Carbohydrate: Glycemic Index

What Is The Glycemic Index

Glycemic Index (GI) is a numerical index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (their conversion to glucose within the human body). GI uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point and is give a GI of 100.

Some foods raise blood sugar more than other which means they have a relatively high GI compared to other food of equivalent amount. Our bodies respond to high blood sugar with a high dose of insulin (negatively feedback mechanism) - a hormone which takes sugar out of the blood stream and delivers it to the cells. High level of insulin (besides it makes you craving for more food and fucking sleepy when you want to study) can enhance the risk for a number of undesired health conditions, like Metabolic Syndrome and Type II Diabetes,

As you can see from the figure above, meals containing carbohydrates-rich foods with a high GI tend to give a more rapid and higher rise in blood glucose then meals with a low GI. Moreover, the low GI meal result in a moderate increase in blood glucose that is prolonged compared to that seen after a meal with a high GI food, thus providing a steady and continuous supply of energy for the body. 

How to lower the GI value of your meal

• Combining high GI foods with low GI foods
• High protein content
• High fiber content
• Lemon (2 tablespoon of lemon may reduce GI of a meal by 30%)
• Fat (however it isn't the best way for decreasing GI if you are looking for a low calorie solution).

We don't have to worry too much about consuming high GI food (especially you're an undergraduate who is trying to balance your university workloads, your nutrition and workout), because combining it with low GI foods levels out the overall GI value and results in an average GI value. The overall GI value of different foods in a meal is what really matters. For example, eating potato (high GI) with salad (low GI) lowers GI to an average value, so it is better to eat them together rather than eating potato in itself. Another good solution is to consume high GI carbohydrates with proteins (low GI) in order to decrease the GI of our meal.

Make sure you're clear that even though you're consuming low GI foods, it doesn't mean that you are in the correct path to weight loss provided the total calories consumed is less than the total calories used.  

Why Is Glycemic Index Important?

Your body performs best when your blood sugar is kept relatively constant. If your blood sugar drops too low, you become lethargic and experience increased hunger. If your blood glucose level goes too high, your brain signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin and it will bring your blood sugar down, by primarily converting the excess sugar to stored fat. Also, the greater the rate of increase in your blood sugar, the more chance that your body will release an excess amount of insulin, and drive your blood sugar back down too low. 

Therefore, when you eat foods that cause a large and rapid glycemic response, you may feel an initial elevation in energy and mood as your blood sugar rises, but this is followed by a cycle of increased fat storage, lethargy, and more hunger!

Although increased fat storage may sound bad enough, individuals with diabetes (diabetes mellitus, types 1 and 2) have an even worse complication. Their bodies inability to secrete or process insulin causes their blood sugar to rise too high, leading to a host of additional medical problems.

Should All High-GI Foods be Avoided?

For non-diabetics, there are times when a rapid increase in blood sugar (and the corresponding increase in insulin may be desirable. For example, after strenuous physical activity, insulin also helps move glucose into muscle cells, where it aids tissues repair. Because of this, it is recommended to consume high-GI foods immediately after exercise to speed recovery

Also, it's not Glycemic Index alone that leads to the increase in blood sugar. Equally important is the amount of the food that you consume. The concept of glycemic index combined with total intake is referred to as "Glycemic Load".

How Glycemic Load (GL) Improves the Glycemic Index (GI)

GI is calculated based on food food servings with 50g of carbohydrate and those serving sizes are nt the amount a person might normally eat, thus the concept of the glycemic load (GL) was created. 

The formula for calculating glycemic load is as shown below:

Example:

• Spaghetti (GI= 40): 1 cup contains 52 grams of carbohydrate. The glycemic load of spaghetti is :     (40 X 52)/100= 20.8
• Apple (GI=40): 1 medium size apple contains 15 grams of carbohydrate. The glycemic load of an apple is : (40 X 15)/100= 6

This shows how a high GI food can have a low GL in the amounts normally eaten. 

Low -GI foods may be a good choice before endurance sports, while high-GI foods could aid recovery after strenuous participation in any activity. 

