12 Healthy Lunches Registered Dietitians Eat To Stay Energised

When it comes to healthy lunch recipes, registered dietitians know a thing or two—as crazy busy people, they've all got stashes of tasty, filling meal ideas that they rely on to keep them fueled all afternoon.

"Mid-day is when we need energy and nutrients the most! That’s when most of us are the busiest and most productive—at work, at school, or at home," says Jennifer O’Donnell-Giles, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D. Remember, the brain and body require nutrients in order to function at peak levels, she explains. So whether you're in a lunch rut or are just looking for some healthier options to power you through the day, take note of these 12 go-to lunches that registered dietitian nosh on.

1. Avocado Toast With Poached Eggs

"I toast two slices of 100 percent whole-grain bread and smash ¼ of an avocado on each side. Then I top with two poached eggs and a sprinkle of pepper. Not only is the lunch delicious, but it's also packed with nutrients, such as monounsaturated fats, fiber, and protein."

— Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of The Small Change Diet

2. Southwestern Salad

"Toss a couple cups of romaine, carrots, cucumber, and tomatoes, then top with ¼ of an avocado. Mix a couple tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt with a couple tablespoons of salsa and some chopped fresh cilantro to make the dressing. And finish by topping with ½ cup black beans (hot or cold). I love this lunch because it is quick and easy to assemble. It’s also full of flavor and super healthy since it is packed with veggies!"

— Sarah-Jane Bedwell, R.D., L.D.N.

3. Hummus Wrap

"One of my easiest, go-to quick lunch recipes to throw together is a simple hummus wrap. Spread a generous amount of hummus on a whole-wheat wrap and add all-natural, nitrate-free deli turkey with as many veggies as possible! Paired with an ounce of nuts, like walnuts or almonds, and a piece of fresh fruit, this lunch is easy to assemble and portable. The hummus gives the wrap the perfect base and consistency so there is no need to add any type of mayonnaise, dressings, or cheese. And it keeps you full all afternoon."

— Emily Cope-Kyle, M.S., R.D. owner and consulting dietitian at EmilyKyleNutrition.com

4. Warm Veggie Bowl With Quinoa Or Sweet Potatoes

"I love eating vegetables at lunch, but don’t always want them cold in a salad. I make my version of a 'nourish bowl' by throwing in multiple colors of veggies, sliced raw sweet potatoes or cooked quinoa, cubed firm tofu (or salmon, tuna, or grilled chicken), a dollop of hummus, and some sliced avocado into a microwave-safe container. Cook for about five to seven minutes, or until all of the veggies are tender, and enjoy! Hot hummus sounds weird, but it’s pretty delicious. This lunch option is great because it’s packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, and tons of different vitamins and minerals. It’s so versatile because you can mix and match the veggies, grains, and protein."

— Lindsey Pine, M.S., R.D., owner of Tasty Balance Nutrition

5. Easy Tasting Plate

"I love to make a snack platter—it’s quick to assemble and fun to eat. I’ll have a couple of tablespoons of hummus with veggies (like sliced mushrooms, carrot sticks, and grape tomatoes) for dipping. Then I’ll pair with fruit, such as half of a Sweet Scarlett, which is a sweeter, yet still tart grapefruit that’s in season right now. I’ll also add cheese, whole-grain crackers, and olives to my plate. The meal provides protein from the cheese and hummus, healthy fats from the olives, and fiber from the veggies and fruit."

— Amy Gorin, M.S., R.D., owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition

6. Fruit And Veggie Salad

"[I go for] a big salad with mixed greens or spinach. I like to make sure I top it with at least one fruit, one vegetable, and a protein. A good combination is strawberries, cucumbers, and nuts or sliced egg. If I'm feeling fancy, I will also add a sprinkle of goat cheese or feta. For dressing, I just drizzle balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and pepper on top. When I'm extra hungry, I will eat it with a piece of whole-grain bread or whole-grain crackers. This is a balanced meal because it includes foods from all food groups, it's low in saturated fat, and it's packed with high-antioxidant fruits and veggies."

— Heather Mason, M.S., R.D.

7. Grilled Chicken Wrap

"Place four to six ounces organic grilled chicken breast, ¼ cup baby spinach leaves, one roasted [and sliced] red pepper from a jar, and one tablespoon crumbled feta inside a wrap." (Opt for a whole-grain, high-protein wrap if you can.) "Serve cold, or if you prefer a warmed wrap, heat before eating. This wrap is a perfectly balanced meal that will provide your body with both macronutrient and micronutrient richness to power your day!"

— Jennifer O’Donnell-Giles, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D.

8. All-In-One Salad

"My favorite lunch is an all-in-one salad. I try to hit all of the food groups (carbs, protein, and fat), plus all of the major textures, like crunchy nuts and veggies, creamy cheese or roasted vegetables, and crisp greens. The more flavor variety, the better! The more diversity I can get into my bowl, the healthier and more satisfied I feel. [I like to make] mixed greens with carrots and peppers, blue cheese, and smoked salmon."

