The Big Daddy of Unhealthy Fat

We all know that there are certain kinds of dietary fat that should be avoided at all cost.  Of special distinction, however, are hydrogenated oils, also known as trans fatty acids.  These kinds of fats have undergone a chemical process that artificially transforms them from their normal liquid state (at room temperature) into the solid, saturated variety.  This means that they’re actually stiffer and denser in your blood stream. Trans fats also raise LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), just like regular saturated fat, but they also manage to lower HDL (the good kind). So if you’re looking to broaden your chances for arteriosclerosis (among other things), trans fats are an excellent choice.

Why do trans fats even exist if they’re so bad?  Because processed foods manufacturers love ‘em.  They keep cookies moist, crackers crispy, cakes tender and help icing stick to donuts, all while proving to be extremely stable in the ultra-hot arena of deep frying.  Trans fats also dramatically extend the shelf life of their products.  Unfortunately, they seem to have the opposite effect on the “shelf life” of those who consume them!

In an extensive report from the Harvard School of Public Health, epidemiologic evidence suggests that nearly 100,000 premature deaths could be abated, merely by replacing trans fats with non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.  The study also went on to state that “a two percent increase in energy intake from trans fatty acids was associated with a 23 percent increase in the incidence of coronary heart disease….” In fact, New York City recently banned the use of trans fats in restaurants, since these oils are so dangerous and restaurant patrons aren’t usually privy to which kind of oils are used.  Starbucks has also followed suit with their line of pastries, and I suspect that we will see this as an ongoing trend with a number of other chains.

Simply put, trans fats are the worst form of unhealthy fats and every attempt should be made to avoid them.  Conservative suggestions put the total recommended amount of trans fats at around two grams per day for a 2000 calorie diet.  Many foods have more than that in just one serving. For example, one single donut is usually worth three grams, certain buttered microwave popcorns are worth five, while your average fast food order of large fries will get you between seven and eight.

So I say, if you see ANY amount of trans fats on the label of something – do your arteries a favor and run the other way!

A Big Week for the Vegan Diet

The vegan diet is alive and well on mainstream TV this week. Both Oprah and Ellen have some interesting things going on.

First, Oprah has started a 21-day cleanse (which is all vegan), based on the book Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston, who was her guest on Monday. She’s blogging about her experiences with it and, so far, so good. This is fucking huge, people…especially if she hangs in there and gets great results.

My only concern is that the stuff she’s eating seems like it might be fairly rich vegan food, given that a vegan chef is preparing much of it. I’m sure it’s delicious, though, so this is great news where her enthusiasm for the “cleanse” is concerned, and it will serve to enlighten folks as to how tasty plant-based food can be. But, in terms of her maximizing the 21-day opportunity to truly cleanse and possibly drop some of that extra weight that I know she’s always struggled with…the jury is out.

I would hate for her to say, “Yeah, this vegan food was great…but I gained 5 pounds over these past 21 days!” And this kind of thing is possible if you’re picking up a lot of extra calories because you’re eating a lot of oil and nuts.

But…let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. The bottom line is, this is great exposure for the least understood and most underrated lifestyle philosophy on the planet! Scope out her blog here:

http://www2.oprah.com/foodhome/food/cleanse/blog/blog_main.jhtml

Also, my friend Rory Freedman (author of the NY Times bestseller, Skinny Bitch) will be on Ellen this Friday, May 23rd. Again – this is big. Skinny Bitch is a very entertaining, in-your-face, unconventional “women’s diet book” that promotes a plant-based (vegan) regimen. The fact that it’s been topping sales charts around the globe for so many months now is phenomenal news! And now, it hits mainstream TV. I’ve heard that Ellen’s been following the Skinny Bitch diet since reading the book, but I don’t know that for sure. I imagine we’ll find out on Friday. So set that Tivo and have a look…

The Secret to Ageless Virility (For Men Only!)

Conventional wisdom tells us that, as a man ages, his physiological capabilities as a lover will gradually diminish on some level. Well… it’s been a while since my 18th birthday and, so far, I’ve had zero indication that this is true. I must attribute this to the Rock-Solid lifestyle and, most notably, the super-clean aspects of this diet. Men, read on…

Staying “Rock-Solid!”

Can a man’s diet actually affect his physiological prowess in the bedroom? No doubt! Let’s look at the science:

Guys, your physical “studliness” as a lover is primarily dependent upon one thing: superior circulation. You need those key veins and blood vessels to fully receive a massive amount of blood (in a very concentrated area) and retain it for an extended period of time. And while there are obviously mental and hormonal components to this equation as well, if you’re running a bunch of animal products and saturated fats through your bloodstream, two things can happen that will affect your circulatory health.

1. In the same way that you are bound to accumulate plaque in your coronary arteries, it is also bound to form in the important arteries of your nether regions, as well. So the more plaque you have caked up, the more it can impede circulation.

2. Likewise, we know that animal products are very acidic for the blood, which can cause your blood cells to clump together and create a more sludge-like atmosphere in the bloodstream.

Both of these factors equate to a diminished capacity where bloodflow is concerned. This is why some men do experience gradual, yet undeniable, decreases in overall virility. And if you think these are rare, isolated cases with limited long-term consequences, I’ll remind of you of the exploding “E.D.” market in the pharmaceutical world. Do we really want to have to take a little blue pill every time we want to get it on? Insanity, fellas!

Rest Your Way to Rock-Solid Results

One of the most unexpected trends to emerge from the world of muscle building has been the concept of training harder, but resting longer between workouts. Bodybuilding legend Mike Mentzer was a huge proponent of this, and many other top competitors have followed this philosophy, as well. Not that we all aspire to look like pro bodybuilders, but if you’re really hitting it hard, you will want to take three, four or even five days off before training a particular body part again.

This might seem like a painfully long time to wait between sessions, but your body will really make use of the extra time to rebuild. After all, it’s away from the gym that your muscles actually grow. In fact, I’ve made my most dramatic gains on a regimen that involved working each muscle group every fifth or sixth day. (Again, this is with super-intense training on a Building cycle where you’re sore for several days afterward.)

Do you need to take an extra day or two off here or there to get better results?