  Do you feel tired, sluggish, or lethargic?  Do you get sick often?  Do you have bloating, gas or indigestion after eating?  Do you have allergies?  Do you have regular bowel movements?  Do you drink at least 3 cups of water per day?  Do you have unpleasant body odors?  Is your diet filled with additives and bad fats?  Do you smoke?  Are you exposed to environmental toxins?  Do you have a hard time losing weight? 

What can I expect from a detox?  A detox diet allows our body to heal itself.  It can stimulate digestive health, clear headaches, remove bloating, increase energy, aid in weight loss, ward off colds and flu, prevent premature aging and disease, lessen cravings, and many more.  Some people can experience some negative side effects along with the benefits depending on the intensity of the detox process.  Some detoxifying side effects may include nausea, fatigue, and headaches.

How to prepare for a full body cleanse?  Before beginning it’s ideal to take a week or two or at least a few days to taper your intake of the following:  Coffee, alcohol, salt, sugar and other sweeteners, all animal foods (including dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, chicken, beef, pork, and all other flesh meats).  These foods put strain on you digestive organs, and avoiding them “cold turkey” can sometimes create withdrawal symptoms that are too powerful for some people to tolerate.  It’s fine to eat grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds right up until the day before you begin your period of detox.  These foods are rich in fiber, and their remains should move through the digestive tract without too much difficulty during cleanse.

Tips to successful cleansing:  Drink plenty of water, eat raw foods (they contain the best digestive enzymes), avoid foods that are hard to digest, eat citric foods, use ginger and garlic, slowly reintroduce foods to diet, no OTC medications during detox, no alcohol during detox, eat foods rich in vitamin C, and consume fiber rich foods.

The best detoxing foods:  Apples, avocados, blueberries, cranberries, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, seaweed, kale, garlic, cabbage, beets, celery and celery seeds, flaxseed, broccoli sprouts, and green tea.

When it comes to cleansing your body of harmful toxins, food really is the best medicine.  We brush our teeth 2-3 times daily, it’s time we gave our organs a good brushing. Give your liver and kidney a vacation and try a detox or a cleanse.  A cleanse can be a 1, 2, or a 3 day detox.  Follow these guidelines and notice how a cleanse and full body detox can change the way you feel.  

Diet Success Challenge:  This week I challenge you to try a 2 day cleanse.  On day 1 you can have fruits and only fruits all day long.  I don’t care how many calories you consume, but all the daily calories need to come from organic fresh fruit.  Make sure you include citrus fruits, especially lemons, grapefruit, and oranges.  Here are some other items to put on the menu for day 1 (pineapple, blueberries, blackberries, apples, avocado, kiwi, strawberries, and figs).  Day 2 consists of organic vegetables.  The day’s caloric consumption must consist of only veggies.  Here is a short list of non-starchy veggies to include on the menu for day 2 (beets, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, carrots, beets, peppers).  Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day.  If you get hungry on either day, you can have unsalted almonds as a snack.  You can have green tea on both days and honey on to taste on day 2 if you need be.  Follow all guidelines mentioned in this blog in preparation for a cleanse including those of you that have a condition that would contradict participating in a cleanse.  Thank you!

Your “Fitness Advocate”

Thaddeus

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

BLOG ENTRY

1/17/2012

 “Feed Your Workout”

Hi everyone, how are you doing on your new fit and lean lifestyle?  If boredom is starting to set in, it’s time to schedule an upcoming event that you can use as a motivator.  My wife and I put a team together to compete in the famous Camp Pendleton Mud Run this summer.  It will be fun and we are looking forward to training for that together.  The 10K run is filled with hills, obstacles, river crossings, walls, and mud pits.  Sounds like an excuse to get out and play in the mud without mom yelling at you to not get your clothes dirty, and yes there will be a mud fight at the conclusion.

You just got done with an hour long workout.  The calorie burn is rewarding and you feel great.  As you walk by a trainer, you over hear him telling his client to go get some food.  You think to yourself “should I be eating something right now?  I just burnt 500 calories; I don’t want to undermine the hard work I just put in.”  Pre and post workout meals are very important.  Your body needs fuel to perform and recover.  Fueling your body before, during, and after exercise will maximize your success.  You want results, so don’t waste your workouts.

