Sickeningly Sweet? Artificial Sweeteners

“Everything in food works together to create health or disease. The more we think that a single chemical characterizes a whole food, the more we stray into idiocy.” T. Colin Campbell

Welcome back. The thing that got me back into writing was helping people. I know too many people who did not have access to answers to important questions.  Todays subject is one of the most debated, often leaving us with more questions than answers. We are looking at sweeteners with good reason. The United States is the worlds largest consumer of sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup. Besides ranking as one of the largest global sugar producers, it is one of the few countries with a significant output of both sugarbeets and sugarcane. It is also among the largest sugar importers. The consumptions of Diet Coke has become so popular as to where it has beaten Pepsi and is the second most popular drink in the United States. We have so many options available to us now it begs the questions; Which one do we chose, which one is the best for optimal health? This consumption of sweeteners has effected our waistlines, being a large contributor to the obesity epidemic we are all facing. 

Lets look at the major players in the sweetener game I am sure you are familiar with them. But maybe not familiar with the inherent risks they pose to your health. The players are Sugar, Aspartame, Sucralose, Aceslulfame-K, and Stevia.  The first one up is Sugar. The single largest calorie source for Americans comes from sugar, specifically High fructose corn syrup. In 2009, more than 50% of all  Americans consume one half pound of sugar per day, this amounts to 180 pounds of sugar a year. The most well known side effect of sugar is cavities. The other side effects of sugar are increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol. The Journal of American Medical Association has found a link between eating high amounts of sugar and higher cholesterol levels and diabetes. It also increases acne and general inflammation. Since studies have shown that cancer cells run primarily on glucose, it only makes sense to regulate sugar intake to prevent cancerous cells from forming or at least to stop them from spreading.  

Aspartame is a synthetic chemical composed of three ingredients two amino acids and a methyl ester bond, it is made of Phenylalanine, aspartic acid ad methanol. When it is in the body it metabolizes into formaldehyde and wood alcohol, the body also cannot eliminate aspartame the normal way. The massive quantities of the amino acids bonded with a poison are not found in nature. This results in aspartame becoming a neurotoxin.  By its unnatural structure the body processes the amino acids differently then a steak or eggs. These amino acids attack your cells, crossing the blood brain barrier attacking your brain cells, creating toxic cellular overstimulation called excitotoxicity. MSG is an excitotoxicity which will work synergistically with aspartame to cause even further damage to your brain cells.  

Sucralose is a synthetic chemical created in a laboratory, three chlorine molecules are added to one sucrose molecule. In natural foods chloride is connected with ionic bonds that dissociate easily. In Sucralose, they’re in a covalent bond that does not dissociate. There are not covalent chloride bonds to organic compounds in nature, they only exist in synthetic man-made form. Other examples are DDT, PCB's and Agent Orange.  A covalent bond is a chemical bond formed when electrons are shared between two atoms. Usually each atom contributes one electron to form a pair of electrons that are shared by both atoms. Since the compound is not found in nature our body does not know how to break it down, so it is supposed to pass through our system. Research has shown that it does not, it is absorbed into the digestive system, it is stored in the body. The side effects of Sucralose is that it destroys the gut microflora. Studies have shown a decrease in red blood cells, increased infertility in men by interfering with sperm production, vitality and in high doses brain lesions, enlarged and calcified kidneys. The were two studies performed before the FDA approving Sucralose for human consumption. This consisted of 36 participants eight were men. Whats really galling is the studies lasted all of four days.

 Aceslulfame-K is a potassium salt containing methylene chloride, a known carcinogen. The reported side effects are nausea, headaches, mood problems, impairment of the liver and kidneys, problems with eyesight and possibly cancer. Aceslulfame-K  may contribute to hypoglycemia.  It has undergone the least amount of scientific scrutiny even though early studies showed a potential link between the sweetener and the development of multiple cancers. 

Stevia is a natural sweetener that has been used for centuries in Paraguay and in Japan for decades. The Japanese have been using it in the treatment of type 2 diabetics, there is evidence that stevia is an insulin sensitizer that can aid in glucose tolerance and clearance after a meal. A two year randomized, placebo-controlled study of Chinese patients with mild hypertension (which a rather large swath of society probably suffers from) found that oral stevioside intake significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Patients either took a 500 mg capsule of stevioside or a placebo three times a day for two years. The hypertension situation improved all around and no downsides were reported or detected. Also of note is the fact that slightly more patients in the placebo group developed left ventricular hypertrophy, a pathological thickening of the heart muscle. 

It looks like Stevia is the clear choice here, it has positive benefits without the high risks. Just like everything else it should be taken in moderation. Some people complain about the taste of Stevia, you will need to experiment with the different types and brands that may work for your.  

