Eat Your Oatmeal!

I was recently training with one of my clients in an early-morning session. The workout was a body weight circuit "monster". I'm talking heart pumping, muscle stimulating, gasping for breath exercise. The post-exercise burn is pretty high for the rest of the day. After a workout like that, you definitely want to replace some carbs.

So when we were through, I said, "Now go have some oatmeal". To my surprise, I received a response of "I don't care for oatmeal. It's too mushy!"

So, today's email is for anyone else who doesn't like oatmeal. I'd like you to read today's article by John K. Williams, Ph.D. There's more ways to get your oats then perhaps you realized. So even if you don't like "oatmeal" be it whole, steel, Irish, instant, etc. you might like a cranberry "oat" brownie!

Save these recipes for future use.

Bon appetite!
Larry Wasserman

A Brief History Of Oats -
And Why You Should Eat Them

By John K. Williams, Ph.D.

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Despite their widespread praise by nutritionists and bodybuilders alike, oats have a humble origin. They were the last of the major cereal grains to be domesticated, around 3,000 years ago in Europe, and apparently originated as weeds that grew within cultivated fields of various other crops.

Part of the reason why people were slow to embrace oats is because they go rancid very quickly, due to the presence of natural fats and a fat dissolving enzyme present in the grain. As a result, they have to be processed immediately after harvesting. The fats in oats are relatively healthy, with a lipid breakdown of 21% saturated, 37% monounsaturated, and 43% polyunsaturated.

Greeks and Romans considered oats to be nothing more than a diseased version of wheat. Oats were a lowly horse food for the Romans, who scoffed at the "oat-eating barbarians", or those pesky Germanic tribes who eventually toppled the West Roman Empire. Come to think of it, the Romans were never able to conquer the Scots. Big oat eaters, those Scots.

Oats 2, Romans 0.

Even today, less than 5% of the oats now grown commercially are for human consumption. The chief value of oats remains as a pasturage and hay crop, especially for horses. Thousands of years and several empires later, most people still haven't caught-on.

Oats, What's So Good About Them?

Oats contain more soluble fiber than any other grain. Soluble fiber is the kind that dissolves in water, so the body turns it into a kind of thick, viscous gel, which moves very slowly through your body. One of the benefits is that your stomach stays fuller longer, providing satiety. Soluble fiber also slows the absorption of glucose into the body, which means you're going to avoid those nasty sugar highs and lows. Last but not least, it inhibits the re-absorption of bile into the system, forcing your liver to get its cholesterol fix from your blood. This serves to lower your blood-serum cholesterol. See what the Romans were missing?

Oats also have anti-inflammatory properties, and have been clinically shown to help heal dry, itchy skin. Oats are also highly absorptive, hypoallergenic, and help to soften skin, if you're into that kind of thing. They have the best amino acid balance of all the cereal grains, and thus can be used as water-binding agents in skin care products. Oat grains and straw appear in shampoos, dusting powders, moisturizers, cleansing bars, breast implants, and astronaut suits. OK, maybe those last two are figments of my imagination.

Varieties of Oats

From least to most processed:

Oat groats, or whole oats:
These are minimally processed, only by removing the outer hull. They are very nutritious, but need to be cooked and/or soaked for a long period of time so you don't break your teeth on them.

Oat bran:
This is the outer casing that is removed from the groats. The bran is particularly high in soluble fiber. Oat bran is very versatile, and can be used with groats or alone, and as an addition to baking recipes, or even raw in shakes.

Steel-cut oats, or Irish oats:
These are groats that have been chopped into small pieces. They have a firmer texture than rolled oats, and people in the know often prefer them for hot oatmeal cereals and muesli. A tip on purchasing steel-cut oats: some of the name brand varieties are prohibitively expensive, so search for them in bulk, where you can fill an entire tub of protein powder (empty it first!) for $5 US.

Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats:
These are oat groats that are steamed and flattened with huge rollers so that they cook quicker, in about 5 to 15 minutes.

Quick oats:
These are groats that have been cut into several pieces before being steamed and rolled into thinner flakes, thus reducing the cooking time to 3-5 minutes. While they cook quicker, any oat aficionado will tell you that they lack the hearty texture and nutty flavor of the less-processed varieties.

Instant oats:
These are made by chopping groats into tiny pieces, precooking them, drying them, then smashing them with a big roller. They need only be mixed with a hot liquid. They usually have flavorings and salt added. All of this processing removes all traces of the original texture and rich flavor of the groats.

Oat flour:
Oat flour is made from groats that have been ground into a powder, and contains no gluten so it does not rise like wheat flour. It can also be made at home by grinding rolled oats into a powder in a blender.

