Derek Doepker is the founder of the health and fitness blog Excuse Proof Fitness. He offers tips and resources for getting in shape on a busy schedule as well as methods for staying motivated to eat healthy and exercise.
It’s important to recognize that the term “probiotic” refers to a broad category of all the various beneficial bacteria and microorganisms found in the gut. That means every probiotic supplement is unique in terms of the effects it will have in the body and on the individual.
It’s also important to recognize that not all types of probiotics are equal. For instance, there are many different strains of lactobacillus acidophilus which research shows has differing effects. So just because a person took something with acidophilus and didn’t notice any benefits, doesn’t mean another strain like the DDS-1 couldn’t be highly beneficial.
Some studies have even shown different people taking the same probiotic supplement had vastly different results. Since the area of probiotic supplementation is fairly new, this means that it will likely take some time for science to really get a handle on how to diagnose which probiotic someone would benefit from the most.
I firmly believe the best place to start healing the gut and getting the benefits of probiotics is through the inclusion of cultured foods like sauerkraught, kimchi, kefir, and other fermented foods. These foods also provide far more bacteria per serving than a typical over the counter supplement will. So consider supplements to be just that, a supplement to a diet already rich in good bacteria from foods.
Best Supplemental Probiotic Products
Here is a list of some of my favorite probiotics. Note, there are plenty of other good ones out there and this is not mean to be an exhaustive list of every good probiotic supplement.
1. Saccharomyces Boulardii
Saccharomyces Boulardii is a great probiotic yeast to start with because it stimulates sIgA production. (see: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11021572) This is important for signaling to our immune system what bacteria are in our gut. To make a long story short, this enhances the benefits of all the other probiotics you will take. Without adequate sIgA signaling however, the probiotics won’t do their job as well.
2. Lactobacillus GG
Lactobacillus GG (brand name Culturelle) is one of the most researched and time-tested strains of bacteria with over 400 studies done on it. It’s well noted for its immune enhancing effects, improvement of digestion, and it’s ability to successfully survive the digestive track intact to colonize the gut. It has been shown to aid in fighting infection and improve the skin with conditions like eczema. It is my number #1 recommendation when starting probiotics as there are few if any that can match the research backing it has.
3. Bifantis – Bifidobacterium infantis
Bifantis (brand name Align) is well-known for its benefits on digestion. It is great for those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. This is typically the first probiotic to recommend for digestive issues.
4. L. Acidophilus Strain DDS-1
The DDS-1 strain is a highly researched strain of L. Acidophilus that is of human origin. This means it works well within the human body and can tolerate transition through the digestive track. Like other strains, research has shown it is extremely beneficial for gut-health as well as enhancing the immune system.
Utilizing formulas are a good way to introduce a variety of strains into the gut. While I recommend started with the previous single-strain probiotics due to their extensive research, these following formulas may offer benefits to those looking to experiment with other popular strains of bacteria.
Custom Probiotics
One of my trusted health mentors believes this to be one of the absolute best probiotic supplements he’s ever used. He’s stated that the response people get when taking it is almost instantaneous in how they feel.
Jarro-Dophilus EPS
Called the #1 probiotic in the US. It is shelf-stable with a good mix of 8 different bacteria strains.
Natren Trinity
Natren is also the only company I’ve seen to have the Malytho superstrain of Bifidobacterium bifidum. While the product is expensive, some people swear by it.
LGN365 is a fitness guide and series of workout routines created by trainer, blogger, and all around great guy named JC Deen who is well known among the fitness community as being one of the most respected sources for no-BS fat loss and bodybuilding information. The name of the program stands for “Look Great Naked 365” because it covers just about everything a person would need to know to burn fat, build muscle, and enjoy an awesome looking body year round.
JC Deen has given me the honor and privilege be one of the guest experts he interviews for the program. So naturally, any program with yours truly is going to be good.
I’ve since got a copy of LGN365 and, even though I would expect nothing less than something spectacular from JC, I was very impressed with how well put together his guide is. Keep reading to find out what I enjoyed about the guide, and to get a no-BS look at if it is the right solution for your physique goals.
Who Is LGN365 For?
To begin with, you can tell this guide is obviously not aimed at the typical “get super huge” bodybuilding crowd, nor is it for the people looking for a “quick fix” to burn 30 pounds in 30 days.
That’s not because it doesn’t contain great information on how to burn fat or build muscle, but this guide is more for those who want to simply… look great naked. More muscle, less fat, and what I would consider an “athletic” looking physique. It’s for people who are busy with other priorities in their lives and aren’t looking to drop everything they have going on to go on a hardcore bodybuilding routine or a radical (and unsafe) fat loss routine for quick but unsustainable results.
