Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Your Daily Intake of Rich food and take-outs May Rob you of a Healthy Sex life


“Erectile dysfunction, who me? Never”! I’ve heard those words echoed over and over again when I teach a nutrition and wellness class and have men present. Of course, the subject I’m discussing is a diet high in saturated fat, red meat and processed food.

As a society we raise our children to be mindful of rules, laws, and manners . Further, Mothers teach their daughters about periods, Fathers teach their sons about being “a Man”. We take for granted that sex education, sex and all that goes along with it will be learned in a health class. Parents never really want to discuss sex with their children. It’s a very very touchy subject. Children too are uncomfortable having their parents sit them down to talk about sex or birth control or abstinence and more. As we age, our mothers and adult female relatives go one step further and shortchange their daughters and young female relatives by not sharing advice on menopause and its consequences. Fathers and uncles also fail to share their experience with erectile dysfunction with their sons and nephews. Yes, the inability to maintain or get an erection. This occurs in about 60% of males age 60 and above. Yet, men never share this story with their sons. Unfortunately, erectile dysfunction affects both the husband and wife and must be taken seriously.

In order for a man to have an erection he must have good blood flow to the penis. Many factors from depression, prescription medications, smoking and more can cause erectile dysfunction. However, the more common cause is something you may overlook. The diet men thrive on and celebrate daily is the very thing that will destroy their very manhood. Hamburgers, t-bone steaks, beer, pizza, chips, French fries, pork chops, Spam,corned beef, Vienna sausage, Brautsworth sausage and any high fat food is a more common cause of ED than prescription medications or depression. In fact, it is most certain that all men who indulge in a diet high in saturated fat will have problems having and maintaining an erection even as early as their late 30’s and early 40’s. I’m not talking sterility, for a man can still have an orgasm but, he won’t be able to have much of an erection.In 1997, on my K-57 talk radio show on Guam, urologist Dr. Jerry Richter, asked me if he could be a guest on my show to discuss an epidemic on Guam. He wouldn’t tell me what it was and said he would discuss it when he met with me. With my interest peaked, I anxiously awaited his arrival and in the break room he told me he wanted to talk about a link between a diet in luncheon meat( know by a more common name on Guam )and the inability for a man to get or maintain an erection or ED. He said that he was a urologist for the Veteran’s Center on Guam and that all the men he was seeing suffered from ED. He mentioned that of all the places he worked in the world, the numbers he saw were epidemic. Of course, he didn’t have any studies to prove this, just his observation and a hunch. However, it’s enough to cause one to sit up and listen.

Chamorro men are quite macho and would never admit an ED problem to anyone. Being a urologist Dr. Richter had to know. The interesting thing about that morning on my radio show is that my phones didn’t ring once. No one called to dispute it or to agree with it. Someone always calls one way or another, so I knew I had struck a sensitive chord.Men, change your diet now. You will suffer from ED and heart disease and may even have a stroke or heart attack if you keep eating the rich fatty diet. Furthermore, you will most likely develop diabetes. Diabetes is the disease that destroys small blood vessels. Diabetic males will develop ED. Eventually the nerve endings to the penis and blood flow are diminished. Female students and some male relatives in their 60’s and older have confided in me that they or their significant other suffers from ED. Once a man has ED, depression may set in and many times it becomes joked about but never really admitted as caused by diet and lifestyle. If ED is referred to, it’s mentioned as being a a part of aging.

Can ED be reversed? You’ll have to see a urologist. If you’re one of the young men whom I’ve given this lecture to and answered back that you’ll just take Viagra, heed warning. Viagra and similar ED medications can only be taken by healthy men. If you have heart disease or are taking blood thinners you cannot take Viagra. Further, I know of diabetic males who have told me that Viagra a does not work for them.

So the next time you barbeque… and want to “chasa” remember what I wrote about ED…

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Why I Don’t Watch the Biggest Loser


As a health and wellness educator with 25 years experience, I am ever diligent about staying abreast of the latest exercises, diets and gimmicks advertised regarding weight loss. I know how the human body works and its limitations. I am always suspect of any program, product or gadget that advocates quick weight loss. One of the most watched and highly publicized programs today that touts and celebrates quick weight loss is the TV show, The Biggest Loser. I firmly believe that this program does more harm than good to the masses who watch in desperation each week to see who loses the most weight in the fastest time.

Whenever you come across any program that emphasizes quick weight loss a big red flag should come up in your brain. Don’t fall victim to this scheme. You will do more harm than good to your body if you follow this philosophy.

