Basic Nutrition Facts

Protein:

Although one of the three macronutrients, few topics in nutrition generate more interest and controversy than protein. There are detractors and advocates for low protein, animal protein, and plant based proteins. Somehow, the experts (or so-called “self-appointed” experts) never seem to tire of talking about protein. When it comes to fitness, athletic performance, weight management, overall health-enhancement, disease reduction, and optimizing longevity there are so many differing opinions that it’s no wonder the public (and most health professionals) are confused.

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Protein is involved in almost every structural and functional component of the body. The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 gm / kg for sedentary adults with research indicating that between 1.2–1.7 gm (150-213% of recommended dietary allowance) is more appropriate for athletes.

Additionally, several other variables affect the amount of protein needed:

The type of exercise (interestingly, endurance athletes may actually need more than strength athletes due to a greater breakdown of the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), a greater need for substrates involved in gluconeogenesis, an increased need for enzymes to perform glycogenolysis and glycogenesis, and an increased need for alanine for conversion to glucose)

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• The availability of carbohydrates: Adequate carbohydrate availability spares protein from being used for energy and likely improves utilization via the carbs triggering insulin release.

• The training state: Endurance training increases the requirement for protein to make more myoglobin (an oxygen carrier in muscle), aerobic enzymes in mitochondria, and red blood cell formation.

• For strength training, there is a need for increased protein for muscle fiber (hypertrophy).

• Gender: Women excrete less nitrogen after endurance exercise and oxidize less leucine than men; this in turn may lead to a 10-20% reduced protein need in the exercising female than an exercising male.

• Energy balance: If an athlete is consuming a good diet with adequate energy intake to maintain their weight, then they are likely getting sufficient protein. However, if their sport or personal preference dictates that they lean-out while maintaining or adding muscle, they are likely to be restricting total calories (energy intake). In such cases, they will likely need to emphasize increased protein intake.

• Age: Kids and adolescents have higher protein requirements than adults due to the additional protein required for growth. Studies regarding recommendations are lacking, however, aging, on the other hand, is associated with loss of skeletal muscle (sarcopenia) and studies suggest that the 0.8 gm / kg / day may not be sufficient to prevent this. A combination of increased protein and resistance training has been shown to halt and reverse this process.

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Quality protein is vital to health and healing. Consume adequate amounts of good quality protein for your size and activity level every day. considered 50% of the dietary protein consumed each day goes into making enzymes. They are also used to make Neurotransmitters, DNA, and RNA.

In addition to providing essential building blocks for your body to use in repairing damaged tissues and building new tissues, protein serves many other functions. One of the most critical functions it serves, in relation to overall metabolic functional efficiency and homeostasis, has to do with its beneficial or balancing effects on blood sugar levels and insulin release. To maximize the overall beneficial effects of protein on metabolism, it is best to consume some multiple times throughout the day. Since the number of meals that a person consumes in a given day will vary from person to person, and based upon the number of meals typically consumed.

Vitamins:

Vitamins are simply organic (carbon-containing) substances that are essential to the normal health of an organism that the body cannot make (either at all or in sufficient quantities) therefore that they must be consumed regularly. Failure to ingest, absorb, or assimilate sufficient amounts of vitamins is associated with a specific malfunction in one or more metabolic pathways leading to the development of one or more symptoms and or disease states. The vitamin may ultimately be transformed prior to its use in metabolism, or it may occur in several different forms, the primary criteria however, is that the body is not able to make sufficient amounts of the substance without ingesting it.

The main categorization system for vitamins has to do with whether they are fat or water soluble. The fat soluble vitamins are found in the fats or oils of foods and require bile for absorption. Once absorbed, they are stored in the liver and fatty tissues until the body needs them. Since the fat-soluble vitamins are able to be stored in reasonable amounts, they do not necessarily have to be eaten every day. On the other hand, if you take in too much of them either acutely or over an extended period of time, toxicity could result. The most cited examples are of early arctic explorers who shot and ate polar bears (including their livers) and died as a result of acute vitamin A toxicity. 

