What It Means to Be “Skinny Fat”

The ratio of fat to lean body mass is a greater determinant of health than body weight.

Do you know someone who can eat whatever he or she wants without ever gaining an ounce? No need to be envious anymore, because science says body composition—the ratio of fat to lean body mass—is a greater determinant of health than just plain body weight.

Normal-weight obesity, also known as “skinny fat,” is a growing problem in the United States. These terms describe a person’s body composition that is high in fatty tissue in comparison to lean tissue, while still within normal limits of the body mass index (BMI). Those who are considered to be “skinny fat” do not appear to be overweight; however, they have a high percent body fat, especially visceral fat—the fat that surrounds vital organs.

A major problem for these folks is that they often are misclassified as healthy when they actually could be at high risk for chronic disease. The fact is that “skinny” is not at all synonymous with “fit and healthy”. In the same manner that muscular athletes can still have optimal body composition while technically being in the overweight BMI category, people who appear to be thin can actually have high levels of body fat. Think of sumo wrestlers who can weigh upwards of 300 pounds—it is possible that they are more fit and healthy than the thin spectators who have a higher fat-to-muscle ratio.

A recent study showed that percent body fat was inversely related to cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF)—a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease and premature death (1).  Subjects that had larger amounts of body fat were found to be less fit, independent of body weight or stature.

Numerous studies show similar trends between body fat and risk of chronic disease and mortality. While much focus has been on how increased body weight can lead to a greater risk of disease, little emphasis has been on the health risks associated with being underweight and unfit.

In a study that reviewed the relationship between cancer mortality and various adiposity (obesity) measures as well as fitness (quantified as the duration of maximal treadmill exercise test), researchers found that unfit, underweight subjects were at a higher risk of mortality than the obese, fit subjects (2). These results suggest that, in addition to weight management, physical activity should be emphasized as a critical part of a healthy lifestyle and disease prevention.

“Good health is more than a BMI or a number on a scale. We know that people who choose a healthy lifestyle enjoy better health,” reported Keith Bachman, M.D., a weight-management specialist with Kaiser Permanente’s Care Management Institute, in a press release. Dr. Bachman emphasized a balanced diet, physical activity, and stress management as healthy lifestyle practices.

In addition to supporting weight loss and preventing weight gain, increasing your muscle mass contributes to overall health and prevention of disease.

Take skinny out of your vocabulary and focus more on healthy, strong, and fit. Get there by incorporating more protein into your diet with Isagenix IsaLean products (Shakes, Bars, and Soups), IsaPro, and IsaLean Pro, which pack in anywhere from 18 to 35 grams of undenatured whey protein to promote and maintain muscle and strength.

For more information about this topic and other health and wealth related topics use the following websites:

www.facebook.com/health2money

www.isafun.com

www.billionsisagenix.com

www.health2money.com

www.weightlossbydetox.com

References:                           

1. Lakoski SG, Barlow CE, Farrell SW, Berry JD, Morrow JR, Jr., Haskell WL. Impact of body mass index, physical activity, and other clinical factors on cardiorespiratory fitness (from the Cooper Center longitudinal study). Am J Cardiol 2011;108:34-9. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2011.02.338
2. Farrell SW, Finley CE, McAuley PA, Frierson GM. Cardiorespiratory fitness, different measures of adiposity, and total cancer mortality in women. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2011;19:2261-7. doi: 10.1038/oby.2010.345

Doubling Up on Vitamin C Offers Better Health with Little Risk

How much vitamin C are you getting each day? A new article in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition says that your intake should be double what is currently recommended.

Scientists are speaking up about the suboptimal recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, saying that it should be increased to 200 milligrams per day to ensure tissue and cell saturation and promote better overall long-term health. This is more than double the current recommendation of 75 milligrams per day for women and 90 milligrams per day for men.

Researchers argue that the current RDA levels are based on the prevention of vitamin C deficiency or the disease, scurvy. However, the present recommended level may not be adequate for people to reap the powerful antioxidant benefits of vitamin C. Many well-designed studies show that optimal amounts of vitamin C can aid in cell integrity and heart health.

Professor Balz Frei, director of the Linus Pauling Institute, points out that experiments designed to test the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical drugs are not appropriate for determining the health-promoting capacities of nutrients that are required for normal metabolism. Additionally, short-term clinical studies are not able to capture the benefits of vitamin C, which may take years or decades of optimal consumption.