Recipes

Enough rambling-on about fallen empires and baby-soft skin, it's time for the lowdown on how to cook these little miracle grains. I'm always baffled when I hear people say how much they despise oats. Maybe they're not so good if you use the quick oats, plain, cooked in the microwave, with dishwater, while being whipped by giant fish heads. I've never met a person who wasn't impressed with the taste of my blueberry oatmeal. And I've introduced it to a lot of people. Roommates, parents, friends, friends of friends, girlfriends, roommate's girlfriends, family and friends of girlfriends; nary an unsatisfied consumer, yet.

By the way, all of these recipes are compatible with John Berardi's dietary advice outlined in his Massive Eating and Don't Diet plans. In other words, protein is included with every meal, and large amounts of carbs and fat are avoided in the same meal. In case you weren't paying attention earlier, the oat is a grain, thus making it a carbohydrate source. So all of the following recipes are for P+C meals.

Blueberry Oatmeal

Here it is, the breakfast that fulfills your every nutritional want and desire. A little warning: once you go steel-cut, there's no going back. This recipe makes a large bowl of oatmeal, which I usually eat during Massive Eating phases. You can reduce the ingredients if you want fewer carbs and overall k/cals during dieting phases.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup steel-cut oats
1/3 cup oat bran
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1.5 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
Water, as directed
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of cinnamon (big dash)
Dash of Splenda (big dash)

Instructions:

Add steel cut oats into 3 to 4 cups of water at night before you go to bed. Bring to a boil, simmer a couple of minutes, then remove from heat, cover the pot, and hit the hay. The longer you simmer and/or the more water you use, the larger the bowl of oatmeal, as the oats tend to soak up water like a sponge.

In the AM, bring the oats to a simmer once again on medium-low heat, adding the salt, cinnamon, and raw oat bran. Continue stirring and simmering for 5 minutes, or until you get the desired thickness (you may have to simmer for longer to boil-off some of the water). Turn off the heat, then add the frozen blueberries and some Splenda.

Stir until the blueberries are melted, thus cooling the oatmeal and allowing the protein powder to be added. The consistency should be fairly thick, especially after the oat bran has been added and cooked a bit. You might need to add some water in the AM, depending on how much was boiled-off the night before.

Macronutrient Profile:

k/cal: 699
Fat (g): 13 (2.5s, 4.7m, 4.6p)
Carbs: 111 (20 fiber)
Protein: 54

Strawberry-Banana Oatmeal

Given that you will probably never tire of the blueberry oatmeal, you might be tempted to neglect this recipe. But give it a try; variety is good!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup steel-cut oats
1/3 cup oat bran
3/4 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
1 medium banana, sliced
1.5 scoops strawberry or vanilla whey protein powder
Water, as directed
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of cinnamon (big dash)

Instructions:

In the evening, prepare the oats in the same manner as the Blueberry Oatmeal recipe. Again in the morning, bring the oats to a simmer and add the banana, salt, cinnamon, and oat bran. Keep stirring and simmer until you have the desired consistency (10 minutes or so), remove from heat, and stir-in the strawberries and protein powder.

Macronutrient Profile:

k/cal: 696
Fat (g): 11 (2.3s, 3.9m, 3.7p)
Carbs: 116 (19 fiber)
Protein: 50

Baked Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal

If you're in the mood for a hearty meal to feed that insatiable P+C demon inside of you, this one might just appease the beast.

Ingredients:

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup oat bran
1 large apple, chopped (I prefer Macintosh)
4 scoops vanilla or strawberry protein powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped
4 cups water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. In a separate container combine water and vanilla. Combine all ingredients, stirring gently. Pour into 8" x 8" baking dish, coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the oatmeal is tender. Over baking will result in dry oatmeal.

If you really want to make it special, put it in a bowl and pour a little milk over it. The two go hand in hand.

Makes 4 servings

Macronutrient Profile, per serving:

k/cal: 520
Fat (g): 9 (2s, 3m, 4p)
Carbs: 85 (15 fiber)
Protein: 35

Apple Cobbler Protein Bars

I took great pains to create a P+C protein bar that is not as dry and chewy as Fido's rubber bone. These bars provide a multi-layer gooey goodness that appeases even the most finicky of eaters. Just leave out the "protein bars" in the title if you're feeding them to a disbeliever.

Ingredients:
1 cup oat flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
6 scoops strawberry or vanilla whey protein powder
2/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 jumbo egg white
1 cup oat bran
1 cup granulated Splenda
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
2 tbsp honey
1 large apple, chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

Combine these in a large bowl: oat flour, whole wheat flour, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and most of the Splenda, leaving a couple of tablespoons for later. Stir these dry ingredients together.

Put the yogurt, egg white, vanilla extract, and olive oil in a blender, and turn it on low. Add the protein powder 1 scoop at a time, until thoroughly blended. Pour this mixture into the bowl, and stir together until it has the consistency of dough.

Coat a 8X12 inch baking pan with cooking spray, then pour the mixture into the pan, flattening it up to the edges.

Next, mix the applesauce, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, chopped apple, and honey together, and pour over the top of the dough mixture in the pan, spreading evenly.

