Posted on October 26, 2017November 4, 2019 by martincolangelo — 1 Comment

Questions from Clients: Glycemic Load

Hello There!

Tyler (author of this post) and Martin (humble editor) earnestly desire to help YOU sort through the’ loads’ of ambiguous information found online and offline – and then present this info in an easy to read, no BS way.

We do this because 1) we care 2) we want you to be able to make intelligent and well informed decisions when it comes to your health and ‘fitness’ (an ambiguous term in itself) – and –

Reason d’etre (3) – to provide those in our sphere of influence the ability to create change in the areas that matter to them/you MOST.

> this is why we encourage questions > this post is a response to one of our clients – if this individual is pondering this topic, so are 20 others…. So here it goes – Hope it helps!

The Glycemic Load,

“…. of our meals affects our hormones and not just the hormones that regulate blood sugar like insulin but also those that help regulate our overall stress tolerance like adrenaline and cortisol. The endocrine system, which is 0ur hormonal system, resides in a delicate balance, so even a few months of abuse will easily tip the scales out of balance.”

Now imagine what years of sugar binges, many moons of late nights and early mornings and a couple double double coffees a week are going to do to you…

Not only to our insulin levels, but also to our adrenal glands.The short answer is =

STRESS

Stress on the body is equal to stress on the mind (and vice versa). High glycemic diets stress both the mind and body by abusing insulin, adrenalin and cortisol. These guys are very powerful chemicals.

The worst part is, you can actually get addicted to the way they make us feel.

For the most part, foods that are highly refined and/or high in sugar and lacking in fibre, fats and proteins – will be higher on the glycemic index.

These foods cause blood sugar levels to spike, insulin levels to spike, as well as adrenaline and cortisol to be over-used. All of this will cause strain to the entire endocrine system.

HOWEVER,

when we eat lower glycemic foods – those that are rich in deliciously healthy fats, fibre, protein (and are in their most complete form) – then we are getting out of the way of nature. That is to say, you will begin to let nature run its coarse; things repair themselves and the body is able to recover.

Eating lower glycemic foods will put less strain and abuse on the various organs and hormones of the endocrine system, as well as support balanced and more regular hormonal cycles.

That is why diet and lifestyle are so imperative in maintaining hormonal health.

If weight loss or change in body composition is one of your main goals, stay away from high GI foods.

Although,

there is a point when the body needs them I.E. after hard physical work…..This is because post-exercise there is a flood of cortisol and adrenaline. As we know now these are our body’s stress hormones and they cannot differentiate between types of stress > I.E. > If we are experiencing stress (physical or mental) they get released into our bloodstream.

A hard workout is no exception. In order to grow and repair efficiently we need to stem the tide of these stress hormones with a strong insulin response. The higher GI foods (along with a good protein source) will do this for us. The absorption is way faster but it needs to be specifically at this point – as our tissues are depleted of energy – in order for proper metabolic recovery.

In general: avoid high GI foods, but also know that these same foods (as long as they have good, naturally occurring protein and fibre) are BENEFICIAL depending on the TIMING of their consumption.

p.s. things like donuts do not count…. eat unrefined, and unprocessed naturally occurring foods whenever possible. Full Stop.

Once again, I hope this helps. If you have any questions – do not hesitate to contact us or leave a comment.

If you did find this valuable, please share it with your friends or on your social media of choice 🙂

Thanks,

Stay strong all!

TYLER LEES-SCHMUT

Co-Owner / Instructor / Author @

Posted on October 5, 2017November 4, 2019 by martincolangelo

The Neuroscience Of: (Exercise)

The Neuroscience of:

The Connection between MIND and BODY

The body-mind connection has (re)captured scientific interest in recent years,

There are i fact many academic books dedicated to the topic – which reflects a growing interest in the subject…

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Physical activity refers to energy expenditure initiated by skeletal muscles which move the body.

Exercise has been defined as:

“A disturbance of homeostasis through muscle activity resulting in movement and increased energy expenditure.”

The critical difference between physical activity and exercise is the planned and structured nature of exercise.

