Can Carbs at Night Improve Sleep Quality? Will It Make me Fat?

I recently made an Instagram post where I mentioned that when people experience weight loss from eliminating dense carbs, it’s usually from a restriction of overall calories rather than just the carbs alone. I feel like I’ve been the defender of carbs lately and today’s post will only support this further. If you haven't checked out my previous take on carb intake, check it out here.

I almost feel entitled to speak on carbohydrates because I’ve experienced first hand what carb restriction can do to someone. I’ll cut right to the chase and say that carbohydrates are important to someone especially when training and can have some great beneficial effects on sleep. If you take that statement alone from this post then I’d be happy.

If you’re interested to know why carbohydrates can particularly help sleep quality, then keep reading.

I really only have two reasons why carbs can be beneficial to share today…

1.     Increased carbohydrate intake increases insulin secretion. When this happens, the body uptakes all other neutral amino acids except for tryptophan. Instead, tryptophan concentration is increased in the bloodstream instead of going into muscle cells allowing more of it to cross the blood brain barrier. Tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin, which is converted to melatonin (our sleep hormone).

2.     Blood sugar dips too low at night causing an increase in cortisol, which impairs overall sleep. The hormone cortisol has some important functions in our body, but it carries a bad reputation because of its tendency to be high in unhealthy populations. In this case, cortisol will cause the body to secrete its own glucose because its dipped at night, which can disrupt sleep quality.

Did I just justify your evening carb cravings? If you’re concerned about weight gain as a result of eating carbs at night, don’t be. As long as calories are distributed evenly throughout the day, there should be no issue with having some carbs at night.

Stay tuned for the #upgradedmacrosproject

Why Do Asians Turn Red When They Drink?

Every time I see my girlfriend have a glass of wine, I’ll see her instantly turn red. I walk into a room and find myself always asking her “how much did you have?” The thing is, she’d usually only have a glass or two but it would make her turn super red. The reason for this? The “Asian Flush”.  

Universally, the Asian flush is known as that blotchy red color that your Asian friend turns when they drink a glass of wine. Let’s dive into the reason why Asians tend to turn flush red when drinking a small amount of alcohol.

To keep it simple, the red “glow” is an immune reaction. The alcohol that we drink isn’t being broken down by the liver, as efficiently as it should be. Ethanol is made safer by liver enzymes ADH and ALDH2, which convert alcohol to acetate (known as the less potent substance in the body). Inherently, Asians tend to lack the ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase) enzyme.

This makes the breakdown of alcohol in Asians less efficient. When this happens, the body reacts to alcohol the same way it would react to anything foreign to the body. In this case, the Asian “glow”.

I don’t want to write a list of supplements that you could take to correct this, because no supplement will do that. What we can do is make the immune system stronger in order to minimize the immune response and subsequently, the blotchy red patches.

We can also simply slow down the rate of absorption and that would be done by utilizing the universal tip of eating food and drinking lots of water while drinking alcoholic beverages. It also goes without saying that a strong immune system will be able to better cope with an immune reaction.

Gut health addressed through probiotics and fermented foods is always a great preventative step to take regardless if you’re drinking or not.

I hope that gives you a little bit of insight as to why our Asian friends turn blotchy red when drinking. 

Healthy Fast Food Options.

Sometimes we don’t have the time to cook and sometimes you need to eat and you need to find something fast. There’s nothing wrong with that. In today’s post I wanted to share with you some of my favourite “fast food” options.  Of course when tackling on a specific weight gain/weight loss goal, its better to be prepared, but ideal foods can be found outside the house if you do your proper research. The following “fast food” choices are based on taste, macronutrient content, the amount of time it takes to order and affordability. Here we go…

PHO: This is by far one of my favourite foods in general (fast or not). I opt for a rice dish, which is usually paired with a protein and some vegetables (most likely pickled radish and cucumber). Not in the mood for rice? Try the beef or chicken noodle soup (pho). Not only is the broth rich in minerals, but also the noodles are rice based, making it a great gluten free option.  It’s also worth noting that most pho dishes come with a good amount of mint and basil, which aid in digestion and contain anti-inflammatory properties. Side orders? Try fresh rolls. These are fresh herbs, lettuce and shrimp wrapped in rice paper. A typical meal at a Pho restaurant will usually run you about $10-12.

Pictured here: Fresh Roll platter

Burrito Bowls: I’ve named this "burrito bowls” but we all know that I’m talking about Chipotle. Whenever I’m dealing with a client, I’ll always refer to a burrito bowl from Chipotle as an ideal split of all the macronutrients. You have your rice (carbs), vegetables (fibre and micronutrients), beans (fibre and prebiotic), choice of protein and your fat (guacamole).  A meal at Chipotle will run you about $10-12. Another option is the Taqueria station at Whole Foods, which carries tacos, and burrito bowls as well!

Pictured here: Burrito bowl with rice, chicken, black beans, lettuce, corn, tomato, and guac.

Jerk Chicken: My next “fast food” option is jerk. I have one routine that I’ve implemented the last while where I’ll get a haircut, workout then have some jerk chicken (there’s a really good jerk place by my barber). Your carb option (rice and peas) makes a complete protein, so you’re already winning.  A typical meal for me at a jerk spot is jerk chicken, coleslaw, rice and peas. Sometimes I’ll get a side of plantain, but that’s for a high carb day. The thing I love about jerk is that its tasty but the herbs and spices used in the seasoning upgrade everything. Things such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger are all beneficial herbs and spices which aid in digestion making this “fast food” top notch.

