I use High Power Laser Therapy (7.5 watts). Laser stimulation has been shown to increase blood flow and lymphatic drainage while, at the same time, stimulating endorphin and enkephalin release for pain management. Stimulation with laser reduces inflammation, and promotes nerve regeneration.
High Power Laser Therapy has the ability to reach deep within the body when compared to Low Level Laser Therapy. Laser energy apperas to also biostimulate collagen and fibroblast growth.
I usually use the laser in combination with hands-on therapy and I often use the Deep Muscle Stimulator (DMS) as well. Exercises are taught based on the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and squat evaluation.
When I was in chiropractic college the trend was ‘carbo loading’ before an important race or physical event. Now the days of restricting carbs then bingeing on pasta are over. I recommend a steady diet of carbs the week prior to a big race event. Glycogen—what a carbohydrate turns into in the body—fuels your muscles. I still think protein is the most important cast of characters; I don’t let carbs take center stage. However, my usual recommendation of 100-150 grams of carbs daily becomes three to five grams of carbs per day for each pound of your body weight (about 500 grams for a 150-pound marathoner) during the week before the event. I’m not just talking about pasta and rice. Check out my organic food list, and enjoy quality yogurt, fruit, and even chocolate milk for great carb sources. My favorite recommendation is the UltraMeal shakes from Metagenics. These shakes are a balance of carbs & protein. UltraMeal has great flavors and tastes like a treat once you know how to make a delicious shake.
2 scoops with water or juice
190 calories
15 grams (g) protein
24 g carbs
3 g fat
Eggs: Eggland’s Best Organic
Scrambled, fried, or poached, these heart-healthier eggs cook up flavorful and fluffy.
One large egg:
70 calories
6 grams (g) protein
0 g carbs
4 g fat
Deli Cheese: Applegate Farms Organic Mild Cheddar Cheese
1 slice:
85 calories
5 g protein
0 g carbs
6 g fat
Condiment: Annie’s Naturals Organic Dijon Mustard
No calories, tons of flavor
Postworkout Recovery Drink: Organic Valley Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk
Good protein for your muscles.
Per cup:
170 calories
8 g protein
24 g carbs
5 g fat
Yogurt: Stoneyfield Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt with Honey
Sweetened naturally (and organically) without added preservatives.
5.3 oz container:
120 calories
13 g protein
18 g carbs
Breakfast shakes: UltraMeal Whey medical food (2 scoops with water or juice)
150 calories
15 g protein
24 g carbs
1 g fat
order UltraMeal @ www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com
This article substaniates why I recommend OptiCleanse GHI from Xymogen & UltraMeal from Metagenics as important protein shakes
Donald K Layman Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Nutrition & Metabolism 2009, 6:12doi:10.1186/1743-7075-6-12
The developing controversy about Dietary Guidelines for protein stems from current perceptions that protein intakes above minimum requirements have no benefit and may pose long-term health risks. These beliefs are largely based on assumptions and extrapolations with little foundation in nutrition science. Diets with increased protein have now been shown to improve adult health with benefits for treatment or prevention of obesity, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, heart disease, and sarcopenia [1-4].
During the past decade a growing body of research reveals that dietary protein intakes above the RDA are beneficial in maintaining muscle function and mobility [6] and in the treatment of diseases including obesity, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), heart disease, and sarcopenia [1-4]. The new research establishes health benefits and provides molecular evidence of numerous metabolic outcomes associated with protein intake or amino acid metabolism that are not reflected in the traditional measure of nitrogen balance. These outcomes include cell signaling via leucine [7,8], satiety [9,10], thermogenesis [11], and glycemic control [12,13]. The dietary protein necessary to optimize each of these metabolic outcomes is not reflected in measures of nitrogen balance and is not represented within the current concept of the minimum RDA. So what is known and what is missing in current Dietary Guidelines?