Intentional Reading

I look forward to certain articles or blogs each week, all for different reasons Brett Contreras for Strength and Conditioning research, Tony Gentilcore & Jonathan Goodman for the fitness community’s best articles and unique voices. Also in need of some mentions are John Romaniello, Ben Bruno and the inspirational Big Chris McCombs. This week’s installment of the Functional Fitness Systems blog or FFS blog is what I call intentional reading. Intentional reading is a list of articles I find interesting, thought provoking or in the least helpful. We are in the lab cooking up some new articles for you, I believe we are going to have some follow up pieces touching on mobility, women’s strength training and the ever popular Plyometrics. Also in the works is an office workers survival guide, which will touch on a number of different areas related to your health.   How many of you have heard that old adage “your own advice is the hardest pill to swallow”?  It is easy to solve everyone else’s problems, or at least think that you have an answer or maybe “the” answer especially if you have knowledge in various areas.  I can hear myself saying it now “don’t run on a treadmill, you will get hurt”, “work your way into a program, not out of training”. So to cut to the chase I have been dealing with a stress fracture in my right foot, been in a boot all because of running on a treadmill and poor choice using old running shoes. Finally, out of the boot and rotating back to the gym, I won’t be running anytime soon. The plan is to switch spin classes, mobility work for the back, hips and legs coupled with strength training. In all honesty, I have been floundering for a while, keep having set backs, keep being sidetracked. Running into the same problems repeatedly sort of like a mini version of karma, someone is telling me stop the pity party. Simply put you need to get it together and make it happen for yourself.

Today we have five articles on the agenda all touching on different topics. The first article is from the NY times based on research aimed at finding whether or not we are programmed to enjoy exercise or to be a couch potato.Are you programmed for exercise?

Next up is a research article from the University of Basel which looks at the benefit that green tea has on memory, treatment for cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders like dementia.Tea Time

In third place is a piece from the British Medical Journal looking the effect if regular aerobic exercise on memory and learning in women whose intellectual capacity has been affected by age. Exercise your mind.

The fourth article is from St. Michael’s Hospital which had a finding that eating one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils can significantly reduce bad cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.  Have you had your servings of beans?

The final article is from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences published on 04/01/14 in the journal Cell Metabolism. The study found that obesity rather than diet causes changes in the colon that may lead to colorectal cancer. The finding supports the recommended calorie restriction and increased exercise as a healthy lifestyle change. This may help in reducing in colon cancer risk.  Healthy Lifestyle

Hopefully these articles are enjoyable and educational for you. At least you have to something to read when you are pretending to busy at work. I may periodically through articles up on the Functional Fitness Systems Facebook page and on my twitter as well. The next article coming on this blog will be the office workers survival guide. 

Glute Confidential Part 1

 “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Bruce Lee

It has been a while since I have put pen to paper and hammered out 3000 to 5000 words about a health related topic.  A knowledgeable friend and mentor had informed me of the limitations of the written word in this “microwave culture” we live in, and that now my information movement needs to be via the spoken word or on video.  We will be making the transition to different media streams to convey the message shortly, it will be a work in progress.  But that is fine as this allows me to expand the audience for health and fitness issues, specifically human movement and its role in optimal athletic performance. We are looking at the hips better half the glutes more to the point the glute complex and its role in human movement. If you work in an environment where people are seated most of the time, you know the old man/old lady walk the crack snap pop like rice crispies.  Generally what follows is pain in the knees and back, this is due to tight hip flexors they in turn will inhibit or turn down your glutes. More on that later back to one of my favorite topics Butts. They have become a status symbol, this is evident if you are a fitness professional and your involved in social media.  Another fitness professional recently had a rant about the “overselling” of ideal flutes and  the  training programs for glutes.   In some parts of the country  it has come to the point where women are getting plastic surgery to pump up their booties. Some women are going for a Brazilian butt lift and some are resorting to getting silicone injections as seen in the vice story Buttloads of Pain.  The top cities for the Brazilian butt lift are Miami, New York and Atlanta. When we look at the recent statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery they saw a 37% increase in butt augmentation procedures and 24.6% increase in butt lifts from 2008. Our interest today is not really in the aesthetics of the gluteals but in the power we can draw from them. The truth of the matter is that most athletes glutes are inhibited and under-potentialized, robbing them of strength and speed.  What if I told you that by opening up your hips and strengthening your glutes and hamstrings I can increase your power and speed? If it made the difference between being drafted in the third round vs the first round, it could be the difference in a state championship or paying for college and getting a scholarship. The fact that you are reading this article tells me your interested in optimizing athletic performance.