Sprinkle the oat bran over the top, until thoroughly and evenly covered, then sprinkle the remaining Splenda over the top.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350-degrees F, and then switch to broil for 3-4 minutes, just until top is slightly browned. Be careful not to overcook.

Makes 12 bars.

Macronutrient Profile (each serving)

K/cal: 183
Fat: 3 g (1s, 1m, 1p)
Carbs: 27g (4 fiber)
Protein: 16 g

Cranberry Oat Brownies

These are simple, quick, and delicious, combining nutritious ingredients that all compliment one another.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups rolled oats, ground into a powder in a food processor
1 cup whole wheat flour
5 scoops chocolate protein powder
1 cup granulated Splenda
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/3 cup applesauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, mixing briefly. Add the yogurt, applesauce, and oil to a food processor, and mix on low.

Add the protein powder into this mixture, while blending, one scoop at a time, until thoroughly blended.

Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, add the honey, and stir together until everything is mixed well.

Pour the dough into a 8X12 inch cooking dish, and bake at 350-degrees F for 10-12 minutes (don't cook it too long or it will lose it's chewy texture and moisture).

Makes 8 brownies.

Macronutrient Profile, per brownie:
k/cal: 253
Fat (g): 4 (0.8s, 2.2m, 0.9p)
Carbs: 37 (4 fiber)
Protein: 18

Cranberry-Orange Whole Grain Loaf

If you want to surprise your family with a tasty side dish at Thanksgiving, throw one of these on the table. Or make a loaf any other time of the year to fulfill those macronutrient requirements.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup nonfat dry milk powder
4 scoops strawberry or vanilla whey protein powder (for the love of God, don't use chocolate, ech!)
0.5 cups water
Juice from 1 orange
Grated peel from 1 orange (don't go overboard on the peel, or it gets bitter)
½ cup applesauce
½ tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp baking powder
Dash of ground nutmeg (small dash)
½ tsp salt
¾ cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons whole flax seeds*
½ cup granulated Splenda

Instructions:

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and mix with a large wooden spoon.

Add the water, applesauce, oil, vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Using a fine grater, shave the outer skin from an orange, until obtaining about 2 tablespoons of grated peel. Add the grated peel, and squeeze the orange into the mix, removing any seeds.

Divide the mixture into two loaf pans, coated with cooking spray. Cook for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

*Whole flax seeds are not digested, unless you spend 20 minutes chewing every bite. They are added to this recipe more for texture, so don't worry about the chewing thing. For the nutritional information, half of the given seeds were included in the macronutrient profile, which is based on the assumption that half of the seeds will pass straight through you.

Macronutrient Profile, per 1/3 loaf:

k/cal: 327
Fat (g): 5 (1s, 2m, 2p)
Carbs: 53 (7 fiber)
Protein: 22

Ginger Apricot Scones

Well, aren't we fancy with our homemade scones? Don't worry, if the guys in the gym ask you what you're eating, you can just call them "protein pucks".

1 cup whole-wheat flour, plus ½ cup of wheat flour, set aside
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup oat flour
6 scoops strawberry whey protein powder
¾ cup dried apricots, chopped
½ cup applesauce
2-inch cube of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
¼ cup granulated Splenda
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder
½ cup water
½ tbsp canola or olive oil

Instructions:

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl (except the ½ cup whole wheat flour). To make the oat flour, process 1 cup of rolled oats in a blender on high, until transformed into a fine powder.

Add the applesauce and water, and mix until a soft dough is formed. Spoon-out 1/3 of the dough and place on a floured surface. Sprinkle flour over the top of the pile, and flatten into a 3/4 -inch thick circular patty. Cut the circle into four wedges (twice crosswise). Place each wedge on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat for the remaining 3rds of the dough.

Cook for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Makes 12 scones

Macronutrient Profile, per scone:

k/cal: 189
Fat (g): 3 (0.5s, 1.5m, 1p)
Carbs: 27 (4 fiber)
Protein: 14

Savory Oatmeal Recipes

All right, there are enough recipes above to satisfy the sweet tooth of your average Krispy Kreme junkie. But don't be fooled into thinking that oats are synonymous with the adjectives "fruity" or "sugary". The versatility of oats is endless, and the following savory recipes will put to rest any misperceptions of some schmaltzy sucrose addict feverishly devouring a tray of oat brownies. Here are some recipes that hark back to the time of the "oat-eating barbarians".

Shakshuka

You won't find many Levantines eating a sugary bowl of cereal for breakfast. Shakshuka, a seasoned mixture of tomatoes and eggs, is a common breakfast in the Eastern Mediterranean. Here is a version with the added goodness of oats.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup steel-cut oats
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 large egg, whole
¾ cup raw egg whites
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Bring the oats, tomatoes, and tomato paste to a boil in 2 cups of water. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 25 minutes.