Conclusion:

GI and GL have equally important influence on how fast the food is digested, thus affecting our blood sugar in our body. We must also be aware that there are numerous factors that comes into play when affecting the total GI of our meal, hence don't be that person who feels that it's the end of the world when he/she could only have white rice instead of their brown rice. Moderation and Improvisation is key.  

Creatine Monohydrate: 101 guide

For as long as I'm concerned, there's still confusion surrounded Creatine Monohydrate and people have linked it to getting naturally unattainable physiques with harmful side effects. So the question here: Is creatine safe and effective, or is it dangerous and over-hyped?

Crea-What?
Let's begin at the top. Creatine mono isn't some super chemical created by a bodybuilding Tony Stark. It's actually an organic acid found naturally in food, and it exists in significant quantities in poultry and fish.

Creatine is nitrogenous, which means it's nitrogen-containing and is made from a combination of 3 amino acids: Glycine, Methionine and Arginine.

In humans, approximately 95% of creatine is stored in our skeletal muscle where it exists as creatine phosphate and they are also known as a phosphate donor during certain metabolic processes. We'll discuss the importance of this in greater detail soon.

Crea-Who?
If you're wondering whether you can benefit from creatine supplementation,consider your fitness goals. Creatine will give the extra edge to people who are looking to maximize muscles, strength and performacne gains.

So, if you're trying to get bigger, stronger and maybe even lift heavier, creatine can help. If you're not trying to do any of these things, go take a nap and come back when you're ready.

Read more on How Creatine Boost Brain Power

The Energizer
Creatine support these goals because it can be used as a source for anaerobic work, which includes high-intensity weight training or any HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) like sprinting.

Supplementing with creatine has been shown to significantly increase the concentration of creatine in the muscle. Recall that, creatine is found as creatine phosphate in the muscle and can act as a phosphate donor. Our body's energy currency- a molecule called Adenosine Tri-Phosphate or commonly known as ATP- happens to use phosphate to power certain cellular processes.

During exercise, ATP is broken down to Adenosine Di-Phosphate (ADP), where it loses one of its phosphate molecules. The loss of the phosphate essentially provides the energy to power your cells during any activity.

As the training prolonged, your ATP stores become depleted, performance can suffer. Creatine Phosphate can help restore ATP by donating its phosphate to ADP to reform ATP. In this way, creatine can help improve performance and has also been shown to increase strength and power.

Size Matters
While all this performance and strength stuff sounds great, I'm sure you may be wondering what creatine will actually do to your body.

Creatine has also been shown to increase lean body mass, mostly through increasing the fluid content of muscle cells. While this may seem like an artificial increase in lean body mass, keep in mind that muscles cells that are better hydrated are also more anabolic.

Additionally, creatine has been shown to increase the activity of muscle satellite cells, which may increase the overall capacity for long-term muscle growth.

Read more here

So Many Options!
Every few years, it seems like the latest and greatest form of creatine comes out. Creatine monohydrates is the most common, and the most studied, form of creatine on the planet. It has proven its worth in research time and time again.

Fortunately for you, creatine mono is generally the least expensive form of creatine available, so it's good for the muscle and the wallet.

How Much, Man?
There are two traditional ways of taking creatine monohydrates. You can take 3-5g per day (depending on muscle mass), which will saturate your intramuscular creatine stores in a few weeks. Or, you can load creatine at 15-25g for the first 45 days, which will saturate the muscle cells more rapidly.

While the latter (loading) saturates the muscle cells at a rapid rate, the downside is that you do not assimilate the majority of that creatine, so those on a budget may consider it wasteful.

Timing is...

Numerous people consune creatine post-workout since it's been speculated that taking creatine after training will lead to better uptake of creatine into the muscle.

In all likehood, however, this is splitting hairs. Consistent supplementation of creatine at 3-5g per day has been shown to saturate the muscle cells, mostly regardless of time consumed, so you can consume your creatine whenever it's most convenient. Personally for me, I would consume around 10g pre- and 10g post-.

