The Supplement Experiment

A few weeks ago, I accepted a challenge from a coworker to try a dietary experiment: live off of supplements for an entire workweek.

The Deal:

Only nutritional supplements were to be consumed from Monday through Friday for one week.

Nutritional supplements could include beverages (such as Boost, Ensure, or Carnation Breakfast) or solids (such as protein bars) but could not incorporate non-supplement foods.

Overall diet must be adequate in calories and nutrients, with a goal of weight maintenance.

Sunday afternoon, I went grocery shopping… it was so sad. I purchased real food for my husband to eat and Ensure, Boost, and Glucerna bars for myself to eat for the week. I had calculated my estimated needs based on weight and activity level that I would need a baseline of 1500-1700 Calories and 46-60g of protein (more calories if I was more active). This worked out to 6-7 nutritional supplements per day (for example, 6 bottles of Ensure/Boost; or 5 bottles of Ensure plus 1 bottle of Boost fruit juice plus one Glucerna bar). On Sunday evening, I made my “last supper” of Cajun salmon, basmati rice, and broccoli with a few pieces of mint chocolate for dessert. I savored every last bite.

The Experience:

Packing my lunch on Monday morning before work was easy. I tossed a vanilla Ensure and a chocolate Boost into my lunch bag, then added a Glucerna lemon crisp bar in for an afternoon snack. I downed a Carnation Instant Breakfast as I headed out the door, shuddered a little at the chalky flavour and realized I was in for a very long week.

I was pretty hungry by the time lunch rolled around, but eating at the lunchroom table with my coworkers and their real food was probably the easiest on Monday; it got tougher with each passing day of no real food. One thing I was surprised to find was that I actually did experience satiety after meals when I had 2 liquid supplements to drink (400-500 Calories). I always had two different flavours per meal to try and avoid taste fatigue. I always needed an afternoon snack by 3pm, but was fine for the evening after supper. There were definitely better flavours than others; if I never taste another vanilla or strawberry Ensure again I won’t be losing any sleep over it. On the other hand, the high protein chocolate Ensure was actually really nice and creamy and the fruit flavoured Boost beverages were okay served chilled over ice.

Supper was the toughest meal of the day from the start. Breakfast was easy, and lunch was tolerable, but every evening following a day of super-sweet supplements all I wanted was to eat some savory foods and have something to chew that wasn’t in bar form.

Monday and Tuesday weren’t so bad, really. I actually was feeling pretty good to be honest. I still had lots of energy, and had absolutely no desire to over eat. Wednesday was when I started to crack. It wasn’t so much the energy levels, because I was getting sufficient calories and nutrients and spreading them out throughout the day with calculated precision. But mentally, I was really missing food. And my gut started really hating me (probably due to the ridiculous amount of sugar I was taking in combined with a lack of bulk). I took fiber supplements but this really didn’t do much to improve the situation. By Thursday at lunch, I even had a toothache. That was it. Psychologically, I was finished, and so admitted defeat Thursday evening.  As soon as I got home, I sliced up and ate a tomato with nothing else. It was the best little tomato I’ve ever had. After making sure that my stomach would tolerate real food again, I ate some crackers and cheese. Supper was chicken, veggies, and rice. It seems simple, but damn real food is delicious.

The Lesson:

Okay, so I didn’t make it through Friday as planned. But I did make it through 3.75 days. My weight stayed totally stable and my energy levels were good. I guess in that sense, a calorie is a calorie when we’re looking at weight and surprisingly also in terms of energy (at least in the short term). But I was totally fiber deficient and can now really truly empathize with my inpatients that are sick and tired of drinking supplements to gain weight. If nothing else, this experiment tells me that yes it is possible to feel full and maintain weight on supplements alone (or if manipulated appropriately, gain or lose weight). But it gives me a new appreciation for many of my patients who complain that drinking these things is way too sweet, and I’ll definitely be adjusting my practice habits to better reflect their preferences from this point forward. It also reaffirms my belief that just because I am young and healthy now doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t renew my decision every day to eat well and stay fit. Doing these things now will help me to prevent chronic disease down the road… so if that means that I’m less likely to be bedridden with illness in the hospital and drinking supplements to improve my nutritional status when I’m older then it is worth every healthy choice that I make at this stage of life!

