by briangryn | Jul 22, 2018 | Eat Clean, Get Lean
Not everyone likes eating vegetables, right!?
And if they do eat veggies they want their?biggest bang for their buck. Find the best vegetable that will give me the?most health benefits?in the shortest amount of time?right?
That is the nature of our society today?everyone wants something in a?quick and efficient matter. Would you agree? If you open a web page and it is just?slightly slow?? what do you do? Well, I know I close it right away and move on.
So after?doing some research?I wanted to find you guys an?all in one veggie!! Any guesses?
Yep ? you got it!!?Broccoli Sprouts?
Looks appetizing!!
Why Broccoli Sprouts??Here are just a few of the benefits?(most of these studies were done on mice but it is a start?
- May Fight and Prevent Cancer?? including throat, lung, colon, prostate, breast, bladder, skin cancers 1, 2, 3
- May help lower Blood Pressure?4
- May help prevent Alzheimer?s disease, Parkinson?s disease. Huntington?s disease?5,6,7
- Has been linked to help with?traumatic brain injury?8
- Powerful protector against?osteoporosis?9
- Aid cells in the lungs get rid of environmental toxins (namely, diesel exhaust) that are known to contribute to?allergies, asthma and other respiratory illness?10
- Could improved?hair growth?(I?m in on that!!:) ) 11
This powerful?cruciferous vegetable?contains?Sulforaphane?which affects the expression of over?200 genes?including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes and help inactivate harmful compounds.
Other?cruciferous veggies?to add to your list are?
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Collard Greens
Bok Choy
Pak Choy
Water Cress
Land Cress
Radish
Daikon
and Wasabi!
So!! What are you waiting for?!
Start adding?Broccoli sprouts?to your salad or just eat it alone. But?don?t?boil or cook these veggies because you will lose a lot of their natural disease-fighting power?
Where can you find them?
A?local health food or grocery store?that offers broccoli sprouts for sale. Keep in mind that you want to get them just a few days after sprouting and that they will probably be a bit expensive.
Or
Simply?grow them on your own??(got this from Dr. Ax)
- Conventional sprout growing requires a jar with sprouting lid, some broccoli seeds and purified water. In your jar, cover about 2 tablespoons of organic broccoli sprouting seeds with warm water (a few inches of water will do), and soak overnight. Drain your seeds after 8?10 hours.
- For about 5 days, be careful to rinse the seeds with fresh, purified water between two and three times each day. You?ll need to drain off the water each time you rinse the sprouts (or they could go bad).
- During this growing time, be sure to keep your sprouts in a warm, dark environment.
- In the first three days or so, you?ll likely see the seeds split and reveal the beginnings of a sprout. However, don?t harvest them yet.
- When you notice the sprouts are an inch to an inch and a half long and have developed defined, yellow leaves, it?s safe to expose your sprouts to some sunlight. Continue to water and rinse as before, especially if you live in a very hot or dry place.
- Sprouts are ready to be picked and eaten when the leaves are a darker shade of green and longer than an inch in length.
Broccoli Sprouts and/or Cruciferous veggies should definitely be added to your?arsenal of health!!
Have a great rest of the day and weekend!!
Brian
P.S. ? Want more tips??Join the conversation at?The Get Lean Club?(our own private FB community)
1?J Natl Cancer Inst.?2000 Jan 5;92(1):61-8.
2?J Natl Cancer Inst.?1999 Apr 7;91(7):605-13.
3?Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009 Jan; 18(1): 184?195.
4?Am J Hypertens.?2012 Feb;25(2):229-35. doi: 10.1038/ajh.2011.200. Epub 2011 Nov 3.
5?Front Aging Neurosci. 2017; 9: 121. Published online 2017 May 1. doi:?10.3389/fnagi.2017.00121
6?Neurotoxicology.?2013 May;36:63-71. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2013.03.004. Epub 2013 Mar 18
7?J Neurochem.?2014 May;129(3):539-47. doi: 10.1111/jnc.12647. Epub 2014 Jan 18.
8?Neurosci Lett. 2009 Aug 28; 460(2): 103?107.
9?Arthritis Rheum.?2013 Dec;65(12):3130-40. doi: 10.1002/art.38133.