 We will need to discuss some anatomy in order for all of this to make any sense to you. The lumbo pelvic hip complex or LPHC has over 29 muscles attached to it and is responsible for the transfer of power from the lower extremities to the upper extremities. Some of the issues we have with the LPHC is synergistic dominance which is when a muscle takes over for a weak or inhibited muscle. The one that applies here is when the  psoas  is tight the gluteus maximus is inhibited. This will cause a compensation pattern allowing the synergists for hip extension  to take over. Increasing the force output of the hamstrings, adductor magnus and erector spine  This will lead to us into the cumulative injury cycle synergistic dominance leads to altered joint motion leads to altered neuromuscular control then tissue fatigue to injury.  We can have a tight Psoas 1 from being a desk jockey and not stretching throughout the day as well as general poor posture. Lets put this into perspective the strongest joint action at the hip is hip extension/hyperextension, hip hyperextension is safe unlike hyperextension of the knee, elbow or wrist.  Hip hyperextension occurs while we are walking, running, sprinting, grappling, throwing lunging and stretching our hip flexors. The key here for us is here hip flexor flexibility as it allows for hip hyperextension and it allows for glute activation. The

glute complex consists of three parts glute maximus, glute medius and glute minimus and their function is extension, abduction and stabilization of the limbo-pelvic hip complex. The gluteus maximus the largest of the glutes extends the hip, laterally rotates the hip, and  abducts the hip. While the gluteus medius  abducts the hip, flexes the hip, medially rotates the hip, extends the hip  and laterally rotates the hip. The smallest of the glutes abducts the hip medially rotates the hip, and flexes the hip. What is the common thread that we can gleam by looking at the muscle action? All three muscles in the glute effect the hip when they are not inhibited.  This will become an important concept while we look at lumbo pelvic hip dysfunction.  I am happy to put forth the information pertaining to anatomy, joint actions, and  movement specific definitions. If you like to geek out about movement, human anatomy and the like great I will do that all day.  If this is an introduction for you into that area of health science cool, keep striving, searching and learning. At the end of the article, I can send you to some people who will teach you the right way.  For our purposes here, I want you to think of movement as a symphony, anatomy as an orchestra and if we are out of synch or not in time or not playing the right part we have issues. Just like movement if we are out of time or not in synch we are not as powerful.

I remember my mother kicking us out of the house whether it was winter, spring, summer or fall.  She would say you can’t sit around and watch TV all day! Get out of the house go outside with your brothers. Looking back now she was right to get us outside one reason was simply to save her sanity. The second reason she was right is that inactivity cannot only be deadly but also crippling. A study performed by Dr. Alpa Patel of the American Cancer Society tracked the health of 123,000 Americans from 1992 to 2006. The study found that men who sat for six hours or more a day for leisure time had a 20 percent higher death rate than those who sat for three hours or less. The other issues that arise from sitting all day are sitting cranks your hips flexors. Over the past 100 years there has been a shift from manufacturing to office work. Most folks are desk jockeys or spend their days, this a contributing factor to a postural dysfunction known as anterior pelvic tilt.  It simply means that your hip is tilted forward,  a neutral spine and neutral pelvis would be optimal for spine safety. Some experts find that some pelvic tilt is acceptable as long as it is not to end range as it will not dramatically impact spinal posture. A moderate amount of pelvic tilt will actually keep spinal posture in check in these situations.  

We all know that one should self diagnosis as this is the quickest way to drive yourself insane and get yourself hurt. In this article we have quickly went through some of the main culprits when it comes to anterior pelvic tilt or APT, most dysfunctions or postural impairments do not occur in a vacuum and the likelihood of having APT without another issue is rare. I think this needs to be diagnosed by a Physician, Chiropractor, DPT, or CPT .Please seek out a trained professional for a proper assessment . This normally  consists of a couple functional movement screens, as well as taking a social/medical history.  This assessment along with a discussion about the goals of the program will allow for them to create personalized corrective exercise program. The program should be set up in different stages, normally at the end of a stage you would have a re-assessment. The correctives would be implemented in place of the traditional “warm up”,  the stages would follow the NASM OPT model with a fine tuning to the stage order.  The  warm is broken into two sections Mobilization this is where you will find  self myofascial release, stretching and mobilization when appropriate.  Then you would move on to a blended circuit that would be completed one to three times. The circuit would consist of Isolated activation, Core support, Reactive integration and subsystem integration. The success of the program relies on a few factors excellent assessment,  optimal exercise selection and technique and the efficacy of the strategy behind the corrective plan.  Please see the side bar  for a sample plan. Normally I would delve into the work out piece but I feel that should be goal specific for a client. If this something you would be interested in, I am more than happy to assist you with a goal specific training program.

