Coconut Water Friend or Foe?

A few moths ago a fried of mine asked me if I drink coconut water.  I was shocked and confused by her question.  I admitted that I did not.  She told me it was very healthy and all stores now sell it in the health food section.
Recently I was reading on a health blog and again they were talking of coconut water.  They said coconut water is full of "potassium and electrolytes."  That right there flew up a red flag for me.  Potassium is an electrolyte!  This blog obviously was not as high up on the nutrition know how as I thought.

This reaffirmed my previous thinking that coconut water may indeed be a health fad.  But before I was to take stance on the matter I asked myself: What do I know about coconut water?

I lived in the country, right on the shore of Oahu for 4 years.  The locals, to tease tourist, would break open a coconut and let them drink the water.  Many times the tourists would spit it right out.  Its a different taste in its fresh and pure form.  After the laughs were over they would then tell of its "natural powers," i.e. laxative, horrifying them that their evening would not consist of dancing on the beach but sitting on the porcelain thrown.

But indeed that is more what I've been told and seen, than what I know.  Many people confuse the two and that's how fads get started or how people can say potassium and electrolytes.

What do we know:

• The coconut water is indeed packed with electrolytes so its great to replenish depleted stores. But lacks appropriate amounts protein and carbohydrates needed for recovery after vigorous exercise (meaning an hour or more).
• It's fairly high in natural sugars which is hard for many people to digest. 
• Natural diuretic (so sensitive to sugars or not you will be "releasing" more.)
• We know that packaged coconut water has added sodium in it.-watch out.
• We know that Nothing is as good for you packaged and processed over fresh. -lots of nutrients are destroyed and lots of bad added in to preserve.
• Some comes in Flavors which adds processed sugar.- not good.

So those are the facts.  My thinking is moderation in all things.  I'm not going to hype over it, nor am I going to never use it.  I'll stick to only fresh, and in small amounts as needed.  Such times when your low in electolytes like pregnacy and summer workout sessions.

What are your thoughts, and experiences with coconut water?

Getting your Omega 3's

Omega Fatty Acids are an essential part of the diet.  But most people don't consume food that are high in the omegas. Of the Omegas, 3's, are the most neglected.  That's why most health enthusiast supplement this vital oil.

To help you in your quest for health I bring you a recipe I make often for my family to make sure they are growing up getting more of the essential stuff.
These are popsicles we have dubbed "Healthy Pops"

 Take 3/4 cups of 100% Orange Juice and mix it with 3 TB fish oil blend aka omega 3's. (I use doTERRA IQ Mega found here)  Then add 1 TB of Grenadine (or to taste).  Mix well.

 Pour into popsicle molds or ice cube trays and freeze.

Viola!  Your on you way to a healthy and happy day.

Operation CatWoman-epilouge

Hey guys here it is my Halloween pics.  Three months of body work, and trying hard (but not always succeeding) to stay away from the junk.

What do you think, successful?  I'm not perfect yet, but I am pleased with the direction I'm going.  Here are some pics of the whole family.

Do you love Batman?  Can I brag and tell you that I made that costume.

And here is my Resses pumpkin and Diego.
We had a blast on Halloween!!! And It was so fun to wear my costume that I had worked hard to wear.  I was in heaven with rewards: my costume - I fit and I got lots of chocolate.

So I thought It would be great to review some of the things I did to get here:
Worked the abs, shaped the glutes, ate more veggies, measured my water intake, took a well made vitamin daily, watched it while eating out, cooked with good fats and limited bad, made sure I sweat everyday, mixed up my routine, ate whole grains -Always, made sure I was always moving,  had some fun with it, and kept my goal in sight.

If you've been following me this whole time these things are not new to you but can be good reminders to keep on the healthy path.
And remember don't throw away your jack-o-lanterns!!! I'm putting a video together today (hopefully it will be up tomorrow) on how to turn it into a pumpkin pie, cookies, cake etc.

