ushankari's Blog

Both obesity and diabetes are <a title="View my Article at Helium.com" href="http://www.helium.com/tm/1125171">metabolic disorders</a>  brought on by our sedentary lifestyles. Research studies have found that obese people are up to 80 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who maintain a healthy weight. Diabetes is a disorder in which the body cells fail to take up glucose from the blood. This could happen when one’s body either doesn’t make enough insulin or becomes resistant to it or cannot use it properly.

After a meal the amount of glucose in the bloodstream rises. The pancreas responds by secreting a hormone called insulin which unlocks the receptors on cells by binding with it so that the glucose can pass from the blood into the cell. Inside the cell, glucose is either used for energy or stored for future use in the form of glycogen in liver or muscle cells.

Insulin resistance occurs when the normal amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas is not able to unlock the door to cells. To maintain a normal blood glucose, the pancreas secretes additional insulin. In some cases (about 1/3 of the people with insulin resistance), when the body cells resist or do not respond to even high levels of insulin, glucose builds up in the blood resulting in high blood glucose or type 2 diabetes.

A glucose tolerance test, during which insulin and blood glucose are measured, can help determine if someone is insulin resistant. Many people who are insulin resistant produce large enough quantities of insulin to maintain near normal blood glucose levels.

To build muscle mass, it's a great idea to stick with the basics of nutrition--take in plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as enough total calories to support growth. You must consume 1.4-1.7g proteins for every one kilo of your body weight, and the calorie your food must provide is 18-20 times your body weight.

The Magic Numbers

 It is important to calculate the ratios of macronutrients you must eat for building muscle. If you are very skinny and have problems gaining any kind of weight, start with higher amounts of protein and fat —the ratio of the percentages of proteins, carbohydrates and fat maybe 40-30-30; but if you have significant body fat, the percentages can be 40-40-20 or 50-30-20. The body fat is considered significant, if it is more than 15 percent for men or more than 25 percent for women. A highly active person with a normal body may have a diet high on carbohydrates; perhaps a 25-55-20 diet or a 30-50-20 diet would be appropriate.

 It is extremely important to know exactly how your diet is affecting your physique. Track your bodybuilding program by taking regular measurements of your body's weight, size and fat to determine the direction your body is moving. This will allow you to quickly make the appropriate adjustments to the macronutrients ratio.

 Pre- and Post-training Meals

 In addition to the quantity of nutrients, the timing of food intake in relation to your weight training exercises is of paramount importance. What you eat in the 90 minutes before and the 90 minutes after the 1-hour workout can significantly enhance your ability to build muscle. During intense exercise, the body converts sugars (carbs) into energy you need to contract a muscle. To make the nutrients available to the body during exercise, the pre-workout meal should be consumed about 60-90 minutes before exercise, and should have complex carbohydrates, which will ensure you have adequate sustained energy levels for your workout. Additionally, consume high-glycemic foods (fruits, fruit juices) 15 to 30 minutes previous to the workout to provide the body with an immediate energy source and create an insulin spike that helps to get the nutrients to your muscles.

 After the workout there may be small tears in muscle fibers and connective tissues. The post-workout meal should be heavy on carbohydrates to replace the drained fuel sources (muscle glycogen) and protein to begin the rebuilding process. This is the time you can eat anything and not worry about it turning into fat. Don't include the post-workout meal in your daily calorie counts. This will mean that you take in 15-25% more calories on your workout days than non-workout days. You can make your post-workout meal about 15-25% of your total daily caloric goal.  As a first step, you can have high glycemic index foods like fruit or fruit juice or some "creatine plus" product or other commercial bodybuilding supplements made expressly for this purpose. Next, provide the body with a quality protein source.  A liquid source made from whey protein powder is ideal, because it can be processed and utilized by the body quicker. Do this soon after the workout, ideally within 30 minutes, as the body will exit its catabolic state quickly and enter an anabolic state, so that you lose less muscle and start building new muscle quickly.

Some Tips on Selecting Food for Weight Gain

 *  Eat plenty of starchy carbohydrates including whole grains and cereals, pasta, potatoes, yams, beans, rice and oatmeal. Add in some of the healthy "good" fats (such as flax oil, olive oil, or a couple tablespoons of peanut butter) and walnuts and you'll gain weight more quickly.

