Lack of Sleep Causes Sweet-Tooth!

 

You heard that right – not getting enough quality sleep is directly linked to craving sweets, weight gain, and difficulty losing weight.   

Sleep: Your Body’s Best Friend

Sleep is important for just about all the systems in your body, and lack of sleep reduces cognitive function including reduced reaction time, impaired decision making and memory.  Sleep is also essential for the repair and recovery of the body.

Even if you think you get enough shut eye you may still be suffering from the symptoms of sleep deprivation.   Unfortunately, just a little sleep deprivation can have a significant effect on weight gain.

How Lack of Sleep Causes Weight Gain

Lack of sleep increases the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol, and cortisol increases appetite significantly.  Sleep deprivation also saps willpower and decision-making ability so not only are you hungrier – you are more likely to make poor food choices.     Sleep deprivation is a stressor and when you feel stressed you tend to choose high carb foods which boost serotonin.

At the same time, the body’s ability to handle carbs properly is reduced.    Your cells become less sensitive to the effects of insulin called insulin insensitivity which is what type 2 diabetes is all about.   If lack of sleep is a chronic condition you quite literally can make yourself gain weight and become diabetic!

In addition, when you are tired, a hormone called Ghrelin is boosted while Leptin levels drop.   This is quite literally a double whammy because Ghrelin increases hungers and Leptin tells you when you full and satisfied.   So you are hungrier but do not feel satisfied when you do eat so you eat more!

In fact, studies have shown increased calorie intake of over 300 extra calories per day in sleep-deprived people.

Sleep is as important as exercise and diet so make it a priority and check out this previous blogpost on how to improve sleep: http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2020/04/sleep-in-time-of-coronavirus.html 

How Much Exercise Does It Take to Burn Off a Thanksgiving Meal?

 

How much exercise does it take to burn off Thanksgiving Foods?

To put this in perspective it is very easy to eat upwards of 4,500 calories if you really go crazy and pay no attention to portion size, how many portions you are eating, and what you are eating.      Given that the average person burns somewhere around 2,000 calories per day it means that you would have to fast for more than two days to get rid of this entire holiday binge!

 On the other hand, let’s take a look at a more restrained (yet enjoyable) Thanksgiving Meal by looking at everything you would eat, how many calories each item contains, and how long it would take to burn off with specific exercises.

 3 pigs in a blanket – 150 calories – 15 minutes – walking at a moderate speed for 15 – 20 minutes

 1oz brie cheese – 95 calories – Ice skating continuously for 12 minutes

 4oz Sweet Potato – 187 calories – 45 minutes of weight lifting

 ½ cup Green Bean Casserole – 227 calories – 18 minutes of jumping rope

 1 glass of wine – 125 calories – 10 minutes of burpees

 ¼ cup cranberry sauce – 102 calories – 20 minutes of cycling outside

 3.5 oz white meat turkey with skin – 177 calories – 20 minutes of touch football

 ½ cup gravy – 25 calories – 3 minutes of jumping jacks

 ½ cup stuffing – 195 calories – 25 minutes of swimming

 1 cup mashed potatoes – 237 calories – 1 hour of canoeing

 3 by 3 inch square cornbread – 198 calories – 25 minutes of stair climbing

 Green Bean Casserole – 227 calories – 30 minutes of walking at a moderate pace

 Pecan Pie Slive (1/8 of pie) = 500 calories – 1 hour of ice skating

 

The Importance of Zinc

 

Zinc is an essential trace element that’s used by every cell in your body.   During the Covid Epidemic it is more important then ever to ensure you have an adequate intake of zinc! 

Key Benefits of Zinc

•  Critical to successfully combat viruses and bacteria.
•  Helps to create DNA in every cell.
•  Critical for hormone synthesis and balance 
•  Essential for growth and development of babies and children.
•  Key factor for the creation of Super Oxide Dismutase - the most important antioxidant in your body!  
•  Key for proper wound healing (often recommended before and after surgery for this reason).
• Zinc is required in order to taste and smell anything!
• Prevents age-related vision loss.
•  Naturally stabilizes blood sugar.
• Can help control high blood pressure.
• Key for male fertility.
• Boosts athletic performance through improved muscle repair.

