Why Whey Protein Is The Key To Anti-Aging

July 17, 2015July 8, 2015drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Original post can be found at:

http://www.sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/health-wellness/anti-aging/item/1519-why-whey-protein-is-the-key-to-anti-aging#.VZ2WSvlViko

Adequate protein intake is vital to anyone seeking to preserve muscle mass, especially since the aging process threatens the loss of all that hard-earned muscle through a process called sarcopenia. Sarcopenia causes a loss of muscle mass and strength in all individuals as they age, even in die-hard gym addicts.

The aging process hits us with a double whammy because 1) our dietary protein needs increase over time, and 2) our ability to synthesize new proteins plummets as a consequence of diminished levels of testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1. In other words, it becomes tougher and tougher to meet the aging body’s protein needs, and the result is a loss of muscle.

One of the biggest challenges in meeting the protein demands of the body as we age is the physical challenge of consuming adequate protein. Protein powders are an excellent means of meeting protein requirements in a low bulk form since they are dissolved in liquid. Whey protein in particular is an excellent protein source for anyone over the age of 30, provided they have no issues with allergy or intolerance to whey.

Whey protein is rich in branched chain amino acids, especially leucine, which is considered the most important branched chain amino acid for protein synthesis, especially in older people. Branched chain amino acids are also responsible for proper dermal collagen protein synthesis, so they play a huge role in the condition of the skin, maintaining its suppleness and tone.

Another age-related benefit of supplementing one’s diet with whey protein is the presence of lactoferrin, which fortifies bone and prevents osteoporotic fractures by activating osteoblasts. Whey protein also contains high levels of cysteine, an amino acid which boosts glutathione production. Glutathione, an antioxidant with powerful anti-aging effects, steadily declines naturally as we age, and since its production relies on the presence of cysteine, the introduction of whey protein into a meal plan can guard against age related diseases.

Whey protein has profound effects on glucose metabolism as well. It reduces serum glucose levels in healthy individuals while impairing glucose tolerance in diabetic and obese individuals. When consumed consistently as part of a sensible high protein meal plan, the result is a reduction in body weight and an increase in fat oxidation. This is due to the release of leptin, cholecystokinin, and glucagon like-peptide 1, all of which create a feeling of satiety.

In summary, the benefits of whey protein are numerous and significant, especially for older individuals. If you have yet to incorporate whey protein into your meal plan and you have been lamenting the ravages of Father Time, do yourself a favor and add whey protein to your daily regimen.

References: Sousa G et al. Dietary whey protein lessens several risk factors for metabolic diseases: a review. Lipids Health Disc. 2012;11:67

Will You Ever See Your Abs?

July 7, 2015June 30, 2015drstaceynaito Leave a comment

One of the most common questions I get from people is how to lose belly fat and get defined abs. Since a tight midsection is one of the most enviable and desirable body attributes, I am never surprised by these inquiries. I have noticed that there is a relatively common misconception that defined abs come solely from exercise, which is definitely not the case. While a certain amount of development in the abdominal muscles must be present for the washboard appearance which many people covet, an individual’s food choices often interfere with the quest for six-pack abs.

If you really want to see abdominal definition, you need to eliminate the following foods from your diet:

SUGAR
Processed foods (including crackers, luncheon meats, cheese, chips, breads)
Foods high in saturated fat (red meat, fast foods)
Salad dressing
Alcohol

Though it may be difficult at first to eliminate the foods listed, you will notice over time that your palate will adjust and that food cravings will subside. That’s because processed foods and sugar set up a vicious cycle in which you crave more bad foods when you consume them. Cut them out of your meal plan, and your cravings will subside. Another benefit of avoiding these foods is that you will avoid the rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin which they trigger. Why is this important? Because sharp spikes in insulin release promote increased fat deposition in the midsection.

If your abdominal muscles haven’t seen a sit-up in years, you should also incorporate abdominal exercises into your regimen. Here are my three favorite abdominal exercises which work for everyone, from beginners to advanced athletes:

bicycle crunches

ball crunches

planks

If you are consistent with making healthy food choices and getting regular exercise, chances are good that you will see a toned tummy if you are already at a normal weight. If you are overweight, the healthier food choices will help you to slim down and get rid of belly fat, putting you on course for a tighter midsection.

I Am Proud To Be A MAW Sponsored Athlete!

July 1, 2015June 22, 2015drstaceynaito Leave a comment

For the cleanest and tastiest meals, look no further than MAW Nutrition Inc.! I am so honored and grateful for the opportunity to promote this company, and can tell you first hand that the food is exceptionally delicious and completely guilt free!

Check them out at http://www.mawnutritioninc.com/ and be sure to enter my discount code: NAITO10 for 10% off your order!

BUP Bar Thief

June 13, 2015June 9, 2015drstaceynaito Leave a comment

The Value Of Having A Meal Prep Service

May 21, 2015May 14, 2015drstaceynaito Leave a comment

As a competitor and fitness professional, I follow a clean meal plan throughout the year, regardless of whether I am training for a competition or just going through an off-season maintenance or growth plan. I am very familiar with the hassle of earmarking an entire Sunday afternoon to prep all my food for the week. For the past few years, it had become such a ritual that I planned my weekend around it, despite the fact that it cut into my time significantly.

