Sugar Is Definitely Toxic

It’s been a while since this has come up but now a brand new study confirms sugar being something you’d better stay clear off:

Sugar Is Definitely Toxic, a New Study Says

That’s what scientists have concluded from a first-of-its-kind diet study involving overweight kids

Fat was the food villain these past few decades but sugar is quickly muscling in to take its place. As rates of sugar-related disorders such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease climb, many experts believe that when Americans rid themselves of fat, they simply replaced it with sugar in all its forms.

But proving that the rise of the chronic diseases was actually linked to higher sugar consumption is a challenge. Dr. Robert Lustig, from the department of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, who has made a name for himself publishing books and research addressing the question of sugar’s effects on the body, wanted clearer answers. Now, in a paper published Tuesday, he and his colleagues believe they have come up with the definitive evidence that sugar, as Lustig says, “is toxic.”

In most lab studies, the doses of sugar that scientists test are quite high; they want to see what the effect is quickly and, depending on the research, they may not have time to wait to study the more gradual effects that might emerge. And in studies where people reduce the amount of sugar they eat, for instance, those people end up eating fewer calories overall, so it’s difficult to know whether any changes are due to the removal of sugar or to the drop in calories.

Lustig and his colleagues think they’ve produced the “hard and fast data that sugar is toxic irrespective of its calories and irrespective of weight.”

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Solstice Stand Up Paddleboard 10-Feet 8-Inch Review

Inflatable stand up paddleboards have caught on in popularity the last couple of years. The reasoning is low price combined with extreme portability and minimal storage requirements. The first inflatables to hit the marketplace were not very rigid. Recently however, SUPs like the Solstice Stand Up Paddleboard 10-Feet 8-Inch model have addressed that rigidity problem successfully, so we are taking a look at that product today.

Solstice Stand Up Paddleboard 10-Feet 8-Inch Features and Specs

* Reinforced 3 ply PVC material
* 1,000 Denier rating means excellent durability
* More rigid than previous inflatable SUP technology
* Designed with 4 stainless steel tie-downs for stowing away gear
* One stop shopping package includes carry bag, board, pump and paddle.

What’s Hot About the Solstice Stand Up Paddleboard 10-Feet 8-Inch

This inflatable SUP carries an attractive 4.4 / 5.0 customer satisfaction rating on Amazon, where you can usually find it discounted from its regular brick-and-mortar retail price tag. More than 70 Amazon purchasers have expressed their satisfaction with this product for a number of reasons.

The Solstice Stand Up Paddleboard 10-Feet 8-Inch inflatable carries a price tag which immediately draws your attention in a positive way. On top of that, you receive a carry bag, pump and SUP paddle with your purchase, meaning even more value.

What is really nice is the technology used to make this board. The first inflatable SUPs that entered the market simply were not rigid enough to handle anyone over about 150 pounds. Solstice has been successful with a particular 3 ply PVC reinforced fabric in making this board much more rigid than most inflatables, many of which require a much larger financial investment.

As a value purchase this is a no-brainer for a beginner or all-around board purchaser. Add the discounted Amazon purchase price and excellent customer satisfaction rating from previous buyers and you have a great SUP buy for a lot of reasons.

(You can read actual buyer comments and reviews here)

Why It’s Not So Hot

If you weigh more than 250 pounds, this is not the board for you. This is also an all-arounder, and not the choice if you want to surf or race competitively. As a complete package however, the price and performance cannot be beat. Perfect for fishing, cruising, and casual surfing.

Who is the Solstice Stand Up Paddleboard 10-Feet 8-Inch Perfect For?

At 10′ 8″ long, this Solstice Inflatable SUP is a good intermediate length. Inflatability means minimal storage space is required, portability has never been better, and the added pump makes inflating quick and easy. This is the perfect SUP purchase for children and teens, budget shoppers and any men or women under 250 pounds that enjoy stand up paddleboarding.