Here are some simple “to do’s” on what to eat and when, to benefit from your workouts.  Your body uses food to fuel itself through a workout session.  Timing is everything, as a preworkout rule try to get a meal 2 to 3 hours before you exercise.  This meal should consist of 30-40 grams of a slow digesting carbohydrate like whole wheat bread, oatmeal, or fruit.  You should also include a lean protein such as chicken, fish, or eggs.  A fibrous carbohydrate like veggies is also another great choice.  In general a meal with more carbohydrates then protein and fat is good practice before you workout because carbohydrates put glycogen (muscle sugar) into your muscles.  Your body uses this as energy for your workout.  Do not eat a large meal right before you exercise.  This will leave you with less energy for you workout because it is trying to digest the meal you ate.  This sometimes can actually cause nausea.  Don’t let hunger get in the way of your workout; you can snack on something light and healthy to fuel your workout with in an hour of exercise.  Yogurt or fruits are a nice choice in this situation.  Fruits generally stay no longer than 30 minutes in the digestive tract.  Yes, food choice is important.  If you choose to eat a meal that’s filled with fried fatty foods, your workout will suffer because of it.  The intensity of your workout is another choice you may need to consider when figuring out what to eat.  An intense workout is fueled best with light foods.

During exercise electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium are best replenished in a sports drink.  These electrolytes will allow your body to fight fatigue and perform properly during exercise.  Most sports drinks contain high sugars in different forms such as high fructose corn syrup.  These sugars will spike energy levels but will create a sugar crash.  During your workouts it is best to keep your sugars level.

After a hard workout, it’s important to refuel.  Don’t skip this meal even if you think your calorie burning efforts are wasted.  The body is most receptive to foods within the first 15-30 minutes following a strenuous workout, when blood flow to the muscles is high.  The key is to quickly restore the body of these vital nutrients lost during exercise.  The body is craving nutrients and once replenished it can start the recovery and muscle building process.  One of the best post workout foods are carbohydrates, such as a banana.  The body cannot efficiently replenish muscle glycogen without carbohydrates.   Keep that banana in your bag so it’s readily available.  Bananas are high on the glycemic index which indicates its ability to raise blood glucose.  These types of foods immediately post exercise may enhance the replenishment of muscle glycogen stores.  Your post workout recovery doesn’t end there.  In the fitness industry there is a window of opportunity to feed your starving muscles, this is known as the “golden hour”.  This is the time your muscles are most hungry for nutrients.  The 60-90 minutes post workout meal should consist of a combination of protein and complex carbohydrates.  Avoid having any fats with this meal because this will delay the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates that the body is craving.  Your post meal could consist of the following: cottage cheese, chicken, fish, eggs, peanut butter, whey protein shake, turkey sandwich, oatmeal, and/or beans.  The best time to get protein is following a workout because your muscles need the healing properties that it provides, but don’t make the mistake of overloading on protein.  Too much protein can be bad for you.  High protein levels can cause the kidneys and liver to be overworked.  Our body can only use about 20 grams of protein at a time.  Good practice would be to consume about that much in your recovery meal.

Remember to always rehydrate and this means throughout the day as well as before, during, and after exercise.

Diet restrictions may alter your workout food choices and that’s okay.  Be sure to get your body nutrients in some way to replenish and benefit the most from each and every workout.  Treat it as a reward for a job well done.

Diet Success Challenge:  If you are reading my blog for the first time, it’s important to review the past Diet Success Challenges to catch up.  Each challenge adds a new aspect towards a healthy eating lifestyle.  This week let’s concentrate on portion size.  Let’s use our open palm as a measure to decide if the serving can qualify as a small portion.  It should be the size and thickness of your palm.  For men, closer to 2 palms will be your measurement.  Let this be a reminder on what a typical portion size should look like.  If you go to a restaurant these days, they serve the meal on giant plates that could be considered platters.  The portion sizing is out of control.  A little trick that my wife and I will do when we know that the portion size is huge is order one dinner and an extra salad and then share it.  We save a little bit of money, and sharing a plate can be fun and romantic.

Thank you

Your “Fitness Advocate”

Thaddeus

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

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1/12/2012

 “READ THE LABEL”

Hi everyone, I hope your first full week of the New Year has been a successful one.  Were you able to spring clean your diet starting with the pantry?  We cleaned the shelves in preparation for our new diet as well.  I always thought we ate clean and we do, but these new rules we have taken on are very challenging.  I asked for a strawberry on day 2, and my wife replies with “not until the next stage”.  I’m thinking to myself “all I want is a strawberry from our local Farmer’s Market” and as of right now it is a restriction.  I will just have this glass of water, thanks I’m stuffed.  With the future success of this diet I will share the rules and restrictions with all of you.

You find yourself staring at the shelves of cereals that seem to go on forever at the grocery store, skimming every box looking for the best option.  You are trying to make a healthy food choice for your family.  Every box says something enticing on the front that catches your attention.  You disregard the sugar packed boxes and reach for the 100% natural, and 100% granola.  This must be healthy, right? 