 Signs You’re Not Getting Enough Zinc

·        Loss of appetite

·        Diarrhea

·        Hair loss

·        Hormonal imbalance (especially low thyroid and low progesterone)

·        A weak immune system

·        Brain fog

·        Unexplained weight loss

·        Changes in taste

·        Changes in smell

·        Low libido

·        Poor wound healing

·        Fatigue

·        Digestive issues

·        Developmental delays in children

Factors that increase your risk of zinc deficiency

·        Gastrointestinal surgery

·        Birth Control Pills

·        Leaky gut syndrome

·        Vegetarians and vegans

·        Alcoholic Beverages

·        Sickle cell anemia

 Hormones that Require Zinc for production and balance

·        Testosterone

·        Growth Hormone

·        Thyroid hormones

·        Estrogen

·        Progesterone

 Zinc supplementation has been shown to improve male fertility and reduce pregnancy complications. Zinc supplementation can also help improve strength, confidence and sexual desire.

 Best Food Sources of Zinc

1.     Oysters

2.     Grass-fed beef

3.     Turkey breast

4.     Lamb

5.     Sesame Seeds

6.     Pasture-raised chicken

7.     Beans

8.     Pumpkin seeds

9.     Peanuts

10.           Cashews

11.           Sunflower seeds

12.           Cocoa

13.           Pork

14.           Egg

15.           Almonds

High Quality Zinc Supplements

The best zinc supplements are chelated meaning zinc is bonded to amino acids allowing maximum absorption.   Look for products that contain “Albion Mineral Chelates” like Zinc Bisglycinate from companies like Jarrow, Blue Bonnet Labs.  Another excellent form is “Optizinc” which is another high-quality chelated zinc supplement

How Much Zinc Should You Take?

An adult should be getting at least 40 mg of zinc per day. However, It is possible to take too much zinc, especially in the form of supplements. If you take too much you could experience:

·        Nausea

·        Abdominal cramping

·        Vomiting

·        Poor appetite

·        Headaches

 

If you consistently eat foods containing high levels of zinc like those listed above, you likely do NOT need to supplement. 

 

If you are a vegetarian or vegan and do not eat plenty of nuts/seeds like Pumpkin Seeds (highest plant food source of zinc available) you probably require a zinc supplement.

 

Most multiple vitamins contain about 15 mg of zinc so if you are taking a high quality multi with a chelated form of zinc it is unlikely you need more.

 

The exception would be before surgery or healing from a wound.  The other time zinc is highly beneficial is zinc lozenges as soon as you feel any symptoms of cold or Coronavirus coming on.   Zinc is absolutely critical to the prevention and treatment of Coronavirus.    Consider that the President was given zinc as part of his treatment regimen when he was infected with Coronavirus!

 

 

How Bodyfat Hurts Memory

 

Yes – you heard it right – excess bodyfat negatively impacts memory!   A large study, with over 11,000 people between 25 and 34 years old looked at inflammation using a standard test for overall inflammation levels called C-reactive protein (CRP).   The research showed a strong correlation between high BMI (body mass index) levels, CRP levels and working memory.   Working memory is memory associated with immediate conscious memory such as remembering a list of foods to buy at a store.   

There are several mechanisms that help explain how inflammation threatens memory.   Inflammation increases cortisol which is a stress hormone that is toxic to cells in the hippocampus - an area of the brain that is key to memory.   Excess inflammation also drives increased production of cytokines (chemical messengers) that have direct negative effects on the prefrontal cortex - another area of the brain that is key to memory.

High bodyfat levels and obesity drive inflammation all over the body and are linked to coronary artery disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.