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Minerals:

Major essensial Minerals that considered as essential nutritions listed by following : 

• Calcium : 99% is in the bones and teeth many forms w/ huge range of bioavail. Citrate malate, gluconate, citrate, fulvate, chelates, ascorbs pref

• Chloride 

• Magnesium : Highest concerns in most metab act tiss (brain, Ht, liver, kidney)

• Phosphorus : Approx 88% is in bones

• Potassium

• Sodium

• Sulfate / Sulfur

• Chromium

• Fluoride

• Germanium

• Iron

• Zinc

• Silicon

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Enzymes:

Life Would Not Be Possible Without Enzymes and that they are miraculous substances, The simple definition of enzymes is that they are proteins that catalyze (speed up) chemical reactions. Virtually all biological processes require enzymes to happen fast enough to be useful. What good is a chemical reaction that takes 1,000 years to occur when the finished product is needed now? Although many chemical reactions can occur with time and the right conditions (high heat for example) very few would take place at 98.2 degrees F (the actual temperature of the human body, 98.6 has been erroneously promoted as normal for over a hundred years due to a conversion error) without enzymes to catalyze them. For most enzymes, the reactions they catalyze are sped up millions of times. Over 4,000 enzymatically catalyzed chemical reactions have been cataloged to occur in the human body.

Enzymes are complex protein structures composed of thousands (if not tens or hundreds of thousands of amino acids) combined with co-factors /co-enzymes. Earlier we imagined amino acids to be the basic building blocks of proteins and proteins to form the vast majority of the structural components of the cells (and hence the entire organism). The proteins are also the workers in our imaginary factory, so think of enzymes as the scaffolding and machinery the workers use to carry out the work of manufacturing whatever it is they are producing. They range from simple table saws to complex robotic welding machines.

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Enzymes are strongly influenced by temperature, moisture, and pH. In most cases, they are totally dependent on the proper co-enzyme being available. The role food enzymes play in digestion is vital role in the normal, optimum digestive process. There are 3 Main Categories of Enzymes When it Comes to Health and Nutrition :

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1. Metabolic Enzymes: These consist of over 4,000 different enzymes that have been cataloged so far. These are involved in carrying out virtually all of the chemical reactions that take place in our bodies. Metabolic enzymes literally run our bodies. They are everywhere and every body function depends on them.

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2. Digestive Enzymes: These are really a type of metabolic enzyme. Unlike most metabolic enzymes, however, rather than working at the cellular and sub-cellular levels, these work at the organ level. Digestive enzymes are made in fairly large amounts primarily by the pancreas (although the salivary glands, stomach, and small intestine also make significant amounts). These enzymes are secreted in response to the ingestion of food and their role is to assist in the

digestion of the food. Notice “assist” rather than simply “digest.” Digestive enzymes are not designed to do the entire job of digesting a complex meal although they can handle doing so, at least for a while.

3. Food Enzymes: These are metabolic enzymes that belong to the organism you are eating. All animals and plants (fruits, vegetables, algae, etc.) also contain metabolic enzymes. If they didn’t, they simply couldn’t exist. Once those substances are caught and killed or harvested for food, those metabolic enzymes are still there. If those foods are consumed (with minimal heating or processing) the organism’s metabolic enzymes become our food enzymes. Although their original role was to serve the organism they were a part of, now their role is to help us digest that organism. That’s why I said that our digestive enzymes were never intended to do the entire digestive job. You see, we as a species, and every organism that has ever existed on this planet, evolved eating enzyme rich foods (prey, plants, or microbes). So, our bodies have evolved under conditions where all foods contained additional enzymes that aided our digestion of those foods.

Enzymes, as even the most cursory research will teach you, are heat and condition sensitive. Anything over about 120 degrees F for over approximately 15 minutes will destroy them. If we destroy the enzymes that naturally occur in our foods, it makes our bodies work significantly harder to digest those foods. Even with our advanced knowledge, we can destroy these necessary parts of our diets.

