Frustration to inspiration

I am getting back in the blogging groove with another installment on getting and staying motivated for training. Not very original perhaps but something we all struggle with to one degree or another.

The double-edged sword that is the Internet opens up the world of amazing abilities humans have for feats of strength, flexibility, agility, grace, and endurance – in short, the incredible range of skills that exist out there. Watching these feats might inspire us to be better ourselves. Or, depending on the level of skill, it is possible to feel frustrated by one’s own comparative lack of skill.

How do we get from frustration to inspiration? By setting goals for yourself and getting to work to achieve those goals. This takes a specific mindset: one must develop persistence.  How do you learn to be persistent? You first need patience. Difficult skills don’t happen overnight. Even the most gifted have to put in hard work to get to where they are. If you are training and putting in consistent effort training the skills you aspire to, then you are on the right course.

When frustration takes you to that fork in the road and you are faced with two choices: to quit, or soldier on, choose the path of greatest resistance.  Because if you quit in frustration, you will be guaranteed not to meet your goals. Sounds obvious but, I guarantee training will get you results eventually. Remember, if it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing. Your goals might not happen as quickly as you would like but they will happen. Instead, stay inspired, persist in your training and be patient with yourself. This is the road to mastery. It is not a well-trodden path. The road less traveled is worth taking.

If you are feel stuck, search for the reason. What is holding you back? Is it you: not being consistent, not putting in the effort, not showing up? Or is it your method? Your trainer? Your health? Your nutrition? Once identified, the roadblock can then be removed or worked around. It might be time to look for another way – that way could be another trainer, program, method.  Find the right fit for you. Make sure all the elements are in place for you to succeed. And carry on training. The hard work will pay off. Maybe not as soon as you’d like, but it will be all the more rewarding for it when it happens.

And since you will be on this road for a long time, find ways to enjoy the journey. When the going gets rough, keep the end goal foremost in your mind. And find ways to make it fun. If it’s not, why are you doing it? There may be aspects you don’t like, but keep in mind that only by” staying in the suck”, will you improve. This means, working your weaknesses, not your strengths. It’s possible you don’t even know what your weaknesses are. The right training program will expose your weaknesses and develop them to make you stronger.

If you are training your strengths, you're only making yourself weaker. - Sara Clare-Lajeunesse

If the goal is something you really want, the training is something you really need. So if you’re not already training toward a goal, find out what your goal is and get to work.  Both the training and the end-results create a win-win. So keep those inspirational videos coming!

Live longer, save your bones, save your heart with vitamin K2!

This is my first blog of 2017. In fact I haven’t blogged in a long while. But today I have something I want to share with you: it's a new discovery that could change your health for the better and not in a small way.

Do you supplement calcium and vitamin D and still have weak bones? Did you know that in an attempt to obviate your risk for osteopenia/osteoporosis by taking calcium and vitamin D, you may also be increasing your risk for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)? Sounds crazy right? The fact is there is a significant connection between bone health and heart health. Taking vitamin D and calcium supplements actually increases the risk of heart attack and stroke because extra calcium builds up in arteries causing them to harden. Why? You may be consuming and absorbing plenty of calcium from food or supplements but the problem is it’s just not getting to where you need it! And, it might be landing in the last place you want it: in your arteries!

This is where vitamin K₂  comes in. The K family of vitamins activates enzymes that modify certain proteins to all them to bind to calcium. Vitamin K₁-dependent proteins are involved in blood clotting. Vitamin K₂ -dependent proteins move calcium into bones and out of soft tissues like arteries, veins and skin. This is their job: to direct the calcium traffic! It's critical that this routing takes place.

So why is this happening and why vitamin K₂ deficiency so widespread? It has to do with the way we used to eat versus the way we eat today. First, let’s look at where vitamin K₂ comes from with a look at how humans derive nutrients from the food they eat.

Our habit of eating animals allows humans to benefit indirectly from sun’s energy and the soils minerals. These elements are captured by photosynthetic plants, then consumed and metabolized by creatures that are capable of doing so efficiently. Animals transform the nutrients in these plants into forms that are more bio-available to humans. Since the nutrient content of meat, eggs and dairy products is a direct result of the composition of the animals’ diet. Once upon a time, cows grazed in the pasture.