Thankfully, there are meal prep services which do all the prep, freeing people from the shackles of the kitchen. Some people complain that such services are expensive, but when the costs of buying pre-measured and prepared food from one of these companies is compared to the costs of buying all the ingredients and spending half a day cooking them, the difference isn’t that significant. Ordering from a meal prep service takes the guesswork out of planning clean, healthy meals, and it is an incredible timesaver!

Check out MAW Nutrition Inc. for a completely clean meal prep service which offers protein, carb and veggie options a la carte so that you can fully customize your meals! This is great if you carb cycle or practice a certain degree of variation within your meal plan. For example, I will alternate between turkey loin and beef loin for one of my meals, and I have two days during the week when I spike my carb intake.

When ordering, enter the code NAITO10 at checkout for 10% off your order!

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Which Is More Effective For Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

May 14, 2015May 7, 2015drstaceynaito 1 Comment

As a physician and fitness professional I regularly evaluate people who want to lose weight and have often been asked whether diet or exercise is more effective in helping them to reach their goals. If I had to choose which type of weight loss strategy was more important, I would say that about 80 percent depends on diet. In fact, research has shown that the majority of weight loss programs which focused on dietary changes produced 2-3 times greater weight loss than programs focused on exercise. However, long term management of weight loss can be optimized by a consistent exercise program.

The fact is that most people are prone to consuming foods which contain large amounts of fat, hidden sugar and salt, and preservatives. Quite often the portions consumed at one sitting are so large that the body ends up in storage mode which can lead to weight gain. By becoming aware of the value of nutrient-dense foods and re-patterning one’s eating habits so that such foods form the foundation of a daily meal plan, long-term weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight can be accomplished. However, the media pushes “quick fixes” by promoting severe caloric restriction and plans which are nutritionally unbalanced, thus creating a state of malnutrition. For this reason I discourage fad diets as they almost invariably cause rebound weight gain to occur. There are also different types of pills which by various mechanisms can assist in weight loss. However, a number of such products can have deleterious adverse effects and should be taken with caution, if at all. I do make an exception with thermogenics, which, if used properly, can serve as an effective aid in weight loss.

But what about exercise? It is true that exercise can often stimulate hunger, but it also boosts metabolism, has a positive effect on brain function, and builds muscle. There is also some evidence that intense exercise may lower levels of ghrelin (an appetite stimulant) while raising levels of peptide YY (which suppresses appetite). In other words, if you plan to incorporate exercise into a weight loss regimen (and I highly suggest that you do), make sure to engage in workouts which are intense and challenging. One caveat: the aforementioned satiating effect on hunger is short-lived, so don’t be surprised when your body begins to crave food in an effort to replenish depleted energy stores. Before you begin to think that exercise is a bad idea when trying to lose weight, consider this: apparently, frequent exercise restores sensitivity to brain neurons that control satiety, thus placing you more in tune with your hunger signals.

Over the long term, the combination of smaller, more frequent meals, nutrient-rich foods and regular exercise can act as an insurance policy of sorts which will protect your weight loss or weight maintenance efforts.

Clean Eating or Eating Disorder?

May 10, 2015May 7, 2015drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Most people are familiar with anorexia and bulimia, but there is a lesser known eating disorder which has high prevalence in the world of competitive bodybuilding. Though it is not classified as an official eating disorder, orthorexia meets the criteria of one: obsession, social isolation, and emotional lability.

Orthorexia is an obsessive-compulsive disorder which involves an obsession with healthy eating. The orthorexic will go to great lengths to avoid foods which contain substances he determines to be unhealthy, such as fats, preservatives, processed foods, etc. For an orthorexic individual, the focus is on the quality of food, which is in stark contrast to the anorexic’s focus on quantity. Frequently this disorder may begin as a normal diet or an effort to eat in a healthier fashion, but after some time is taken to the extreme. In the quest for pure, clean foods, the sufferer becomes obsessed and self-imposed food restrictions become a primary focus.

The distinction between normal individuals and orthorexics is that the health conscious person will practice moderation and won’t wallow in guilt if they indulge in a food which may be deficient in healthy nutrients. In contrast, the orthorexic individual will obsess about the quality of food and will feel extremely guilty after straying from a self-imposed rigid diet.