Pictured here: Jerk chicken, rice and peas, coleslaw.

Some notable mentions include, Thai Food and Korean Food. They didint make the list becasue they are good outside options but aren't necessarily "fast". Fast food doesn’t necessarily mean “bad food”. Notice how all my food options here are foods that haven’t been covered in sauce nor has anything been heavily fried.

Enjoy!

Is Saw Palmetto a True Testosterone Booster?

I remember sitting in class listening to an instructor rave about Saw Palmetto. For anyone unaware of what Saw Palmetto is, it’s an extract of a plant from the Serenoa repens palm plant. Saw Palmetto is usually used for its ability to block the conversion of free testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT is a more potent version of testosterone.

To keep it simple, testosterone converts to dihydrotestosterone. Characteristics of high DHT are associated with male characteristics like increased facial hair, muscle, increased libido and also acts as an antagonist to estrogen (which lowers estrogen binding).

To be honest with you, I don’t mind those characteristics. I like my workouts intense, my beard full, libido high and my estrogen low. SO why are the hippies telling me to take Saw Palmetto? The explanation I got from one of my instructors is that by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT, it will keep free testosterone high.

I have one issue with this. What’s the point of keeping free testosterone high if were not going to do anything with it? That’s like saying, "let’s keep collecting bricks, but never use them to build a house" (I know... I could’ve done better with my analogy, but you get the point).

Yes I know, it’s been said that Saw Palmetto is good for prostate health and hair loss but the studies are sparse and the drawbacks of supplementing with Saw Palmetto don’t make it worthwhile for me personally.

People often compare DHT to exogenous steroids, which shouldn’t be the case. Of course, I’m speaking from a male perspective that is looking at every natural way of increasing testosterone, because it’s a commodity as we age.

The lesson here is that, before introducing a new supplement into your routine, look at what you’re trying to achieve and ask your self how this supplement will help in the long run. If you’re a healthy male looking to increase testosterone or at least prevent it from dropping significantly, then I’d lay off for now. 

how much of a role does food play when addressing pain and inflammation?

My goal isn’t to breakdown inflammation at the cellular level in this post. I’ll admit that the title sounds pretty broad and general. I’m also not here to tell you that your goji berry, mint and arugula salad will magically heal your nagging knee pain.

Mostly because I don’t see the combo of those ingredients tasting good together (in my opinion) but most importantly because there are so many factors that come into play when addressing an injury and saying that food alone will heal everything would be untrue.

What I will say is that the types of foods you eat can eliminate low-grade inflammation and in some cases, can speed up the process of healing a sustained injury. Conversely, certain types of foods should be avoided as they either cause or contribute to an inflamed state. Let me paint you a picture…

A patient or client comes in complaining of an ongoing achy knee or shoulder joint. Seeing a chiropractor or physiotherapist will eventually get them better (They’ll address compensations and the biomechanical issues that are contributing to the pain as well as a number of other things).

However, a well-constructed diet plan that complements the ongoing manual therapy, can get you better faster or at the very least, help manage the pain the client is experiencing by significantly lowering inflammation. As a nutritionist, I’m biased. If I can address one part of inflammation through the immune system response, then why wouldn’t you want this alongside your manual therapy protocol?

How about certain disc issues? In this case, food can play a therapeutic role when we have fluid from the disc in which the body sees as foreign. This jumpstarts the immune response and its inflammatory cytokines. The quicker the immune cells act on this, the quicker the inflammatory response goes down.

When we talk about pain from an injury, we’re usually speaking of inflammation. This we can drastically improve with the right diet.  Examples of how poor food choices can manifest itself as physical pain….

1.     Poor food choices cause an antigen/antibody response that brings upon inflammatory markers. This is the process by which the body doesn’t recognize certain foods and calls upon the immune system to get rid of it thereby causing an inflammatory response.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as inflammation is a part of the healing process, but this becomes an issue when inflammation progresses into chronic inflammation. If you ingest something that’s foreign to the body (oh let’s say skittles or trans fats), then the immune system is called upon and the inflammatory response begins. This has more to do with low-grade inflammation.

2.     Inflammation is an important process in the body. If inflammation is a consequence of an immune response then we should be supporting the function of our immune system. Probiotics, prebiotics, whole foods and cofactors found in healthy foods support immune function. Ya dig?

3.     An imbalance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids can lead to an inflammatory response because of the hormone-like factors known as prostaglandins. Note: Omega 6 in excess is inflammatory. Because of the way food is processed, were getting more omega 6s than we need. This is where sushi has a therapeutic effect!

I understand that this is only one piece of the pie and in no way am I trying to say that food alone is the reason you’re in pain. After all, you didn’t piss your back off deadlifting because you didn’t eat a kale salad. What I’m saying is the therapeutic effect of food and supplementation should be considered when addressing pain and inflammation.

Eat. Move. Be Happy.

A Case For Eating More Carbs

Carbs aren’t bad. Especially when your working out or doing something energy intensive. I’ll admit that I’ve dabbled in the Keto, Intermittent Fasting and Paleo world and through it all I’ve realized how important carbs are to the body (both positively and negatively). This holds especially true if you’re training at a high level. You just can’t recover and be explosive without carbohydrates. I have nothing against the Keto crew whom run primarily on fat, but when I was doing it, I had to re-assess why I was doing it. I wasn’t preparing for a marathon nor was I battling any blood sugar issues. I do know that I was training at a high level and not recovering. Was it because I wasn’t fasting properly or eating enough fat? No. It was because I wasn’t sleeping enough, but more importantly, not eating enough.  Let’s say sleep and stress are in check and the missing link here is a lack of calories. What are some tips to re-establish the metabolic fire?