According to Cannon and Einzig, authors of Dieting Makes You Fat, “...rapid weight lost on a diet is of glycogen.” Glycogen is stored energy from carbohydrates and the body’s immediately available form of energy on a restricted diet is not fat. To encourage and reward people for quick weight loss is not recommended and is counterproductive. The loss of lean muscle tissue, water and some fat is the end result. Further, your metabolism slows because the body’s furnace, muscle tissue is lost. Hence, the more a person diets, the more muscle is lost, and the slower the metabolism becomes. Once the diet has ended and the person resumes even modest amounts of food, the human body will gain weight quickly in an attempt to regain the weight lost. Muscle tissue can only be gained by performing resistance exercises with free weights, machines, bands, tubing even your bodyweight. Failure to perform strength training exercises a minimum of two times a week will result in the regaining of fat only after a restrictive diet.

Another aspect of TV shows encouraging quick weight loss that is bothersome to watch is the fact that participants are made to perform dangerous exercises. Despite the fact that trainers and medical professionals oversee the Biggest Loser camp, because of their excessive weight, participants are prone to stress fractures, lower back injury and more. I have watched a few episodes where obese participants weighing upwards of 400 lbs. were made to carry large boulders and made to run up and down an unpaved gravel road. Firstly, for each step each participant takes, three times their body weight is pounded on that ankle and foot. Further, obese individuals don’t burn fat exclusively when they exercise even if the exercise is aerobic. Gradual cardiovascular exercise is necessary to burn fat in obese individuals because they have lost their fat burning enzymes. According to Covert Bailey, author of The New Fit or Fat, “…the fat person who exercises heavily is unable to burn the fat he’s trying to get rid of and then makes more fat right after exercise.” Intense fast cardiovascular exercise stimulates hunger in obese individuals because they burn glycogen and very little fat. Their bodies signal hunger to replace the lost energy in their muscles. Carbohydrates are preferred to satisfy this hunger. However, this carbohydrates immediately gets stored as fat. One of the signs then that a person is getting fitter aerobically is to notice the absence of hunger after an aerobic exercise. Obese persons must work out gradually and slowly to allow their bodies to rebuild fat burning enzymes they've lost.

Lastly, in the Biggest Loser TV show, I feel so badly as I watch the participants and audience reward and encourage large weight loss in just a one week’s time. The human body should only lose roughly one to two pounds per week. This is preferred. Large amounts of weight lost in a short amount of time is not fat, as I have mentioned earlier in this article.

So the next time you sit and watch a TV show about weight loss, remember the information I’ve shared with you about how the human body works and the difference between fat loss and muscle tissue loss. TV shows should reward the person who loses 1 to 2 pounds per week. But of course, that wouldn’t be as exciting to viewers. By the way, your heart is a muscle too. Weight lost quickly is of muscles all over the body, even the heart.


Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Warning: Ankle Color May Indicate Clogged Arteries and a Greater Chance of Suffering a Stroke or Heart Attack


Before I teach an exercise camp or start a client on a personal training program, I do a complete assessment. I ask clients to make sure they get a physical testing for the blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cholesterol and HDL, LDL, readings for me to see. I also encourage them to get permission from their physician to start an exercise program and to give me any precautions because of existing medical conditions etc. Once I receive this information, I test for body fat, take measurements and weight. The last thing I do is ask the client to remove his or her socks and shoes. This is done so that I can examine his or her ankles.

The blood vessels to the feet are few and must carry blood from the heart to the toes and back. (When I visited an exhibit in Los Angeles called Body Works I was amazed at the one cadaver that only had its blood vessels exposed. I knew the blood supply to the feet was limited but I was surprised at how few vessels to the feet there were). When there is any kind of clogging of the arteries in the upper part of the body, blood flow to the farthest extremities suffer. One of the side effects then, is the gradual darkening of ankle and even calf skin color.

The skin color in Caucasians starts out as beige spotty areas, and then gradually turns brown. In Pacific Islanders, or people of color it starts out as light brown or black even burgundy then gets much darker as time goes on. Many people simply ignore this not realizing how serious this condition is. The condition I’m referring to is PAD or Peripheral Artery Disease.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peripheral-arterial-disease/DS00537/DSECTION=symptoms This condition will worsen with time without proper intervention. Changes must include a low fat, low sodium, low sugar, high fiber diet, daily cardio exercises and lifestyle changes. You want to take immediate action because once the plaque build-up hardens on the artery walls; you will suffer from several life-threatening diseases.

When you have a physical, ask your physician about PAD and show him or her, your ankles. Be proactive. I had a slightly obese 50+ Caucasian student present me with rosy colored ankles. I immediately asked her to see a physician about this condition. She reported that her Physician’s Assistant told her it was cosmetic. I told her to keep seeing other physicians because she may need to take medication to help prevent further clogging of her arteries. I have since run into this student in the past five years and her ankles are now almost burgundy colored. She is so at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

My older brother suffers from heart disease. Many years ago I alerted him to the fact that his ankles were dark brown. He was surprised to learn about PAD. Sometime later he underwent triple bypass surgery. Three months later when he returned home, we both looked at his ankles and noticed that they were of normal color.