That’s because the entire layout of the program is designed so the average person will quickly and easily be able to find out exactly what steps they need to take to reach their goals, but more importantly how they can integrate these steps into their lifestyle so they can maintain their great looking body year round.
What Makes LGN365 Different?
Extremely Effective: While there are certainly many good training programs and diet guides out there, JC has spent a good portion of his life digging into countless hours of research on everything related to body recomposition. He has then tried and tested numerous methods not only on himself, but many clients to find the exact formula that is most effective for the vast majority of people. Combine that with his connections to the world’s top trainers, fitness experts, and researchers, and you’ll realize how valuable it is to have all of that knowledge distilled down into one easy to read guide.
I’ve started to put the workout routines to the test and am currently utilizing his most advanced muscle building routine in the guide. I”ll have an update post on my personal results later.
JC’s Results
Hype-Free: The first thing you’ll notice about the program, and this says a lot about JC, is that it is very “hype-free.” That’s because even though this stuff works far better than most nonsense out there, JC recognizes that overly hyping things up creates unrealistic perspectives in people. Namely, people think in terms of quick fixes instead of lifestyle habits.
What Makes LGN365 Great?
Mindset Focused: If you’re familiar with my work, you know how much I emphasize mindset as playing the biggest role in getting results with your health and fitness routine. Nothing works until you make it work, and JC knows how important the psychology of an individual is in terms of the results they will get. He gives very simple but effective ways to get yourself motivated to not only get started, but stay on track day after day and year after year. This is the missing link in most fitness programs, and by including it, he’s virtually guaranteed you’re going to stick through long enough to see results.
Step-by-step: You’ll know how much to eat including the proper ratio of fats, protein, and carbohydrates including automatic calculators to figure it all out just by typing in your body weight, activity levels, and goals. You learn how to properly read nutrition labels. Exactly what exercises to do with the right amount of sets and reps for both fat loss and muscle gain. You get a breakdown into how JC assesses what kind of program is best for someone. You then get multiple programs to run through the year so your body keeps “guessing” and never adapts to one thing for too long. You even get exercise videos showing you proper form.
Basically, it’s like have a world class trainer right by your side giving you a personal evaluation and setting up all of your training and diet for you. Except in this case, you learn how to do it yourself so you can always adjust and readjust as needed over the course of the years so you’re never left wondering what you should be doing.
This ability to never have to worry about “is what I’m doing really working?” is worth the price of admission alone. So many people who try to piece things together only to end up unsure of themselves and hesitant to invest much effort. But by having everything laid out with a system that has been proven time and time again to get great results, this allows you to leave second guessing behind and get straight to seeing your body start to transform.
Practical: Practicality is another thing that sets this program apart. It doesn’t just tell you the “ideal” thing to do leaving people feeling like it would be next to impossible to actually fit the recommendations in with their lives. Instead, JC is a realist. He knows the everyday challenges people including himself face, and he doesn’t give overly restrictive rules. This includes having things like multiple workout routines that fit into a variety of schedules and how to stay on track while eating out a restaurants.
Expert Interviews: The expert interviews really rounds out the program. JC ties up any loose ends by bringing in others, like myself, to explain things like how to create habits that stick, how to prepare fast healthy meals, and how to sort through all the conflicting information floating around out there in the fitness advice world.
When it’s all said and done, anyone going through the guide will have all the tools to ensure they will be successful in reaching their physique goals.
Is LGN365 The Best Fat Loss and Muscle Gain Guide Out There?
I myself, and even JC wouldn’t say anything is the “best.” There are many great programs out there that are effective for fat loss and muscle gain and it all depends on the individual and their circumstances. But very few programs can match the caliber of LGN 365. If I had this program when I first started, I would have saved myself a lot of obsessive worrying about things that ultimately don’t make a whole lot of difference and instead would have been able to focus only on what I knew was essential for my goals.
That being said, if you’re not able to invest at least several days a week to training in the gym and tracking your food intake, this probably isn’t the guide for you. Because it follows a proven template of what will work for either fat loss or muscle gain based on real world testing, just randomly following bits and pieces of the system probably won’t yield as good of results as JC’s clients. So, you’ll want to make sure you’re really committed and that your lifestyle allows for you to take some time and energy to learn and apply the system.
