The obesity epidemic in the US is due solely to increased food intake

I recently read an article by Fran Lowry on heartwire reporting on research presented at the 2009 European Congress on Obesity in Amsterdam. The research showed how the increased amount of food Americans eat is the cause of the obesity epidemic not the lack of physical activity. This idea runs against the current assumption that our increasingly sedentary lives are to blame for the weight gain.

“If Americans want to get serious about winning the battle of the bulge, they are going to have to cut down on the amount of food they eat, Swinburn, who is director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention, told heartwire.” Swinburn and his colleagues created a series of equations to take into account energy intake, energy expenditure, and body size for a group of 963 children and 1399 adults. They used USDA food-supply data and then predicted the increase in weight in the children and adults between 1971 to 1976 and between 1999 and 2002. If the predicted weight matched the observed than it was food consumption, otherwise it was the change in physical activity. The children’s gain of 4.0 kg was attributed to calorie consumption. The adults predicted 10.8 kg was higher than the observed of 8.6 kg showing that physical activity may have moderated the weight gain somewhat. This study clearly shows that controlling what and how much we eat is going to have a much greater impact on weight gain/loss. It is important not to loose sight of the benefit of exercise and physical activity as there are a number of physiological benefits. Exercise allows us to do the activities we love whether it is chasing the kids, climbing a mountain, or dominating at the Sunday flag-football game.

The bigger challenge to creating awareness is fighting the driver of this overconsumption, the food industry. The easy approach for politicians and the food industry has been promoting physical activity as the solution to obesity, said Swinburn. "It's relatively uncontroversial, there are no commercial competitors, it's a positive thing to do, so politicians, egged on by the food industry, heavily promote the physical-activity side of the equation." The food industry has also mastered promotion, especially to the most vulnerable and impressionable members of society—children. "Over the past 30 years they have become very sophisticated in marketing and advertising that is particularly iniquitous in relation to kids. They are adept in the way they turn kids into liking, preferring, demanding, and pestering for the foods that they advertise."

The American College of Cardiology spokesperson Dr Matthew Sorrentino (University of Chicago), agreed that Swinburn and colleagues verified what experts in the obesity field had long suspected. "The main cause of the obesity epidemic in this country is the wide availability of high-caloric foods and the fact that we are eating way too many calories in the course of a day. Exercise has much less impact." Sorrentino said that about 90% of weight loss is achieved by cutting calories; only about 10% of weight loss is achieved by significantly increasing physical activity.

The take away from this study is to focus on what we can control, which is what goes in our mouths. This study does not mean that we should become anorexic and sit on the couch. Instead focus on eating whole, unprocessed, unrefined foods (lots of veggies) like the way grandma used to make. It is still important to increase the exercise as this will help with a whole host of things (we’ll save that for another blog) beyond just weight loss. Next time you crave that double double cheese burger with a soda…remember that you will have to run for an hour to burn the calories. Simply prevent that weight gain by opting for the low-cal alternative with tea/water and skip the extra 700 calories.

Using Tabata Intervals and Kettlebells

I have never been a fan of long cardio training, maybe I lack the necessary mental fortitude for it. Last fall I ran my first half marathon in 1:51.46. I know that speed won’t win any sponsorships, but I am proud of my time for someone that gets bored after 20 minutes of cardio. Training for the half marathon does require actual running, but during my training I learned another reason to loath cardio. Half way into my marathon training I developed iliotibial band syndrome, which feels like a knife is stabbing in the side of your knee with each step. I had already committed to the half marathon and my stubbornness would not let me drop out. Advil, ice baths, and foam rolling were not enough to control the ITBS so I had to find another way to up the cardio without over working my knees. That is when I discovered Tabata Intervals, named after Dr. Izumi Tabata

ABSTRACT
Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max.

Tabata I, Nishimura K, Kouzaki M, Hirai Y, Ogita F, Miyachi M, Yamamoto K.

Department of Physiology and Biomechanics, National Institute of Fitness and Sports, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.This study consists of two training experiments using a mechanically braked cycle ergometer. First, the effect of 6 wk of moderate-intensity endurance training (intensity: 70% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), 60 min.d-1, 5 d.wk-1) on the anaerobic capacity (the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit) and VO2max was evaluated. After the training, the anaerobic capacity did not increase significantly (P > 0.10), while VO2max increased from 53 +/- 5 ml.kg-1 min-1 to 58 +/- 3 ml.kg-1.min-1 (P < 0.01) (mean +/- SD). Second, to quantify the effect of high-intensity intermittent training on energy release, seven subjects performed an intermittent training exercise 5 d.wk-1 for 6 wk. The exhaustive intermittent training consisted of seven to eight sets of 20-s exercise at an intensity of about 170% of VO2max with a 10-s rest between each bout. After the training period, VO2max increased by 7 ml.kg-1.min-1, while the anaerobic capacity increased by 28%. In conclusion, this study showed that moderate-intensity aerobic training that improves the maximal aerobic power does not change anaerobic capacity and that adequate high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly, probably through imposing intensive stimuli on both systems.
View Abstract at Pubmed.gov

I have been training with kettlebells for several years, but I needed a way to overcome my lacking the fortitude to bang out swing/clean/snatch for an extend period of time. Determination and concentration are virtues I am working to develop. Combining Tabata Intervals with kettlebells allowed me to keep my focus through multiple rounds.

