Celebrations!

I thought Monday would be a great day to take a few minutes to celebrate successes. First off, my good friend started on this program a week ago and has lost 13 pounds!!!! I am so proud of her, keep up the good work!
Her successes makes mine look a little lame but I am happy all the same. I have lost 13 pounds in the last 4 weeks, making it 23 since July 28th. Not too bad considering I haven't been able to exercise with my knee injury. That means I am 15% of the way to losing 150 pounds!

My short-term goal is to lose 40 pounds between Sept 1st and Jan 1st, 2009. That is 10 pounds a month, very doable. I also want to begin exercising again, slow and steady this time so I don't end up injured again.

Another small success for me is that a month ago I could barely get my wedding rings on and some days I couldn't wear them at all. Now they slide on easily and I don't even have to lube my fingers up with lotion. Woooooo Hoooooo!

Thanks to everyone for their support. I am really enjoying writing the blog so I am glad you guys are enjoying reading it.

Happy Monday!

A question about CLA

HI Everyone,

Someone emailed me to ask me my thoughts on CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) for weight loss. CLA is one of the only weight loss supplements that has been researched extensively and while the results look very promising, they are still inconclusive. CLA is a naturally occuring free fatty acid that is found in dairy products and meat. It is actually considered a trans fatty acid but not a harmful one like the ones in processed foods and margarine. It works by stopping small fat cells from getting larger, although the mechanism that it does this is not fully understood.

So what is the benefit of taking CLA? Studies have shown that it increases lean muscle gain and fat loss in the abdominal region. It also help people from regaining fat after dieting. CLA can also increase your immune system and there are some anti-cancer claims out there (obviously needs proper studies to back those claims up). Some studies have shown an increase in insulin resistance if taken long term while other studies have shown no effect on insulin uptake. This is the main reason I don't take it myself, my body is resistant enough to insulin so I don't want to take a chance. You take CLA in divided doses throughout the day and it seems the most effective dose is 3.4 grams a day (that would be 4 x 1000 mg capsules to get the proper amount of actual CLA).

My experience from talking to health food store personnel is that CLA works but it takes up to 2 months to notice any difference and the difference is not dramatic. As a supplement taking while following a healthy diet and exercise program, I think this shows promise. As a magic bullet, keep looking.

My top 10 favorite "healthy" foods

Got food on the brain this morning and thought I would do my top ten of favorite healthy foods. In no particular order :)

1. Food for Life Ezekiel English Muffins: These are awesome toasted with salsa and a poached omega 3 egg on them.
2. Organic Apples: I LOVE organic apples, I carry them with me in my car for after my lunch because they are nature's toothbrush. I also really like to make apple and peanut butter sandwiches.
3. Sunflower Kitchens Spicy Hummus: I don't have this often because it is hard to find but it is amazing. Best hummus ever!
4. Presidents Choice Burger First Multi grain buns: Now, generally I wouldn't consider wheat to be the healthiest option but I do love these buns. They are very thin and nutty flavoured. Great with peanut butter and apple. This is what Jon makes all of his sandwiches for work on now, he loves them.
5. Raincoast Trading Wild Skinless Boneless Sockeye Salmon: This stuff is amazing because all of the gross skin and bones (although the bones are good for you but I hate them) are out of the can. Only nice chunks of wild salmon are in the can. At around $4.99 a can, it is a great meal. I make salmon patties (salmon, one egg, dijon mustard, some whole grain cracker or bread crumbs, green onions, lemon juice and pepper) and saute them in a little olive oil with about a tsp of butter in it for taste. They are awesome!
6. Mashed Cauliflower: I love potatoes like most of us but I never buy them. When Jon and I were on our low carb diet we started making mashed cauliflower instead and we actually prefer the taste to mashed potatoes. All you do is steam the cauliflower until it is very tender, add a little butter, salt, pepper and light cream cheese and mash the hell out of it. Good times!
7. Legumes: Chick peas, lentils, black beans and kidney beans are my favorites but there are so many types of beans available and their uses are almost limitless. I use them in curries, pasta sauces (chick peas are awesome in place of protein in pasta sauce), chili, dips, soups etc. I buy organic canned (Eden organic or Presidents Choice Organic), just make sure to rinse them well to bring down the sodium levels. Rinsing will also make them less gassy (or you for that matter).
8. Presidents Choice Blue Menu Butter Chicken sauce: Ok so still not ideal but this sauce is amazing and has half the fat and calories of their regular Butter Chicken sauce. Make with chicken breast and throw in some veggies to increase the health quotient and it is a great treat once in awhile.
9. Slimcakes: So these are actually an Isagenix product that we just stumbled upon and they rock my socks. They are an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie with 9 grams of fiber and 190 calories per cookie (they are big). Heated up, they are even better. We love these (maybe a little tooooo much).
10. Organic Fair trade coffee: So this is definitely one of my favorite things, although not necessarily healthy. It is very important to buy organic coffee because coffee crops are sprayed with tons of pesticides. Always buy fair trade because it helps to ensure fair pay for the workers in the fields and factories. I don't drink a lot of coffee now because of my adrenals but it is a real treat when I have it. My husband makes the best cup of coffee, one of the reasons I married him. We only buy organic, fair trade and there are so many options out there now that you can surely find one you will love.

