Whey Protein

Below is a good article I found on www.about.com regarding the benefits of whey protein...as always, please consult your doctor or health professional before beginning a diet or supplement plan.


Alternative Medicine
Whey Protein for Weight Training?
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated July 30, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
A protein complex derived from milk, whey protein is said to offer a range of health benefits. Studies show that whey protein may act as an antioxidant1, fight viruses and bacteria, and keep blood pressure2 in check. What's more, several biological components of whey protein (including immunoglobulins and lactoferrin) appear to stimulate the immune system3. Another supposed health benefit of whey protein is its ability to convert the amino acid cysteine to glutathione (a powerful antioxidant).
Claims for Whey Protein Benefits
Available as a dietary supplement, whey protein is typically touted as a natural remedy for the following conditions:
osteoporosis4
heart disease5
cancer
hepatitis B
In addition, whey protein is said to offer several benefits related to sports performance6.
The Science Behind Whey's Health Benefits
To date, there is limited scientific support for whey protein's health benefits. Here's a look at several key study findings:
1) Whey Protein and Heart Health
Whey protein may help lower blood pressure, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation7), according to a 2006 study of 30 people with high or slightly elevated blood pressure. For six weeks, study members received 20 grams of whey protein per day.
In a 2010 study of 20 overweight or obese postmenopausal women, researchers found that a single dose of whey protein significantly lowered levels of blood sugar and triglycerides (blood fats known to raise risk of heart disease when present at elevated levels).
2) Whey Protein and Exercise Training
In a research review published in 2008, investigators found that taking whey protein supplements may help enhance the effects of strength-training exercises. The review also found that whey protein supplementation may help individuals maintain muscle mass as they age, possibly due to its high content of muscle-building amino acids.
3) Whey Protein and Bone Health
Preliminary findings from animal research and test-tube studies suggest that whey protein may help promote bone formation and protect against bone loss-related conditions like osteoporosis and osteopenia8. However, whey protein's effects on bone health have yet to be tested in clinical trials.
Should You Use Whey Protein?
Due to the lack of science behind whey protein's health effects, whey protein cannot be recommended for the treatment or prevention of any health condition. If you're considering the use of whey protein, talk to your doctor before starting your supplement regimen.
Sources:
Hayes A, Cribb PJ. "Effect of whey protein isolate on strength, body composition and muscle hypertrophy during resistance training." Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 11(1):40-4.
Kumegawa M. "Prevention of osteoporosis by foods and dietary supplements. Bone reinforcement factor in milk: milk basic protein (MBP)." Clin Calcium. 2006 16(10):1624-31.
Kruger MC, Plimmer GG, Schollum LM, Haggarty N, Ram S, Palmano K. "The effect of whey acidic protein fractions on bone loss in the ovariectomised rat." Br J Nutr. 2005 94(2):244-52.
Marshall K. "Therapeutic applications of whey protein." Altern Med Rev. 2004 9(2):136-56.
Pal S, Ellis V, Ho S. "Acute effects of whey protein isolate on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight, post-menopausal women." Atherosclerosis. 2010 May 31.
Pins JJ, Keenan JM. "Effects of whey peptides on cardiovascular disease risk factors." J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2006 8(11):775-82.
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Some Books You Might Like...

Recently, I stumbled across a list of most popular and pertinent books from www.yahoo.com regarding Weight-Loss, Fitness, Exercise, and Meal-Planning...I know many of you are readers and always looking for that "edge" so here's a summation of the books I found to be worthwhile:

* Mayo Clinic Diet

* South Beach Diet Supercharged (don't necessarily recommend the diet but has some good points)

* The Instinct Diet

* Eating Well Diet

* Change Your Brain...Change Your Body

* Body Fat Solution -- The 5 Principles

* Never Say Diet

And, my personal favorite,

* Body For Life and Food For Life from Bill Phillips

Happy Reading!

A

Try This Warm-Up Before a Workout

A Better Warm-up
from www.coreperformance.com website

There's nothing wrong with touching your toes. If you can do it, you're ahead of most people in terms of flexibility. Only a short while ago, a quick toe touch and a few minutes on the treadmill was all experts thought was needed to warm up for sports or exercise. And that's still what most people do, if anything.
But there's a more effective way to prepare your body for physical activity. It involves going through a series of dynamic movements that increase your core temperature, prepare your nervous system for activity, and activate key muscles that you'll use in your training session. The word "warm-up" doesn't really cover it. That's why we call it "movement preparation," or "movement prep." More than getting warm, "movement prep" decreases your injury potential and improves your training. And it only takes about 5 to 7 minutes.

Get started with this sample routine.


Glute Bridge - Marching
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Hip Rotation - External - Sidelying
01
12 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Leg Overs
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Knee Hug - Moving
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Reverse Lunge - with Twist
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Knee Hug to Forward Lunge - Elbow to Instep
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Drop Lunge
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Lateral Squat - Low
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Inverted Hamstring - Moving Forward
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

Heel to Butt - Moving Forward with Arm Reach
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details

A New Study Linking Sleep Deprivation to Weight Gain...

