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Ephedrine- What's the Big Deal?

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:27:00 -0800

In the year 2048, all Americans will be overweight or obese. This is the prediction, based on current trends, in an article by Wang et al. published in the journal Obesity. By 2030 86.3% of Americans will be overweight. The costs of “globesity” are particularly disturbing, given the current economic crisis—predicted obesity health care costs of 860.7–956.9 billion US dollars are expected by 2030, which is 16–18% of total US health-care costs.

If a weight loss method works it should not be tossed aside based on media ramblings and poor distribution and dosing methods. The combination of ephedrine and caffeine purposes of weight loss has a bad reputation. As noted by the NY Times in 1999, ephedrine has been used as an asthma medication since the 1920s, so why is the drug suddenly so controversial? Most likely, health care professionals are disturbed by the off-label use of ephedrine and ephedra, in combination with caffeine, for weight loss in combination. Is weight loss combo effective—is it safe—how does it compare to weight loss drug that are currently approved by the FDA?

Is Ephedrine Effective?

As noted in a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the combination of simply ephedrine and caffeine, without any other herbal components leads of a monthly weight loss 1 kilogram over placebo, this is about 2.2 pounds. The longest running ephredra trial, conducted by Boozer et al, was 6 months long, and revealed a weight loss of about 11.6 pounds for obese people taking the treatment, which was about 6 pounds more weight loss than participants who took a placebo. This level of weight loss sits comfortably within the 10 to 15 pound weight range recommended by the American Diabetes Association to help lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood fat levels.

Is Ephedrine Safe?

Ephedrine is a drug; ephedra is a bioactive herb. All drugs have side effects and ephedrine does as well. As detailed by the JAMA article, use of ephedrine and caffeine for weight loss may experience psychiatric, gastrointestinal symptoms, and heart palpitations. Interestingly, a meta-analysis of the drug sibutramine, by Arterburn and friends, reveals the same history of side effects for this weight loss tool. This is because both ephedrine and sibutramine work by activating the “fight or flight” response. Furthermore, cases of psychosis or death in ephedra users are associated with abuse and overdose of the drug or pre-existing heart and blood pressure problems in case reports. These side effects are evidence that a doctor should prescribe appropriate doses of the drug combination; research provides support that intelligent and appropriately dosed ephedrine and caffeine may be useful for weight loss. Ephedra is safest when it is dosed by a medical professional and side effects are regularly monitored, just like any other drug!

How Does Ephedrine Compare to Other Weight Loss Drugs?

Though permanent weight loss will NEVER be achieved without a healthy diet and consistent exercise, our society values the use of medicines for obesity intervention.
Sibutrimine and Orlistat are two weight loss drugs currently approved by the FDA. According to Arterburn above, on average, sibutramine resulted in weight loss of about 7 pounds in 3 month trials and 10 pounds after one year of taking the medication. A review conducted by Padwa et al showed that taking orlistat for a year resulted in about a 6 pound increase in weight loss over placebo. Based recent, large reviews of the weight loss research, the effectiveness of the ephedrine-caffeine combination is comparable to weight loss treatments currently approved by the FDA.

America, we’ve got bigger problems. In 2000, there were 435,000 tobacco-related deaths, 400,000 deaths related to poor diet and physical inactivity, and 85,000 deaths due to alcohol consumption (Mokdad et al, JAMA 2004),. The number of deaths related to ephedrine over the entire history of its use are minimal when compared to major sources of mortality, yet the “the dangers” of ephedrine are so widely proclaimed. Undoubtedly, watching six hours of TV a day and snacking on a donut present a far more urgent danger. Given the similar effectiveness and safety of the ephedrine-caffeine combination and currently approved weight loss medicines, is it appropriate for the media and some medical professionals to demonize ephedra? It would do the country a greater service if the FDA would ban tobacco and give lame supplement-blasting a rest.

In conclusion a quote by F.L. Greenway, M.D.:

“The benefits of caffeine and ephedrine in treating obesity appear to outweigh the small associated risks. Restriction of dietary herbal supplements containing caffeine and ephedrine, often with other ingredients, should be based on controlled clinical trials of these products.”

Your Healthiest Future, See It, Then Live It

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:11:00 -0800

We all want to live the healthiest life we can. So what are we waiting for? If you truly want to be an energetic, leaner, active individual, then start acting like one. Picture the person you want to be and start doing what that person does. That person probably gets at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every day. That doesn't necessarily mean they're living at the gym or are training for a marathon. It may mean they take a 20 minute walk at lunch and an after dinner stroll; then add aqua fit or yoga once a week and skiing with their kids on the weekend. They are moving their bodies, growing younger and feeling great.