The efficiency of protein utilization decreases throughout adult life [6]. During aging, there is an increase in the requirement for EAA to produce a positive response in muscle protein synthesis [16,17]. The need for total protein may not change, but the effectiveness of amino acids to stimulate muscle (and probably bone) protein metabolism decreases requiring either more total protein or greater nutrient density of EAA/total protein (i.e. protein quality). The change in efficiency of EAA use appears to be associated with the loss of anabolic drive for development of lean tissue [18]. During growth, the body has a high metabolic priority for structural development of muscle and bone driven by anabolic hormones including insulin, growth hormone, IGF-1 and steroid hormones. Further, physical activity has a positive effect on the efficiency of use of amino acids [19]. Muscle protein synthesis is stimulated by stretching and resistance activity. The converse is also true; a sedentary lifestyle reduces the efficiency of EAA use. After approximately age 30 y, the anabolic drive is lost; basal levels of hormones become largely ineffective in stimulating protein synthesis in structural tissues; and diet quality and physical activity become the limiting factors for maintaining optimal protein turnover for repair, remodeling, and recovery.
In summary, omissions in current understanding of dietary protein needs are that 1) nitrogen balance and amino acid oxidation are only useful for defining minimum protein requirements and not optimum amino acid needs, 2) protein requirement is proportional to body weight and inversely proportional to energy intake, and 3) adults need more EAA than children to maintain the efficiency of protein turnover in structural tissues.
Protein and amino acids contribute to multiple metabolic roles …Dietary protein influences cell signaling, satiety, thermogenesis and glycemic regulations and each of these roles is initiated by increases in plasma and intracellular amino acid concentrations.
Most adults consume less than 10 g of protein at breakfast [23,24] (Figure 1). In children and young adults, uneven meal distribution of protein appears not to adversely affect growth. The anabolic drive maintains high efficiency of protein use for nitrogen retention even when daily protein is consumed as a single large meal. However in older adults, the quantity and quality of protein at individual meals is important. Adults require a minimum of 15 g of EAA or at least 30 g of total protein to fully stimulate skeletal muscle protein synthesis [21,25]. This response appears to be determined by the EAA leucine which serves as a critical signal for triggering initiation of muscle protein synthesis. Leucine has been well characterized as a unique regulator of the insulin-mTOR signal pathway controlling synthesis of muscle proteins [7,8]. In children and young adults, this signal pathway is regulated by insulin and dietary energy while leucine regulates the pathway in adults [26]. Current dietary patterns that provide adequate protein or leucine at only one meal produce an anabolic response only after that meal (Figure 1). This is a critical factor for protection of lean tissues during weight loss or to prevent age-related sarcopenia and osteoporosis.
Figure 1. Protein distribution at meals. A) Ingestion of 90 grams of protein, distributed evenly at 3 meals. B) Ingestion of 90 grams of proteins unevenly distributed throughout the day. Stimulating muscle protein synthesis to a maximal extent during the meals shown in Figure 1A is more likely to provide a greater 24 hour protein anabolic response than the unequal protein distribution in Figure 1B. (Adapted from Paddon-Jones & Rassmussen Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2009, 12: 86–90.)
The meal content of protein is also a key factor for satiety and appetite regulation [9,10]. Protein has greater satiety value than either carbohydrates or fats and reduces food intake at subsequent meals [27]. Studies of energy regulation for weight management show that replacing carbohydrates with protein reduces daily energy intake by ~200 kcal [9]. The mechanism for this satiety effect may be mediated by intestinal hormones or by reducing peak post-prandial insulin response. While the mechanism remains to be elucidated, it is clear that the improved satiety response requires >30 g of protein at a meal and that breakfast has the greatest impact on total daily energy intake [27]. As with protein turnover in muscle and bone, limiting protein intake to a single large meal late in the day reduces the satiety benefits of dietary protein [22].
The most unequivocal evidence for the benefit of increased dietary protein is derived from studies of weight management [1,28,29]. Diets with increased protein have been shown to be highly beneficial during weight loss because of their ability to correct body composition and increase satiety and thermogenesis. Higher protein diets increase loss of body weight and body fat and attenuate loss of lean tissue when compared with commonly recommended high carbohydrate low fat low protein diets [28,30]. Clearly, the major factors accounting for weight loss are the magnitude of energy restriction and individual compliance. Any diet can produce weight loss. However, long-term success with weight loss relates to maintenance of metabolically active lean tissues and research has proven that higher protein diets protect muscle and bone during weight loss. Use of conventional high carbohydrate, low fat, low protein diets results in 30% to 40% loss of lean tissue mass. Use of higher protein diets reduces lean tissue loss to <15% and when combined with exercise can halt loss of lean tissue during weight loss [30-32]. Studies also show that moderate protein diets have better long-term compliance.
