Josh Bezoni's Blog - Posts Tagged "biotrust"

Nuts are not always as healthy as they are cracked up to be. But if you choose wisely, you can snack on the more nutritious varieties. However, it is important to note that you should always opt for the raw and organic version of nuts, rather than their “regular” variety which are all to present in this nation’s grocery and convenient stores. The reason for this is that many of the healthy features of nuts are actually eliminated because these companies fry their nuts in canola or peanut oil. To determine if they are healthy or the standard type, simply look at the product’s ingredient list in search of these added oils. The four best natural nuts include pistachios, cashews, walnuts, and almonds.

Pistachios: These nuts boast one of the lowest calorie counts amongst all varieties. If you consume fifty nuts, you calorie intake still stands well below 200. If you add in the benefits of its high-fiber content, pistachios become even more appealing in a health sense.

Cashews: These nuts are quite filling, and also possess a multitude of antioxidants. Furthermore, cashews have higher levels of heart-friendly monounsaturated fatty acids compared to most nut varieties.

Walnuts: The factor that really separates walnuts from the pack is their relatively high-level of Omega-3’s. Most nuts are heavy in the Omega-6 category, which we generally consume plenty, if not too much, of in our diets. Overconsumption of this can actually be detrimental to your body and cause toxic inflammation. Be sure to visit the BioTrust page to learn how to test for this.

Almonds: These are amongst the most healthy varieties of nuts given the myriad of healthy properties which they boast. These include their high levels of copper, vitamin B2, magnesium, vitamin E, phosphorus and other vitamins and minerals. Additionally, Almonds, similar to cashews, contain heart health monounsaturated fatty acids.

Drink Like a Marine Animal: Loads of people mistake thirst for food cravings. When dehydrated, your brain will signal to your body that you need to rehydrate and drink more water, but many people tend to misread this as a signal to eat more. A simple calculation can tell you how much water you should be drinking on a daily basis. Simply divide your weight by two. This number represents how many ounces of water you should be consuming each day. If you weigh 160 pounds, then you should aim to consume 80 ounces of water. Be sure to try to reach this level as it will do wonders to control those urges to eat.
Chew Gum: While it is hardly scientific, chewing gum is a personal trick to keep my cravings, especial those for dessert, in check. Be sure to opt for the sugar-free type.
Sleep like a Small Child:Research has demonstrated how important getting enough sleep on a nightly basis is. Exhaustion can wreak havoc on our commitment to a fitness regimen and eating healthy. Make this a top priority, or you will more easily to succumb to those cravings. All our bodies are different, but the recommended amount seems to center around eight hours.
Bush your Teeth: Another less scientific way to zap those yearnings for food. This strategy works on two levels. First, you don’t want to have to brush your teeth again so you are less willing to succumb to your craving for a snack. Furthermore, the toothpaste seems to corrupt the taste of food. Most probably because the components used in toothpaste tend to bind to certain sugar receptors on your tongue. This effect is amplified if you brush all around your mouth including our cheeks, tongue, and the roof.
Take a Whiff of Peanut Butter: Whether you believe it or not, researchers have proven that taking a quick sniff of peppermint or peanut butter reduces the intensity of one’s cravings. The scent causes the brain to release a neurotransmitter that keeps hunger under control.

You have probably read that food before bed is something to absolutely avoid, especially if you are trying to lose weight. However, not all food should be categorized as off-limits after dinner. Consumption of certain foods actually can help boost your weight loss efforts. Here is a quick guide to help you healthily navigate through late night food choices.

It is important that you avoid consuming carbohydrates before bedtime. Instead, opt for slow-digesting protein that will supply you with a consistent source of amino acids while you sleeping.

Green Vegetables: While not necessarily a protein, green vegetables are a great late night snacking option as they are filling, contain high-levels of fiber, and lack calories.

White Meat Protein: Turkey and Chicken, the white variety of meat, can be a great food to eat before bed. These foods tend to digest slowly and boasts a low insulin response.

