Bisphenol A is a compound that is used to coat the inside of almost all food and beverage cans, including soft drinks. It is also used to make plastics, including baby and water bottles and sports equipment. It has been shown to leach into our food and drinks. What may come as a surprise is that it has been suspected of being hazardous since the 1930’s, yet is still found in a multitude of products today.

Increased research has been conducted over the past few years and alarming health concerns have surfaced. BPA has been found to be an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it mimics the action of hormones in your body causing several negative health effects. It has been shown to interfere with fetal and infant brain development, disruption of thyroid functioning, increased prostate cancer susceptibility, heart disease and diabetes. The FDA raised further concerns regarding exposure of fetuses, infants, and young children in a 2010 report.

A few weeks ago, the Washington Post (2/23, Layton) reported that ““Major US foodmakers are quietly investigating how to rid their containers of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical under scrutiny by federal regulators concerned about links to a range of health problems,” but the companies “are discovering how complicated it is to remove the chemical, which is in the epoxy linings of nearly every metal can on supermarket shelves and leaches into foods such as soup, liquid baby formula and soda.”

In addition, it reported that the “FDA does not know which companies use BPA, how much they use or how it is applied, because manufacturers are not required to disclose that information.“

If you’d like to reduce your exposure to this harmful compound, stay away from food and drinks in metal cans, and plastic bottles (labeled with #3 or #7 on the bottom of the bottle), avoid heating plastic in the microwave or dishwasher, and choose to store food in glass instead.

If you would like to learn more about how food, lifestyle and even cosmetic products can negatively affect your health by disrupting you hormone balance, contact us for a complimentary consultation or join us for our Hormone Health Seminar coming April 5^th in Los Gatos.

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

photo: thank you: www.recyclethis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/tin_can250.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20060609/how-can-i-reuse-or-recycle-food-cans&usg=__PYfFWjneGXbzTJHuNOoKwcijdP8=&h=197&w=250&sz=24&hl=en&start=37&sig2=qM82gMsGuGbMa6l4J_jKng&itbs=1&tbnid=UyWKqT0hF93ycM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtin%2Bcan%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=UiKVS8jwO5vMswPb59j8Aw

• It promotes heart health and normal cholesterol balance
• Supports immune system health, mood, memory, joint health, blood sugar health and helps to relieve stress
• Helps to increase energy level and promote cognitive function
• Provides immune system support
• Aids in regulating cell growth
• Supports a strong skeletal system
• Supports a healthy inflammatory response

Cod liver oil is able to provide all of these great health benefits because it contains Omega 3 oils.  Omega 3 fatty acids also contain DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid).  All are important and therefore when purchasing Cod Liver oil make sure what you are purchasing contains all of the above.

Essential fatty acids are essential to your health and one important item to understand is that your body does not make them on its own and therefore supplementation is recommended.  There are many brands on the market and  each distributor manufactures  fish oil differently, some better than others.  Therefore, when purchasing brands you should look for the following:

• Make sure your brand is free of mercury, PCBs and other contaminants.
• Confirm low oxidation levels in the fish or cod liver oil.
• Check that your fish or cod liver oil contains vitamin E.
• The taste test - lemon flavoring adds a fresh taste.

Fish oil is very safe to take however contraindications are below:

• If you have been diagnosed with the relatively uncommon condition of sarcoidosis, you should rigidly avoid sunshine and vitamin D.
• If you are allergic to shellfish, have a blood coagulation condition, or are taking anticoagulants such as Warfarin (Coumadin®), do not use fish oil.
• Cod liver oil contains both Vitamin A and D and over consumption of any supplement is never a good thing. Therefore, you many want to get your levels checked before taking fish oil as a supplement.

