Tag: energy

A bit about Triglycerides

Today’s post is about triglycerides.

The last post was about Cholesterol and the associated blood test.

As mentioned in that post, the measured total cholesterol level is made up of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and 20% of triglycerides.

So today I thought that in this post I would explore that 20%, the triglycerides.

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat that circulates in the blood and are a critical source of energy. The body gets triglycerides or makes them from the foods we eat. The body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use right away into triglycerides. As a normal component of the vascular system, triglycerides are continuously being circulated just in case they need to be converted to energy.

When there is an excess of triglycerides in the body, they can be stored in the liver or in fat cells to supply the body with energy when it is required. This is a natural process that provides a sustained source of energy for the body, particularly between meals, as triglycerides are a stored energy source.

When more calories are consumed than burned, particularly from high-carbohydrate foods, this can cause high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).

If the level of triglycerides is high and this is combined with a high LDL level or a low HDL level, there is a higher risk of fat building up and blocking blood vessels. This increases the risk of heart attack or a stroke.

What is normal?

A doctor or health professional will usually check for high triglycerides as part of a cholesterol test, which is sometimes called a lipid panel or lipid profile. Fasting is required before any blood can be drawn for an accurate measurement.

Normal fasting blood triglyceride levels are:

*Lower than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for adults

*Lower than 90 mg/dL for children ages 10 to 19

The doctor may diagnose high blood triglycerides if the fasting blood triglyceride levels are consistently 150 mg/dL or higher.

*Borderline high — 150 to 199 mg/dL

*High — 200 to 499 mg/dL

*Very high — 500 mg/dL or above

A high triglyceride level is one of the signs of metabolic syndrome. This is a collection of health conditions that increase risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

An extremely high triglyceride level can cause inflammation of the pancreas, the organ in the abdomen that produces insulin.

Accordingly, people who have high levels of triglycerides should be advised to reconsider their diet and any habits of overeating in order to lower their triglyceride levels and reduce their risk of these conditions.

Some individuals may also have high triglyceride levels due to other circumstances. These could be excessive alcohol consumption, uncontrolled diabetes, hormonal abnormalities, kidney or liver disease, as a result of a genetic disorder or the use of certain medications. If this is the case, the primary cause should be managed appropriately in order to manage the triglyceride levels.

How can we lower our levels?

As with most health issues, small changes including diet can reduce triglyceride levels.

These can be simple changes such as;

*Eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole-grains and healthy proteins (especially fish) will help to lower levels.

*Including healthy fats in the diet and reducing the unhealthy fats.

*Cut back on drinks and foods made from sugar and white flour.

*Cut back on alcohol.

* Exercise regularly.

* And lose weight, if overweight.

If you have diabetes, make sure your blood sugar level is well controlled.

 

As always, seek help from your chosen health professional if you are concerned about your triglyceride or cholesterol levels.

We hope you have found this information interesting,

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Sources – National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute – Mayo Clinic – Health Direct

Muscle Soreness & Lactic Acid

Todays post is about muscle soreness and lactic acid.

As the year begins many people start a new exercise or fitness routine. Now for most, including myself, that means some sore muscles. The common belief is that a build-up of lactic acid creates this soreness. However, after conducting some research, I have found that this is not correct.

This is what I have learned.

First, what is lactic Acid?

Lactic acid, or lactate, is actually an organic acid produced by the body. It is formed and accumulated in the muscle under conditions of high-energy demand. This happens when glucose (sugar) is broken down to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy in the absence of oxygen.

More about energy and the muscles

When we exercise, our muscles need energy to work and enable our movement. As our bodies work harder to perform strenuous exercise, we begin to breathe faster as we attempt to move more oxygen to our working muscles.
Sometimes, when exercising at a high intensity, our muscles require energy production faster than our bodies can adequately deliver oxygen.
In those cases, the fast-twitch muscle fibres will kick in and start producing energy anaerobically (without oxygen.) This energy comes from glucose through a process called glycolysis. During this process, the glucose is broken down into a substance called pyruvate through a series of steps.

When the body has plenty of oxygen, pyruvate is further broken down for more energy. But when oxygen is limited, the body temporarily converts pyruvate into a substance called lactate, or lactic acid, which allows energy production to continue.
The working muscle cells can continue this type of energy production at high rates for one to three minutes. During this time lactate can accumulate to high levels.
Although blood lactate concentration does increase during intense exercise, it breaks down and is recycled to create more ATP.