Top 7 SUP Safety Tips -Stand Up Paddleboards

Stand up paddleboards offer a lot of rewards for young and old, women and men alike. But in your haste to get out on the water and have fun, you may be overlooking some important safety concerns. If you want your SUP experience to be a positive one, remember the following top 7 SUP safety tips.

1 – Get in Shape

SUPs can be a lot of fun. They get you out on the water, in the great outdoors, they are the perfect vehicle for socializing, and they are super versatile. But a day spent on your SUP can be very grueling physically if you are not prepared. Boost your cardiovascular system and overall body strength before you take up paddleboarding, and you have a better chance of enjoying a safe, injury-free experience.

2 – Know Your Body of Water

Check tide and current charts. Bring along someone who knows the body of water you are going to be paddling on if you are not familiar with it yourself. Check the weather report. Know everything that could affect the water source where you plan to paddle before you head out.

3 – Stick To Your Board

If you become injured or find yourself in an emergency situation, stay with your board. Your SUP is much more visible than you are, and makes the perfect flotation device if you are injured or worn-out. A leash ensures you can always retrieve your board.

4 – Never Go Out Alone

This should be a no-brainer. However, when the weather is perfect, you have a day off from work and none of your friends or fellow paddlers are available, it may seem impossible to resist the urge to hit the water. You have to anyway. There is always tomorrow, and if you go out alone you may not be able to rescue yourself from an emergency situation. Don’t take the risk.

5 – Wear a Life Jacket (Personal Flotation Device)

A PFD is designed to hold you in a face-up, floating position in the water. If you suffer a head injury and are rendered unconscious, a personal flotation device just may save your life. It also cushions any falls or tumbles you make from your board.

6 – Carry a Whistle

The sound of a whistle can be heard for incredibly long distances across open water. If you suffer an injury, lose your board or find yourself in some other type of emergency situation, a series of 3 short, sharp whistle blasts can alert someone to your situation.

7 – Don’t Lose Yourself in the Experience

It’s easy to forget that you can go from having the time of your life to a catastrophe scenario in just seconds. Keep an eye on your surroundings. Enjoy yourself and have a good time, but be aware of everything that is going on around you. SUPs can provide a lifetime of health benefits and outdoor enjoyment, as long as you respect the experience and keep your head in the game.

Introduction to Stand Up Paddle Surfing

When you are learning how to surf on your SUP, remembering one major point is vitally important. Never forget that you are now a member of the overall surfing community. That means you need to understand the unwritten etiquette and rules that apply to all surfers, whether on surfboards or stand up paddleboards.

Stick To Your Level

Sit back and watch for a while. Look for an area of water where other surfers at your level of competency are working the waves. If you are just beginning, head to uncrowded breaks. These are not the best waves, but you can learn proper form and surfing techniques that allow you to improve your skill level.

Never “Drop In”

The surfer that is nearest to the peak (beginning) of a wave is considered to have the right-of-way. The peak of the wave is where the break begins. If there is someone closer to the peak than you, and they hit that wave, you should never drop in on that wave as well.

Get in the Lineup and Take Turns

To ensure that you never snake or drop in on waves out of turn, take your place in the surfing lineup. You never want to just paddle out and go after every wave. The surfing community will often times have a very formal lineup that is easy to read. Sometimes it will be more of a turn taking process. Watch the other surfers for a while before joining to guarantee you do not jump your spot in line.

Don’t Abuse Your Board Size

Your SUP is probably going to be longer and wider than most traditional surfboards you encounter. This does not mean that you should use that extra length to bully other surfers. This can lead to injuries, and possible banishment from the surfing community.

SUP Surfing Technique

Paddle out wide and get in line. When it’s your turn and a wave is coming, start paddling quickly, moving from a parallel to a vertical alignment with the wave. You will be paddling rapidly at first. Once you catch the wave, bend your knees and simply use your paddle to steer if you need to. Look in the direction you want to head, and assume a surfing stance, one foot in front of another.