Thanks for working with me on your goals.  If any of you have pictures I'd love to see them.  Tweet them to me.

p.s. I'd love for you to follow me on twitter too.  @efficentbjamie

Injury 101

Happy belated labor day!  Hope you enjoyed your day off.  Mine was filled with another ER adventure for more stitches with my same son.  With that and also talking with a friend about her long term injuries I thought that would be a good topic for everyone.  Injuries will come to us or our children at some point in time.  So lets go over some self-care methods.
When an injury occurs you first need to asses the situation.  If medical attention is needed.  If your unsure it's always better to get checked out.  But here are some indicators you need a doctor:

• Can't bear any weight on your injured leg
• Can't walk more than four steps without significant pain
• Have numbness in any part of the injured area
• See redness or red streaks spreading out from the injury
• Have injured the same muscles in the past
• Aren't sure about how severe your injury is

If you think the injury does not needed immediate assistance the first rule is baby it.  An injury will never get better if you don't give it TIME and SPACE.  Baby it for a few days then just take it easy on it.  Then build up to regular use, then mild exercise and so forth.  You can cause more damage than the initial injury if you jump into activity and exercise too soon.
Remember your not bed ridden, in many cases you can still exercise and continue your day-to-day activities, but just avoid the injury.  If though it is a leg injury such as a hamstring muscle then it becomes harder to do the day-to-day or exercise.


Also common with hamstring injuries is full or partial muscle tear.  But good news, according to the Mayo Clinic it is rare that surgery is needed to repair the torn hamstring muscle.  A more complicated tear like rotator cuff is a different story, this often results in surgery.

Ice is another self-care method.  Ice helps reduce the swelling, but be careful here.  If you use an ice pack put a light towel on your skin first then layer the ice.  We don't want frost bite or acute skin injuries to add to the list.  Also swelling helps tell you to baby the injury, that something is wrong.  So if you take that away don't go bounding to activity.  Take it easy.  Another way to ice an injury is to freeze water in a small 6 oz (ish) paper Dixie cup.  Rip off the top edge and ice in circular motions over the injury and surrounding areas.  This is how Physical Therapist do it. Once the ice goes down, peel off more cup and keep going.  Don't focus on one area too much keep moving around.  And when the ice is about gone your done.

Here is the one I use. Can be bought here, or at health food and supplement stores.  But others should work as well. 

If its a reoccurring or long term injury try supplementing with Glutamine.  Remember all those essential amino acids we talked about?  Glutamine is one of those and used by the body mainly for recovery.  So when you have chronic illness, surgery or long term injury try supplementing to aid and speed recovery.

Lastly don't forget to rehabilitate (after it's better).  You want to keep your full rang of motion, which is gone after recovery, and rebuild strength. You don't necessarily have to go to a physical therapist to do so its something that can be done on your own as long as your consistent with it.  We will hit more of rehab next month.

If you've babied it, iced, Advil, given it time, rehabilitated and still have problems then go see a doctor.   It may be worse than you've thought, but hopefully you can just take it easy and bounce back soon.

p.s. For stitches, they are needed typically if the wound skin does not go back together.  For example if there is a big deep gaping hole.  If you are far away from help (hiking etc.) then use a butterfly bandage. (always have a first-aid kit) They are made to help bring the skin closer together as stitches would.  But always seek medical attention as needed and as available.

 

Medicines you shouldn't give your child

I get e-mails from the babycenter and other informative parenting sites occasionally.  I usually just skim through them at best, until today.  I found a curious article entitled "8 Medicines you shouldn't give your preschooler."  The list is what almost all of us have in our cabinets: Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, syrup of ipecac, and infant medications.  Here are some important parts of their article I though you'd be interested in:

"Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises against giving OTC cough and cold medicines to preschool-age children. Studies show that they don't actually help soothe symptoms in kids this age. And they can be harmful, especially when a child mistakenly gets more than the recommended dose.
In addition to side effects like drowsiness or sleeplessness, upset stomach, and a rash or hives, a child can suffer serious effects such as rapid heart rate, convulsions, and even death. Every year, thousands of children end up in emergency rooms across the nation after swallowing too much cough and cold medicine.
Over the past few years, though, emergency visits involving infants and toddlers who take too much of these medications have dropped in half. Health experts attribute the drop to the fact that manufacturers no longer market cough and cold medicines to young children.
If your preschooler is miserable with a cold, you may want to try a humidifier or other home remedies.

Infant and adult medications

Giving your preschooler a smaller dose of medicine meant for an adult is as dangerous as giving a higher dose of medicine meant for an infant. Many parents don't realize that infant drops are more concentrated than liquid medicine intended for older children. If the label doesn't indicate an appropriate dose for the weight and age of your child, don't give that medication to your preschooler."

Interesting. Luckily for my family we stopped using over-the-counter anything because we discovered natural medicines.  I had pneumonia recently and used this method to get better.  What is this amazing substance you ask? - doTerra's essential oils.
You can put the oils in a diffuser (a high-tech humidifier) and it puts the oils into the air so you breath in your medicine.  It's great to put in your sick child's room at night or nap time.  The ones I have, have an optional light in it.  Which my kids love having the "medicine color changing nightlight," in their room.  Or if the light bothers you, it can be turned off.