– Kath Younger, R.D., blogger at Kath Eats Real Food

9. Spaghetti Squash With Grilled Chicken And Pesto

"Simply roast a spaghetti squash in the oven, use a fork to scrape out the cooked squash, and then combine it with grilled chicken and jarred pesto at lunch time. Bonus: it can be eaten hot or cold! This is a great option because it has healthy carbs that keep you from crashing mid-afternoon, and protein and fat from the chicken and pesto that help keep you full all afternoon."

— Kalee Lundmark, M.S., R.D., blogger at The Crowded Table

10. Lettuce Wraps

"Lettuce wraps are super easy to throw together and so delicious using just a few fresh ingredients. I love using Bibb lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves for the wrap, then adding a healthy protein source like shredded turkey, chicken, tuna, beans, or quinoa along with other colorful vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, or tomatoes. I also love adding healthy fats like hummus, light dressing, or avocado. Pickles or green olives can give the lettuce wrap a tasty punch. One of my favorite lettuce wrap combinations is: natural muffaletta olive spread with shaved turkey, tomato, cucumber, provolone, and a dash of mustard.”

— Jenny Beth Kroplin, R.D., L.D.N., C.L.C.

11. Farro Bowl

"Combine ½ cup cooked farro, ½ can white beans (rinsed and drained), one to two cups of veggies like broccoli or roasted peppers, a teaspoon of olive oil, and a little fresh ground pepper. This is a great lunch as you get a lot of fiber, plant-based protein, healthy fat, and whole-grain carbohydrates. This meal will keep you full for hours while stabilizing your blood sugar and energy levels."

— Alissa Rumsey, M.S., R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

12. Tuna Avocado Salad

"A favorite lunch, especially when I don’t have a lot of time, is a tuna avocado salad. It's a quick assembly meal packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and flavor. I'll start with a can of albacore tuna and add ripe avocado instead of mayo. Depending on what I have on hand, I'll mix in chopped veggies (like red onions and celery) and sometimes chopped fruit (like apples or grapes). For seasoning, I'll add Dijon mustard, cumin, maybe dill, and salt and pepper. I'll top the tuna-avocado mixture on leafy greens and make an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing."

— Patricia Bannan, M.S., R.D.

By Alexa Tucker

http://www.self.com/story/12-healthy-lunches-registered-dietitians-eat-to-stay-energized

8 Signs You’re Eating Too Much Sugar

Sugar is delicious. Anyone who denies that is lying. But because life is unfair, sugar, especially in copious amounts, is really bad for your health. In fact, once you learn about all the ways sugar impacts your body, it’s difficult to look at it the same way (despite knowing how heavenly it tastes).

So how do you know if you’re eating too much? Here are eight red flags your body is sending you that it’s time to cut back on the sweet stuff.

1. You constantly crave sugary things

The more sugar you eat, the more you’ll crave it. “More cravings then equal consuming more sugar—it becomes a vicious and addictive cycle,” Brooke Alpert, M.S., R.D., author of The Sugar Detox: Lose Weight, Feel Great and Look Years Younger, tells SELF. This isn’t just because your taste buds have adapted and left you needing more and more to get that same taste, but also because of how sugar gives you a high followed by a crash, just like an actual drug. “By eating a high sugar diet, you cause a hormonal response in your body that’s like a wave, it brings you up and then you crash down and it triggers your body to want more sugar.”

2. You feel sluggish throughout the day

What goes up must come down. After sugar causes an initial spike of insulin and that “high” feeling, it causes an inevitable crash. “Energy is most stable when blood sugar is stable, so when you’re consuming too much sugar, the highs and lows of your blood sugar lead to highs and lows of energy,” Alpert says. Eating a lot of sugar also means it’s likely you’re not eating enough protein and fiber, both important nutrients for sustained energy.

3. Your skin won’t stop breaking out

“Some people are sensitive to getting a spike in insulin from sugar intake, which can set off a hormonal cascade that can lead to a breakout like acne or rosacea,” Rebecca Kazin, M.D., of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery and the Johns Hopkins department of dermatology, tells SELF. A sugar binge can show up on your face in just a few days. If your skin’s unruly, Kazin recommends reassessing your diet, otherwise “you may be treating skin for other issues without getting to the bottom of what’s really going on.”

4. You’re way moodier than usual

The blood sugar crash that happens when you’re coming off a sugar high can cause mood swings and leave you feeling crabby. Not to mention, if your energy is also tanking, that just contributes to a bad attitude.

5. You’ve been putting on some weight

Excess sugar is excess calories, and since it has no protein or fiber, it doesn’t fill you up (so you just keep eating it). It also triggers the release of insulin, a hormone that plays a big role in weight gain. When we eat sugar, the pancreas releases insulin, which carries sugar to our organs so it can be used for energy. When you load up on sugar, your body’s told to produce more insulin—over time, that excessive output can lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means our bodies can’t respond to normal amounts of insulin properly and therefore can’t use sugar the right way. The initial weight gain from simply eating too many calories from sugar is being compounded by the disruption to your normal insulin response (there’s a link between insulin resistance and obesity). What’s more, when the pancreas works in overdrive for too long you can develop diabetes.