Evidence shows that there are a large number of people who are vitamin C deficient, even at the current low RDA. Various studies have found that about a quarter to a third of people are marginally deficient, and up to 20 percent in some populations are severely deficient. Smokers and older adults, for example, are at significant risk for vitamin C deficiency.

The RDA represents a minimum level of intake to avoid deficiency diseases. There is an abundant amount of research showing that intakes as great as 1,000 milligrams contribute to plasma and tissue saturation, therefore optimizing the antioxidant properties of vitamin C.

High intakes of vitamin C have not been found to be toxic to the body; however, doses of more than 1,000 milligrams may cause stomach discomfort or diarrhea. An easy fix is to consume vitamin C as a supplement along with food.

As Frei stated in a press release, “The benefit-to-risk ratio is very high. A 200 milligram intake of vitamin C on a daily bases poses absolutely no risk, but there is strong evidence it would provide multiple, substantial benefits.”

Along with guinea pigs and apes, humans are not able to produce vitamin C. Instead, we rely on the foods we consume such as kiwi, bell peppers, and citrus fruits. It can be difficult to get 200 milligrams of vitamin C just through your diet—you would need five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables along with a six-ounce glass of orange juice.

Isagenix can help! Be sure you are getting the vitamin C you need by supplementing your diet with Isagenix C-Lyte which contains 520 milligrams of vitamin C per serving.

For more information about this topic and other health and wealth related topics use the following websites:

www.facebook.com/health2money

www.isafun.com

www.billionsisagenix.com

www.health2money.com

www.weightlossbydetox.com

Reference: Frei B, Birlouez-Aragon I, Lykkesfeldt J. Authors’ Perspective: What is the Optimum Intake of Vitamin C in Humans? Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2012;52:815-29. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2011.649149

Lose the Weight, Not the Muscle, with More Protein

High-protein diets can preserve muscle mass during calorie restriction.

 How much muscle did you lose while on that last diet? Too much, probably, according to research showing that dropping pounds could mean losing valuable lean muscle.

A few scientists have even suggested regular dieting could be harmful since muscle is a crucial tissue for so many facets of long-term health.

Dietary protein has long been thought to be the key to protect against dieting-induced muscle loss. Now, a new long-term study from various universities, headed by researchers at the University of Georgia, is confirming that eating higher amounts of quality protein while reducing calories can help maintain muscle mass at the same time as losing weight.

In a 12-month randomized clinical trial, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, subjects went through a four-month period of weight loss followed by eight months of weight maintenance. Scientists randomly placed 130 middle-aged men and women on calorie-reduced diets that were either high-protein (30 percent of intake from protein) or low-protein (15 percent of intake from protein). The two diets were formulated to be equal in total calories, total fat, as well as fiber content. Physical activity was accounted for and found to be similar between the groups.

While both groups lost weight, researchers found that more fat relative to lean body mass was lost in the high-protein group compared to the low-protein group. In the low-protein group there was about a 40 percent loss in lean tissue, while only 21 percent and 25 percent was lost in the high-protein group for men and women, respectively.

This study’s results add to evidence that a diet higher in quality protein during calorie restriction helps to retain muscle mass. The protein content of a meal, especially one high in branched-chain amino acids, including leucine (found in high concentrations in whey protein), has been shown to trigger muscle synthesis and support the preservation of lean muscle mass.

Dietary protein requirements are usually expressed as 15 to 20 percent of total calorie intake. When someone reduces calories, the amount of protein they eat may drop as a result of decreased overall intake. Generally, individuals may eat too little protein while dieting, promoting a loss of lean body mass. Isagenix Isalean products (Soups,Shakes, and Bars) as well as IsaPro and IsaLean Pro offer 18-35 grams of leucine-rich whey protein to help preserve your lean muscle mass while losing fat.

For more information about this topic and other health and wealth related topics use the following websites:

www.facebook.com/health2money
www.isafun.com
www.billionsisagenix.com
www.health2money.com
www.weightlossbydetox.com

Reference:
Evans EM, Mojtahedi MC, Thorpe MP, Valentine RJ, Kris-Etherton PM, Layman DK. Effects of protein intake and gender on body composition changes: a randomized clinical weight loss trial. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2012;9:55. DOI:10.1186/1743-7075-9-55

Phobic Stress Linked to Shorter Telomeres

New study suggests that high levels of phobic anxiety, as in fear of flying, may lead to shorter telomeres.