It only takes 21 days to develop a new habit. Stick to it. Don't wait until you drop ten pounds and buy a new outfit to join a gym you may never go to, start moving your body today. If you see yourself with more muscle tone, and greater bone density, then pick up some light hand weights or resistance bands because that is what those people you admire have been doing.

Healthy individuals always eat breakfast. A breakfast smoothie takes only minutes to prepare and if you need to, you can take it with you. Midmorning is snack time. Try a piece of fruit and a few almonds. Most days, pack a lunch. No fast food French fries, no vending machine quickies, plan ahead. If you have access to a microwave, take leftovers from last night's dinner. A tuna sandwich on whole grain bread, an apple and maybe some yogurt tastes great and will supply some of your much needed daily fibre. When mid afternoon comes, it’s time for another protein/carb balanced snack. Have a snack packed so you are not tempted by the “low fat” muffins.

By eating nutrient dense foods at regular intervals throughout your day, your blood sugar remains constant and your energy levels remain high enabling your body to burn calories for fuel rather than storing them as fat. For dinner divide your plate into quarters with one quarter being lean protein such as chicken, one quarter being carbohydrates or starch such as rice or pasta and the other two quarters being vegetables. Leave the salt shaker in the cupboard. No one said you could never have dessert again but how about saving it for a special occasion? People with a consistently lower body weight do not have dessert every night.

If it's too cold for an after dinner walk hit the mall, pop in an exercise DVD, sign-up for badminton, try belly dancing, go bowling or clean out a closet. Just move.

What else does your healthy self do? Drink as many glasses of water as you can, limit caffeine and alcohol intake and if you smoke get help to quit. Try to get the best sleep you can, both in quantity and quality. The memory foam pillows have become much more affordable and are really worth trying.

Picture the person you want to be and just pretend you are them. Next year at this time your “new” habits will be old hat and you’ll be taking it to a whole other level.

Rose Parr is a Nutrition and Wellness Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer in

Guelph

Ontario

she can be reached at

rose@roseparrpersonaltraining.ca

VITAMINS

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:15:00 -0700

Vitamin A

Is necessary for healthy skin and the ability to see in poor light conditions. The body produces vitamin A (retinol) from plants containing beta-carotene, but vitamin A is directly available from a few animal foods (eg liver and some fish). this vitamin is fat-soluble

RDA is: 5000 iu2 (US)

Vitamin B1

Thiamine is necessary for healing and maintaining the nervous system and for the metabolism of carbohydrates. This vitamin is water-soluble.

RDA is: 2.1 mg (US)

Vitamin B2

Riboflavin is required for metabolizing foods, manufacturing and repairing tissues, and maintaining healthy mucous membranes. This vitamin is water-soluble.

RDA is: 1.7mg (US)

Vitamin B3

Niacin belongs to the vitamin B complex. it is necessary for the efficient functioning of the digestive and nervous systems. it also helps in metabolizing foods. This vitamin is water-soluble.

RDA is: 1.3-1.8mg (US)

Vitamin B5

Pantothentic acid is needed to release energy from fats and other foods, and to promote normal growth and development. This vitamin is water-soluble.

RDA is: 4.7mg (US)

Vitamin B6

Pyridoxine is necessary for metabolizing the amino acids in proteins, the formation of antibodies and red blood cells, and for maintaining a healthy digestive and nervous system. This vitamin is water-soluble.

RDA is: 2mg (US)

Vitamin B9

Folic acid is necessary for maintaining the digestive and nervous systems and workswith B12 in the formation of red blood cells and genetic material. This vitamin is water-soluble.

Vitamin B12

Is necessary for maintaining the nervous system, red blood formation, cell division during growth, and the development of genetic material. This vitamin is water-soluble.

Biotin

Is necessary for energy release from fats. It is water-soluble.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid is required for healthy skin, teeth, gums, and blood vessels. It assists in the absorption of iron, in healing wounds and broken bones, and is necessary for the prevention of scurvy. This vitamin is water-soluble.

RDA is: 60mg (US)

Vitamin D

Is required for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. This vitamin is fat-soluble.

RDA is: 400 iu (US)

Vitamin E

Helps to protect body tissues and is important for the prevention of anemia, although the precise role that this vitamin plays in the body is not clear. This vitamin is fat-soluble.