1.     Start eating breakfast. Since the intermittent fasting craze emerged, people who neglected breakfast rejoiced and said “hey I’ve been something right this whole time”. While it may hold true fore some people, the majority of people I’ve met who skipped breakfast were not doing it therapeutically or as a specific lifestyle change, but simply doing it because they didn’t have time to eat breakfast in the morning….and lunch.

2.     If you’re training, eat some carbs after you’re workout and don’t be shy about it. Assuming you have tracked the appropriate amount of macronutrients you need for the day, take advantage of the post workout window to ingest a higher amount of good quality carbs. Fruits are a great way to replenish glycogen stores immediately after your workout.

3.     If you’ve been on a calorie-restricted diet for whatever reason, don’t stay on it for too long. The body has a system in place that will adapt to lower calorie intake and your fat loss dreams will come crashing down after a while.

4.     Not everyone needs to lower his or her carb intake on non-training days. You will not get fat in one day. 

I'm not saying it's the answer to all of your problems, but it could be one of them.

Start Achieving Your Goals With This One Trick.

This is one fitness tip that requires no gym membership to start.

“I used to be skinny before the baby”. “I used to bench more when I was younger”. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard someone talk about how they used to be healthier, slimmer, stronger and sexier back in the day.

Unfortunately, life can push you in different directions and for whatever reason, you’ve gained some weight or lost some strength. So, you’re in this position trying to lose weight and get back to what you used to be and the task of losing weight or putting on muscle has been so hard to do. You’ve done it before, so why can’t you do it again?

Here’s what I’ve learned over the last bit. You will never be what you used to be. You can’t re-create the conditions that you had in the past. Since then, you’ve become wiser, older, and the conditions around you have changed. Start creating the conditions that will improve who you are today moving forward. Don’t strive to be what you used to be, but instead be a better version of what you are today.

1.     Love who you are. It seems cliché, but when have we ever achieved success while hating ourselves?

2.     Surround yourself around people who share the same goals as you and who will support you. Do you know that guy that makes fun of you for ordering the salad or rice instead of the fries and beer? He just doesn’t want to be alone.

3.     Start now. The “I’ll start Monday” excuse is played out. If you’re reading this, and you want to start your fitness journey, then start now. Walk, run, yoga, dance…Just start something and start now. Often people will not start because of the fear of not “doing it right”. Some traditionalists will hate that I say this, but you can start anywhere and you can correct whatever that needs to be corrected along the way.

4.     Have fun doing it. If you’re trying to get stronger, screw the numbers and just start lifting. If you feel good after doing it, then you’re doing it right. Too intimidated? Are you finding it hard to start somewhere or share your progress because you’re self-conscious of others making fun of you? Then let’s work out together. Seriously, email me.

I’ll have some exciting news coming up so stay tuned!

Detox Programs That Actually Work.

The word detox carries a lot of meaning. To a health practitioner, it’s an intervention much more complicated then a 5-day juice cleanse. The hardcore practitioner will scoff at the idea of a juice cleanse and say that detox protocols are much more intense and calculated.

For the purposes of this blog post, let's just use the word detox and reset interchangeably and not get into the debate about what is a true detox. Alright, let's go…The body has 6 organs of elimination. These organs include the bowel, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, skin and the lymphatic system. Whatever we can do to upregulate and strengthen these organs should be the aim of any introductory cleanse or detox. 

With this being said, I’m going to outline some recommendations that will press the reset button and strengthen these organs.

1.     Open the doors. If we sweep a house, let us open the doors so that we’re not just recirculating the dust. In this case, toxins. Make sure you have enough fiber. 

2.     Make sure antioxidant intake is high. When mobilizing toxins, we need antioxidants to combat circulating free radicals. Antioxidants that I’ve used include spirulina and chlorella. A quality greens powder will do. 

3.     Drink plenty of water. If we want to take it to the next level, invest in some clean filtered water. High-end grocery stores like Whole Foods Market carry filtration systems that allow you to take home filtered water. Drinking contaminated tap water contradicts the idea of a detox. 

4.     Cut out stimulants like caffeine and alcohol (sorry wine and coffee drinkers). The word here is reset/detox. Let’s not build on dysfunction and allow our body’s signaling pathways to get a break.

5.     Get plenty of sleep. People often believe that since they are doing one thing right, they can afford to neglect another. Sleep will always be important regardless of you doing a detox or not.

6.     Utilize whole foods to reset. The explanation is easy. Without fibre, were not able to mobilize and excrete excess toxins and hormones. Quality and moderate protein is needed for most detoxification pathways.

If I was to invest in something buzz-worthy at the moment, it would be a meal plan service that would set me on the right track. Recently I utilized Living Kitchen, a collective of holistic nutritionists, chefs, and cooks that specialize in making people feel their best.

Not only did they save me the time of preparing my food, but they also offered a detox aimed at jumpstarting the body into a healthier lifestyle. Pssst. In case you didn't know, You can meet your macros with high quality/nutrient-dense foods too. 

Here's a picture of last weeks meal plan from Living Kitchen

"Another One" **Dj Khaled voice**

An Intro Into Probiotics (Part 1)

This post is inspired by two good friends who just had a beautiful baby (Congrats guys!) We were having dinner and the topic of gut flora came up and sparked me to share a little info for new and expecting mothers and fathers regarding gut health.