The effects of protein for maintaining lean tissues appear to translate into health benefits during aging where progressive loss of structural strength and mobility are critical factors. Osteoporosis and sarcopenia have emerged as major issues during aging [2,3]. Prevention of osteoporosis is associated with physical activity and dietary calcium and protein [3]. The efficacy of calcium and protein are interrelated [3]. Calcium supplements are largely ineffective for remodeling of bone matrix if protein is limiting. Positive effects of calcium appear to require intakes of protein >1.2 g/kg to have beneficial effects. The long-held belief that increased dietary protein could cause bone loss as reflected in increase urinary calcium is incorrect [33] and protein is now recognized to increase intestinal calcium absorption in addition to enhancing bone matrix turnover [34].
Similar results have been observed with studies of muscle health in elderly where the efficiency of EAA use is reduced [16,17]. The level of EAA required to stimulate muscle protein synthesis is increased in part due to reduced anabolic stimulus of hormones.
Early research with MetS evaluated reducing dietary carbohydrates with fats [36]. While increasing dietary fats improved glycemic control and reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, the prospect of increasing dietary fat remains controversial. Replacement of carbohydrates with protein improves glycemic control measured as reduced post-prandial hyperinsulinemia [37] and in T2DM corrects hyperglycemia and HbA1c [13]. Equally important, reduced carbohydrate diets have decreased TAG, increased HDL and increased LDL particle size (i.e. LDL-C/ApoB) improving the dyslipidemia commonly associated with T2DM and MetS [4]. These conditions are 4-times more important for heart disease and all cause mortality than elevated cholesterol or LDL concentration [38].
Protein should be a central part of a complete diet for adults. While physical growth occurs only for a brief period of life, the need to repair and remodel muscle and bone continues throughout life. Protein needs become more important during periods of reduced food intake such as weight loss or during periods of recovery after illness or during aging.
Protein needs for adults relate to body weight. The acceptable protein range is 10% to 35% of total energy. However, protein needs are constant across all energy intakes. So at low energy intakes, protein needs to be a higher percentage of total calories and at high energy intakes protein can be reduced as a percentage of total calories. In general, dietary protein should be established first in any diet in proportion to body weight and then carbohydrates and fats added determined by energy needs.
Protein is an important part of good nutrition at every meal. Vitamins and minerals can fulfill nutrient needs on a once-per-day basis but for protein the body has no ability to store a daily supply. To maintain healthy muscles and bones for adults, at least 30 g of protein should be consumed at more than one meal. Breakfast is an important meal for dietary protein because the body is in a catabolic state after an overnight fast. A meal with at least 30 g of protein is required to initiate repletion of body proteins. Protein at breakfast is also critical for regulation of appetite and daily food intake.
Aging populations confront increasing incidence of obesity, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, heart disease, and sarcopenia which have raised new questions about dietary ratios of carbohydrates, fats, and protein for life-long health. The RDA represents the minimum daily intake for active healthy adults. For most adults, replacing some dietary carbohydrates with protein will help to maintain body composition and mobility, improve blood lipids and lipoproteins, and help to control food intake.
aney RP, Layman DK: Amount and type of protein influences bone health.
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Archives of Neurology 67(7):819-825, 2010
Archives of Internal Medicine 170(13):1135-1141, 2010
People who consumed the highest average intakes of vitamin E from the diet were 25% less likely to develop dementia than people with the lowest average intakes, according to new data published in the Archives of Neurology.
Scientists from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, postulated that the benefits were related to the antioxidant activity of vitamin E, which counters the oxidative stress induced by a buildup of beta-amyloid protein.
The buildup of plaque from beta-amyloid deposits is associated with an increase in brain cell damage and death from oxidative stress. This is related to a loss of cognitive function and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia that currently affects over 13 million people worldwide.
In another study from a Swedish study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, which found that a combination of different vitamin E forms could help prevent cognitive deterioration in advanced age.
There are eight forms of vitamin E: Four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) is the most common form in the American diet.
Tocotrienols are only minor components in plants, although several sources with relatively high levels include palm oil, cereal grains and rice bran.
