The Truth About Coffee

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By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES
Original article found at here.
The smell of a fresh cup of coffee in the morning can be mesmerizing.

For some, coffee is the perfect way to wake them up in the morning.

And for others, coffee can create FEAR.

Why?

The consensus on coffee and your health is blurred.

In fact, there are studies for both sides one for and one against coffee for health.

So the question remains: is coffee beneficial or harmful to your health?

You decide for yourself.

Coffee
Coffee is full of powerful antioxidants and phenols which may reverse aging and may slow age associated disease process.

Coffee may also reduce sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen and improve glucose metabolism.

Coffee also has caffeine which may be addictive.

But caffeine may also enable your body to do wonderful things.

For one caffeine is a stimulant to your central nervous system which keeps you alert and functioning.

And stimulation of your CNS may also increase metabolism.

You may be able to BURN more FAT
by drinking COFFEE

Coffee may also increase performance in endurance events.

Plus, coffee may reduce the risk of developing Type II diabetes, colon cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and may reduce your risk of gallstones.

But ladies and gentlemen, today I want to share TWO amazing benefits coffee has one a topic that is very serious.

Coffee may help fight some cancers.

Plus caffeine has nothing to do with it.

Coffee vs. Prostate CancerProstate cancer affects many men around the world.

2 million men in the US and 16 million men worldwidehave developed and survived prostate cancer

However, there is a very lethal type of prostate cancer which can spread to your bones or may even KILL you.

It not to be taken lightly, and can be very DEADLY.

Consumption of coffee may have tremendous effects on this lethal form of cancer.

Men that drank the MOST coffee, equaling 6 or more cups a day may reduce their risk of developing ANY type of prostate cancer.

And on this very lethal form: the more coffee you drink the better.

You may reduce your RISK by 20%!

Men who drink 1-3 cups per day may also reduce their risk by as much as 30%.

Now the interesting part of this study: it didn’t matter if it was caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.

Impressive!

Now ladies, here is some good news for you: coffee may reduce your risk of developing endometrial cancer.

Coffee vs. Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial cancer is a form cancer that attacks the womb.

It’s very serious form of cancer and affects a little over 46,000 women per year.

Endometrial cancer begins in the cells of your uterus that release fluid and mucus.

Endometrial cancer may be linked to
excess levels of estrogen and insulin

Coffee drinkers take note!

Let me explain…

Women who drink an average of 4 cups per day may lower their risk of developing endometrial cancer by 25%.

That was in comparison to women who drank less than one cup per day.

And again: caffeine has nothing to do with it.

This study showed that women who drank an average of 2 cups of DECAFFEINATED coffee may reduce their risk as well.

On a side note, this study determined tea drinkers had no change their risk factor for developing endometrial cancer.

More Research Needed
There are more studies needed but it this is a great starting point!

And it may point to the power the antioxidants and phenols found in coffee and its interaction in your body.

Coffee may reduce insulin and estrogen levels possibly
reducing your risk of developing endometrial cancer

Those same antioxidants and phenols may also reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

Regardless of the type of coffee, drinking coffee may reduce many different diseases which may afflict you as you get older.

The rich aroma of coffee MAY be mesmerizing but the nutrients INSIDE the black liquid may be the ones which keep you healthy.

So raise your cup and enjoy the rich and bold flavor of your favorite blend.

Know that by drinking coffee, you may be reversing dangerous health problems and defying the aging process with each tiny sip.


NEXT: Get All The Age Defying And Cancer Fighting Antioxidants With This Special Nutrient >>

References:

Je, Y. Hankinson, S. Tworoger, S. DeVivo, I. Giovannucci, E. A Prospective Cohort Study of Coffee Consumption and Risk of Endometrial Cancer over a 26-Year Follow Up.  Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev November 22, 2011 ; Published OnlineFirst November 22, 2011; doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-11-0766.