10 Ways to Protect Your Heart

Your brain may be able to contemplate how the heart works BUT the heart is the essence of life. This muscle, approximately the size of your fist is powerful enough that while reading this blog it will push 1.5 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels- that is more than twice the circumference of Earth! Yet, despite its ability to keep you alive most people DO NOT do enough to protect it.

Now, when I think heart disease the image of an old man comes to mind. WRONG. Heart disease is the number one killer of women. EEP! It can and DOES affect young people. Bad cardiovascular fitness is the greatest predictor of early mortality. In other words:

Bad Aerobic Fitness = Early Death

 

By modifying a few lifestyle factors you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. No one wants a broken heart. 

1. Exercise

We all know that exercise helps strengthen our heart and protects it from disease, what you may not know is that your heart is really only as good as your last workout. That’s right folks, you cannot run a marathon in your twenties and do nothing for a year and it be enough. Exercise is very much like gas for your car. Your car cannot function without gas… your body cannot maintain function without regular doses of exercise.

Your exercise prescription: AT LEAST 150 minutes of moderate AEROBIC activity EVERY week for heart health. 

2. Salt

Hold the salt! 80% of the salt in our diets comes from processed, packaged, and convenience food. When reading labels you should look for low in sodium = 5% Daily Value or less.

When you ingest salt, the body releases more water into the blood to maintain homeostasis. The increased blood volume stresses your heart.

3. Fats

Incorporate long chain omega 3 fatty acids, by eating fatty fish such as salmon and whitefish once or twice weekly. Don’t like fish? Try supplementing with Omega 3 fatty acids or savi seeds (I eat mine covered in dark chocolate).

Substitute solid fats with oil help lower bad cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke. An example would be to cook with oil instead of butter.

4. Wine

If I have too! Drinking ONE glass of wine daily has been linked to improved heart health. I repeat one STANDARD wine glass (4-6oz.). Beware of sizing. 

5. Sleep

Sleep is essential to every aspect of our health. Although it has been suggested to try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, your sleep schedule is very individual. To read more on sleep, click here.

6. De-stress

Lululemon has it written on many of their products that 99% of illness is related to stress. You may be surprised to know how VERY true that is. It is very important to discover some de-stressing techniques that work for you. Recognize when stress is building up and allow yourself to take a break. It is interesting to note a recent study linking having sex at least twice a week has a protective effect on the heart. 

7.   Don’t smoke or use tobacco

Smoking actually causes more heart disease then it does lung cancer!

Smoking actually triples the risk of dying from heart disease. Tobacco smoke contains high levels of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide affects the heart by reducing the amount of oxygen the blood is able to carry. In addition, nicotine causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this causes catastrophic "wear and tear" on the cardiovascular system. People who smoke or use tobacco are more likely to have heart attacks, high blood pressure, blood clots, strokes, hemorrhages, aneurysms, and other disorders of the cardiovascular system.

8. Check your numbers

One of the best ways to take control of your health is to be aware of your current blood pressure, cholesterol levels and if possible your fitness level. To monitor your blood pressure you can write it down when it is checked at the doctor, use a blood pressure machine at your local drug store, or purchase an at home machine (approximately $100). Consult the chart below for blood pressure numbers:

160 - 100 and anything above- High Blood Pressure

140 - 90 – Borderline High Blood pressure

120 - 80 - NORMAL Blood Pressure

110 - 75 - Low Normal

If you notice your blood pressure creeping into the borderline high blood pressure category make sure you are modifying the risks on this blog. Check your blood pressure regularly. If you blood pressure is in the high blood pressure category go see a physician as soon as possible. This may require the modification of the risks on this blog as well as medication.

Cholesterol should also be checked regularly. Cholesterol levels can change dramatically, in one annual checkup you can have normal cholesterol and your next checkup can show dangerous levels.

