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Inside the World of Gut Bacteria and Probiotics.

Posted in News, Nutrition Articles

  The human gut and its role in our health has become an area of intense research over the past decade - for excellent reason. You may have heard the statement “we’re more bacteria than we are human” due to the fact that we have roughly 10x more bacteria than human cells in our body. The ‘normal’ gut has hundreds of bacterial species, each of which has profound effects on our health and well-being. Some of these species are considered good, and beneficial, while others are detrimental when conditions allow them to grow out of control. The gut plays major roles in digestion, metabolism, immunity, protection from infection, and regulates 80% of our immune system. Granted the scope of our gut and its relationship to the rest of our body, I’m always surprised at how poorly people treat it (usually secondary to having no education on the subject). There are a few kinds of bacteria to understand first, let’s take a look at those. Each type as a ‘time and a place’, in other words, specific roles and benefits. It’s when they take over or get eliminated that start the process of digestive disruption and other health complications. Our “Essential” bacteria (the good guys), are already inside the gut. They’re friendly, and, as stated above, play major roles in metabolism, immunity, and overall health. The bad guys (these are also called “opportunistic flora”, because they’re normally controlled by the good guy bacteria. When gut health gets compromised for various reasons, the bad guys get their opportunity to take over and create some nasty health issues. Transitional flora are the bacteria we get from the outside environment (through food, drink, living and breathing, playing in the mud, etc). These bacteria too can be beneficial OR not, and are kept in check normally by the good bacteria. What are Probiotics? Simply put, probiotics are strains of bacteria that support our native beneficial “good guys” and help prevent the bad strains from overgrowing and taking over. In cases of impaired digestion (diarrhea, constipation, inflammation, gas bloating etc) probiotics can be really helpful. Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases have about 25% less of the beneficial bacteria in their guts than healthy people. While it makes sense to introduce more beneficial bacteria via probiotics into the diet as an initial strategy, there are a few things to be aware of. If you have established digestive disorders, work with an experienced health care practitioner rather than self-diagnose. The gut is a complex galaxy, and if infections have set in, you’ll need guidance on natural or pharmaceutical antimicrobials. You may also need to use what’s called a biofilm disruptor. Bacteria in the gut can form a biofilm, which is a protective layer the bacteria form to protect themselves from our immune system defenses. So, in order to get the most out of probiotics, make sure you clear out any existing infections or overgrowth of bad bacteria - don’t trouble shoot this on your own. Once you’re ready to begin supplementation (symptoms have been cleared, you’re healthy to begin with, or want to protect your gut for the future) choose a brand such as THORNE, which is above and beyond anything you’ll find over the counter for various reasons: All products are manufactured in-house, within an FDA-approved...

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THORNE AMINO ACIDS

Posted in News, Nutrition Articles

This article on amino acids has been long-time coming – it’s part one of several! Among the supplements I recommend to my clients, amino acids (AA’s) are high on the list, for several reasons - some of which I’ll cover here. Let’s start with the basics. Many people aren’t familiar with the term amino acids, or, aren’t aware of what they are. There are three key players in the nutritional world of macronutrients (macro = something large-scale, nutrients = substances that provide nourishment essential for growth). Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats. Collectively, these three macronutrients (often referred to as macro’s) provide the bulk energy we need to function. Try exist without them and you’ll quickly find yourself grumpy, fatigued, and sick. Protein can be broken down further into what are called amino acids - 20 of them, specifically. 8 are categorized as ‘essential’ because they cannot be made by the body, and thus must be obtained from the diet - these 8 will be the focus of this article. Essential AA’s are necessary to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, critical for on-going muscle recovery and growth. The 8 Essential AA’s we’ll focus on: Isoleucine, Leucine and Valine (collectively referred to as Branched-Chain Amino Acids, or BCAA’s, and a major personal favorite); Methionine Lysine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Maintaining what’s referred to as the “amino acid pool” in the body is critical, while being difficult without dietary intervention. Amino acids are constantly in use by the body for structural rebuilding, hormones, enzymes, and immune system chemicals. They aren’t stored in the body like carbs and fats are, thus require constant replenishment. This is possible via food, and supplemental sources. My clients and I prefer both! THORNE’S “AMINO COMPLEX” is an excellent supplemental source of essential amino acids, complete with 1.25gms of Leucine/serving. Leucine is one of the 3 Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) playing key roles in fat loss, muscle protein synthesis, and the preservation of lean mass during fat-loss cycles. My clients and I consume 1-2 servings of AMINO COMPLEX during training sessions, and another serving later in the day to fend off cravings and regulate blood sugar levels. Supplement quality is critical. Low quality products will be ineffective and ingredients are unpredictable. THORNE products are one of the lines I use regularly personally and professionally – they have arguably the most comprehensive list of NSF Certified for Sport products on the market. Due to this, THORNE has partnered with many US National Teams in addition to collaborating with the Mayo Clinic. If you’re looking for world-class sports nutrition and performance products, check out THORNE’s extensive product line. You can order AMINO COMPLEX using the practitioner code HCP-1108-188. Berry flavor comes highly recommended. Sincerely, Ashleigh Gass...