Sample Plan 

Release Hold 30 seconds to 2 minutes

Quadricep 

TFL 

Adductor complex 

Thoracic spine 

Stretch hold 30 Seconds to 2 Minutes 

Childs pose 

Hip Flexor stretch (kneeling) 

Standing Adductor Stretch 

Mobilization Performed as a circuit 1-3 times Straight through

Isolated Activation 

Marching Bird Dog

Glute Max 

Glute Medius 

Core 

Ball Bridge 

Integrated Stabilization 

Single leg reach or Single leg touchdown

Reactive integration 

Side hops to balance 

 Subsystem Integration 

Squat to Row 

Glute Activation with Clams 

c

Everyone wants to train like an athlete, do the navy seal workout, the 300 work out. The problem this is not appropriate for where you are now. I have been listening to the Rich Roll Podcasts with John Joseph from the Cro Mags, in the first one they talk about meeting people where they are now. This can apply to anything in life whether it is a new hobby, fitness regiment.  Where does this leave us you may be asking ? You are really in phase one of a four phase program. I will be writing a follow up article wherein we look at optimizing the glutes for athletic performance. I would like for everyone to really work on hip flexor flexibility and opening up the hips. Then move onto activating the glutes and getting a mind muscle connection. Think about it this way this is step one in training like an athlete, this is how countless athletic trainers start their athletes. We work on flexibility, range of motion and the mind muscle connection.  I would be remiss if I did not mention the Glute Guy Bret Contreras a Strength Coach who is at the forefront of Optimizing Athletic Performance by tweaking glute training.  As well as Charlie Francis yes that Charlie Francis Ben Johnson's coach he is a genius when it comes to strength and sports performance many of his techniques are being used today.  The take aways from this article should be stand up throughout the day and walk, stretch those hip flexors, and activate those glutes. I have posted some links to sites of people who I feel are knowledgeable in health and fitness.

2014 Boston Marathon Next Month 

1 The psoas originates at the lower lumbar spine, inserts at the lesser trochanter of the femur. Its actions are a primary hip flexor with the Iliacus. As well as external rotator of the hip. 

http://bretcontreras.com

http://www.brookbushinstitute.com

Stranger than Science Fiction Part 2 GMO's and the Environment

At the end of August we had an introduction to GMO’s in  Stranger than Science Fiction P1. We looked definitions of a GMO, the health risks of ingesting genetically modified foods, the increase in the use of GMOs and food allergies, as well as some of the efforts to get modified foods labeled. Since writing this article I have noticed an increase in activism or at least it was in the front of my mind.  The fact of the matter is that genetically engineered ingredients are found in more than 70 percent of foods sold in grocery stores unlabeled. Unfortunately we are fighting against big business conglomerates and their money like the 11 million dollars donated by the Grocery Manufacturers Association to defeat the labeling initiative in Washington State  The companies that donated include PepsiCo, Hormel, and Bumble Bee, coincidentally they contributed more than Monsanto which sells GMO seeds. We do have grass roots groups like March Against Monsanto and the NonGMO project as well plant based advocates like John Joseph for the Cromags and Triathlete Rich Roll. Today we will be looking at the effects of GMO’s on the environment plants, animals and insects. One of the most alarming things going on now are the bees that are dying, if you remember biology class bee’s, are a critical part of the cycle of plant life. The other subjects we will be covering are gene flow, cross contamination, unintended harm to non-target organisms, the increased use of herbicides/pesticides with their environmental effects. I know its a lovely subject matter this holiday season, you would rather talk about who is playing in your fantasy football championship, or the new Lebrons that King James will be playing in on Christmas Day  possibly even your Aunt Mary’s egg nog recipe. Truthfully on some level so would I. I want free range chickens and grass fed meat to be the rule not the exception as well as not having to worry that the food I am ingesting or my children will be eating foods that will do untold damage and change my DNA or gut bacteria. A little over 500 years ago Christopher Columbus landed in what we call America after a long trip across the Atlantic. He ‘found” the native people or indians as he called them, a diverse mix of different tribes which spanned the Greater and Lesser Antilles. The tribe he would have encountered the most were the Taino’s, who were the tribe most found on the large and small islands in the Caribbean. In his conquest for gold Columbus and his men enslaved the Taino people, in 1492 it was estimated that 8 million people were living on Hispaniola. In 1496 the population was cut in half, by 1508 the population was less than 100,000, in 1518 there fewer then 20,000, by 1535 the population was gone.  This went on throughout the many of the islands in the Caribbean. Columbus brought with him both physical diseases as well as the maladies of the “modern” 15 century the lust for gold, property and forced labor.  All of the native people encountered new culture, new diseases, new concepts and not all were good. This was explored by geographer William Denavan estimating a “consensus count” of 54 million native people. The lowest estimates give a death toll as high as 90% due to disease by the end of the 17 century this is a staggering number of people. You may be asking what this has to do with the subject we are discussing. It has everything to do with it as we are creating new life forms in a laboratory and letting them out into the wild. All the while we do not have any built up antibodies to the new life forms, leaving us defenseless environmentally and physically. 