Lori Metroka, Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Reference:  www.mercola.com/cod-liver-oil.htm

Los Gatos nutrition coaching, San Francisco nutrition coaching, Los Gatos Personal Training,

“Your body is loaded with bacteria, of both good and bad varieties. In fact, about 100 trillion bacteria live inside you — which is more than 10 TIMES the number of cells you have in your whole body. The ideal balance between the bacteria in your body is 85 percent good and 15 percent bad. This ratio between the “good” bacteria and the other bacteria is one of the critical factors determining your optimal health, as the good bacteria are essential for:

The probiotics in your gut also play a role in helping numerous bodily functions, such as:

The microflora in your digestive system is also emerging as a major player in weight management. A baby’s gut bacteria is linked to his or her future weight, and babies that are given the best start nutritionally by being breastfed (the source of your first immune-building good bacteria) also tend to have intestinal microflora in which beneficial bifidobacteria predominate over potentially harmful bacteria.

One Washington University professor likened the functioning of this gut microflora in your body to that of an ant farm that works together as an intelligence to perform an array of functions you’re unable to manage on your own. One of those chores includes extracting calories from the foods you eat, so the microflora in your gut may play a key role in obesity.

Multiple studies have shown that obese people have different intestinal bacteria than slim people, and it appears that the microbes in an overweight body are much more efficient at extracting calories from food.”

“In the past, and to some extent still today, people used fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut to support their digestive health, as these foods are rich in naturally beneficial bacteria.

Fermented foods are part of nearly every traditional culture. As far back as Roman times, people ate sauerkraut because of its taste and benefits to overall health. In ancient Indian society, it became commonplace (and still is) to enjoy a before-dinner yogurt drink called a lassi.

Bulgarians are known both for their longevity and their high consumption of fermented milk and kefir. In Asian cultures, pickled fermentations of cabbage, turnips, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, squash and carrots still exist today. ”

If you were to eat a diet rich in fermented foods that have NOT been pasteurized (this will kill the probiotics), then you could likely still enjoy great digestive health.

However, if you eat a lot of processed foods or rely on mostly cooked foods, the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract will have a hard time staying optimal. Sugar is also an incredibly efficient fertilizer for growing bad bacteria and yeast in your gut, so if you indulge in a lot of it you’re fueling the bad bacteria. Likewise, stress, pollution, and taking antibiotics can further upset the balance in a negative way.

Since helpful bacteria are increasingly absent in most people’s diets, it is important to purposely include foods that contain live probiotic bacteria in your diet, or take a probiotic supplement.”

If you’d like to have your nutrition & lifestyle assessed, feel free to contact us for a complimentary consultation. We’d love to hear from you.

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

References: thank you to: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/01/31/wall-street-gives-big-thumbs-up-to-good-bacteria.aspx

photo: thank you to: http://bookbuilder.cast.org/bookresources/12010/glossary_7832.jpg

Before I give you your list of functional exercise tips I would like to say that for those of you who have not exercised in a very long time, do not exercise  regularly utilizing  functional exercises or are recovering from an injury please  ease into the exercises listed below slowly and in a safe manner. 

Tips for functional exercise:

• 1. Stop using machines: if you are a person who already exercises and is at the gym using machines STOP! Machines take away core stability and you cannot get dynamic with your movements you are only restricted to one movement at a time versus multiple.
• 2. Exercises to start with at home: for those of you who have not exercised in a very long you can use support such as a wall or table or countertop to help you during your squatting exercises as well as lunges.
• a. Lunges: holding onto a wall for support place right leg in front of your left and slowly drop your left knee towards the floor going as deep as you comfortably can and then rise back up. Repeat one each side.
• b. Squats: holding onto a countertop with both hands and placing a chair behind you (this will help you to keep good form) squat down as if you are going to sit in the chair (but don’t) and then rise back up and repeat.
• c. Pushing - wall push up: stand in front of a wall placing both your hands flat against the wall shoulder height in front of you. Allow your elbows to move out to the side as you bring your chest towards the wall and then push yourself away, repeat.
• d. Bending: Standing nice and tall bend down as if you are going to touch your toes and stand back up, repeat
• e. Pulling: get out that vacuum cleaner and there you have not only your pulling exercise but also your pushing.
• f. Twisting: stand in place with your arms on your hips or out at your sides and just twist from right to left.
• g. Walking: need I say more get out and walk!
• 3. Form is key! If you do not know what proper form is get yourself some literature or hire a trainer this is how injury is avoided and optimum strength is achieved.
• 4. Combining Exercises: This is for the advanced exerciser or the beginner who has a trainer: If you are that person who has an understanding of proper form and have adequate strength then you can tolerate more advanced versions of the exercises above such as a squat with a pull, lunge with a push, lunge with a twist all the more reasons not to use machines.
• 5. Tempo/speed: I see this time and time again of individuals who want to move quickly through the exercise “just to get it done”. Stop this immediately, you are setting yourself up not only for injury but you are not strengthening the muscle properly. There are different tempos/speed depending on what you are training for, make sure you have an understanding of what you trying to accomplish and have the tempo match. This is why so many people don’t see results because they are not training/stimulating the muscle appropriately.
• 6. Variety: have variety in your exercise program and allow rest to be apart of it. Variety keeps the body guessing, this is a good thing!