The ultrasonic technology creates an ultra fine mist. Our mister is BPA free and offers a convenient on/off and led light switch on the front of the unit. The unit is easy to use and simple to clean. Just add a few drops of oil into cold tap water, and turn any room into a healing, relaxing oasis within seconds. Enjoy the beautiful and tranquil led light display of 6 fading colors to further enhance your relaxation experience.

 For a cold you need: thyme and lemon
diaper rash: Lavender
earache: melaleuca
fever: Lavender and Peppermint
Which can be purchased here
You can add some drops of the oil to the diffuser or you can apply them topically to your child.  If done topically dilute 1-2 drops with 1 tsp carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil.  It can be on neck, chest, bottoms of feet, just about anywhere.
What's great about these is the price. One application is about $0.50- $0.75.  You can apply pretty much on demand-which is a child's schedule anyways, right?  Effects start taking place with in minutes too.  Essential oils are a gold mine for anyone but especially for kids.  And what's great about doTerra specifically is that they are "certified pure," which means there's no harmful pesticides, fillers or weeds mixed in like most companies.
Also they have what's called a family physician kit.  It comes with the most needed oils for keeping a family healthy, CD featuring dōTERRA®'s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David K. Hill to guide you on how to care your family's everyday health needs with simple and safe methods.
Also EfficientBody is discontinueing there diffusers.  There is talk of a new line and so the old ones must go!  They normally retail for $50 but will be going for $40 , also just for my readers you can get free shipping.  No rain checks though, once there gone, they are gone.
If anyone has more questions about this stuff e-mail me: jamie@efficientbody.com

Hope this had been enlightening for you.

Get the scoop on protein

I had some fun in the kitchen yesterday! I made some sugar and shortening free Banana Bread and some more Pico de Gallo and Protein Bars.  Speaking of protein, did you know that your probably not getting enough?

According to a recent publication in Women's Health magazine most women's diet lack sufficient amounts of protein.

All your tissues, bones, and nerves are made up  of mostly proteins.  It's also a building source for muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails, ligaments, tendons, and organs.  Also protein is important for the formation of mother's milk.  So if your lactating you need even more.
Protein can also double up and be used for heat and energy.  But because the body requires so much protein it's not always the best idea to use it for energy sources.  We need to keep it available for growth and maintenance in the body.  This is one of the reasons why its important to have fats and carbs in our diet.
There are 22 amino acids (a simpler unit of protein) required to make and up keep our bodies.  All but 9 can be produced by the body.  Meaning those 9, called essential amino acids, we need to intake to maintain healthy bodily functions.
In the food we eat there are two kinds of protein I want you to be aware of: Complete and Incomplete.
Complete Protein: Has all the essential amino acids
Incomplete Protein: lacks or is very low in any one of the essential amino acids.
For our bodies to use or synthesize protein ALL 9 essential amino acids must be present AT THE SAME TIME. If one is missing or low protein synthesis will be extremely low or fail all together.
Thus the importance of Complete Protein.

This is my favorite! I use vanilla for cooking and chocolate for enjoying! Can be bought here: Bev.protein

Meats and dairy are Complete.  Where as fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and rice are Incomplete.  But by combining different Incomplete Proteins we can create a balance in amino acids.   Such as beans and corn like in the Southwest Salad recipe.  Or PB&J, the nuts from the peanut-butter and the wholegrain wheat combine to crate a Complete Protein.
To complete beans or brown rice here are a few options to combine with: nuts, seeds, wheat, corn.
This is one of the many reasons for eating protein shakes, bars and other fortified options.  It helps make it easy to get it complete and enough while keeping calories low.

This is next on my list to try.  It includes a patented weight-loss ingredient EssentraTrim that has been demonstrated to help with managing the stress hormone cortisol associated with fat storage.  Can be bought here: Trim shake

If you do choose to supplement protein make sure that there is little to no sugar.  We want protein but no junk to come with it.  Check the label for calories as well, try and keep it around 120 calories a serving.
So next time your planning your menu or wondering what to eat, make sure you've got your protein covered.

p.s. I created on awesome workout for you this morning I'll work on getting it on video or a printable for you.