6. You’ve been getting more cavities

When bacteria chow down on food particles in between the teeth, acid is produced, which causes tooth decay. Our saliva maintains a healthy balance of bacteria on its own, but eating sugar can impact the pH and throw off the natural ecosystem. This gives the bacteria a chance to thrive and multiply, leading to cavities.

7. Your brain tends to get foggy, especially after a meal

This fog is a common symptom of low blood sugar. When you eat a lot of sugar, your blood sugar levels rapidly rise and fall instead of gradually doing so. “Poor blood sugar control is a major risk for cognitive issues and impairment,” says Alpert.

8. Nothing tastes as sweet as it used to

“Eating too much sugar basically bombards your taste buds,” Alpert says. “This sugar overkill causes your taste bud sugar tolerance to go up, so you need more and more sugar to satisfy that sweet craving.” When your taste buds need lots of sugar to feel like something is sweet enough, it can be tough to lower your base level. However, it you cut back and suffer through it in the beginning, you’ll eventually lower your tolerance again and be content with minimal sugar. You might even start to feel like things are too sweet for you and—gasp!—be happier consuming sugar in moderation.

—By Amy Marturana

http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/8-signs-youre-eating-much-sugar/

Stress Is Ruining Your Fitness

Training really comes down to one thing: stress management. In the gym you add stress to try to push your body to a new level. Outside the gym, you do everything you can to alleviate the stress imposed in the gym.

When you achieve the right balance, you get what is called super-compensation, or training adaptation. When it’s wrong, you get over-reaching, which could make you too fatigued to train hard enough to stimulate change. If you go even further down the wrong track, you end up with over-training, which can lead to a near total system shut down.

Stress Is Stress 

Most people only look at the training performed in the gym or on the track when assessing levels of fatigue. However, the body doesn’t differentiate between mental, emotional, or physical stress. As far as the systems of the body are concerned, stress is stress.

That time your boss dropped a big pile of work on your desk that had to be done before you left the office was just as traumatic for your body as a max effort squat day. So the last thing you should be doing if you’ve just had one of those days is head to the gym and max out. This seems counter-intuitive. When you have a bad day, it’s natural to want to take out that aggression in the gym and let off some steam. But when you do, you’ve essentially had what amounts to two max effort sessions in the same day, as far as your body is concerned.

From Joel Jamieson’s, Certified Conditioning Coach manual. 

Stress In The Gym

Before we get to the actual stress-management solutions you can accomplish at home, let’s discuss some of the problems with most gym training models. Like it or not, anaerobic training produces the same type of energy seen in our fight-or-flight responses. It has to, because we need it to help us run away from predators for survival. But all that energy being produced so quickly has a damaging effect on your body. It is highly inflammatory, just like your stress-filled days at the office.

This is where movement quality comes into the picture. Movement quality has both a physical and a mental component. The energy systems and connective tissue are the bodily components, but they are driven by the autonomic nervous system and motor control, which are managed by the brain. The role of the nervous system is to perceive threat through the use of all of your senses and is linked to motor output functions (such as speed and power), and these functions are linked to your motor control.

The sympathetic nervous system drives extension-based postures and activities, such as running and jumping, as well as most lifts. In other words, it is your fight-or-flight posture and supports higher force activities. However, as motor control is based on threat perception, an over use of both this system and these postures results in negative changes in motor control. These changes to motor control lead to higher levels of fatigue. Those higher levels of fatigue lead to less movement variability – you become more robotic – and that leads to more injuries. In other words, spending too much time in your fight-or-flight postures performing high-force activities leads to greater likelihood of injury. What can you do to fix all this?

Protect Your Body From Threat 

The body perceives new activities as a threat. This applies whether it is a new load, new exercise, or a new distance – they will all be viewed the same way by the body. That drives you straight into your fight-or-flight system and instantly turns what is meant to be an educational session into something that is perceived by the body to be a maximum effort. So we need to slowly introduce new stressors to training. This is precisely why you shouldn’t learn the barbell snatch on day one in a gym. There are just too many things that are new if you’re not familiar with barbells and weightlifting.

As movement quality improves at each level, the first step is to add load. Once that step has stagnated then you can seek to add complexity – perhaps going from a hang power snatch to a power snatch. Once that has settled you can seek to add fatigue by adding volume before starting in on the next progression. The basic format is to add intensity, then complexity, before adding capacity.

Balance Your Stress Level

But don’t forget, new movements cause stress. To counteract all that stress you need training methods that soothe the body and allow your system to reset. For example, a day where you learn new moves should finish with an easy aerobic cool down to return the body to a suitable resting state that is responsive to training. Just as your warm up should prepare you for stress, your cool down should ready you to absorb the stress. And that is best done with a settled mind and body.

But all that could change if you chose the wrong recovery format. I’ve known beach volleyballers who weren’t great swimmers choose to go swimming for recovery the day after a tournament. Unfortunately, their bodies didn’t agree that it would be easy, so what should have been an easy session smashed them further. Walking in cool water might be a great choice for you, but unless you’re actually a good swimmer there’s not much chance that swimming will be a good recovery session.