If you have any questions or concerns we would love to hear from you.

Lori Metroka, Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Los Gatos personal training, San Francisco personal training, Nutrition coaching Los Gatos, Nutrition Coaching San Francisco, Corrective exercise, injury prevention, how to prevent an injury, primal movement patterns, safe exercise tips

1. Eat Breakfast (and every other meal): Eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism and provides you with the energy you need to begin your day. Eating breakfast has also been shown to help promote weight loss and improve mood and concentration.

(As a side note, it is NEVER o.k. to skip meals. Your body needs fuel throughout the day to function properly, and by skipping meals you are throwing your hormonal system off balance which will impair how your body uses and stores calories, causing a multitude of problems, including the storage of calories as fat.) 

2. Drink Enough Water: Did you know that hunger is sometimes a sign of dehydration? Be mindful of how much water you are drinking throughout the day. A good rule of thumb: Your urine should be clear enough to be able to read through it (if there were a hypothetical piece of literature in your bowl).

3. Eat Protein: Many times too many carbohydrates in our diets are the culprits for increased hunger and decreased energy and mood. Carbohydrates are great for providing us energy, but our bodies burn through these fairly quickly. Protein takes longer to digest, keeping you feeling full until your next meal. Good sources of protein include lean meat, fish, nuts, beans, legumes, eggs and dairy.

4. Don’t Forget About Fiber: Most of us do not get enough fiber in our diets. Because it is undigestible, fiber moves through the digestive tract slowly, so it makes you feel full and has been shown to help reduce overeating, control blood sugar, reduce cholesterol and your risk of colon cancer. Fiber can be found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, and in the skins of fruits and vegetables. Don’t peel that apple!

5. Know Your Metabolic Type: Just as our bodies look different on the outside, they are also functioning differently on the inside. Knowing your metabolic type, or how quickly your body turns food into energy, is extremely helpful in knowing what ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats you should be eating at every meal. Common symptoms when not eating for your metabolic type include: getting hungry quickly, fatigue, nervous energy, depression, headaches, mental sluggishness and cravings for sweets or coffee. Contact us if you would like to learn what your metabolic type is.

As always, we appreciate your comments and feedback on how these changes are impacting your life. If you are interested in learning more about how to restore health and vitality in your body, feel free to contact us for a complimentary consultation. We provide nutrition and lifestyle coaching in Los Gatos and San Francisco as well as over the phone.

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Photo: thank you to: http://women4hope.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/woman-eating-apple.jpg

Today we are made to believe that saturated fat is bad for us. 

Fact

• - Today CAD (coronary artery disease) causes 40% of deaths in the USA and we have been told that this is because of saturated fat. Therefore, one would expect to see a direct correlation between increase in CAD and increase in saturated fat consumption. Actually, the opposite is true. During 1910-1970 the proportion of animal fat in the American diet decreased from 83% to 62% and butter plummeted from 18lbs per person per year to 4lbs. Over the past 80 years cholesterol intake only rose 1%. During this same time the percentage of dietary vegetable oils in the form of margarines, shortenings and refined oils increased about 400% and sugar and processed foods increased about 60%. - How to Eat Move and Be Healthy, Paul Chek

We are taught that we need to watch fat intake in order to control cholesterol levels but how can saturated fat be the culprit when saturated fat consumption has gone down and sugar and trans-fatty acids have gone up?    It is true, we do need to watch fat intake, however, we are not taught what type of fats should be avoided nor are we taught how carbohydrates also contribute to bad cholesterol levels (LDL). 