Lets define a GMO and the techniques used to promote modification. A GMO is an organism that has been artificially altered with the artificial addition, depletion or rearrangement of DNA to alter form or function to achieve the desired characteristic. This is done with what is called a promoter gene to get the changes going. That is all they do is promote the change they want without an “off” switch, this has crossed over to the ingesting organism in some cases.  The matter of GMO's is of concern to the World Health Organization, the objectives of their programs is to assist authorities in the identification of foods that should be subjected to risk assessment including GM foods, and to recommend the correct assessments. One environmental risk is "out-crossing" or the transfer of engineered genes from GM crops to conventional, cultivated plants or related species in the wild. This happens by insect pollination, wind or other transfer. Once introduced into the wild the issues would be the persistence of the gene after it has been harvested, if the hybrid plants thrive it could cause abrupt change in the ecosystem. As well as the stability of the gene, the loss in biodiversity, the environmental concerns can change according to the local conditions.  A September 2010 paper the WHO reported an instance where GM corn that was approved as livestock feed ended up in corn products that were intended for human consumption. In the opening paragraph I mentioned the increased use of herbicides and pesticides.The issue is that the farmers know that their GM crops are herbicide resistant, so they tend to use more of these toxins more frequently. The GM seeds are engineered to their produce their own pesticides, consequently we have more exposure to pesticides in our food and in fields.  The WHO has investigations are focusing on the potential detrimental consequences for plant biodiversity and wildlife. As well as the decrease in crop rotation in certain local situations; and the movement of herbicide resistant genes to other plants. 

When you start to look at our planet and the environment you realize that there are many different systems at work. If one piece of the puzzle is taken out or otherwise altered it can have  disastrous repercussions. We all remember as children we were deathly afraid of being stung by a bee, running away like a fool some of us even trying to kill the bees. Once I was told of the importance of the bees in our ecosystem I leave them alone to move on their own accord. An unfortunate fact is that the bees are dying this can be attributed to many different factors like cell phones, wi-fi signals, and pesticides.  In January 2012 researchers at Purdue University identified one of the causes in bee deaths as being an insecticide neonicontinoid. This particular insecticide is used to coat corn and soybeans prior to planting, their research found the insecticides in high concentration in waste from farm machinery used during planting. Two insecticides clothianidin and thiamethoxam are noted to be highly toxic to bees and were found in low levels in the soil up to two years after planting, and on the dandelion flowers and corn pollen gathered by the bees. The co-author of the study Christian Krupke stated "the same insecticides were found in each sample of the dead or dying bees.'' Greg Hunt the other co-author of the study has found that the US is losing one-third of its honeybee hives each year, he feels there is no one thing to blame. But he did note that the insecticides are contributing factor in bee deaths as the corn pollen bees were bringing back to the hives tested positive for below 100 parts per billion. If sufficient amounts are consumed its enough to kill the bees, but not acutely toxic.  Of note is that the exhausted talc is extremely toxic having up to 700,000 times the lethal contact dose for a bee. This leads us to colony collapse disorder the name for the annual bee die offs or the bees left a dire state of health. CCD started around 2006-2007 beekeepers were reporting the loss of anywhere from 30-90 percent of the worker bees from their hives. Through recorded beekeeping history some disappearances or dwindling of colonies is noted to have happened, but CCD is still an ongoing issues. Some of the contributing factors are increased losses due to mites, new emerging diseases, pesticide poisoning, bee management stress, habitat modification, inadequate or poor nutrition and potential immune suppressing stress. In 2012 there were three studies including the Purdue University study linking neonictinoids to CCD, this has put pressure on the EPA to move to register Bayer's products. The largest producer of the neonic pesticides is Bayer, they  came out with their own study showing the pesticide does not kill bees. This study was debunked by the EPA's scientists shortly after its  publication. So lets put this into perspective in 2013 the USDA projected corn growers to produce 13.8 bushels of corn. This was up from the drought hit season of 2012, US Soybean growth is forecasted to be 3.26 billion bushels up eight percent from 2012. This means that the corn crop will cover over 94 million acres, California's land mass is approximately 101 million acres. The US department of agriculture estimates the value of honeybees to commercial agriculture to be $15 billion to $20 billion annually, while they do no not pollinate corn or soybeans they are needed for fruit and vegetables. The problem is not only limited to big agriculture Bayer’s neonics are also common in home gardening and landscaping projects. We do have people fighting these issues like the beekeepers who have been asking governments in the US and Europe to restrict or ban this type of pesticide due to the harmful effects on hive life. As well as the Pesticide Action Network who note that Italy, Germany, and France have already taken action against neonictinoids to protect their pollinators. The beekeepers are reporting a successful recovery. In the US we remain held captive by our own system which finds the chemicals innocent until proven guilty or is that until its to late.