> The aim of this article is to enhance your understanding of the neurology and importance of exercise <

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Just as sedentary muscle can atrophy and become weak and tight, so do our brains (in an analogous way).

Oxygen requirements for the brain is very high, specially if we plan to maintain a level of functionality in this busy modern world.

There are multiple centres in the brain responsible for our myriad different executive functions.

And guess what? They ALL need to be exercised. But let’s look at movement (first).

When we move our body- blood, oxygen, nutrients etc all get pumped through the various centres of the brain, one of the largest centres being the;

Motor Cortex.

The Motor Cortex is also very old. We have been avid movers for many many many many thousands of years. And it is only recently that we have let the sedentary lifestyle creep in as a normative behavior. Let’s not let this happen any longer!

WHY?

Because movement and brain function go hand in hand.

It is kind of like a two way street. When you move the body the Motor Cortex lights up, which will cause improvements in your movement. As your movement strengthens so do the abilities of the Motor Cortex. A positive feedback loop occurs; as one gets better (exercise), so does the other (motor cortex) – which will then allow for further improvements in the former (Exercise)… and so on… The gorgeous thing here is that adjacent brain centres can feed off of this improvement and increased circulation.

No ‘brain centre’ is an Island.

Memory, problem solving skills, decision making ability, the interpersonal relationship part of our brain – etc – all gain from exercise by proxy. The reason this happens is because that motor part of the brain is very very old and very very important to survival.

We are no longer required to run away from a saber toothed tiger to survive, so the main difference is that exercise is premeditated and deliberately practiced. The fact that you NEED to move still holds true. Thus “Exercise” – as defined above, is all important when it comes to thriving and living a long/strong life!

Knowledge is Power! Thanks for reading.

TYLER LEES-SCHMUT

Co-Owner / Instructor / Author @

Posted on September 7, 2017November 4, 2019 by martincolangelo

an introduction to: Biofeedback

BIOFEEDBACK is using our own mind to control our physical body.

It is being able to monitor physiological signs of the body and “think” them into different states.

For Example; the ability to slow a racing heart rate or relax excessive muscle tone (tension).

Understanding how to use Biofeedback will have huge implications to overall health – whether it’s to reduce pain or increase physical performance.

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There are various types of biofeedback therapy:

brainwave
– this method uses an EEG to monitor brain wave activity.
Respiratory
– sensors around your rib cage and abdomen to assess rate of breathing.
Heart rate
– this type uses finger or earlobe sensors connected to an ECG on your chest, lower torso or wrists and monitors heart rate variability
Muscle
– this method uses EMG sensors on skeletal muscle to assess muscle tone and force of contraction.
Sweat glands
– this method used and electronic Dermagram to assess perspiration on the skin alerting to anxiety.
Temperature
– a sensor at your hands or feet (extremities) measures a drop in temperature which is usually indicative of stress levels rising.

Why?

Biofeedback, sometimes called biofeedback training, is used to help manage many physical and mental health issues, including:

Anxiety or stress
Asthma
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Chemotherapy side effects
Chronic pain
Constipation
Fecal incontinence
Fibromyalgia
Headache
High blood pressure
Irritable bowel syndrome
Motion sickness
Raynaud’s disease
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Stroke
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
Urinary incontinence

Biofeedback appeals to people for a variety of reasons:

It’s noninvasive.
It might reduce or eliminate the need for medications.
It might be a treatment alternative for those who can’t tolerate medications
It might be an option when medications haven’t worked well.
It might be an alternative to medications for some conditions during pregnancy.
It helps people take charge of their health.

How?

During a biofeedback session, there are electrical sensors attached to different parts of your body. These sensors monitor your body’s physiological state, such as brain waves, skin temperature, muscle tension, heart rate and breathing. This information is fed back to you via cues, such as a sound, vibration or flashing light.

Biofeedback teaches you to change or control your body’s physiological reactions by changing your thoughts, emotions and or behavior.

For instance, biofeedback can pinpoint tense muscles that are causing headaches. You then learn how to invoke positive physical changes in your body, such as relaxing those specific muscles – in order to reduce pain.