Our body naturally metabolises the lactic acid, clearing it out. This conversion also reduces the acidity in the blood, therefore removing some of the burning sensation.
It’s also important to remember that the lactate, or lactic acid itself isn’t ‘bad’. In fact, research suggests that lactate is beneficial to the body during and after exercise in numerous ways.

For example, lactate can be used directly by the brain and heart for energy or converted into glucose in the liver or kidneys. Then it can then be used by nearly any cell in the body for energy.
This is a natural process that occurs in the body. Things such as stretching, rolling, or walking will have little to no impact.

What about the sore muscles?

Studies have found that lactic acid build-up is not responsible for the muscle soreness felt in the days following strenuous exercise. The burning sensation you feel in your legs probably isn’t caused by lactic acid, but instead by tissue damage and inflammation.

Researchers who have examined lactate levels right after exercise found little correlation with the level of muscle soreness felt a few days later. This delayed-onset muscle soreness, (DOMS) as well as loss of strength and range of motion, can sometimes continue up to 72 hours after an extreme exercise event.

Unfortunately, nobody really knows what causes DOMS, despite the fact that there are several scientific theories. The most common theory is that during the exercise the muscle structure and the surrounding connective tissue is damaged. This causes an imbalance of calcium, which leads to further damage.
After this, some inflammation kicks in. This stimulates pain nerves within the space of 48 hours and is accompanied by swelling, which makes the pain worse.

What can we do about it?

Try a massage, which might alleviate your pain, especially when applied 48 hours post-workout. Studies suggest that foam-roller massages can effectively reduce the pain.

A couple of smaller studies conducted recently, suggest wearing pressure garments after your workout and consuming milk protein can also speed up your recovery.

The good news is that DOMS will clear up on its own if you give your body enough rest between workouts.

However you choose to get through the soreness, keep up the exercise, as it is vital for good mental health.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.

Sources – Scientific America – Live Science – Medical News Today –

Maca Root Powder, is it a super food?

Todays post is about a powder made from Maca root. This powder is something that we use quite regularly in our smoothies. I thought I would share a bit of information about it.

What is Maca Root?

Maca, known scientifically as Lepidium meyenii, has many names including Peruvian ginseng and maca-maca.

An edible herbaceous biennial plant that is native to South America in the high Andes Mountains of Peru. It is grown for its fleshy, bulbous root.

Related to radishes and turnips, its growth habit, size, and proportions are roughly similar. However it most closely resembles a parsnip. And it has a nutty, earthy slightly butterscotch-y taste.

The root is typically dried. Once dried, it may be further processed and is commonly available in powder form or as a supplement.

What makes it ‘super’?

In Peru, maca has been used for centuries as a food supplement to improve health and for its medicinal properties to enhance energy and fertility. In fact, the indigenous people of Peru have traditionally used it to improve children’s performance in school.

The root is an excellent source of essential amino acids, and calcium.  It has very high levels of vitamin K, which helps the blood form clots.

As well as high levels of iron and iodine, which promote healthy cells, and to help keep the metabolism on track. Its big doses of potassium help digestion and make muscles happy.

Lepidium meyenii also contains various unique plant compounds called macaridine, macaenes, macamides and maca alkaloids. These qualities contribute to it being known as an adaptogenic plant. This means it gives the body the ability to adapt to or resist what’s going on in and around it.

What are the health benefits?

Some studies of menopausal women found that maca, in conjunction with other supplements, helped alleviate menopausal symptoms. It does this by stimulating the endocrine system helping to maintain hormonal balance.

The body uses the plant compounds to improve adrenal function, ovarian and testicular function as well as the functioning of the thyroid, the pancreas and the pineal glands.

Additional studies suggest that it can enhance mood and also help protect bone health. Women have a higher risk of osteoporosis after menopause.

With so many benefits, no wonder it is sometimes called a ‘superfood’.

How to take it –

Easy to incorporate into the diet, Maca can be taken as a tablet supplement or the powder can be added to smoothies, oatmeal and many other recipes.

The optimal dose for medicinal use has not been established. However, the dosage of powder used in studies generally ranges from 1.5–5 grams per day.

It is generally considered safe as a food or as a supplement if you don’t take more than 3 grams (less than a teaspoon) a day for a period of up to 4 months.

However, if you’re on blood thinners, maca may not be right for you, as it may counteract your medication. The same goes for men with elevated blood PSA (prostate specific antigens). The plant’s extracts act like oestrogen for many people, so those who have hormone-sensitive conditions like breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers or endometriosis should avoid it.

We hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

(Sources – National Library of Medicine, National Centre for Biotechnology Information – WebMD – Medical News Today – Healthline )