The environmental effects of the GMOS is scary in an of itself, but one thing that stands out is the ling lasting effects they have had on the agricultural industry. It has been sold as a lottery ticket in a way for farmers who get roped into deal with the large seed companies. In the movie “Bitter Seeds” about Indian farmers and the multinational companies take over the of the seed market in India, we find out that every thirty minutes a farmer kills himself, due to the rising cost of farming. The only seeds available in India are GMO seeds they require farmers to pay an annual royalty each time they are replanted. The GMOS need additional fertilizers and as the seasons progress more insecticides and pesticides. The soil where the GMO seeds are planted require more water, which means more money from the farmers. This can be a death nil for small farmers across the world. GMO’s financial impacts are not only felt by farmers,  the GM crops has cost the US an estimated $12 billion in farm subsidies, lost sales and product recalls due to transgenic contamination, and the massive failure of BT cotton up to 100% in India. 1 SomeUS Farmers are now considering returning to conventional seed after increased pest resistance and crop failures led to smaller yields from GM crops globally.  In the US the GM seeds cost an extra $100 per acre, unless they see a benefit the farmers with refrain from using the GM seeds. One of the biggest issues is the corn rootworm which has formed a resistance to GM crops in the last 14 years.  

This article may take some time to digest, you may not agree with my stance before or after reading it. Which is fine I do not want that, I just want to spark some thought and discussion, maybe some insight into how things can be handled differently. Biodiversity activist Dr. Vandana Shiva is quoted as saying “In a period of climate change, the world needs a biodiverse system." The world is changing and we need to progress with it, and progress in the world not in a petri dish.  We are told that the GMO crops will increase yield, but according to the FDA there are no commercialized GM crops that inherently increase yield. Also there are no GM crops on the market engineered to resist drought, reduce fertilizer pollution or save soil. But in many cases has proved to be a false promise. In some odd way given the changes in climate, attitudes toward food and attention to health concerns this is a "New World" it is up to us to change and progress with it. We all need to be aware of what we have on our plates, and what we are eating. It is our responsibility to become educated, and vote with your dollars. The major corporations are hearing what we are saying, Cherrios will now be GMO free as will many other food items.  The article I am working on for this coming week is about the glutes, their importance, getting the to fire and training the glutes. We will all be butt men and women.

Documentaries, Trailers and Videos


The Future of Food , The World According to Monsanto, Genetic Roulette, The Idiot Cycle

Vandana Shiva on GM Food & Monsanto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oju86YIOOLI

Bitter Seeds Trailer 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZtKB_KuASc

John Joseph on GMOS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs7jXUam79w

Sites 

http://www.nongmoproject.org

http://www.march-against-monsanto.com

Bibliography

1 http://classes.soe.ucsc.edu/cmpe080e/Spring05/projects/gmo/negative.htm

Top Articles Of 2013.

Happy New Year ! I want to take this time to thank you for all of your support, for continuing to read my articles. My hope is that the readers benefit from these articles and they open your eyes to whats out there as far as health and fitness.  It is a cliche but I love the beginning of the season, when everyone starts out with the same record and has the same chance of winning it all. While we are closing one year out another is beginning.  It's interesting that we don’t feel the same way fresh start feeling about a year or at least we do the first couple of weeks then the desire and commitment to our resolution tends to wane. Truthfully you are lucky if you can sustain your resolve that long. My solution is forget about Wednesday and start today. Why not? Whats holding you back? Do you remember that first summer when you gave into you're daring side? Maybe you derived a thrill from going on a roller coaster or into a haunted house, that youthful exuberance unabashed enthusiasm. You had butterflies in your stomach hands sweaty nervous feeling all over. The haunting build of the chain lift  as you ascend the lift hill before the initial drop, then  you are launched forward by the kinetic energy as you go into the second peak. You learned to love that feeling, running back to get on line, begging your parents for tickets. Lets be completely honest that person would not wait until Wednesday to get on the ride, you're certainly not going to strap into the ride hung over.  This is your new adventure make it fun, commit to it for 21 days or a month.  Whether is quitting smoking an exercise regiment or a new way of eating make a commitment of time and to have fun. If you're not having fun, you won't stick to it.  This last year has been much like a ride on a roller coaster full of ups, downs and everything in between. This is the first year of this blog the purpose of which was to spread information and help people. I have come to find it has helped me more than anyone else, it has helped me to find my voice again, allowed to me to delve deeper into issues that interest myself and others. It has also created more questions about some subjects rather than resolving already existing questions. It has also put me in touch with some of my readers, allowing for an exchange of ideas, interests as well as some brainstorming sessions.  I am writing this post today about the top four articles of the past year, the articles were picked by the amount of times they were read. This is a tool that is utilized to determine what people are interested in and what subjects people want to read about in the future.  So how do we do this….. Lets do it top 40 Casey Casem style make that Ryan Seacrest style otherwise I am dating myself. 