RDA is: 10mg (US)

Milk Your Workout for all It’s Worth—5 Wheys Low-Fat Dairy is a Nutrient Powerhouse

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:38:00 -0700

Is your body getting what it needs after a workout? So many sports and health products are released every year; each one boasting superior benefits for workout recovery. Neon-colored drinks are posed as the best source of hydration, while formulations designed to emulate human milk are advertised as optimal muscle-building fuel, with little or no research to support the claims. If your blender is simply building clutter, and doing little for your muscles, look no further than your cooler or your local grocer or convenience store for a convenient, effective post workout. Plain old non-fat or low-fat milk is a perfect post-workout recovery drink.

So what are some traits of a good workout supplement?

1. Provides carbohydrates in the form of sugar

2. Good source of high quality protein, but is also low in fat

3. Protein content also has branched-chain amino acids

4. Contains liquid and electrolytes

5. Inexpensive and convenient

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1. Provides carbohydrates in the form of sugar

After a workout, the body needs recovery food to completely benefit from the exercise. Carbohydrates are important after a workout for a few reasons. First of all, they help to maintain blood sugar, especially for people who are likely to experience hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) symptoms; Type 2 diabetics fall into this category.

Also, sugar is a potent stimulator of insulin. Following a workout, insulin binds to recpetors on the muscle and sends a“signal” that it is time to make protein. An insulin spike right after a workout tells the genes for making muscle proteins to become activated. Finally, sugar is a good source of carbohydrate for the quick replacement of glycogen stores. This is especially important for athletes (of any age and competition level) who will be playing in a tournament or several matches back to back. Athletes “hit the wall” when muscle glycogen is depleted; the sooner carbohydrate makes it to your muscles, the better. Skim milk contains the two-unit sugar lactose.

Also, sweetened low-fat milk products are also good to have after a workout. One study, conducted by Karp and his colleagues, compared low-fat chocolate milk to either a traditional hydration drink or another carbohydrate-containing beverage in between two hard endurance workouts. The athletes who got the chocolate milk were able to exercise longer in the second bout. In addition to chocolate milk, low-fat ice cream or low-fat yogurt are also good choices.

2. Good source of high quality protein, but is also low in fat

Once the muscles get the signal to increase protein synthesis, they need a steady stream of building blocks, or amino acids, to complete the process. Amino acids are obtained from protein in food. Milk is an especially good source of protein because it contains both quick-absorbing whey and slower-absorbing casein. Both of these protein types are shown to increase protein synthesis after a workout; however, some researchers think that the muscle-building benefits of each protein are maximized when the two are taken together.

Unfortunately, many high quality protein sources are in solid form and also packaged with a lot of extra fat. Fat slows the rate at which food is emptied from the stomach into the small intestine, so having too much fat after a workout slows the adsorption of much-needed sugars and amino acids into the blood. This is why high-fat post-workout drink may not be a good choice. Low-fat dairy is one of the few natural, high-quality protein, low-fat post workout options.

3. Protein content also has branched-chain amino acids

Not all amino acids are created equal. Some cannot be made in the body and are considered “essential.” Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and the BCAA leucine, in particular, are special for a couple of reasons. First of all, the muscle prefers to use BCAA as fuel during a workout; the body will break down your own muscle mass to get them if your supply if insufficient, since all BCAA are essential amino acids. Also, the BCAA leucine, like insulin, tells the muscles to make more structural proteins, so leucine is both a nutrient and a “signal.”

Low-fat milk is a great source of leucine; specifically, milk contains about 0.8g of leucine per 8oz (240mL) cup. Typically, sports nutrition experts recommend about 1.5-2 grams of leucine following a workout; therefore, 2 cups of fat-free milk would put you the ball park by providing 1.6 grams of muscle-building leucine.

4. Contains liquid and electrolytes

Until recently, it was assumed that the best post workout hydration source is an fruity electrolyte drink. However, a recent article published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that low-fat milk promotes hydration after exercise better than either commonly used sports drink or water.

5. Inexpensive and convenient

Last, but certainly not least, you shouldn’t have to go out of your way to give your body what it needs after a hard day and an even harder workout. Low-fat milk, ice cream and yogurts are everywhere! In summary, according to Karen Kafer, RD, National Dairy Council, “[Milk is a] nutrient-rich package…for athletes: protein, carbohydrates, fluid and electrolytes, and vitamins and minerals. The vitamin and mineral package in milk includes calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, niacin and potassium. Together these help with strong bones, convert energy to fuel working muscles and maintain fluid and mineral balance."

Some workout and diet tips

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:57:00 -0700

Below is an email I wrote to a new client. I asked him to describe his workout and diet and I provided him some feedback. You'll find helpful tips in here that you can relate to your own training.

-----------------------------------------------

Okay, we'll start broad and go narrow...