Sauté the onion and garlic in a skillet coated with cooking spray and add these to the pot when the oats have finished cooking. The consistency should be thick, but a little soupy. More water may need to be added at this point to achieve the desired consistency.

Spread the whole egg and egg whites over the surface, stirring gently to break the yolk. Cover and simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve it up.

Macronutrient Profile:

k/cal: 516
Fat (g): 10 (2.3s, 3.2m, 2.5p)
Carbs: 71 (13 fiber)
Protein: 40

Oat-Chicken Salad

This recipe is light and refreshing, for those hot August days when a steaming bowl of oats is the last thing on your mind.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast, 6 oz cooked
½ cup steel-cut oats
1 large tomato, chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
2 scallions, diced
1/3 cup fresh mint and/or parsley, chopped
Juice from 1 fresh lemon
Dash of salt
2 large romaine leaves

Instructions:

I usually grill a few pounds of chicken breasts and store them in Ziploc bags in the fridge for a quick protein fix. Slice one of these chicken breasts and put aside for later.

Place the oats in a pot and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, then drain. When well drained and slightly cooled, mix the oats with the tomato, cucumber, scallions, mint/parsley, lemon juice and salt. Cover and refrigerate until cool.

Serve over the romaine leaves and top with the sliced chicken breast.

Macronutrient Profile:

k/cal: 700
Fat (g): 13 (2.9s, 3.9m, 3.7p)
Carbs: 77 (15 fiber)
Protein: 72

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Here is a hearty recipe that combines the goodness of oats, good quality protein, and plenty of antioxidants from the veggies and spices.

12 oz ground turkey breast (98% lean)
1 cup whole groats, or steel-cut oats
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 whole green bell peppers
1 tsp ground cumin
1 dash dried red chili pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups chicken broth, from bouillon

Preheat oven to 325-degrees F.

Sauté the oats and garlic in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray on medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until they start to brown. Begin adding the chicken broth to the skillet ½ cup at a time, until 2 cups of broth have been absorbed. Set the oats aside in a large bowl.

In the same skillet, stir-fry the ground turkey with the onions until the turkey is cooked throughout, and then add the chopped tomatoes, cumin, ground chili pepper, and salt/pepper. Add this turkey mixture to the oats, and stir together.

Cut the top off each bell pepper and scoop out the seeds and membrane, being careful not to break the peppers. Fill each pepper with the ground turkey-oat mixture and place in a baking dish. Add the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth to the baking dish, and cover first with plastic wrap and then tin foil (the plastic wrap will not allow the tin foil to stick to the peppers). Bake the stuffed chili peppers for 30 minutes at 325 degrees.

Makes 2 servings.

Macronutrient Profile, per serving:

k/cal: 709
Fat (g): 11 (2.3s, 2.9m, 3.8p)
Carbs: 95 (18 fiber)
Protein: 61

Tex-Mex Chicken-Vegetable-Grain Medley

If you're short on time and need a quick fix, this one's easy to prepare and is tasty to boot. If you really want to decrease your cooking time, you can make the oats in bulk at the beginning of the week.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast, grilled, 6 oz. cooked weight, cubed
Whole groats or steel-cut oats, ½ cup dry
Frozen vegetable mix (corn, peas, and carrots), ½ cup
1 stalk celery, chopped
Red bell pepper, ½ medium, chopped
2 tbsp barbecue sauce

Instructions:
Boil the oats in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed. When the oats are cooked, it's very simple: just stir all of the ingredients together in a pot on medium-low heat, until everything is warm. It can also be nuked.

Macronutrient Profile:
k/cal: 770
Fat (g): 13 (2.3s, 4m, 3.5p)
Carbs: 91 (14 fiber)
Protein: 71

These recipes should provide plenty of opportunities to turn those oats into something much more than a mushy, tasteless breakfast. Now it's time to go out and buy enough of these grains to fill all of the empty protein powder tubs that litter your house. Bon appetite!

John Williams is an archaeologist by training but his free time is occupied with eating well, training hard, and learning more about fitness and nutrition. John can be contacted at johnkew@yahoo.com.

See Also:

Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover

Click on the Book!

Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover. Want to learn how to combine the science of nutrition with the art of cooking? Want to build a high performance body while eating great tasting food? Then try our brand new book, Gourmet Nutrition 2.0! We've come up with nearly 300 pages and over 120 recipes to show you how to build the body you never thought you could have by eating food you never thought you could eat.

Why Don't I Have The Body I Want?

Recently I sent you an invitation to the Precison Nutrition 8 Day Nutrition Course. Did you click on the link? If you did, congratulations! You are on your way to improving your health and getting the fit lean body you've been looking for. You have also demonstrated that you are a person who takes action.

Think of the people you know or have met in life that are successful in some outstanding way. How do you think they arrived there? They had a strong desire to do or be something, and they took action. In fact, they took consistent action and over time they were rewarded for their efforts.