If you are committed and able, then I’m confident this program will give you what you need to look great naked 365 days a year. I don’t recommend a lot of courses and programs, so I’m staking my reputation on this one by both including myself in it and recommending it here. That’s how much I believe this guide will benefit my readers. So if you’d like to look great naked all year round, click the link below to find out more:
I remember when I first got into bodybuilding I would force feed myself bland chicken breasts and broccoli. I would actually bring it in a sack bag to my high school lunch room and proudly display my strict eating habits in front of my friends whom thought I was crazy.
Fast forward a few years, and I’ve since discovered tons of awesome recipes that not only are great for packing on slabs of muscle, but are healthy and tasty too. I even created my youtube channel to show off some of my culinary creations. But, finding new recipes is always a bit of a challenge. Not because recipes are hard to come by, but because bodybuilder friendly recipes are hard to come by.
That’s where Dave Ruel has come in and saved the day. He’s put together what I consider to be the single best “all-in-one” bodybuilding cooking guide for guys like myself who like taste, affordability, and most of all convenience. Since most of the recipes are made stupid simple for the average guy, you won’t find you have to be a great chef to start making great tasting high protein muscle gain meals.
Here is an awesome meatloaf recipe courtesy of Dave to kickstart your bodybuilding chef skills.
Bodybuilding Cookbook Recipe Dinner Idea – Muscle Meat Loaf
Ingredients
– 2 lbs of ground Turkey
– 1 teaspoon of olive oil
– 1 diced Onion
– 1 teaspoon of Garlic(optional)
– 1/3 cup Dried Tomatoes
– 1 cup of Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
– 1 Whole Eggs
– 1/2 cup of Parsley
– 1/4 cup of Low Fat Parmesan
– 1/4 cup Skim Milk
– Salt and Pepper
– 1 teaspoon of Oregano
Directions
1. Cook the Onion with Olive Oil separatly
2. Mix everything together in a big bowl, add the cooked oignons
This cookbook will not only give you just about every breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack idea you could ever need for bodybuilding, but it’s also filled with nutritional tips and tricks to maximize your results. Dave is pretty jacked and knows a thing or two about healthy eating for building muscle and burning fat. The money saved from not having to eat prepackaged meals or fast food is worth the price alone.
Get More Free Bodybuilding Recipe Ideas
Want to try out some more great muscle gain recipes for free? Dave Ruel is offering this free guide so you can get even more recipes to build mass. Right click here and save to your computer.
So you want to build more muscle and are getting tired of chicken breasts and brown rice? Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with 3 super quick and easy recipes that are not only going to help pack on slabs of muscle, but they taste absolutely frickin’ amazing. They are also fairly “idiot-proof,” so even if you don’t know much about cooking, you’ll find it pretty hard to screw these up.
Recipe #1 – Bodybuilder’s Slow Cooker Pineapple Chili
Directions:
Why It’s Awesome:
A quick and easy chili recipe is essential for any bodybuilder. Whereas many chili recipes may call for 15-20 minutes of prep time, this can be made in around 5 minutes. I usually just toss the ingredients in a slow cooker before bed, let it cook while I sleep, and then wake up to several days worth of chili.
Bodybuilders need tons of calories, and there’s no easier way to get those calories than by tossing everything together in a pot and then cooking a delicious meal that can be taken on the go and warmed up whenever you’re ready. If you want to add even more calories, you can add some more meat for additional protein and fat. You can also add some organic red potatoes, additional rice (add water in 1:2 ratio of rice to water), and some more beans.
Recipe #2 – Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk (Available in ethnic/Asian food section of grocery stores)
1 cup Canned Pumpkin Puree (Available in baking section of grocery stores)
1-2 scoops protein powder with either 6-12 oz of water, milk, or almond milk
2 tablespoons of honey and/or blackstrap molasses (or 1 tablespoon of powdered stevia)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 oz chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender. You may use either honey, blackstrap molasses, or a 50/50 mixture of each for a total of 2 tablespoons or desired sweetness.
Why It’s Awesome:
Who doesn’t love pumpkin pie? And what’s the best part of a pumpkin pie? The filling! You’ll swear you’re eating straight pumpkin pie filling with this quick and easy pumpkin pie protein shake.
While a protein shakes’ convenience is a life saver for people in a hurry, but the problem is they’re mostly treated as a supplement rather than a meal in itself. We can add a few things to make an ordinary protein shake an extraordinary muscle building meal.
Pumpkin is one of the most nutritionally rich foods and is very high in fiber. So by adding pumpkin to the protein shake, it will be much more filling and give you a lot more nutritional than just protein powder and water.