What To Choose
Based on current research, It appears that creatine monohydrates is the most effective creatine product available on the market today. If you are going to spring a few extra dollars for anything, then go for a micronized form of creatine monohydrate to improve mix-ability.

Other Sides To The Story
When creatine was introduced to the market as a supplement in the early 90s, many anecdotal and theoretical side effects were brought up as potential concerns- including kidney and liver problems, dehydration and cramping. Thus far, short- and long- term research studies have demonstrated no side effects of recommended creatine use on kidney, liver and/or the heart. Additionally, creatine has not been shown to increase the incidence of cramping.

There is some evidence that creatine can increase dihydrotestosterone levels. Some have theorized that this may cause an increase in acne, but his has yet to be demonstrated.

Finally, strong anecdotal evidence exists that some users may experience gastrointestinal distress when loading creatine. This is likely caused by excess creatine intake exceeding the GI tract's capability to absorb it, which could lead to gas and cramping due to the excess creatine.

If you experience GI distress during creatine loading phase, try reducing your creatine intake until you reach a comfortable level of intake.Alternatively, skip loading entirely.

Lastly, If your physician has advised you against using creatine, then you should avoid it.

Getting Certified

Sorry guys if you're following my fitness blog and hoping to read new stuff everyday. The thing is when I decided to open up this blog, I wanted to make it a regular thing to constantly post up fitness advice/tips or anything related ;), but 24 hours in a day is just not enough for me to sit down happily scratching my balls and write up a post.

Early this year, I decided to sign up for the ACE (American Council on Exercise) PT certification and I could say that it was one of the best experience in my life to be sitting in a room with people who share common lifestyle as I do.

In the first part, this course basically brief you through the code of ethics of a personal trainer in which greatly emphasize on the word "Rapport". Any personal trainer could explain the scientific theories or demonstrate a movement to their client but what separate them is the relationship formed when conducting the personal training session. Saying that, people could just search for workout routine splits online without the help of a personal trainer. So, one of the main focus of personal trainers is to form a bond with their client, motivate and guide them through their fitness journey.

I could briefly list out the Personal Trainer course outline so you guys will get a rough idea on what to expect if you decided to sign up. You will be introduce to the IFT model and various Exercise Techniques, Health Psychology, Initial Investigation and Physiological Assessment, Anatomy and Movement Fundametals, Functional Assessments, Nutrition and Weight management, Essential of Bioenergetics & Cardiorespiratory Anatomy, Cardiorespiratory training, Stability-Mobility Training, Movement Training, Load Training, Performance Training. ( purely based on my memory so I might missed out some O.o )

To be honest, if you wanna learn more about how your body move, utilize energy or respond to different forms of training, dont hesitate to visit FIT Malaysia and acquire about this course or just contact them here. The coaches and staff at FIT Malaysia just makes you feel at home and they will answer any questions or help you in any way they can.

I hesitated for over a year before taking up this course so stop giving yourself excuses in life and start stepping out of your comfort zone and explore all the possibilities.

Whey Protein: 101 guide

"Boy, you got drink the protein powder ah? How much you drink ah? "
"Yeah, depends on my food intake"
"Boy, I tell you ah, protein powder is an artificial protein and not good for your body. Next time when you're old, you will regret for not listening to me........blah...blah."

"Boy, people Chinese New Year, got new clothes but you got bigger than last year. Not bad ah, but you got take protein powder right?"
"Yes"
"That's why lah you got so big, it's because you take protein powder"

*I don't really know what's the reason, but people generally associate protein powder with anabolic steroid. They are two very different substances that have different functions in the body. People must know that protein powder will not increase lean muscle mass without training, while anabolic steroid taken on its own will increase your muscle mass even without training and it will give the best result when it is combined with resistance training.

*Protein powder can generally classified into Whey, Casein, Soy, Egg, Hemp. I will only be focusing on Whey protein in this post.

What is Whey Protein and Where does it originated from?

Whey protein make up about 20% of the protein content in animal milk, with the remaining of the content being casein fraction (~80%).

Whey protein is a complete protein source as it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids (obtained through diet).