 *  Meats like chicken, tuna, and lean cuts of beef provide a slower release of amino acids, thereby increasing muscle growth to a good degree. Not only has tuna got more than 20% protein but it's cheap and rich in natural essential oils. Eggs and soy proteins are excellent source of good quality protein. Seafood such as shrimp and scallops are excellent sources of protein, and they also provide omega-3 fatty acids.

 *  Casein protein is the richest in glutamine, an amino acid that aids in recovery after workout. Protein foods containing casein (milk or whey powder) have been shown to increase muscle strength, relax muscle tension and the joint, increase synthesis and inhibit breakdown of the protein and boost HDL level. Casein clots in the stomach to form a sort of gel, thereby causing a slow, but prolonged release of amino acids into your bloodstream. Have milk and cereals fortified with Vitamin D as a breakfast to strengthen muscles.

 *  Include papaya, in addition to apples, bananas and orange juice in your breakfast. Papaya provides plenty of potassium, which is required to manufacture muscle glycogen and to assist in muscle contraction. The fruit is also uniquely positioned for inclusion in high-protein diets, because it is dense in special enzymes that aid in the digestion of protein foods. Papaya is also high in vitamin C.

 *  Add honey to pre- and posttraining carb source for bodybuilders who struggle to control bodyfat levels. Honey also contains potent antioxidants, as well as nitric oxide (NO) components. Nitric oxide helps control a range of processes in the body, including nerve signaling, immune functions, muscle growth and the dilation of blood vessels. Dilation simply means the opening up of blood vessels, which helps to increase blood flow to your muscles, bringing with it much-needed nutrients, oxygen and hormones

 *  Fenugreek and turmeric are beneficial to bodybuilders. Fenugreek and turmeric help stabilize blood sugar levels. If you suffer from low blood sugar levels, then give these two spices a try. Turmeric also acts as a thermogenic, boosting metabolic rate, and fenugreek helps to raise testosterone levels.

Traditional Eastern medicines have used the flowers, leaves and roots of various species of Hibiscus for treating liver disorders. For centuries, Indians have used the flowers for making hair oils for luxurious, lustrous and dandruff-free hair and its mucigenous leaves to shampoo the hair. Chinese have used the flowers to make tea and West Asian countries have used its syrup to flavor sweet dishes. The flower extracts are also used to make jams, sauces, herbal teas and added to soft drinks in various countries across the world. Hibiscus sabdariffa is what gives Celestial Seasonings Tea its distinctive color and flavor.

The heart-friendly Hibiscus extract contains many of the same antioxidant compounds as red wine and green tea, including flavonoids, polyphenols and anthocyanins, shown in research to prevent the oxidation of low-lensity lipoproteins (LDL), or 'bad' cholesterol. Apart from being anti-LDL oxidative, it is  anti-hyperlipidaemic (it reduces the amount of lipids) too.

 A new Taiwanese study investigated the effects of hibiscus extract on LDL in rats and found that the antioxidants in the flower could reduce the dangerous build up of fats inside the arteries. The research concludes that components of hibiscus extract can modify LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, rendering it less able to invade blood vessel walls where it contributes to atherosclerosis.

 The active constituents in Hibiscus are anthocyanins, which have antioxidative, antitumor, and anticarcinogenic properties.  Hibiscus has been shown to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), the enzyme which causes an elevation of blood pressure. The herbal extract of hibiscus increases sodium excretion without modifying potassium. The study concluded that hibiscus herbal extract has two of the properties of commonly prescribed antihypertension drugs; namely, ACE inhibition and diuretic actions.

 From adorning the hair of Hawaiian women and the prayer rooms of Indians, the humble red blossom has now set itself to invade the health stores in the West as a natural, heart-friendly food.

A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in fat may well be the most effective alternative approach of all because it may help prevent certain cancers.