Today, many of our health problems are a result of the way we prepare foods. We cook or process virtually everything to the point that they are devoid of enzymes. By forcing our bodies to work about two times harder to digest every meal, we over-burden our bodies’ enzyme producing abilities. Every food in nature is raw and unprocessed. Every raw, unprocessed food contains food enzymes.

• We and every organism on the planet evolved eating raw foods. Cooking and processing are relatively recent practices from an evolutionary perspective.

• Food enzymes assist the body in digesting the food consumed when they are present. Studies have shown this effect to be quite significant accounting for between 60-80% of the digestive work for carbohydrates, 30-50% for proteins, and 10-30% for fats.

• The digestion of food requires a great deal of energy. Some estimates indicate that up to 80% of the body’s basal energy is expended in the process of digestion. Up to 50% of ingested proteins are used to make metabolic enzymes. Digestive enzymes account for a major portion of this.

• Overall, the body has to work about twice as hard to digest a food that is devoid of food enzymes as it does to digest a food that contains them.

• Eating cooked and processed foods (or failing to replace the food enzymes) is one of the biggest dietary blunders of all time.

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Essential Fatty Acids:
As mentioned, these were originally designated as vitamins (vitaminF) but were later grouped under fats in a newly created category (EFAs).

In spite of ample sources of fat in most diets, EFA deficiencies and imbalances are extremely common and widespread. Perhaps the main cause involves the high percentage of cooked and overly-processed and/ or refined foods and oils we tend to consume. Some consider high rate of depression to be one of the major results of these deficiencies and imbalances. Of course, it likely also plays a significant role in inflammatory problems, heart and vascular problems, neurological problems, and more.

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One of the most important concepts in regard to fats will become clearer when you review how they are digested and absorbed. They take a different route than proteins and carbohydrates by being absorbed into the lymphatic system and dumped directly into the blood stream, rather than first going to the liver (with the exceptions of short and medium chain fatty acids). What this means is that fats (at least the LCFAs that make up 98+% of most diets) are not completely broken down and rebuilt by the liver as is the case with proteins and carbohydrates (they are broken down into amino acids and monosaccharides respectively). Most fats are absorbed virtually intact. Therefore, the fats a person eats, are the fats that become incorporated into their body’s cells. If they consume lots of“bad fats”(hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, rancid, and/ or trans fats), those are what the body will be forced to use. Even if they eat some “good fats” the bad fats will essentially overpower their potential to do good work as there will be a natural competition based on the volume of each. In most diets, the bad fats dramatically outweigh the good ones.

What makes EFAs (essential fatty acids) essential is that the human body cannot synthesize them, thus they must be consumed through the diet. There are two major families of EFAs: omega 3s and omega 6s. Omega 9s are also necessary but not considered essential because the body is able to manufacture a limited supply of them provided the other EFAs are available. The number (3, 6, or 9) refers to the position of the first double bond, counting from the terminal methyl group on the molecule. Omega 3 fatty acids are derived from Linolenic Acid, Omega 6s from Linoleic Acid, and Omega 9s from Oleic Acid.

EFAs have many diverse functions. They play roles in the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. The cells need EFAs to manufacture and repair cell membranes which is crucial for cells to obtain optimum nutrition and excrete waste products.

A primary function of EFAs involves the production of prostaglandins which regulate such functions as heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, conception, as well as playing a huge role in immune function by regulating inflammation and encouraging the body to fight infection. EFAs are also essential for proper growth in children, especially neural development and the maturation of the sensory system. The fetus (and baby) also requires an adequate supply of EFAs which relies on the Mother’s dietary intake (which is too often less than optimal).

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To summarize, vitamins and minerals play a huge role in energy balance although they do not provide any energy themselves. When you understand metabolic reactions and nutrient bio-availability, together with the body’s very limited ability to store most nutrients.

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ADDITIONAL Important Concepts:

Homeostasis, Metabolic Balance and Health

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Cortisol, Blood Sugar, Insulin and Glucagon Connection:

A person’s health is dependent upon proper metabolic balance or homeostasis more than any other factor. Many varied stressors have the capacity to upset the proper balance required for health and dietary stressors are the most common source of upset for most people. Dietary stressors may cause upset homeostasis/metabolic balance through numerous mechanisms but the most fundamental mechanism, based upon present understanding, involves blood sugar and its regulation. The following explanation will help in understanding this important process.