9. Take care of your teeth

The link between oral health and heart disease is still being examined. There are theories that bacteria on the teeth and gums can get into the blood stream and go to different parts of the body, even build up on arteries adding to plaque buildup. Floss and brush, rinse, and regular visits to the dentist can keep your mouth clean and help protect you from heart disease.

10. If you are experiencing symptoms- get checked!

Coronary artery disease, heart attack -- each type of heart disease has different symptoms, although many heart problems have similar warning signs.

·         chest pain (may also be felt in the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw or back)

·         Shortness of breath

·         Palpitations (irregular heart beats, skipped beats, or a "flip-flop" feeling in your chest)

·         A faster heartbeat

·         Weakness or dizziness

·         Nausea

·         Sweating

Happy Valentines Day!!! 

Dear Sleeping Beauty: What are your secrets?

People in North America are getting less and less sleep (moving less and not eating well…we really aren’t doing so well). The recommended amount of sleep is between 7-8 hours for adults (more for children, adolescents and pregnant women). It is also important to sleep at the right time for you- which is when your core body temperature is at its lowest and melatonin at its highest concentration. Essentially if you had no reason to stay awake or get up in the morning when would you be sleeping?
Sleep is when the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems happens. Essentially it is charging your battery and it is extremely important, not convinced? Lack of sleep causes irritability, cognitive impairment, memory lapses or loss, impaired moral judgment, severe yawning, hallucinations, symptoms similar to add, impaired immune system, risk of type 2 diabetes, increased heart rate variability, risk of heart disease, decreased reaction time, tremors, aches, growth suppression, risk of obesity and decreased body temperature.

Do not drink water before bed!
Drinking right before bed can lead to disturbance in sleep by running to the bathroom during the night. Also- this could cause stubbed toes or awkwardly bumping into someone. Try to stop drinking fluids before 8 pm in order to help minimize waking for bathroom needs.

Keep the Java (and caffeinated teas) for the AM
Caffeine is a stimulant that is produced to keep us alert and function (and is a beautiful, beautiful thing). Keep your caffeine intake to the morning, and switch to decaffeinated coffee in the afternoon, or avoid caffeinated beverages all together.

Create your “schedule”
Getting yourself on the right schedule for you will allow your body to keep your body’s natural sleep cycle (circadian rhythm) on track. Try to get into the habit of setting an early time for you to go to bed, and a time for you to wake up. Your body will get used to the routine, and if you have gotten the right amount of uninterrupted sleep, you may be able to wake up without the aid of an alarm. If you are finding that you are unable to get up without the use of an alarm, or you find yourself hitting the snooze more than once, then it might be time to rethink the time you go to bed.  Set an earlier time for bed, which will allow your body enough time to sleep and recover.

Get your body moving (I like this one)
We all know the importance of exercise on the body such as decreased fat mass, increase muscle mass and energy etc.  Aerobic exercise can also lead to better quality of sleep. Exercise can alleviate stress, and leave your body relaxed. Some people (such as myself) cannot exercise to close to the time they go to bed, it takes a few hours to get their body settled down. The ideal time for most people to exercise (or as close to it as you can) is 3pm. This is just when you start to feel a bit lethargic- exercise gives you a boost and you are ready to continue on with your day and have an amazing sleep! Another quick tip is to do some stretching before bed.

NO Nicotine
Do not smoke, for OH so many reasons- but for this blog, because it is a stimulant and can disrupt your sleep.

Only intimate moments and sleep in your bed
The bed should only be used for sleeping and sex.Avoid doing work and discussing emotional/serious topics in your bed, such as sports J (seriously, try to avoid conversations – including on the phone that provoke emotions while in bed).  This can lead to added stress or anxiety when trying to fall asleep.

Quiet the mind
The longer you stay in bed, the more anxious and frustrated you are going to get, which will end up creating more problems sleeping in the end. If you are having a hard time getting to sleep, get out of bed and grab a good book and sit in your favorite chair or do something boring ie: folding clothes- productive and yet relaxing. Also, try to avoid turning on any bright lights, they can disrupt sleep patterns. Another idea is create a sleep time routine. Example: read a book for 30 minutes, brush and floss teeth, wash face, write in journal… just some sort of routine to condition your mind ‘it is bedtime’.