Remember, if your body perceives a threat then it will react as if under threat with that same fight-or flight-response. Next thing you know, you’ve turned your recovery session into another hard session and your system will be depressed even more.

What Activities Are Best?

Some activities lend themselves better to recovery than others. Here are three I recommend:

Flexion-Based Postures: 

The parasympathetic nervous system features flexion-based postures. Activities like cycling and rowing make for far better choices than running, as it is extension based. Have you ever wondered why yoga has such a settling effect on the body? All that time spent in downward dog, a flexion-based posture, has a deep-seated link to promoting calmness within the body and mind.

Breathing: 

The quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to influence the parasympathetic system is to focus on respiratory function. Methods such as FMS have had highly successful results from exercises as simple as crocodile breathing. I have had clients who have found huge improvements for shoulder pain after five minutes of targeted breathing practice, combined with education about how to recognize and manage signs of stress.

Meditation: 

My good friend Chris Holder has done some interesting studies on using guided meditation to reduce stress among his Division 1 athletes. He and his colleagues found that following a daily guided meditation made up for poor sleep and dietary habits often seen in college athletes burning the candle at both ends. In my experience, the best time to perform this is before bed so that sleep quality is enhanced. Omvana is a free app that guides you through a twenty-minute series designed to relax the body and mind.

Train and Recover Smart

Once you’ve got your recovery figured out, the final step is monitoring training intensity and frequency. Most people can’t handle more than two or three hard sessions per week, and the days between should be filled with active recovery to stimulate the system, not further deplete or stress it.

The goal of training is to improve the body, not test its limits. Focus on adding guided meditation and focused breathing work, as well as aerobic recoveries and cool downs, and you will be surprised at how much better your body feels.

By Andrew Read

http://breakingmuscle.co.uk/uk/learn/stress-is-ruining-your-fitness

How Alcohol Affects the Liver & Body to limit your Weight Loss! (+STOPS ...

Sorry Guys and Girls, but if your serious about getting in shape and losing weight. You need to watch and understand the effects of alcohol on the body. 

If you have any questions please drop it in the comments below and I will get back to you ASAP.

Protein Is Only One Piece Of The Nutritional Puzzle

It's time to dispel a lot of the media hype currently associated with protein. 

Everyone out there seems to think there's a new brand of protein powder that is going to magically transform them into a super athlete with less than 10% body fat. That with no dedication, commitment, or awareness, anyone can achieve the ideal body shape they so desire. 

A lot of advertising out there will have you believe that the road to leanness is paved with protein shakes.

Sadly, protein in any form is not the “magic” macronutrient for body transformation. Protein is just one part of the nutritional requirements needed to achieve health goals. Following on from my article about sarcopenia and protein requirements for the ageing athlete, I thought it timely to discuss protein in a broader context: What protein is, what it’s not, what it does, and the practical application of its use.

What Is Protein?

In its simplest form, protein is amino acids. There are twenty of these, and nine of them are considered essential amino acids (EAAs). EAAs are essential because the body does not produce them, so you need to consume them in liquid or food form to get them into your system. Now, of these nine EAAs, there are three branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). These are your most important amino acids as they are key regulators in muscle protein synthesis (MPS). One BCAA in particular, leucine, is viewed as the key amino acid for triggering muscle growth after exercise.

Thus far, there is nothing magic about the mystical creature, protein - just some solid science.

What Can Protein Do For Athletes?

If you look at reviews and studies on protein and its effect on muscle building, improving body composition, and improving strength, you will see clear evidence to support protein's use. While the World Health Organization has a recommendation of 0.8g per kg of bodyweight for individual protein intake, the International Society of Sports Nutrition has a position stand that recommends 1.4-2g per kg of bodyweight for physically active individuals. This difference in recommendation is because protein breakdown is higher in training individuals, and should be supported with an increased intake.

What Can Protein Do For Body Composition?

Protein may have an effect on your body and your body composition – but not a magical one.

Firstly, protein may reduce the total amount of food you are eating due to its ability to keep you feeling fuller for longer. On a higher protein diet, you can go into a calorie deficit without knowing it. This is one of the great practical applications of a higher protein diet for a lot of clients. Have you ever tried eating 400g of chicken compared to 400g of bread? Big difference in difficulty. This is a huge part of why higher protein diets work. Not because of all the fancy science behind protein’s effect on the body, but simply because most people cannot eat large volumes of food.  

With that said, protein does have a greater thermic effect called TEF, or the thermic effect of feeding. In other words, your body works harder to break protein down and thus uses more energy to digest it. Protein is an uneconomical fuel source, but beneficial when used in the right manner. Protein has a TEF of approximately 19–23% in both obese and lean individuals, whereas carbohydrate has a TEF of approximately 12–14%. Studies investigating higher protein diets support that the majority of individuals (~70 %) who consume a high protein diet (>2 g/kg/bodyweight daily) get an improvement in body composition. This method is not 100% foolproof, but it does often work. 

Protein also assists muscle protein synthesis. This means if you’re in a calorie deficit, there is potential for the muscle mass to be maintained whilst fat stores are utilized for energy. The parts of your body that aid metabolism are therefore maintained. When protein is combined with quality resistance training, then protein consumption starts to have a very significant effect on lean mass growth and fat loss.