Blood sugar is affected and/or regulated via several key mechanisms. When we eat foods and drink beverages which may contain any of dozens of different, diverse substances, our blood sugar is typically affected based upon our body’s reaction to one or more of those substances. Each of us is biochemically unique, thus a given substance may affect one person’s blood sugar quite differently than another’s. Therefore, there are no “absolute / in stone rules” on this. There are, however, several “almost absolutes.” We will go into more detail regarding the “almost absolutes” shortly but first more on the regulatory system.

Our bodies need a strong and steady supply of nutrients to the cells for proper energy production and regulation of the thousands of vital metabolic processes. Most cells are able to utilize carbohydrates and/or fat for energy production although certain types of cells prefer one or the other. Some cells have the ability to breakdown protein to make blood sugar in times of need. But in general, the body definitely prefers either carbohydrates in the form of glucose (which may come from glycogen a form of stored glucose) or fats for its normal energy needs. They are by far the easiest fuels to utilize. In fact, research indicates that using protein for energy very likely is done only when absolutely necessary, as it incurs an actual net loss of energy due to the complexity of the conversions required.

In general, the body tries to maintain blood sugar levels within fairly tight limits. When blood sugar is too low, the cells that prefer it for energy (like red blood cells and brain cells), do not work as well. When blood sugar is too high, several detrimental effects take place. There is a shift of fluid and various minerals from inside the cells to outside the cells leading to significant disruption of cellular functions. Another result is the formation of AGE’s (Advanced Glycosylation End-products) that damage a wide array of cells and tissues.

The two main hormones that the body uses to keep blood sugar tightly regulated are Insulin and Glucagon. When blood sugar goes up, the pancreas secretes insulin, the insulin signals the cells to take sugar inside, thereby reducing the amount in the blood stream. When blood sugar gets too low the pancreas releases a different hormone called glucagon that mobilizes the body’s stores of glucose (glycogen) thereby increasing blood sugar levels.

Another key hormone that also serves to increase blood sugar is cortisol. This effect is part of the vital “fight or flight /stress response” that is essential to our survival. Whenever we are faced with a significant “threat” to our survival, our sympathetic nervous system (part of our autonomic or “automatic” nervous system that regulates many key bodily processes) becomes activated leading to activation of the “fight or flight” stress response. The idea is that, if our life is “threatened,” and we are forced to flight or flee for our lives, our best chance for survival demands an up-regulation of various bodily processes, Included in this response are :

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• Increased blood sugar to provide energy to fight or flee

• Shift of blood flow from any non-essential processes such as digestion to the muscles

• Increased vigilance / alertness

• Increased visual acuity

• Increased focused attention, among other things that will enhance

  our survival chances

   

All of this is great if the “threat” is in fact real and actually requires us to fight or flee. Obviously, in earlier eras, such threats to survival were much more common than they are today. Today, the vast majority of threats or stressors do not require us to fight or flee. In these cases, many of the physiological changes that prepared us to fight or flee have a detrimental effect. Increased blood sugar levels, along with the subsequent struggle by the body to rebalance itself, becomes a major source of metabolic disruption.

Once this key component of metabolic balance or homeostasis is upset it leads to a “domino effect” in terms of altering other key factors necessary foroptimumhealthandfunction. Under“normal”or“optimum”dietary conditions, blood sugar levels seldom if ever rise to a level sufficient to trigger any more than a slight pulsatile insulin release. The current dietary practices of most people, however, lead to numerous significant blood sugar spikes each day. This in turn, leads to multiple large releases of insulin and numerous negative effects associated with this.