Coming in at number four is 

Food Love Mediterranean Style: Our take on the Mediterranean Diet 

 Food Love Mediterranean Style: Our look at the Mediterranean Diet

The title of this one is pretty self explanatory, we look at the many benefits of transitioning to a Mediterranean style diet. It benefits the cardiovascular system, peoples cognitive abilities,  as well as has been shown to extend lives.

Rounding out the Top Three is 

Shut up and Lift Like a Girl! Ten Reasons Women should life weights 

http://speezyathletics.blogspot.com/2013/05/shut-up-and-lift-like-girl-10-reasons.html

This article allowed me to be a little sarcastic but get some good points across that women more than men should be throwing the iron around or moving some weight. Crossfit has become the fitness whipping boy this last year, but it has many positive aspects one of them is it has women lifting weights. Which is a fitness industry coup in my eyes as most women are reticent to look at weights let alone lift heavy weights.

Our runner up for the top read article of the year is entitled Top 10 Supplements for Joint Health.

http://speezyathletics.blogspot.com/2013/08/top-ten-supplements-for-joint-health.html

It is my portion of an article that was a collaborative effort with Dr. Robert Silverman. This was   inspired by “Pills, Tape and Lasers.” the final article in a five part joint health series. In the article we shed light on some solutions you may be aware of, and hopefully opened your eyes to options available to you. As new treatments arise for inflammation and joint disease I will review the research and push it out you. Keeping that in mind I have seen some new interesting equipment along with treatment modalities. All of which should appear in a future article. 

The Top article as set down by the folks at the home office is ……Jump Around! A case for plyometrics.

http://speezyathletics.blogspot.com/2013/06/jump-around-case-for-plyometrics.html

In the numero uno article we look at plyometrics, it is an introduction of another training tool for your tool box.  We have a rough outline of its history along with some of the benefits that can be attained in implementing them into you're training program. As well as warnings with regard to overusing this training modality.

We had to push back the release date for the GMO2 article a week as it needs and deserves to be fully formed idea when you read it. In the coming year we will have follow up articles on plyometrics, a mobility and nutrition. I expect 2014 to be a busy year with the launch of the Functional Fitness Systems website, speaking engagements along with seminars and always getting people to move better, feel better and look better. If you have any fitness related questions please put them in the comments and I will get back to you. Thank you for taking this  journey with me and have a Happy Healthy New Year.

Holiday Shopping Guide for Your Fitness Fanatic

The holiday season is in its full frenzy, being that there is only one weekend left until Christmas. I have never failed to be surprised by peoples behavior during this time of year. The total disregard for one another when shopping, for me things like that take the fun out of this time of year.  I am not talking about Santa Con either, if you want a laugh look at Anthony Bourdain's twitter timeline. He completely torches the event and the behavior of the participants. This article is the belated follow up to the Holiday survival guide, it's the Holiday Shopping Guide for Your  Fitness Fanatic in your life.  I come from a large family with a lot of adults as a way to ease the spending we have a grab bag which can be fun. But it can be tough to if you get someone you're not that close to, or your pick me as it's not always easy to buy gifts. So I have started to use an Amazon Wishlist you can almost anything on Amazon from toilet paper to vacations to an ATV. This is a list you can use for the person in your life that is either a gym rat, a fit mom, a runner, a weekend warrior or someone interested in general fitness.  Onto the list 

TRX Suspension Trainer Basic Kit & Door Anchor:  This is a comprehensive home gym in a bag. No literally it comes in a mesh bag the size of a lunch bag. It weighs less than 2 pounds, it can be used anywhere, anytime you want. All you need is an anchor point a door, a tree or any number of points higher than 6 feet. You get the suspension trainer p2 model, try door anchor, 65 minute Basic Training DVD, a 35 page workout guide, and two bonus circuit training workouts. Cost is  $189.94  

Ultimate Sandbag Core Training System by Power Systems: the ultimate sandbag is designed to meet the demands of elite strength and conditioning needs. The ultimate shell comes with 5 handles as wells as 2 side flaps that allows trainees to grab onto the shell itself. It comes with two 20-40 pound filler bags(loadable from 25-80 pound max), free instructional DVD, Booklet & Poster. Cost is $135.99 

Feetures Elite Running Socks: are a light cushioned for extra protection and increased comfort. It comes with no seem and fibers that wick away moisture keeping feet dry and odd free. Cost ranges from $13.67-$15.00  Bodyglide: anti chafe balm:Stops Trouble Before It Starts. #1 because it’s uniquely dry, dependable, reliable, and comfortable, and not the least bit wet or messy. Bodyglide Anti-Chafe balm is the most talked about, most effective skin lubricant. Great for daily use, sports and fitness, and at work. It’s the one anti-friction product used head to toe. Gentle to the skin, yet it’s “most trusted” for protecting feet, thighs and the upper body by marathon and ultra runners, and for more than a decade, the official skin lubricant of USA Triathlon. Cost for 2.5 ounces is $14.99

Race Registration  This is a welcome gift for any Runner especially if you run the race with them. This works especially for those hard to get people who seem to have everything, because rather then giving them stuff. You are giving them an experience. Cost will vary.