Your Mon - Friday workouts look good. I don't have a shoulder day,

I blend it in with back and chest, but we can talk about that when

we meet. I am curious what your rep range is, and are you able to

go up in poundage or not? If not, it might be because of you're

diet.

Your diet...starting broad and going narrow...

You want to definitely have something in your stomach before

working out. Blending oatmeal and protein powder together is a

great combination that is fast, easy, and effective. If you really

want to round it out, put some green powder mix into it.

After your workouts you NEVER want to go past 45 minutes without

getting a recovery meal into your system. This is where meal

replacement shakes come handy. I recommend N-Large2 by Prolab. It is a great bang-for-your buck and provides for your system the

necessary proteins, carbs, and fats that will start your

post-workout phase to gains. Remember, the workout is just a

trigger, it is everything else you do (the other 23 hours) that

determines your gains (cuts, fat loss, lean muscle mass gain,

etc.)

If you are having difficulties getting in protein to every meal, I

highly recommend Muscle-Milk. I recommend the "naturals" version

to keep away from the artificial flavoring (aka: rat poison) as

much as possible.

For instance, I just cooked up some rice and noticed I am out of

chicken breasts so I decided to have a serving of muscle milk.

Also, if you don't want to cook your 5 meals a day (I don't know

anybody who does), the N-Large2 by Prolab I recommended is an easy

way to get in a quick well balanced meal. Literally it can take

the place of 2 - 3 meals a day, and of course you want to get in

about 5 meals. 5 meals essentially means you are eating

approximately every 3 hours. The body loves this...it

speeds up its metabolism (hello fat burn) and has all the goodies

it needs to pack on lean muscle tissue (hello cuts, hello six-pack).

A tip:

Trader Joes has some excellent frozen rice. It comes in a small box

that has 3 bags in it. You can choose white or brown rice, and the

excellent thing about this rice, is you just poke a hole into the

plastic bag and through it into the microwave for 3-4 minutes and

WALLAH you have perfectly cooked rice in an excellent quantity of

serving. It is so simple and fast; there to to optimize effectiveness and

efficiency. With that bag of rice you can choose any protein item

to have with it BUT YOU MUST HAVE A PROTEIN ITEM WITH IT!

ex.

a can of tuna

a chicken breast (pre-cook it on Sunday if necessary)

a serving of cottage cheese

a serving of muscle milk

...

YOUR MEALS MUST BE BALANCED!! If not, then you might as well cut your workouts in the gym down to 25 minutes. Supply must meet demand... You may be surprised at your gains just by following through on this simple yet all important factor of production.

I hope this helps a bit, and please feel free to ask any more

general and even specific questions.

What Gets You Through

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 06:16:00 -0700

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” –Tommy Lasorda

“Extraordinary accomplishments only happen when your passion produces extraordinary effort. If it doesn’t consume you, be ready to accept mediocre results.”– John Rennie, Duke University Soccer.

“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s heaven for?”–Robert Browning

OK…do you get the picture?? What get’s you through not just good and bad times, but to the next level?? I always find it interesting to listen to how people made it to their goals, not just the step by step process one has to follow, but the little things. Mine ranges from inspirational quotes to crazy superstition!!

I bring this up as I am now in my “off season” and really training hard to be competitive at the next level. It can be tough sometimes as I have spent the last year and a half dieting and competing solid! My body has taken a beating and now needs some serious repair and revamping. I can tell myself this, but somedays I find it hard from one extreme to the other. I mean from getting the motivation to get to the gym and push the wts (this being one extreme) to telling myself that I DON’T need to do an extra session of cardio or that it IS ok to have a cheat meal this week!! I am a creature of habit and can either get to comfortable or can get to driven. I need these quotes to either push me or to slow me down. I need to realize that everything has its timing and will happen at the right time if I keep my goals in check and think about what the next level requires me to get there!

“Sweat plus sacrifice equals success.” –Charles O. Finley, Oakland Athletics Owner

“The ability to prepare to win is as important as the will to win.”–Bobby Knight

I just keep these quotes around me and an image of what my next goal is and that is enough to keep me motivated, gets me through it to the next level. Think about what it is that gets you through to your next level. Whatever your goal is, it is important because it is YOUR goal!! Share and let me know what you do or what you use to keep you motivated!!

xoxo,
A

Motivation

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:43:00 -0700

When your reasons to move forward outweigh your excuses for staying put, you will move forward.

When your thirst for success is more powerful than the desire to stay within your comfort zone, you will succeed.

When the reward is meaningful enough, you will act.

When you connect your deepest purpose with the goals you set, those goals will be achieved.

When you understand that there is a real and accessible pathway to the most magnificent dreams you can dream, you'll get yourself on that path.