Wilson, K. Kasperzyk, J. Rider, J. Kenfield, S. Van Dam, R. Stampler, M. Giovannucci, E. Mucci, L. Coffee Consumption and Prostate Cancer Risk and Progression in the Health Professionals follow up Study. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst (2011) doi: 10.1093/jnci/djr151

Building A Better Breakfast

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Better Breakfasts for Building Muscle

The biggest consideration to make when trying to gain muscle is your food intake and what types of food you are eating. While your activity level and genetic factors all have a slight input, you have to concentrate most of your efforts on your diet. But despite what you may have been led to believe, fats are still okay to include in your muscle building meal plans. Often times, if you do it right, you can fight off the fat by eating the right types of food, and by eating them at the rights times and intervals.

BREAKFAST.

Have you ever heard the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”?

Of course you have because everyone has at some point or another.

But there is a good reason this saying is so popular…It’s true! Skipping breakfast is possibly the biggest of all mistakes to be made if you wish to gain muscle, keep fat levels low or get into any half decent shape at all. Eating breakfast will kick start your metabolism and provide you with the energy you need to start the day as you mean to go on. Breakfast is literally the ‘fast breaker’ and your body begins to slow down it’s metabolism after going 6 to 8 hours without food. You want to grow? Your best not skip breakfast!

So what does a typical muscle building breakfast consist of for the Muscle Cook?

My muscle building breakfast always consist of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats – note the word healthy here! Protein is the main muscle building nutrient and you need to consume this in order to extract those vital amino acids. Too many people skip the protein in their breakfast with just a cereal bar. Don’t be one of them.

PROTEIN. Many bodybuilders use egg whites to get their protein into their diet, although this can be a little on the time-consuming side if you were to crack each egg to get the whites out of them. If you also have kids to feed or a job to get to then you can buy your egg whites in a carton – Eggwhites in cartons are much less messy and readily available. Cottage cheese and protein powder are both good choices too as they pack in the protein without throwing in too much fat. Protein powder can be a quick way to make some delicious oats, one of my personal favourites.

CARBS. The next thing to do is get the complex carbohydrates in. These are vital for energy especially when burning more calories and requiring more to build and repair muscle tissue. Eating complex carbohydrates rather than the simple ones such as processed bread is the best way to go. You should eat beans and whole grains which release their energy more steadily and avoid giving you a sugar rush which is only really beneficial post workout.                            

HEALTHY FATS. Healthy fats are perfectly acceptable as well when it comes to eating for muscle gain or even fat loss. The key is to choose healthy fats such as olive oil, natural peanut butter, nuts and low amounts of whole eggs.  Just be careful with oils as it is easy to go over your required fat calories per meal if you use too much.

FIBER. Fiber should also be found in your breakfast as this keeps your digestive system moving effectively. An effectively moving digestive system will be more able to digest food and remove toxins. By being able to digest foods better you will also keep glycogen receptors more receptive to the caloric surplus you take in on a muscle building diet.

Your body is dependent upon the food you supply to it and a better breakfast really does mean a better body. Don’t think about a junk food breakfast and skipping it is always completely out of the question.

It might take some practice and some planning in advance. Just like lifting weights, you must get used to the calories in the morning and taking the time to actually eat. Treat it like you should be treating your weights. It’s a good routine to adopt!

Tea Juice; Replace Diet Coke & Sweeteners!

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-5-6 bags of any non-caffeine he.rbal tea of your choice (green
tea, peach tea, berry tea, orange zinger, lemon, etc.)

-3 quarts water

-Stevia powder or liquid to taste

Boil tea bags in a large pot. Add 1-2 full teaspoons of 
stevia while still hot (You may add more or less, based on 
desired sweetness) Let tea cool and then transfer to the 
refrigerator in Ice Tea pitchers or individual size bottles."

