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Urgent Warning About Gardasil

Lena Cardoso - Wednesday, September 02, 2009
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If you're considering having your teenage daughter vaccinated with Gardasil to protect her against HPV, you need to watch this video so you can make a more informed decision about the potential risks versus benefits.


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Metal Filings in Your Breakfast Cereal?

Jason Simpkins - Sunday, August 16, 2009
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In the video above, a doctor demonstrates that so called healthy whole-grain cereals actually contain metal filings in order to increase the nutritional value of iron content. To me this is just another example of how big agribusiness and the industrial food industry do not have your family's best interests in mind.

I'm not a big fan of breakfast cereals due to the fact that most of them are loaded with sugar, preservatives and gluten. I try to discourage my clients from eating them, however the food industry has done a damn fine job convincing us that cereal is part of a healthy breakfast.

What do I recommend to eat for breakfast?

We are conditioned through the media to believe that breakfast should include items such as cereal, toast, muffins, donuts, coffee and juice. But breakfast is no different than any other meal of the day, in that what you are doing is simply giving your body the fuel it needs to create energy to carrying out it's metabolic activities efficiently.

This means that foods you eat for lunch and dinner can also be eaten for breakfast, such as fish, steamed or raw veggies, salads, nuts, steak or chicken.

This may seem a little strange at first eating these foods in the morning, but once you begin giving your body the right mix of fuel you will no longer need to use caffeine throughout the day to keep your self going and your moods, mental clarity and insatiable food cravings will be a thing of the past.

Oh, and you also won't be setting off metal detectors at the airport with your belly!


Let me know what you have for breakfast by filling in the comment box below...

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The Art of Being Lazy

Jason Simpkins - Sunday, July 26, 2009
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A good friend of mine called me lazy the other day. Now some people might be offended by such as statement, but I took it as a complement.

She said, “I don’t understand how you stay in shape… you’re so lazy! I hardly ever see you work out and here I am busting my ass everyday in the gym and I’m still overweight.”

I wanted to explain to her my ‘secret’ for staying in shape, but since she was in a hurry, I simply said, “It’s genetics.” I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn’t impressed.


I can’t tell you the number of clients who have come to me seeking help with weight loss, proclaiming that “they’ve tried everything!” but they just can’t seem to lose any weight. Once I review their case history and see what they’ve actually been doing to try and lose weight, the reasons for their failed efforts become obvious.


Often, it’s simply a matter of poor exercise program design. And it’s not for a lack of trying; many of these individuals really have tried every new exercise program that is printed each month in the fitness industry magazines, with the high hopes of looking like the impossibly fit Photoshop enhanced cover models.


So what’s the solution?

 

The answer might surprise you because it comes not from a celebrity fitness guru, but from an obscure economist who died almost 100 years ago.

 

Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist and philosopher who lived from 1848-1923. During that time he invented a mathematical formula demonstrating that 80% of society’s wealth and income was produced and possessed by 20% of the population. Vilfredo soon discovered that this same formula could also be applied outside of economics and in fact, could be found almost everywhere he looked.

 

It become known as Pareto’s Law or the 80/20 principle and when applied to getting into shape, it means that 80% of your results will come from 20% of your effort; the other 80% of effort is just wasted time and energy.

 

"Rowing harder doesn’t help if the boat is headed in the wrong direction." 

                                                                   ~ Kenichi Ohmae


Most people have never heard of Pareto’s Law, much less applied it to their workout routines. As a result their exercise programs often look like this:

 

Monday:

 

-       30 - 40 min. of cardio

-       Bench press x 4 sets

-       Incline dumbbell flyes x 4 sets

-       Pec deck flyes x 3 sets

-       Triceps push-downs x 3 sets

-       Triceps extensions x 3 sets

-       Crunches x 3 sets

 

Tuesday:

 

-       45 - 60 min. cardio

 

Wednesday:

 

-       30 - 40 min. of cardio

-       Seated row x 4 sets

-       Lat pull-downs x 4 sets

-       Standing barbell bicep curls x 3 sets

-       Dumbbell concentration curls x 3 sets

-       Hyper extensions x 3 sets

-       Crunches x 3 sets

 