Enter factory farming (animals kept indoors) and the switch-over from pasture grass to grain-feed. By adding vitamins A and D to the feed meant cattle, poultry and swine could survive without sunlight – a source of vitamin D – and without green grass, a source of nutrients from which animals can derive vitamin A. However we and the animals suffer for it.

When we removed pasture, we inadvertently removed vitamin K₂ from the diet!

This is not to say that calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin A are not good for us. Of course they are essential to our health. But as we have now learned, we need the presence of vitamin K₂ to make these other nutrients do their work in the body, once consumed.

So where do we get vitamin K₂ ? Back to the sunshine factor: the connection between chlorophyll and K₂ leads to a unique characteristic of true grass-fed foods: that is, a distinct sunny yellow or orange tinge. When selecting K₂ -rich foods, in general, the more yellow or orange the fat, the higher the K₂ content. Butter oil, ghee, natto and goose fat are the best food sources of K₂; meat, milk and eggs contain smaller amounts. Kefir and cheese contain moderate amounts. If you choose to take it in supplement form, be sure to look for M-7 K₂ .

There are many other health benefits to taking in enough vitamin K₂ . Any way you look at it, the value of this little-known vitamin cannot be understated ! I encourage you to do further research into this powerful vitamin and start getting your levels up, either in food or supplement form. It could save your life!

Learning something new

A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. –Chinese proverb

As children, we are trying new things all the time: Piano, ballet, scouts, baseball, hockey, art, you name it. But as adults, as time passes, it becomes increasingly more difficult to take on learning a new skill, to take that first step.

You’ve probably heard that it takes 10,000 repetitions to master a skill. This number can be intimidating if you are just starting out. If you’re already in the martial arts and it’s a lifestyle for you, 10,000 repetitions is just part of the journey. But what about starting something new? This idea of so many repetitions can be daunting.

In the beginning, you always feel stupid. You can’t do it and you know you suck at it. So the major barrier is fear. The barrier isn’t intellectual, it’s emotional. Nobody likes to feel stupid.

I admire those who are accomplished at one skill (take karate, for example) and decide to become beginners in another related, but different skill, like Modern Arnis. This takes courage. 

But what if you knew that it only takes 20 hours (number of repetitions depends on the task) to learn a new skill? You might be more inclined to take that first step. Josh Kaufman, a teacher who specializes in teaching practical skills, has discovered that 20 hours is the tipping point for learning a new skill. Now mastery, that’s a different kettle of fish. We’re back to 10,000 repetitions. Obviously learning something and mastering it are two different orders of magnitude. It's the doing that is important. If you love it enough, you will stick with it and develop mastery. If you don't, move on to something else. It's the journey that counts.

Decide what you want to learn and start now. What’s your thing? Go out and do that thing. It only takes 20 hours. And have fun!

Life ain’t easy; train anyway.

Fruit - good or bad?

One of my pet peeves is hearing people say fruit is bad because it’s full of sugar. Sugar is bad ergo fruit is bad. Sugar's sugar... or is it?

Yes, fruit contains a fair amount of sugar but that’s hardly a reason for avoiding it.  If you are diabetic, you might have to limit it but for most folks fruit is a highly nutritious snack full of antioxidants, vitamins and fibre.

A related question about fruit came up recently in regard to cancer. You've probably heard before that sugar feeds cancer, right? Well, that's true.  It doesn't mean that sugar necessarily "causes" cancer in the first place, but if your immune system is weak from other aspects of life (stress, poor nutrition, etc.), and you're exposed to chemicals in food or the environment (or radiation) that are known to cause cancer, then you're giving your body the perfect set of conditions to actually develop cancer by eating sugar.

Which begs the question: "Can I eat fruit if I'm trying to prevent cancer, or can a friend that's fighting cancer eat fruit and not add fuel to the fire with extra sugar?"

That's actually a great question, and one that I pondered as well.  According to the documentary The Truth about Cancer”, the answer is yes, you can eat fruit and still prevent cancer. In one of the episodes, one of the world's top experts in natural cancer research talks about the differences between right spin and left spin sugars.

Without getting too technical, the basic thing that he talked about was that processed sugars (from table sugar, corn syrup, and other junk food sugars) are the ones that actually feed cancer in your body, but the types of sugars that are naturally in an antioxidant-rich fruit do not actually help to feed cancer.  The sugars in fruits are more "neutral" instead... and in fact, some fruits that have high antioxidant levels (such as berries) are particularly powerful in the fight against cancer even though they do contain moderate amounts of natural sugar.