The coconut milk is a great source of healthy fat including medium chain triglycerides which actually boosts the metabolism and keep you burning fat. Including coconut fats in your diet is a great way to ensure you’re building muscle without adding too much body fat.
Blackstrap molasses provides tons of minerals including chromium which aids in blood sugar balance. Proper blood sugar regulation is essential for adding muscle and preventing fat gain. Studies have shown cinnamon also aids in promoting blood sugar which resulted in more muscle and less fat.
Want to kick it up with even more calories? Trying adding some applesauce and oats for additional carbohydrates.
Recipe #3 – Homemade Protein Fudge Bars (Non-Cook)
Ingredients:
8 scoops chocolate protein powder
1 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
3 tbsp honey
1/2 cup 1% milk
3 tbsp crushed peanuts
Directions:
1. Mix together the protein powder, oatmeal, peanut butter, honey and milk.
2. Form into 5 bars and then roll in the crushed peanuts to finish.
3. Place in the fridge for about 30-45 mins or until solid
Most store bought protein bars are crap. Some low quality protein, a ton of sugar, and the one’s that actually taste good are usually pretty horrible in terms of tons of added crap you probably don’t need to be putting into your body. But this recipe is quick, easy, and affordable.
Dave’s got a ton of great recipes specifically for bodybuilders. He’s compiled them all in both his Anabolic Cooking product which you can check out here:
This is one of my favorite quick and healthy recipes. While you can make this on a stove top if you prefer, the slow-cooker allows you to simply dump the ingredients in, set it for the time you want, and then go on about your business (sleeping, working, etc.) for several hours until the chili is ready.
What You’ll Need For The Chili
Ingredients:
2lbs of ground or “stew” lean meat (beef, chicken, turkey, bison, etc.)
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
½ cup of organic brown rice
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup water
3 cups V8 or similar vegetable juice
Spices and Flavors:
Chili Powder 2 tablespoons – Up to you how much
1 tsp of each:
Oregano, Basil, Sage, and Thyme. Or just use an Italian seasoning mix.
Optional: 1 tablespoon minced garlic.
20 oz canned pineapples.
Slow Cooker
I highly recommend using a slow-cooker aka crock-pot with an automatic shut-off for convenience. It is quite literally the best kitchen device you can ever own. Here are some good options if you don’t already own one:
How To Make The Crazy Quick Crockpot Chili Recipe
Recipe:
Add ground lean meat to slow cooker, separate with a fork, and add seasonings. (Don’t worry about chopping up too much, you can separate it easier after cooking)
Add in ½ cup of dry organic brown rice.
Add in 1 cup of water or as much as desired.
Open and drain canned beans, add to mix.
Add in a cup of pre-sliced mushrooms as well as any other desired vegetables from a bag.
Add in various spices and garlic to taste.
Mix in up to 3-4 cups of V8 or similar vegetable juice and stir. Alternative: 1 28oz can of diced tomatoes.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
When finished, taste and add additional spices if desired. You can add 20 oz canned diced pineapples to really kick up the flavor.
Michael Phelps – Making History in 2012 London Olympics
Michael Phelps just made history in after getting his 19th gold medal in the London Olympics. The super athlete made headlines years ago for his performance in the Beijing Olympics along with rumors of a 12,000 calorie diet used to fuel his intense training.
But Phelps has recently unveiled his new strategy for healthier eating and revamped his gym training workouts. After claiming another gold medal, we can still see his effort has paid off.
Michael Phelps Takes On Intense Training for 2012
See video below to see Michael’s training and diet for 2012:
There’s been a trend among athletes like Phelps and Ryan Lochte to step up their dry-land training to include a lot more anaerobic exercise and reduce the aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise, like resistance training, works to increase speed and build muscle. The focus has shifted because swimmers in these events need speed and explosive power as much as they need endurance.
That means training with the Olympic barbell exercises (snatches, cleans, etc.), medicine ball work, throws, high jumps, and in Phelps’ case he also included sled pushing.
Sled pushing is an excellent form of exercise for training power and speed. It is also unique in that, unlike weight lifting, sled pushing doesn’t create as much soreness or muscle damage allowing an athlete to train more often without interfering with proper recovery.
This focus on more anaerobic work also means the athletes won’t burn as many calories allowing them to keep their weight up. Phelps has actually come into the 2012 games with less bodyfat and more muscle.
Of course, the average person can take note of this trend. Hours and hours of endless cardio sessions will not be as effective for getting both an athletic looking body nor an athletic functioning body like intense resistance training combined with speed and power work will.