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Make a Comeback (featured in STRONG magazine)

Posted in Nutrition Articles, Training Articles

Slash your recovery time with these four science-backed supplements. Written by Ashleigh Gass, MS, CSCS, CCN, CNS, CISS N & the STRONG Editors Dietary supplements are a hot button topic these days. With sports nutrition becoming more mainstream, a lot of us are wondering if popping the right pills can really help with everything from muscle building to a faster recovery, and if so, which ones are best? Although numerous studies have recently questioned the quality and reliability of some brands of pills and powders, plenty of science still backs the benefits of supplementation when it comes to post-workout recovery, particularly when supported by a sound nutrition strategy. Check out the full article here: View PDF...

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Featured in STRONG Magazine

Posted in Nutrition Articles, Training Articles

This article was just released in STRONG Fitness magazine, in their digital training guide for this quarter. HOW DO YOU GET PUMPED UP FOR A GOOD WORKOUT? Do you throw some high-energy tracks on your playlist and blast it on your drive to the gym? Or do you watch the latest viral fitspo video circulating the Internet? Or are you like a growing population of fitness buffs that turn to a pre-workout formula to help get you through the grind? Check out the full article here: View...

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Great Guts 2: Gallbladders are good!

Posted in Nutrition Articles

A little while back, I wrote an article called "Great Guts", where I covered the basics of our gastrointestinal (GI) system, otherwise known as the "second brain", and the "enteric nervous system". Ever wonder why our GI system is referred to as the "second brain"? It's because this organ system has its own, independently working lymphatic and nervous systems - and a huge amount of whole-body resources dedicated to it (2). In "Great Guts", I focused primarily on the big picture of the GI system, covering the basics of structure and function as a whole, the importance of its health, and a bit about what can happen when it's sick. Briefly, I outlined some steps necessary to improve it, which included food and supplement strategies. A few clients as of late have inspired this next article. On the positive side, clients whom, after restoring healthy gut bacteria, have finally rid themselves of allergies and asthma, while reducing inflammatory markers and losing fat (around the abdomen, mainly). On the "makes me insane" side, a couple new clients who, either themselves, or, their family members, insist they need to have their gallbladder removed. Having "pain", or "gallstones" are a couple reasons this occurs (removal of the gallbladder is quickly becoming the number one surgery in the US). One of these clients (let's call him Jack) was told by his primary care physician that he HAD TO have his gallbladder removed. I quickly referred him to another local MD who specializes in nutritional/preventative medicine. Jack didn't have anything wrong with his gallbladder at all - what he had was a bleeding ulcer. Yep - choke. Upon treatment of this, his symptoms quickly resolved and he's back in action - gallbladder intact! Rather than unwind why the organ is sick and diseased in the first place, conventional medicine, combined with lack of responsibility on behalf of the patient to dig deep and get second opinions - the gallbladder is removed. And at that point, long-term complications really begin to brew. Complications for the rest of the GI system - because the patient will continue to live in the EXACT manner that created a sick organ in the first place. This usually happens because our current, typical mainstream medical community spends exactly ZERO time educating patients on what the heck caused problems in the first place. Due to the above inspirations, this article will focus more on the symphony of the GI system - how the various organs communicate with each other, and why you want to do all in your power to keep them. Let's continue on the gallbladder kick, and take a look at what this organ does. Actually, let's take a look at the liver, pancreas,and gallbladder as a system - because they work together. First, a picture, so you can see where these organs are relative to one another. Photo source: http://domashniy-medic.ru/category/zabolevaniya-kishechnika Most of you know that the liver detoxifies stuff - stuff like alcohol. Everybody knows on some level that a night of drinking kicks the liver into overdrive. Beyond detoxification though, the liver has an important role in digestion: it produces and secretes bile - about a pint of it daily. Bile is made up of bile salts, bile pigments, and cholesterol, and is responsible for the emulsification...

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Rebuttal to recent general media articles “Skip the Supplements” and “Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem”.