Protein isn’t the key to muscle growth on its own. But without it, you won’t make significant strides in your pursuit of increased lean muscle and reduced body fat.

Protein in Action : A Case Study

Let's take a look at a real life nutritional intervention in the form of one of our professional sailors here at ORACLE TEAM USA.

At the start of his diet adjustment, the sailor's body composition was far from ideal for a professional athlete. 21% body fat is barely overweight, but in today’s world of professional sailing, it really wasn’t good enough. We embarked on discovering why this was. We first required an understanding of the sailor’s nutritional habits. This meant a food diary to look for trends and habits to explain the sailor’s physique. Two weeks of daily recording ensued, and it became obvious where he was going wrong.

His beliefs about what fuels an endurance athlete meant he was eating an extraordinary amount of carbohydrate. He was eating carbs constantly throughout the day, from breakfast to dinner and also for snacks. Most of his carb consumption was in the form of breakfast cereals and pasta at night. This was the first glaring issue.  

The second was that his total energy consumption exceeded what we predicted to be his total energy expenditure using both a combination of equations and the Zephyr Heart Rate system. He was in a calorie surplus daily and as a result, his weight was increasing without the visual gains of lean muscle mass being achieved. 

Thirdly, we realized his protein consumption was around the WHO recommendation of 0.8g/kg/bodyweight. Certainly not bad, but for an individual in training two to three times per day, he was not fuelling his body with the necessary protein.

We embarked on a nutritional intervention program designed to educate the athlete, improve his lean mass, reduce his body fat, and reduce his overall weight to 94 kg. He was too heavy for his specific role on the boat and we felt he was carrying unnecessary weight that was not providing a sporting advantage. The nutrition program reduced his overall total energy intake to approximately 2900Kcal/day, increased his protein consumption to approximately 240g protein/day (2.5g/kg/bodyweight), fat intake to approximately 100g/day (1.06g/kg/bodyweight) and set his carbohydrates to approximately 260g/day (2.8g/kg/BW). He was also put on a supplements routine of daily whey protein isolate (40g/day to assist meeting his daily target for protein intake), creatine monohydrate (5g/day) and BCAAs (10g/day).  His training schedule stayed exactly the same as it had been.

Focus your attention on the word approximate for the total macronutrient quantities prescribed. At the start of any nutritional intervention, I get my clients to recognize and understand how much they are eating and what foods contain what macronutrients. They do this by using a visual representation for their macronutrient split and weighing their food. This is very important so they understand how much food and macros they are actually consuming. Gradually over time, usually a period of two weeks, the weighing of food stops and the visual guide is the way of determining intakes. It’s not foolproof or an exact science, but most people don’t want to be weighing food forever. It’s impractical, and not the way that food or nutrition is intended to be enjoyed. The method of weighing and measuring food is about providing an awareness and understanding.

And it works. A review of the sailor's results over a one month period saw him drop an estimated 9.2 kg of fat mass and put on 5.1kg of lean mass, and his body fat percentage went from 21% to 12.2% in one month.

Look Beyond Protein For The Best Results

Was this impressive result solely because of protein adjustment? No. It was because we took a wider view of the athlete's nutritional intake and manipulated it so it matched what the literature tells us. He started taking a significant increase in protein on a daily basis, but this was not the only reason he dropped body fat, increased lean mass, and reduced his overall bodyweight. He reduced his overall food intake, combined that with weightlifting, and started taking targeted supplements.

So before you simply up your protein intake, have a good think about what you are trying to achieve by doing so and how you are going to accomplish your goals. Seek assistance from a professional nutritionist or dietician with knowledge of sports requirements, along with a quality strength and conditioning coach. Get together and review your current habits for food, training, and lifestyle. Design a plan that works for all three elements and stick to it. 

Consistency, commitment, and effort are required to achieve the results you desire. Remember that it is all about practice, because nobody is perfect. Protein will help you for sure, but it's only one piece of the nutritional puzzle.

 By Scott Tindal

References:

1.Moberg et al, Activation of mTORC1 by leucine is potentiated by branched-chain amino acids and even more so by essential amino acids following resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2016 Jun 1;310(11) International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein

2. Willoughby DS, Stout JR, Wilborn CD. Effects of resistance training and protein plus amino acid supplementation on muscle anabolic, mass and strength. Amino Acids. 2007; 32:467-477

3.Morton RW, McGlory C, Phillips SM Nutritional interventions to augment resistance training-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Front Physiol. 2015 Sep 3;6:245.

4. Borsheim E, Aarsland A, Wolfe RR. Effect of an amino acid, protein, and carbohydrate mixture on net muscle protein balance after resistance exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Jun;14(3):255-71.

5. Reidy PT¹, Rasmussen BB. Role of Ingested Amino Acids and Protein in the Promotion of Resistance Exercise-Induced Muscle Protein Anabolism. J Nutr. 2016 Feb;146(2):155-83.