In contrast to casein protein, whey protein remains readily soluble in liquid environment and overvarying pH ranges. This is the basis for production of every dairy products such as defatted milk,cheese, cream, etc.

For example, whey protein is the by-product of cheese production due to the precipitation of casein fractions after the treatment with acidic solutions (since casein is insoluble at low pH, acidic environment). Thus the gelatinous property of cheese is primarily due to casein coagulation.

Analogous to the production of various dairy products, digestion of milk in the human body is initiated with the separation of casein and whey protein via hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Production of Whey Protein  

Whey consists of whey protein, lactose, minerals and minute amount of fats.

The production of whey protein from whey itself can proceed via several membrane filtration methods depending on the desired protein content (process such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, etc).

After the protein is filtered, it is sprayed dried to give the desired powdered product which may then be utilized by supplement manufacturer for further modifications like flavoring/colouring, etc.

What Types of Whey Protein are There?

• Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) - produced via ultrafiltration of whey, this refers to whey protein that contains <90% protein concentration, but could be as low as 20%. The rest of the concentration is made up of lactose, minerals and fats.

• Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) - produced by a variety of membrane filtration techniques with the goal of reaching >90% protein concentration and removal of most (if not all) lactose. \

• Whey Protein Hydrolysates (WPH) - a relatively new technique in whey protein production, whey protein hydrolysates are produced via enzymatic hydrolysis of either WPCs and WPIs. This means that the protein molecule are "pre-digested" by separating the peptide bonds; hence the time for digestion and absorption of amino acids will be reduced. 

Overview of Whey Protein's Benefits:

• Is a complete protein source (all of 9 essential amino acids), with a particularly high L-leucine content for positively regulating the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway (which regulates muscle protein synthesis).

• Is rapidly absorbed/digested.

• Is easy/convenient to add to one's diet.

• Increase anabolic response to resistance training.

• Helps maintain muscle mass and prevent age-related muscular atrophy. 

• Provide anti-catabolic properties during prolonged aerobic activities.

• Boosts insulin sensitivity and may boost metabolism/ enhance fat loss.

• Enhances immune system functioning, especially in those who are physically active.  

Do Any Foods Contain Whey Protein?

• Cottage cheese

• Animal-derived milk

• Some dairy butters and creams

• Yogurt

• Baked goods such as bread, cracker and cookies,etc that use whey during preparation. 

Does Whey Protein Have any Side Effects?

Whey protein is generally well tolerated by the majority of users, but in the special circumstances there is the risk for certain side effects such as:

• Bloating/ Cramping/ Upset stomach
• Nausea
• Increased bowel movements/ Passing gas 
• Allergic reactions

These minor side effects can generally be easily alleviated by monitoring your total protein intake and making sure that you are aware of any possible food allergies that you may have. If a nominal dose of whey protein consistently causes stomach issues, consider trying a different whey protein supplement and/or adding a digestive enzyme to take along it.

How Much Whey Protein Should I Use?

There is no universal answer to this since everybody;s protein needs will vary. The first thing to do is determine your caloric and macro-nutrient allotments. A general calculator can be found here.

After you have done that, simply use your whey protein supplement accordingly to reach your intended macronutrient goals of the day. 

Choosing The Right Whey Protein Supplement for You

Pros and Cons of Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC):

WPC are generally the most economical whey protein supplements are are fairly well tolerated. Depending on the concentration of the powder, WPC can be a excellent option for individuals on a budget who don't mind a bit more fats and carbohydrates in their whey supplement. Users must be aware of any lactose intolerance beforehand as it contains a small amount of lactose in most WPC.

The other slight drawback of WPCs are they are less bioavailable than WPI. WPC also have lower protein concentration.

Pros and Cons of Whey Protein Isolate (WPI):

WPIs are great option for individuals who are lactose intolerance or looking for lactose-free way to increase their protein intake. WPIs are highly bioavailable, easy to digest, low in fat and carbohydrates and contain a high (>90%) protein concentration.