Posted in Ashleigh In The News, Nutrition Articles

Ashleigh Gass, MS, CSCS, CISSN, CCN, CNS. Recent media articles “Skip the Supplements” and “Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem” caught my attention and inspired this rebuttal. Even though some of the information presented in these articles was correct, we weren’t given any information about the other side of the story. This is significant - because the other side of the story would have given consumers an opportunity to learn about hundreds of excellent nutritional supplement companies and their respective products. Yet again, the general public was left flapping in the breeze of misleading, incomplete nutrition articles geared towards “poo-poo-ing” the nutritional supplement industry. Perhaps these articles were written with the intention to “protect” the public from purchasing supplements from certain companies, or to discourage people from taking nutritional supplements in general. If the former is correct, the articles would have had far greater value if they’d pointed out the many companies following stringent manufacturing practices. If the latter is correct and the articles were written to dissuade people from taking nutritional supplements in general, well, once again, specifics would have been beneficial. As opposed to painting the entire supplement industry, and supplements in general, with the same brush, clarification should have been made to differentiate legit companies from those not willing to follow manufacturing guidelines, and clinically effective supplements vs. supplements without an effective track record. Part of the problem with these articles is that they lead to massive confusion among the already nutritionally confused general public. Even worse, what if patients receiving effective nutritional therapy from medical nutritionists, DOs, NDs, or MDs specializing in nutritional medicine become scared of their treatment protocols as a result of reading these articles? When confusion dominates, people generally reach a stand-still on that topic and do nothing, or, even worse, quit the entire thing. Much of the confusion could have been dodged if these articles had been titled “Skip the Non-CGMP Compliant Supplements (Current Good Manufacturing Practices), or “Herbal Supplements are Often Not What They Seem When You Don’t Know What You’re Talking About”, or “Seek professional guidance when choosing supplements” or “Research highlight on supplements that work and the companies that make them”. At the very least, these articles would have been useful had they: a. Educated the public about FDA-approved CGMPs, FDA-approved manufacturing facilities, and the various independent organizations that certify nutritional supplements; b. Educated the public about various companies that follow the same, strict manufacturing standards found within pharmaceutical companies; c. Educated the public about which supplements to skip, exactly; d. Educated the public about which herbal supplements aren’t what they seem; e. Provided appropriate resources for the public to search for companies following a, and b; and f. Provided insight into nutritional supplements that have been proven beneficial for specific health conditions. However, none of the above points were covered in any way, or even alluded to. Thus, we were left with a few more unhelpful, one-sided, confusing nutritional supplement articles. My intention with this article is to give you, the consumer, correct information to think with when choosing nutritional supplements, and a few resources to research if you have a health condition you think may respond well to the assistance of nutritional supplementation. My disclaimer is as follows: personally, and professionally, I follow, and...

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SLEEP: The Magic Bullet of Fat Loss

Posted in News, Nutrition Articles

Approximately 1/3 of Americans get less than 6 hours of sleep/night, while only 7-8% sleep 8 hours/night. Basically, this means almost everyone is sleep deprived. And sleep deprivation, particularly when chronic, (meaning you get less than 6 hours/night, every night) leads to big problems. Big problems like obesity, cardiovascular risk, metabolic risk, premature aging, and even cancer. Really want to fall off your seat? Know that 81 of 89 studies looking at sleep deprivation have all had the same finding: lack of sleep increases obesity by 55%. Think about that for a minute. You could be doing ‘all the right things’, like eating your vegetables and meats, taking good supplements, weight training, etc, and still have over 50% risk of becoming obese if you aren’t sleeping properly. This is important to know! Additionally, we’ve all know that it takes discipline to eat well and workout, long-term. Well, guess what? Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase impulsivity, and cause people to become less likely to work for something that they otherwise would. So, say you ‘want to’ eat healthy and go to the gym every day, generally leading a healthy life. Sleep deprivation has been shown to halt your desire in its tracks - bringing on what I call the “I’ll do it tomorrow” syndrome. It happens every week! You vow to start on Monday, yet when Monday rolls around, you’re tired from the weekend and lack desire to go workout. In your fatigued state, you throw on the sweat pants and grab a bowl of popcorn. Sure, discipline is part of what has to be developed here, but increased sleeping time every night has actually been shown to increase motivation, and that ‘get up and go’ attitude. Sleep may be your magic bullet. Let’s take a look at why sleep is so important for weight loss. A lot of it has to do with physiology. Specifically, sleep deprivation causes some pretty significant disruptions in how our body was meant to work. Most of us are living life quite opposite to how we were meant to. This is often referred to as living a ‘broken lifestyle’, and living in ‘discordance’ with biology. Discordance means in disagreement with. Our bodies, brains, and hormones are genetically hardwired to be awake, productive, and moving around during the daylight hours, while being slower paced, more relaxed, and sleeping during the dark hours of the night. What most of us do now is opposite to this - we spend the daylight hours sitting indoors working, barely moving, then go home after work, when it’s dark, and keep ourselves up in front of the TV well into the night hours. This pattern of being indoors and sedentary during the day, AND indoors and sedentary at night, really plays tricks with our brain. During the day, our brain wants sunlight exposure, and exercise. It wants these 2 things because it then knows it’s meant to produce all sorts of ‘get up and go’ hormones (such as cortisol) get stuff done, and generally be productive. Now, at night, when the sun goes down, our brain wants the opposite to occur. It wants to get away from light (particularly artificial light), and produce ‘rest and digest’ hormones that help us wind down and get to sleep. Hormones like...