Common Weight Loss Mistakes

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By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES

Weight loss is not easy.  It takes hard work, dedication, and sweat to lose weight and keep it off.   People did not decide to become overweight, but the changes in the environment have made it easier for us to have access to unhealthy food options and more sedentary lifestyles. 
It takes a long time to put on weight.  Keep in mind you might have seen an increase of a pound here or there, but making little changes helped keep it under control.  Then, out of nowhere, it became five or ten pounds or more, and it just does not come off that easily.  Let me explain why.
Every time you turn the corner, there is a new weight loss diet coming at you full bore.  You have heard all of them state the same thing about weight loss.   You can lose so much weight with this or that plan; this plan will increase your energy; that plan will work without dieting at all.   Did you know that if you Google "weight loss plans," or even "diets," you get roughly 86 million different pages!   No wonder why we are so confused about weight loss!  We are inundated with too much information, that weeding through all of them can be overwhelming.
Most of the time weight gain takes months, or even years, to add up.  There is no easy way to take it off either, no magic wand that can take the weight off and return you to your high school weight.  There are many weight-loss supplements that can help raise your metabolism which can help you lose weight, however, which product can you trust and who makes the best one?
Want to be lean and fit?  Then follow these five weight loss tips that the Pros might have kept hidden from you:
Top Five Mistakes
Mistake #1: Do you skip the most important meal of the day?
Breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day.  Not only can skipping breakfast seriously alter your metabolism for the day, but it can also lead to weight gain.  Eating breakfast in the morning sparks your metabolism, and helps you burn calories.  It takes energy to break down food, so your metabolism starts up and is maintained until you eat next. 
Recommendation:  Get up a few minutes earlier and have breakfast.  This can start your day off right.  Try to incorporate high-quality protein sources that provide good fats and carbohydrates that have plenty of fiber in them.   The fiber will keep you fuller for a longer period of time until you eat again.
Mistake #2: Not eating enough metabolism-boosting protein
The metabolism-boosting tissue on our bodies is muscle.  Muscles consist of water, trace minerals, and protein.  By adding protein, you are providing the body with the building blocks it needs to maintain adequate muscle mass.   Protein provides the body with essential and non-essential amino acids, which help build muscle and can help burn fat.
Recommendations:  To benefit from metabolism-boosting protein, it is recommended to eat 1gm or more per kg of bodyweight.  This will provide the body with enough protein to maintain proper muscle tissue.  In order to increase the amount of muscle you have, or if you are an athlete, then the protein requirements may go up.  It is recommended to talk with a dietitian to develop the right plan for you for optimal performance and weight loss.
Mistake #3: The workout you might be doing can lead to weight gain
That’s right, the exact workout you are doing might be leading to extra weight gain.  Before you stop reading right here, let me explain how your workout might just be the problem.
Not everyone prescribes the same type of program, and most utilize the staples: cardiovascular work and muscle strengthening.  Now, each one is important to the overall workout process, and both can help you lose weight.  However, there are some people who only prescribe one of the two listed above.   Most people think the more cardio they do, the better their weight loss results. Why is this wrong?  Read on to learn the secrets.
Cardio does do a lot of good for the body.  It helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system, helps to burn more calories in a 30-minute block, and can dramatically alter our lipid profile.  However, most people do not follow the typical guidelines of only 30-60 minutes in one workout.  Most people go beyond the 60 minutes, which then goes from fat burning and shifts to muscle burning.   Muscle is, by far, our greatest weapon.
The more muscle tissue we have, the more we use our fat during the workout, and after.   The exact workout that you are doing is eating this fat burning super weapon and might be leading to excess storage of fat.  Making sure that you are incorporating a strength training workout in with your cardio will help preserve your fat burning potential, and help you burn extra calories at rest. 
Incorporating strength training and increasing your protein intake (see #2) will help to keep your fat burning tissue in place, and help utilize that extra fat that is sitting around your abdominals or other areas of the body.
Recommendations: Incorporate the right type of strength program for you, to help men build more muscle and help women build metabolism-boosting lean muscle tissue.   There are many different plans and protocols that you can use to help maximize your strength training routine results and help you shed those unwanted pounds.  Talk to a professional to get guidance on the best program for you.
Mistake #4: Not feeding the “machine” right after your workout
Athletes know about it.  Strength coaches, dietitians, and sports nutritionists do too.  The timing of nutrition post workout is just as important as the rest of the day’s nutrition.  There is a small window of opportunity post workout to halt the breakdown of muscle, and help burn extra fat.  This window, commonly referred to as the anabolic window, is a time when the body is very sensitive to insulin.  Having a smaller snack with protein and carbs allows for greater breakdown and shuttling of the nutrients into the cells.   This allows your body not only to be better hydrated, but it also helps with refueling the body with essential nutrients you need to help build muscle and burn fat.
Recommendations: A small meal or snack that has the right combination of protein and carbohydrates within 45 minutes after your workout.   A great snack that provides the right combination of carbs to proteins is milk or a post-workout meal shake.
Mistake #5:  Do you overeat, or not eat enough?
This one could be, by far, the biggest challenge facing most exercisers and people looking to lose weight.   The fact is nutrition, and more specifically your calorie intake, is by far one of the most important steps in losing weight and keeping it off.   Confused?  Here is the easy explanation.
Calories are important to weight loss success.   Maintaining a caloric deficit is the normal way to lose weight.  However, not taking in enough calories can have detrimental effects on your weight loss success.  Your body’s basal metabolic rate determines the amount of calories you need in order to maintain your weight and daily activities.  To lose weight, you subtract enough calories from this number, and vice versa to gain weight.   There is no magic number, but what is typically recommended is about 500 calories per day, which for 7 days equals about 3500 calories, or one pound of fat.   This number is usually accomplished through a combination of diet and exercise.
Cutting your calories to dangerously low levels only creates havoc in your body.  Your body usually shifts into conservation mode, and starts metabolizing muscle and spares your fat stores.  This results in slower metabolism and higher fat stores.
Recommendations: Maintain appropriate calorie intake, but include three meals per day and possibly include healthy snacks.  Most meals and snacks should include lean proteins, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and have more healthy fats including some moderate levels of some saturated fats, which can be beneficial to health.  Minimize the use of calorie-dense foods and baked goods since they include a lot of trans fatty acids, which has been shown to lead to heart disease and some cancers.   To find out where you are lacking in calories, keep a journal and write everything down that goes into your mouth.  This will show you where you might be able to increase in calories for optimal weight loss.
Losing weight, and keeping it off, takes hard work and dedication to stay on course.  Making sure you are eating correctly by incorporating the right foods, eating enough calories, not skipping meals, and eating at the right time will help you to keep your waistline slim.  Also, maintaining an active lifestyle by exercising regularly with the right strength and cardiovascular program will helpmaintain your metabolism-boosting tissue and keeping your fat burning at an accelerated rate.