For the new study, the Rotterdam-based scientists analyzed data on the intakes of antioxidants—vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and flavonoids—in 5,395 people aged 55 and older. Questionnaires and meal-based checklists were used to establish intakes of these micronutrients.
The participants were followed for about 10 years, during which 465 people developed dementia, of which 365 cases were for Alzheimer’s disease.
After crunching the numbers, the researchers calculated that people with an average intake of 18.5 mg of vitamin E per day were 25% less likely to develop dementia than the people with an average of 9 mg per day. On the other hand, no associations were observed for dietary intake levels of vitamin C, beta-carotene and flavonoids.
“The brain is a site of high metabolic activity, which makes it vulnerable to oxidative damage, and slow accumulation of such damage over a lifetime may contribute to the development of dementia,” wrote the authors.
“In particular, when beta-amyloid (a hallmark of pathologic Alzheimer’s disease) accumulates in the brain, an inflammatory response is likely evoked that produces nitric oxide radicals and downstream neurodegenerative effects. Vitamin E is a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant that may help to inhibit the pathogenesis of dementia.”
The current issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine also carries new data from British researchers who report that seniors with low levels of vitamin D may be at an increased risk of cognitive decline.
Our cognitive performance declines naturally as we age, but new data from David Llewellyn and his colleagues at the University of Exeter in England indicates that insufficient levels of vitamin D may accelerate this decline.
The Exeter-based scientists analyzed vitamin D levels from blood samples of 858 adults aged 65 and older. Cognitive tests were undertaken at the start of the study, and again after three and six years.
The data showed that severe vitamin D deficiency, defined as blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) of less than 25 nanomoles per liter—were associated with a 60% increase in the risk of substantial cognitive decline.
“If future prospective studies and randomized controlled trials confirm that vitamin D deficiency is causally related to cognitive decline, then this would open up important new possibilities for treatment and prevention,” concluded Llewellyn and his co-workers.
British Journal of Nutrition 103(12):1792-1799, 2010
In a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that probiotic-supplemented dietary counseling could help reduce the risk of diabetes during pregnancy, improve blood glucose control and improve child health.
Initiated in 2002, the study included 256 women, who were randomized during their first trimester of pregnancy into a control and dietary intervention group. The women, none of whom had any chronic diseases, all received dietary counseling provided by welfare clinics according to a national program.
The intervention group received additional intensive dietary counseling provided by a nutritionist at every study visit, the aim being a dietary intake complying with current recommendations, combined with conventional food products with favorable fat and fiber contents for use at home, the researchers said.
The intervention group was further randomized at baseline in a double-blind manner to receive either placebo capsules or probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium) at a dose of 1,010 colony-forming units per day each. The capsules were taken once per day and the intervention period extended from the first trimester of pregnancy to the end of exclusive breast-feeding.
The researchers evaluated pregnancy outcome and fetal and infant growth during 24 months of follow-up. All pregnancies were of normal duration and there were no adverse events noted in mothers or in children, which confirms the safety of this approach, the researchers said.
They noted that those women who had taken probiotics had a reduced frequency of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM): 13% for the diet/probiotics group, compared to 36% for the diet/placebo group and 34% for the control group. In addition, the dietary counseling during pregnancy reduced the risk of fetal overgrowth, which is thought to predispose to later obesity.
“Probiotic intervention reduced the risk of GDM and dietary intervention diminished the risk of larger birth size in affected cases,” wrote the researchers. “The results of the present study show that probiotic-supplemented perinatal dietary counseling could be a safe and cost-effective tool in addressing the metabolic epidemic. In view of the fact that birth size is a risk marker for later obesity, the present results are of significance for public health in demonstrating that this risk is modifiable.”
I recommend UltraFlora Plus DF from Metagenics for probiotics. Order @ www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com
A daily dose of vitamin B-6 at the current upper tolerable levels may reduce amounts of inflammatory compounds in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, a new study says.
Levels of the pro-inflammatory compounds interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) significantly decreased following 12 weeks of supplementation with 100 mg of vitamin B-6, according to findings published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
However, scientists from Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan said that no changes were observed for pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP), the active form of vitamin B-6, in relation to levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), another marker of inflammation.
After 12 weeks of supplementation with B6, significant decreases in levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were observed.