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In Defense of Squats and Deadlifts.

Posted in Training Articles

It seems appropriate to begin this article with a "thank you" - a thank you to the strength and conditioning coaches out there who go the extra mile and teach their clients how to squat, and perform deadlifts. I say thank you, because in gyms across the country these lifts, and their variations, are as rare as a $2 bill. Certainly not due to any danger in performing the lifts themselves, but due to the inability of the coaches to a. teach the lifts, and b. pick up on the postural/tissue tension faults that cause the lifts to break down. Due in part to a. and b., many coaches simply resort to throwing their clients on leg press machines and watching them, well, sit and press away. One of my favorite quotes by Mark Rippetoe is "the only problem with barbell training is the fact that the vast, overwhelming majority of people don't know how to do it correctly". Truth be told. For just a moment I'll side with the coaches who don't teach these movements. Many clients, when interviewed about their training and injury history, quite adamantly state that these lifts hurt their back and knees. If I were a new, inexperienced coach, I'd not want to encourage clients to perform movements that created pain. And if I were a client, I'd not want to be led to perform movements that hurt. However, that's the end of my defensive role, because I'm not a new coach and because I've led dozens of clients through training programs that fix pain and injury. And, yes, you guessed it - these programs include heaps of squats, deadlifts, and their many variations. Let's take a look at these lifts! Go stand up over your toilet, sit down on it, and get back up again. You've just performed a squat (probably technically poor, but you've got the idea). Now, go into your living room, bend at your knees, picking something up off the floor "with good lifting posture". You've probably just done something resembling a deadlift. Now, granted the numerous times daily you get off the toilet or pick stuff up off the floor, it's amazing to me when clients report that their doctors or therapists tell them "just don't squat if it hurts". I then ask them to get additional advice on how to go to the bathroom, pick stuff up, get in and out of the car, stand up from a park bench and generally survive without the ability to squat. As you well know, life becomes rather difficult when you lose, or choose not to train these movements. Below is a picture of a back squat, full depth. When performed correctly (the key word being correctly), the squat is a very useful exercise for developing strength and power of the hips and core. Along with the squat, the variations (lunging patterns, etc) are really useful in developing knee stability. When people complain of pain during this movement, know that it's not the movement - it's the poor joint health, and excessive muscular tension that creates pain felt in the movement. Due to excessive amounts of time sitting, most people have lost range of motion in their ankles and hips, which doesn't permit an easy descent to the ground. People have...

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Healthy at Home: Nutritional Strategies for Kids Heading Back to School