The cool thing is that even without sensors, many of the bodies physiological states can be monitored by your own awareness!

If we take a second to just stop and feel our bodies we can usually discern if we have tense muscles, a fast heart rate, feel cold or hot, are breathing improperly or are sweating.

The Brain is where everything discussed above originates. Neural / Brain wave activity is just as receptive to biofeedback as muscle tone, respiration and all the rest form the list above.

Techniques such as mindfulness and meditation can alter our default brain wave patterns and allow us to become more restful and alert. This allows you to tap into our parasympathetic branch of our nervous system, reducing stress (cortisol) and increasing enjoyment (testosterone, flow).

Hope you enjoyed this intro to Biofeedback!

Let me know if you want to learn more about this subject – and as always – Stay Strong Folks <

TYLER LEES-SCHMUT

Co-Owner / Instructor / Author @

Posted on August 31, 2017November 4, 2019 by martincolangelo

(almost) Everything You Need To Know About ‘the Anabolic Window’…

Editors note:

This article will address a specific question, and – at times (as Tyler’s style dictates) can get a bit wordy and possibly confusing.

The question involves the physical state of ‘Anabolism’.

You will read about numerous applications for enhancing muscle growth and repair as well as some ‘myth-debunking.’ So stay tuned!

Tyler’s question is not “what is the Anabolic Window?” – but one that goes beyond simply defining the term. The information provided plums the depth of this subject.

> so what is this question? …

“Is the Anabolic Window Real?”

If you’re well informed in the fitness industry, you’ve likely heard of the anabolic window and know the old saying; “nutrient timing is everything, if you want to build muscle!”

However you’ve likely also learned that more recent research has somewhat debunked this “anabolic window” theory – in favour of simply meeting total daily nutrient requirements.

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TRUTH:

If you’re not optimizing your post-workout nutrition properly, you may very well be missing out on some potential ‘gains’.

If you really want to know the truth about the “anabolic window” and post-exercise nutrition, you want to read this article…

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Consuming adequate nutrients; macro and micro nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates etc – are essential to optimize muscle growth.

This much is undisputed.

The data is very clear on the benefits of enhanced protein synthesis, attenuating protein breakdown, and ultimately contributing to muscle growth and repair. However it is the timing of ingestion that has been a topic of heated debate. In some cases, the timing of nutrient ingestion is thought to be more important than the nutrients…

In a nutshell, proper nutrient timing means: ‘optimizing the delivery of nutrients to the muscle during a time when the muscle is primed to use them most effectively.’

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Nutrients and Exercise

Resistance exercise training is a reference point commonly used as a basis for the timing of nutrient ingestion due to the metabolic effects of exercise.

The time frame immediately prior to and during exercise is the phase primarily devoted to the use of the body’s energy to improve the quality of the workout. However, this period of time is not consistently associated with enhancing muscle growth after exercise – but it should be –

During exercise and immediately after exercise, the body is in a Catabolic state.

Blood insulin is low, while cortisol and other catabolic hormones are high.
Liver glycogen levels are reduced, or in some cases depleted.
The rates of muscle protein breakdown is at it’s highest.

While resistance exercise itself is known to be an activator for protein synthesis, the absence of any post-exercise nutrition will leave the body in a net catabolic state.

This is because any increase in protein synthesis (creation) is offset by the high rates of protein breakdown (catabolism). This catabolic state can prevail for many hours until nutrients are consumed. Therefore, exercise without any post-exercise nutrition is not a favorable situation for muscle growth.

The consumption of protein and carbohydrates initiates a shift to anabolism by simultaneously reducing all the catabolic factors and amplifying the effects of protein synthesis.

One possible mechanism is that muscle is particularly sensitive to insulin post-exercise, which ensures:

the rapid transport of glucose and amino acids into muscle.
promotes muscle glycogen synthesis and protein synthesis.
inhibits the pathways governing protein breakdown.

Since insulin sensitivity declines with time, the effectiveness of nutrient intervention will also decline along with it.

Although the muscle sensitivity is known to be elevated for up to 48 hours post-exercise, muscle sensitivity is greatest within the first 3 hours and then progressively declines.