Tabata Intervals consist of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This cycle is repeated 8 times (for a total of 4-minutes). Although Dr. Tabata used a mechanically braked cycle ergometer, I paired it with variations of kettlebell swings and cleans.

Sample Workout Interval

• Two handed swings
• One handed swings
• High Pull
• One handed Cleans

This workout will consist of 4 separate Tabata Intervals, each consisting of 4 minutes. The total workout will last 16 minutes. Depending on where you are at with your training you can add/subtract intervals or increase/decrease the weight of the kettlebell. For light days I use the 16 kg bell and for my serious cardio days I use the 24 kg bell. A bonus side effect I found from combining Tabata Intervals with kettlebells was the increased fat burning. Studies keep showing that interval training can be more effective at fat loss than low intensity, continuous cardio. Tabata Intervals give you that increased metabolic rate long after you are done working out. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

The Joys of Holy Basil, an Adaptogenic Herb!

There are a number of adaptogenic herbs that I love to use. Adaptogenic herbs help the body to deal with and respond to stress. I choose the herb based on the type of stress as you never know what life is going to throw at you. I primarily use Holy Basil when I am struggling with emotional stress. It is awesome as a tea after a long day. Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) is the English translation of an herb from India, where it is known as tulsi (Incomparable one in Sanskrit). I have used oil extracts, capsules containing dried tulsi, tincture, brewed tea, and grown my own plants. You can purchase the seeds here if you want to grow tulsi (I have had great luck with the Krishna and Rama varieties). Tulsi is an important herb in Ayurvedic medicine and has significance in the Hindu religion. The “Rasayana” of tulsi gives the human body what it needs for perfect health and aids on the journey to enlightenment. You can see it growing around Hindu temples in India. It looks similar to culinary basil, but has a spicier flavor like cloves.

Tulsi has been suggested to possess the following properties:

• Adaptogenic


• Analgesic


• Antidiabetic


• Anticancer


• Antifertility


• Antifungal and antimicrobial


• Cardioprotective


• Respiratory benefit

Tulsi has been used for thousands of years as a premier healing herb in Ayurveda, but it has only started to gain clinical data in the last few decades to support the benefits. Go to http://www.pubmed.gov/ and search Ocimum Sanctum and you will see that the growing clinical data is supporting the listed above uses. The studies are starting to establish a scientific basis for the therapeutic benefits of tulsi. If you want to get more specific in searching for the benefits of tulsi most of the above properties come from the Eugenol in tulsi, but it also contains uroslic acid, and rosmarinic acid.

I have found great benefit in using holy basil. You won't go wrong adding it to a stress management routine. I have primarily benefited from using holy basil to give me emotional endurance. Go buy some tea and join me in enjoying a cup of fresh brewed tulsi tea!

How do we find healthy fats? Read: "Fats That Heal, Fats that Kill"

I recently read Udo Erasmus’s book “Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill” and it opened my eyes to the truths and lies about fats. Udo Erasmus’s book contains a wealth of information, but can seem a little heavy on the molecular structure of fats. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning how to provide the essential fats necessary for optimal health. What follows is a high-level take away from the book.

We as Americans have been sold on the false idea that fats are bad for us. It comes from the fact that we use harmful fats in our western cooking. We love our baked goods. The oil starts out healthy but is then hydrogenated to add shelf life to products. The other danger is frying which changes the structure of the fat making it toxic. These fats are bad for our bodies and add validity to the misconception that fats are harmful. However, this idea causes us to miss out on the essential fats necessary for proper body functioning.

The two primary essential fatty acids (EFA) are alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and linoleic acid (omega-6). The body needs a balance of both omega-3 and omega-6. In our American diet we need to lower the amount of omega-6 and up the intake of omega-3.

The body needs EFAs for the following processes:

• Formation of healthy cell membranes
  
• Proper development and functioning of the brain and nervous system
  
• Proper thyroid and adrenal activity
  
• Hormone production
  
• Regulation of blood pressure, liver function, immune and inflammatory responses
  
• Regulation of blood clotting: Omega-6 FAs encourage blood clot formation, whereas Omega-3 oil reduces clotting. The ideal is to achieve a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 FAs
  
• Crucial for the transport and breakdown of cholesterol
  
• Support healthy skin and hair

Follow this link for a list of EFA deficiencies.

The book boils down to one main point that using EFAs is required for all the cells and tissues of the body to function normally. The added bonus is that EFAs can reverse degenerative conditions. Again, “Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill” is a great book on learning about healthy and harmful fats. The book lays out how the different types of fat function within the body, deficiencies, and the recommended amounts for optimal health.

Check it out!