The Easiest Way To Reduce Food Cravings

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More evidence has been released indicating that a high-protein breakfast may increase satiety and reduce your food cravings, according to a small study published in the journal Obesity.

University of Missouri researchers looked at brain signals linked to food motivation and reward behaviors that are eating-related, in ten obese adolescent girls.  

These girls usually skipped breakfast.

For three weeks, the girls were given either a 500 calorie normal-protein breakfast, a high-protein breakfast, or no breakfast at all. 

Three hours after implementing one of these three options, they noticed there were differences in brain activity, and the differences were greater with those who had consumed the high-protein breakfast - meaning that their hunger levels were decreased and their fullness or satiety lasted longer.  

This leads to less snacking, overeating, and weight gain.  

Most people know that incorporating a healthy breakfast is a good thing to live a healthier life; but even though this study was small, it further supports past studies showing just how important breakfast is.  It also shows that a high-protein breakfast is more effective at controlling hunger than a normal-protein breakfast.  

If you don't like eggs for breakfast, here are some other options to fulfill your high-protein breakfast.  

1.  Greek Yogurt
2.  Whey protein added to pancakes or waffles
3.  Whey protein smoothie
4.  All Natural Prograde Lean Meal Replacement made with Stevia

Now if you do like eggs, that opens up even more possibilities for a high-protein breakfast.

Next:  Discover The New All Natural Meal Replacement Made With Stevia To Satisfy Your High-Protein Breakfast Needs.


Reference:
Obesity (2011)  Published online ahead of print. doi:10.1038/oby.2011.108  “Neural Responses to Visual Food Stimuli After a Normal vs. Higher Protein Breakfast in Breakfast-Skipping Teens: A Pilot fMRI Study”  Authors: Heather J. Leidy, Rebecca J. Lepping, Cary R. Savageand Corey T. Harris