Granted, training as intensely as he does combined with his fast metabolism certainly affords himself some additional calories. But like most things, the idea that he eats that much tends to fall into sensationalism for the sake of making a good story.
He has said doesn’t follow a specific diet, but that he’s not eating as much junk food as he did before and takes vitamins, including vitamin D.
This falls in line with an observation I’ve had, and that is that the more physically active one is, the less they need to concern themselves with how many calories they eat. However, this also doesn’t afford people a “free pass” to eat whatever they’d like.
Given that the 12,000 calorie notion was likely an exaggeration, let’s not forget that sensible eating comes first and foremost when it comes to keeping a fit body. Following the tips I’ve outlined on this site and in my free fitness survival guide will be adequate for the vast majority of people to figure out what and how much they should eat to burn fat and build or preserve muscle for their activity levels.
Summary:
Michael Phelps, and other swimmers like Ryan Lochte have increased their power training with weights, sleds, and other power exercises in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.
Michael doesn’t follow a set eating plan, but has become more conscientious about his food intake and reducing the junk, but more or less eats when he wants and doesn’t keep anything in particular too off limits.
He hasn’t stated how much he eats, but we can assume it’s FAR below 12,000 calories as often stated.
Ryan Lochte has just won a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics in London beating out fellow American swimmer Michael Phelps. When you look at the hardcore out of the water on-land workout routines and training style of Ryan, you can see he has put in the sweat and effort to become a world champion.
Ryan Lochte’s Workout Routine – Strongman Training
Ryan has said he’s incorporated a lot of “strongman” type training into his routine. For those not familiar with the concept, that means things like flipping tires, lifting unconventional objects like stones, and doing any number of high strength exercises that require total body strength.
Here’s a video of him training (pre-haircut):
http://youtu.be/Va3JJuXDyhc
The benefit of this strongman style training vs. typical “bodybuilding” style training is that he’s utilizing a lot more of his core in the movements. Compound exercises like deadlifts, farmer’s walks, rope swings, squats, bent over rows, and the like all require a strong core.
Since much of a swimmer’s ability comes from their core strength, this makes sense. He’s even gone as far as to be releasing a core workout routine dvd.
Another aspect of his training is more explosive movements. This means things like high jumps, throwing heavy objects, medicine ball slams, and other types of “power” movements which activate the fast twitch muscle fibers. Since a swimmer needs speed, doing explosive fast movements is critical for training the nervous system to activate a muscle quickly and generate tremendous power.
Can The Average Person Do Ryan’s Exercise Program?
I would say yes and no. The style of training Ryan does is excellent for all around athleticism and physical fitness. But keep in mind he is a world class athlete that has built up a tremendous amount of physical strength and endurance and has access to the best trainers to ensure proper form and recovery.
The average person can however utilize many of the same exercises, but they must build up a certain capacity and base strength level before do workouts as hardcore as Ryan. If you’re just starting out, have only a few hours a week to workout, and want to get strong, fit, and ripped I’d suggest building the fundamentals with a book like Starting Strength which is the go-to book for the vast majority of people just getting into weight training. It teaches the proper form of the most powerful and essential exercises.
Once a person has built up a steady base of strength, they can start incorporating more strongman style training into their routine. Here’s an awesome article from T-Nation to get you started: Strongman Training.
If a person is more interested in building muscle mass, I recommend specialized strategies like those outlined in this report on maximizing muscle hypertrophy.
Ryan Lochte’s Diet Plan and Healthy Eating Style
Ryan’s success is in no doubt also related to the fact that he started changing how he eats. You may be surprised to know most athletes, even olympic athletes eat a lot of junk food. This is especially true for swimmers who burn a lot of calories during the day and it can be hard to consume enough calories without eating a bit of “junk”.
But Ryan Lochte wanted to be “the best,” so he put his effort into eating cleaner foods. While he used to eat fast food just about every day, he’s ditched that for a healthier diet.
He’s stated that some typical meals he eats are chicken breasts, eggs, oatmeal, fruit, salads, and other whole unprocessed foods. Nothing too “crazy,” just common sense stuff like we recommend here at Excuse Proof Fitness both on our healthy eating youtube channel and in our free weight loss survival guide.
What Ryan Can Teach Us
1. Hardcore training gets you hardcore results. Whether you want to be a world champion or just a bit stronger and more fit, you’ve got to put in the sweat and effort. Results don’t come without hard work. But you don’t need to spend hours and hours getting those results, high intensity work done for short periods of time often trumps spending hours doing something that isn’t very challenging.
