AntiAgingByDesign.com

Why are we coffee addicts?  How many of us drag ourselves out of bed and stumble through the rest of the day?  Why are we so tired?

(The Energy article that is posted down below this one is more technical but also a great read for understanding more about how we get energy from our bodies.)

Low energy is a very common complaint from people, in fact maybe the #1 reason people go to doctors.  That low energy or fatigue report from a patient will often lead to a full blood work up, checking for thyroid problems, anemia, and even cancer.  When you consider the large numbers of people nationwide, more often than not the usual outcome is that everything is normal.

The reason for low energy is often not a disease, but dietary and lifestyle factors that affect energy production in our cells.  Some questions to consider:  Do you feel tired on a regular basis, or just certain ebbs of low energy?  Do you wake up tired and never feel like you have energy?  Or do you feel fatigued only when you don’t get enough sleep?

Some examples:  a young mom who is always tired may want to consider what her sleep patterns are, if she is eating balanced meals, how much stress is in her life, if she has recently lost or gained weight, and how much support she has at home.

Athletes:  it should be determined if they are eating the right balance of carbs and proteins, getting enough sleep and adequate recovery between training, and if they are not getting the best results from workouts or are tired frequently?  We will discuss more in a minute about how an extra boost can help an athlete get to the finish line.

It helps to determine what is behind the low energy, and to be smart and proactive about taking care of yourself.  The body needs adequate rest and has definitie nutrition needs for the demands of each day.

Supplying a little extra energy to certain parts of the body can safely boost the body’s energy.  When you get those low energy or tired feelings, think about why your body needs that energy boost.  Have you eaten lately?  Are you under stress?

The first thing to realize is that a donut or sugary soft drink is not answer, because a little while after you will have a blood sugar crash.  Food that is a balance between protein, carbs and fat will help you for a much longer time.

Sometimes you don’t actually need more food, and your body can benefit from a small boost to your system.  This is what caffeine will provide – either coffee or tea.  Caffeine can speed up your heart rate, blood flow, and respiratory rate for several hours, and help give your metabolism and overall energy a measured boost.

Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, giving you better focus, and an improved mood.  Green tea is also a good way to boost metabolism.  Both coffee and tea contain antioxidants and polyphenols that can have healthy benefits.  The key is to realize that you can get these energy boosts with a cup or two of coffee or tea.. not the whole pot.

In terms of the energy drinks and shots on the market, there are some big promises made.  What’s important to consider is that, in addition to a possible energy boost, you might be getting some ingredients that are not good for the body.  High amounts of sugar and calories can cause you to crash an hour later, and these drinks can contribute to weight gain and more.

Artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and artificial preservatives are all associated with various energy drinks on the market, and not a welcome addition to a healthy diet.

So what is the optimal fuel for our body?

1)  Eat a good breakfast with 15-25 grams of protein, fruit or whole grain cereal.  This will jumpstart your energy for the day.  Skipping breakfast takes longer for the body to start burning calories.  Eating small meals throughout the day helps keep energy level up.

2)  Increase activity because it increases energy – even walking is better than no exercise.

3)  Consider taking a power nap, especially if you didn’t get adequate sleep the night before – and even if you did if your days are busy.  Getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night is highly recommended.  Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health have determined that a 60 min power nap can reduce the mind numbing effects of information overload, and may help us better retain what we are learning

4)  Reduce stress and deal with anger.  Stress has a negative effect on our health AND stress impacts our metabolism by redirecting blood flow away from the digestion system and preferentially storing fats around the vital organs where it is harder to reduce
through exercise.  It is important to understand that stress is the result of anxiety, and anxiety uses up a whole lot of our energy.  When low but chronic levels of stress erode energy levels, over time you find yourself doing less but feeling it more.

Note:  while for many folks increased exercise burns off the chemical effects of stress and anger, others find relief in quiet pursuits:  listening to music or just talking on the phone.

5)  Eat more whole grains and eat less sugar – the key is to keep blood sugar levels steady so your energy can be consistent.  Whole grains provide a steady release of fuel for your body.

6)  Drink more water and less alcohol -  thirst can also masquerade as fatigue.  It is important, after exercise when body is craving fluids, to drink water that will help boost energy.  Many types of alcohol are loaded with sugars and leave you dehydrated.

