March 2015 Newsletter: Exercise, Science, and the Cardio Myth

“I Don’t Get it. I Work Out Every Day with My Trainer and Can’t Lose Weight.”

Is this you? It is many of my clients. And, I hear this statement more often than you’d think. What’s going on? In January I introduced you to the book Body by Science. This month you’ll learn more of the details. I have a series of four articles to share with you which capture the major themes from the book. The first two appear in this newsletter. The four articles are: 

1.      Introduction to Body by Science

2.      The Cardio Myth

3.      Fat Metabolism

4.      Genetic Expression

So, without further ado, let’s get to Body by Science.

Getting Started With Body by Science

“I don’t understand. I work out every day and I’m still gaining weight.” Believe it or not I hear this question quite frequently. On the surface it seems to be quite the paradox. All the conventional wisdom tells us to lose weight all we need to do is watch what we eat (meaning to eat less) and exercise more. Follow this simple formula: use more calories than you take in. 

In the past I’ve explained part of this myth - how all calories are not created equal. Based on what the calorie is from (protein, fat, or carbohydrate) it will have a different effect in your body. If you need a refresher you can find that article on my blog at http://brwellness.com/nutrition-news/?p=99. 

Now let’s explore the other half of the equation: exercise more. This of course leads to a series of questions. What type of exercise is best? How many times a week should I exercise? How long should I exercise? 

For the rest of the article click here: http://brwellness.com/nutrition-news/?p=509

The Cardio Myth

In the introductory article I summarized his key points. In this article I will address one of those key points. His recommended method of exercise is what he terms high intensity training (or HIT). It benefits both the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways. Most “cardio” only works the aerobic pathway. 

High intensity training is in many ways the complete opposite of what is now known as “cardio.” HIT is designed to be short and sweet. The techniques work the major muscle groups to exhaustion and then you must stop, rest, and then begin the next exercise. Cardio is designed to be lower intensity so that you can perform the exercise without stopping, usually anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.

For the rest of the article click here: http://brwellness.com/nutrition-news/?p=511

The Cardio Myth

I have recently introduced you to the book Body by Science by Doug McDuff, MD and John Little. This book offers a clear explanation of the actual science of exercise, how activity relates to hormones, and how this determines what happens in your body. In short, it answers the question I am frequently asked. “Why am I gaining weight when I am working out every day?” 

In the introductory article I summarized his key points. In this article I will address one of those key points. His recommended method of exercise is what he terms high intensity training (or HIT). It benefits both the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways. Most “cardio” only works the aerobic pathway. 

High intensity training is in many ways the complete opposite of what is now known as “cardio.” HIT is designed to be short and sweet. The techniques work the major muscle groups to exhaustion and then you must stop, rest, and then begin the next exercise. Cardio is designed to be lower intensity so that you can perform the exercise without stopping, usually anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.

The roots of modern cardio trace back to the mid-1960’s when Kenneth Cooper was searching for an exercise that he thought would optimize cardiovascular fitness. This was the time when we first began to see a dramatic increase in heart disease related deaths and the thinking was by exercising our hearts they would not attack us!

Unfortunately he began with a false premise. He believed that “aerobic” was the same as “cardiovascular” and wanted to develop an exercise that would isolate the aerobic metabolic system. He created the term “aerobics” to refer to his exercise technique. This low intensity and steady in state method he developed is now referred to as “cardio.”

But this is where we have to understand how the body works! The body has two pathways for metabolism – aerobic and anaerobic. These processes are conducted in each and every cell in our body. Both are essential for the total health of the cell and thus the entire organism. Aerobic means “with oxygen” and anaerobic means “without oxygen.” 

Cooper believed that the aerobic was the most important pathway therefore it should be isolated and trained. There was no actual evidence that one pathway was more important, it was just his belief, and unfortunately for many he was wrong. For many it proved to be dead wrong.