Too much stress is never a good thing; it’s linked with a bevy of poor health outcomes and can even age you faster. Now, Harvard Medical School researchers have shown that phobic anxiety could hasten shortening of telomeres, the markers of aging.

The researchers found that phobic anxiety—or the irrational fear of a certain situation or object (i.e. fear of flying or crowded spaces)—is associated with a greater number of cells with short telomeres, similar to that which is found in people who suffer from chronic stress.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, analyzed telomere lengths in blood samples provided by 5,243 middle aged and elderly women who were divided into low and high phobic anxiety groups based on self-reports regarding phobic symptoms on a validated questionnaire. Women with high phobic anxiety had significantly shorter telomeres than women with low phobic anxiety, showing premature aging of telomeres that would correspond to a difference of about six years.

“This study provides a key addition – phobic anxiety – to an emerging literature that posits mental distress and disorders as risk factors for accelerated aging,” the researchers wrote.

Telomeres are the guards of genetic material within cells, and have been the focus of many scientific studies over the last several years because of their association with aging. They are repetitive nucleotide sequences at the end of chromosomes acting as caps to protect DNA from damage that occurs when cells divide. Over time, telomeres gradually shorten, leading to the DNA damage and cell death that is implicated in aging.

How to protect your DNA? General recommendations are to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, avoid smoking, and adopt stress-reducing habits. Supplementation with vitamins, minerals, fish oil omega-3 fatty acids, and potent amounts of stress-busting or telomere-supporting botanicals can also play a role.

And based on this study, it may be necessary to have your “happy place” geared up to escape to in your head, or other defense mechanism, when faced with situations that bring you panic. It might do more than get you through the situation—it just might protect your telomeres and help your body stay younger.

For more information about this topic and other health and wealth related topics use the following websites:

www.facebook.com/health2money
www.isafun.com
www.billionsisagenix.com
www.health2money.com
www.weightlossbydetox.com

Reference: Okereke OI et al. High phobic anxiety is related to lower leukocyte telomere length in women. Plos One 2012;7:e40516. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040516

Peptide in Whey Boosts Heart Health

 A whey-derived bioactive peptide promotes more blood vessel relaxation, a new study finds.

Researchers from the University of Connecticut found that a peptide extract from undenatured whey protein improved endothelial function in middle-aged adults, thus reduced the burden of blood flow on the heart.

Measuring flow-mediated dilation (FMD), an indicator of arterial stiffness, the authors reveal that a whey protein extract successfully reminds arteries to relax. Noting that previous studies have found that dairy proteins support healthy blood pressure, this is the first research documenting a direct benefit of whey protein on endothelial function in an elderly, at risk, population.

Researchers dosed 21 men and women between the ages of 45 and 65 with a 5 gram supplement of whey protein extract or a placebo. Amino acid concentrations, FMD, insulin, and compounds known to act on the blood vessels were measured for 2 hours after ingestion.

The authors reported an increase in vasodilation (vessel relaxation) by 1 to 1.5 percent. Although a small number, the researchers emphasize that this change packs a big punch. A stiffer artery accompanies a low FMD. Boosting arterial elasticity by just 1 percentage point, the researchers explain, cuts potential perils to the heart by a factor of 12.

“The findings of the present study indicate that acute ingestion of an extract derived from whey protein was rapidly absorbed and improved endothelium-dependent dilation in older adults with vascular endothelial dysfunction,” the authors report.

Whey’s benefit on blood pressure, the authors suggest, may be explained by this relaxation of the vessels, allowing for easier circulation throughout the body. According to these findings, the rapidly absorbed amino acids found in whey protein promote vasodilation—a likely explanation for the decreases in blood pressure reported in other studies.

The jury is still out on how the composition of whey protein, and this whey protein extract, enables arterial release. For example, two important factors in vascular health are nitric oxide—a potent vasodilator—and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), an important enzyme in blood pressure regulation. Interestingly, however, the whey protein supplement failed to effect levels of either nitric oxide or ACE, suggesting other likely ways may be responsible for whey’s benefits on circulation.