By: Michael Stevens, www.newsoxy.com; Staff WriterPublished: Jul 5, 2010

Deprived sleep can cause weight gain, study found.

Sleep problems weight gain are linked, according to a recent health study. Women who are middle-aged and older with sleep problems are more likely to gain weight. It all comes down to many studies where people who have trouble with sleep are likely to gain weight.

"These findings many not prove a cause-and-effect, they raise the possibility that improving sleep quality might help stave off excess weight gain," lead researcher Peppi Lyytikainen, of the University of Helsinki, said in a statement. The study included 7,332 men and women who were originally surveyed between 2000 and 2002. Those who said they'd had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep on at least 14 nights in the past month were classified as having "frequent" sleeping troubles.

In addition, the subjects reported their poundage and height during the first survey, then again, five to seven years later. However, many of those studies assessed people at one point in time. This makes it difficult to know, which comes first, the sleep complications or the excess pounds.
New findings from Finnish researchers strengthen the evidence that sleep difficulties are related to weight gain. Reseachers found that sleep annoyances came prior to substantial gain in some participants. The science and technology information service followed more than 7,300 40- to 60-year-old adults for seven years.

They concluded that women who reported significant sleep troubles at the outset generally put on more weight over time than women who slept well. Roughly one-third of women with frequent sleep complications gained at least 11 pounds, versus about a fifth of women with no sleep difficulties at the outset. The link in the women persisted even when the investigators accounted for a number of factors that can affect both sleep quality and gain.
This study included the participants' body weight at the beginning of the study, their exercise habits and their general physical and mental health. In the beginning 20 percent of women had frequent sleep difficulties. Overall, the study found, those women were more likely to report a "major" gain of 11 pounds or more by the conclusion of the study, in comparison to women who slept well. However, the 17 percent of men who reported sleep troubles were not more likely to put on weight than those who slept without difficulty.

Is the hCG diet a fad or something more?

I have been getting a lot of questions regarding the "latest, greatest" fad-diet called the ATW Ultra-Low Calorie hCG diet. While I'm not here to get on a soapbox or try to tell people what they should or shouldn't do I do feel obligated to obtain facts and offer insights into this so-called diet. As always, I recommend my clients or readers to consult with their medical practitioner before beginning any diet regiment or nutrtion program.

Here's what we know:

What is hCG?

hCG stands for humn chorionic gonadotropin, a glycoprotein produced in the placent that promotes the growth of the corpus luteum and secretion of estrogrens and progesterone of the corpus luteum. Estrogen promotes the growth of the mother's sex organs and tissues of the fetus during pregnancy...progesterone promotes the special development of the uterine endometrium in advance of implementation of the fertilized ovum; progesterone also promotes fetal tissue and organ development as well as the mother's breasts. During pregnancy hCG also prevents menstruation and could affect those not pregnant.

hCG is collected from pregnant women's urine or genetically modified. It is used for tumor markings (identification) as hCG is produced by tumors, as well as fertility (ovulation inducer) and the now-controversial ATW ultra-low calorie diet (less than 500 calories a day).

The Diet itself

The theory behind the diet is that hCG promotes fat loss rather than lean tissue and muscle loss in order to protect the developing fetus byway of consuming and mobilizing abnormal, excessive adipose (fat) deposits. The diet was originally studied with a 125 IU daily injection of hCG with less than 500 calorie diet of high protein and low fat/carbs.

Adversaries

Recently the Journal of American Medical Association and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition both spoke out against the ATW hCG diet as being "neither safe nor effective".

Common Diet

The most common form of the diet is the homeopathic version but typically the administration is oral (not injected) and contains obscure ingredients not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); typically the homeopathic version has little to no hCG in it and is often substituted with derivatives of ephedra.

My Conclusions

Again, I recommend talking to your doctor before beginning any diet or nutrition program but my findings on this hCG diet are staggering. First, where it is obtained and how it is administered is not regulated and can be extremely unsafe. Also, the low amount of calories consumed is not safe. If you're goal is to "lose weight" aren't there better ways (like exercise and portion control???). I'm vary wary of fad diets to begin with because they do not teach a person how to eat properly and maintain a proper fitness program throughout life. The side effects are not ultimately known (testicular shrinkage, menstruation issues, liver and kidney damange, etc.)--is that something we want to put into out bodies??? There has to be a better way.

Food-to-Content Conversion CHEAT SHEET

While you can't keep track of the exact numbers for calories, fat, carbs and other things without a label, you can be mindful of your portion sizes. The easiest way to do this is by learning the basic exchange of food for calories, fat, etc, to estimate your total intake. Use the general guidelines below to keep track of your approximate intake of calories, carbs, fat and protein.

Remember that I recommend eating 60-120 minutes prior to workout a healthy, balanced meal of roughly 40% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat, and 10% fiber (+/- 5% each one). You should also be eating a higher-protein based meal post-workout (40-60 minutes) of 40% protein, 25% carbs, 20% fat, 15% fiber (+/- 5% each one). As always, these are generic numbers and you should check with your healthcare professional prior to implementing a meal plan and/or health & fitness plan. Good luck!

