by admin | Jan 7, 2022 | Diet
Fats- There are so many myths regarding this macronutrient that it can also outnumber carbohydrate misconceptions.
Let’s get started by addressing the most frequently asked question…
Does Fat Make You… Fat?
The logical answer to this question is simple: you will not gain weight if you do not consume large quantities of calories and fats on a regular basis.
That is to say if you eat more calories than you burn, and the calories you burn come from fats, fats will make you fat.
But it’s important to remember that being overweight is caused by an excess of calories, not by a lack of exercise.
Following this line of reasoning, we may conclude that it makes no difference which macronutrient causes the surplus: if you eat too much protein, carbs, or fat, you will gain weight.
Remember the energy balance rule: you can gain weight if you eat more calories than your body needs to maintain its weight.
Conversely, if you eat fewer calories than it needs, you will lose weight.
The 4 Types Of Fat
Now, not all fats were made the same, meaning that consuming certain types of fat can be bad for the body.
When it comes to fats from food, there are a couple of types we differentiate.
Those are namely: Trans fats, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats.
Let’s go over each one separately!
Fats are inherently unstable compounds, and when exposed to a variety of environmental factors (light, moisture, heat), they spoil and lose their properties quickly.
Of course, industries that use a lot of fat during production have devised a method to address this issue.
That method for refining fats is also known as “hydrogenation.” Hydrogen atoms are applied to the molecular structure of liquid fats using this method until they enter a solid or semi-solid state. Foods made with hydrogenated fats have a longer shelf life as a result of this process.
Nonetheless! Trans fats are fatty acids with a chemically modified structure found in hydrogenated fats. When it comes to food, trans fats are one of the most harmful substances you can eat. Trans fat consumption raises the risk of heart disease, miscarriage, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers significantly.
Trans fats are, without a doubt, one of the worst nutrients we have in modern-day food products. However, given the abundance of such foods nowadays, it really is hard to get trans-fat consumption down to 0.
Nevertheless, all you have to do is avoid these foods: Margarine, some cookies, waffles, croissants, donuts, cakes, and other dough items, as well as most fast foods (wings, fries, and chips)
If you see any of these, you may be certain that the product contains trans fats.
Margarine, some cookies, waffles, croissants, donuts, cakes, and other dough items, as well as most fast foods (wings, fries, and chips) contain trans fats.
At room temperature, saturated fats are typically solid or semi-solid. Long, medium and short-chained triglycerides are the three forms of saturated fats that can be distinguished. Animal products, such as dairy products and beef, pork, and veal meat, include the first type (long-chained triglycerides). Saturated fats are contained in smaller amounts in other foods, such as chicken.
Palm, cocoa, and coconut oil all contain medium-chained triglycerides.
Now, for the longest time, saturated fats have been thought to be bad because they are thought to raise cholesterol levels. However, a major study involving nearly half a million people was published in 2010 in the American Journal of clinical nutrition. According to the findings, there is insufficient evidence to support the argument that saturated fats are the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and strokes.
And though that is true, your best bet is to not go overboard with any type of fat, including this one. We recommend that you consume no more than 5-10% of your daily calories from saturated fats.
Avocados, nuts, and certain plant oils, such as olive oil, are rich in monounsaturated fats.
Since this form of fat is one of the cleanest and least processed, it is a good idea to put it at the core of your fat intake. Some studies suggest that monounsaturated fats can be useful for the cardiovascular system, improving its function and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Monounsaturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the healthy fats, along with polyunsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, but start to harden when chilled. Medlineplus.gov
Last but not least, we have polyunsaturated fats, that are just as essential as monounsaturated fats.
In reality, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are the only ESSENTIAL types of fats, and you’ve probably heard of them.
Essential means that the body cannot produce them on its own and that we must obtain them by diet or supplementation.
This is not true of the other three categories of fats, including monounsaturated fats. Now, though omega-6 fatty acids are essential, they are found in abundance in our modern-day nutrition. Plant oils, such as sunflower oil, corn oil, soy, and hemp oil, as well as nuts and seeds, contain a significant amount of short-chained omega-6 fatty acids. Oppositely, we have arachidonic acid (AA), which is a long-chained form of omega-6 fatty acids.
This is involved in the structure of cell membranes and is used by the body to fight infection and regulate inflammation. AA can be found in livers, eggs, yolks and seafood products. Now, unlike omega-6 fatty acids, omega-3 cannot be found all that much in our modern-day nutrition and is actually in a deficit for most people. The bad thing about this deficit is that omega-3 fatty acids are actually a preventative nutrient.