If you didn't sign up for the 8 Day Nutrition Course, ask yourself why? I'll bet there was a little voice in the back of your head telling you one of the following:

A. I'm too busy, I don't have the time.

B. They probably just want to sell me something.

C. I already know how to eat, I've been eating my entire life!

D. Just what I need, something else to do.

E. I'm eating okay, I just need to workout more often.

F. Now is not a good time with the holidays and all.

I hope you're getting a chuckle out of that little list. Believe me I know all about that little voice. I listened to it too many times for too many years. Let's just say that, if you do or you don't, you've made a choice. One choice will move you in the right direction, and one will prevent you from achieving your goals.

Henry Ford said it best, "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."

I've been a personal trainer for nine years and the one limiting factor I see over and over again is lack of nutritional knowledge. I tell my clients on a regular basis that exercise alone won't cut it. It's just not enough to get the job done. In fact, it lags far behind nutrition. Bottom line, if you want to lose weight, gain weight, add muscle, improve your athletic performance, or heal your body, the solution lies in your nutrition.

It's not your motivation. I'm sure you've got plenty. What you might be missing is having a simple system that you can do, that works, and is based on real science.

I want you to get the body you desire and deserve. I will keep writing about the importance of nutrition until you either "opt" off of this list or you ignore that little voice in your head and take action.

We're all the same in this regard. You can change your habits and get results without starving or suffering in any way. The Precision Nutrition system is based on a strategy that evaluates criterion through three rules.

1. Simplicity: Are the rules easy to follow?

2. Science: Are the rules based on sound scientific principles?

3. Success: Have the rules produced succes in past clients?

Think for a moment about how you are currently eating. Which criterion did you use when determining your rules? Have your rules produced a desired effect, a lean, healthy body that you are able to maintain; a body that you are happy with when you look in the mirror?

Precision Nutrition will help you rethink your whole nutrition approach, providing you with a new set of nutriton rules and habits - a set that swiftly moves you in the direction of your goals. It's a complete system, built for one purpose only: to give you precise control over your body through nutrition. There is nothing else like it.

If there's one thing I've learned it's that education must be a constant. I literally spend thousands of dollars every year on my fitness education. I have learned that everytime I spend money to educate myself, I learn more ways to help people improve their health and fitness. When I help more people, I earn more money. Therefore, the more I learn, the more I earn.

Here's a rhetorical question. Aren't you invested in your children's education? I think we all agree that getting good grades in school is pretty important. Good grades play a significant part to getting into a good college and thus getting an even better education and doing well in life. And isn't doing well in life also about being healthy enough to enjoy life? Which brings us back to you. Here's an opportunity to invest in your own education. Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)said "Knowledge is Power". This true, but applied knowledge is the most powerful.

I'm going to ask you to do something drastic, so bear with me.

It's time to take action. If you haven't done so already, click on this link and sign up for the free Precison Nutrition 8 Day Nutrition Course. You might learn ten times what you currently know and it won't cost you a nickel.

If you want to get right down to brass tacks, then follow this link directly to Precision Nutrition. Any questions you have will be answered here.

It's time for action. Go ahead, do it now!

Precision Nutrition

Bill Maher Speaks Out: "Ask Your Dr. If Getting Off of Your Ass is Right For You!"

I like Bill Maher and I know that not everyone does. Some people think Bill Maher is an in-your-face kind of guy. I like his political commentary and comedic style.

I also like his work because he makes me think about things. Do I always agree with him? No, but I like his sense of humor too. Here's a YouTube video of Bill Maher on an anti-pharma rant from a show that aired in October, 2007.

After viewing the video, I would not call this clip just “anti pharma”. I’d say that he satirizes the conventional mindset around health. Bill pokes fun at us as a nation. The "funny" thing is he's right. As a nation, we do take too many prescription drugs, and there are a lot of new ailments that either didn't exsist 50 years ago or weren't so widespread that anyone noticed.

What I like about Bill's rant is that he doesn't settle on just finding fault. By pointing out the Duke University study, he let's us know that each of us has to help ourselves in finding better health.

"Ask your doctor if getting off of your ass is right for you." Now that's funny.

Let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

The Holiday Diet Disaster

Are you prepared to avoid Holiday Diet Disasters?

The holidays are notorious for overindulgence when it comes to food and drink. Coupled with less consistency when it comes to exercise and you are suddenly a victim of holiday weight gain. With endless holidays treats, family obligations, end-of-the-year work stress and too many parties that require your presence it is easy for us to retaliate by "dieting". We simply cut back what we eat on the days when weare not indulging on the holiday treat or feast of that week.

Sounds logical - however, this is the very habit that will leave you frustrated as many New Years resolution weight-loss programs promise.

If you choose to skip meals or significantly, cut your calories to 1200 or less, you are only setting yourself up for the holiday diet disaster. Diets will only leave you feeling tired, stressed, unable to control cravings and worse yet - diets will only SLOW your METABOLISM.