Vegetables

1 cup raw leafy, 1/2 cup cooked or raw , 3/4 cup juice and 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans all have around 25 calories, 5g of carbs and 2g of protein.

Fruits

1 medium-sized fruit, 1/2 cup canned or chopped fruit, 1/4 cup fruit juice or 2 Tbsp of dried fruit contain about 60 calories and 15g of carbs.

Breads and Cereals

1 slice of bread, 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta all have around 75 calories, 15g of carbs, 3g of protein and 0-1g of fat.

Meats, Eggs, Nuts

1 ounces meat. a handful of nuts, 1 egg and a 1/2 cup of legumes run about 75 calories, 7g of protein, 4-6g of fat (varies depending on cut of meat).

Oils, Butters

1 Tbsp olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil or peanut butter has around 72 calories and 8g of fat.
Dairy
1 cup milk, 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1 slice of cheese have about 100 calories, 12g of carbs, 8g of protein and 0-4g of fat.

* Some information gathered from Amanda Carlson, R.D. and www.coreperformance.com

Making Sense of Food Packaging

Nutrition
How to Make Sense of Food Labels
Amanda Carlson May 5, 2010

I recently found this article, written by Amanda Carlson, R.D., on www.coreperformance.com regarding food labels and some of the marketing gimmicks that are prevalent in today's packaging...I thought you might find it informative. Good reading...A

The FDA recently informed 17 food manufacturers that their food labels mislead consumers about the health benefits of their products. The misrepresented claims included “100% Juice,” “No Sugar Added,” “Healthy Options,” and “Fortified with Antioxidants.”
While the FDA is cracking down on manufacturers, you still need to decipher for yourself what’s healthy. Keep in mind that food packaging is nothing more than an advertisement, an attempt to entice you to buy one product over another. Oftentimes the label is downright deceptive. Here’s what to look for to avoid getting tricked by food labels.

Healthy

A food can be labeled “healthy” if it’s low in fat (especially saturated or trans fat) and has limited cholesterol and sodium, but that doesn’t mean the item has the lowest amount of fat or the lowest sodium. In other words, it still may not be your healthiest choice.What to look for: Don’t rely on packaging. Look for the cleanest and least processed form of food. Look for grains that are high in fiber, fruits that are in season, and natural nuts and nut butters that give your body fantastic fats. Keep highly processed foods to a minimum.

Organic

While there are hundreds of products emblazoned with the promise of being “all natural” and “organic,” many are not.What to look for: Choose items with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic symbol. Keep in mind that “natural,” “all natural,” “hormone-free,” and “free range” are not the same as “organic.” To be organic, a product must contain 95 percent organic ingredients. Check the ingredients to confirm that the product is certified organic by the USDA.

Made With…

There are dozens of products pictured with bunches of fresh grapes, waves of grain, and many more that claim to be loaded with real fruit juice, whole wheat, and other ingredients. Many of these products are actually a combination of the promised ingredient mixed with other products or extracts of the desired ingredient.What to look for: This label only means that the ingredient is included in the product (not necessarily as the main ingredient). Look for products with 100% whole grains or 100% juice (not juice cocktail).

Light or Lite

While a lighter version of a full-fat or high-calorie foods is at first glance better than the original version, keep in mind the calories, serving size, and other ingredients (sodium, etc).What to look for: This label means that the food has 50 percent less fat or 1/3 fewer calories than the same brand’s regular version. So flip it over to check out the nutrition label. You’ll have a better idea of proper serving sizes and other ingredients.

Good/Excellent Source of…

This label means that one serving provides 10 to 19 percent of your total daily needs for a specific nutrient, such as fiber, calcium, and vitamin A. So don’t mistake it as supplying what you need for the day of a particular nutrient.What to look for: On the nutrition label, look at how much of your daily value this source provides. You’ll want to make sure that you make up for the remaining percentage by eating other foods high in those nutrients.
While not getting enough nutrients is bad, getting too much can also be dangerous. Be aware of foods that have vitamin and mineral levels well above the dietary reference intakes (DRI). In particular, watch out for the fat soluble vitamins—A, D, E and K—because they're stored in the body, and when consumed in excess they're not excreted like water soluble vitamins. Your best bet: Aim to get most of your nutrients from fresh foods instead of water with antioxidants or energy drinks loaded with vitamins, for example. Water and fruit would be a better choice.

Reduced…

A food labeled as “reduced” has 25 percent less (fat, saturated fat, sodium, sugar, cholesterol, or calories) per serving than the regular version of the same food. But just because something has reduced fat doesn’t mean it isn’t still too high in sodium, sugar, or other ingredients.What to look for: Again, flip the product over and take a look at the nutrition label. Reduced fat cheese and reduced calorie beverages may not give you the health benefits or calorie savings you’re looking for.

About The Author
Amanda Carlson – As a registered dietitian, Amanda Carlson has provided educational seminars and individual counseling to a variety of professional and elite sports organizations.