7)   Don’t forget the sustaining power of protein – a protein shake can provide 15-25 grams of protein and is very energizing.

When our lifestyle choices are not quite enough, and we need an energy boost to get through an athletic event, a busy day of meetings, or staying up late to study, there are healthy energy boosters to consider.  Many energy drinks on the market, or capsules, chews, etc. have artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, too much caffeine, and too much sugar.  A better choice would be an all natural energy chew that not only provides organic ingredients along with that extra energy to the body, but has a healthier formula that also increases focus and clarity.

Need More Energy?  Do you wonder what the heck is going on in your cells that you never seem to have enough energy?  Well maybe that’s not the first thing that comes to your mind, but that is where your energy ’should’ come from.  And what feeds the cells makes a difference.

This is a more technical explanation for how our bodies make and use energy.  The post that will follow will contain more in terms of lifestyle choices that we can make to create more fuel and help us feel energized throughout the day, every day!

Did anyone ever tell you that what you feed your body can have a direct result in how you feel?  Every cell in our body has to convert nutrients into energy in order to help do things like:  grow hair, pump blood through arteries, send nerve signals to the brain, or move muscles.

How is energy produced in our body?  Metabolism is the process where  nutrients are converted to energy.  Metabolism converts food into a constant supply of energy that every cell in the body needs.

We need a steady diet of energy foods that are converted into sustained energy that are used at e cellular level in order to feel like we have energy throughout the day.

In simple terms,  metabolism refers to the rate at which we burn calories.  And a more complex explanation – you may remember from high school biology class – is that metabolism is the  sum total of all the complex chemical and hormonal processes related to digesting, absorbing, converting and ultimately using food to produce cellular energy.

So where do we get energy?  It all starts with the food chain, and with photosynthesis – the way plants capture the sun’s energy from sunlight and combine with carbon dioxide from the air and  water and minerals from the ground to create sugar which the plant stores for energy and oxygen which gets released into the atmosphere.

Whether you eat the plant matter directly, or animals that have consumed the plant matter, there are 3 basic classes of micro nutrients that are vital for life:  amino acids from protein, mono and polysaccharides (sugars from carbohydrates), and fatty acids from fats.

All metabolic reactions fall into one of 2 categories:  1) catabolic – creation of energy from breaking down large complex compounds like proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into smaller units, and 2) anabolic – uses smaller building block compounds like amino acids, monosaccharides like glucose, and fats to build cells, tissues, and eventually organs.

The most important source of energy in human metabolism is glucose – when glucose is metabolized in the body it produces carbon dioxide, water, and a few nitrogen compounds, and most important, energy which can be utilized by the cells.  Some of this energy is released as heat which is essentially the burning of calories – the rest is used to drive another process in the body called ATP (synthesis of adenosine triphosphate).  ATP is the key molecular unit of currency that transfers the energy released by catabolic reactions to the energy requiring anabolic reactions.

in other words, catabolic reactions provide the chemical energy that anabolic reactions need to maintain and grow cells.  What initiates catabolic reactions?  Many different hormones in the body including cortisol and adrenaline.

This explains why stress impacts metabolism – there are also many other hormones and other processes that influence metabolism.  And while metabolism occurs during the digestion of food, there are other catabolic reactions in the body.

If the body is not getting enough energy from food, the body will break down muscle protein and turn the amino acids into fuel while it holds on to fat.  Fat stores are only used on pure starvation mode.

How do we store energy?  If catabolic reactions break down matter into small units to produce energy, anabolic reactions will consume energy to construct tissues (build muscle
and fat cells) that are stored as potential sources of energy if needed.

A processes that will influence energy production is blood glucose regulation – while low energy is frequently due to low blood sugar levels that can be effectively managed by daily diet, the entry of glucose into most tissues is dependent on the presence of the
hormone insulin.

Insulin controls the uptake and metabolism of glucose in your cells and plays a major role in regulating blood glucose concentrations in the body which has a direct influence on a person’s energy levels.