Because we tend to hide our ankles in socks and under pants we can forget that there may be a change in color or not be aware of changes in color to our ankles or even our toes. It’s important that as we age we include a visual check of the ankles and feet to give us an inside look into what‘s going on inside our arteries.

By the way, this change in color can be visible in young adults as well. I noticed a young 20 year old obese male at a fiesta walking with difficulty who at his age already displayed discoloration of the ankles. Changes in diet and lifestyle should start at an early age. If you have children, remember that PAD can happen to them too. Take action now. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

What Do You Want to Lose, Weight or Bodyfat?


In the 25 years that I have taught my exercise camps and done personal training I have always run into clients who just want to lose weight. I’m amazed at how people, in general, are so stuck on numbers when it comes to weight loss. I often ask them if they want to lose weight or fat. Many look at me with a puzzled expression having never really thought of weight loss that way. What many people fail to realize is that you only want to lose fat, not muscle. Because muscle weighs much more than fat, people don’t seem to care what they lose. They just want to be lighter. This is a big mistake.

Weight lost on a restrictive diet is of muscle, water and a little fat. This is not a preferred way to lose weight. The numbers on the scale may go down but so will your metabolism. As we age our metabolisms starts to slow down as part of a natural declining of muscle tissue. Restrictive diets speed up this process. Once muscle tissue is lost due to dieting, overtraining or aging, the only way to replace valuable muscle tissue and tone is with resistance training.

Resistance training involves working all muscle groups with free-weights, machines, bands, rubber tubing or even bodyweight. Of course, the machines and free-weight at a gym are the best way to build muscle tone but not the only way. The newly advertised training DVD’s that use bodyweight, plyometerics, stability balls, chin up bars, and push-ups, are excellent ways to build lean muscle mass without going to a gym. Whatever you choose, you must perform these resistance exercise a minimum of two times a week forever. Yes, I repeat, forever. This is not a choice but a must. You must also remember that your heart is a muscle too. And that the heart loses strength with restrictive diets as well. The best way to strengthen the heart is with cardiovascular exercise.

Cardio exercises are any exercise that raises your heart rate to its fat burning range. Everyone’s fat burning range is different. Beginners only have to walk short distances to feel fatigued. Fitter individuals have to do more to “get their heart rates up”. Everyone should do some kind of cardio work-out a minimum of 5 times a week to help burn fat, strengthen your heart muscle, help alleviate stress and have overall improved health.

To burn fat, select exercises that you enjoy doing. That way you’re more likely to keep doing them. If you have two left feet, then step aerobics is not for you. If you’re uncoordinated, try indoor cycling. You may be uncomfortable at first, but you may find you’re more successful at sitting on that cycle and peddling away. Try walking or walk jogging on a treadmill or use an elliptical machine. Add the arm pulls while you’re on the elliptical to get a more challenging work-out. And of course, going for a brisk walk outdoors is ideal for most anyone.

Now that you’ve embarked on both resistance and cardio training, make sure that you eat 4-5 smaller meals a day emphasizing good high fiber carbohydrates and low-fat food. Be sure to eat some healthy fat daily to help lover your LDL or bad cholesterol and elevate your HDL or good cholesterol. Be sure to look for food that is low in sodium and sugar. Read labels, ask how things are made or make your food at home. Don’t be afraid to ask the waiter or waitress how food items are prepared. Red flags for high sodium are things made with oriental/Asian ingredients, cheese, sautés, soy sauce, patis sauce, MSG, oyster sauce or heavy sauces. Anything breaded, on the other hand, will be high in bad carbs and fat.

Lastly, make sure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. Drink mostly water before, during and after exercise. Your body burns fat more efficiently when you’re hydrated. Carry your bottled water and sip water while you walk or jog. You may leave a water bottle at the half-way point of your jog so you won’t have to carry your bottle. Even resistance training requires water. Muscles are 60% water. You must hydrate to keep your core temperature cool and to aid in weight training. Staying hydrated also helps prevent cramping and bloating from a high sodium diet. Avoid Gatorade type sport drinks unless you are exercising in the hot sun for 90 minutes or longer. Cold water is still the best for hydration.

Even in the winter, your body needs hydration. Cold weather requires lots of water too. Don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need to drink as much. Remember that when you feel thirsty it’s too late. Being thirsty is a sign that you are dehydrated. Remember that coffee, soda, tea and juice don’t count towards hydration. Many articles I’ve read say that juice can count toward hydration but it doesn’t. It is too rich in natural sugar. Stick to plain water or water with lemon squeezed in it. Avoid vitamin water or sugar water too.

So now that you know that you should want to lose just fat, and not muscle, go to a calendar and come up with a plan. Start now. Don’t wait for the first day of the week or the first of the month or the first of the year. Today is a good time to start. Good luck.