Practice, Practice, Practice

SUPs allows you to surf with no prior experience. Because you are already in a standing position when you catch a wave, it is easier to surf successfully than a traditional surfer who must go from a a prone to standing position. However, you should still practice first. Where there is no one around, put in your time. This ensures that you will look like a seasoned surfer the first time you join a lineup.

The Top Fitness Trends of 2016

For those interested in fitness and learning about the latest trends in this field there’s some interesting news here:

If you’ve been holding out on springing for that Fitbit or Nike FuelBand – telling yourself fitness trackers will soon go out of style – you may need to find another excuse, or give in. According to the American College of Sports Medicine’s 10th annual survey of 2,800 health and fitness professionals, wearable technologies such as fitness trackers, smart watches and GPS tracking devices are expected to be the No. 1 fitness trend in 2016.

“I suspect it has something to do with our fascination with gadgets and the fact that now we’re past the era of the recession,” says the survey’s lead author Walter Thompson, associate dean in the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University in Atlanta. In the past, budget-friendly trends such as body weight training and group personal training were more popular. (It might also have something to do with the fact that this year was the first the ACSM included wearable technology as an option on the list at all.) “We’ll have to see if it maintains its status,” Thompson says, noting that the ACSM specifies that a “trend,” or a general change in behavior, is different from a “fad,” which is shorter-lived.

Of the 40 trends ACSM asked fitness professionals to rank, body weight training, high-intensity interval training, strength training and educated and experienced fitness professionals took the top five slots after wearable technology. Dropping on this year’s list were worker incentive programs, boot camps and exercise programs aimed at children and weight loss – “a huge disappointment to those who believe that the fitness industry should take the lead in the battle against childhood obesity,” the accompanying journal article reports…

Read on at this link

WHO: Hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats cause cancer

Wow, so happy I’m eating just 2 steaks per month and not having  any of these hot dogs or bacon..

That being said I still have quite a lot of charcuterie prepared by Weight Watcher’s so I guess I’d better cut that out as well..

Here’s that Washington Post article:

A research division of the World Health Organization announced Monday that bacon, sausage and other processed meats cause cancer and that red meat probably does, too.

The report by the influential group stakes out one of the most aggressive stances against meat taken by a major health organization, and it is expected to face stiff criticism in the United States.

The WHO findings were drafted by a panel of 22 international experts who reviewed decades of research on the link between red meat, processed meats and cancer. The panel reviewed animal experiments, studies of human diet and health, and cell processes that could explain how red meat might cause cancer.

But the panel’s decision was not unanimous, and by raising lethal concerns about a food that anchors countless American meals, it will be controversial.

The $95 billion U.S. beef industry has been preparing for months to mount a response, and some scientists, including some unaffiliated with the meat industry, have questioned whether the evidence is substantial enough to draw the strong conclusions that the WHO panel did.

In reaching its conclusion, the panel sought to quantify the risks, and compared to carcinogens such as cigarettes, the magnitude of the danger appears small, experts said. The WHO panel cited studies suggesting that an additional 3.5 ounces of red meat everyday raises the risk of colorectal cancer by 17 percent; eating an additional 1.8 ounces of processed meat daily raises the risk by 18 percent, according to the research cited.

“For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” says Kurt Straif, an official with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which produced the report. “In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance.”

About 34,000 cancer deaths a year worldwide are attributable to diets high in processed meats, according to figures cited by the panel…

Read on at this link

Super Healthy Eating and Quick Fitness Tips

 Here’s a good post I think you’ll like as well, and you may be surprised to learn that a large number of celebrities are “mostly transitioning to a completely plant-based diet for health, fitness and athletic performance reasons”:

I love eating healthy and try to incorporate quick heathy tips to every meal.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to speak with Brendan Brazier. Brendan is a former professional Ironman triathlete, bestselling author and formulator of the award-winning plant-based Vega nutritional products.

Brendan shared his top tips on eating healthy and quick fitness tips for a busy schedule.

What are the healthy eating options celebrities are using these days?