A slow or sluggish metabolism is the underlying reason why it is so difficult to shed the excess fat! If your goal is to start off the New Year with a more fit and healthy body - then you must not starve yourself or skip meals with the intention of making up for poor choices. Instead, eat in away that allows you to boost your metabolism.

How do you do this? Eat every 3 to 4 hours. Now the majority of the time the foods you choose should be supportive to give your metabolism more of a kick! But be sure to make plans to have those holiday treats as well.

Living a "Body Basics" lifestyle is all about balance and moderation.

Happy Holidays!
Larry Wasserman

Good Health Is An Act Of Love

Today’s newsletter deals with a topic that is a terrible and painful part of life. I'll begin by sharing a recent conversation I had.

I was talking to a close friend of mine yesterday. Her name is Gail and her husband has throat cancer. Yes, he has been a cigarette smoker for many years and he made his choice to keep smoking in spite of the many and obvious warnings. Pete has seven more radiation treatments to go. Gail’s world and her family are in crisis. Their day to day living is consumed by the disease. The good news is that his prognosis is good. He's quit smoking and is looking at the world quite differently.

I lost my mother to breast cancer many years ago. And even though she passed away in 1989, just four months after Sue and I were married, I’m still unsettled by it. Talking to Gail has stirred up many unpleasant memories and past emotions.

The impact of cancer on a family is just devastating. If you’ve been there, then you know how life gets turned upside down. Caring for a loved one becomes a full time job and everything and everyone is affected.

After speaking with Gail I feel an obligation to share my thoughts with you. You see we all take health for granted. Health is one of those things that just “is”. Too many people think of health as an infinite resource that replenishes itself. But if the time comes that your health and possibly your life is hanging in the balance, you’ll do anything to get it back.

Here's a quote from my friend Dax Moy:

"Health like any other commodity falls under the laws of sowing and reaping. Good health requires that we “sow” good habits like regular exercise and eat healthy nutritional foods so that we can “reap” a body that will serve us throughout our entire lives."

Please don’t take your health for granted. It’s a lot easier (and cheaper) to take care of yourself now than it is to face the music later. Compare the costs of being healthy now versus being sick. A gym membership versus a hospital bed. If you need a bit of motivation, then visit an oncology ward in a local hospital. I much prefer the challenge of eating vegetables everyday and working out three times per week.

Not enough time? Perhaps you need to re-evaluate your priorities and move things around or ask for some help. Excuses are not reasons.

What can you do? There's no shortage of education. In fact, by the time you're in fourth grade you've been exposed to know what to do. As a adult, you are either taking measures to live healthy and prevent disease or you are not.

So my message today is simple but direct. I want you to live a life that actively pursues health and wellness through preventative measures.

Here’s a short list of reminders:

Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 3 to 5 times a week.

Please go to the doctor and get a physical if you haven’t had one in two years.

If you are turning fifty years of age, get a colonoscopy.

Women make sure you have a mammogram and a pap test taken once a year.

Eat as many servings of fruits and vegetables as you can in a day, at least five to ten. If you skip these foods all day and wait to eat your vegetables with your dinner, you’d better bring a bucket full.

Keep your total blood cholesterol level under 200 mg/dl.

Drink water, avoid sugar, excess caffeine and soft drinks.

Wear a high SPF sunscreen and avoid being in the direct sun for long periods of time.

DON’T SMOKE!

Seek out foods from certified organic sources.

Learn to read food labels and cut back on processed foods and avoid fast-food restaurants.

Avoid saturated fats and learn to choose healthy fats from fish, nuts, and avocados for example.

Teach your children by what you practice, not what you preach!

And last but not least, cleanse your system with Isagenix Total Body Cleanse. The fact is getting regular exercise, eating healthy foods, and using Isagenix as a preventative measure to improve your health is about the smartest thing you can do. If you don’t believe me, then take it from Dr. Becky Natrajan, a board certified Gastroenterologist. Go to this link and view the video, “Take Control of Your Health”.

In closing, I want you to think about how you are living your life. Be honest. If this seems overwhelming, then just change ONE THING. Perhaps it is drinking one bottle of water a day. Perhaps it is eating one apple a day. Start small and every week add one new healthy habit and replace one unhealthy habit.

By taking action, you are not only taking measures to live longer, but you are performing an act of love. That’s right. The way I see it, you are giving your family the gift of “you” being around to love them for as long as possible.

May you die young...at a very old age.

Ode to the Champions

I was surfing the web when I came across the
following poem and wanted to share it:

Who are these people-
These doers of deeds,
These dreamers of dreams,
Who make us believe?

Who are these people
Who still win the day-
When the odds are against them
And strength fades away?

These people are champions,
For they never give in,
A heart beats within them
That is destined to win.

They follow their dreams
Though the journey seems far,
From the top of a mountain
They reach out to a star.