Cholesterol is important to our bodies’ it is needed to create bile acids, which are needed for digestion of fats and vitamin D as well as aid in hormone production. So when we are not eating correctly to make healthy cholesterol we are not able to contribute to good cholesterol (HDL) levels.  Below is a list of tips for how to improve your good cholesterol (HDL) and how to lower your bad cholesterol (LDL).

• 1. Eat healthy fats such as egg yolks, nuts, green leafy vegetables and wild fish such as salmon. These fats are high in Omega 3’s and contribute to HDL.

• 2. Eliminate processed foods. Processed foods are high in carbohydrates and typically are supplemented with unhealthy fats (transfats). These are foods that have a shelf life and are typically found in the center of the grocery store. These items contribute to bad cholesterol (HDL)

• 3. Minimize alcohol consumption. Alcohol is high in sugar which means it’s high in carbohydrates which will lead to bad cholesterol levels (LDL).

• 4. Exercise. Exercising helps to burn unused sugars for energy. So rather than the sugar getting stored as bad cholesterol it can get eliminated through exercise.

• 5. Rotate your protein. Eat chicken one day, red meat the next, fish the next day and so on. This way you are getting a variety of nutrients as well as getting fat from a variety of sources.

If you just start to become aware of what you are putting into your body and just start with the tips we have listed above you are one step closer to a healthier body.  If you would like more information of how to eat or what you should be eating join us for one of our Wellness lectures, visit www.replenishingsoul.com/our-events.com

 Lori Metroka, Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

The next time you are feeling stressed, I want you to remember the two B’s: “Break and Breathe” and do the following.

1. Take a Break:

You are given breaks at work for a reason, so take them. So often we get caught up in the mindset of “I don’t have time” and work through our breaks and lunch which only leaves us burnt out, more stressed and less productive. Instead, take a time out, do some of the breathing exercises below, and you’ll probably be more productive when you get back. It’s best to leave your workspace, but if you can’t you can easily do these at your desk.

2. Breathe:

One of the easiest ways to change how your body is physically reacting to stress is through your breath. By focusing on your breathing, you are forcing your heart rate to slow down which will calm your body and mind. Here are a few breathing exercises to choose from.

     1. Close your eyes and inhale as slowly as you can and silently count “1″. Then exhale slowly and silently count “2″. On your next inhale, silently count “3″ and so on. The goal is to reach the number “20″. By this point you should notice that your breathing will be fuller and deeper, and you will be more relaxed.

     2. Close your eyes and inhale as slowly as you can. Try to prolong your inhale to the silent count of 4 seconds. When you finish inhaling, gently hold you breath for 2 seconds and slowly exhale to the silent count of 8 seconds. Repeat for a minute or longer. If you can’t control your breathing for that long, its ok to shorten the duration of inhale and exhale, just make sure your exhale is twice as long as your inhale.

   3. Close your eyes. As you slowly inhale through your nose, visualize pure white cleansing air entering and filling your entire body. As you exhale, picture the gray negative, stressed air exiting your body through your nose. Continue this process as you inhale and exhaling, replacing your stressed out body with clean, fresh air and energy.

It’s also important to remember that mental/emotional stress isn’t the only way to stress out your body. Eating the wrong kinds of foods, going to bed late, not drinking enough water, having unbalanced hormones, can induce stress on your body and cause a multitude of symptoms including low back and neck pain, PMS, irritable bowel syndrome, frequent illness, migraines, and many others. We provide nutrition and lifestyle coaching in Los Gatos and San Francisco as well as over the phone. Give us a call to learn how to get your body back in balance.