2. Diet and exercise go hand in hand. He could have simply trained harder and would still be one of the best in the world. But he wanted to be THE best, so he put just as much focus on his diet.
3. He’s got a rock-solid mindset and will do whatever it takes to win. He trained harder and ate better than his competitors, and it paid off. Even if you’re not striving to be an Olympic caliber athlete or competing against others, why note compete against yourself to be better than you were yesterday?
If you’re looking for more mindset and motivation tips, be sure to like our facebook page and download our survival guide for diet and workout tips.
We here at Excuse Proof Fitness (Derek and Shane) LOVE our goji berries, also known as wolfberries or by their Latin name Lycium Barbarum.
Not only are they great because of their delicious taste, but they have some incredible health benefits. Goji berries are one of the most prized herbs in Chinese medicine for longevity. They are an adaptogenic “herb” which means they help balance the body’s chemistry and resilience to stress.
Now, I won’t go overboard and claim they are going to fix all of one’s health problems like some overzealous health gurus out there are saying, but a few thousand years of successful use in China for improving overall health and well-being leads me to believe there really is something to this fruit, and anyone who’s tried them on a regular basis can likely attest the same. I’ve even heard stories saying that Tibetan monks who study Chinese medicine have said if one is going to start studying any herb in Chinese medicine, study the goji berry first.
But if you’ve ever tried Goji Berries bought from a local health food store or vitamin store, you may find them to be very dry, somewhat bitter, and not particularly all that enjoyable by themselves.
I felt the same until I found what I consider to be the best Goji Berries out there, Dragon Herbs Heaven Mountain Goji Berries. I have no association with Dragon Herbs, but we as well as some other goji fanatics found them to be the best because they are:
A) Much more moist than the typical hard-as-a-rock gojis
B) Fresher
C) Come from the original source of Goji Berries in Tibet.
Best Places To Buy Goji Berries Online
Having a local Dragon Herbs here in LA makes getting access to them easy. But you can actually find them at the best price online through iHerb, one of my favorite online supplement retailers. Considering they are pretty much the same price as most other goji brands, I figure you can’t go wrong.
Note: First time iHerb customers save $5 on their first order through that link
Other Places To Purchase Goji Berries
Goji berries are popular enough that you can find them in most major health food stores like Whole Foods and supplement retailers. The price will be higher and typical gojis don’t taste that great, but if you buy in bulk or just before expiration you can find good deals and the health benefits are still there in the drier gojis.
How Much To Take
The health benefits of goji berries can be obtained with just an ounce or two a day. That makes a typical 8oz bag last a week. So factoring that in, you’re looking at spending a few dollars a day to get your goji fix. Not bad when you can consider them a “supplement” that far exceeds any multi-vitamin. But that being said, we realize they’re not within everyone’s budget.
If you’re looking for a good alternative adaptogenic herb that’s more budget friendly, I highly recommend the herb Ashwagandha as the Sensoril extract. It amounts to a few bucks a month and has been shown in research to have a pretty powerful effect at reducing excess cortisol, the primary stress hormone. This is due to its adaptogenic nature similar to goji berries. While they don’t offer quite the exact same health benefits, Ashwagandha is worth taking regardless as an all around general health tonic.
Note, some cortisol is necessary and the beauty of herbs like Ashwagandha is they keep things in balance without dropping hormone levels too low or raising them too much.
It doesn’t get much easier (or tastier) than this!
Getting Raw Greens To Taste Great
I have a confession… I HATE raw dark leafy greens like spinach. Despite their numerous health benefits, I had the hardest time finding a way to make greens like spinach taste good.
If I decided to cook spinach, I’d end up with a slimy nasty mess. And if I kept it raw and made a big salad, it was time consuming, boring, and something I would have to force myself to eat.
So what’s a health fanatic to do? Well, I developed a super ninja tactic that turns any leafy green like spinach into a downright delicious meal, all in about a minute. Using this technique, I’ve unlocked the secret of how to make spinach taste great and I actually look forward to chowing down on a bunch of greens.
Granted, I may just be weird for not liking spinach and perhaps you love raw greens. But either way, when you learn how to make any healthy food like spinach taste better, you’re far more likely to eat healthier on a regular basis.
But before we get to the recipe, let’s cover briefly why you should be making an effort to get a crap-ton more dark greens and spinach into your diet.
Health Benefits of Spinach and Dark Leafy Greens
Chlorophyll – Chlorophyll, the pigment that give greens their green color, is a wonder compound all in its own. Chlorophyll can increase the production and quality of red blood cells, has been associated with reduction in cancer, it prevents free radical damage (aging), detoxifies heavy metals, helps fight infection, provides magnesium, and does more than could possibly be listed here. All-in-all, eat more greens!