And when they have touched it-
When their journey is done-
They give to us hope
From the victories they've won.

So here's to the champions-
To all their great deeds,
They follow their hearts
And become winners indeed.

Tom Krause

Less is More When Eating Food

One of the most important keys to losing body fat, building muscle, and feeling energetic throughout the day is controlling your body's metabolism. Metabolism is a highly technical process and requires
a lot of education to understand all of the processes and systems involved. I like Phil Kaplan's definition where he defines metabolism very simply as "the speed at which the body burns through food".

The end result is that the nutrients in the food we eat will be either absorbed and become part of the body, absorbed and be used for energy, or be eliminated through waste.

It's not that difficult to positively influence your body's metabolism. Making a few minor changes can have a great impact. One of the key components is to eat protein with every meal. Other components are to eat foods that have a thermogenic effect on the body. In short, many whole foods make the body work harder to digest them completely. This process uses a lot of energy (calories). By eating certain foods in combination, we can increase the thermogenic effect on the body even further.

Ultimately we want to build and maintain lean muscle. The more muscle, the more calories you'll burn at rest. If you can get your body to efficiently use most of the protein you eat every day, you'll have a better chance of "packing-on" more muscle over time. It's also important to eat protein from quality sources.

The human body's "survival mode mechanism" (what it does to avoid dying in the event there's a long period of time without food) is to hold onto some body fat and keep it as a safety reserve at all times. If you begin to eat to "support" metabolism, you will then begin to successfully influence the efficiency of your metabolism. In so doing your body will start getting conditioned to hold onto less body fat which in essence is "stored energy". If you feed your body correctly, over time it will adapt
to the frequency of meals coming in (nutrition) and literally release stored fat. It's as if it realizes that it doesn't need the stored fat any more.

Depending on how you eat, your body will either speed up its metabolism or slow it down to conserve the energy it has left . If your body isn't supplied with a steady stream of nutrients that it can easily convert into energy, it will start slowing itself down. As such, your body will give you less energy to work with. But what happens is that the body borrows from one area to give to another. For example, if you perform too much aerobic exercise, there's a high probability that the body will break down lean muscle to use for energy.

Why would the body break down it's own vital lean mass?

If the body "perceives" that there is less nutrition coming in, or a high demand of energy going out as in "over aerobicising", the body can begin to cannibalize it's own lean mass so that it has less mass to maintain. This makes perfect sense when you understand that muscle is "metabolically active tissue". It is literally the physical place where fat is burned. So if there is less muscle to maintain, there are fewer calories needed.

Eating smaller, more frequent meals is a great way to control your metabolism. The idea of smaller, more frequent meals is a sound nutritional strategy that can help you build muscle, lose body fat, and keep your energy levels high. Consuming five or six smaller meals spread evenly throughout the day (that totals 2,000 calories, let's say), is much more efficient than eating only two meals equaling the same amount.

I often use the analogy of a campfire to help people understand how the body uses energy. If you've ever been camping, you've probably had a camp fire to cook with or keep warm. If not, picture a ring of rocks with a fire made of wood from the forest in the middle of the rocks. We've got small twigs called "kindling" which literally means "to start a fire", slightly larger pieces called "tinder", and finally logs called "fuel".

To start a fire we start with kindling. Kindling is small twigs, crumpled dry leaves, dry grass, or anything that will ignite easily. This is analagous to starting our day with breakfast. It really doesn't matter what meal you are eating, it is always best to eat small amounts. A fire that burns for a time develops a hot bed of coals. Think of this coal bed as muscle. If you have enough coals the fire can handle a large log and burn it up. So if you have a fair amount of muscle and energy expending activity, your body can handle a large meal by using the energy from the meal efficiently.

The camp fire needs a large bed of coals and a little air to handle the "fuel". Our general problem is that we have too little muscle and eat too many big meals that our metabolisms can't handle. If a camp fire isn't hot enough to burn a big log thrown on it, the fire will dwindle and the log will remain partially burned. A similar thing happens with food.

The worst part is the body will digest most of the food and store more of it as fat than we want it to. This is simply because the body didn't need the food as energy because the body's energy stores are full and the body's energy demands are low.

Back to the camp fire for a minute. By feeding the camp fire with smaller pieces of wood (tinder) on a hot (and growing) bed of coals, the fire consumes the wood effortlessly. The energy in the wood
combined with oxygen ignite the fire's intensity. Our bodies can work this way too. By eating smaller meals, we don't tax our systems and our bodies literally begin to "burn through food" like Phil Kaplan says. This is how we eat to "support metabolism".

The Proof

A study conducted at St. Michael's Hospital in Ontario, Canada, observed two groups of individuals. One was subjected to a common three-meals-a-day diet while another was asked to consume over a dozen small ones throughout the day. At the end of the study, the "nibblers" showed considerably lower levels of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the bad kind of cholesterol that sticks to the arteries).