When you know without a doubt that every action has a consequence, you'll focus all your actions in a positive and valuable direction.

When you love what you do, you'll do it with grace and ease and excellence.

When you do what you love, you'll provide a steady stream of unique and extraordinary gifts to life.

When you are completely clear about why, you'll be able to figure out how.

When you let go of the need to need, you'll fall into a massive sea of beautiful abundance.

When you are ready, life is here to fully live. Choose it, and now is when.

A Healthier Cure for Your Chocolate Cravings........

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:01:00 -0700

Yes, you are allowed to thank me for this great recipe, chocolate lovers!!!!!!

When I am not in diet season, I definitely enjoy a sweet dessert from time to time.... even better than that, CHOCOLATE!!! I have tried numerous recipes to try to find a healthier alternative but yet still not sacrificing taste for a healthier treat. I love this recipe! It is low in fat and sugar but yet taste very similar to homemade brownies... Try it and see:) What is even better is that all these ingredients are found at Whole Foods!!!!

Allergen-Free Brownies:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup garbanzo and fava bean flour

1/2 cup potato starch

2 tbsp arrowroot

10 tbsp agave nectar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup cold pressed coconut oil, plus more for pans

2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup brewed coffee or hot water

2 cups vegan, gluten free chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spritz or spray muffin tins with a light mist of canola oil cooking spray or line tins with mini-muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first nine ingrediants; set aside. in a large bowl, mix together applesauce, coconut oil and vanilla.

Slowly add flour mixture, stirring to combine.

Stir in coffee or hot water until it formsa batter.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Place 1 tablespoon batter in each muffin cup

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 12- 15 minutes.

Let cool completely before removing from pan. Enjoy:)

Nutrients per brownie:

Calories: 80, Total Fat: 4g, Sat. Fat: 0.5g, Trans. Fat 0g, Carbs:12g, Protein:0, Sugars:7g, Sodium:95mg, Cholesterol: 0mg

Anatomy of the Thighs, and Calves:

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:42:00 -0700

The front portion of the legs consist of 4 powerful quadriceps muscles: the rectos femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis and vastus laterals. The main function of the quadricep muscles is to extend and straighten the legs. The back portion of the legs is known as the hamstrings, or leg biceps. The main function of the hamstrings is to curl the leg back.

Basic Exercises:

There are three basic types of thigh exercises:

Presses: In which the legs are pushed and straightened in a straight line
Extensions: In which the legs are extended in an arc away from the body
Curls: In which the legs are drawn in an arc towards the back. Presses and extensions primarily stress the quadriceps and curls stress the hamstrings.

Complete Thigh Development:

In order to achieve well balanced thighs, you must perform all of the exercises explained above to make sure the legs are hit from all necessary angles. Here are some of the best mass building exercises for the thighs:

Squats
Leg presses
Leg extensions
Leg Curls

I recommend performing at the least 15 sets for the legs since they are the most powerful muscles on the body, and can certainly handle the stress because they are designed to support your body to walk all day. You will find that the legs have a better muscular endurance than your upper body muscle groups, this is why I find it necessary to stress complete development. My personal thigh routine looks like this:

Leg extensions - 4×6-12-20
Lunges walking
Hack Squat - 4×6-12
Leg curls - 4×6-12

Anatomy of the Calves:

The 2 headed muscle of the lower leg is known as the calve. It consists of the soleus muscle and gastrocnemius muscle. The main function of the calve is to flex the foot. Think of it is standing on the tips of your toes.

Basic Exercises:

The basic exercises for the calves are known as:

Raises - In which the foot is flexed onto the tips of the toes.

Raises completely isolate the calves.

Complete Calf Development:

In order to completely develop the calves, you must perform 2 or more raise type exercises, I recommend standing and sitting raises. Some of the best mass builders for the calves are:

Seated calf raises
Standing calf raises w/ hack squat machine

My personal calf routine looks like this:

Seated calf raises - 4×6-12-15
Standing calf raises - 4×6-12

Combine all of that with some intensity principles and you have yourself a killer leg workout.

Thanks,

FROM THE DESK OF THE AZI FILES

The Azi Connection Video Series

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:05:00 -0700

Welcome to THe AZI CONNECTION Video Series section!

I am Manny your Personal Trainer.

I do my own videos.....I edit them and show them all for you.

My style of training varies very often.

One day I may train very heavy with low reps, another, heavy with high reps.

On some days You may see me doing High reps and low weight. That is to shock my muscles and keep them guessing.

And there are times where I just have fun, but don't get me wrong....

when it's time to work...I work!

So feel free to engage the videos, and if you have any questions...feel free to contact me.