Thursday:

 

-       45 - 60 min. of cardio

 

Friday:

 

-       30 - 40 min. of cardio

-       Leg press x 4 sets

-       Leg extensions x 3 sets

-       Leg curls x 3 sets

-       Seated shoulder press x 4 sets

-       Lateral shoulder raises x 3 sets

-       Crunches x 3 sets

 

Saturday:

 

-       45 - 60 min. of cardio 

 

Rest between each set of exercises is usually 2 minutes or more if talking to other gym members about last night’s episode of Dancing with the Stars.

 

A quick glance over this program and it’s clear that this is way too much volume for the average fitness enthusiast. Not only would this person be spending upwards of 1.5 hours in the gym, but it would also shift their hormonal profile from an anabolic state (muscle building and fat burning) toward a catabolic state (muscle burning and fat storing). This is due to an inordinate amount of physical stress, as well as a lack of rest and recovery in-between workouts.

 

A good analogy would be walking up a down escalator and wondering why you’re not getting to the top.

 

Now before we go any further, I want to be clear that there really is no perfect exercise program and there certainly isn’t a one-size fits all program. However a truly good exercise program considers you as an individual by taking into account the following factors:

 

  1. Level of exercise experience.
  2. Equipment availability.
  3. Past or current injuries.
  4. Nutritional habits.
  5. Sleep patterns.
  6. Stress levels – emotional, physical, mental.
  7. Digestion and detoxification systems.
  8. Mental roadblocks to success.
  9. Family or friends support structure (or lack thereof).
  10. Focus and specify goals and the reasons for those goals.
  11. Proper evaluation of posture, muscular imbalances, balance, flexibility, mobility, strength and aerobic capacity.
  12. Any chronic health conditions including medications or supplements you are taking for those conditions.
  13. Incorporate primal human movement patterns of squatting, lunging, bending, twisting, pushing, pulling and gait.
  14. Use high intensity interval training if effective fat loss in less time is your goal.
  15. Keep workouts to no longer than 45 minutes, 3 days per week.
  16. Do 3 sets for each exercise, which is 1 warm-up set, and 2 working sets.
  17. Focus on compound movements using as many muscle groups together at one time. These include the following:


-       Deadlift: http://tinyurl.com/y3h9es

-       Squat: http://tinyurl.com/c8e43

-       Bench press: http://tinyurl.com/yshpg or http://tinyurl.com/69jb5

-       Push press: http://tinyurl.com/km4ldl

-       Pull-ups: http://tinyurl.com/map2qg 

-       Bent over rows: http://tinyurl.com/len2lk

-       Lunges: http://tinyurl.com/kmwmmf or http://tinyurl.com/n5sdam

-       Core: http://tinyurl.com/ncje7q or http://tinyurl.com/ndv3la or http://tinyurl.com/6fp3e or http://tinyurl.com/m2knv3

 

 “It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.”

                                                                             ~ Bruce Lee

 

An example of a scaled down exercise program that I design for clients (after full evaluation), whose goal it is to burn body fat fast and build a respectable amount of lean muscle in the process looks like this:

 

Workout (1)

 

-       Deadlift x 3 sets of 8-10 reps. (1 min. rest in-between each set)

-       Followed by high intensity intervals on treadmill or bike (1 min. fast / 1 min. slow x 2 rounds)

-       (A1) Bench press of 10-12 reps.

-       (A2) Pull-ups of 10-12 reps.

-       Followed by high intensity intervals on treadmill or bike (1 min. fast / 1 min. slow x 2 rounds)

-       (B1) Lying leg raises of 12 reps.

-       (B2) Swiss-ball crunches of 12 reps.

-       Followed by high intensity intervals on treadmill or bike (1 min. fast / 1 min. slow x 2 rounds)

 

  • Alternate A1 and A2 back to back for 3 sets. Rest for 30 sec. between each round.
  • Alternate B1 and B2 back to back for 2 sets. Rest for 30 sec. between each round.