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Protein Post-exercise

The ingestion of protein post-exercise primarily serves to augment the rates of protein synthesis – but only plays a minor role in stopping the effect of protein breakdown.

Surprisingly, there are very few studies that have analyzed the protein synthetic response of various time-points post-exercise. The general consensus is that there is a clear additive effect of protein synthesis when protein is ingested within the first few hours post-exercise.

Thinking logically however, the sooner the muscles transition from catabolism to anabolism, the greater the potential for muscle growth.

For this reason, while there may not be a clear narrow window when nutrient ingestion is required, most exercise studies clearly support protein supplementation sooner rather than later for the optimal stimulation of protein synthesis.

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Carbohydrate Post-exercise

Most weight-lifting athletes primarily focus on protein supplementation post-exercise, with concern mostly on protein synthesis, and with little regard to the need for carbohydrates.

As previously mentioned, protein supplementation focuses on pathways to stimulate protein synthesis and does not have a major affect on protein breakdown. However, the ingestion of carbohydrates post-exercise has a major impact on the effectiveness of the cellular pathways that involve protein breakdown.

Including carbohydrates during post-exercise nutrition plays a prominent role in the transition from muscle catabolism to anabolism.

Glycogen levels in muscle influences the activity of a number of metabolic activities including glucose transport and protein metabolism. That means the restoration of muscle glycogen is paramount in the exercise recovery process.

The combination of carbohydrates with protein results in greater gains in muscle hypertrophy after resistance training when compared with a protein-only supplement.

Timing of carbohydrate supplementation appears to be more stringent than it is for protein.

Post-exercise muscle glycogen synthesis occurs more rapidly when carbohydrates are consumed immediately after exercise as opposed to waiting several hours.

In fact, delaying supplementation for two hours can reduce the rate of muscle glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis by half.

If carbohydrates are not adequately supplied post-exercise, the rate of muscle glycogen synthesis can be extremely low despite normal increases in blood glucose and insulin levels later in the day.

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Conclusion

Protein and carbohydrate supplementation post-exercise is a vital component to optimizing post-exercise muscle recovery.

This includes not only maximizing muscle hypertrophy, but also minimizing muscle soreness and optimizing muscle recovery time.

The combination of these nutrients increases the efficiency of muscle recovery when compared to either carbohydrates or protein alone.

Any delay in supplementation post exercise is not recommended, as the muscle remains in a catabolic state until nutrients are delivered to them.

Furthermore, the sensitivity of muscle is highest soon after exercise. Therefore, if getting the most out of a workout is crucial, then consuming nutrients soon after exercise should be considered equally as important.

So as you can see, most of the myth-busting about the anabolic window focuses on protein supplementation alone for post-exercise and that’s where most people get it wrong.

As you read above, carbohydrates post-exercise are perhaps even more important for muscle recovery and growth.

This is for you to stay informed, for your health’s sake!

TYLER LEES-SCHMUT

Co-Owner / Instructor / Author @

Posted on August 22, 2017November 4, 2019 by martincolangelo

(almost) Everything You Need To Know About FAT…

In the past, we were urged to banish that four-letter word…

… from our diets and from our lives – whenever possible.

So naturally, we switched to low-fat foods…

But the shift didn’t make us healthier! This is because we cut back the healthy fats as much as we cut back the harmful fats.

FATS …. almost everything you need to know:

You may well be wondering: “isn’t fat bad for you?”

Response: your body needs some fat to survive.

>It’s the body’s major source of energy.

>Fat is required for proper absorption of certain vitamins and minerals.

>Fat is needed to build cell membranes, the vital exterior of each cell, and the sheaths surrounding nerves.

>It is essential for blood clotting, muscle movement, and inflammation.

However for long-term health some fats are better than others….

…. Not all fats were created equal.

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Good Fats include:

monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats.

Bad Fats:

industrial-made Trans Fats.

Saturated Fats – fall somewhere in the middle.

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All fats have a similar chemical structure: a chain of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms.

What makes one fat different from another is the length and shape of the carbon chain and the number of hydrogen atoms connected to the carbon atoms.