Cancer Protective – The abundant flavonoids in spinach have been linked to protecting against cancer. Leafy greens are some of the most powerful cancer fighting foods on the planet.
Nutrient Dense – Spinach and other leafy greens are constantly ranked as some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. That means you get a lot of nutrition without a lot of calories. This is particularly important for fat loss as the fiber in these greens can fill you up while the vitamins and minerals can nourish you so you don’t feel deprived even if you’re eating less calories.
Bone Strength – Spinach is one of the richest sources of vitamin K which works to keep the bones strong.
Quick and Easy Sixty Second Spinach Salad Recipe
See video above for the basic run-down of how to make the salad.
The basic recipe is as follows:
Ingredients:
6-8oz of leafy greens, spinach was used in this video
1/2 teaspoon of unrefined salt
Toppings of choice (dried fruit, berries, garlic, chopped cucumber, etc.)
Dressing of choice (coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, dried spices, salsa, etc.)
Directions:
1. Add a pinch of salt to spinach and crush down with your hands.
2. Add toppings as desired. In the video, I use salsa, dried “Italian spices,” and a little bit of curry powder.
3. Mix the wet toppings like the salsa with the spinach and enjoy!
This recipe is great not only because it improves the flavor of the spinach, but also because it condenses it down into a much smaller size making it easy to eat quickly. Now you can easily get in 8 – 16 ounces of spinach in a single sitting or all in a matter of about 5 minutes. Try to eat a regular spinach salad with a pound of spinach and see how long it takes you!
Variations of The Sixty Second Salad
1. Use Kale, Romaine Lettuce, or any other dark leafy green in place of spinach.
2. Add coconut oil for enhanced fat loss.
3. Use healthy homemade sauces like greek yoghurt combined with onion soup mix for a “onion spinach dip.”
4. Get creative and add in whatever spices, flavorings, and sauces you can think of.
As a special free gift to my readers, Dave Ruel and Karine Losier has provided a free pdf ebook with 7 great fat loss cooking tricks to download including some great home-made salad dressings to use on the sixty second spinach salad. Just right-click this link or the image and save to your computer.
What Is Hypothyroidism and Do You Actually Have It?
Hypothyroidism is one of the most common reasons people give for not being able to lose fat. While it can be scoffed at as merely an “excuse” for not following a proper diet or exercise program, it is nevertheless a very real condition that is relatively common.
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones. It is usually characterized by having insufficient T4 (thyroxine) and raised TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) which has increased in order to raise T4 levels. While this is a simple explanation, it is extremely insufficient to cover the wide range of thyroid problems as there are many variations of hormone imbalances that could be responsible for an under active thyroid.
Difficulty losing weight is the most notable symptom of an under performing thyroid, but some other common symptoms include constipation, sensitivity to cold and cold skin, fatigue, dry skin, brittle nails, and decreased immune function.
Home Test For Thyroid Insufficiency
A simple home test that can be done is something called the “Barnes” test. It is done by taking your temperature under the tongue first thing in the morning. 97.2-98.2 is considered normal. If you find your temperature falls below this, that may be a sign of under-active thyroid. Menstruating women should only take this test the 2nd or 3rd day after menstruation begins.
The Best Supplements To Increase Thyroid Function Naturally
Perhaps you’ve done the Barnes test or ideally gone to a Dr. and determined your thyroid function isn’t what it could be. While drugs are a potential fix, they doesn’t always address the underlying root cause of a thyroid condition.
Luckily, there are many great natural things that can be done to boost thyroid function safely, and improve health at the same time. The great thing about these supplements is that they are safe and effective for anyone to take regardless of their thyroid health.
Natural Thyroid Booster 1 – Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is quite possibly my favorite herb to take for overall health and healthy weight loss. It is an adaptogenic herb which means it helps the body cope with stress, reduce cortisol levels (another cause of abdominal weight gain), and improve the thyroid function. It is safe, affordable, and the extract has been shown to be highly effective both in reducing cortisol levels and in subjective experiences of increased energy. Given that it helps not only the thyroid but the adrenals as well, it makes an excellent all around “must-have” tonic herb that everyone can take.
Iodine is the most important mineral for thyroid function. Without enough iodine the body cannot produce enough T3 (thyroxine) a thyroid hormone. While it’s been said in mainstream medicine that iodine deficiency is usually not a problem, the work of researchers such as Dr. David Brownstein and Dr. Guy Abraham have shown that supplementing with higher doses of iodine is not only safe, but very effective in treating many thyroid conditions.