So "These are a few of my favorite things". I have the urge to go watch the Sound of Music now.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Meals on the Run

HI guys,

This is a plug for a good friend of mine who is launching a new business providing freezer ready meals to people concerned with health and convenience. She uses only the freshest ingredients and organic where available and has ensured that the meals are portioned for weight loss.
She is a nutritionist who is passionate about making sure busy families don't have to sacrifice health for convenience. Her prices are amazingly affordable!
An example of meal options:
Pesto Chicken
Greek style Salmon
Blue Cheese Burger with Spring Onion

If you are interested in learning more, please email jenny.morden@vibranthealthcanada.com
or call her at 416-839-6510.

New study on "Sick" fat cells

Ok, as if my fat cells were not unsavory enough now I found out that they are sick!! A very cool new study from Temple University showed that the fat cells in Obese people were significantly different than those in lean people. There were several issues however the most notable was that the fat cells in obese people showed stress on the (big word alert) Endoplasmic Reticulum. The endoplasmic reticulum helps cells synthesize proteins and monitors how they are folded. When stressed, it produces several proteins that ultimately lead of Insulin Resistance.

This is very interesting stuff. I am insulin resistant and have been for quite some time. I was tested when I was a teenager with a glucose tolerance test (which SUCKED big time). Insulin resistance basically means that when your body releases insulin from the pancreas, the cells in the muscle, fat and liver do not respond and uptake it. This leads to high circulating blood glucose levels and forces the pancreas to secrete more insulin. In time, type 2 diabetes will develop in most people. Of course, this is not good.

Why this study is really cool because for years there have been theories about why insulin resistance develops and now they can link it to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER for short from now on). In this study it showed that in obese patients, levels of 19 proteins were higher in their fat cells. Several of these proteins were related to energy and fat metabolism. What the researchers concluded was that the ER might sense nutritional excess (overeating) and translate that excess into metabolic and inflammatory responses.

This is very interesting because it helps explain why diabetic people who have their stomach stapled show dramatic improvements in insulin resistance within days of surgery even before significant weight loss occurs. It seems that the immediate and dramatic decrease in calorie intake is responsible for this improvement. More and more is coming out about low calorie diets and increasing life span. Maybe this is a big contributing factor. Very cool stuff indeed!!

Long weekends are not good for my ass!

Well the last long weekend of the summer is over, hard to believe September is here. We had a busy weekend with bbq's and brunches, far too much food for a gal on a diet. Luckily I ended up with food poisoning yesterday (mother in law tried to kill me!) so maybe everything will balance out!?! :)
Back on the straight and narrow, I want to be down 40 pounds by Jan 1st 2009. 10 pounds a month is very doable I think.
Happy September everyone!

Why do I feel sooooo "burned out"? PART TWO

So once you figure out that your adrenals are running on empty, what can you do?
First thing is to try to remove the stressors in your life as much as possible or remove yourself from the stress by going on vacation. Jon and I rented a cottage for 2 weeks this summer and I noticed a difference in my energy levels within one day. If you are over-burdened at work, try to delegate some responsibilities elsewhere. If you need more help at home, hire a cleaning service or kick your partners ass. If you have friends who are dragging you down, distance yourself. You have to get as much of this stress under control as you can. It isn't easy but to get better, it is necessary.

The second thing you have to do is to change your sleeping habits. Try to be in bed by 10 pm (people with adrenal fatigue tend to get a second wind after 11 pm). Start winding down around 8 by turning all the lights down and trying to stay away from the TV or computer screen. The next point is VERY important: In the mornings try to sleep in as late as possible, to 9 AM if able. Between the hours of 7 and 9 AM your body produces the most cortisol that it will in the day so you will awake feeling much more rested and ready to take on the day. Take melatonin before bed if you have a hard time falling and staying asleep.

Food: What to eat and what to avoid

• Begin each morning with a glass of water with a sprinkle of sea salt in it (about a 1/2 teaspoon). If you suffer from high blood pressure skip this step.
• ALWAYS eat breakfast and preferably by 10 am.
• Skip fruit at breakfast and focus on high protein and grains. Fruit will spike your blood sugar too rapidly. Always avoid fruits that are high in potassium such as bananas,oranges and figs.
• Stay away from caffeine and refined sugars such as chocolate. I know it sucks but these stimulants further stress the adrenal glands and hopefully in time you will find you won't need them to keep you going throughout the day.
• Eat a high protein snack before bed if you have trouble falling asleep such as cottage cheese or yogurt.

There are also some good supplements you can take:

• Vitamin C daily 1000-2000 mgs
• Vitamin E mixed tocopherols 800 IU a day (2 x 400 IU capsules)
• B complex 50 mg twice daily plus added Pantothenic acid (1000 - 1500 mg/day).
• Magnesium citrate (400 mg) taken after 8 pm.
• AdrenaSENSE by Lorna Vanderhauge is a great supplement that contains many of the herbs (called adaptogens) that are recommended for strengthening the adrenals. It is easier than taking them all seperately. Another wonderful tonic filled with adaptogens and B vitamins is Ionix Supreme.
• You can also take adrenal extract (which is basically adrenal gland from bovine sources) and DHEA hormones but I only recommend doing this under the supervision and guidance of a Naturopathic doctor.

Adrenal fatigue takes quite a long time to remedy but you can feel the effects of some of these changes pretty quickly. Try sleeping in as much as possible and removing stress. Exercise is important but don't overwork your body. Keep it to brisk walking and light resistance training.

If you have any more questions about adrenal fatigue just drop me a line at louisevokins@gmail.com. Finding out that I had this syndrome has helped me immensely towards getting my life and energy back. Hopefully this info can help you.