We’ve all been told that a good probiotic can be beneficial to us, but how much do we actually know about how the gut microbiome develops? Most of us will blindly say “I need more beneficial bacteria in my gut therefore I’ll take these probiotic pills”. While this does hold some truth, it’s not the whole truth nor is it a definite statement.

The truth is that the microbiome (community of pathogenic organisms) is so complex that we’re still learning about its functions and its effects on the body. I’ll break one myth right off the bat. It’s false to assume that we have an infinite number of strains of bacteria that we could find in a bottle, ingest and inoculate our body with. It’s not that simple. At least not yet.

Our gut microbiome and subsequently our immunity is determined at birth. Here’s a quick rundown…

• The gut microbiome is a post-natal organ. Just like any other organ in our body, it has metabolic functions and has the ability to develop until the age of 3. The first microflora is given to the child via the rectal and vaginal canal of the mother. Thereafter, the next exposure to beneficial bacteria is made through the nipple and skin of the mother.

This makes a case for new mothers to avoid a C-Section when possible. Babies who were birthed via C-section may not see the effects of a compromised gut microbiome until later in life.  

• Breast milk produces an oligosaccharide (a kind of indigestible carbohydrate that is fermented by the gut microflora). This is the baby’s first introduction to a prebiotic. For anyone not familiar, a prebiotic is food for our beneficial bacteria. This indigestible fiber is used to feed the gut bacteria of the baby.

I’m often asked what the best baby formula is? My answer. Breast milk. You can’t find it at Whole Foods and it’s never on sale and that’s ok because it’s free! Awesome joke right? I’ll go home now…

• Bacteria have developed a bad reputation over the years and in response, most children are being raised in an environment that’s too hygienic. Of course, lets not go over board and throw our little one into the downtown streets and say “be free”, but mothers should be more open to allowing their children to have their immune system and flora stimulated and challenged. This extends into the adult population as were also far too hygienic for our own good.

The takeaway? Let’s not be too quick to grab the disinfectant cleaners every time the little ones play with their toys. Play in the dirt!

Okay, we’ve all learned that the gut microbiome is this organ that develops until the age of three and its development is determined by initial exposure from a natural birth and supported by this prebiotic substance that breast milk produces. If you’re an adult now and weren’t able to reap the benefits of natural birth and breast milk then you’re probably sarcastically saying “Thanks Mom”.

At the end of the day, circumstances may cause us to grow up with a less than optimal gut microbiome but we’re not all doomed.  As I mentioned before, research is still concurrent and looking for new ways to strengthen our gut microbiome. From what we know so far, probiotics aren’t the sole answer to all our problems but studies have shown positive effects on probiotic supplementation and a solid diet.

We won’t necessarily be able to create new strains by ingesting a pill, but we can create an environment for weak strains of beneficial bacteria to flourish again. There’s even some evidence to the possibility of inoculating new strains into our body from fecal matter transplant (yes, that means putting strains up your butt via pill), but research is still young and the dangers of bacterial transplant are still not fully known.

With this all being said, I am a fan of probiotic supplementation and have had good results with probiotics. Since bacteria is so unpredictable it’s hard to measure the number of bacteria in a bottle of kombucha or sauerkraut, but we do know they have a variety of strains in them (probably even more than the average probiotic supplement). 

As of right now, I’m simply allowing myself to consume a variety of fermentable foods and supplementing with a reputable probiotic (when needed) while trying my best to avoid household disinfectants and avoiding antibiotics when they’re not necessary.

Get more probiotics and prebiotics in your diet via:

Probiotic Food Sources: Kombucha, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Yogurt, Kefir (Coconut Kefir if dairy-free), Natto, Miso Soup.

Prebiotic Food Sources: Artichoke, Asparagus, Beans (if tolerated), Any Leafy Greens (Kale Spinach, Chard), Onions, Garlic.

Stay tuned for part 2 where I'll go through specific brands for supplementation and possibly a recipe for fermented food. 

Thoughts on Ketosis (and a little explanation)

Ketosis. It’s a pretty sexy topic right now and just about everyone’s friend, aunt and uncle seem to be an expert on being fat adapted. Lately I've been asking myself "shouldn't I eat carbs when I want to perform a high powered sport or exercise?"

This post isn’t meant to be a focus on what ketosis is, but for the sake of context, I’ll give you the main points.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where our body switches from glucose to ketone bodies (which are derived from acetyl CoA) when we deplete our body of glucose and glycogen. Ketone bodies are produced as a result of our body breaking down fat.

If the brain prefers glucose as fuel, then how are we able to survive on prolonged fasts? That’s because those ketones take the place of glucose and can fuel the brain. In a clinical setting, ketogenic diets have been utilized for the treatment of MS, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s.

*** Quick note: MS and Alzheimer’s have been tied in with mitochondrial dysfunction and the brain cell’s inability to use glucose to fuel the brain. The idea is that switching to ketone bodies will serve as an alternative fuel source instead of glucose.

Aside from its effects on MS and Alzheimer’s, endurance athletes have started to adopt a more ketogenic based diet in order to take advantage of the fact that fat, as a substrate is vast and almost endless. Think about it, we can store more fat than glycogen bro! Note that there is something called nutritional ketosis (keeping carbohydrates under 50g) and fasting ketosis (when were eating almost nothing).