10 1 JAN 2007https://doi.org/10.1152/ajplung.00170.2006
11?Biochem Biophys Res Commun.?2016 Mar 25;472(1):250-4. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.02.099. Epub 2016 Feb 26.
by briangryn | Jul 22, 2018 | Eat Clean, Get Lean
As you know, Eating IN is healthier than eating OUT?most of the time because we have?control?over what is going in our foods.
But we all love to dine out at our?favorite restaurants?and you can still enjoy a nice meal with making?smart choices.
REPLY?to this email and let me know your favorite restaurant?!??I enjoy?DOC B?s?in Chicago?
OK!! Get the notepads out ? Here are some?tips?for eating out:
- Have a?healthy snack (handful of almonds or raw veggies)?before you go out to dinner
- Drink water with?apple cider vinegar?(helps prevent insulin spike at dinner)
- Ask the server to?refrain?from bringing?bread?to the table (don?t get tempted?
- Start your meal with a?side salad?or?healthy soup?so you will be less likely to overeat when your meal comes
- Drink water?before and during meal (avoid sugars and empty calories of soda or alcohol)
- Be the?1st person to order?so you are not tempted by other less healthy dishes that may be ordered
- Avoid?fried foods, creamy sauces, and breaded items
- Order items that are?grilled, braised, steamed or pan seared
- Don?t be afraid to ask for?healthy substitutions?(i.e. broccoli instead of potato)
- Eat till?satisfied?and bring the rest home (most serving sizes at restaurants are 2-3 times too big)
- Ask for?no salt added?to your item (there is usually plenty of sodium in the food already)
- If you are ordering a burger, veggie burger or chicken sandwich ask for?NO BUN?and a lettuce wrap?
Well, that?s a lot of tips to digest?
Here are?two common questions?I get from clients?
How should I handle desert?
- Order a?hot beverage?(coffee or tea) to participate and distract the urge for desert
- If you do indulge, stick to the?three bite rule?and move on?
Can I drink alcohol?
? Preferably?NO
? But if you must ??Red wine over beer
? If you are going to mix liquor with anything,?opt for?seltzer or club soda instead of fruit juice or soda
??Sparkling H2O?with some muddled citrus, or fresh fruit is a great replacement??(there?s an idea!!)
Don?t let dining out?ruin?your weight loss goals and follow these tips to stay on track!
Have a great weekend!! Let me know if you have any questions!!
Brian
P.S. ? Want more tips??Join the conversation at?The Get Lean Club?(our own private FB community)
by briangryn | Jul 22, 2018 | Eat Clean, Get Lean
We have all felt food cravings throughout our lives. Chocolate/Peanut butter is mine?
So it is completely normal to have them. But do they control us/manipulate us on a daily basis?
What are your most common food cravings?
Some people have intense food cravings for sugar (probably the most common). However, salty foods, chocolate, junk food/carbs (pizza) are also common food cravings.
Are you a carboholic? (not sure if that is even a word but you know what I mean)
What I?ve realized is that eating a little of a tasty dessert or a little pasta or bread fails to satisfy me. Rather it ignites a fierce craving for more, to eat it all and then some.
I find it easier to avoid sugar, grains and starches entirely, rather than to try to eat them in moderation. The question is why?
The conventional thinking is that obesity is caused by caloric excess.
But as members of?The Get Lean Club, we know that obesity is actually a hormonal regulatory disorder, and the hormone that dominates this process is insulin.
Even a bite or a taste of carbohydrate-rich foods can stimulate insulin and create a craving ? for even more carbohydrates.
Elevate insulin levels even a little and the body switches over from burning fat for fuel to burning carbohydrates.
Since insulin levels after meals are determined largely by the carbs we eat ?
- particularly easily digestible grains and starches (i.e. rice/pasta/bread), known as high glycemic index carbs.
- As well as sugars like sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup ?
So having a lifestyle plan based specifically on avoiding these carbs to avoid insulin spikes makes sense?
So how can we avoid these cravings altogether?
Eating lots of healthful fats?? it?s the one macronutrient that doesn?t stimulate insulin secretion. (i.e. avocado, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, fatty fish ? tuna, salmon, trout, MCT oil, Ghee to name a few)
Avoid the trigger totally?? clean up our home environment and avoid situations where sugar and other treats are easily available
Intermittent fasting?is obvious??Restrictions on food do not increase food cravings, but consistently decrease them. If you eat constantly, you are more likely to feed those cravings. If you fast, those cravings will shrivel away.