6. Krieger et al. Effects of variation in protein and carbohydrate intake on body mass and composition during energy restriction: a meta-regression. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb; 83 (2):260-74.

7. Simmons et al, 2016. Cumulative Muscle Protein Synthesis and Protein Intake Requirements, Annual Review of Nutrition.

http://breakingmuscle.co.uk/uk/fuel/protein-is-only-one-piece-of-the-nutritional-puzzle

11 Benefits of Cod Liver Oil: The Anti-Inflammatory Disease Fighter

People living in parts of northern Europe have been using cod liver oil for centuries to enhance immunity and protect them from dark, long winters. They have also used cod liver oil as a natural solution for rheumatism, aching joints and stiff muscles.

The primary source of cod liver oil was eating the fresh livers of Gadus morhua fish. While not very appetizing to most people, traditional populations felt it was worth it to benefit from cod liver oil’s numerous health-promoting effects.

What Is Cod Liver Oil?

Cod liver oil is a nutrient-dense source of essential vitamins including vitamin D and vitamin A as well as anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Considering most people don’t eat enough anti-inflammatory foods that provide both vitamin D and omega-3s — important nutrients that play a crucial role in cardiovascular, hormonal, immune, reproductive and neurological health — many adults and children can benefit from regularly supplementing with cod liver oil.

Cod liver oil comes from, you guessed it, cod liver! You can consume the oil either from eating fresh cod liver or, more likely, from taking over-the-counter supplements. Each teaspoon of cod liver oil has about 41 calories and 4.5 grams of fat according to the USDA, split between monounsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The most beneficial aspect of taking cod liver oil is that it contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, the same type found in oily fish or seafood like salmon, mackerel and sardines. It’s also one of the few and best vitamin D–rich foods.

Omega-3s and vitamin D are known for lowering inflammation, preventing blood clotting, preserving brain health and preventing depression. They’re even capable of causing noticeably reduced levels of pain and swelling due to inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

Dozens of studies have linked cod liver oil with the following benefits:

• lowering high cholesterol and high triglycerides
• preventing and treating diabetes
• lowering high blood pressure
• preventing heart disease
• reducing risk for osteoarthritis
• treating depression
• lowering risk for autoimmune diseases
• fighting eye disorders like glaucoma and protecting eye sight
• treating ear infections, allergies and asthma
• preventing and treating kidney disease
• helping to heal skin wounds
• maintaining bone health and preventing fractures or osteoporosis

11 Benefits of Cod Liver Oil 

1. High Source of Anti-Inflammatory Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Cod liver fish oil is one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, called Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Due to their natural anti-inflammatory properties, including the capability to reduce prostaglandin production, omega-3s lower the need for anti-inflammatory drugs and can be used to treat a variety of symptoms naturally, from coronary heart disease risk factors to depression or arthritis pain. 

If you aren’t yet familiar with the many benefits of omega-3 foods or supplements, these include lowering the odds of developing: heart disease, ADHD, anxiety, high cholesterol, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, cancer and more. How can they do so much? The problem is that the vast majority of Americans have an imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in their diet. Omega-6 fats aren’t necessarily bad for you, but if they are consumed in large amounts without omega-3s, they cause inflammation, which is at the root of most diseases.

A healthy ratio is ideally around 2:1 omega-6 to omega-3 fats, but most people have about five to ten times more omega-6s than this! Omega-3 deficiency is on the rise because of the overconsumption of processed foods, fast or fried foods that contain refined vegetable oils (like soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil and corn oil) filled with omega-6s. Supplementing with omega-3-rich cod liver oil is one way to lower inflammation and tip your fatty acid ratio back in favor of better health.

2. Supplies Critical Vitamin D

Vitamin D acts more like a hormone in the body than a vitamin, since it effects neurotransmitter functioning, heart health and inflammatory responses. Synthesized by your own skin when you’re exposed to the sun’s UV light, the best way to get enough vitamin D is to spend time outdoors without sunscreen on.

Not only does vitamin D play a part in healthy bone metabolism, but it supports important functions of all of our cells. Because low vitamin D levels can interfere with our cells’ ability to multiply and replenish, vitamin D deficiency might increase the risk of becoming sick short term, or even worse developing a chronic autoimmune disorder, cognitive or cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis or cancer.

Considering most adults and children don’t get enough regular sun exposure year round due to living mostly indoor lifestyles, vitamin D supplementation is now recommended for the majority of people. Vitamin D deficiency symptoms can include depression, anxiety, fatigue, low libido, infertility, autism, asthma and more — in addition, the deficiency can lower immunity and even up the risk for cancer.

High doses of vitamin D taken alone might have potential side effects, which is why it’s now recommended to take vitamin D in combination with synergistic vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids, such as how it’s found naturally in vitamin D–rich foods including cod liver oil.

3. Great Source of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an important antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress (also called free radical damage) and thereby inflammation levels. It’s tied to the prevention of eye-related disorders, supports brain health, helps fight cancer and is important for hormone production. While most people eating a pretty well-balanced diet get enough vitamin A daily, deficiency is a risk for some people eating highly processed foods or not enough calories in general.