 Workout (2)

 

-       Barbell squat x 3 sets of 8-10 reps. (1 min. rest in-between each set)

-       Followed by high intensity intervals on treadmill or bike (1 min. fast / 1 min. slow x 2 rounds)

-       (A1) Bent over rows of 10-12 reps.

-       (A2) Push press of 10-12 reps.

-       Followed by high intensity intervals on treadmill or bike (1 min. fast / 1 min. slow x 2 rounds)

-       (B1) Hanging leg raises of 12 reps.

-       (B2) Cable push-pulls of 12 reps.

-       Followed by high intensity intervals on treadmill or bike (1 min. fast / 1 min. slow x 2 rounds)

 

  • Alternate A1 and A2 back to back for 3 sets. Rest for 30 sec. between each round.
  • Alternate B1 and B2 back to back for 2 sets. Rest for 30 sec. between each round.

Workout 1 and 2 can simply be alternated throughout your training week. For example:

 

Week 1

 

-       Monday (workout 1)

-       Wednesday (workout 2)

-       Friday (workout 1)

 

Week 2

 

-       Monday (workout 2)

-       Wednesday (workout 1)

-       Friday (workout 2)

 

By applying Pareto’s Law to your exercise program design, it will give you better direction and efficiency, helping to strip away the inessentials and achieve your goals in less time and with less total effort. It is in effect working smarter, not harder.

 

Who knew that being lazy, could make you look so good!

 

 

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Jason Simpkins commented on 27-Jul-2009 10:56 PM
Try applying Pareto's law to not just your exercise program, but to every area of your life and let me know the results by leaving a comment here!
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Is Organic Food a Scam?

Jason Simpkins - Thursday, June 04, 2009
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First, let’s take a look at what exactly it means to be organic.                                  

“Organic foods are grown without the use of chemical fertilizer or pesticides and have not been processed using irradiation or added hormones,” says Ashley Mullins, R.D., L.D., CNSC, a registered dietitian at Baylor All Saints Medical Center. “As with any product, it’s important to check the label to determine exactly what you’re getting.”

Products labeled “100 percent organic” must contain only organic ingredients with the exception of water and salt, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Products labeled “organic” must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. Products that are made with at least 70 percent organic ingredients are allowed to be labeled “made with organic ingredients.”

The Bottom Line

While organic food can cost up to two or three times that of regular foods, it may not be any better for you, Mullins says.

“From a nutrition standpoint, there isn’t enough research to show that organic foods are more nutritious than regular foods. The levels of pesticides currently used haven’t been found to be harmful,” she says. “Of course, there may be other benefits to buying organic, such as it being more environmentally friendly and, in some cases, fresher.”

It really comes down to personal preference and budget, adds Mullins. Whatever you do, don’t let your choice inhibit your ability to get the nutrients you need. “The most important thing to consider is the health benefit of consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables every day—whether or not they’re organic,” says Mullins. “That’s the biggest payoff.”

Source: Science Daily May 23, 2009.


Jason’s Comments:

When will this argument of organic vs. conventional food ever die? The answer is most likely never, especially since there’s such an enormous amount of money at stake.

With politically well-connected corporations like Monsanto leading the charge into the future of food production with toxic pesticides and genetically modified organisms, it seems almost impossible to stop the avalanche of misinformation that permeates the mainstream media of today.

So after reading the above article it’s blatantly obvious that big industry spin-doctors are at it once again. It seems they have taken a page or two right out of the tobacco companies propaganda playbook of decades past.

Misdirection #1: Utilize “experts” to dissuade consumers from purchasing organic by stating over and over that organic food is way more expensive than conventional food and that it may not even be better for you.

I find it interesting that the dietitian quoted in the above article recommends that consumers should check product labels to determine exactly what you’re getting. Unfortunately that’s tough to do when pesticides, herbicides, irradiation and genetically modified organisms are conspicuously absent from food product labels.

Straight goods #1: Because the organic food industry has been growing by leaps and bounds (from $1 billion in 1990 to $20 billion in 2007 in the U.S. alone) the over all cost of organic food has been reduced substantially. In some cases certain organic produce items at the local supermarket are actually the same price as their conventional counterparts.