Overeating – taking in more energy than your body needs – will, over time, lead to the cells of your body becoming insulin resistant.  That results in cells not being able to utilize glucose which can lead to elevations in blood glucose circulating in body, and can be damaging to cells and tissue.  Ultimately, this excessive energy intake will lead to Type 2 Diabetes which can damage arteries, lead to heart disease, kidney disease, and even blindness.

How is cellular energy produced?  All cells of the body contain dozens to hundreds of mitochondria (organelles in the cell) – think of them as cellular power plants.  They are what actually generates ATP to power cellular activities.  The number and efficiency of mitochondria decline over time.  As we age, our cells have both fewer and less efficient mitochondria.  Current thinking is that this mitochondrial decline contributes to diseases of aging.

How is what we eat turned into energy?  Macronutrieints are carbohydrates, proteins and fats.  Carbohydrates come in three forms:  simple sugars, complex carbs (starch) and undigestible carbs (fiber).  Our diets tend to contain plenty of sugars and starches but often not enough fiber.

Simple sugars and starches are most easily utilized as direct sources of energy for our cells.  If your body takes in more carbohydrates than you actually need, these excess carbohydrates can be stored temporarily as glycogen – in either your liver or in your muscle – and this can be converted into fats, amino acids, and glucose as needed.

The body needs both simple and complex carbohydrates.  Simple carbs are the simplest form of sugar and most basic building blocks.  Complex carbs like starches and fiber form larger building blocks.  Since body tissues need glucose at all times, diets need significant amounts of carbs to yield glucose through digestion and metabolism.  Most diets contain carbs as more than half of daily diet.

Protein is the chief muscle and tissue builder of the body – and also helps to make hemoglobin in blood, carry oxygen to cells, form antibodies to fight infection, and supply
nitrogen for the production of DNA and RNA.  Protein also helps to supply energy for the body.

Digestion breaks protein down into its individual amino acids.  If amino acids are in excess of the body’s requirement, they are metabolized to nitrogen and can be stored as fat – for later energy metabolism, or they are eliminated by the kidneys.  The most common dietary protein sources are meat, fish, and dairy sources including milk.  They can all be high in fat because they are all animal products.  Soy beans and other legumes are vegetarian sources, have less fat, and are far more heart healthy.

Fats make up part of the structure of cells, form protective cushion and heat insulation around vital organs, carry fat soluble vitamins, and help store energy.

Many of us get too much fat in the diet.  On a weight basis, they contain more than twice as much stored energy or calories as carbohydrates and protein.  Fats  provide 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates and protein.

Other important nutrients that help energy in the body are B-Vitamins, and Magnesium that is involved in 300 chemical reactions in the body, including the breakdown of glucose for energy.  Women who have low levels of magnesium in their bodies may have higher heart rates and require more oxygen – their hearts and lungs will need to work harder to accomplish same amount of work.  Zinc, potassium, and iron are other nutrients involved in energy production by the body.

*Information above was obtained from the scientists who represent our brand.

According to Wikipedia, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, spring or autumn, repeatedly, year after year.

Exercise, eating well balanced meals, and staying active in social groups, can all help with the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Natural nutrition supplements, including St. John’s Wort and a high quality B-Complex source, have also produced some great results.

St. John’s Wort has been used for many years to help with mild depression.  Results can be measured in a short time and so you can be the judge of whether it will work for you.  As with all natural nutrition supplements, you have to choose a brand that you can trust the quality, safety, and efficacy because they are not regulated by any governing body – and so there can be a lot of ineffective products out there.  St. John’s Wort can be combined with inositol that is found to be at lower levels in people with the ‘blues’.   A 100% money back guarantee is also a great incentive to give it a try.

B-Complex is a water soluble vitamin that is best taken at different times of the day so it remains in the body to provide the desired benefits.  Water soluble means that the body will excrete what it isn’t using at the time – it does not store this vitamin.  High quality B-Complex (100% money back guaranteed) supplements have balanced amounts of all 8 essential B vitamins – they work best when they work together.  There is science and research that tells the correct balance, and this is not found brand to brand.  It is important to do one’s homework and find a source that is safe, effective, and has high quality ingredients in the right combinations (trust your brand that it will insure this for you).

Live from Central PA on Saturday, February 6, 2010.  We are experiencing a Nor’Easter or what newscasters are calling a Power House snow storm.