The main disadvantage of WPIs are they are slightly more expensive than pure WPCs and are sometimes a bit blander in flavour due to the lack of fat and carbohydrate content. Beware of/avoid some product line which added artificial sweetener to improve the taste

Pros and Cons of Whey Protein Blends

Blended whey protein are the most common protein supplements as they aim to create a balance between cost, flavour, and protein quality. These blends will var in cost generally based on the actual ratio of whey proteins in the supplements (more WPIs and WPHs will generally increase cost).  On the same token, you get what you pay for and more WPI/WPH content measns higher bioavalaibility, less fat/carbohydrates and often a more efficient anabolic response to resistance training.

The primary drawbacks to whey protein blends is that they can sometimes be misleading as far as the food label is concerned since they often omit the ratio of WPC:WPI:WPH.

Whey Protein- Common Questions

I am lactose intolerant, can I still use a whey protein supplement?

Yes, but it may be wiser to invest in a pure whey protein isolate supplement if you have digestive issues with lactose since whey protein concentrate supplements tend to be slightly higher in lactose content. 

I am allergic to milk, is a whey protein supplement safe for me?

You will have to consult with your physician first to make sure your allergy is not due to the whey fraction of the milk. If you're allergic to the casein fractions of milk but not the whey fractions then yes, whey protein supplements should be safe. 

Is it true that whey protein is bad for the kidneys?

No, whey protein itself is not bad for the kidneys. This myth stems from the issues of existing renal impairment in individuals who have chronically unnecessary amount of protein intake in their diet. It has nothing to do with the source of the protein once it's broken down into amino acids, whether it's from whey protein supplement or chicken. In the end, 50g of whey protein is the same as 50g of protein from solid food. 

Doesn't cooking/baking will denature the protein?

Yes, but this has little ramification in regards to how your body utilizes the protein since denatured protein is essentially "hydrolyzed" protein. You're still ingesting  

  

Does Soy Protein Consumption Reduce Testosterone Levels in Men?

Tuan Tran

Soy products have a profound impact on a vegetarian diet as it is associated with little of the saturated fat compared to meat and none of the moral indigestion that comes with meat.

 The problem arises when soy protein is correlated with reducing testosterone levels and increase in estrogen. Asian are typically in focus as - they are known to have a typically high soy intake in their diet.

 *jump into conclusion, if you're too lazy to read Soy and its relation to Testosterone part (proven studies)

Brief Introduction to Soy Protein

Soy protein is known to be one of the vegetables proteins with the best biological profile. having a significantly rich aminogram, especially in Leucine. However, soy also contains isoflavones, which are compounds that mimic some of the effects of estrogen in the body.

Isoflavones are often called phytoestrogens due to their potential in reducing the symptoms of menopause such as Osteoporosis.

Soy and its relation with Testosterone 

The main reason that makes soy protein notorious in the world of bodybuilding is the belief that soy consumption may lead to an increase in estrogen levels, while reducing testosterone levels at the same time. But what does the scientific research have to say?

• While it is true that certain studies have associated reductions in testosterone levels due to soy consumption, however it is necessary to put them in perspective. For example, one of the tested individuals in one of the studies was a vegetarian whose daily diet included large amounts of soy.

• Another study demonstrated an average reduction of 19% on testosterone levels on individuals who had a higher soy intake. Only one of the tested subjects had a significantly higher reduction. In the beginning of the this study, the individual was registered to have testosterone levels of 200% above the average among tested subjects, and 50% above the general average. With this in mind, and determining that this subject is an exception, we can establish that soy consumption did not negatively affect the testosterone levels in the blood. 

• There are other studies that point towards an inverse relation between soy consumption and testosterone levels in the blood. The studies are suggesting that a reduction in meat consumption, while simultaneously increasing soy consumption, also lowers the testosterone levels. In the study, the reduction in testosterone levels was already expected, since meat was replaced by soy. 

•  When considering the available empirical evidence, we realize that Asian- who are known to consume large amounts of soy- don;t seem to display any fertility problems, which suggest that the high soy intake does not affect sex hormones. 

• A recent research analyzed several studies in which subjects consumed products derived from soy, in a total of 51 tested groups, and found no evidence indicating that soy protein or isoflavones, reduce testosterone levels and increase estrogen in the body.