His main error was that the pathways cannot be separated in a live human (remember our body is not a test tube – what happens in the body is different than isolating something in a test tube!). The aerobic pathway is fueled by a substance called pyruvate which is produced by the anaerobic pathway.

As we’ve discussed before energy comes from glucose going from the blood stream into the cell. It takes a series of twenty chemical reactions to produce pyruvate from glucose. This is an anaerobic process. Pyruvate then goes to the mitochondria of the cell. If you remember your basic biology the mitochondria produces energy via the Krebs cycle in an aerobic process.

So, as you can see, we need an exercise method that will strengthen both systems of metabolism. Modern day “cardio” does not fit the bill as it isolates the aerobic and the science share in the book shows it does not benefit the anaerobic. It is high intensity training that will benefit the complete system. 

The effectiveness of any exercise is all about hormones, fat metabolism, and blood glucose levels. High intensity training works the major muscle groups to exhaustion, uses up glucose, and encourages the body to burn fat and build muscle. This is explored further in the article Hormonal Implications of Exercise.

Another irony concerning aerobic specific training is that it produces additional oxidative stress on the body which creates inflammation and excess free radicals in the body. This factor puts one at increased risk of heart disease – exactly what the “cardio” exercise is supposed to help prevent!

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Why and How You Can Work Out Every Day and Gain Weight

“I don’t understand. I work out every day and I’m still gaining weight.” Believe it or not I hear this question quite frequently. On the surface it seems to be quite the paradox. All the conventional wisdom tells us to lose weight all we need to do is watch what we eat (meaning to eat less) and exercise more. Follow this simple formula: use more calories than you take in. 

In the past I’ve explained part of this myth - how all calories are not created equal. Based on what the calorie is from (protein, fat, or carbohydrate) it will have a different effect in your body. If you need a refresher you can find that article on my blog at http://brwellness.com/nutrition-news/?p=99. 

Now let’s explore the other half of the equation: exercise more. This of course leads to a series of questions. What type of exercise is best? How many times a week should I exercise? How long should I exercise? 

Some people say “aerobic” is best. Some say weight lifting. Others say yoga, or interval training, and still others say high intensity training. Some tell you to do a different type of exercise every day for an hour. On the other spectrum some will tell you once to twice a week for fifteen to twenty minutes is all you need. You can see there is quite a variance in the answers.

To best understand any issue relating to health and nutrition I always ask one simple question. How is the body designed? When I discuss with clients what they should eat and what they should avoid I just don’t say “eat this and not that.” I explain to them how their body works and what the different foods will actually do in their body. When we understand how our body is designed to work it makes it much easier to determine what it needs and to separate myth from fact. Unfortunately in the world of health and nutrition there is a lot of myth and hype which is quite different than the facts.

Of course I am limited by the space of this article. Whole books have been written to address these questions and I’ve read quite a few of them! Recently I read one that I believe explains it the best – Body by Science by Doug McGuff, M.D. and John Little. With his medical background, Dr. McGuff understands how the body is designed and he uses this to explain the science of exercise.

My plan is to have several articles based on the book. I will use the remainder of this article to summarize the major points of the book. Future articles as noted below will be more in depth on specific topics. But in the mean time, if you are interested I’d encourage you to read the book sooner rather than later. It will likely change the way you think about exercise! Here is a quick summary of his major points:

1.      Who can you trust? Most exercise testimonials and a fair amount of “research” is shall we say – slightly misleading and biased and does not address the true science of exercise.

2.      Genetic expression plays a major role in our physical appearance. People can do similar types of exercise but in the end their genes determine how their physical activity is expressed in their body. I will have a separate article on this subject.

3.      Being “fit” does not mean you are healthy.

4.      High intensity training is his preferred method. It benefits both the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways. Most “cardio” only works the aerobic pathway. The effectiveness of the exercise is all about hormones and blood glucose levels. High intensity training works the major muscle groups to exhaustion, uses up glucose, and encourages the body to burn fat and build muscle. I will have a future article about the “cardio myth.”