There’s a lot of snow to shovel in all areas of the eastern United States that were hit by this storm.

Important to remember:

1-  The American Association warns that for most people, shoveling snow may not lead to any health problems, however, the risk of a heart attack during snow shoveling may increase.  (Be smart about shoveling, and ask for help if you need it.)

2- Snow shoveling can be compared to weight lifting, and even a workout on a treadmill!  Be sure to pace yourself and not over-do.

3- When you go to lift the heavy snow, try to keep the shovel close to your body. Bend at your knees—not the waist or back, and use your legs to lift (not straining your back).

4- Sore muscles are another possible result of too much shoveling.   Stretching before going out to shovel is a good idea, and knowing when to stop or take a break will help in terms of how those muscles feel later.

5- ENJOY THE SNOW!  Play with the kids!  Play with the pets!  Enjoy the beauty of a fresh fallen snow – more than you worry about clean up!

Last night, we had no idea what we would end up with this morning.. although we did (personally) estimate that snow was coming down at about an inch an hour at our home..

Some of us will have a lot of fun with the abundance of snow.. and some of us will only see work ahead to clear it so we can get out. People are usually instructed to stay home unless they really have to go out.

A unique way to help Haiti children and adults with their nutrition needs has just been announced.  As a way to provide food and supplements that can help fill the gaps with the shortage of nutritious foods available, The Shaklee Corporation has created nutrition packs to be purchased as donations for anyone who would like to help.  There are also cleaning packages to help with the monumental job of rebuilding homes and other buildings.

We have all been saddened by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and the devastation that continues to exact a severe toll on the Haitian people.  Our hearts go out to all who have suffered from this tragedy.

In the 3 weeks since the disaster, the Shaklee Cares program began working with a variety of non-profit partners to hand carry donated Shaklee product packs to those in greatest need.  The help that we will be able to offer is significant, but the need is very great, and the effort to rebuild will not be brief.

It is now easy for anyone who would like to make direct donations of food product packs. Follow the instructions below for either a food pack or a cleaning package.  Both will do an excellent job of addressing the short and long-term needs of people who are at this time still highly concerned with the survival issues of basic nutrition and sanitation.

Call 1-800-SHAKLEE and give them ID# JA71616 to order a Care Package.

There are 4 choices.  Give the product number(s) for the package(s) you would like to donate:

• #80114 Shaklee Cares Nutritional Pack
  
  • $84.15
  • Designed for regions and individuals that have water sources, the pack is best used with a home disaster, community disaster and for individuals need of basic nutrition and food.  This pack is valued by relief agencies for the impacted regions when bulk items are needed in shelters, temporary housing.  For ongoing relief and rebuilding efforts related to the Haiti Earthquake, this pack will be for longer term relief efforts.  Included in this pack are:  one Vita Lea Multivitamin/Multimineral Dietary Supplement without iron, one box of Cinch Shake mix Soy-Vanilla packets, one Cinch Shaker, one box of Cinch Meal-in-a-Bar (7 bars), Berry Almond Crunch.
• #80395 Shaklee Cares House Cleaning Pack
  
  • $32.10
  • Pack designed for recovery efforts when individuals, schools, comunity service locations are moving back in the the impacted facilities.  Included in theis pack are:  one Basic H2 Organic Super Cleanin Concentrate, (16oz), two Scour OFf Heavy Duty Paste, Super Microfiber Dish Sponge, Get Clean Spray Bottles (3-pack),a nd Miracle Scrubber Pads (1 case).
• #80397 Shaklee Cares Global Relief Pack
  
  • $78.05
  • The pack includes one box of Cinch Meal-in-a-Bar, Berry Almond Crunch (7 Bars), for the adults, One box Cinch Snack Bars (10 Bars) for the children, Vita-Lea without iron high potency Multivitamin/Multimineral Dietary Supplement (120’s), Shakleekids Incredivites Multivitamin/Multimineral Dietary Supplement  chewable option for elderly and children.
• #80398 Shaklee Cares Global Relief Basic-G® Germicide Pack
  • $30.30
  • Includes two 32 oz bottles Basic-G Germicide and two Basic-G Germicide spray bottles.  This pack is distributed with training on product usage.