•  A more relevant research study than the ones previously mentioned - as this one considers not only sex hormones, but also the effects different types of proteins have on the body mass- showed no significant differences in terms of performance, lean mass gains, body fat percentage and levels of hormones in the blood between the subjects who consumed more soy and the ones who limited its consumption. 

Conclusion:

Soy protein has been considered a villain for a long time, However, what the studies show us is that unless we are talking about significantly large daily dosage (50 grams, at the very least), there are no reasons to believe soy protein will reduce testosterone levels and increase estrogen levels. 

Despite of the fact that soy beans and isoflavones have estrogenic activity, the amounts one usually consumes in his diet are insufficient to negatively impact testosterone.

This means soy should be considered a source of complementary protein and not be used to replace meat as a main source of protein in our daily diet.  

Weight Lifting Myths Debunked !

#Myth 1 :Weight Lifting Makes Women Bulky.

"Do you workout or go to the gym?"
"Yeah, I spend most of my time at the cardio machines"
"What about weighted- resistance training ?"
"But I don't want to look big and bulky"








Those muscular women you can find in magazines had to use steroids to get to that point and level and I mean no disrespect to them as it is the preference they made for their body.

As a woman you can build muscle, get strong and improve your physique. But you'll never build as much muscle mass as men can because you have significantly lower testosterone levels. You'll always stay feminine unless you use steroid.

Brazilian Fitness Model : Alice Motos

#Myth 2 :Weight Lifting Stunts Growth.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Shaquille O'neal, David Robinson, Karl Malone, etc. They all started lifting weights in their early teens with an average height of 1.82m tall.

"Boy, I tell you, weighting lifting like make you short."
"Why will it make me short?"
"You see those olympic weight lifters are so short."
"Urrrrmmm....ok" *walk away










The only way weight lifting can stunt your growth is if you damage your growth plate located at the end of your long bones by letting the bar fall on you. But if you use proper technique, you will be safer than with Rugby or Soccer where collisions are common.

Supervise youth lifting weights. Enforce proper technique and leave your ego behind at the entrance of the gym. Note that some believe weight lifting can actually stimulate growth because it increases bone mineralization.

And the reason why olympic weight lifters are generally (at all) short or have short limbs is due to the physics behind it. Those with shorter limbs and more muscles are better to get the bar moving through a shorter distance, thus lifting heavier weights.

Lou "The Hulk" Ferrigno- 1.96 m and 130 kg

#Myth 3 :Muscles Turns To Fat If You Stop Lifting Weights. 

"Boy, you don't workout too much now because later on when you're old, you're muscles will turn to fat."
"WHAT ?!......oh....ok. " that's my usual response when someone says that because I just couldn't comprehend what they are thinking.






On a serious note, muscles will never turns to fats and vice-versa as they're two completely different things. Muscle will, on the other hand, help you to burn fat (insignificant) due to the amount of calories muscles demanded from our body to maintain it compared to maintaining fat.

If you stop weight lifting for a period of time, you also have to eat less than before because your body do not need as much macro-nutrients as before otherwise you'll get fat. The problem is people continue with their weight lifting diet even though they have stop lifting, thus creating a surplus in calories that resulted in the conversion to fats.

Research has found that intense strength training results in more calories burned in the 16 to 24 hours after your training session ends. Some believe that if you train long enough your muscles will never come back to their pre-trained state (not proven). But this is probably linked to muscle memory as even though the you lost your muscle mass when you stop resistance training, you still maintained the muscle nuclei. These nuclei give the muscle a head start when training resumes.

Ulisses Jr. 

#Myth 4 :Weight Lifting Decreases Flexibility. 

"Boy, don't workout so much, too much muscles will make you stiff and not flexible."
"What do you mean by not flexible?"
"If you have too much muscles, you cant scratch your ass when you bathe."










One of the realizations people who initially get into weight lifting have is how inflexible they are. Years of sedentary lifestyle may have tighten your hips, preventing you to Squat correctly (full ROM).