A Low-Carb, and Slow Digesting Protein Shake: Be sure to stay away from simple whey powder prior to sleeping as studies have determined it causes a very high insulin release. Instead, you should opt for a time-released blend. Plus, it serves as a sort of desert for those with a sweet-tooth.

Cottage Cheese: Not only is cottage cheese digest slowly, but it also coats the stomach in a manner that causes it to be assimilated slowly by the body. While this is a great choice, you have to be certain to stay away from the flavored options that come with a surplus of sugar.

You may think much about how much you sit each and every day. But sitting, something you are most likely doing right now, could be placing yourself at risk for an array of health issues down the line. Some these issues include diabetes, certain types of cancer, and, yes, weight gain.

Sitting is detrimental to one’s health outside of the fact that this inactivity results in burning any less calories. Researchers have determined that an interesting enzyme we call lipoprotein lipase has a important role in our ability to process and burn fat.

Tests were carried out in certain lab animals that showed that this important enzyme lipoprotein lipase, is only produced during physical activity, but not when they were sitting down. This test highlights the fact that a portion of your metabolism actually slows down when you are sitting around. However, please note that lipoprotein lipase is not that only enzyme produced by physical activity. There is an array of of other enzymes triggered in a similar that are also vital to one’s health.

In a study where regularly active males were asked to spend more time sitting and less time on the move, the researchers observed a noticeable alteration in their metabolism and in their body’s distribution of fat after just fourteen days. That’s right, they observed a difference after a mere two weeks. Imagine how detrimental sitting could be for those doing it for years or even decades!


Other studies have determined that sitting for majority of each day carries negative effects even if you make an extra attempt to exercise. You may be thinking that it is impossible to stand more as you are stuck at your desk at your job from Friday through Monday. However, there are a few things you can do make sure you spend more time away from your chair. To learn these, check out this article!

There is a chance that you are already aware of the weight loss tip that you should focus on eating slowly and chewing your food up to twenty times before you actually swallow. The theory, according to some, is that eating in this fashion gives your body and brain enough time to identify the fact that you are truly full. This will prevent your from over-eating and discovering that you are way too full.

This is why cherries are a fantastic fruit option if you are looking to lose weight. It is simply impossible to accidentally consume thirty or forty cherries as it is with blueberries or grapes. The pits force you to eat more slowly, which in turn provides enough time for your body to determine that you are, in fact, satiated. Portion control is oddly built into this delicious fruit.

The second reason why cherries are a great choices is because they have the lowest gycemic index of fruits. Furthermore, the glycemic index of cherries is one of the lowest for any source of carbs. If you want to learn more about cherries and why they are a great late-night snack, visit the official BioTrust blog.

Are you consuming a large percentage of your daily carb intake at breakfast and then following it up with a cup of morning coffee? If so, you could shooting yourself in the foot. The body’s tolerance for glucose, ability to process carbs, and sensitivity for insulin are all their peak during the morning hours. However, a slew of academic studies have demonstrated that caffeine (from coffee) actually leads to a reduction in both insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

Take a look for yourself at one of these studies for yourself. This one was published in 2008 and examine ten healthy males who participated in four trials. The researchers found that the consumption of coffee with caffeine and a low or high glycemic index meal reduced the body’s ability to manage glucose.

If you absolutely need a boost in the morning in the form of caffeinated coffee, it is recommended that you drink a cup when you are not eating a carb-heavy breakfast.

Diets don’t need to be so taxing that they turn you away from pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Nobody’s perfect, and the idea that you can eat perfectly is just as impossible. With great diet comes great responsibility, but sometimes you could use a break, right? Here are a few ways for you to cheat on your diet, and still keep the weight off. The next time you’re watching your waistline and your friends offer you a burger, don’t break out your notepad and start counting calories. Just remember these handy tips and you’ll rebound with little trouble.