Keep in mind that to benefit from fruit, you need the WHOLE fruit (including the fiber), not just the processed fruit juice.  Consuming large amounts of concentrated sugar in fruit juices is never a good idea, whether we're talking about weight gain, diabetes, or cancer.

I hope this puts that idea to rest. Fruit is not bad. In fact, a diet high in fruits and vegetables is the most powerful proactive step you can take to prevent certain forms of cancer. And if you don’t get enough vegetables, the good news is that many fruits rival even the best vegetables at lowering your risk of getting cancer. Eating 2 vitamin C-rich fruits and 2 other fruits a day is recommended.

Gallstones

Today I’m writing about gallstones because, along with kidney stones, this is one of the most common condition that occurs from imbalances in the body. As mentioned last week, kidney stones are the result of an imbalance of magnesium and calcium. As with so many health conditions, if disorders like these result from imbalances, then it stands to reason that preventing them is potentially within our control. Correcting the imbalances may be all it takes to prevent these conditions from arising. Let’s look at the tiny organ that works alongside the mighty liver: the gallbladder.

The gallbladder is part of the digestive system. Located next to the liver on the right side of the abdomen, the gallbladder plays an important role in digestion, that of storage. Bile is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder until it is needed for digesting fatty foods in the duodenum of the small intestine. While bile is synthesized in the liver, it is regulated by the gallbladder. The role of bile is to emulsify fats. It breaks down large fat globules into tiny droplets to prepare them for digestion by pancreatic enzymes.

The liver, along with the kidneys, is a filtering organ of the body. The more fats and toxins ingested, the more impaired its metabolic functions become.A sluggish liver or gallbladder means that not enough bile reaches the duodenum. 

Gallbladder removal is the most common operation in North America. Every year, more than 50,000 people in Canada undergo surgery to remove their gallbladders because of gallstones.

Why is this?

The most common cause of liver/gallbladder problems is an excess consumption of fatty food, starches and junk food. The most common triggers of gallbladder attacks are caffeine, chocolate, eggs, dairy products (especially ice cream) and greasy or deep fried foods.

Of course, the kind of dietary fat consumed is important. Consuming polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (fats that are liquid at room temperature) while maintaining a healthy weight helps reduce the risk of developing gallstones. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and trout are good examples of the right kind of fats for the gallbladder and the whole body.

Avoid sugar. People who consume an excessive amount of sugar are much more likely to form gallstones. Avoid all animal fat and meat, saturated fats, full fat dairy products, fried foods, spicy foods, margarine, soft drinks, commercial oils, chocolate, and refined carbohydrates.

Rapid weight changes can cause gallbladder problems. Repeatedly losing and gaining weight due to dieting increases the risk of gallstones and the necessity for surgery by as much as 70 percent. Physical activity may reduce the risk of gallstones.

An under-functioning liver/gallbladder will interfere with the absorption of essential fatty acids and with the metabolism of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. An inadequate flow of bile will affect the elimination of many toxic substances from the body.

Pure apple juice can be taken over a period of several days to cleanse the  liver and gallbladder. Pear juice and beet juice also cleanse the liver.

Approximately 80% of all gallstones show no symptoms and may remain hidden for years. Once symptoms arise, they persist and increase in frequency. Symptoms may include right upper quadrant abdominal discomfort or sharp pain, gas or fullness after a heavy meal. The pain may also spread to the chest, shoulder, neck or back. In addition to these symptoms, stones expelled from the gallbladder during contraction may become lodged within the bile duct leading to infection of the bile duct or gallbladder.

It is my hope that learning about these symptoms and triggers will help you to identify disorders you may be experiencing and give you ways to feel better. There are further dietary and lifestyle changes that can address gallbladder issues that go beyond the scope of this blog. It's worth reiterating that that the large majority of gallstones produce no symptoms and require no treatment. I urge you to discuss any recommended treatment with your doctor and surgeon and make sure an operation is absolutely necessary before proceeding.

Easy Vegetable Barley Soup

Yes, this is the second barley soup recipe I have shared. What can I say, I love barley soup. But this one is even better and easier to make. Vegetable broth, barley, and lots of veggies make this soup hearty and filling. I use and recommend organic products. The combination of curry and other spices makes it taste surprisingly different. It’s flavourful but not spicy-hot. 