Insulin has many additional functional effects in the body beyond simply signaling cells to let glucose enter. Some even consider insulin to be “the master hormone in human metabolism.” It also plays a role in:

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• Blood pressure regulation

• Cholesterol and triglyceride production

• Fat storage

• Enzyme activity

• Regulation of inflammation

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Elevated insulin leads to metabolic havoc leading to elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance, obesity, and ultimately diabetes due to reduced insulin sensitivity. All of these and more result from poor lifestyle and dietary choices that contribute to chronically elevated insulin levels.

A properly balanced diet and exercise program is the only effective means of gaining proper regulatory control over insulin, period. Low fat, high-complex carbohydrate diets, beta-blockers, and some diuretic medications (the very things typically used to treat blood pressure and heart problems) actually make matters worse by causing the body to produce even more insulin.

Here’s a not so uncommon scenario:

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• A person gains weight (a full 68% of Americans are either overweight or obese), this often leads to elevated blood pressure. When they go to their doctor for a routine visit, their pressure is found to be elevated and they are prescribed a mild diuretic and a low salt diet (rather than more appropriate nutrition and exercise counseling).

• The person returns with a moderate improvement in blood pressure but now there’s a slight elevation in cholesterol (not unusual since the diuretic reduced blood volume, thereby increasing the concentration of all solutes to a degree).

• They are then either put on a low-fat diet and/ or prescribed cholesterol lowering medications (a statin). After a month or more, the person returns no lighter, with little to moderate change in cholesterol, but now also has elevated triglycerides and/ or blood sugar as well. As you can imagine, things continue to get worse and more medications are tried (when all the person needed was the proper nutrition and exercise program).

• The progression and downward spiral in health occur because all of these disorders are related through a single disturbance (blood sugar spikes and excess insulin release) which is actually being aggravated by the treatments.

Sadly, such a scenario is much more the rule than the exception to the rule. These disorders occur so commonly in our society that we’ve become numb to the staggering toll they take:

• Heart disease,

• High blood pressure 

• Diabetes

   

These kill twice as many people every year as were killed in both World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam combined. How do we know that these disorders are actually caused by diet and not by some other factor or combination of factors? Just as with most aspects of medicine, some degree of uncertainly persists, at least among “medical experts.” For those of us who are willing to look objectively at the data (including historical, current epidemiological, and direct experimental) and apply common sense, there’s really very little doubt about the underlying cause; “poor lifestyle choices and inappropriate treatment approaches.”

The bottom line is this: Metabolism is extremely complex, there are thousands of biochemical reactions that must take place at precise times and there are many interdependent factors that affect the efficiency of these reactions.

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NUTRITIONAL Supplements:

Food, and the nutrients it provides, are essential to life, period. If the food does not provide everything we need for life, health, or optimum functioning, do you think one should supplement that food? It’s obviously a rhetorical question, of course we should. The real issues are much more involved, they involve what to supplement, who to believe, how much to supplement and more. Let’s take a look at some of these issues and see if we can make some sense of it.

When you think about it, virtually everyone living in modern society and eating any amount of fortified foods is already supplementing to some degree. Flour is fortified, bread is fortified, milk is fortified, even salt is fortified. Of course, one of the reasons many of these foods are fortified is because the farming and processing techniques used strips them of many of their naturally-occurring nutrients. But they are still fortified and/or supplemented just the same. Regardless of the reason, it is generally quite well accepted that a certain amount of supplementation and/or fortification makes sense.

Supplements

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1. Protein: If you aren’t getting enough quality protein in your regular diet, take a protein supplement. See the above guidelines regarding the amount and modify it based upon your activity level and goals.

2. Fiber: Add enough so that your bowels are functioning properly (ideally you should have one bowel movement per day for each meal regularly consumed per day).

3. Essential Fatty Acids: Cooking and processing severely damages EFAs (most people need to get some high quality sources of EFAs from supplemental sources.

4. Food Enzymes: Since most people eat the vast majority of their foods cooked, it can make a world of difference to them if they would take some food enzymes along with each meal of cooked and processed foods.

5. A quality multivitamin and mineral supplement: Since foods are primarily grown on nutrient depleted soils (and the animals who are fed on these are likewise deficient) consuming those foods and relying on them to provide the nutrients expected often proves futile. Only about 10% of the MVMs (multivitamin and mineral supplements) on the market are of high quality so do your homework. We plan to provide a list of recommended products down the road.