Food labels contain a lot of information about the healthfulness of the product, if you know how to interpret them and know what to look for.  Product packaging and food label’s main purpose is to sell the product. I will show you how to read food labels, so you will not be tricked again when trying to make a healthy choice at the grocery store.  Food packages generally have 2 types of information on the label, the nutrition facts and the list of ingredients.  This week’s diet success challenge will deal with the nutrition facts, so I want to focus on how to interpret the ingredients list and the tricky advertising on product labels.  The ingredient list is the most important information on the package.  Words like “all natural, low fat and sugar free” are used to entice customers to purchase their product.  You will need to read and understand the ingredients to decide if these claims are in fact true.  Is it strange that the ingredient list is in such small print that you sometimes need a magnifying glass to read it?  Sometimes the list is hidden under the flap of the wrapper.  This sometimes is a way of the manufacturer hiding the harmful ingredients from you.  There are more than 3000 different chemicals that are purposefully added to our food every day.  I couldn’t possibly list every one of them but having a general sense of knowing what goes in your food before it goes in your mouth is a good start. 

Let’s start with some additives and preservatives that are popular and why they are used.  A lot of additives are used to help or improve the nutritional value such as calcium and folic acid.  Chemical preservatives help or maintain the safety and freshness, such as BHA, sodium benzoate, and ascorbic acid.  Most chemical preservatives need to include a function, which you will find in parentheses.  An example would be sodium benzoate (preservative to inhibit mold).  Most additives are to improve or maintain taste, texture, or appearance, such as sweeteners, fat replacers, thickeners, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. 

Here is a list of some of the worst food additives.  This list could go on for several pages so I will list just a few of the most popularly used.  The additives I will list have all shown to affect the body in a negative way, whether it may be headaches, nausea, hyperactivity in children, depression, heart disease, birth defects, and liver and kidney damage.  Check food labels to make sure that what you buy does not contain these ingredients: MSG, Aspartame, Benzoate preservatives – BHA & BHT, Hydrogenated & partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, Free glutamates, Artificial sweeteners-colors-flavorings, Sodium nitrates & nitrites, Sulfites, High fructose corn syrup, Refined sugars, Saccharin, and BVO.

If the ingredient list is long, there are probably a lot of chemical additives in the product.  That’s not to say that if the ingredient list is small that it doesn’t contain additives, so read carefully.  The largest quantity of the ingredients is listed first, and the smallest quantity is listed last.  A general rule of thumb is to make sure the first 3 ingredients are all natural products, and avoid those that contain ingredients you don’t recognize.

Don’t be misled by labeling tricks and gimmicks.  Remember the advertising gimmicks on the front of the label are to get you to purchase their product.  Watch out for statements like these on packages: NATURAL FRUIT FLAVORS, ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS, NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES, 100% NATURAL, REAL FRUIT, NO PRESERVATIVES, NO ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS.  No artificial preservatives do not mean there are no harmful additives in the product.  The term “light” or “lite” on a package doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is low fat.  It may refer to the texture or taste of the product.  “Baked not fried” sounds healthier, but it may still have just as much fat.  85% percent fat free is the same as 15% fat, which is a lot.  “No sugar added” still contains natural sugars.  Some products have registered trademarks on their labels.  A trademark is not a nutritional claim, even though that’s exactly what they want the consumer to believe.  If a label says something like “All Natural” but has a registered trademark symbol, remember that it is for the brand not the nutrition of the product. 

So the next time you are at the grocery store looking for that box of cereal that gives you the healthiest boost, you had better find the ingredient list and find out what is really in that box of cereal.

Diet Success Challenge:  Read all nutrition labels.  The challenge this week is to find and purchase foods that follow these guidelines to keep on your menu. 

• Total Fat 3g or less
• No trans fats or saturated fats
• Cholesterol 0mg
• Sodium 0mg
• Total Carbs 15g or less
• Sugars less than half total Carbs
• Fiber 5g
• Protein 7g
• Calories per serving 55g or less

 Thank you,

Your Fitness Advocate

Thaddeus

Thaddeus Jeckell - Your Fitness Advocate

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1/4/2012

 “Purge the Pantry”

Happy New Year, 2011 is in the books.  Let’s welcome 2012, “To fitness and fortune, may this be your best year yet.”  “Here’s to you!”