We can call them that because these fatty acids regulate inflammation and immune processes, along with many other processes in the body.
Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in some animal products, such as fatty fish and crustaceans, but also in linseed oil, chia and hemp seeds and nuts.
Take-Home Message
Dietary fat is one of the most essential nutrients for the body next to protein and as such, it needs to be carefully selected.
The selection of fat-containing products is important, mainly because many foods contain highly-processed fats, which may not be the best for the body.
For this reason, the first step is to learn how to differentiate between the 4 different types of fat.
In the second part of this article series, we are going to give you more insight on the functions of dietary fat, as well as the best sources for you to derive these fats from!
See you in part 2.
by admin | Jan 7, 2022 | Diet
The Western Diet
The more time passed by and the more we transitioned from a life in nature, to the life in big cities, the more human nutrition changed.
Needless to say, when you make changes to what you do multiple times per day (eating), there are physiological changes that occur.
The “western diet” is one of the things that made the biggest impact on human health.
Characteristics Of The Western Diet
The western diet is characterized by the high intake of red meats, pre-packaged food, fizzy drinks, butter, candy, sweets, fried foods and even high-fructose corn syrup.
As you can guess, most of these foods (besides meats), are products that focus on satisfying your desire for taste, rather than keep you satiated.
Needless to say, the majority of foods on the list of the western diet, are poor in nutrients, thus being suboptimal for your health.
The structure, balance and composition of some of the most essential nutrients for the body have been fundamentally altered, as more foods and food-processing methods were implemented during the neolithic and industrial periods.
The Dangers
Researchers found that consuming a typical western diet for just one week, can impair brain function and lead to overeating and binging.
And guess what, those effects were observed in otherwise healthy people that have no bad habits whatsoever and a tight, healthy body composition overall!
Again, in just 7 days the high processed fat & sugar western diet, had substantial impact on memory.
Furthermore, the volunteers, all of which were in their 20s, reported that they started preferring the junk food-based diet, over whole foods.
The conclusion of the scientists involved in this study, was that the western diet makes it harder for people to regulate their appetite.
This is perhaps because of the diet’s effect on the hippocampus – The part of your brain that regulates memory and is involved in the utilization of hunger signals.
Richard Stevenson, a psychology professor from Sidney, states the following:
“After just a short period of eating a western-based diet, the ‘tastier’ junk foods become the preferred option, even after you already had a meal. This makes it harder to resist those foods, making you eat more and inevitably creating a vicious cycle of overeating and excessive calorie consumption.”
How To Regulate Your Appetite
Throughout human existence, our bodies have seen long periods of scarcity.
This made the body create certain mechanisms, which allow us to slow down the metabolism and survive with less food.
These are the so-called “metabolic adaptations”, which the body knows very well how to utilize, because it knows that the lack of food is possible.
However, the opposite isn’t valid – Throughout human history, we’ve never had such an abundance of foods as we do now.
It has only been a couple of decades since we’ve had easy access to any food and many, newly introduced, processed foods.
Because it has only been a couple of decades, the body has not yet had the chance to adapt to this and create weight-gain regulation mechanisms, like it did with the weight loss regulation mechanisms (metabolic adaptations).
THIS is why, many people gain excess weight and this is also the exact reason why the majority of people in the USA are obese.
However, there are two things you can do to mitigate the effects on appetite that are manifested with the typical, processed food, western diet.
Both of these things are linked to making nutritional choices, so let’s see what you can actually do!
#1 Eat MEAT & Organs!
Though nowadays food is a type of recreation and something to enjoy, for most of human existence, food meant survival.
As we did not have such an abundance of products at easy access, we were naturally looking for the most satiating foods that can make us full for the longest period of time.
And guess which those foods are… That’s right, animal foods!
Generally, if you want to minimize the chance of overeating and binging on crap food, you are best off focusing on nutrient-dense foods.
With protein & fat being the two most satiating nutrients, we can easily conclude that meats, organs and other animal products are the most satiating foods one can eat.
The reason why you overeat processed, junk food, is because you did not give the body enough quality food, for it to feel satiated!
Try placing animal products at the core of your nutrition and see if you’re still going to have the same desire for junk foods.
In doing so however, you will need to pick quality meats – Resort to grass-fed animals, which are well-grown.
To find such products, you would need to reach out to small and medium-scale farming businesses, which do not mass-produce meat.
#2 Eat Fruits & Veggies
Though fruits & veggies don’t provide a lot of protein and fats, they contain fiber and are usually high in volume (take up a lot of space in the stomach).