6. Additional Vitamin C, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium, Iodine, Vitamin D3, and K2: These tend to be needed in higher amounts that are included in even the best MVMs for several reasons. It is often not cost-effective to put higher amounts of these substances into products for mass market consumption when most consumers have no idea how much they really need.

7. Beneficial Micro-Organisms / Healthy Bacteria: Just in case I neglected to say this elsewhere, there are an estimated 10 times the number of bacterial cells living in the average person’s large intestine than there are human cells making up their entire bodies! Over 400 species of beneficial bacteria have been identified. They perform many positive health functions for our bodies and they are transient.This means that they need to be replenished regularly. Part of their role involves which of our genes are turned on or are silent. One of the main roles of fiber is to provide fuel / nutrition to these microbes.

8. Additional Anti-oxidants: Vitamins A, C, E; Minerals: Mg, Se, Zn; Phytonutrients, etc.

9. Adaptogens: These are substances that have non-specific, multiple beneficial effects on multiple body organs and systems. They, by definition, boost one’s response to handling stress, trauma, fatigue, etc., generally by enhancing the organism’s ability to maintain or regain homeostasis.

These are primarily herbs that have been categorized as adaptogens based upon hundreds, or in most cases, thousands, of years of use. Some of the better known and studied include:

• Ginseng
• Maca
• Rhodiola
• Shwagandha

• Cordyceps • Reishi
• Noni

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Superfoods: 

There are many different foods that have been categorized as superfoods over the years and a simple search will identify quite of few of them. There are actually two different categories of these. One refers to actual whole foods while the other refers to various foods / food-based substances that have especially high amounts of one or more beneficial substances. Perhaps a better way to categorize them is as “commonly available and/or everyday Superfoods” vs. “more concentrated and rarer superfoods.” Examples of more common Superfood foods include:

• Blueberries

• Broccoli

• Beans

• Oats

• Oranges

• Pumpkin

• Red Wine

• Salmon

• Soy

• Spinach

• Tea

• Tomatoes

• Walnuts

• Yogurt

• Flax

• Garlic, Onions

• Mushrooms (Reishi, Shitaki)

• Certain seed/ nuts

• Hot Peppers

• Dark Chocolate • Apples

• Olive Oil

• Goji Berries

• Grapes

• Pomegranate

• Jujube Fruit

• Sea Buckthorn

• Raspberries/ Blackberries

• Coconut

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The list of potential benefits can be huge, while the list of potential risks is fairly small. The biggest risks, in my opinion, are: possibly wasting your money on a poor quality product or one that is misguided or poorly designed; expecting a benefit yet not getting one thereby instilling a false sense of security which might lead to a certain degree of complacency.

The bottom line, do your own homework or consult someone whose opinion you value and trust. I’d rather waste a little money than miss out on the potential benefits awaiting the “scientific consensus.” Scientific consensus is extremely rare and even slower than molasses, plus, it provides no guarantee of ultimate correctness. History is full of erroneous “scientific consensuses” that were later completely disproven.

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Food Allergies and Sensitivities:

Be aware of potential food allergies and sensitivities, Most people are aware of the concept of food allergies and may know someone with them. In the case of classical, immediate on-set food allergies, the response can be quite severe if not deadly. Such people must be very careful to avoid the offending foods at all costs. Failure to do so could lead to an anaphylactic reaction that may include constriction of their airways and a dramatic fall in blood pressure leading to death if not treated aggressively. Another type of sensitivity or reaction to food that is much more common, and thankfully much less severe, is referred to as a “food sensitivity.” Food sensitivities create reactions by slower, much subtler pathways, yet still have a very significant negative impact on a person’s health over time.