Eat Raw Fruits and Vegetables
Many cancer experts believe that damage to DNA is an essential first step in causing cancer. DNA, found in the nucleus of the cells of all organisms, contains the genetic code that your cells use when they reproduce. DNA can be damaged by free radicals in the body and cause it to reproduce incorrectly. Free radicals are a by-product of normal cell metabolism, such as fighting infection or burning glucose for energy. They are unstable molecules that have lost one electron and they combine with the body's cells and tissues to get the electron they need. Normal cells are permeable and allow nutrients to enter and wastes to be removed, but the free radicals change the functioning of the cell, causing leakage or clogging and, ultimately, its death. Free radicals cause LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol, to stick to the walls of the arteries.That's how excess free radicals cause damage to blood vessel tissues, and the medical experts have linked many diseases including cancer to these 'oxidative damages'.

In theory, fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals ("phyto" means plant) that neutralize free radicals in the test tube. A pilot study was designed at the AMC Cancer Research Center in Lakewood, CO, to see if a diet high in fruits and vegetables would protect DNA from damage caused by free radicals. Twenty-eight women who participated in the pilot study were all at high risk for breast cancer based on family history; and they agreed to eat 10 or more daily servings of a diverse group of vegetables and fruit for 2 weeks. Researchers compared levels of damaged DNA in blood samples taken before and after the diet. After the women had been on the new eating plan for just 2 weeks, DNA damage to their white blood cells dropped 21.5 percent (Carcinogenesis, vol 20, no 2, 1999).

Plants contain many natural antioxidants, including carotenoids and flavonoids. To increase the carotenoid and flavonoid content in your body tissues, eat at least five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily.

Source: The Nine Are Divine Anticancer Diet

Eat the right fat

Excessive saturated fats or low density lipoproteins (LDL's) encourage the growth of tumor cells. Eating fat also stimulates the production of bile, which, if allowed to stagnate in the large intestine for a long period of time, gets converted into apcholic acid, a proven carcinogen.

Some fats don't contribute to cancer and may in fact have some anticancer properties. Eskimos (who eat a lot of seafood rich in omega 3 fatty acids) do have lower incidences of cancer. It has been reported that Omega-3 fatty acids slash colorectal cancer risk in men by 66 percent. These fatty acids can also prevent heart disease, depression and strokes.

Researchers have also noticed remarkably lower incidence of breast cancer among Greek women who eat a diet rich in olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats. Similarly, it has been found that men who eat less animal fat and more vegetable fat in their diets have less prostate cancer.

Heating vegetable oils at high temperatures can change fatty acids and make them carcinogenic. Care should be taken while frying so the oil doesn't get burnt.

Avoid oils high in saturated fats, such as palm, coconut, and cottonseed oils. Hydrogenated fats are potentially carcinogenic. Avoid consuming packaged foods, such as potato chips, that contain hydrogenated fats.

High Fiber Diet Fights Cancer

Dietary fiber, also called roughage or bulk, is the part of a plant that maintains the plant's structure. Fibrous substances pass through the intestine undigested.They absorb many times their weight in water, and expand the inside walls of the colon. They cause a large, soft, bulky stool and ease the passage of waste by promoting the wavelike contractions that keep food moving through the intestine.

A softer, larger stool helps prevent constipation and straining. This can help relieve hemorrhoids and help in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. In addition, fiber is important in the treatment of diabetes, elevated cholesterol, colon polyps, and cancer of the colon.

Irritable bowel syndrome is not disease, but it creates bothersome symptoms such as altered bowel habits -- constipation, diarrhea, or both alternately. There may also be bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, and spasm. Increased amounts of fiber in the diet can help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by producing soft, bulky stools.

Prolonged, vigorous contraction of the colon can cause small, and eventually larger, ballooning pockets to form. These can sometimes become infected (diverticulitis) or even break open (perforate) causing pockets of infection or inflammation of the sac lining the abdomen (peritonitis). A high-fiber diet may increase the bulk in the stool and thereby reduce the pressure within the colon and reduce the formation of pockets.

Fiber and Colon Polyps/Cancer

Most colon cancer start out as a colon polyp, a benign mushroom-shaped growth. In time it grows, and in some people it becomes cancerous. Colon cancer is usually always curable, if polyps are removed when found or if surgery is performed at an early stage. There is a very low rate of colon cancer in countries where grains are unprocessed and retain their fiber. The theory is that in the Western world, cancer-containing agents (carcinogens) remain in contact with the colon wall for a longer time and in higher concentrations. So, a large bulky stool may act to dilute these carcinogens by moving them through the bowel more quickly.