Recently, supplementing with vitamin A has come under debate, since high levels are thought to actually be harmful and potentially toxic. However, it’s important to note that many primitive populations that ate whole-food–based diets consumed plenty of vitamin A (along with vitamin D) and experienced great health. For example, according to the Weston A. Price Foundation, the traditional Scottish diet was high in foods like fish liver oils, organ meats, shellfish and animal fats — all natural sources of vitamins A and D, and these people had very low rates of chronic diseases.

When it comes to obtaining vitamin A from cod liver oil, the quality of the supplement seems to make a big impact. Many brands contain synthetic versions of vitamins A and D that aren’t well absorbed, in addition to dangerous ratios of these two nutrients. While consuming very high levels of vitamin A from supplements alone has been linked to some health concerns, obtaining vitamin A naturally from food sources can help improve the immune system. Eating plenty of vitamin A-rich foods is beneficial for bone growth, night vision, healthy cellular growth, testicular and ovarian function, and much more.

Vitamins A and D are fat-soluble nutrients often found together in animal foods. Both act like precursors to active hormones, so we produce certain enzymes that convert each of these to active forms the body can use to regulate our immune system. In this case, vitamin A is converted to retinol. Obtaining vitamins A and D together is completely natural and allows these processes to happen in a way that protects us from toxicity.

4. Helps Prevent Heart Disease

Evidence shows that cod liver oil taken either in supplement or whole food form can help lower high triglycerides, a type of dangerous fat in the blood that raises the risk for heart disease. Cod liver oil also treats high blood pressure and helps to balance cholesterol levels.

A range of human and animal studies have proven high efficacy of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids obtained from cod liver oil in preventing atherosclerosis (hardening and stiffening of the arteries) and its complications. Treatment either alone or in combination with statin drugs helps reverse risk factors in patients with hypertriglyceridemia and high triglyceride levels.

5. Lowers Risk for Cancer

High levels of vitamin D, obtained from both sun exposure and supplementing with cod liver oil, have been associated with lower risks of cancer. One study found that vitamin D from both the sun and cod liver oil could help prevent breast cancer in women due to having antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on breast cancer cells, thereby reducing mammary tumors. While sun exposure still seems to be the most relevant protective factor for getting enough cancer-busting vitamin D, cod liver oil also seems to help offset common deficiencies.

6. Prevents or Treats Diabetes

As a great source of essential healthy fats, cod liver oil can help control insulin resistance, inflammation and manage glucose (sugar) levels in the blood.  It’s even been shown to help lower symptoms of complications related to diabetes like kidney disease. Use of cod liver oil and vitamin D supplements during the first year of a baby’s life and use of cod liver during pregnancy can also help lower the risk for developing diabetes.

One 2007 study published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology found that giving diabetic rats cod liver oil supplements for 12 weeks acted as a natural diabetes treatment. The cod liver oil supplements completely prevented endothelial deficiencyand helped correct several biochemical markers for metabolic syndrome (a combination of diabetes and cardiovascular disorder risk factors).

Prior to supplementing with cod liver oil, the rats experienced elevated plasma glucose (sugar) levels and high triacylglycerol and high cholesterol concentrations in their blood. Cod liver oil helped manage the rats’ weight gain and entirely prevented plasma lipid abnormalities while also controlling insulin sensitivity and other factors.

7. Helps Treat Arthritis

At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists established that cod liver oil was a natural “antirachitic,” which meant thousands of mothers began forcefully spoon-feeding the stuff to unwilling children! Cod liver oil use is associated with a reduction in pain, joint stiffness and swelling in patients with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Cod liver oil is an effective natural treatment for arthritis because it mimics the effects of medications. It acts as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, improves chief clinical symptoms, and can be used as a safe alternative to medications, or simply a complementary supplement, in treating rheumatoid arthritis.

8. Boosts Fertility and Helps with Growth and Development

Fats are critical for reproductive health and a vibrant pregnancy because they help the body produce sex hormones including estrogen and progesterone. Cod liver oil is linked with healthier ovarian and testicular function since it provides critical nutrients (omega-3s and vitamin D) that help keep the endocrine system running smoothly.

With multiple anti-inflammatory nutrients, cod liver oil supports the adrenal, hyptothalamic and pituitary glands that control the release of sex hormones involved in libido, pregnancy and reproduction. DHA also plays a crucial role in the mobility and health of sperm in men.

As the Weston A. Price Foundation points out, women who used liquid cod liver oil early in their pregnancy have a higher likelihood of giving birth to heavier babies, which is associated with a lower risk of diseases later in life. Women using cod liver oil also have significantly higher levels of DHA and EPA in their breast milk, which positively impacts development of breast-fed infants.

Results from a 2003 study conducted at the University of Oslo in Norway showed that children who were born to mothers who had taken cod liver oil during pregnancy and lactation scored higher on intelligence tests at age four compared with children whose mothers had taken corn oil instead.

9. Improves Brain Function

Regularly supplementing with fish oil for depression has been associated with lower risks for depressive symptoms, due to both the higher intake of essential omega-3 fats and vitamin D.