Disconnect from being connected
Extra light can interfere with our normal sleeping patterns.  Looking at the TV, a computer monitor, or even your cellphone, stimulates the mind, making it harder to fall asleep. There are MANY research studies on this- more than anything the waves admitted from any of these devices disturbes your body’s ability to fall into ‘deep’ or REM sleep. My suggestion is place all devices away from your bed. If you do need to keep your cell phone on, keep it on the other side of the room.

Black out
Using lights in the room will stimulate the body to believing that it is daytime, disrupting your cycle. May I suggest black out blinds- those things are genius!

Write it and Forget it
Stress throughout the day can translate to bad dreams or inhibit sleep. Keep a notebook by the side of the bed so, if you do wake up for something related to the stress of life, you can write it down.  This allows you to write it and forget it, allowing your body not to get overstimulated and keeping you up longer than you need to be. This is surprisingly how a lot of scientists have come to their discoveries. Something about thinking while you sleep allows you to see problems in a different light. Also, these notes the next morning can be very entertaining.

Feed the Need
Eat a small nutritious snack before bed to ease you into dreamland. The ol’ cookies and milk had some validity. However, perhaps a healthier option would be better.

No napping…well almost no napping
Taking long naps during the day may prevent you from getting to sleep at night, or keeping you asleep throughout the night.  If you do need to nap, try to keep the nap to only 15 to 20 minutes to avoid disturbing your sleep at night- the classic ‘cat nap’.

These are tips that might help you on your mission to get a better night’s sleep.  If you are unable to sleep or are still experiencing restless sleeping, make sure to follow up with your doctor to rule out any more serious health problems that you might be experiencing. I went through a bout of insomnia for 3 months- it is not pretty and it needs to be addressed immediately. Shockingly, coffee does not cure everything!!
A good night’s rest leaves you feeling invigorated and ready to face the challenges of the day ahead! It may also help you maintain a healthy weight, and look younger and healthier! So try these tips and catch some Zzzzzz’s!

Bonsoir!

Some De-stress Techniques

Our lives are moving at a very fast pace- we do not always take time for ourselves. Although some stress does keep us motivated, too much stress can be detrimental and decrease productivity, deplete our immune systems and be the direct or indirect cause of many health ailments.  In some countries doctors perscribe vacations to relax and recover, paid for through their medical system. Not suprisingly this is a very effective practice. These are some simple things you can do in your home or office to improve your everyday stress level.

Aromatherapy is based on the healing properties of plant extracts (essential oils). The oils are inhaled and circulate through the body. These oils have a positive effect on the hormones and emotions of the users. Lavender is a great example, it is supposed to relieve stress, tension, and increase energy.

Exercise is a very powerful stress reliever. Daily exercise can relieve over all stress, decrease anxiety and depression but exercise also can relieve acute bursts of stress. Example: after an intense meeting, try going for a short walk before returning to work. This will allow you to decrease your stress and to focus on the upcoming tasks.

Put something in plain view in your home or office that you really enjoy. This can be fresh flowers, photos or something else that brings you joy. Try to change it or enhance it often so it does not fade to the background, and you always notice it.

Sleep is so important. Tiredness increases stress and affects your ability to think rationally. Sleep well tips include: decrease amount of alcohol or caffeine before bed, only use your bed for sleep, create a ‘ritual’ before bed so your body gets use to the ritual and can gear down for a restful night. Need help getting a better sleep.

De-clutter, mess adds to confusion and feelings of loss of control. Putting effort into organization can save time, money and most importantly, keep your stress level and blood pressure down.

Healthy eating fuels the body properly and increases energy. Although during stressful times we tend to gravitate towards sugary or salty unhealthy foods- this adds to anxiety and we may go through sugar highs and lows, decreasing productivity. If this sounds familiar, check out this.

Socialise and Support, spending time talking and sharing your life with others with people you enjoy being around can be a great stress relief and can create strong support networks.