Including good amounts of fruits and veggies in your nutrition will make you feel fuller, for longer.
On top of that, replacing processed sugar foods with fruit is one of the best choices.
The more you do this, the sweeter the taste of fruits will become and at one point, you’d prefer a mango or a pineapple, rather than nutella or chocolate.
Last but not least, you can also make use of potatoes!
Though they do not contain substantial amounts of proteins and fats, potatoes are the food that has the highest satiety index.
Have a steak with potato mash and some veggies and see how that affects your satiety!
Granted, you won’t even think about binging on junk food.
Conclusion
The typical western diet contains a lot of processed foods, sugars, processed fats, fizzy drinks, deep fried foods, etc.
All of these foods are poor in nutrients, unable to provide the essential nutrients your body needs and thus, having a poor effect on satiety.
The bad thing is that the brain gets hooked on those foods, making them a priority choice because of their addictive taste.
What you can do however, is focus on nutrient-dense, satiating foods and placing them at the core of your nutrition plan.
This doesn’t really mean you should totally exclude your favorite junk foods, it only means you should have the balance in favor of nutrient-dense foods that will make you feel satiated.
Eat foods that keep you satiated and your body will thank you!
by admin | Jan 7, 2022 | Mind, Yoga
The Cortisol Problem | low cortisol symptoms | Part 2 – Dealing With Stress
When it comes to coping with stress from everyday life, there are several options.
For example, some people adore de-stressing by utilizing the amazing benefits of physical exercise.
Others share their concerns/stress factors with a close friend or family member and gain a sense of moral support, which reduces stress levels.
There’s also a third group of people who, no matter what they do, can’t seem to get rid of their chronic stress.
Now, different things work for different people, so in this second article of the series, we’ll shed some light on the most viable stress-relieving methods.
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
#1 Physical Exercise
Engaging in physical activity is one of the best ways to deal with stress for a number of reasons.
Doing exercise will stimulate the body to secrete and release a flurry of nurturing substances and compounds, which will inevitably make you feel better.
Furthermore, due to the fact that there is a recovery period after your training bout, it is much easier for the body to get out of the stress response mode and kick into recovery mode – It has all the reasons to do so!
Generally, prolonged cardio workouts appear to elevate the stress hormone (cortisol) levels, unlike intense, resistance training.
That is to say that if you want physical exercise to help you eliminate stress, you are best off focusing on high-intensity, short power burst exercising, like weightlifting, sprinting, calisthenics, etc.
#2 Food, food, food!
More often than not, the lack of food is a common reason for being stressed or hangry (hungry and angry!).
Without a doubt, not having enough food in your system can make you flip your switch easily.
And so, if you’re feeling stressed out but cannot find a particular reason why that is so, just unwind and have a big, satiating meal.
For this purpose, you are best off eating nutrient-dense foods, such as meat, dairy, eggs, organs, vegetables, fruits, root crops and grains.
In doing this, you will kick into the so-called “rest and digest mode”, where the body prioritizes digestion, absorption and in turn, recovery.
And as you may or may not know – All of those are down regulated when you are stressed out!
#3 Swipe Left
When a stressful condition manifests in our conscious experience, it is a natural response for us to start thinking (and eventually overthinking) about it.
The first thought of this stressor is generated by the brain, and then, some moments later, another similar thought is generated.
Then another, then another and another.
All of these thoughts combined create a story that your brain starts believing and eventually, manifests in your reality.
Usually, that story is the worst case scenario possible – This is because your brain is bracing for the worst, so that you can cope with the situation no matter what it is.
And though that is good, it generally brings a lot of stress, which slowly but surely drains you.
Now, these things are automatic but they are not really beyond your control.
When a stressful thought pops up, you can either latch onto it and follow the similar thought-creating pattern, or, you can stay emotionally neutral and choose what to do with that thought.
Whenever you have a stressful thought, be it about your ex, your job or your family, try to just mentally swipe it left and throw it in the bin.
In doing so, you will eliminate any fear, doubt and insecurity, which will in turn open up space for more constructive, positive thoughts.
This type of internal regulation is perhaps the best method to deal with stress, as it goes directly to the root cause of stress – Your perception of it.
Conclusion
In the past, the stress response was something vital, as it helped us run or fight anything that threatens our lives in the wild environment.
Nowadays however, we live in big, modern cities where death by predation is highly unlikely.
The same stress response gets triggered by harmless things like our work place, school or family.