Physical Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia:

Because orthorexics limit themselves to foods they deem healthy, they may appear emaciated or malnourished

Behavioral Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia:

Social isolation
A tendency to eat alone
Aversion to certain foods which have been deemed dangerous or disgusting
Criticism of people who don’t engage in healthy eating
Experience extreme pleasure in eating properly
Feel guilty when they deviate from a rigid diet
Strong desire to eat forbidden foods when under stress
Has difficulty eating foods prepared in a restaurant or by another person

Medical Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia:

Malnutrition
Hypotension
Weakness
Calcium deficieny
Anemia in those who avoid animal protein
Decreased gastric motility
Abdominal bloating
Constipation

An essential element in contest preparation for competitive bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure and bikini divisions is rigid meal planning. As a result of this, competitors often dance along, and sometimes cross, the fine line that separates clean eating from a psychopathological relationship with food. When taken to the extreme, sufferers may experience medical signs of malnutrition similar to anorexia. While it is common for a competitor to experience feelings of guilt when a specific contest prep meal plan is not adhered to, warning flags should go up when a competitor becomes so obsessed with such transgressions that compensatory behaviors are adopted, such as excessive cardio sessions, laxative usage or starvation. If such behaviors are commonplace for an individual, behavioral intervention will become necessary in order to restore one’s emotional and physical well-being.

Since prepping for competitions places excessive pressure on an individual and underscores the pursuit of “perfection” in the sport, orthorexic behavior may be so irresistible that it is rationalized as a necessary component of one’s prep. This in and of itself makes orthorexia particularly insidious and dangerous.

The Scoop On Artificial Sweeteners

May 7, 2015May 7, 2015drstaceynaito 2 Comments

The use of artificial sweeteners can serve as an aid in coping with one’s sweet tooth, especially when trying to adhere to a healthy diet or contest prep plan. Since artificial sweeteners are non-nutritive, i.e. they have virtually no calories and are not fully absorbed by the body, they do not undermine a calorie-restricted plan. They can also serve as a great alternative for diabetics since they generally do not raise blood sugar levels. Another bonus is that artificial sweeteners do not contribute to tooth decay.

The three most popular artificial artificial sweeteners in use in the United States are the following:

Aspartame – This sweetener was tested in more than 100 scientific studies before the FDA gave it a stamp of approval in 1981 along with a statement by the FDA Commissioner which determined, “Few compounds has withstood such detailed testing and repeated, close scrutiny, and the process through which aspartame has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety.” Since that time it has found its way into carbonated sodas, powdered soft drinks, chewing gum, gelatins, desserts, yogurt, tabletop sweeteners and some vitamins.

Aspartame is composed of aspartic acid and phenylalanine as a methyl ester. During digestion, aspartame breaks down into aspartic acid, phenylalanine and a small amount of methanol which are released into the blood and used in normal body processes without accumulating in the tissues of the body. The acceptable daily intake for aspartame was set at 50 mg/kg of body weight per day. This means that the ADI for a 200 lb. individual would be 4,550 mg.

Sucralose – This nonnutritive sweetener is derived from sugar and is 600 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). It was approved in 1999 for use as a general purpose sweetener and is now found in thousands of products, including cooked or baked goods. The ADI for sucralose has been set at 5 mg/kg of body weight per day. For example, if you weigh 200 lbs., your ADI for sucralose would be 455 mg.

Stevia – Also known as Reb-A, stevia was approved for use in food products by the FDA in 2008. As with other artificial sweeteners, stevia does not affect blood glucose or insulin levels and is safe for use in diabetics. The ADI for stevia is set at 12 mg/kg of body weight daily, or 1,092 mg per day for a 200 lb. individual. Stevia is a 100% natural glycoside found in Stevia Rebaudiana, an herd found in the Chrysanthemum family. It maintains heat stability at 95 degrees Celsius and is non-fermentable and non-discoloring.

Conclusion

For those who are trying to eliminate sugar from their diets, whether for the caloric density or the insulin spikes which it imparts, artificial sweeteners are an ideal alternative for adding flavor and sweetness to foods. Their intense sweetness ensures that large quantities of these substances will not be ingested. They can effectively hold sweet cravings at bay and provide important tools in weight loss and weight maintenance programs.

Surrounded By Soy

May 3, 2015drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Soy is so ubiquitous that it has become extremely difficult to avoid this substance completely. I am extremely bothered by the fact that there are so many soy-based products on the market, especially since the majority of them are touted as “health” foods. I am half Japanese and grew up eating soy products, but I consumed the fermented forms, such as soy sauce and miso ( I could never stomach natto, which is another fermented soy product). The fermented forms of soy based foods are safe because the fermentation process destroys the antinutrients which are present in soybeans. In stark contrast, unfermented soy products, including soy milk and tofu, have high concentrations of these antinutrients, including phytates, phytoestrogens, MSG, saponins, trypsin inhibitors, and goitrogens. These substances have multiple deleterious effects on the body, such as impaired absorption of vitamins and minerals, interference with pancreatic and thyroid function, disruption of endocrine function, and damage to the nervous system.

For these reasons, I am strongly opposed to the consumption of soy-based products and eliminate them from patient and client diets whenever possible. If you are vegan, or if you are intolerant of whey or casein, look for other forms of protein, such as pea, quinoa, hemp and amaranth, which cause less inflammation when consumed and have a more benign side effect profile. One popular alternative protein source, Raw Life Protein (http://www.gardenoflife.com/Products-for-Life/Foundational-Nutrition/RAW-Protein.aspx), contains fermented soy, which does not have negative effects on the body, but if you have a soy allergy, you will not be able to consume this product.