Identify, plan for, and avoid situations?that weaken resolve or increase cravings. If you know that at 2 p.m. you always are tempted to go to the vending machine just make sure you have a healthy snack (perhaps healthy fats) on hand that won?t trigger a binge.
So I hope these tips help get you on track and avoid those cravings that can control you throughout the day!
Have a great day and weekend!!
Brian
P.S. Do you have more questions about?Getting Lean and Eating Clean? Many do and that?s why we now offer private coaching. If you?d like to schedule a private coaching session to customize your program, simply send me an message. I look forward to helping you on your journey?
Testimonial for the Simple Intermittent Fasting Journal?
This was a text string yesterday from a client who bought the journal and received coaching?
?Thanks to Brian Gryn I?ve been fasting with the Simple Intermittent Fasting Journal as my guide for a couple months now. Definitely lost weight (about 8lbs) and got my body back to the way it used to look in my 20s. People are noticing and I have more energy too! Thanks Brian!?
by briangryn | Jul 22, 2018 | Eat Clean, Get Lean
I know the majority of my posts are geared toward what you should eat (i.e. whole foods, veggies..etc..) and/or when you should eat (i.e. intermittent fasting).
All in an effort to help you feel better mentally and physically to perhaps?perform better at work,?feel more confident in your clothes,?have more energy for the day?etc. Which was the reason I came out with the?Simple Intermittent Fasting Journal.
But if we take a step back and realize that eating and exercise are one part of our life and its also important to do other tasks in order to feel?complete balance in our lives.
I wanted to give you?some daily or weekly things?you could do to make each day/week that much more meaningful.
- Wake up earlier.?Enjoy the quiet, slow pace of the early morning. Use this time to meditate, pray, reflect, write, exercise, etc.
- Prioritize.?Remember to do the most important things to you and your family. Don?t get bogged down by the small stuff.
- Read books?(even if it?s 10 minutes/day)
- Eat your food more slowly?and actually enjoy it instead of just treating it like fuel.
- Make sure to have?one meal with your family?(put your phone away)
- Drive without texting?#itcanwait
- Go for a walk?(helps to have a dog) I find early morning walks with my dog?Louie?is a great way to start the day.
- Begin a project?or hobby you?ve been wanting to start, but have been putting off. Take the first step. (I started piano lessons)
- Do one thing at a time.?Whatever is most important to do right now, do it. Let everything else wait. Don?t even think about the next thing.
- Have a?meaningful conversation?with a friend or family member (this can be a refreshing break from small talk)
- Help others.?And be mindful of the good you have done for others and the good you will continue to do, in your work and in your personal life.
- Smile.?Seems simple but I can walk through the city and not one person is looking up and even acknowledging anybody else. Also, smiling activates neural messaging that benefits your health and happiness?
I hope you can take some of these?tips?and?apply them?to your life.?Time can move fast?and it?s important to take time for yourself, your family and not sweat the small stuff?
I have created a?private community?in Facebook called?The Get Lean Club. It is a closed group but just ask to join and you are more than welcome?
Have a great weekend!
Brian
by briangryn | Jul 22, 2018 | Eat Clean, Get Lean
Have you heard of Resistant Starch?
If so,?REPLY to this email?and let me know what you eat!!
I want to piggyback off?my post last week?regarding?gut health. I truly believe that I could post weekly about?taking care of the gut?because it is that important.
This could be a?new item to add?to your cooking/feasting arsenal!!
What is resistant starch?
Resistant Starch are resistant to digestion in the small intestine. Therefore, they?do not get absorbed?in the small intestine, but then get?fermented?by the gut bacteria in the large intestine. 1
There are?four different types of resistant starch?and all types of RS are beneficial for health, but they have different effects on your body. 2
Where do we get RS from?
The?richest food sources?are
- raw potatoes,
- beans
- green bananas,
- plantains,
- Jerusalem artichokes
- cooked-and-cooled potatoes, cooked-and-cooled-rice, parboiled rice, and cooked-and-cooled legumes.