“A large dose of vitamin B-6 supplementation (100 mg per day) suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines (that is, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis,” the researchers concluded.
Vitamin B-6, a water-soluble vitamin that exists as pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine is found in beans, meat, fish and some fruits and vegetables, like spinach and avocado. I recommended UltraInflamX medical shakes from Metagenics as a great source of B6 and other i,portant nutrients for RA and other inflammatory conditions. www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com to purchase UltraInflamX.
If you want to lose weight should you suppress your appetite or increase your metabolism (the rate at which
your body uses food for fuel)? The answer is to eat the right foods at the right time.
Most people go off a food plan at night (after dinner) when they feel the urge to nosh…so to curb your appetite tonight…. use these tips from the article:
1. Protein First
“Rise and shine with protein.” But what does this have to do with night-time cravings? Everything. Set the body up to use your own fat-stores for fuel by eating protein in the morning and your appetite FOR fatty foods goes way down during the day and the night. Protein is “thermogenic”, meaning it helps increase your metabolism. It also acts as a natural appetite regulator.
3. Use your nose & smell !
This is a great trick. Smelling food can trick your brain into thinking you’ve eaten. A recent study found that those who inhaled peppermint in scent form every 2 hours at (get this) ate 2700 calories LESS per week than they normally did. If you decrease your calorie intake by just 2500 calories per week, that’s a fatloss of more than half a pound a week… from sniffing peppermint!
Vanilla also works. You can keep vanilla-scented drops or candles around the house or office and take a sniff every few hours.
I’ve suggested that my patients trying to lose weight should limit carbs to 100-150 grams per day. It’s not just avoiding sweets, but controling starches overall. The key is to avoid carbs with high GI scores.
Here’s a list of five bad carbs:
Bagels (GI score of 69)
Breakfast cereals (Kellogg’s Cornflakes has a GI score of 80; Kellogg’s Raisin Bran has a GI score of 61)
Breads (Pepperidge Farm white bread with wheat flour has a GI score of 71)
White rice (GI score between 73 and 89)
White Potatoes (Baked potato with skin has a GI score of 69; mashed potato has a GI score of 83)
Replacing your grains with whole grains effects only a small improvement. Compare a porridge made of whole-grain rolled oats to the breakfast cereals above. The porridge scores 55 on the Glycemic Index. Brown rice – another whole grain recommended by the USDA Food Pyramid – is certainly better than white rice. But it scores between 66 and 87 on the Glycemic Index.
Select foods that have a low Glycemic Index. When you have breakfast, don’t grab a bowl of cereal or a bagel-on-the-run. Instead, stick with the breakfasts our grand parents opted for: a high protein options including lean meat and eggs.
According to GlycemicIndex.com, “Foods containing little or no carbohydrate (such as meat, fish, eggs, avocado, wine, beer, spirits, most vegetables) cannot have a GI value. No carbs = no GI.”
Low-glycemic foods include:
Meat
Fish
Poultry
Eggs
Nuts
Plain yogurt
Most berries
I highly recommend using the UltraMeal shakes as a breakfast replacement. They offer a well balanced breakfast with good quality protein. Order @ www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com
There is no link between red meat and coronary heart disease. Period. Fats found in red meat are necessary for your body to absorb critical fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Harvard researchers published a study in the journal “Circulation” that analyzed 20 studies that compared health outcomes of people who eat red meat and processed meat. Red meat intake was not associated with either heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
The researchers confirmed that processed meat is junk, it’s the culprit - hot dogs, bacon, sausage, lunch meats. These types of meat are the dangerous ones.
The Harvard team reports a 42 percent higher risk of heart disease linked to consistent eating of processed meat, and nearly 20 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Saturated fat and cholesterol content were the same in unprocessed red meat and processed meat. The dangers in the processed meat are mostly due to chemical preservatives and high sodium levels.
Grass fed beef: California State University researchers reviewed research that compared grass-fed beef with grain-fed beef, and they found higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and E, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in grass-fed. In fact, CLA levels were twice as high–CLA helps manage blood sugar and insulin levels, while also reducing risks of cancer, osteoporosis, and atherosclerosis.
Grass-fed beef is also far less likely to contain the antibiotics and hormones typically found in commercial meat. I know grass-fed beef is more expensive but it really is the best way to go.
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