5.      Fat metabolism and fat loss is also determined by hormone activity which is affected by the type of exercise. Hormones signal the body to burn fat and to store fat. Some exercise will produce the “burn” signal, others the “store” signal. I will have a future article about fat metabolism.

6.      Exercising once to twice per week for 15 to 20 minutes when done according to his methodology is all you need to properly engage your body and manage the body building and fat burning hormones.

As you know from past articles I am also a big believer in “walking the talk.” I have found a local trainer who follows the basic principles as outlined in the book and began training several weeks ago. In one month I have already noticed several significant changes. I will keep you posted on that as well.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

The Strong Link Between Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Have you ever wondered why there seem to be so many advertisements for erectile dysfunction (ED) medication - Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra - on television and in the magazines you are reading?  I did, and began an investigation that would ultimately become my Doctoral dissertation.  The reason is quite simple – there is a lot of erectile dysfunction (ED).  Over 30 million men in the United States suffer from it.  ED affects over 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 and the incidence of complete ED triples between those ages.  Even more disconcerting, experts expect cases of ED to more than double over the next 25 years.

Erectile dysfunction imposes significant social costs.  It impacts a man’s satisfaction with his life and his relationship with others.  Studies show that sexual intimacy is desired by older adults.  A study in 29 countries consisting of 27,000 men and women aged 40 to 80 found less than 20% of the respondents agreed with the statement “older people no longer want sex”.  Due to the rising incidence of erectile dysfunction many couples will not be able to enjoy healthy sexual relations in their later years.

Why is erectile dysfunction on the rise?  Many researchers, including me, believe it is a direct result of poor dietary habits and lifestyle choices.  For many years it was thought that ED was mostly psychological, but recent studies have shown that over 80% of ED is due to physical causes.  For the erectile process to function correctly several systems of the body need to be healthy – blood needs to be flowing smoothly and unobstructed throughout the body, nerves need to be firing and sending messages between the brain and the relevant body parts, and libido needs to be present to encourage sexual interest.  All of these systems require proper nutrition to correctly function.

To better understand the causes of ED we can look at the scientifically documented risk factors.  Risk factors related to lifestyle choices include alcohol consumption, diet, hormone levels, inflammation, obesity, sedentary (lack of exercise) lifestyle, cholesterol levels, use of prescription drugs, tobacco smoking, stress, and (yes) motorcycling.  There is also a strong association between ED and the medical diagnoses of depression, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).  Studies show that most men with ED suffer from these conditions which are often a direct result of the same lifestyle choice risk factors previously listed.  In fact, the connection has been made that ED is often a warning sign for cardiovascular disease.

So, how is this all related to diet and nutrition?  For the body to operate optimally it needs the right nutrients.  Many studies have shown the connection between a poor diet and all the risk factors and conditions listed above.  Diets that are high in sugars, refined grains, processed meat and dairy; while low in fruits, vegetables, protein and healthy fats produce these conditions.  Once men are placed on healthier diets, their symptoms of ED are reduced and often completely eliminated.  Through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and sometimes with the help of specific supplements proper erectile functioning can be restored.

Many people will ask, “What’s wrong with using medications”?  My answer is while the medications will work in most cases, there are side effects, some of which can be quite dangerous.  But even more important, the medication is not repairing the underlying condition.  Erectile dysfunction is your body telling you that something is not quite right and needs your attention.  It is your warning sign to take action before a more serious or life threatening event occurs.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Announcing Viggor.com - a new health education website

Never underestimate the power of networking! Several months ago I was introduced to David Guinther by a mutual friend in Madison. David is an awesome guy. In a nutshell he is a prostate cancer survivor who now devotes significant energy to helping other men live healthier. He offers education and information to both help prevent prostate cancer and to support those who are currently battling it. While we don’t hear much about it, prostate cancer will impact 1 in 6 men at some point in their life.