Unfortunately, the stress response is automatic and more often than not, it takes over.
However, there are things you can do to buffer and deal with it.
In terms of self-care, the best you can do for stress management, is to regularly engage in physical activity, eat good food and sleep well.
These things however will just push your biochemistry to a more balanced stress.
The real solution for stress can be found on the conscious level, where you can observe and regulate your PERCEPTION & RESPONSE to stress.
This is where the magic happens.
by admin | Jan 7, 2022 | Stretching, Fitness
The Cortisol Problem low cortisol symptoms | Part 1 – Stress & Genes
Every day, we are all subjected to stress, and if we don’t learn to handle it, we can quickly reach a point of general discomfort and burnout.
It is common knowledge that stress weakens the body and puts you at risk for certain diseases. There are several different kinds of stress, and each one has a different degree of difficulty in coping with it.
Surely, everyone responds differently to the various stressors in our daily lives, but the end result is the same for everyone: Nervousness, anxiety, and overall discomfort. All of these things contribute to worsened social dynamics/soft skills, and lower working efficiency.
Let’s look at the most critical aspects of stress, how it functions, why it puts our wellbeing at risk in some situations, and what genes are linked to stress.
What Is Stress?
Any change that induces physical, mental, or physiological tension is generally referred to as “stress”.
When the present situation exceeds our ability to handle it, we become stressed. Now, stress is often perceived to be that everyday tension we all feel, but the thing is, this type of stress can actually be categorized as “constructive stress”. As a matter of fact, we need stress in order to perform at our best, BUT…
The issue arises when the stress becomes excessive. This may be the product of a heavy emotional load, a significant loss, or a series of mild, consecutive headaches that we are unable to recover from because they occur much too often. When we reach our physiological optimum, optimal stress leads to optimal efficiency. After that, the stress grows, and our efficiency decreases proportionally.
The worst thing about this is that we can consciously intensify the stress levels and most people actually do that. For instance, this can happen if we invest our negative thoughts and worries in the stress factors. “I’m not good enough”, “I look silly doing this and that” or “This is not going to end up well for me” are common thoughts.
The psychological mechanisms that occur inside of us begin to work against us, and we begin to experience the well-known stress symptoms as and end result. However, this is just one part of the picture, as there are other factors, such as – Genetics!
The Genetic Response
Before we talk about ways to deal with stress and anxiety, it is important to point out that perception and tolerance to stress are also linked to your genes!
The catechol-O-methyltransferase gene, or COMT for short, is one of the genetic factors that influences stress tolerance.
This enzyme is in charge of degrading catecholamines including dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, which is quite a difficult job. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that carries various signals between nerve cells, and it plays a role in the transmission of pain/stress signals across the body. So, effectively, this enzyme may be one of the determining factors of how we perceive pain and stress.
Too much or too little Dopamine can impair cognitive function, so we need to find that sweet spot. Dopamine levels increase when we are stressed, as we all know. Because of this, if you generate more dopamine, you can perform poorly under stress.
Of course, if you generate less dopamine, you would do better since your dopamine levels are close to optimal, but then again, too little wouldn’t be good either.
When it comes to COMT, gender is just another deciding factor.
Now, this is mainly because estrogen suppresses the COMT enzyme, meaning that the activity of this enzyme in the prefrontal cortex in females is significantly lower than in males.
What this means is that females, by default, are closer to optimal dopamine levels, as opposed to males
So, while there are many variables that affect our ability to cope with pain and stress, at the end of the day, it’s all about how you RESPOND to your perception of stress, which will determine your outcome.
Does this then mean that the stress response is not all automatic and can be controlled and regulated?
ABSOLUTELY!
In part 2 of this article series, we’re going to give you our BEST actionable tips to manage stress.
Stay tuned!
by admin | Jan 7, 2022 | Mind
Male postpartum depression
Depression is a mood disorder, present in both men and women, however, it manifests differently in both genders.
In general, it appears that males are much less likely to seek help during periods of depression.
So in this article, we’re going to spread awareness and share with you the most common facts about depression in men, along with symptoms and possible ways to work on it.
Whether you are a male suffering from depression, or you have a male relative that has it, do read this article!
How Is Depression Different In Men?
When it comes to depression in men, certain symptoms are more common in males and on top of that, the reaction manifests differently in both genders.
It also appears that women are more likely to blame themselves for their problems, while men throw the blame onto other people and try to cause conflict.
Why Is This Important?
Most of us know how tough depression can be and as such, it can lead to extremes, such as suicidal thoughts.
