LIVE IT

The feeling of fullness, called satiety, is one of the main ways we stop eating. As anyone who has followed a food restriction diet knows, it is rather easy to reduce your food intake in the short term, but in the long run, food intake seems regulated by factors beyond willpower alone. Food intake regulation is a complex process involving parts of the brain as well as peripheral organs. High quality nutrition supplements may help reduce food intake signals and appetite, and the way we consume food also appears to make a difference. A recent study published in the August 2009 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (volume 90, pages 269-75) reports that the size of food we consumer in each bite, and the length of time we chew, can both have a profound influence on food intake. Healthy participants were fed a semi-solid chocolate custard in one of two bite zies, and instructed to chew the food for either 3 or 9 seconds. Small bites sizes (5 grams, or 0.18 ounces) resulted in significantly less food intake compared to larger bite sizes (15 grams, or 0.53 ounces). Chewing for 9 seconds resulted in significantly less food intake than quickly chewing for just 3 seconds. Other studies also suggest that a longer time for food to be sensed in the mouth and nasal cavity may reduce food intake. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity (volume 26, pages 80-86, 2002) gave volunteers either a sugar drink 2 minutes before lunch, or hard sugar candies (containing the same amount of sugar and calories as in the drink) 10 minutes before lunch, and noted that less food was consumed when the hard candies were chewed compared to when the drink was consumed. These results suggest that the act of chewing may send signals to the brain’s food intake centers, but this signal may not be present when swallowing a liquid. So take small bites of food, chew it for a long time, and enjoy every bite of food that you consume!

Advocare Spark Energy Drink Review

Have you ever been to an electronics store and found a great deal on men’s cologne?

No?  Well how about a two-for-one deal at a car lot, have you seen one?  I wish.

What about a farmer’s market?  Ever been to one and found an incredible energy drink product you’ve never seen before?  No?  Well nah nah in your face I have!

This summer I took a trip to the local farmer’s market with my mom, my greatest excitement being the possibility of finding a flawless eggplant to complete my cornucopia crafting project.  Sarcasm.  Anywho, I walked by a table where a nice lady was selling Advocare performance products.

This table just reeked of multi-level marketing, but I couldn’t resist inquiring about the “Spark” energy drink powder packets.  Without even telling the saleswoman about my status as an EF writer, she grabbed a bottle of water, filled it with a whole packet of Spark, and let me continue on my way while I drank the bottle down.  < 20 minutes: holy organic cucumbers Batman!

Taste

I later bought three flavors of my own Spark packets: grape, fruit punch, and mandarin orange.  They also offer citrus and cherry.  All you need is a cold bottle of water,  one of these packets mixed into it, and it will plaster a smile onto your lethargic face.  The experience was better than I could have even expected, especially after E-Boost set my standards so low.  Not one stage of the show can be categorized as bitter, transparent, overly sweet, or overly tart.  Delish!

Ingredients

/begin list/ 120mg caffeine, 750% B12, 750% B6, 300% niacin, GABA /end list/

Effect

No matter how you consume a packet of Spark, whether it be straight, snorted, mixed into your Easy Mac flavor packet, or… oh ya mixed into water, you are guaranteed the perfect long-lasting energy boost.  No joking around here, these packets are simply the perfect pick me up.  This will be my first product review where I end up purchasing more of what I sampled.

Verdict

Advocare Spark changed my energy drink life.  I can now truthfully say that given the immediate availability of a Spark packet, I would choose a bottle of water from a cooler instead a stand-by favorite energy drink.  That’s right, a flavored bottle of water over, say, a NOS or Rockstar Punched Citrus.  Up until Spark, that’d just be crazy talk.

Women’s Health

1.  

   Supplement Use During Pregnancy – Dr. Judith Smith

   In the United States there is a nationwide campaign to promote health and disease prevention called “Healthy People 2010″ and the health of mothers and their infants is a priority to be addressed in this campaign.