What are the top celebrity fitness tips?

Just like us, celebrities are limited with time. I have been doing an incredible amount of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts with my friends and clients, because you get in a strength building, cardiovascular improving workout in a very short amount of time by increasing the intensity.

What advice would you have for a person wanting to start healthy eating habit?

A morning smoothie is a simple way to start your day with a strong nutritional foundation. It’s an easy way to ensure nutrient density, and keep you satisfied until lunch, and is a much better option than other sugar-laden options on shelf. Dark leafy greens, unsweetened non-dairy milk, low-sugar frozen fruit and shake mix are my go-to smoothie ingredients…

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Less Belly Fat for Mindful People

Here’s some very interesting news about a study that might make you want to look into mindfulness as soon as possible:

A new study shows that people with mindful dispositions are less likely to be obese

Research about the effects of mindfulness is becoming ever more robust. Studies suggest that having an awareness of your own physical and mental processes could lead to benefits ranging from lower stress to a protected heart. Now a new study suggests that mindfulness may have an impact on the physical body, showing that people with mindful dispositions have less belly fat and are less likely to be obese.

The research, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, looked at 394 people close to age 50. The men and women are part of the long-term New England Family Study, and researchers have been following them since they were in their mothers’ wombs. In the study, the researchers assessed the dispositional mindfulness of the men and women using a standard questionnaire called the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). They also looked at other markers like body fat and weight…

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3 Forgotten Fruits Drop Belly Flab and Melt Thunder Thighs

The powerful trigger effect of several fruits that ignite the burning of excess body-fat and flab

– by Joey Atlas, M.S., Exercise Physiology, Womens’ Body Enhancement Specialist, Author

Long forgotten, but still incredibly effective – there are several specific fruits, each with certain properties, which are able to cause excess fat and unhealthy flab to be burned off the body.

Let’s take a look at these 3 special fruits – and how they work their body-slimming effects.

1 – Strawberries

Remember how much you loved strawberries as a kid? Well – there are even more reasons to love them as an adult. Rich in polyphenols, a phytonutrient common in certain berries, studies indicate this element aids in body-fat reduction – and also prevents formation of new fat cells.

2 – Cucumbers

Bet you didn’t know that cucumbers are actually a fruit – and NOT a vegetable. And while they are great for reducing puffy eyes – these refreshing green delights are even more powerful when we unleash them inside our bodies. Not only are they a powerful fat-fighter – but recent and new research is revealing anti-cancer effects of this special fruit that most people think is a veggie…

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5 Worst Dieting Mistakes Women Make

– by Joey Atlas, M.S., Exercise Physiologist
Womens’ Body Enhancement Specialist

You’ve probably tried most of the weight-loss methods out there. Such as:

…plus all the other ineffective and dangerous options which I don’t have time or room to list here… But you know none of those worked for you, because if any of them did – you simply wouldn’t be reading this article.

However, that isn’t what matters.

What does matter is that you become aware of the inherent mistakes built into all those weight-loss and fat-reduction offerings – so you can avoid them, from here forward – and even more importantly – discover what’s real & true for obvious fat-loss and long-term, life-improving, anti-aging and wellness success.

So, today we cover 5 of the most common dieting mistakes to AVOID if you want to:

A – ignite natural weight loss
B – trigger your body’s fat-burning functions and…
C – slim down to a healthier, more attractive, more energetic version of your best self…

Mistake # 1 – Continuing a Dieter’s Mentality Because of How You’ve Been Programmed During the Course of Your life

Continuing the cycle of “yo-yo” dieting all starts in your mind.

And if you decide to “start another diet” – you keep yourself in that zone of conflict. This antagonistic mindset keeps a battle going on in our minds (because nobody wants to be on a diet) until we get so frustrated and decide to give-up the diet and go back to our old ways.

Fortunately, there is a way to drop the dieter’s mindset in order to drop the excess fat weight. In fact it’s the only way to do it – if you plan to see obvious results and keep those great results for a lifetime…

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