A metabolic technique known as “periodic overfeeding” enables the practitioner to binge on any number of foods for a short period of time without suffering the consequences. The art of perfecting the cheat day can not only save you from the rigors of your diet, but increase the speed which you burn calories. Revving your body’s metabolism by pigging-out puts your system in overdrive, burning off the fat it’s been denied for so long.

By practicing a focused diet coupled with the occasional cheat day, you’re sure to see fantastic results in very little time. The secret comes in managing Insulin, the hormone in the body most responsible for storing fat, and its effects are instantly visible. Some practitioners have even noted stellar results upwards of a pound a day. Here are some simple steps to follow if this diet sounds like the one for you.

Start of your week with a shake or protein drink. You want to shrink your stomach as best you can for the coming days, and consuming these drinks is the best way to absorb those necessary nutrients without packing on the pounds. There are hundreds of powders, shakes and mixes out there for a healthy drink, so be sure the one you’ve chosen to use is high in protein and lacking all artificial sweeteners.

The second day will need to be more substantial. Try several small meals, spaced evenly throughout the day to stimulate your metabolism. Lean meats, vegetables and low-fat cheeses are great for keeping your fat burning while satisfying that need to feed. Though fruits are delicious, you’ll want to avoid them because of their high sugar content. You’d be surprised the sugar rush you can get off of naturally occurring fructose.

The third and final day in this three-step process is splurge day. Adhering to the prior meal alignment, five smaller meals will be part of the day’s offerings. Beans, red potatoes, barley and wild rice make for great sources of protein to supplement your cheat day. During the day, this diet allows for one single cheat meal of whatever you want. While it’s best to avoid sugary sodas with your splurge, and taking your cheat meal as the final meal of the day is a bad idea, you are free to eat whatever you like.

Diet takes focus and control, but it doesn’t need to cost you your sanity. The price of eating right and being healthy shouldn't be enough to put you off of the act. With a short, easy to remember cycle of foods that focus on motivating your metabolism, a diet with a built in cheat meal is sure to whet the appetites of many eager eaters.

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When we are first being taught about nutrition, the Food Pyramid always springs to the forefront of conversation. Claiming that grains (made up of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta) make up the base of the food pyramid, it was thought we were supposed to receive an astounding fifty percent of our diet from carbohydrates.

Crazy! It’s this sort of fattening advice that perpetuates nutritional misperceptions which relegate people to an unhealthy lifestyle, condemned to believe they are doing the right thing and properly monitoring their diet when, in reality, they are actually making losing weight more difficult, more frustrating, and downright exhausting. What is perhaps the most ridiculous part of this spreading of false information is that we know better.

Fortunately, government agencies and the United States educational system have released massive updates to the outdated policy; it’s just slow to take effect. In fact, the USDA is rightfully now recommending that half of your diet come from fruits and vegetables, and only 30% should come from grains—much better advice. Not to mention, the ‘experts’ are now also suggesting that protein makes up about twenty percent of our diet, a fantastic increase from the nearly nonexistent portion that was advised before.

All this said, there are still some considerable improvements to be made even to this new and improved My Plate System (the new and improved version of the Food Pyramid). For one, it does not really allot for healthy fats like nuts, oils, and organic dairy products—think butter and cream. These sorts of fats are a vital part of any diet, and most certainly should not be eaten sparingly. In actuality, you should be consuming about 25% of your calories through these open fats.

In regards to grains, I would chop it down to size and say they should only make up about 15% of your diet. There are only two meals a day where you should even consider eating grains, anyway, and those are breakfast and the meal after your workout. The reason for this is that research has proven glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity are at their highest during these two points in the day.

With respect to protein, let’s beef that up to at least 35%. By increasing protein, you will have an increased thermic effect of feeding (which means you burn more calories just by eating protein), have better blood sugar control, see a decrease in body fat, and witness a significant increase in calorie-burning lean muscle.

Really, just by lowering grain consumption, you will improve your body’s capacity for processing carbohydrates, and then when you increase your protein intake, you can nearly DOUBLE your fat loss. It’s that easy.