Posted in News, Nutrition Articles

As 'back to school' rapidly approaches, many parents are making inquiries about keeping their kids healthy during the school year. This boils down to questions such as: What sort of meals and snacks should they be eating? How do I get them to make healthier choices? Well, the answers are simple: the same meals, snacks, and healthier choices as you, fluff ball. You are the parent - take the lead. Seriously. It's entertaining to have conversations with parents who disassociate their eating habits from those of their kids. Nutritional habits are formed in the household, within the family unit. As parents, it's critical to take as much responsibility as possible for ensuring the nutritional habits formed will be beneficial for life. Nutrition forms the foundation for childhood growth and development, which then sets the stage for adulthood. We want healthy kids, then healthy adults, free of diseases related to: Excess body fat Compromised gut health Immune compromise Chronic inflammation As a society, we're knee deep in trouble right now. About 33% of kids ages 6-11 are overweight or obese, compared to 7% in 1980. Obese young women really break my heart, as reversing this once the mid-20's roll around is a very challenging task. As it stands right now, about 36% of young women are considered obese. I've met many of these women, who are often depressed about themselves, how they feel and look, and upset about the uphill battle they face. Obesity leads to disruption of the thyroid and adrenal glands, cholesterol dysregulation, sleep disorders, metabolic disturbances, and many conditions that can be traced to chronic inflammation and hormone disruption. Doomsday stuff aside, let's look at the sunny side of things. We are all capable of giving the young ones around us a boost, getting them going on the right track. Variables within our control include: The ability (and responsibility!) to involve kids in strength training (along with other sports). The ability (and responsibility) to greatly influence nutritional choices. LIFT BABY, LIFT! Studies show that kids involved in resistance training and nutritional programs improve self-perception, gain lean muscle mass, strength, endurance, and not surprisingly, self confidence. Resistance training has been found to improve mental well-being, while teaching physical and emotional discipline. Look around your area for a good "Kids Cross Fit" Gym, and/or a local gym offering kids strength training classes. I LOOK UP TO YOU, MOM AND DAD, I'LL EAT WHAT YOU EAT. Indeed! If your kids have survived till this point on Ding Dong's and frozen pizza, it's because you have, too. However, now is the time to stop this. Slowly but surely, replace your Lucky Charms with blueberries and Greek Yogurt, your pop tarts with apples and almond butter, and your frozen dinners with shredded chicken, veggies, and salsa. Smack yourself for buying Kellogg's Honey Smacks and don't do it anymore (this cereal leads the list of "10 Worst Children's Cereals" based on sugar by weight). Throw away your OJ, blend up protein smoothies instead. Keep on hand plenty of foods like avocado, berries, hummus, chopped carrots, protein-packed homemade cookies, home made granola, nut butters, varieties of grass-fed jerky, cooked meats, eggs and seafood. Take the junky stuff out of the house. My experience with kids (Gabby and Matias!!) back when they were 5 &...

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Preventing The Afternoon Energy Crash n’ Crave

Posted in Nutrition Articles

Many of the new clients coming to see me struggle with energy levels and cravings, particularly in the afternoon. Between the hours of 3-5pm, many people feel lethargic, irritable, and ready for a nap. Unfortunately, the modern day North American office environment does not permit napping on desks - thus, we must consider alternate strategies! Please realize one important aspect of the symptom “low energy” - chronic illness of all kinds (gut dysfunction and autoimmune conditions, for example) have low energy associated with them. Therefore, if you suffer from chronically low energy levels, please seek out a qualified health care practitioner to rule out major disease. In my experience, the afternoon energy crash (often combined with food cravings) is caused by the following: 1 . Poor sleep habits 2 . Poor food choices leading to chronic nutrient deficiencies and blood sugar dysregulation 3 . Complete lack of strength training exercise POOR SLEEP HABITS Research consistently shows that sleeping a s long as possible (between 7-9 hours/night) provides stress relief, improved cognitive function, memory, and even weight loss. Millions of people suffer from sleep disorders, which, over the long term, can contribute to cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, memory problems, and mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. In thinking back over the hundreds of clients I've worked with over the years, I can recall only one couple who reported long, sound sleep on a regular basis. In my initial client interviews, I discover that most are chronically sleep deprived. Thus, one of the initial strategies to eliminate the afternoon crash n' crave is to improve sleep habits. Turn the TV off a little earlier, go to bed a little earlier, keep your room cold and dark. When followed, these strategies go a long way in improving sleep and 'buying back some energy'. POOR FOOD CHOICES LEADING TO CHRONIC NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES Let's be clear - a ton of people eat really poorly. Food journals I review are full of 'junk' carbohydrates, highly processed foods such as fast foods, chips, dips, tricks, bagels, low fat snack products, and high speed sugar drinks. Over time, a diet devoid of proteins, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats leads to chronic nutrient deficiencies. See, our bodies are designed to extract all kinds of vitamins and minerals from food in order to run cycles inside cells that ultimately produce energy. In other words, all the food we are 'supposed' to eat serves a huge purpose: to provide the raw ingredients for energy production inside our cells. The problem with highly processed foods is that these vitamins and minerals (the raw ingredients) aren't present, or, are present in extremely low amounts. Therefore, over time, if you live on processed food, your body can't use much of it to generate energy. So, you will be left feeling lethargic, irritable, and ready for big long naps. Not only that, you will find your youthful muscle rapidly being replaced by fat. To take it a step further, check out the basic biochemistry of energy production. The food we eat (hopefully a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) has to be turned into molecules that enter energy production pathways in the cell. The main molecule is called “Acetyl CoA”, which starts the energy production cycle. However, for food to be turned into...

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