Another study conducted at the University of Limburg in the Netherlands revealed that individuals who consume mini-meals had more stable carbohydrate and fat oxidization levels, while "gorgers" didn't, making them more prone to weight gain.

A study from Johannesburg, South Africa, demonstrated that frequent meals reduced appetite by 27%. Scandinavian researchers reported the competitive boxers who tried to lose weight by reducing their calorie intake. But it was mostly lean body mass loss in those who had their ration in two square meals compared with those who had 6 meals a day.

The Benefits

As stated above, eating smaller meals more frequently stabilizes nutrient oxidization levels, making the body more efficient at burning food, so anybody who wants to lose weight should adopt this eating principle. Eating smaller meals is also believed to lower blood cholesterol.

Furthermore, "nibbling or grazing" throughout the day prevents long stretches of starvation. Going from noon to 6:00pm without eating usually ends with one overeating at supper. This is a very bad eating habit seeing as our metabolism can only handle a certain amount of calories, carbs, fat, and protein in one sitting.

When you eat less carbohydrates at one time, you have more glucose and insulin control. Since diabetes is the fastest growing disease in the U.S., as well as the rest of the world, small meals make more sense for carbohydrate control.

It certainly seems wise to eat more small meals if you want to lose weight and improve your health.

Yours in health and fitness,
Larry Wasserman

Fit Tips-Organic Foods Health Benefits

There's been a lot of debate in the media lately regarding organic foods. Specifically, are they worth it? And are they really that much healthier for you? It's a personal choice we each have to make. It's important to do your own research and find good sources of foods. Personally, I favor organic foods, if they are labeled "certified organic". Be careful of manufacturer's misuse of the words organic, whole, and natural.

My best to you in health and fitness,

Larry Wasserman

Fit Tips
Organic Foods- Health Benefits
Submitted by AOA Dryland Director Sarah Applegarth

WHICH FOODS ARE WORTH BUYING ORGANIC?

Strawberries, the most heavily contaminated crop, often have high levels of methyl bromide and hormone- affecting pesticides. Leafy greens, such as spinach and lettuces, along with grapes, rice, almonds and sunflower seed, tomatoes sweet peppers and imported fruits also routinely contain high levels of organophosphates and other toxins.

Even after washing, many fruits and vegetables consistently carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others. Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S government pesticide test results, researchers at the Environmental Working Group have developed the "dirty dozen fruits and vegetables". They recommend consumers should always buy these organic to avoid heavy doses of pesticides:

Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Imported grapes
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Red Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries

Reference: Fitness Trainer Canada October 2006

Sarah Applegarth MSc, PFLC, CSCS AOA
Fitness Director, Active Life Conditioning Inc.

Fit Tips DOMS- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Dealing With Muscle Pain After Exercise

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise is not uncommon, particularly if you are just beginning exercise program or changing activities. For those starting a new exercise routine or learning a new sport, some muscle soreness may be felt from 12-48 hours following the activity. You may also experience muscle stiffness, fatigue and weakness.

Rest assured, this is a normal response to unusual exertion as the muscles adapt to the new stress. Over time this adaptation leads to greater muscle strength and endurance and the same activity will no longer result in soreness. Delayed onset muscle soreness is generally the worst within the first 2 days following the activity and subsides over the next few days.

Causes of DOMS

It is thought that delayed onset muscle soreness is the result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on the activity, the intensity and the time ofthe activity.

Any movement you aren't used to can lead to DOMS, but eccentric muscle contraction (movements that cause muscle to contract while it lengthens) seem to cause the most soreness. Examples of eccentric muscle contractions include going down stairs, running downhill, lowering weights and the downward motion of squats and push-ups. In addition to small muscle tears there can be associated swelling in a muscle which may contribute to soreness.

Preventing DOMS

While DOMS is common and annoying, it is not a necessary part of getting into shape.
There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid and shorten DOMS.

Here are a few tips:
* Warm up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward.
* Perform easy stretching after exercise.
* When beginning a new activity gradually build up your time and intensity.
* Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise you do.
* Avoid making sudden major changes in the amount of time that you exercise.

Too Late! You Are Already Sore.

Here are some tips for treating delayed soreness:

* Wait. Soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment.
* Avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain.
* Do some easy low-impact aerobic exercise - this will increase blood flow to the affected muscles, which may help diminish soreness.
* Use the RICE method of treating injuries. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
* Use gentle stretching of the affected area.
* Gently massage the affected muscles.
* Try using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (aspirin or ibuprofen)
to reduce the soreness temporarily, though they won't actually speed healing.
* There is some evidence that vitamin C may decrease soreness.
* Allow the soreness to subside thoroughly before performing any vigorous exercise.
* Don't forget to warm up completely before your next exercise session.

Some pain can be a sign of a serious injury. If your muscle soreness does not get better within a week consult your physician.

Yours in health and fitness,
Larry Wasserman