David has several health ventures going. One of them is Viggor – which David calls, “… a guiding light on your journey to improve your health and quality of life. Our Expert panel is driven by a common desire to freely share their training, experience, research, insights, and knowhow with you…” We are just up and running, but check it out; there is something there for everybody! http://viggor.com/

In addition to David and myself there are two more contributing experts. Meet Dr. Geo Espinosa, a naturopathic doctor recognized as an authority in integrative management of urological and prostate conditions. Dr. Geo is the founder and director of the Integrative Urology Center at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. 

Together, David and Dr. Geo created XYWellness a company focused on integrative approaches to improving the health of men diagnosed with serious urological conditions. David and Dr. Geo have been inspirational and supportive in getting me back on track in writing my book on men’s health. You’ll be hearing more on that in coming months.

The fourth contributor/expert at Viggor is David’s wife Amy Guinther. She is an acupuncturist and owns Madison Acupuncture and Complimentary Medicine.

Check us out http://viggor.com/

The Adrenal Summit - An Event You Don't Want to Miss!

The Adrenal Summit – Well Worth Participating!

Meet Glen Depke, Depke Wellness, and his awesome program The Adrenal Summit. I met Glen several years ago at a wellness seminar. At the time he worked for Dr. Mercola in the Chicago area. He has since moved on to his own practice in sunny Southern California. Glen is an awesome practitioner and educator. His newsletters are filled with important information and I’ll often post and tweet them to my network.

Earlier this year he orchestrated The Adrenal Summit. It consists of thirteen interviews with specific topic experts. While it is called The Adrenal Summit it addresses much more. It connects the dots between adrenal health and the many areas that influence it including diet, exercise, food sensitivities, blood sugar management, stress management, immune system health, thyroid health, emotional health and more. 

The interviews have been recorded and you can purchase the series for $97. It is a great deal as all the practitioners offer free gifts. But unlike what you often see, these free gifts are of real value. I strongly encourage you to see what Glen has to offer. As I said earlier, I don’t usually hawk other people’s products. But this is well worth it. I have personally listened to all the interviews myself and have gained a greater understanding of these issues. Here is a link to The Adrenal Summit home page.

http://www.adrenalsummit.com/?af=51442

It's All About The Gut

Among the latest and greatest breakthroughs of modern medicine is the mapping of the human genome with its vast potential for gene based therapies. I find this work extremely interesting although I’m not exactly sure where it will lead.  What’s even more interesting is the work being done to explore the genome of what is living in our gut that is not human.  This is referred to as our microbiome. It is the trillions of bacteria and other microscopic living organisms that are an integral part of us. They are found on our skin, in our mouth, throughout the inside of our body, and most famously in our gut (our stomach, small intestines, and large intestines).

Our microbiome is a large, diverse and dynamic population of micro-organisms. During birth and the first two years of life we acquire our “native bacteria.” This comes primarily from our mother from our birth and (hopefully) subsequent breast feeding. Thus, mom’s health and her microbiome are of extreme importance to baby and instrumental in shaping the future health of the child. After this “transient bacteria” is constantly ingested into our body from food, water, air, and if we choose probiotics. 

These organisms are counted in CFUs (colony-forming unit) of live organisms. In your gut they are specifically measured as CFU/g or colony-forming units per gram of solid material. Here’s where it gets interesting! While a CFU is not specifically a “cell” it is a close approximation. The stomach and the duodenum (first part of small intestines) have the smallest number of organisms around 10³ (1,000) CFU/g. In the rest of the small intestines (the jejunum and ileum) the number increases from 10⁴ to 10⁷ (ten million) CFU/g. And by the time we get to the colon (large intestine) things are really cooking! There are now 10¹² CFU/g. For you math majors that is one trillion – 1,000,000,000,000 – and that is per gram! 