Thank you in advance for making whatever contribution you can to this important effort.  This disaster serves as a potent reminder of how fortunate we are and how important the gifts of life and health are to all of us.

Any questions, please contact me directly through this website (email address is on the left side).

While a bonfire is something that may be great fun to enjoy with family and friends, if you compare a bonfire with what happens inside your body when you have digestive problems in the abdominal region, it may not be pleasant.   I recently read about this analogy where the author described the effectiveness of a bonfire burning strong – the same as our digestive process should do.

When our digestion system is functioning at that level, it is efficient at breaking down food to produce fuel for the body.  However, when a bonfire is dwindling down it is burning at a much slower rate.  When our digestive systems work at a similar slower pace, not all of our food gets digested.  Some is left undigested and can cause the following symptoms:  fire in gut, indigestion, leaky gut, food allergies, candida, and other challenges.

Food needs broken down small enough to get into our cells.  That is where our bodies get the energy they need.  In our bodies, the digestive ‘fire’ that we need to break down our food are what is called enzymes.  Digestive enzymes are required to efficiently process the food that we eat.

You may have heard about people supplementing with enzymes because their body does not have enough of them.  Being deficient in these enzymes can cause all kinds of digestive issues.

Let’s look at the process that happens from the time we eat food until it is digested the way that it should be.  It all begins before food even hits the mouth.  When we see food that looks appealing, and smell food with a wonderful aroma, there are sensations that actually stimulate saliva to get ready for the intake of this food.

Next, the food enters the mouth where we chew it up and where enzymes in our saliva start the digestive process.  Once the food is swallowed we have very little control over what happens next.  The eating and chewing of the food is where we have the power.  Chewing well is best because when larger chunks of food are swallowed, we are making it harder for our bodies to completely digest it.

In our stomachs there are more enzymes and hydrochloric acid that help break down our foods.  Stomach acid also is needed to kill bacteria that may have been present in the food we ate.  As we age, our acid levels are reduced.  This is also the time many people turn for help with digestive aids.

There is a lot happening in the stomach and we can think of it as the organ of fire – if it is functioning properly.  It needs its acid to digest the food and yet many people struggle with a balance of this acid.  All organs have a certain way that they function optimally, and all kinds of chaos can occur when they don’t – including a burning gut.

The small intestine is where food spends 2 to 6 hours in the chemical part of the digestion process, including more enzymes.  It is a looping, twisty journey.  If the intestines have not been affected by problems like constipation, alcohol, drugs, a daily diet with a lot of processed foods, or a lack of good bacteria, there will be a better chance of the body absorbing nutrients it needs.

There is a complex process that happens in the small intestine.  Problems like Crohn’s disease, Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other health issues arise when the small intestine is not able to perform its work efficiently.

At the end of the digestion process is the large intestine, also called the colon or bowel.  By the time what’s left of the food we eat reaches this area, the nutrients should be gone from it and elimination is the main purpose.  The process can take varying times and that is due to individual factors in terms of how healthy this area of the body is functioning, as well as the food type that was consumed.

Problems such as constipation and diarrhea occur once we are at this stage.  Eating lots of fiber every day and drinking enough pure water are key to colons that work properly.

There are many digestive problems that people deal with on a daily basis, including an abdominal area that may feel like it is on fire.  Some people live with these symptoms, uncomfortably, for years.  Some are on medications to help control the process, and others seek natural alternatives like digestive enzymes in supplement form.

In addition to meds or natural nutrition, there are recommended lifestyle modifications.  First, it can be very helpful to change the diet and there are quite a few resources available to explore options for that.  Some people find benefits by drinking a little apple cider or lemon juice before they eat a meal.  There are high quality protein sources available that help the body produce enzymes needed for digestion, and stomach acid also.  Finally, raw foods consumed daily, in good amounts, are great for digestion.

We already mentioned that a high fiber daily diet and significant clean water every day are very beneficial to the entire digestion system.  Most of us probably do not think about what happens to our food once we enjoy the taste, chew and swallow it.  Our bodies will tell us more if our digestive function is not good.  A burning gut is not a good feeling at any time.