Why Your Multivitamin May Not Be Working

As a Health Coach I am a firm believer that you can get all of your vitamins and minerals daily from food.  However, many people I talk to and counsel are not on that path even though they strive to be.  For those who are not there yet I advocate taking a daily multivitamin to ensure adequate intake of essential micro-nutrients but it comes with other recommendations

Many people take a daily multivitamin every morning with their coffee and bagel thinking they are in the clear.  Multivitamin labels carry the instruction: take daily with a meal.  The reason for this is that your body needs healthy fats like omega-3s to process vitamins properly, especially vitamins A, D, E & K.  It is best to take any vitamin, mineral or herbal supplement with your largest meal of the day.  This is very often not breakfast.  Increasing the size of your breakfast or taking your multivitamin with a larger meal later in the day is most beneficial to vitamin and mineral absorption.  I recommend the former as it helps fuel your body the day.  More to come on that topic in future posts. 

 Jason C. Venckus
Progressive Complete Health, Inc
Holistic Health Coach/Personal Trainer
www.goproveg.com

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, HEALTHY YOU!

Our daily relationships have a profound effect on our health.  Stress in a relationship or on the job can lead to poor nutritional decisions.  If you are not spiritually connected to your work it can be hard to make breakthroughs with your health.

We all have a need to give and receive love.  Love nourishes body, mind and spirit.  Being well connected with others in our lives –husbands, wives, parents, siblings, family and co-workers- is an essential part of life.

Relationships should be a source of joy, not stress in your life.  Stress can lead to other health problems such as ulcers, stroke and diabetes.

When looking at relationships it is important to decide how much intimacy you want in your life.  Some people love being alone and some people love having lots of people around them.  Most people fall somewhere in the middle.  Define your needs before entering a new relationship. Find a type of love and intimacy that is appropriate and nourishing for you.

 Jason C. Venckus
Progressive Complete Health, Inc
Holistic Health Coach/Personal Trainer
www.goproveg.com

In The Beginning There Was Flexibility and Balance

The beginning of any strength training or weight loss program should start with balance and flexibility.  If you've already started a new workout regiment this year you may have found that you are prone to injury.  Starting a new program after not exercising for some time is like starting up a car that has sat in the cold for a couple of days, it needs to warm up before you drive it.  

Today's society is plagued with postural imbalances due to people spending more time sitting in offices, hunched over computers or using repetitive movements.  Flexibility training may decrease the chance of muscle imbalances, joint dysfunctions and overuse injuries.  Without optimum flexibility people may not be able to reach their fitness goals without injury.  Balance and flexibility are also important as we age.  The better our balance when we are older, the less likely we are to fall and break hips, arms and shoulders.  Why not start now!

So how can we incorporate flexibility and balance into our new workout program?  It is easier than you may think and does not require extra time at the gym in a yoga class (though I do encourage a yoga practice to balance mind-body-spirit).  Start by doing simple stretches for the muscle groups you plan to work that day before and after your workout.  Research individual stretches for each muscle group or find a personal trainer at your gym.  Any personal trainer worth their salt will show you a couple simple stretches for free.  Next, incorporate single leg exercises into your regiment i.e. single leg dumbbell curls or a single leg cable press.  Do two sets of each exercise switching the balance leg for each set.  When performing your exercises use a 4-count motion to increase flexibility.  When curling for example, curl up for four seconds, hold for two seconds and back down in one second.  Flexibility in muscles alone can help you lift 10-15lbs more per repetition.  We feel weak because our muscles are tight. 

Balance is also an indicator of our brain's age.  The longer you can hold a single leg balance the younger your brain age.  Try this: stand with feet flat on the floor under your hips, raise one leg off the ground by bending your knee and bringing the leg out in front of you bent at ninety degrees and bring your arms up and out to the side at shoulder level.  Start a timer and compare with the chart below.

-less than 10s = age 60                                              
-10-15s = age 50
-15-20s = age 40
-20-30s = age 30
-over 30s = age 20

 


Jason C. Venckus
Progressive Complete Health, Inc
Holistic Health Coach/Personal Trainer
www.goproveg.com

Sugar: It's What for Dinner....and Breakfast and Lunch

February 4th, 2013. From canned vegetables, baby food, bread and even cigarettes, everything we eat today has added sugar and sweeteners.  Most people eat a diet consisting of highly processed foods and sugar is added to make them taste better.  It all starts with the added sugars of baby food and continues into childhood and adulthood when we are introduced to sweetened beverages like "soda" or "pop" and even already sweet juices made from fruit.  When the fruit is made into concentrate, sugar, usually high fructose corn syrup is added.

In 1689 the first sugar refinery was built in New York City.  Soon colonists were sweetening their porridge and other foods with processed sugar and in just ten years individual consumption had reached four pounds per person annually.  America is the largest importer of refined sugar and sweeteners and today Americans consume over 100 pounds per person each year.  In stark contrast to this, Americans consume an average of eight pounds of broccoli in a year.  This over consumption of sugar and sweeteners has lead to an explosion of type two diabetes and hypoglycemia.  One in three children are overweight and even obese.  One in five teens are seeing signs of coronary heart disease by their graduation date.  8.3% of Americans in the southern states have been diagnosed with diabetes and another estimated 7% are undiagnosed.

Type 2 diabetes is the sixth largest cause of death in the United States.  Diabetes not only causes insulin resistance but also leads to blurred vision, erectile dysfunction and pain/numbness in the feet or hands.  Diabetes may make it harder to control your blood pressure and cholesterol. This can also lead to a heart attack, stroke, and other problems.

We are programmed from birth to crave sweet foods.  Sweet treats like cakes and cookies were used for celebrations, rewards and as comfort foods.  So as adults we reach for those cookies, cake, candy bars and sugary sodas to control our moods.  Most people do not realize there are more healthful options to satisfy these cravings.  Long before sugar processing was ever available cravings for sweets were met with roots, oats, grains, tubers and fruit.  These sources of natural sugar contain vitamins, minerals, energy and most importantly fiber.

Processed sugar enters the blood stream quickly.  The body recognizes this as an emergency state and works hard to burn off the sugar quickly leaving you exhausted and reeling from the side effects such as irritability and headaches.  Natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables are bound within the foods fiber.  The body breaks down the sugar and releases the fiber into the blood stream at a slower rate than processed sugars.  This gives you longer lasting energy and fiber will keep you fuller, longer.  So the next time you crave something sweet avoid the vending machine and reach for a piece of sweet fruit like an orange or strawberries.  Your body and mind will thank you for it.
       
Jason C. Venckus
Progressive Complete Health, Inc
Holistic Health Coach/Personal Trainer
www.goproveg.com