If you try these stress techniques, let us know your experience, we’d love to hear from you.

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

References:

photo thank you to: http://www.stressrelatedillness.com/stress-management.html

What is repetitive movement syndrome?  Well just as the name states it, it is the same movement done over and over again that over time leads to muscle tightness, poor posture, over use of the musculature involved, muscle weakness and eventually injury.  I would like to you stop for a moment and just ask yourself these few questions…

Do you carry a purse, briefcase, bag etc on the same side of your body every time?

Do you perform the same exercises/routine at the gym over and over again?

Do you perform the same activity/sport daily/weekly? (I.e. you love to bike and therefore that is all you do.  You perform no other forms of exercise such as stretching, yoga or weight training)

Do you spend countless hours at a desk or in front of the computer?

Do you have a job that requires the same movements daily such as a hairdresser, cashier clerk, dentist etc?

Repetitive movement injuries can be rehabilitated with great success and therefore if you are someone suffering from a repetitive injury you should seek care for it immediately before the situation gets worse.  Rehabilitating a repetitive injury takes skill and therefore one needs to not only have the skill to visually see the mis-alignment but also needs to have an understanding of anatomy and body mechanics other wise they can make the situation worse.  Individuals who have the skill set for this situation would be…Physical Therapists, Kinesiologists, Chiropractors and C.H.E.K. Practitioners. Personal Trainers can also be of help however make sure they have studied anatomy and understand it.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at www.replenishingsoul.com/blog .

Personal training los gatos, personal training san Francisco, nutrition coaching los gatos, nutrition coaching san francisco, corrective exercise, physical therapy

Recognizing symptoms of parasitic infection can be difficult because the symptoms often times mimic other conditions. Some symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating and gas.  Below is a comprehensive list of symptoms of parasitic infection.  If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and your symptoms are not improving you may want to discuss with your doctor testing for a parasitic infection.  Within our clinic we have seen this time and time again of individuals who come into to us with a diagnosis of IBS with their symptoms not improving.  We run gut testing on our clients and many times we come back with test results showing a parasitic infection.  After appropriate treatment their IBS symptoms are eliminated.

Common symptoms of Infection

• 1. Constipation: parasites if large enough can physically block nutrients and waste from passing through the digestive system.
• 2. Gas & bloating: products from parasites can cause inflammation which can lead to gas and bloating.
• 3. Joint & Muscle aches: parasites can move throughout the body therefore landing in joint spaces as well as muscles leading to pain and discomfort. Many times the pain that is experienced is diagnosed as arthritis.
• 4. Diarrhea: parasites can cause a sodium and chloride loss that leads to watery, loose stools.
• 5. Allergies: parasites can make it very difficult to digest foods. When undigested particles travel through your body it increases your immune system response by releasing eosinphils. Eosinphils inflame the body’s tissues leading to allergic reactions.
• 6. Skin conditions: parasites release hormones that can in turn irritate the skin. If you suffer from hives, eczema or rashes on a regular basis you may want to consider gut testing.
• 7. Anxiety: parasites can cause nervousness and anxiety by releasing toxins that affect the nervous system.
• 8. Trouble sleeping: during sleep your liver’s job is to remove toxins. Parasites can interrupt this process which in turns affects sleeping patterns.
• 9. Teeth grinding: caused by the release of waste products from the parasite.
• 10. Chronic fatigue: parasites deplete the body from nutrients and may affect sleep patterns which can lead to fatigue symptoms.
• 11. Itchy anus or ears: at times parasites try to migrate out of the anus during sleep that can cause itching and irritation. This irritation however can take place any time of the day.

If you suspect that you have a possible parasitic infection testing should be done as soon as possible.  Also, if you do find out that you have a parasite and you have a significant other that you share the same bed with testing should be done on that person as well as parasites can be passed from one person to the next regardless of hygiene.

For more information or to purchase a gut test that you can perform in the privacy of your own home please contact us at www.replenishingsoul.com

Lori Metroka

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Resource:  Parasite Cleanse Resource Center - Dr. Edward F.