Yoga literally means ‘union’ or ‘merge’. Not only does yoga promote flexibility and strength it also promotes mental clarity and wellbeing through breathing and meditation. 

A Home Spa can be a great way to pamper yourself, you know you deserve it.

Children laugh 300-400 times a day, adults 15 laugh times. Take time every day to laugh, smile and to be thankful. You only get one body, take care of it!

There is No 'I' in Team: The Power of Social Support

There are few things better than having the support of a friend, teammate, colleague, or spouse to help get you through life, especially to get in your necessary physical activity. Personally, I strive with the support of a girlfriend to get in my half marathon training – a motivational kick to get over a lull in the middle and then a high five at the end of a great run! As you probably read in Lisa’s previous blog, Your Body DuringEndurance Training, the Canadian Physical Activity recommendation is at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days a week. Now, wouldn’t that be so much more enjoyable and attainable with the encouragement of a supportive network – one, two,… ten people!

Social support can be, loosely, define as reassurance that one is cared for by and has assistance available from other people, and that one is part of a social network. The research behind social support and physical activity is endless. Let me break down a few important aspects for you. Regardless of your age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, physical activity background, or income and education level, social support can positively impact your attendance and adherence to physical activity.

Social support can impact each person differently, depending on the individual. For some social support is about reassurance of worth, opportunity for nurturance, or emotional support, whereas for others it could be a social interaction, guidance/advice, or a reliable alliance for aid or assistance. Each amount of type(s) of social support might not be best suited for you, it’s about personal preference and determining what works for you and what doesn’t. However, research does indicate that reassurance of worth, attachment and guidance are most commonly associated with attendance and adherence for women. For men, social interaction is the most associated type of social support.

Your social support network can spread as far as the eye can see. This network can include, but is not limited to, your exercise leader, family, friends, and your health care team (doctor, kinesiologist, nutritionist, etc.). For adolescents and young adults, friends are a huge source of support in promoting physical activity. Within the family, parents and children, siblings and spouses can encourage each other to be active. Physical activity can be promoted by incorporating it into normal interactions within the relationship with activities that are enjoyed by both participants. The support of a health care team can be particularly beneficial for older individuals or those suffer from medical conditions. Individuals in these supportive relationships are more likely to adopt and maintain a physical activity routine.

Social support does not always mean your support person(s) participate in the physical activity with you; it can come in many of different forms. For example, your health care team provides you with information and ideas to help you make informed decisions about your exercise and health. They support you through those changes, possibly with regular checkups. Support can also come from your spouse cleaning up the kitchen after supper, so that you can get out and get active. Whether you need to verbalize them to make them real, have someone to check in with, or even to brainstorm realistic goals, talking to your family or friends about your goals is another great way to be supported.

Now that you have considered your social support needs, take a moment to reflect on how you can support your network. Maybe you friend needs your ideas for some new exercises to spice up his/her gym routine, maybe a partner for running, or maybe your spouse needs a kick in the pants to get out the door. Whatever the need is, take the time to give someone support and it could make all the difference in their pursuit of a health, physically active lifestyle.

Guest Blogger: Meghan Kennedy, MSc

Meghan completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology from Acadia University and her Masters of Science in Physical Education and Recreation from the University of Alberta, which focused on social support and athletic injuries. She currently works as a Financial Advisor at TD Canada Trust, and continues to pursue her passion for physical activity and athletic injury rehabilitation as a certified personal trainer and volunteer around the community in North Battleford, Sk. Meghan is an avid runner and loves travelling, skiing and wine!

Stretching: Is it worth your time?

In most recent Canadian physical activity guidelines, there is no stretching component. Aerobic and resistance training is important for health, but what about stretching? Is it worth the time?

The new physical activity guidelines do not include stretching because the research on the health benefits of stretching has mixed results. Stretching, however, can help increase some athletic performance (example: golf swing), decrease injury risk, increase blood flow to the muscles, relieve tension, and just make you feel better.