Help your body

In the battle to loose our excess, tone up what we've got and have energy while doing it there are things we can do to help our bodies succeed. One of those things are vitamins.
But aren't vitamins and supplements just a sales gimmick?  Yes, and no.  Supplements do not have to be regulated by the FDA.  There are certain stipulations, and criteria that must be met of course.  But compared to food and medicines, supplements (vitamins fall under supplements) rein free.
Meaning that if you buy a bottle of 90mg flax seed capsules there may or may not be 90mg of flax in there.  There could be 50mg with 40mg of "fillers" or pesticides, and debris from harvesting your supplement.
Some companies have chosen to be dishonest, some don't have full control of the product from plant to retail. Few do have full control, and some just choose to conduct business on the honesty policy. That is the industry we live in.
But we also live in a time of nutrient depleted soil, scientific hybridizing of seeds,  altering the seeds and plants in many ways to resist drout and bugs better.  While their intentions may have been pure, what has happened is a tomato is not as nutrient rich as it was 100-200 years ago.  Not just tomatoes but all plants in general.
Thus, to get all the vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health is more difficult.  Let alone how we complicate it with fast food, artificial substances and preservatives.

That is where supplements come in.  We need a bit extra to meet our daily quota.  So how do you choose in such a vast array of options?
First, to a large degree you get what you pay for.  When I choose my vitamins at my grocery store I looked for vitamins that were well balanced.  Vitamins work together they are all interdependent on each other such as calcium.  Calcium needs vitamin D for full absorption, that's why almost all milk is fortified with it.
Next, I looked for one that did not have outrageous amounts, like 300% of a daily value.  Because the body will only absorb so much.  You only need large amounts for therapeutic reasons validated by a doctor or dietitian.  And all vitamins have a toxicity range, you can have too much.  It's usually hard to reach that range but it's possible.
Lastly, I looked for minerals.  Ohh these are so so important!  Minerals are needed in small amounts in the body but control much of the bodies regulations.
After that I look for the cheapest;)
Be sure to check the label.  I was looking at Women's Centrum when I saw a store brand much cheaper which said "compare to exactly what I was looking at".  So I did and they were NOT the same.  The store brand had lower levels of some vitamins and minerals and two minerals were missing altogether.  So be sure the check!
I then bought the expensive one, and a bottle of flax seed because flax is the best healthy and essential fat out there.  Our body needs this for MANY reasons.  Good skin, nails, and hair.  Also vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat soul-able.  Which means a active (not sorted) source of fat must be present to use them.
I've had no complaints about my vitamins until I tried some really pricey ones.  I can honestly say that I had more energy!  I felt better.
The difference?  These were made from whole food sources, not scientific copies, so they have a better absorption rate.  Also they are in a food capsule not vacuumed packed into one large solid horse pill.  Another thing is that they have FULL control of the entire process in making the supplements, this is makes it more expensive.  And a bonus, they've also added essential oils into them.  I have yet to see a vitamin that has the amazing benefits of frankincense in it. Just to top it off they give a guarantee:
"Just 30 days to change your life- Guaranteed." 
 You do have to be a preferred customer for the money back guarantee though.  But still that's confidence in their product.
What is it?  It's called  "Lifelong Vitality Pack" by doTerra.  The pack comes with 3 different supplements: "Mircoplex VMz," (vitamins) "xEO Mega" (essential oils like flax), and Alpha CRS+ (cellular vitality complex)
If you want to buy them or find out more check this website out :
 http://www.mydoterra.com/efficientbody/
These are what I've used for the past 4 months and love them.  Like I said they are expensive but if you become a preferred customer you get 25% off these and all products they offer.

Here is today's menu:
breakfast: 2 eggs with Pico De Gallio and grapefruit
snack: protein shakes and recovery drink
lunch: Cilantro Burger and asparagus (flavored with white cheddar:)
snack: beef jerky, protein shake
dinner: BBQ chicken leftovers with kale side salad

Workout:
Warm up-Walk one lap
Run 6 laps
Cool down- walk one lap, this is my kinds turn to run, and my turn to hydrate.
(this totals 2 miles, for beginners walk 1, run 2-3, walk 1)
After that my kids get a snack and I do bleachers.
Run 12x up the bleachers (beginners do the stairs they are not has high as the actual seats)
Rest
X12-Run up the bleachers, 20 modified pushups at the top, run down, do 12 triceps dips at the bottom.
Rest and hydrate
X12 bleacher runs.
Hydrate and DONE!

I needed to hit this again today so I could blast more calories and really hit my legs hard for the last time this week.