It is believed that the entire human body consists of 10¹⁴ cells of which only 10¹³ are of human origin, the remaining 90% are bacteria.  That is why you will hear statements to the affect that we have more bacteria cells than human!

Across the human population it is estimated that there are 40,000 unique bacteria species. Every person has a unique profile of predominant and subdominant species.  Scientists have even found that some bacteria strains are only found in one person! 

So, what does this all mean? Human genome research has identified approximately 20,000 unique human genes. Your gut microbiome has up to 3.3 million unique genes, 150 times more than its human host. This means that the gut microbiome may perform functions not encoded in the human genome. In English – it means that your personal bacteria have significant influence on your health. Current research suggests that tendencies for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease may be more related to your gut genes than your own human genes! Are we inheriting “bad” genes or is it actually “bad” guts?

What do they do?  Why has this evolved as part of the human? The “good” bacteria have beneficial effects so we’ve allowed them to settle in. They ferment the non-digestible carbohydrates that we consume (for example certain types of fiber) which they feed on to survive and also produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA). SCFAs support our immune system (by being anti-microbial – killing bad bacteria and yeast) and fire our metabolism which aids in weight loss or the maintenance of a healthy body weight. The beneficial bacteria aid in our absorption of calcium, magnesium, and iron; manufacture Vitamins B₅, B₇, B₉, B₁₂, and K; synthesize amino acids; and keep the pH of the colon properly acidic.  At the same time they provide a barrier lining the gut to keep out potential pathogens.

What about when things aren’t quite right? Dysbiosis is used to describe when bad bacteria take control of an area. This can occur in the mouth (bad breath, periodontitis and gum disease); in the stomach (the bacteria Helicobacter pylori had been linked to ulcers); and in the small and large intestines. 

Common causes of dysbiosis include: sub-optimal mother’s gut microbiota, birth, and neonatal nutrition; antibiotics; stress; an unhealthy diet such as the Standard American Diet heavy on processed and refined foods and sugar, while low in vegetables; a decreased immune status (low secretory IgA); decreased gut motility; low hydrochloric acid production; altered intestinal pH (generally the colon is not acidic enough to create a hostile environment for bad bacteria and yeast/fungus); and an intestinal infection or infestation.

Many challenges have been linked to dysbiosis including autoimmune diseases, other digestive problems, and other general health issues.

Autoimmune diseases linked to dysbiosis include: Crohn’s disease; ulcerative colitis; rheumatoid arthritis; Ankylosing Spondylitis; Graves’ disease; chronic active hepatitis; and Type 1 diabetes.

Other digestive problems linked to dysbiosis include: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); bad gas; food sensitivities; chronic diarrhea and constipation; general poor digestion; diverticulitis; and gastrointestinal infections and intestinal overgrowth.

Other general poor health issues linked to dysbiosis include: lack of well-being, low energy, and fatigue; poor immunity, allergies, and chronic skin disorders; breast and colon cancer; metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and obesity; Type 2 diabetes; depression and anxiety; chronic pain syndromes; and possibly autism.

The gut balance program includes supplements to support the elimination of bad bacteria and the healthy re-population of your gut with beneficial bacteria.  It has an herbal formula that is antimicrobial (attacks bacteria, fungi and protozoa that should not be there), cleanses the intestines, and stimulates digestion. It includes a prebiotic to feed the good bacteria and support their population growth. Prebiotics are food ingredients that humans cannot digest which provide health benefits to the good bacteria in our gut. These include: non-digestible carbohydrates, glucans, galactans, resistant starch, pectins, hemicellulose, arabinoxylans, inulin-type fructans, and galacto-oligosaccharides. And, it includes a probiotic. Quite the complete package!

The program is designed in the short term to promote a healthy and balanced intestinal flora, cleanse the lower gastrointestinal tract, and maintain a healthy GI environment.  In the long term this supports healthy digestion, improves nutrient absorption, and supports a healthy immune system.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.