Considering that in many Asian countries the intake of iodine rich sea vegetables is much higher than in other countries and they don’t suffer ill effect, it leads me to believe that increasing iodine can be beneficial and prudent when done through quality sea vegetables like kelp or dulse. Taking Lugol’s or Nascent iodine is another option, but one I recommend a bit more caution with as it can be too powerful for some.
Dose: 2-4 tablespoons of kelp or dulse, or 1mg iodine and work up to more a day.
NOTE: Iodine works with other minerals like zinc, magnesium and selenium. Adding in a few brazil nuts for selenium can help assist the functioning of iodine in the thyroid. Magnesium is an extremely common deficiency and I suggest taking 200-400mg a day.
What better way to improve the thyroid than to take an actual thyroid? It may sound strange, but taking glandulars (the glands of an animal) has actual been shown to improve the same gland in the body. The reasons for this could be many, but the take home point is that freeze-dried bovine thyroid could be beneficial for those needing a boost to their own thyroid function. It’s also worth noting that our ancestors would have eaten the organs and tissues of the animals they ate. This obviously goes without saying, but this supplement choice is not vegan friendly so if that’s an issue, stick with the other options as this isn’t necessary.
Coleus Forskohlii contains an active compound called forskolin which has been shown to improve thyroid function and increase fat breakdown with little to no side effects. It increases thyroid hormone production as well as stimulates the release of the thyroid hormones. It is also useful for other conditions such as cramps, high blood pressure, boosting the immune system, and for improving blood flow to the brain.
10-30 mg a day.
Getting Tested For Your Unique Supplement Needs:
While I can offer general advice for addressing various deficiencies, getting objective analysis of your own needs is often the best course of action. Getting a test done to determine any potential nutritional deficiencies can help you find what you’re low in, and avoid wasting your money supplementing on things you don’t need or worse yet, getting too much of something and throwing things off-balance.
Check out http://spectracell.com and schedule a mineral analysis to find what you may need to supplement with.
Top Foods and Diet Tips For Thyroid Health
A healthy diet is one of the most critical aspects of a health body and healthy glands. Luckily, there are a few things we can do to improve the diet to boost thyroid function. These things include what we can add in, as well as things to look out for and minimize.
Natural Thyroid Booster 5 – Coconut Oil
Using coconut oil in place of vegetable oils and other fats can not only offset the negative effects of those oils, but provide its own benefits. In fact, this fat can actually help you lose fat! Well if you’ve been following the natural health movement in recent years, you’ve probably already heard about the benefits of coconut oil. If not, check this out.
Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides which have been shown to reduce fat and improve insulin sensitivity.
Dose: 1-3 tablespoons a day.
Bonus Natural Thyroid Booster – Goji Berries
While goji berries aren’t directly a “thyroid boosting food,” their indirect benefits make them incredibly worthwhile. They’re rich in antioxidants, are associated with longevity, and are powerful adaptogenics which help bring everything back into balance. You’ll see that I’m a big believer in adaptogens as they work with the body rather than forcing it to do something like a drug does. This means over time they help correct disorders and are safe for anyone to take regardless of their specific health concerns.
Whether or not a person suffers from thyroid problems, taking more foods like goji berries can have a huge impact on overall health and well-being.
Foods To Watch Out For
Goitrogens – Goitrogens are found in foods like the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts) and are best limited for those suffering from hypothyroidism. That being said, so long as these foods are cooked that will significantly reduce the level of goitrogens.
Soy – Soy also has a negative effect on thyroid function. It’s best to be reduced or eliminated.
Vegetable Oils – The oxidation caused by vegetable oils like canola, sunflower, and soybean oil can reduce tissue response to thyroid hormones.
Overcoming Weight Issues
A sound diet and exercise program are the best bets to overcoming weight issues for anyone regardless of their thyroid health. The problem however with typical recommendations to “eat less, exercise more” is that, when a person has a underactive thyroid, simply eating less won’t do. They must take the necessary steps to boost thyroid function, and engage in a diet that doesn’t cause metabolic shutdown.
You can also just follow the healthy eating and lifestyle tips found in my free survival guide which will give you a good start.
Getting Professional Help
If you’re truly worried about the health of your thyroid, please seek the professional care of an integrative physician. You can find a physician through acam.org or ICIM.
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Reader Comments: What are your favorite natural thyroid or metabolism boosters?