   During pregnancy, the developing baby gets “dibs” on all the nutrients it requires so it becomes critically important the mom-to-be is getting all the nutritional requirements to support fetal development and growth as well as her own body’s requirements to support maternal tissues (i.e. placenta and breast), metabolism and reproduction changes.

   In the National Diet and Nutrition Survey that was reported in 2005, it found over 80% of women failed to achieve even the Reference Nutrient Intake (which has replaced the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)) of folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, or antioxidants from their daily diet. Hence, the use of supplements is highly recommended during pregnancy to meet all the nutritional requirements for mom and baby!

   There are many vitamins and minerals that are important to supplement during pregnancy including: folic acid, B vitamins, vitamin A, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. In a healthy diet vitamins and minerals work synergistically so the mimic the ideal healthy diet, it is recommended to use supplement with a balanced combination of vitamins and minerals and omega-3 fatty acids rather than trying to just take a few separate ones.

   Similar to the “foundation” we discussed last month, implementing or continuing to take “The Core Three” including CorePlex with iron; OmegaPlex; and Calcium Plus during pregnancy is a good place to start. CorePlex with iron with provide a well-balanced vitamin/mineral supplement during pregnancy and continue with three tablets once daily, or as recommended by your physician.

   OmegaPlex is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that has optimal bioavailability (absorption). During pregnancy the requirement for omega-3 fatty acids dramatically increase, especially during the third trimester. Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in the development of fetal brain, eyes, and cognitive ability. Helland and colleagues conducted long term study that found that women that had omega-3 supplementation during pregnancy had children improved intelligence which was evident as early as age four years old! Initially pregnant mom’s can start with two OmegaPlex capsules twice daily but by third trimester increasing to two OmegaPlex capsules three times a day is recommended.

   Every pregnant mom will quickly notice the increase energy expenditures during pregnancy too. As fetus develops, energy requirements continue to increase each trimester and many find it difficult to make health food choices to keep up with the increased calorie requirements. For many, it’s the first time they have been told
   “you need to eat more”!

   However, caution you don’t want to eat “empty calories” such as foods high in fat and sugars. AdvoCare Meal Replacement shakes offer a well balanced snack during pregnancy (Please NOTE: not be used as a meal replacement during pregnancy – also should not be considered “snack” outside of pregnancy!) The recently introduced “Chocolate Nougat Bars” or Breakfast Bars, or Fruit and Fiber bars are also good sources of the extra calories and great sources of protein and fiber too!

   Constipation is very common during pregnancy because hormonal changes that weaken the smooth muscles of the bowel making it more difficult for passage of food. Increasing fiber intake with the AdvoCare Fruit & Fiber Bars or AdvoCare Fiber Drink can help alleviate symptoms of constipation.

   Healthy nutrition is always important but ever so more critical during the delicate time of pregnancy when vitamin and mineral deficiencies can directly impact the development of the growing fetus. It is great if women can prepare and start increasing supplementation for three to four months prior to pregnancy or at minimum initiating immediately when pregnancy is discovered then continuing through lactation phase before resuming previous supplement regimens!

   References:

   1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. 2nd Ed with Understand and Improving Health and Objectives for Improving Health. 2 vols. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2000.
   2. Hoare J, Henderson L, Bates CJ, et al. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19-64 years. Volume 5: summary report. London: HMSO; 2005.
   3. San Giovanni JP, Berkey CS, Dwyer JT, Colditz GA. Dietary essential fatty acids, and visual resolution acuity in healthy full term infants” A systematic review. Early Human Development, 2000;57:165-168.

The Latest on A-Supreme™ – Dr. Sidney Stohs

Managing stress is one of our most important health needs. The buildup of stress leads to fatigue, irritability, difficulty in sleeping, weakened immune system and increased susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases.

A-Supreme™, Nature’s Solution for StressTM, is a unique blend of adaptogens, B vitamins and other nutrients that address stress-related needs of the body.* Adaptogens are herbal substances that help the body increase resistance to physical, mental and chemical stressors.