You must strengthen your weak muscles and stretch your tight muscles before any weight lifting is done. Weight lifting will make you regain your flexibility and maintain it. Especially the Squat will give your hip muscles a full stretch. But increasing your muscle mass or strength won't reduce your flexibility at all.

#Myth 5 :Weight Lifting Makes You Slow.

"Boy, don't workout so much, too much muscles will make you slow."
"how slow is considered as slow?"
"Boy, you are slow compared to the runners"
No shit right, comparing a weight lifter and a runner is like a comparison between a monkey and fish on who could swim at a higher velocity.







Weight lifter could not be as fast as a sprinter because sprinters are specially trained to run. But it doesn't mean that weight lifters are slower because strong muscles contract faster and generate more power.

In fact, sprinters incorporate weight training into their program because it will stimulate the fast twitching Type II b muscle fibres and convert the Type II a muscle fibres to behave like the Type II b muscles. These muscles will propel the sprinter to the finish line at remarkable speed.

#Myth 6 :Weight Lifting is Bad for Your Joints. 

"Boy, how's your knee after the surgery ? "
"It's good, I have been doing some squatting now."
"Don't do any weight lifting! It will make your joints worsts. Better go jogging or run at the park."










Weight lifting is less stressful on your joints than running (high- impact activity) : weight lifting involves controlled, non-impact movements. This is true unless you are replying on momentum by swinging the weights around and locking your elbows in pressing movements, in which might take a toll on your joint.

Weight lifting- and especially strength training will increase the health of our joints by strengthening the muscles and ligaments that hold them together.

Squatters have healthier knees than non Squatters. Studies performed on top Powerlifters confirm that their knees are in better health than those of the general population.

Speaking from personal experience, I feel that my knees are in greater conditions even before I did the surgery to replace the cartilage under the patella. And the reason is I did endless heavy Squats will control movement and initiating from the hip rather than from the knee.

The Truth About Milk : Skim Milk VS Full Cream

It's a nutritional staple for many and one of the best-known source of calcium. Unfortunately, milk has been under the spotlight recently, being linked to various health complications, such as asthma, digestive issues and even cancer. On top of this, there's also confusion on which milk is best to buy. Should you go low-fat? What about almond, rice or soy milk? And what does it mean by permeate-free?

What's in full cream, regular milk?
Full cream, also known as whole milk, contains around 3.8% fat and is high in bone-building calcium. It also supply abundant amount of phosphorus, high quality protein, carbohydrates and B vitamins as well as fat-soluble vitamins A and D. What's less known is that regular cow's milk has a higher level of A1 beta-casien proteins and the milk sugar,lactose, both of which are components in milk that can cause adverse side-reactions in some people.

Should you go full cream or low-fat? 
If losing weight is not your major concern, full-fat milk is a better option over reduced-fat (1-1.5% fat) and low-fat milk (less than 1% fat). This is because vitamin A and D (fat soluble) levels in these milks are lower than full cream milk as the natural vitamins and extracted and removed when the fat is removed. If you were to opt for low-fat milk, It would be recommended that you supplement the deficiency in vitamins with a multi-vitamin.

 But if you're weight conscious, the low-fat milk are a better option just because of the fact that it's less likely to exceed your daily calories due to the low-fat content. The intake of saturated fat will also be reduced which is a slight advantage if you want to lower cholesterol and save on calories for other macro's.

But:

• Low-fat foods do not actually lower calorie consumption:

Low-fat versions are supposed to reduce the amount of calories intake of people, and in an absolute sense. they do. A cup of low-fat milk contain less calories then a cup of full-cream milk, But there isn't much evidence to support the idea that drinking lower-calories beverages in general leads to lower calories intake. Reduced-fat foods and drinks may not be as filling, so people might end up compensating for the lack in calories by eating and drinking more. So, the main point here is MODERATION.

•   Low-fat milk increases levels of triglyceride fats:

Whole milk's high saturated fat content has been linked to higher cholesterol level. But low-fat milk might lead consumers to ingest more high-glycaemic-index foods, if unused, able to increase the level of triglycerides that can tremendously amplify effect of heart-disease risk factors such as high cholesterol and hypertension.