If you're geeked out on body metabolism and want some cold hard facts…Just know that ketosis is measured by the number of ketone bodies present in our blood. True ketosis can fluctuate but should be at about 0.2-0.5 mm of BHB (hydroxybutyrate is just one measurable ketone). Anything over this means you've been "kicked out of ketosis". 

Main Points

• Ketones can be used as an alternative source of fuel for the body.

• Ketones are produced when our body metabolizes fat.

• Ketosis is used as an alternative fuel source in clinical settings when mitochondria (energy producing area) are not using glucose effectively.

• We can store more fat than glycogen.

• Ketone bodies made from acetyl CoA.

Since we’re all experts on ketosis, let’s tackle the real question. Is ketosis good for athletes who require short bursts of power? Is it for everyone?

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Here's a typical ketogenic breakfast. Organic turkey burger patty with some guacamole on the side.

I remember having a conversation with a naturopath and asking him what his thoughts were on performance and running on mostly fat aka ketosis. I remember his exact words “yeah fat would be an ideal energy source if the sport was fighting to the death”. What he meant was, fat is ideal when its our last option, but for shorter more powerful sports, we’d be best served with some high quality carbohydrates. 

I also remember talking to a colleague of mine and debating whether or not being fat-fueled was the ideal state an athlete should be in. The outcome was an agreement that endurance athletes would be best served using fats as fuel because it enables the athlete to be more metabolically flexible and tap into an almost unending source of fuel.

However, in order for this to work the athlete would have to be “fat adapted” at least 3 months before. We can’t just have the athlete attempt to get into ketosis 3 weeks before a triathlon.

My own personal experience? Ketosis was the easiest and least painful way for me to improve body composition (aka lose fat). However, I can’t lie to you, if power is needed on a specific day, then clean carbohydrates work well for me.

I follow a diet that's high in fat and protein but not exclusive to other macronutrients. I'll still eat carbohydrates and I'll eat them closer on days where I've played hockey or lifted something heavy. If I were to take part in a triathlon, then ketosis would make sense, but I'm not signed up for any at the moment. 

There’s an up and coming market for exogenous ketones on the rise and they’ll say that you can reap the benefits of ketosis by ingesting ketones which will allow you to use ketones without going into fasting or nutritional ketosis. I’ve tried this as a sample and it was tasty, but I’d have to use it longer to feel the performance-enhancing effects.

Best Breakfast Options For Fat Loss and Energy

There are multiple ways of achieving energy and fat loss. One way of jumpstarting the process is by utilizing a breakfast which consists of quality fats and protein. This is not to say that this is the only way of achieving fat loss and energy, but It's a tool to consider. Examples of these breakfast options include...

• Salmon and Avocado

• Eggs and Bacon (in moderation)

• Oysters and Almonds

• Beef and Brazil Nuts

Should we drink our water hot or cold?

I remember the time an Ayurvedic practitioner told me that hot water was a simple way of losing fat. I never forgot when he said this because of his reasoning for fat loss. He asked me “have you ever tried cleaning grease/fat off a stove with hot water instead of using cold water?”

At the time I was skeptical because I kept saying that adipose tissue was different from grease on someone’s stove and the mechanism of shedding fat had to be a little different. It was like someone telling me eating “mussels” lead to more muscle in the body.

Obviously I’ve changed my stance on this. There is definitely truth to this warm to hot water on fat loss theory. It’s by no means an aggressive approach to fat loss, but it’s a routine worth throwing into the mix if fat loss is a goal. This extends to overall health, as warm water should be consumed over cold water.

So what are the benefits?

1.     Warm water increases metabolism by heating the body, which leads to calorie expenditure.

2.     Warm to hot water actually breaks down excess phlegm and in the case you’re suffering from congestion, it can help eliminate excess phlegm. This also aids in digestion and bowel movement.

3.     Warm water supports digestive enzyme activity. What happens when we put food in the fridge? It slows down its rate of breakdown because we slowed down the enzymatic activity of that food. The same happens when we’re chewing our food and drinking cold water at the same time.  Digestive enzymes are slowed down.

Let’s not overthink this and forget that proper hydration is a staple to overall health and supports the body during movement and exercise, which (under the right conditions) leads to fat loss. The reason it was worth making a blog post about drinking warm water is that we seem to have it backwards in North America.

Usually, we take our showers hot and drink our water cold. The effects of a cold shower include improved circulation, immunity and recovery from intense workouts. Not to mention the practice of being uncomfortable which, can build some beneficial psychological benefits.

This, of course, is a guideline and drinking cold water will not make you a bad person. Putting Perrier in your vodka will.

Jokes aside, it would be hard to follow through with this as refraining from a hot shower and ice water both feels and tastes good. Let’s just think twice before we ask for ice in our water while at a buffet and utilize contrast (hot/cold) showers more often.

Remember: Drink your water warm and take your showers cold.

5 Universal Tips of Dieting.

Nutrition is easy. Of course, this is easier said than done and the wide array of health issues can attest to the idea that nutrition is anything but simple. There is one thing that we can make easier for us, and that’s the stress that we should be eating one way and one way only.

Everyone seems to have his or her own way of eating and at times it can get confusing. This post isn’t meant to steer you into one way of eating, In fact, the bulk of this post is based around the idea that diets should adapt to seasons, conditions and health factors.

To add to this, we need to find a way of eating that is sustainable for us without having any negative emotional effect on us. There are preferred styles of eating, but these styles should be able to adapt based on what the body needs.