Congratulations, you’ve decided to commit to a healthier lifestyle.  Most of us made new resolutions to be more fit and healthy.  To be successful we need to restock our inventory in the kitchen.  Let’s purge our pantry and refrigerator of the evil unhealthy foods, ingredients, and mixes that tempt us every time we search for something to satisfy our craving palate.  Consider this the spring cleaning of our diet.

Let’s cleanse the cupboards and eliminate or discard all processed foods, trans fat, saturated fat, sugar-laden, and high sodium foods.  We can start with the most obvious, “junk food”.  Most junk food is loaded with sugar or salt and unhealthy fats.  Discard the bag of Cheetos and snack mixes.  You don’t need the chocolate chip cookies hiding on the top shelf.  Eliminate all candy and chocolate bars also.  If you think it’s not good for you, it’s probably not.  Consolidate all open boxes of pasta (mac & cheese) and any cereal that’s not 100% whole grain.  Dispose of the bread and bagels that doesn’t list 100% whole grain also.  Remove all of the baked processed sweets, that’s waiting for you to give in.

Now let’s declutter the fridge.  It’s easy to start with the door.  Check for expiration dates and banish those first.  Remove all of the salad dressings and high calorie dips and spreads.  This includes your low fat ranch dressing and the mayonnaise.  Sorry, but its true mayo is not good for you.  Any condiments that include high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and MSG can be thrown away also.  To the refrigerator shelves we go.  Get rid of any sugary drinks including sodas and sugar laden fruit juices.  Dispose of most cheeses, butter, and high fat dairy products.  Since your spring cleaning the fridge, get rid of any veggies that don’t look fresh any longer.  Next we cleanse the freezer of any culprits that are looking to sabotage our diet.  The ice cream has to go along with any other frozen goodies that we use to curb our late night cravings.  The sausage links, bacon and frozen pizzas should be outlawed also.  Most of the frozen microwavable foods can be tossed as well.  The sodium content in these easily prepared dinners is out of control.

The next step to purging our kitchen requires us to read nutrition and ingredient labels.  I will simplify it for you.  If the label consists of trans fats, high sugars, and high sodium, get rid of it.  If you have never heard of or can’t pronounce the first 3 ingredients on the ingredient list, get rid of it.  Look for these ingredients and remove if listed; high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, MSG, any chemicals, preservatives, additives, fillers, or colors.

Now that our pantry and refrigerator are bare it’s time to stock the kitchen with healthy and natural foods.  You will want to make a list and do not stray from it.  Think about alternative choices that are naturally healthy and nutrient dense.   You need to be able to replace the foods you threw out with healthy foods that can still fix your certain cravings.  Fix your salt cravings with turkey jerky, or unsalted mixed nuts.  If you usually reach for a bag of chips, replace it with air-popped popcorn.  Hummus and guacamole are 2 great dipping sauces for fresh veggies.  To remedy you sweet tooth turn to greek yogurt and fresh fruits as your new choice.  Dark chocolate is another option with moderation.  Stock your pantry with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and seasonings.  Buy low fat dairy products.  Choose a nice brie as a cheese option. 

Hit your local Farmers Market to stock you kitchen with fresh veggies and fruits.  Keeping fresh produce in the kitchen will make you want to cook and eat healthy.  Stock the refrigerator and freezer with lean protein sources such as fish, eggs, lean meats, legumes, and low fat dairy products.  Make sure your fridge has plenty of water and fresh juices as well.  When you are at the grocery store you will want to visit the cereal isle.  Find a 100% whole grain cereal, such as oatmeal.  Continue to stock the shelves of your pantry with brown rice and whole wheat pasta.

This is only the tip of the iceberg on how to spring clean the diet.  Make a habit of reading nutrition and ingredient labels.  This should be your basis on whether it goes in the grocery cart or not.  My list of foods in this blog is small, but don’t get discouraged there is a lot of healthy and natural foods out there.  Once this becomes a habit and an eating lifestyle, you will find all sorts of options with healthy eating.

After restocking the kitchen, it is now time to “grade your pantry”.  The fresh fruits and veggies should dominate the shelves and countertops.  How “natural” is your pantry and refrigerator?  Is the food in your kitchen healthy for you?  If you are on a budget, finish the foods you have and then hit the markets.  Don’t just throw them away.  Donate to a shelter or a friend.  I do recommend taking the junk food out of the house immediately though.  You’re about to make some difficult choices, but remember that unhealthy foods are only roadblocks in your path to diet success.

Blog Teaser:  Next week I will teach you how to read and understand nutrition labels and ingredient lists.

Diet Success Challenge:  Purge your pantry and spring clean your diet.

Thank you

Your “Fitness Advocate”

Thaddeus