The efficacy of A-Supreme™ was recently affirmed by a double blind placebo-controlled study involving human subjects at Creighton University. The subjects did not know whether they were taking one ounce of A-Supreme™ or the placebo (control), a product that looked and tasted like A-Supreme™ but did not contain any of the active ingredients. A series of tests were conducted at the start of the study and after the subjects had used the products daily for one month.

As expected, a decrease in stress levels was observed in the group of subjects taking A-Supreme™ as compared to the control group, based on the results of a standardized questionnaire which measured subjective perceptions of stress.

Equally exciting is that the study data demonstrates a positive impact that A-Supreme™ has on blood levels of CRP and homocysteine, two important factors in evaluating an individual’s risk for certain cardiovascular conditions.

Numerous studies have documented elevated CRP and homocysteine levels in individuals experiencing symptoms associated with conditions such as cardiovascular illness, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis and depression. While the exact association is not yet understood, having a healthy lifestyle in conjunction with dietary nutrients such as A-Supreme™ contribute positively toward keeping CRP and homocysteine levels in the normal range.*

These results obtained under carefully controlled scientific conditions demonstrate the beneficial effects of A-Supreme™ in addressing stress and its related conditions*. The importance of proper nutrition in helping our bodies and minds deal with the consequences of stress cannot be overemphasized. Stress will catch up with each of us unless we do something about it. Using A-Supreme™ regularly is a fundamental step in overcoming these adverse effects and gaining improved health and wellness.*

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Safe, Non-Caloric Sweetener – Sucralose

June 19, 2007 by advocare07

We’ve all heard about the artificial sweetener Sucralose and it’s use is the subject of much debate especially in the on-line community. AdvoCare selects ingredients for our products based on detailed, in-depth reviews and analysis of research, epidemiological, toxological and regulatory data. Today, we would like to provide a summary of our assessment of Sucralose written by our noted Vice President of Research and Development, Dr. Sidney Stohs, Ph.D.

Sucralose is a sweetener made from table sugar (sucrose) by chlorinating it in three positions on the molecule. This provides a substance which is approximately 600 times sweeter than sucrose and is very poorly absorbed. Therefore, the body does not metabolize it for energy, and only a small amount is needed to effectively sweeten a substance.

Sucralose has over a twenty-year history of safe and effective use. Over 100 scientific research articles have documented its safety. It carries no warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is approved by the FDA as well as the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives. It is approved by food and health agencies of over 40 countries. It can be used by pregnant and nursing women since very little is absorbed. Over 400 food and beverage products around the world contain sucralose. AdvoCare is not aware of any peer-reviewed information published in reputable, well-recognized scientific journals demonstrating toxic or adverse effects.

The research studies which have been conducted to investigate the safety of sucralose have demonstrated no effects on organs, growth weight, blood chemistry or fertility, and sucralose is not carcinogenic, teratogenic, or mutagenic. Sucralose does not produce diarrhea, affect the immune system, alter hormonal systems, cause headaches, produce fatigue or skin conditions. In well-controlled studies, no adverse effects have been found.

The small amount of chlorine present on the sucrose molecule is a tiny fraction of the amount of chlorine already present in our stomachs in the form of hydrochloric acid which aids digestion. Furthermore, the amount of chlorine present is an even smaller fraction of the amount consumed daily in the form of table salt (sodium chloride).

There are a number of prominent websites regarding sucralose and other substances that contain extensive amounts of misinformation. The information provided is not based on sound scientific studies. All of the information on these websites is anecdotal and has never been published in any reputable journal, does not involve any reputable research studies, and has never been demonstrated in research studies. Furthermore, the websites reference each other in an effort to create credibility.

AdvoCare does not use any ingredient deemed to be unsafe or harmful based on sound scientific evidence and we are proud to provide high quality, safe and effective products.