FIBER (a very important part of your Macros, WHY?)

One of the most important Micro-Nutrients and one often not thought of is Fiber.

An amount of more or less 20g per day is recommended. It is important to remember that, just like with most things in life, more is not necessarily better and you can eat too much fiber which is NOT good for you.

It is recommended that you do not eat more than 40g a day. 

There are two types of fiber, Soluble and Insoluble fiber.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Insoluble fiber does not. To some degree these differences determine how each fiber functions in the body and benefits your health.

It is very important to eat enough soluble and insoluble fiber for various reasons. 

SOLUBLE FIBERS 

It attracts water and form a gel, which slows down digestion. Soluble fiber delays the emptying of your stomach and makes you feel full, which helps control weight. 

Slower stomach emptying may also affect blood sugar levels by decreasing the glycemic effect of a meal and have a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity, which may help control diabetes. 

In the Colon the fiber types that are most amenable to fermentation are the soluble ones  and the colon needs them to maintain all the processes present in the colon: 

We literally could not stay alive if it wasn't for the bacteria in our digestive systems, where battles are fought, helpful substances are manufactured, and the immune system is bolstered: 

·         Vitamins are constructed (particularly Vitamin K and some B vitamins)

·         More minerals are absorbed into the bloodstream

·         Friendly bacteria crowd out the ones that cause disease, such as Salmonella

·         Friendly bacteria lower the levels of some toxins, such as ammonia

·         Special fats, called short-chain fatty acids, are manufactured, most of which are absorbed into the bloodstream, but some are used to feed the cells of the colon.

·         The health of colon cells, which turn over rapidly, is for the most part dependent upon the bacteria of "Colon World", which in turn is dependent upon the food we give these bacteria.

Besides reducing the glycemic effect of meals and contributing to colon health, there is evidence that fiber may benefit us in other ways. It seems to help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and also may help to prevent:

·         Ulcers, particularly in the beginning of the small intestine (duodenal ulcers)

·         Diabetes

·         Heart Disease

·         Cancer

  

Sources of soluble fiber: oatmeal, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, oat bran, strawberries, nuts, flax seeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, cucumbers, celery, and carrots.

 INSOLUBLE FIBERS 

They are considered gut-healthy fiber because they have a laxative effect and add bulk to the diet, helping prevent constipation.

These fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speed up the passage of food and waste through your gut.

Not only does it provide bulk in the stool, its tendency to "speed things along" means that the fermentation will take place all along the length of the colon, including the near the end, where the majority of colon cancer occurs.

Without insoluble fiber, most of the fermentation would take place in the top part of the colon, so the colon cells there would get most of the benefit.

Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables.

·         Sources of insoluble fiber are seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins.

(People with IBS should avoid eating too much foods with a lot of INSOLUBLE fiber and should eat foods that are naturally high in soluble fiber include oatmeal, rice, potatoes and oat bran)

Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber Foods List with Fiber Grams (g)

Fresh & Dried Fruits	Serving  Size	Soluble Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total Fiber (g)
Apple, with skin	1 medium	4.2	1.5	5.7
Apricots, dried	4 medium	1.8	1.7	3.5
Banana	1 medium	2.1	.07	2.8
Blackberries	1/2 cup	3.1	.07	3.8
Blueberries	1 cup	1.7	2.5	4.2
Figs, dried	3 medium	3.0	2.3	5.3
Grapefruit	1/2 fruit	2.4	0.7	3.1
Kiwi fruit	1 large	2.4	0.8	3.2
Orange	1 medium	2.1	1.3	3.4
Pear	1 medium	0.8	3.2	4.0
Plums	2 medium	1.2	1.0	2.2
Prunes, dried	4 medium	1.3	1.8	3.1
Raspberries	1/2 cup	0.9	2.3	3.2
Strawberries	1 cup	1.8	2.6	4.4

Nuts, Seeds & Beans	Serving  Size	Soluble Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total  Fiber(g)
Almonds, raw	1 ounce	0.7	3.5	4.2
Black beans, cooked	1/2 cup	3.8	3.1	6.9
Black-eyed peas, cooked	1/2 cup	2.2	1.9	4.1
Flaxseeds	2 tbsp.	2.7	2.1	4.8
Kidney beans, cooked	1/2 cup	2.9	2.9	5.8
Lentils, cooked	1/2 cup	2.8	3.8	6.6
Peanuts, dry roasted	1 ounce	1.1	1.2	2.3
Pinto beans, cooked	1/2 cup	5.5	1.9	7.4
Sesame seeds	1/4 cup	0.7	2.6	3.3
Split peas, cooked	1/2 cup	1.1	2.4	3.4
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup	1.1	1.9	3.0
White beans, cooked	1/2 cup	3.8	0.4	4.2