Gym Boss Interval Timer: This is one of my favorite tools, it can be used for everyone from a beginner to advanced fitness enthusiasts. Often times I will give the Gym Boss to clients for home use. It can be used as either a stop watch or as an interval timer for tabata workouts. Cost is $19.95 

SPRI Xertubes Advanced Traveling Trainer:This Advanced kit comes with green (light), red (medium), and blue (heavy) Xertubes. Xertubes are made with SPRI's exclusive Tuff Tube material, which is designed to stand up to the rigors of professional use. It comes with a durable, lightweight black nylon bag with zippered enclosure, an interior mesh pocket, hand strap, and loops for attaching to a belt. It also features a 26-minute exercise VHS video and Michael Sena's personal training workout programs and dining guide packed with nutrition tips for the traveler. 3 SPRI Xertubes (light, medium, and heavy), door attachment, exercise video, printed instructional guide, diner's guide, personal training workout program, portable carrying case. Cost is $39.95

Foam Roll or Training Softball Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) stretching technique that has been embraced throughout the fitness industry. This effective and simple to do technique delivers positive, feel good results. Foam rollers have become easily accessible, either shared at the gym or found in almost any sporting goods aisle to bring home for a minimal investment. Using the foam roller can deliver improvements in flexibility, muscle recovery, movement efficiency, inhibiting overactive muscles, and pain reduction with just minutes of application. Self myofascial release  can be done with many different tools, I like the training softball and a foam roll. A 36 in foam roll costs around $18.99, a training soft ball costs $2.99.

Fitness Gift Certificate Soul Cycle, Yoga Classes, Personal Training Sessions: What could be better than giving the gift of fitness? You can put this into the same category as registering your fitness nut for a race. They may have enough gadgets or performance wear to rival a dicks sporting goods. But with this gift they are getting a new experience. Maybe you know a trainer who can take time off of their 5k or an expert who can up their recovery. The cost of this can vary as well.

BPA Free Water Bottles: BPA stands for Bisphenol A  a toxic chemical that leaches into the water it is normally found in water bottles. It mimics estrogen so when it enters your blood stream it artificially stimulates your estrogen production. This leads to fat gain and increased size of fat cells, water retention, low testosterone, and bloating. One thing I have to add the longer the water bottles is exposed to sun, manipulation and air the more BPA leaches into your water. Once you switch to glass or stainless steel containers to store food, this will not only give you piece of mind but keep your fitness nut in good health. The cost will vary with this as well. 

Gift Certificate to Buffalo Gal or a Specialty Meat Store:Buffalo Gal, is based out of Houston, Minnesota offers a complete line of delicious and affordable bison meat, elk, wild boar, and smoked poultry. I personally use and have used Buffalo Gal. They have a gift giving center with a number of choices that is bound to please even the pickiest of eaters. The cost will vary depending upon the package selected. 

Honorable Mention 

Rock Tape or Kinseio-Tape:With over 25 years of research, development and clinical use, Kinesio Tex Tape Gold, with the original wave-pattern adhesive design, has become the standard in elastic therapeutic taping. Kinesio Tex Tape Gold offers a gentle and effective approach to re-education of the neruromuscular system while also improving blood/lymph circulation, relieving pain and providing comfort and stability for your patient care needs. Ideal for patellofemoral treatment, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome. Kinesio Tex Tape Golds 2 design is our most versatile size of tape. The 2 design is perfect for your average sized patient and is easy to use for all four of our most common taping strips (I strip, Y strip, X strip and Fan strip). Our 2 tape is perfect for taping applications all over the body. Cost will vary.

 This is a comprehensive list. But if you see something I left out, please give me some feedback in the comments. Also I hope some of you are taking me up on the 5 Lb year end challenge. I am offering free consultations for those interested in working with me, we will do an assessment and go over your goals to see if we would be a good fit. In the next article we will be about GMO’s and the environmental effects as well as on the GMO Label movement. I will be sporadically posting some of the meals I eat with recipes and pictures. I invite you to contact me with healthy meals along with recipes with pictures so I can share them as well.  As always please read and share this blog.