Before I go any further, let me be clear that I’m not simply saying that nutrition is free for all and that we should binge on whatever we crave. There are definitely metabolic, hormonal, fungal and psychological issues that need to be addressed in the right context.

For the purposes of this blog, let’s say that we are simply trying to find our place in the class systems of food that have been created. Should you be on a Ketogenic diet? How about a strict Paleo diet? Should I count Macros?

As I said earlier, it can get confusing and fast. With that being said, let me tell you that if the perfect diet is the destination and you’re on this journey, then stop and realize that the destination is the journey. Enjoy the foods that come your way and share it with the ones you love (just don’t overdo the macaroons that your sister’s best friend brought over).

You can count your macros down to a science and I guarantee that some days your body may call out for you to eat outside your macros. Why? Because our relationship with food is much deeper than calorie counting. Were complicated beings and if the area of nutrition were mastered than we would have no such thing as diabetes, obesity or eating disorders.

Did I just get deep? If I did, then I apologize for going down the rabbit hole. To re-establish the purpose of this post, just remember that there are preferred and optimal ways of eating but there is no diet that is the be all end all of diets. It just won’t happen.

Here are my most basic food rules that everyone should build upon. After these rules are established, then our “style” or preferred way of eating can be established off of these staples.

1.     Eat your veggies (if the meal is a show…then the vegetables are the stars of the show).

2.     Manage blood sugar. In the type of world we live in today, we don’t realize how important this point is.

3.     Don’t neglect protein intake. The bros may overdo the protein thing from time to time, but this macronutrient is key to eating optimally.

4.     Don’t neglect your fats. Ever heard of sex hormones? You’ll need fat for those bro.

5. Train. From a metabolic standpoint, lifting something heavy allows helps the body to be more metabolically flexible. This is mostly due to its insulin sensitivity benefits.

No matter what type of diet you choose to follow, these rules will always apply…

Build upon healthy habits, not diets. 

The Importance of B12 and its role in Neuropathy and Anemia.

The stars have aligned on this post. The topic of B12 keeps coming up lately, and it was a sign that I had to put something up on the blog. The thing about writing is that it’s almost like a personal journal (…here’s what’s on my mind at this point in time and how I feel about it.)

In this case, Vitamin B12 is on my mind!

It’s involved in every metabolic cellular process in our body, DNA production and nerve function to name a few.

A good balance of all b-vitamins is important but B12 tends to get most of the attention because it is not absorbed into the blood stream the same way the other b’s are. B12 is usually more deficient than the other b-vitamins due to a deficiency in Intrinsic Factor. It also binds with “intrinsic factor” (It’s a specialized type of protein produced in the stomach). B12 must be bound to Intrinsic Factor. Then it is absorbed in to the small intestine (There are receptor sites for B12). You need to produce HCL in order to produce intrinsic factor. You also need to produce enough HCL to produce pepsin. Intrinsic (IF) is internally produced. On the other hand, B12 is the extrinsic (outside) factor produced.

Ok Marc. Tell me why B12 vitamins are important.

1.    It prevents Peripheral Neuropathy: The myelin sheath acts as an insulating cover over a nerve fiber. It’s through this nerve fiber that conduction impulses are produced and electrical signals are sent and received. Think of it this way, you touch something hot, once the sensation is felt, your nerves send a signal to your brain. This signal works on these conduction impulses. If you don’t know, now you know ***Biggie Voice***. 

Well B12 prevents the breakdown of the myelin sheath that covers our nerve fibers (also known as “demyelination”). When we hear myelin sheath, we usually associate this with the brain (MS). But, the myelin is also very important for your spinal cord’s nerve fibers. This damage leads to a condition known as peripheral neuropathy, in which symptoms include loss of coordination, sensory touch and eventual decreased muscle mass.  

It’s shown that B12 intake from food and supplementation can improve neuropathy conditions. With issues like tingling, muscular dysfunction and especially neuropathy, it’s best to have a specialist (Chiropractor, Physiotherapist) look at you and make a proper diagnosis. As a nutritional practitioner, my job is to support the physical intervention through nutrition once a person is diagnosed.

2.    The effects of B12 deficiency can cause irreversible symptoms: This is seen in Multiple Sclerosis (a degenerative disease of the nervous system). As with any tissue in the body, once it’s damaged, scar tissue forms (also known as Sclerosis).

3.    A lack of B12 can lead to Pernicious Anemia: This is a form of anemia caused by a lack of absorption of B12 due to a deficiency in Intrinsic Factor. B12 binds with “intrinsic factor” as I had mentioned earlier. Without B12 and Intrinsic factor, the membranes of immature red blood cells rupture, disintegration of the stomach lining can occur which can lead to autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease.

4.    It makes us happy: B12 plays an important role in supporting and assisting with the formation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine production. And this, make us happy…

5.    B12 helps us recycle Homocysteine: Anyone out there with a history of cardiovascular disease will have some knowledge of homocysteine levels. If you don’t, then just know that homocysteine is created as a by-product of our body’s metabolism of methionine and cysteine.

Homocysteine isn’t all bad, it still gives us things like Cysteine, which is a precursor to glutathione (an amino acid known for its detoxification capabilities) and is important to the synthesis of Neurotransmitters. The only problem is that high levels of homocysteine are indicative of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. B12 is important in taking homocysteine and converting it back to methionine.

Ok…What do I do?