Vegetables	Serving  Size	Soluble Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total Fiber (g)
Artichoke, cooked	1 medium	4.7	1.8	6.5
Asparagus, cooked	1/2 cup	1.7	1.1	2.8
Broccoli, raw	1/2 cup	1.3	1.4	2.7
Brussels sprouts, cooked	1 cup	1.7	1.9	3.6
Carrot, raw	1 medium	1.1	1.5	2.6
Green peas, cooked	1/2 cup	3.2	1.2	4.4
Green Beans, cooked	1/2 cup	0.8	1.2	2.0
Kale, cooked	1 cup	2.1	5.1	7.2
Lima beans, cooked	1/2 cup	2.1	2.2	4.3
Potato with skin	1 medium	2.4	2.4	4.8
Soybeans (edamame)	1/2 cup	2.7	2.2	4.9
Squash, summer, cooked	1/2 cup	1.3	1.2	2.5
Squash, winter, cooked	1/2 cup	1.7	1.4	3.1
Sweet potato, peeled	1 medium	2.7	2.2	4.9
Tomato with skin	1 medium	0.3	1.0	1.3
Zucchini, cooked	1/2 cup	1.4	1.2	2.6

Whole Grains	Serving  Size	Soluble  Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total  Fiber (g)
Brown rice, cooked	1/2 cup	1.3	0.1	1.4
Oat bran, cooked	3/4 cup	2.2	1.8	4.0
Oatmeal, dry	1/3 cup	1.4	1.3	2.7
Oatmeal, cooked	1 cup	2.4	1.6	4.0
Popcorn, air popped	3 cups	3.2	0.4	3.6
Quinoa (seeds), dry	1/4 cup	2.5	3.8	6.3
Quinoa, cooked	1/2 cup	1.7	2.5	4.2
Rye bread	1 slice	1.9	0.8	2.7
Wheat bran	1/2 cup	11.3	1.0	12.3
Wheat germ	3 tbsp.	3.2	0.7	3.9

OMEGA 3, 6, 9 FATTY ACIDS (Flax seed oil)

The Benefits of OMEGA 3, 6, 9 FATTY ACIDS

(Flax seed oil)

Flaxseed oil comes from the seeds of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum, L.). Flaxseed oil contains both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are needed for health.

Fatty acids are important for all systems of the body to function normally, including your skin, respiratory system, circulatory system, brain and organs. There are two fatty acids, termed essential fatty acids (EFA) that your body does not produce on its own. EFAs have to be ingested.

The two essential fatty acids that the human body cannot produce are the omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid, which are important for brain development, immune system function and blood pressure regulation.

When it comes lowering your risk for metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, eating foods that cause the least amount of inflammation might be the best diet of all. High levels of inflammation lead to vascular damage and insulin resistance.

The general consensus is that eating the right proportion of omega-3 and omega-6 reduces inflammation in the body.

What is Omega-3 Fatty Acid?

Omega-3 fatty acids, a polyunsaturated fat, are found in three main forms:

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

DHA and EPA are marine omega-3 and are mainly found in fish. ALA is a vegetable source of omega-3 and is present in walnuts, vegetable oils such as canola and soybean oils, and flaxseeds. Benefits seem to be seen with all types of omega-3's

Conditions which Omega-3 Fatty Acid will help improve & prevent:

·      Asthma  ·      Diabetes  ·      Arthritis  ·      Osteoporosis ·      Some Cancer ·      Skin Disorders		·         High Cholesterol  ·         High Blood Pressure  ·         Attention Disorders  ·         Depressive Disorders  ·         Macular Degeneration ·         Digestive Difficulties

What is Omega-6 Fatty Acid?

Omega-6 fatty acids, which are polyunsaturated, are found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as soybean, safflower, sunflower or corn oils, which are widely used by the food industry. 
Omega-6 fatty acid (Linoleic Acid) combined with omega-3 fatty acid produces many of the health benefits described above, but the trickiest part about playing the fatty acid game is that it is best to eat them in the right amounts.

You should be eating about twice as much omega-6 as omega-3, so that your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is 2:1, but in today’s world of fast food, frozen entrees, and high calorie snacks, it is not uncommon for most people to actually be getting about 15 times more omega-6 than omega-3.

Washington DC’s center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health suggest that eating omega-6 and omega-3 in the wrong proportions may actually negate the health benefits.

The best sources of omega-6 are seeds, nuts and grains and green leafy vegetables, like lettuce, broccoli, purslane and kale, and in certain raw vegetable oils. Care should be taken to use raw cold pressed vegetable oils because cooking destroys the benefits of the fatty acids.

