Here are a few facts about HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), and why you should stay away from it:

- it is linked to obesity

- it releases the hormone, ghrelin, which tells us to keep eating

- once eaten it is metabolized quicky by the liver and turns into fat

- it is processed

- leads to higher LDL levels

You want to try and avoid HFCS products all together. You are better off grabbing a piece of fruit when you are hungry or a glass of water when you are thirsty. But most of all read any product label before you buy it. You will be surprised where you find HFCS.

If you would like to read more please check out these links below:

http://www.naturalnews.com/024466_corn_health_HFCS.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/026468_sugar_corn_corn_syrup.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/025292_corn_HFCS_food.html

A few facts about how the body absorbs and metabolizes alcohol:

-          Alcohol does not require any digestion and is absorbed directly from the stomach and the small intestine

-          Alcohol is broken down in the liver

-          A small amount of alcohol is metabolized in the stomach before it has been absorbed

-          Once absorbed, alcohol moves through the blood stream to the liver (where is it broken down)

-          An average, healthy adult metabolizes the equivalent of one drink per hour

-          Drinking more than one drink per hour you expose every tissue in your body to the toxic    effects of alcohol

-          Consuming foods with some fat, protein and fiber helps to slow the absorption of alcohol and can reduce blood alcohol concentration (BAC) by as much as 50% as opposed to drinking on an empty stomach

-          Carbonated alcohol beverages are known for being absorbed very rapidly

-          Women usually absorb 30-35% more of a given alcohol intake compared to men of the same size, which may explain why females often show a greater response to alcohol than males

-          Very little alcohol is lost in sweat

-          Alcohol can cause dehydration (so it is best to drink lots of water before, during and after drinking)

-          Alcohol fails to trigger the satiety (fullness) response in the body, leading  some to overeating

-          Alcohol has a high calorie content and doesn’t provide any nutritional value

Do you often wonder what you should eat before a workout? It isn’t necessarily what you eat before a workout that is so important rather than what you ate the few days prior to working out. It is important to keep your body fueled on an on going basis. Therefore, what you eat just before a workout isn’t as important as what you ate the few days prior to a long run, bike ride or hike, but is still important.

With all that said, there are three levels of intensity:

-         High intensity, shorter time; activity usually lasts an hour or less (2-5 mile run, intense workout at the gym, tennis, hockey)

-         Moderate intensity, moderate time; any activity that last between 1-3 hours long (half marathon, marathon, intense cycling or hiking)

-         Low intensity, longer time; anything that last longer than 3 hours (long walk, bike ride, ironman events)

The most important factor in eating before exercise is to make sure what you are eating is easily digestible.

For a high intensity workout it is best to fuel your body with simple carbohydrate (fruits, dates) because once you eat them they go straight to the liver for immediate energy.

For a moderate workout it is good to fuel your body with about 5% protein, 35% fat and 60% carbohydrate. A good example would be a lara bar and some apple sauce.

For a low intensity workout it is important to be more balanced and eat something that is more along the range of 10% protein, 70% fat and 20% carbohydrates. An example would be 100% whole wheat pancakes with flax seed old and a banana.

As you can see the first thing our body wants during an intense work out is simple carbohydrates and once that is depleted, it moves on to complex carbohydrates.

A lil note on protein:

Some people think protein is good just before a intense work out, but what they don’t know is that too much protein requires more fluid to be metabolized than carbohydrates or fat, therefore, many people suffer from muscle cramping. More so if they aren’t hydrating daily. Protein is also meant for building muscle rather than fueling it.

Keeping hydrated daily will also decrease the amount of stress that is placed on the body, which will allow the body to work harder and perform better and usually requires less recovery time.

Side Note: I usually try to keep these posts short and sweet and this one just got out of hand. I hope it kept your interest and maybe you learned a thing or two. Again, you have to find what works for you, but hopefully you can use this as a mini guideline.

Did you know that water is more important than food? We can go weeks without food (although it is not recommended), but not more than 48 hours without water! You are probably wondering why… well water isn’t something out body can store. Instead it is something we constantly need otherwise we will not be able to function. It has been figured out that an average adult loses approximately 2.5 quarts (10 cups) a day! It is probably why you hear people say you need to drink 8-10 cups a day. We need to replace what we have lost.

Personally, I don’t think 8-10 cups is enough. 8-10 cups only replaces what we have lost, whether it is through perspiration, respiration or urination.

Below are some key reasons to up your water intake:

-          Water carries nutrients to our cells

-          Water aids digestion

-          Water flushes out our body of wastes and keeps our kidneys healthy

-          Lubricates and cushions our joints

-          Water reduces inflammation

-          Water regulates body temperature

-          Studies have also shown that drinking water can reduce our risk of colon cancer

-          Water fights fat (helps the body metabolize fat)

-          Drinking water is also key to reducing water retention (you retain water when you don’t get enough water)

Now that we know the low down on water you probably want to know how much water you should drink a day. Well, if you don’t really drink water to begin with I suggest you start with the 8-10 cups a day.  (Yes you may be running to the restroom more frequently, but your body will appreciate it).

Once you are a pro at 8-10 cups a day I sugguest that you should take your weight and divide it in half and that is the minimum amount of ounces you want to drink a day.

What if you don’t really like water? Try adding lemon to your water for a lil flavor. You could also get a lil fancy and add cucumbers for a refreshing taste or even apples! Don’t be afraid to experiment! Find something that will work for you.

It also helps to have a water bottle at your desk or at home that will remind you to drink water. Next time you go out to eat have a glass of water instead of soda. For every cup of caffeine you have you should drink an extra cup of water.

Cheers!

How many of you look at the nutrition facts panel before you buy something? Maybe you check out the fat content or the sugar content? Do you really know what you are reading? Maybe you know what you are looking for, but do you understand it?

I found this diagram below and wanted to share it with you (courtesy of Trader Joes)! I constantly read the ingredients of a product and the nutrition facts panel. I think it is important to read the ingredients label and the nutrition facts panel before you buy anything, but most of all it is important to understand what you are reading. Reading this article below gave me a refresher course on what I am reading.

If you are not already reading labels, I encourage you to read the ingredients and nutrition facts panel before you purchase anything. Most likely if you don’t know what an ingredient is then it probably isn’t good for you.

Happy Shopping!!