I have reviewed the recent literature and can make the following suggestions:

Incorporate dynamic stretching prior to your workout or sport. Dynamic stretching is slow controlled movement through the full range of motion. The dynamic stretches should target muscle groups used in the specific exercises or sport you are planning to engage in.

Don’t bounce. Bouncing during stretching may cause micro tears in the muscles. This can cause pain, and injury. During static stretching, move slowly into stretching position, and hold the position. Stretching should never cause pain.

Stretch regularly for optimum benefits. Although completing a stretching program can be time consuming, stretching regularly- 3x a week will allow you to make flexibility gains.

Static (motionless) stretching for post workout. After your workout is complete, stretch all major muscle groups, holding each stretch for approximately 30 seconds. You should feel slight discomfort but no pain (comfortably uncomfortable). Remember to breathe slow and controlled through the stretches.
Although, there is not a direct link between regular stretching and disease prevention, it still has numerous benefits- mostly immediate, and more benefits with consistent stretching over time. It is worth the time spent stretching (15mins/3x a week). The younger you start stretching, the better.

Your Body During Endurance Training

We all know that if we sign up for a marathon tomorrow we will need to train, which for most people that would involve building up the specific exercise (running) over a period of time. This would involve 3 to 4 months of running 3-4 times a week, many programs involving a long/slow run, interval training- maybe hills or speed work as well. This is understood for many runners, but what is happening during those weeks leading up to the run? Why does it take so long? What is different in our body from week 1 where we are running five miles to over twenty miles?

YOUR BODY DURING ENDURANCE TRAINING

The adaptions your body makes during training are due to a variety of changes in many of your body’s systems (cardiovascular, neural, metabolic etc). There are changes that help the body become more efficient from both the aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen).

Energy Needs


The ability to maintain prolonged exercise (such as long distance running)  is dependent on the ability to match the rate of ATP supply (the quick access fuel the body uses) to the rate of which ATP is used.  Energy in needs to match energy out.  If this cannot be achieved then the rate of ATP use must fall and power output will decline (ie- you will not be able to keep up the same pace, or possibly run at all).


ATP (the energy source needed) is made from fats and sugars (carbohydrates). Training increases the availability of both fat and carbohydrates and increases the enzymes needed for the conversions up to 25%. So, there is more readily accessible fuel and it can be converted more efficiently.


High intensity training (such as your speed or interval runs) increase both the number and activity of lactate transporters in the skeletal muscle membranes. This would mean that your body could rapidly remove the lactate from the muscles into the blood, decreasing the fatigue induced by lactate build up in the muscles.  These adaptions are more important for anaerobic athletes, however can be important for endurance athletes in terms of their ability to push to the finish line.


Holloszy demonstrated in 1967 that endurance training induces an increase in the mitochondrial content of muscle, and Morgan et al. in a study in 1971, showed that this increase is due to gains in both the size and number of mitochondria (more number than size). Mitochondria are organelles in the cells where ATP is produced, as you may have guessed more mitochondria=more ATP=more energy and greater performance.


VO2Max


VO2Max is the maximum amount of oxygen you can intake AND utilize in the working muscles.  Measuring VO2Max is the gold standard for determining aerobic capacity. Most of your VO2Max is innate- meaning you are born with the potential for a large VO2Max or a smaller one. That being said there is a percentage that is ‘trainable’. VO2Max increases with training because of the reasons above, and many other enzyme and microscopic changes.


It is important to note that a decreased (untrained) cardiovascular fitness is the greatest predictor for early death.


Exercise is a tribute to your heart.


Fat Metabolism


This will be of interest to many, at submaximal exercise (about 80% of your max) trained individuals burn fat as their fuel, where untrained individuals burn their quick access sugars. Training literally makes it easier to burn and lose fat.


There are many other adaptions that happen with training not mentioned here- but basically- training both aerobically and anaerobically make the body more efficient, healthier and can dramatically change you from a cellular level to physical appearance.

**The Canadian Physical Activity recommendations are 150 minutes/week of moderate physical activity. That is 30 minutes 5 days a week.  I would add to this- 30 minutes/day and a variety of activities working your aerobic and anaerobic systems, if you have time for more- even better!