• The rise of sugar-sweetened flavoured milk:

Usually low-fat milk are sugar-sweetened with artificial flavour. Although they may have 3g less saturated fat, they also contain about 13g more sugar than whole milk per cup to compensate for the lost of flavour. Thus, leading to the accumulation of fat at the adipose layer. 

What do food manufactures do to full fat milk to make it low-fat?

Low-fat milk simply has the fat separated during the processing. Due to the fact that fat is less dense than water, the cream (or fat) rises to the top and is skimmed off. While nothing else may not be added to compensate for the removed fat, some can have added milk solids to make it taste better as well as being fortified to make up for the low nutrition levels (due to extraction and removal of fat)

Is it true that low-fat milk has higher sugar levels than full fat milk to make it taste better?

Not really. Because by removing most of the fat, the milk becomes more 'concentrated' with the two remaining macro-nutrients being protein and carbohydrates (milk is high in the natural sugar,lactose). So we can see a slight increase in the content of sugars say from 4.6 to 4.8 % but this is not significant in the whole food intake. The real complication starts when consumers opt for the flavoured low-fat milk and definitely there is nothing healthy about flavoured milk. A 1 litre Dutch Lady flavoured milk (Strawberry or Chocolate)

contains approximately 7 teaspoons of simple sugar. A simple healthy alternative is to make a banana, strawberry or raw cacao milkshake at home from natural ingredients. 

Aren't low-fat, reduced fat and skim milk all the same?

Reduced-fat contains between 1-1.5% fat, low-fat milk has less than 1 percent fat and skim milkor no-fat milk has no more than 0.15% fat. These milks can have extra protein or calcium added. 

Is it true milk is linked to cancer , asthma and other serious health conditions?

 Based on the evidence statement in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, consumption of milk/dairy foods is linked to reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer.

On the other hand, according to the Cancer Research UK, some research stated that there could be a link between dairy intake and the risk of prostate and ovarian cancers. A linkage between breast cancer and dairy product has been suggested, possibly because of the type of fats they contain, or contaminants that could be present in the milk. 

What is the difference between homogenised, pasteurised or unpasteurised milk?

They are simply terms to classify the different processes milk goes through before the finished product is made. Homogenised milk refers to when milk has been treated to disperse the cream layer containing the milk fat throughout the milk. Pasteurised milk is when the milk is heated to exterminate the bacterial that would cause milk spoilage. And unpasteurised is when milk does not go through the pasteurisation process and is therefore called raw milk. 

What about almond, oat or soy milk? What dairy free options are there?

• Almond Milk

This is perfect for those who are intolerant or allergic to cows and soy milk. It has a slightly nutty taste and contains little to no saturated fat and no cholesterol. 

• Soy Milk

Soy milk is derived from unfermented soybeans, water and rice syrup. Soy contains compounds called isoflavones which negatively impact the thyroid gland so it is not recommended for those with a thyroid history or for those people trying to lose weight. (Thyroid hormones control metabolism)

• Oat Milk

Oat milk is lactose free and low in fat, Oat milk is made from water, oats, sunflower oil and sea salt. It is free of lactose, high in beta glucans which are a soluble fibre that help to lower cholesterol.

• Rice Milk

Made from filtered water, brown rice syrup and brown rice starch, with the addition of thickening agents such as sunflower or canola oil, this milk alternative is high in GI and is not suitable for people trying to lose weight or with insulin resistance or diabetes. Rice milk is an alternative to people who are soy and cow's milk intolerant as well as vegans.

• Goat's Milk

It's similar to cow's milk in terms of nutritional value with a slightly higher fat content. If you're generally allergic to cow's milk, you will most likely to react just as badly to goat's milk. 

What does permeate-free mean?

Permeate is naturally found in the milk. It is simply the collective term for the natural lactose, vitamin and mineral components which are taken out of the milk, through a filtration process, then put back in to control the taste, protein and fat content. "Permeate-free" simply means the milk has not undergone this filtration step so the nutrients in the final product may vary slightly every time due to difference in cow's feeds and the weather condition.