The researchers used a bioactive tri-peptide—a short protein chain consisting of three amino acids—derived from whey. Maintaining the integrity of this protein chain, from milk, in processing, and through the gut, may be the key to explaining how this extract boosts endothelial function.

Amino acids are used to build body proteins; peptides, on the other hand, are used to communicate, interact with, and direct the functional responses of cells. Undenatured whey protein undergoes less processing and is more likely to retain these bioactive peptides—preserving the small protein during absorption is the tough part.

This research suggests that the hearty benefits of this tripeptide may come from the nature of the structure, not just the amino acids that it is composed of. Further investigation, the authors write, is required to confirm that this peptide retains its structure during absorption and goes on to act as a signaling molecule in the body. In this case, the tripeptide’s signal is acting on the arterial walls.

Tight blood vessels counteract cardiac health, an effect common in aging. With room for more research, the authors write that older individuals experiencing impaired endothelial function could release some strain in the arteries by eating these bioactive peptides sourced from whey protein.

For more information about this topic and other health and wealth related topics use the following websites:

www.facebook.com/health2money

www.isafun.com

www.billionsisagenix.com

www.health2money.com

www.weightlossbydetox.com

Reference

Ballard KD et al. Acute effects of ingestion of a novel whey-derived extract on vascular endothelial function in overweight, middle-aged men and women. British Journal of Nutrition 2012.

Only 1 in 5 Sunscreens are Safe

 In May, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) announced that it had issued its fifth annual guide to sunscreen products and reports that, out of 600 beach and sport sunscreens, only one in five are safe.

Sunscreens are meant to protect our skin cells from harmful UVA and UVB radiation. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on exactly what benefit these bottled creams can deliver. The sun not only penetrates the skin, it may penetrate and degrade your sunscreen—unleashing harmful free radicals on the surface of your skin that may end up causing more harm than help.

Although Isagenix may not entirely agree with EWG’s methodology, the new report deserves high marks for bringing natural minerals to the forefront as having the “best safety profile of today’s choices.”While no sunscreen beats shade and clothing, zinc and titanium offer broad UVA and UVB protection without threatening to decay beneath the sun’s rays. With little risk of toxicity or skin penetration, the EWG hails these two ingredients as superior to the chemical concoctions most sunscreens tend to offer.

Sunscreens to Avoid
In contrast, the group recommended against use of the following due to lack of safety:

• Sunscreen sprays because of possible inhalation of chemicals
• Sunscreens containing retinyl palmitate because they may contribute to free radical formation
• Sunscreens containing oxybenzone, a known hormone disrupter. The EWG’s findings show that oxybenzone is present in nearly 60 percent of sunscreens on the market in the United States.
• Sunscreens with poor UVA protection. Too many sunscreens protect only against UVB “burning” rays, but not  UVA “aging” rays of which are principally responsible for skin aging, oxidative stress, and contribution to skin cancer.
• Sunscreens that offer a false sense of security such as “water proof,” or “sweat proof.” These claims can be misleading.

Go with Minerals
Sunscreens that contain the natural minerals zinc or titanium such as Isa SunGuard lead the way in consumer safety and sun protection. These natural sun-blocking minerals make it easier to avoid chemicals that EWG has said may disrupt hormones in the body. “Unlike other common sunscreen chemicals, zinc and titanium are not allergenic, do not break down in sunlight and do not disrupt the body’s natural hormones,” according to the report.
Natural minerals zinc and titanium, when combined, offer broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

Gaps in both the regulations and the research have led consumers down a confusing path when it comes to differentiating between sunscreens. The EWG fills the void when governing bodies aren’t willing to set substantial recommendations and regulations on sunscreen ingredients and their effectiveness.

Isa Sunguard is an all-natural sunscreen with minerals and quality ingredients including green tea and chamomile. With a strong commitment to scientific support, the formulation of Isa Sunguard contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and provides maximal protection against UVA and UVB rays.

For more information about this topic and other health and wealth related topics use the following websites:

www.facebook.com/health2money
www.isafun.com
www.billionsisagenix.com
http://www.health2money.com
www.weightlossbydetox.com

Reference
Environmental Working Group. “Sunscreens Exposed: Nine Surprising Truths.” 2012.
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