Even better still, I suggest shopping at local farmer’s markets where produce is organically or naturally grown (which is basically organic without the government certification). There’s nothing like buying produce with the dirt still on it, directly from the people who actually had a hand in growing it – you can’t get that in any supermarket.

Misdirection #2: Discredit any studies that unequivocally prove that organic food is more nutritious than conventional food by using vague statements such as, “From a nutrition standpoint, there isn’t enough research to show that organic foods are more nutritious than regular foods.”

Straight goods #2: In fact, a recent $24 million (CAD) four year study conducted at the Newcastle University in England and funded by the European Union, found the following:
  • Organic milk has 60-80 percent more nutrients than conventional milk.
  • Organic milk has higher levels of Vitamin E.
  • Organic Cheese can have twice as many nutrients as conventional varieties.
  • Organic tomatoes, wheat, potatoes, cabbage, onions have 20-40 percent more antioxidants than conventional fruits and vegetables.
  • Organic spinach has been found to contain more minerals than conventional.
Although this study did not obviously cover all of the food available to consumers in supermarkets, it stands to reason that any food grown or raised under organic conditions would hold more nutritional value than conventionally grown foods.

Misdirection #3: Downplay the havoc that toxic man made chemicals have on the human body by claiming that, “The levels of pesticides currently used haven’t been found to be harmful.”

Straight goods #3: My question is… harmful to what? A lab rat? And who conducted these studies proving that pesticides are not harmful to humans and for how long? My guess is scientists funded by the chemical companies themselves.

What this expert dietitian also forgets to mention is that none of these chemicals existed 100 years ago and therefore they are totally alien to the human body - so no one really knows what the long-term consequences will be from ingesting them.

Also, we have to consider the total toxic load on the body from other sources such as shampoos, deodorants, perfumes, skin creams, hair dyes, dish soap, laundry detergents, pharmaceutical drugs, cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust etc. We are literally swimming in a sea of man made chemicals on a daily basis and once again, no one can say for certain what the long term damage will be when they interact inside your body.

So is eating organic food worth it?

I mean really, what’s the worst that can happen if you continue to eat nutritionally deficient and chemically laden food? Cancer maybe? Don’t worry about that say the experts; they’ve got toxic chemicals to deal with that too.

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pyetw commented on 29-Jul-2009 09:08 PM
Thank you for standing up to this corporate bullshit.

You raise some good points. Does the study include tomatoes bred and crossed with fish genes, when compared to freshly picked and eaten homegrown tomatoes without pesticides?

Does this study compare milk with added spider webbing, compared to sucking on our mother's teat? Fresh food off the vine is like love divine!

Obviously this doesn't include gassed apples to remain dormant for up to two years, in comparison to live fruit eaten off the tree within five minutes of picking it. See Anastasia, Ringing Cedar Series... we are all cannibals, except the robots, they are cannonballs!

Mr. Monsanto, if you want to do chemicals, try crack cocaine. You can probably afford the habit too, with your royalties on gmo corn. Add to this factory farm force fed diseased meat, vs pasture clean fresh air beef.

Add to this factory farm swine flu, the Mexicans don't even know what hit them. It wasn't a hurricane.

Don't need no shots, ain't got no swine fever...

Mullens needs a mullet (er, i mean muzzle).

End of discussion.
pyetw
Jason Simpkins commented on 30-Jul-2009 12:14 AM
Thanks for the comment!

Of course the study made no mention of the types of perverted manipulations done to the conventional food by large agribusiness... telling people the truth might scare them out of their slumber.
Anonymous commented on 29-Aug-2009 10:48 PM
you have nothing to lose by eating Organic, but you have your health at risk by eating conventional food.
vino biodinamico commented on 24-Oct-2009 06:27 AM
Good post, but have you thought about Organic Food a Scam before?
Jason Simpkins commented on 24-Oct-2009 10:10 AM
Thanks for your comment Vino! In the past I was oblivious to what was in my food and where it came from. Today, I understand that what's good for the earth is also good for me.
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