Prep time: 15 min            Cook time: 90 min            

Ingredients

2 litres vegetable broth

1 cup uncooked barley

3 small carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 bay leaves

1 796-mL can diced tomatoes with juice

1 398-mL can garbanzo beans, drained

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, garbanzo beans, onion, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, salt, pepper, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 90 minutes. The soup will be very thick. You may adjust by adding more broth or less barley if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Easy to make, delicious and nutritious; what more could you ask? This is one you’ve got to try!

Kidney stones

Chances are you or someone you know has had kidney stones at some point. And if you have, you know it is a most unpleasant experience. In fact, I have heard that the pain can be worse than child bearing. And so we should do everything we can to prevent this from happening. Doing so will also help to maintain a healthy balance in the urinary  system of the body.

Functions of the kidneys

The kidneys are a filtration and excretory organ. They assist the liver in filtering the blood of toxins such as urea, which result from the breakdown of amino acids. At the same time, the kidneys ensure the resorption from the filtrate of potentially useful organic substances, such as minerals. Normal kidney function can continue only as long as the processes of filtration, resorption, and secretion occur without disruption.

Kidney stones

An estimated 10 percent of Canadians develop kidney stones (urinary tract stones) at some point in their lives. They are most common in white men between the ages of thirty and fifty. Men are more likely than women to suffer from this ailment (four out of five cases are in men) and there is a 50 percent rate of recurrence in adults.

Stones can range in size from microscopic specks to the size of a fingertip. There are four kinds of kidney stones: calcium stones composed of calcium oxalate; uric acid stones; struvite stones composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate; and cysteine stones. Knowing the type of stones can tell us something about the cause.

Causes

About 80 percent of all stones are calcium oxalate. High blood calcium levels lead to hypercalciuria – excessive absorption of calcium from the intestine – which increases the level of calcium in the urine. This excess calcium eventually forms a stone. The consumption of refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, can precipitate kidney stones, because the sugar stimulates the pancreas to release insulin, which in turn causes extra calcium to be excreted in the urine. Mild chronic or recurrent dehydration can also be a factor in kidney stones because it concentrates the urine, increasing the likelihood of stone formation.

Kidney stones are due to a deficiency of magnesium, not an excess of calcium. Magnesium keeps calcium soluble. When there is an imbalance in the kidney/bladder it is a good idea to ensure there is a proper ratio of calcium/magnesium maintained in the diet. Sugar and excessive consumption of calcium containing antacids may foster stone formation in those who are prone to stone formation. 

Calcium stones often run in families because the tendency to absorb too much calcium is hereditary.

People who have a genetic predisposition for developing kidney stones tend to absorb more oxalate from their diets or metabolize greater amounts of oxalate percursors (compounds that form oxalates once they are ingested). People who have Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome, or who eat diets high in oxalic acid, may have an increased risk of stones as well, as these conditions can cause the excretion of oxalate in the urine to increase.

Other risk factors for kidney stones include low urine volume, low bodily pH, living in a tropical climate, and reduced production of natural urinary inhibitors of crystal formation.

Kidney stones are ten times more common now than they were at the start of the twentieth century. Even though the consumption of high oxalate foods (especially fish, eggs, and certain vegetables) has declined markedly since that time, the amount of animal fats and protein in the average North American’s diet has increased significantly. The ratio of plant to protein in the typical diet a century ago was 1 to 1. This ratio has since changed to 1 to 2 - that’s double the protein! The consumption of animal protein is strongly associated with oxalate absorption.

Symptoms

Lower back pain, fatigue, and joint pains are common signs of overworked kidneys. Blood in the urine, nausea and vomiting may indicate the presence of kidney stones.

Prevention

Drink two liters of pure water daily. Replace tea and coffee with herbal teas that are beneficial to the urinary tract and restrict intake of alcohol.

Consume a vegetarian diet high in dietary fiber. Foods high in oxalates such as beans, cocoa, instant coffee, parsley, rhubarb and raw spinach can aggravate existing kidney problems due to a lack of good bacteria in the intestines. Recent studies have found that a naturally occurring gut bacterium, Oxalobacter formigenes prevents the formation of oxalates and can help prevent stones. Fermenting these foods will also prevent the formation of oxalates.

Stay active. Exercise helps pull calcium from the blood into the bones, where it belongs.

If you suspect you might have or be at risk of developing kidney stones, do not hesitate to contact your physician.