Besides?consuming starchy fruits, vegetables, and foods an easy way to include natural resistant starch in your diet is to?add resistant starch to your foods. Two popular items are:
- Raw potato starch?has by far the highest content of resistant starch and the lowest glycemic index.
- Hi-maize?has a uniquely high amount of resistant starch and dietary fiber.
Why add Resistant Starches to your diet? (some reasons)
- Lowers the blood glucose response to food 3
- Reduces fasting blood sugar 4
- Improves insulin sensitivity 5
- Feeds ?good? bacteria 6
- Could reduce appetite 7
Who should be careful with Resistant Starches?
- People with?Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth?(SIBO)-related digestive illnesses such as?GERD, IBS, and Celiac disease, to name a few, would be best served by consuming?lower levels?of resistant starch because it behaves much like fermentable fiber.
Keep in mind the effects of resistant starch?depend on the composition of gut microbiota, which varies among individuals.
Also, consuming?too many?non-digestible carbohydrates like resistant starch may cause stomach discomfort, gas, and diarrhea.
My advice?would be to?start slow with resistant starch?and see how the body reacts/feels after usage.
If you enjoy these emails, come join the free?Private Get Lean Facebook Group?to get more tips!
Have a great day!
Brian
1?J Sci Food Agric.?2015 Aug 15;95(10):1968-78. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.6966. Epub 2014 Nov 21.
2?Adv Nutr. 2013 Nov; 4(6): 587?601.
3?Diabetes Care.?2006 May;29(5):976-81.
4?J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo).?2004 Apr;50(2):93-9.
5?The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 82, Issue 3, 1 September 2005, Pages 559?567,?https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn.82.3.559
6?David L. Topping?and?Peter M. Clifton?1 JUL 2001https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.2001.81.3.1031
7?Nutr J.?2015 Oct 29;14:113. doi: 10.1186/s12937-015-0104-2.
by briangryn | Jul 22, 2018 | Eat Clean, Get Lean
I recently got asked from a new client ? ?Is there something I could do that would make me feel younger and have more energy??
Join the club of millions!!!
If I had a?magic pill?to do that I would be selling it like crazy!!
I would say we all would?love to turn back the clock and feel younger??Correct?!?
?What hormone helps turn back the clock???any guesses?!?
Yep ? correct ??Human Growth Hormone?
HGH?is a hormone made by the pituitary gland (the master gland), which plays a huge role in the normal development of children and adolescents .
Once adulthood is reached we still need HGH because it?plays a major role?in the new cell growth and repair that is required for optimum health.
HGH typically goes?down with age?and abnormally low levels may lead to lower muscle and bone mass.
The amount of human growth hormone released by the pituitary gland after the age of 21 to 31 falls by about?14% per decade.?This means that HGH in the body is?reduced by half at age 60.
Symptoms of Low HGH Include:?(you can get tested for?growth hormone deficiency)
- a loss of lean muscle and an increase of fat,
- decreased energy levels, decreased stamina,
- decreased socialization,
- abnormal sleep patterns, awaking tired,
- decreased libido, decreased interest in personal relations,
- diminished memory,
- decreased senses,
- an increase in the number of colds and illnesses,
- decreased healing ability,
- wrinkling of the skin,
- gray hair,
- a greater risk of cardiovascular disease,
- decreased bone density,
- and other symptoms.
So what can we do to increase HGH naturally?
Yep, you guessed it ??Fasting!!
Fasting is a great natural stimulus to?HGH secretion.
Fasting has the potential to unleash the?anti-aging properties?of HGH without any of the problems of excessive HGH.
The elevated HGH stimulated by fasting should?increase muscle mass and make recovery from a workout easier and faster. This would be an important advantage in elite level athletes or anyone for that matter.
One of the major concerns about fasting is the loss of lean mass. In comparing caloric reduction diets to fasting, the fasting was?4 times better at preserving lean mass! 1
As you can see, there are plenty of?other reasons?to give?intermittent fasting?a try other than trying to lose body fat %.
The one thing about fasting that I like is it?s?flexible, natural and free.?Many health benefits without drugs, supplements or cost.
So if you want to give it a try and need assistance on when and what to eat check out my?Intermittent Fasting Journal?that I created to help you?
Have a happy, healthy day!
Brian
1 2016 Sep;24(9):1874-83. doi: 10.1002/oby.21581.