It is possible and fairly common for people to develop “sensitivities or intolerances” to many otherwise healthy foods. If you overuse, crave, or feel significantly better or worse after consuming a certain food, you have likely developed “a sensitivity” to it. Although “food sensitivities” are not allergies in the classically defined sense, they can wreak havoc with your entire metabolism, and they most certainly do upset homeostasis and compromise health. Major culprits include:

• Gluten grains (especially wheat)

• Processed grains in general

• Breads

• Pasta

• Citrus

• Nutrition Coach Foundations 3rd Ed. © 2014

• Dairy

• Chocolate

• Coffee

• Certain alcohols

Excitotoxins:

Excitotoxins are chemicals that are added to various foods to enhance flavor. A great deal of research over the past 10+ years indicates that these substances enhance flavor by stimulating neurons (nerve cells). Unfortunately, this research also indicates that the stimulation is so strong that these excitotoxins literally stimulate the neurons to death. The most notable and common excitotoxins are monosodium glutamate and artificial sweeteners.

One of the biggest problems with excitotoxins is that they are not labeled as such and tend to be hidden under a variety of different names, the following is a partial list. Anything with aspartame; L-Cysteine; MSG / monosodium glutamate. The following food additives always contain MSG yet it will not be listed; hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, plant protein extracts, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured protein, autolyzed yeast, and hydrolyzed oat flour. The following additives frequently contain MSG: malt extract, malt flavoring bouillon, broth, stock, flavoring, natural flavoring, natural beef or chicken flavoring, seasoning, and spices. The following additives may contain MSG or excitotoxins: carrageenan, enzymes, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate and whey protein concentrate.

The bottom line is that it is best to avoid these foods whenever possible. If you have a neurological disease of any kind, you should be very strict about avoiding all potential sources of excitotoxins.

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Alcohol:

Everyone knows that alcohol has a dark side, it can be addictive, it can damage the liver, and it can kill you and others when people drive under the influence of it. Most have also heard that alcohol has some beneficial effects. Every large scale study reported to date indicates that moderate alcohol consumption is healthier than total abstinence. Why? No one knows for sure. Rather than go into any lengthy speculation, let’s simply acknowledge that alcohol in moderation appears to be fine and potentially beneficial from an optimum health and longevity perspective. Now, from a weight loss and optimum physical performance perspective, that’s an entirely different matter. It is best to completely avoid alcohol while actively trying to lose weight. If, however, a person has a great deal of weight to lose and or there is a special occasion, etc., it may be quite reasonable to have brief “cheat” sessions where a moderate amount of alcohol can be consumed.

Coffee and Tea:

Coffee and tea, as with alcohol, are a part of many cultures. There are some potentially harmful things associated with both of them including addiction, and there are some potentially beneficial things associated with them. For our purposes here, let’s simply say that coffee and tea are permissible in moderation (up to two cups of coffee per day and 4 cups of tea as an arbitrary limit).

If, on the other hand, you are attempting to use them for the potential increased fatty acid mobilization effects associated with caffeine, then you may need to restrict their intake a bit more. Apparently, their ability to mobilize fats, thereby increasing their breakdown during exercise, is blunted when caffeine is consumed too frequently.

Meat and Animal Products:

This is another controversial area with those who are adamant on both sides. Many people espouse vegetarianism for nutritional / health reasons, some for ethical reasons and some for environmental reasons. Those who are promeat, tend to be so for two or three primary reasons: taste and believed health benefits. There are many points that I feel have merit on both sides. However, in the final analysis, I believe that the decision regarding eating meat is a personal one that each person must make for themselves.

From a nutritional / health perspective, a person does not have to eat meat in order to be healthy, however a meat eating person can also be healthy. The same can be said for vegetarians.

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Diet / Food Choices and Eating Principles / Guidelines:

There are 3 primary macronutrients in foods: Proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

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Proteins:

Proteins contain amino acids that are the basic building blocks of your body’s cells as well as many of the vital biochemicals used by and made by your cells. Proteins are composed of the elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, and/or sulfur. The best sources are generally considered to be beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes like black beans and lentils. Protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body. Your muscles, your organs, and your immune system are made up mostly of protein. While proteins are also used to make lots of specialized molecules such as hemoglobin, it can also be used as fuel.