Before we get into the details of B12 intake, it’s important to note that all b vitamins including B12 are depleted in the body by things like stress, birth control pills and high intake of sugars.

1.     Some people can’t produce Intrinsic Factor. If this is the case, B12 shots are available. You’ll want to buy Methylcobalamin (the active form), not Cyanocobalamin.

2.     HCL (stomach acid) is required in order to take B12 from its protein carrier Intrinsic Factor. Refrain from antacids and supplement with Hydrochloric acid with betaine to improve stomach pH.

3.     If you’re simply deficient and looking for the next best thing to a shot, then a sublingual (under the tongue) is another alternative option. This skips the digestion process and gets right into the bloodstream. People looking to simply optimize or increase B12 intake can take a Vitamin B complex with a higher B12 content.

4.     B12 food sources: Liver, Meat Protein, Dairy, and Seafood (particularly shellfish).

5.     The liver has to activate B-vitamins. If you have an under functioning liver, then B-vitamins are not being absorbed. Support the liver, and the b-vitamins will follow!

6.     Supplements and B12 aside, it’s important to look at the root cause of demyelination (breakdown of the nerve fiber). In some cases, autoimmune conditions cause the self-destruction of the myelin sheath. Eliminating triggers that cause chronic inflammation (high sugar, poor diet etc.…) can prove to be your best prevention and early treatment. The entry of pathogens through the blood brain barrier affects the CNS, which in turn affects the peripheral system. Boosting your immune system can also be a great way to properly limit the amount of sclerotic tissue that forms. 

Here are my recommendations for clean pre-workout supplements.

Who says pre-workout supplementation can't be healthy? In this video I share with you some of my favorite workout supplements. 

Holly's "Fudgey" Black Bean Brownies

Photo Credit: @jaxxsuds

Holly's "Fudgey" Black Bean Brownies

Today’s recipe comes from my friend Holly Monster who introduced me to the wonders of the black bean brownie. Holly’s a Certified Eating Psychology Coach, Certified Culinary Nutrition Expert and Precision Nutrition Coach. On her off time she’s deadlifting heavy things, shopping for organic meat or hanging out on the dance floor.

Ingredients Needed…

- 1 cup chocolate chips

- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

- 1/4 cup cocoa powder

- 2 eggs

- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil

- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 tbsp. maple syrup

- 1 tsp. mesquite powder

- 1 tsp. lucuma powder

- 1/4 cacao nibs (optional)

Instructions…

- Preheat oven to 350F.

- Grease an 8”x8" glass baking dish with coconut oil.

- Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

- Spoon into baking dish and smooth out batter to edges.

- Sprinkle cacao nibs on top (optional but adds a nice crunch!)

- Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out perfectly clean.

- Allow this to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

Photo Credit: @jaxxsuds

Sinus Infections Suck. Let's Deal.

Allergy season is here… and I’m sick right now. I’ve recently been feeling the effects of a sinus infection. I used this opportunity to play around with herbs, supplements and foods in order to nail down a solid game plan the next time this happens. If anyone’s not sure what a sinus infection feels like, it’s usually associated with cold like symptoms with pressure felt in the nasal and frontal forehead area. Runny noses, coughing are all possibilities but don’t appear in all sinus infections. Right now I have some body aches that are also associated with sinus issues.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned throughout this whole experience is that my sinus infection is heavily tied with seasonal allergies. For anyone unaware of why we get allergies, the basic explanation is that the symptoms we get are a result of the inflammation that our bodies produce by our immune system responding to allergens. An allergic response will release histamines and inflammatory markers. The sinus infection follows after these symptoms. Swelling of the sinus and nasal membranes serve as the perfect environment for bacterial infection to fester.

There are three things we need to remember when tackling a sinus infection.

1.     Loosen up the mucous that’s stuck in the nasal region. Nothing scientific her. Break the mucous down so its easy to move and flush it out (Blow your nose, spit, whatever it takes)

2.     Reduce Inflammation. Remember that inflammation as a result of a histamine response (more specifically of the mucous membranes which line the nasal and sinus areas) is what got you here in the first place.

3.     Rest. This is easy. If your allergies have turned into an infection, then the immune system will need support.

So the big question is how do we fix it? Here are some of the things that I found that helped me in combating a sinus infection.

Supplements to consider:

When dealing with thick mucous, proteolytic enzymes also known as protein digesting enzymes, help break mucous down into a thinner consistency. These enzymes have the ability to break down complex proteins at the site of inflammation, while having some anti-microbial properties.

Bromelain (an extract of pineapple stem) – Helps to breakdown thick consistency of mucous.

Silkworm enzyme – in nature this enzyme breaks down the cocoon of silkworms and serves as an anti-inflammatory as well.

Goldenseal and Echinacea - These are herbs both used in immune boosting formulas and can serve you best with your cold like symptoms.

Quercetin: Quercetin decreases allergic response by keeping histamine in the cell.

Vitamin C: Pairs well with Quercetin as an antioxidant that also supports the immune system. .

I’ve also found that some physical intervention is required. While I was sick I used a neti-pot at night followed by some coconut oil mixed with peppermint up my nose. You can use your pinky finger to dab some oils into your nostril region.

Give the body some time to rest and you should be up and running in no time. 

Things to consider when attempting a detox

Did I ever tell you of the time I attempted to do a green juice detox in the middle of December?

It wasn’t good news. I should’ve made a rap song and dedicate the song around my experience with the detox. It would be a remix to Drake’s “0 to 100” except my song would be called “100 to 0” because that was basically what happened to my body temperature at the time. Boom! Who ever said Drake and the world of nutrition wouldn’t meet?