Seemingly slight differences in structure translate into crucial differences in form and function.

Bad Fats

The worst type of dietary fat is the kind known as trans fat. It is a byproduct of a process called hydrogenation that is used to turn healthy oils into solids and to prevent them from becoming rancid. When vegetable oil is heated in the presence of hydrogen and a heavy-metal catalyst such as palladium, hydrogen atoms are added to the carbon chain. This turns oils into solids. It also makes healthy vegetable oils more like not-so-healthy saturated fats.

Early in the 20th century, trans fats were found mainly in solid margarines and vegetable shortening (. As food makers learned new ways to use partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, they began appearing in everything from commercial cookies and pastries French fries.

Eating foods rich in trans fats increases the amount of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream and reduces the amount of beneficial HDL cholesterol.

Trans fats create inflammation, which is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

They contribute to insulin resistance, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. – in fact, trans fats can harm health in even small amounts:

for every 2% of calories from trans fat consumed daily, the risk of heart disease rises by 23%.

Trans fats have no known health benefits and that there is no safe level of consumption. Today, these mainly man-made fats are rapidly fading from the food supply.

In-between Fats

Saturated fats are common in the American diet. They are solid at room temperature — think cooled bacon grease, but what is saturated fat? Common sources of saturated fat include red meat, whole milk and other whole-milk dairy foods, cheese, coconut oil, and many commercially prepared baked goods and other foods.

The word “saturated” here refers to the number of hydrogen atoms surrounding each carbon atom.

The chain of carbon atoms holds as many hydrogen atoms as possible — it’s saturated with hydrogen.

But is saturated fat bad for you?

A diet rich in saturated fats can drive up total cholesterol, and tip the balance toward more harmful LDL cholesterol, which prompts blockages to form in arteries in the heart and elsewhere in the body.

For that reason, most nutrition experts recommend limiting saturated fat to under 10% of calories a day.

Further analysis shows not enough evidence to conclude that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease, but that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat may indeed reduce risk of heart disease.

Good Fat

Good fats come mainly from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. They differ from saturated fats by having fewer hydrogen atoms bonded to their carbon chains. Healthy fats are liquid at room temperature, not solid. There are two broad categories of beneficial fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats.

When you dip your bread in olive oil at an Italian restaurant, you’re getting mostly monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats have a single carbon-to-carbon double bond. The result is that it has two fewer hydrogen atoms than a saturated fat and a bend at the double bond. This structure keeps monounsaturated fats liquid at room temperature.

Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, and most nuts, as well as high-oleic safflower and sunflower oils.

Although there no recommendations on monounsaturated fats many experts say to replace saturated and definitely trans fats.

Polyunsaturated fats.

When you pour liquid cooking oil into a pan, there’s a good chance you’re using polyunsaturated fat. Corn oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil are common examples. Polyunsaturated fats are essential fats. That means they’re required for normal body functions but your body can’t make them. So you must get them from food. Polyunsaturated fats are used to build cell membranes and the covering of nerves. They are needed for blood clotting, muscle movement, and inflammation.

There are two main types of polyunsaturated fats:

> omega-3 fatty acids
> omega-6 fatty acids

Both types offer health benefits.

Eating polyunsaturated fats in place of saturated fats or highly refined carbohydrates reduces harmful LDL cholesterol and improves the cholesterol profile. It also lowers triglycerides.

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, and unhydrogenated soybean oil.

Omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent and even treat heart disease and stroke.

In addition to reducing blood pressure, raising HDL, and lowering triglycerides, polyunsaturated fats may help prevent lethal heart rhythms from arising.

Evidence also suggests they may help reduce the need for corticosteroid medications in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Studies linking omega-3s to a wide range of other health improvements, including reducing risk of dementia, are inconclusive

Omega-6 fatty acids have also been linked to protection against heart disease. Foods rich in linoleic acid and other omega-6 fatty acids include vegetable oils such as safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn oils.

WELL – there you go!

almost everything you need to know about FATS!

Take care folks

TYLER LEES-SCHMUT

Co-Owner / Instructor / Author @