This is the exact reason why depression awareness should be spread and why you should consider it an important matter, whether you have depression or not.
No matter how tough depressive episodes are, there are ways to work with it so that it manifests less frequently.
Sadness VS. Depression
All of us at one point have felt sad and that is completely normal, as we are supposed to experience the whole spectrum of human emotions, in order to be socially adequate.
In most cases, such periods of sadness are short-lived and have a specific cause, which in time we accept and move on.
Sometimes however, that sadness and sorrow goes on for months and years on end and becomes the predominant mental state.
At one point, that state becomes uncontrollable and leads to certain behaviors, thoughts and actions.
Since emotional states of this kind affect every other aspect of our lives, this would be the pivoting point, where you should seek professional advice.
And though that may sound bad to some of you, think of it this way – Depression doesn’t mean weakness and you should not be afraid to speak out and reach for help.
As a matter of fact, depression is a common disorder that affects otherwise healthy, happy and successful individuals.
The Symptoms
Depression and its symptoms manifest on many levels, ranging from mental, to physical and emotional.
If you’re depressed, you will more than likely notice the following symptoms:
Mental Symptoms
- Chronic sadness that doesn’t go away and progressively becomes more intrusive and torturing
- Everything seems pointless, even your favorite activities
- You become more antisocial, losing interest in any human interactions
- Focusing on the task at hand for more than 5 minutes becomes unbearable
- You experience guilt for things that have nothing to do with you
- You lose emotional stability and have frequent mood swings
- Your overall mindset becomes more negative (or you call yourself ‘realistic’ which is basically the socially accepted form of negativity)
- Hopelessness and suicidal thoughts start surfacing in your thoughts more frequently
Physical Symptoms
- Chronic exhaustion, sleep doesn’t really make you feel fresh
- You find it hard to fall asleep
- You wake up during your sleep, often anxious
- Your decreases, means nothing to you
- You lose weight and/or appetite frequently
Social Symptoms
- You just can’t feel relaxed and okay in a social environment
- You make mistakes during work or just find it hard to concentrate in general
- You are unusually quiet, closed up and zoned out
- You become easily triggered by small things
- You stop communicating with your family and other relatives
Behavioral Patterns Of Male Depression
More often than not, men do not like to talk about their depression, perhaps because they feel like people will perceive them as weak.
In most cases, during periods of depression, men resort to and other drugs, to make them feel better.
This however may temporarily make the person feel better, but isn’t a sustainable solution, due to the fact that is a depressant.
Considering this fact, we can conclude that can actually worsen the symptoms of depression.
Sometimes, when depressed, men tend to focus more on their work and they deprive themselves of social life and self-care – two very important aspects of a healthy mind.
Recognizing Depression In Men
Since most depression-induced behavioral and emotional patterns lead to worsening of the disorder, it becomes hard for a fogged mind to deal with depression on its own.
However, men can get help much easier if someone in their surroundings and close ones manage to recognize specific behavioral patterns and reactions.
For instance, men tend to talk about their physical symptoms, rather than their emotional ones, which is one of the main reasons why male depression is frequently misdiagnosed.
If you suspect a relative of yours to have depression, do stay alert and aware of their behavior – They might need your help without you even realizing it!
Self-Help – Is Such A Thing Even Possible?
Being in the void is without a doubt one of the most hopeless states you can be in, where nothing has meaning and everything is futile.
However, given that you have the power of free will, there are things you can do, in order to make depression manifest less frequently.
Here’s our best advice for self-help during depressive episodes:
Talk!
If you are going through a rough patch just try and share your feelings, thoughts and emotions with someone close.
However, in case talking to someone feels off, just try and write your thoughts and emotions down on paper and try to objectively analyze.
Eat Well
Though depression decreases appetite, you should still try and eat plenty of nutritious foods, such as animal products, fruits, vegetables and other plant foods.
In doing so, you will favor your biochemistry and tip the scales in favor of balanced inner processes, which will in turn reduce the risk of depression
Avoid & Dru gs
As we mentioned, and drugs can numb the sorrow for a couple of hours but in the long-term, those things will undoubtedly worsen the symptoms of depression.
Stay healthy and active and your body and mind will be thankful!
Conclusion
The symptoms of depression manifest differently in men and women, which is exactly why you should pay attention to your own behavior and that of your surroundings and close ones.
More often than not, people who suffer from depression are closed up and never talk about it (especially men).
If you or someone you know has depression, stay faithful and try to tip the scales in favor of health-nourishing activities and habits.