A 2007 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that omega-3 fatty acids from cod liver oil improved the outcome of depression and anxiety in the general population. The Hordaland Health Study followed 21,835 adults living in Norway for two years and discovered that the prevalence of depressive symptoms in those who used cod liver oil daily was 2.5 percent, as compared to 3.8 percent in the rest of the population. They also found that the prevalence of high levels of depressive symptoms decreased with increasing duration (0–12 months) of cod liver oil use.

There’s a strong connection between omega-3 intake or fish oil supplementation and prevention of cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease. Studies show consistent results: The essential fatty acids vital for brain function are found in fish oil and help prevent brain disorders in older adults.

10. Helps Maintain Bone Health

Vitamin D is important for building and maintaining strong bones. Studies show that women who live in cold, northerly latitudes and don’t get enough sunlight tend to produce less vitamin D, which increases the risk for bone turnover, bone loss, fractures and also obesity. Vitamin D supplementation, including from cod liver oil, has been associated with a significantly lower risk of bone fractures and might help naturally prevent osteoporosis from developing.

11. Fights Ulcers

In laboratory settings, cod liver oil has shown benefits for improving gastric ulcer healingand reducing gastric antisecretory effects observed in rats. The oil also seems to produce gastric cytoprotective effects and causes a significant reduction in the development of stress and pain caused by gastric ulcers.

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The Best Kind of Cod Liver Oil to Buy and Dosage

Most fish oil supplements available today are unhealthy, contain fillers or synthetic ingredients, can be rancid and are not an ideal ratio of fatty acids. Look for a reputable brand and ideally one that also contains antioxidants like astaxanthin to keep the oil from oxidizing. Fermented cod liver oil is also available by some brands, which means the livers were fermented to produce more vitamins and make it more digestible prior to the oil being extracted. This type is usually a good choice and nothing to fear, since fermenting fish has been a practice around the world for thousands of years.

You want to stick to a dose of no more than 1,000 milligrams of omega-3s daily unless working with a doctor for a specific condition. Each brand of cod liver oil provides different levels of omega-3s, vitamin D and vitamin A, so it’s difficult to give one over-arching dosage recommendation.

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a great resource for ongoing updates regarding different cod liver oil manufacturers who have products available in various countries. As a general guideline, they recommend the following doses of cod liver oil:

• Children age 3 months to 12 years: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 5,000 IU vitamin A daily and 500–1,000 IU vitamin D. This is equal to about 1 teaspoon of regular cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil. Check the brand’s label; you may need to give a child as little as 1/8 of a teaspoon.
• Children over 12 years and adults: A maintenance dose of cod liver oil that provides about 10,000 IU vitamin A daily and 1,000–2,000 IU vitamin D. This is about 2 teaspoons of regular cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil, but again the amount varies by company.
• Pregnant and nursing women: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 20,000 IU vitamin A daily and 2,000–4,000 IU of vitamin D. This is about 4 teaspoons regular cod liver oil or 2 teaspoons high-vitamin cod liver oil.

How should you consume your fish oil? It’s recommended that you mix it with a small amount of juice, lemon water, a smoothie, apple sauce, yogurt, almond butter or anything else that helps disguise the slightly fishy taste. A reputable brand will not add flavor enhancers or remove the odor or taste, so be prepared! Some brands will add natural extract to improve the taste (like mint or lemon), so this is an option. Store your bottle of cod liver oil in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator to keep it from spoiling and going rancid.

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Are There Any Risks or Side Effects?

When it comes to cod liver oil, and any type of fish oil or omega-3 supplement for that matter, it all comes down to the need for balance. Omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids need to have a balanced ratio, with slightly more omega-6 fats in the diet than omega-3s being the ideal. It isn’t beneficial or wise to take high amounts of cod liver oil, because more is not better; it’s a healthy ratio that we’re after!

Omega-6 fatty acids aren’t inherently bad for you and play an important role in immune system function, so too much cod liver oil can actually cause harm. That’s because omega-3 fatty acids suppress inflammation and omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation, but we need some of both. This delicate relationship keeps your immune system working properly so you produce “defense mechanisms” against posed threats (toxins, bacteria, pathogens) when you need to, but don’t become overly inflamed in the process.

In general, the best way to achieve balance is by getting your omega-3s from food sources like wild-caught fish (such as salmon), grass-fed or pasture-raised meat or cage-free eggs. Nuts and seeds are also good choices but supply a different kind of omega-3 known as ALA, while animal sources provide the preferred types called EPA and DHA.

If you’re consuming wild-caught fish a couple of times a week and have a diet high in pastured animal fats and plant-based omega-3 foods, then taking an omega-3 supplement might not be totally necessary. However, the average person can really benefit from supplementing and eating well.

Cod liver oil can act like a blood thinner, so pregnant women, asthmatics or people taking high blood pressure medication or anticoagulants should speak to their doctor before beginning a fish oil regimen. While it’s safe for most people, there are some possible side effects, such as belching (having “fish burps”), bad breath, heartburn, nausea, blood stools, low blood pressure, high vitamin A and D levels, and nosebleeds.

By Doctor Axe 

https://draxe.com/cod-liver-oil/