Omega-6 fatty acids are also found naturally in: Olive Oil, Pumpkin Seeds, Chia Seed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Sesame Oil, Grape seeds, Raw Nuts.

What is Omega-9 Fatty Acid?

Omega-9 fats, or oleic acid, are monounsaturated fats abundant in olive oil, safflower oil, canola oil, avocado and nuts such as almonds and peanuts. Unlike omega-3 and omega-6, omega-9 is not considered an essential fatty acid; it can be produced by the body, although dietary intake is beneficial and when there is a lack of Omega 3 and 6, Omega 9 should be taken.

Omega-9 fatty acids help lower your bad cholesterol or LDL in addition to reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Most monounsaturated sources also contain high levels of vitamin E, a powerful health-protective antioxidant.

Omega-9 fatty acids are also found naturally in:  Avocados, Various nuts & seeds, Olives and olive oil.

Something more about DHA and EPA.

Within the body omega-3 fatty acids are converted to DHA and EPA (docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, respectively). DHA and EPA are highly unsaturated fats that play very important roles in the vision development and brain function of infants.

One study found significantly lower amounts of EPA in the cells of patients who had attempted suicide, suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids may actually play a role in suicide prevention. A lack of DHA has been associated with Alzheimer disease, attention disorders, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis and other diseases.

You NEED your Carbs

WHY ZERO CARBING IS A BAD IDEA

In order to explain to you why you need carbohydrates I first have to talk about Muscle Protein Synthesis.

What is Muscle Protein Synthesis?

The synthesis of protein within the muscle is the method by which muscles are constructed and repaired.

Proteins are the compounds comprised of amino acids and amino acids are the building blocks within the body used for tissue formation.

Catabolism & Anabolism:

Muscle will naturally break down, a process known as "catabolism." The breakdown includes the physical separation of the fibers that comprise the muscle structure. The subsequent repair of the damaged muscle is "anabolism," the building up and the growth of the existing and previously damaged fiber.

Protein synthesis is the mechanism by which the body affects this repair and muscle growth.

When your goal is to grow and maintain your muscle it is very obvious that you would want OPTIMAL Muscle Protein Synthesis to take place.

Why is Exercise important for Protein Synthesis?

The human body synthesizes protein from diet at a rapid rate while the body is growing through adolescence and into young adulthood. The rate at which protein is synthesized slows significantly after age 20.

In an adult the synthesis of muscle protein is also related to how the muscles are being exercised.

Under normal circumstances it is only the ongoing repair and maintenance of existing muscle tissues that may be damaged through the course of daily living that takes place.

The human skeletal muscle will never get larger or stronger through either sedentary activities or the consumption of particular foods or supplements alone!!

Muscular activity is a prerequisite of meaningful muscle development through protein synthesis.

All forms of physical activity will direct specific stress into a muscle but activities that involve explosive and powerfully focused movements (such as weight training) the forces are directed against the muscle and the effect is much more significant opposed to distance running, cycling or sustained intensity cardio work where the stresses are cumulative and at a relatively lower level of intensity.

Under stress the muscle will naturally break down, a process known as "catabolism." The breakdown includes the physical separation of the fibers that comprise the muscle structure. The subsequent repair of the damaged muscle is "anabolism," the building up and the growth of the existing and previously damaged fiber.

Protein synthesis is the mechanism by which the body affects this repair and muscle growth and when the body produces more synthesized protein than it consumes through its catabolic processes, muscle will be developed.

How to ensure Anabolism:

The essential amino acid, leucine, is used as an indicator of the state your body is in.

A positive leucine balance is evidence that this acid is present in the cells, a condition consistent with protein anabolism. As I have told you earlier, amino acids are the building blocks which proteins consist of and leucine is one of those amino acids. Eating protein will then therefore provide you with leucine.

Where do carbs come in?

Researchers have focused very much on the combined effects of protein AND carbohydrate consumption after exercise during the last few years and they have found that a combination of the two has a better effect on protein synthesis than just protein alone.

It appears that eating enough protein so that you consume 2-3g of leucine along with some carbohydrates (20-30g) is an effective way to maximize muscle protein synthesis.

Maintain constant balance:

It is very important to remember that when proteins are consumed along with carbohydrates immediately after exercise, the catabolic process is not stopped within the affected muscles.

The process of protein synthesis is immediately stimulated (given a kick-start).

This leads to the prevention of further protein loss in the muscle.

As the degradation of the muscle due to strenuous exercise will not reach its peak for approximately three days after the exercise that affected the muscle, it is important to continue the ingestion of protein.

The consistent maintaining of balanced nutrition (Protein, Carbs & Fat) is essential to the body's ability to respond on an ongoing basis to the demand for muscle protein synthesis.