Jokes aside, my body fat percentage dropped, which many may believe, is indicative of health, but with all things, we have to look at the body in its entirety. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer of detoxification but I strongly advise against prolonged detoxes, especially in the winter.

Today, many people get caught up in the idea of detoxification and elimination, but forget about the tonification and rejuvenation that needs to happen after the detox. Think of it as “over-cleaning” your room.

Picture this…

Once you’ve finished cleaning your room, you start scrubbing the floors. Once you’ve finished scrubbing the floors, you look around, then you start scrubbing the walls. You look at the walls and say “I think there’s mold, let me bleach this rag and start wiping a little more. Eventually you start peeling the paint off the wall and what was once a fresh clean room, becomes a bare stripped down space of nothing. A little extreme, but you get the picture.

I remember in my undergrad, my cousin was getting ready for a trip to the West Coast. In her attempts to lose weight, she started a 1 week cleanse consisting primarily of cayenne, lemon, maple syrup, and water (known as the master cleanse). Once she completed her cleanse, the first introductory meal she had was at an Indian restaurant where she indulged in everything the menu had to offer. To say her body was shocked, was an understatement. She broke out in hives and she felt pretty bad for the next 3 days. The takeaway here is that the tonification stage in which you introduce foods that you were off of during your detox should be calculated and concise.

Here’s your most basic and/or reasonable detox:

• Detoxification happens on a daily basis. Understand that your body (particularly your lungs, liver and kidneys) is constantly working at detoxifying your body from toxins that you’re exposed to on a daily basis. Providing your body with the antioxidants and nutrients needed to support these organs is your best method of supporting detoxification.

• Support gut health with plenty of vegetables and fruits. A diet higher in fibre will facilitate the excretion of toxins while providing supporting nutrients to your liver and kidneys. Ideally, we should look to eat more seasonally. This means we shouldn’t be knocking back kale and spinach smoothies 4 times a day, 7 days a week. If anyone has tried a detox in the middle of the winter, they can back me up when I say, YOU WILL BE COLD.

• Reduce toxic exposure when possible. Reducing your toxic exposure allows your body to properly detox on a daily basis. If our body was a barrel, then look at toxic load as something that overfills our barrel.

• Don’t forget about tonification. Once you’ve completed a detox protocol, listen to your body. If you start to feel overly tired, try adding more healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, fish oil) back into your diet.

Routine can be good sometimes

I used to think routine was boring. Instagram is littered with inspirational quotes telling you to quit your job and move to Thailand while living amongst nature and all its abundance. The thing is, without some aspect of routine, our lives are a mess. Jobs are routine, but they provide financial stability. Dietary structure is boring, but in some circumstances they’re required in order to bring your health back to a baseline. Where am I going with this? It’s actually unrelated to a job or diet, but rather how you carry yourself when working out. I have a couple rules that I try to enforce for myself when it comes to movement and exercise.

What to do:

1. Always pickup the barbell and dumbbell off the floor the same way you would as if it were 500lbs. That means your somewhat braced and aware at all times. I’ll even utilize this rule when doing something as simple as picking groceries up off the floor (the brace is a little unnecessary, but the movement mechanics should be the same).
2. Put your weights away. It’s the principle that matters. It creates a lifelong habit of simplicity. Use a weight, put it back. Eat from the plate, wash that plate. The habit eliminates unnecessary excess and keeps you from looking like a douche at the gym.
3. Drink water like a draught is coming. Obviously this rule can be taken to an extreme, but I’ve never found myself on the verge of over consuming water.
4. Eat after your workout. I’m not concerned with timing, but I’ll shoot for that 1-hour window after your workout.

My point here is that there are two types of routines. One is the type that keeps you stagnant and comfortable while the other type of routine keeps you consistent and accountable.

Are Beans All That Bad?

To tell someone whose staple diet includes legumes, that their diet is inadequate or anti-nutrient is plain stupid. Foods, diets, lifestyles are all relative. When it comes to beans and I, my relationship is conditional. I can definitely say that I have an upper tolerance to beans (which basically means I can eat a bowl of chili and enjoy it, but if I overdo it, I can start to feel gassy).

When I’m eating beans, I simply have to utilize the saying “in excess, anything can be bad for you”. With that being said, there are some benefits to adding the odd bean dish to your diet.

I won’t make you a long list of the benefits of beans in this post, but I will briefly explain to you something called “The Second Meal Effect”. This was something introduced to me by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. The premise is based on two facts. Firstly, when we eat beans along with a starchy carb, it can lower the insulin spike or blood sugar spike of let’s say rice.

This is simply due to the fact that beans are high in fiber and in most cases, fiber, when eaten with higher glycemic food, slows down the absorption of sugar. Want to lower the insulin spike of rice? Eat some beans with it.

Studies have also shown that eating a higher fiber-containing food and/or lower glycemic food at dinner can affect the glycemic load of what you eat at breakfast (It lowers the glycemic load in the morning).

Also, the beans we eat are not so quick to empty out of our digestive tract. Instead, it hangs out a little longer and feeds our gut bacteria (sort of like prebiotic food).

So are beans bad for you? Everything has to be looked at in context, but people looking for another tool to hack insulin levels may want to add this to the arsenal.

Beans Beans the magic fruit,

The more you eat,

The more you lower insulin and dietary fiber…. (See what I did?)