Grocery shopping isn’t always easy. It is common to get lost amongst the fancy processed foods, refined sugars and tempting baked goods. To learn how to grocery shop for your health it takes practice. Just like learning to ride a bike takes time so does healthy grocery shopping. You need to choose items you like to eat and not force yourself to buy things that will just end up rotting in your fridge. Also choosing a variety of foods from all four food groups can help you achieve a balanced, healthy eating plan. Here are some healthy grocery shopping tips to help you keep it healthy at the grocery store and choose foods that are good for you.
Make a plan
When you go to the store arrive with a list of what you want to buy that way you are less likely to act on impulse. If you plan the night before what you want to cook for the next few days you can prepare a list of all the food and ingredients that you need to pick up. If you fail to plan you plan to fail. And don’t add on any new items that you haven’t planned for. Stay on track and don't get distracted by fancy displays or temptations.
Shop on the outside Aisles
Stay on the outside of the aisles. Most processed food is on the shelves in the middle and the fresh and healthy ingredients are on the perimeters. Try to buy a variety of greens and fruits. The brighter the colours in the produce the more packed full of nutrients that there are. If you can stay free of processed foods the more healthy you will be.
Always read the label
Be Smart and If you do venture into the aisle try to avoid foods that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce. According to Eat Right Ontario “Use the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to choose nutritious products with less fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium. The % Daily Value tells you if the food has a little or a lot of a particular nutrient. 5% DV means a food has a little of a nutrient. 15% DV means a food has a lot of a nutrient. Remember that the calorie and nutrient content that is listed is based on the amount of food specified at the top of the table.” Also remember to try buy food that is low in sodium, artificial flavours and preservatives.
Be careful with dairy
Dairy can be good but in moderation. A good way to stay healthy with cheese or dairy products is to choose lower fat milk and alternatives. Buy skim, 1% or 2% milk or a milk alternative such as almond, rice or coconut. You can always take your time to compare the Nutrition Facts table on packaged foods to help you select lower fat milk alternatives like low fat yogurt and cheeses.
Shop with your children
Bring your kids with you to help teach them the importance of healthy eating. Children may forget what you say but they will always remember what you did. If you have older kids you can give them each part of the list and create a scavenger hunt. This make shopping fun for the whole family.
Say no to commercial marketing
By commercial marketing we mean cartoons and characters that are targeting your children. If you don't want you or your kids eating junk food, definitely don't have them in the house. These include cereals, bars and bags that have cute writing, sponsored marketing or have an animal that is depicted by a cartoon. Most of the time this food is packed with additives, preservatives, excess sodium and processed sugars.
Use Coupons
Don’t be afraid to cut up some coupons to save money. Yes sometimes eating healthy and/or organic can be a bit expensive, but if you look for deals and use coupons it doesn't have to be. You can find lots of great deals online or in your local flyers. This will help cut the costs and help you organize your shopping trip before you even leave your house.
Shop local
Healthy food that is grown locally can often times be much more affordable from farms and markets than your giant chain supermarket. Google a list of local markets and farms and don’t be afraid to try and make a deal if you plan on using them a lot. And nothing is better than supporting local businesses.
If you're on a budget
If you are on a budget or cant get to a local market or farm and have to go to the big chain grocery and the money in your pocket doesn’t agree with the cost of fresh food and produce it is ok to choose frozen or canned vegetables and fruits in water. Just make sure that there are no added sugars, saturated and trans fat, or salt.
Use your own self motivation
Go shopping after workout but only if you have had a post workout shake or meal. After a good sweat and have training on your mind, you're less likely to buy junk that will reject everything you just did. Plus you don’t want all that hard work in the gym to just be reversed by making a bad impulsive choice.
You can learn how to make healthy grocery shopping a habit and you can even involve your children. Plan ahead thinking about all of the food groups, try to stick to foods that you and your family enjoy, and don’t be scared to ask questions when you go to the grocery store, farm or market and remember if it's not fresh always check the label and the ingredients that go into the food that you are consuming. Happy healthy grocery shopping!
'Carnivore-approved' recipe book The Edgy Veg
turns traditional vegan cuisine upside down withdelicious twists on classic comfort foods & fast food favs
TORONTO, ON – Host of YouTube sensation The Edgy Veg, Candice Hutchings takes readers on a fun, quirky, flavour-packed, culinary adventure with the launch of her book,The Edgy Veg: 138 Carnivore-Approved Vegan Recipes.
Moving away from the ubiquitous spiralized zucchini noodles of Instagram and away fromboring salads and smoothies, The Edgy Veg features 138 recipes that satisfy the need for comfort food, fast food favourites, food-nerd obsessions and insatiable childhood and adult cravings.
Every recipe will be enjoyed by vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike — and they are all approved by Candice’s husband James, former meat and cheese‑loving guy. The Edgy Veg is a fabulously fun food movement seeking to revolutionize and redefine vegan food as we know it.
“This is the book that every vegan, non-vegan, wannabe vegan, thinking-about-going-vegan and carnivore-that-loves-animals needs in their life. The main goal writing this book,was to tackle drool-worthy dishes that the world can't believe are meat and dairy-free. I cannot wait for our Veg Squad to fool their friends and families with recipes like mac and cheese, burgers, salads-that-don't-suck, and ice cream,” says Hutchings. “I am so excited to be part of the landscape that brings plant-based cooking to the mainstream and proves that a vegan diet can include the comfort foods we all grew up eating.”
The book features all new recipes (not seen on the blog or on their YouTube channel) along with a selection of hand-picked fan favourites. Included are brunch staples such as the incredibly indulgent Veggs Benedict, cocktails including Ginger Kombucha Mimosa, sweet treats like Candice’s Thank You Very Matcha Ice Cream, and more mains than you can count.
Breaking down the essentials on how to make meat and dairy replacements, The Edgy Veg also offers extensive advice on how to stock a vegan kitchen and pantry, which both experienced chefs and first-time vegan cooks will love.
It’s time to take vegan cooking to the next level. It’s time for more dad jokes than you can count. It’s time for The Edgy Veg.
The Edgy Veg will be available online and in-storeonOctober 16, 2017for $32.95.
About Candice Hutchings
Co-Founder, Creator, Chef and Resident Mad Food Scientist, Candice Hutchings is the brains and creativity behind The Edgy Veg. Candice develops all food creations and is the on-screen talent bringing delicious vegan recipes to the world. Soon after starting The Edgy Veg blog, Candice was eager to further her food education and spent many years deeply involved in the health, raw food and vegan space in Toronto, including managing a raw food restaurant and juice cleansing company.
Candice and husband James Aita currently reside in Toronto and can be found creating new vegan recipes and cracking bad dad jokes on their Youtube channel, The Edgy Veg, which has over 240,000+ subscribers and 630,000+ monthly views
Sick Cows/Sick People – The Grass-fed Antidote
https://www.cornucopia.org/2017/08/sick-cowssick-people-grass-fed-antidote/ Cornucopia, WI — Almost all of the beef available in supermarkets across the country comes from sick cows that pose a significant risk to human health. The Cornucopia Institute, a national food and farm policy research group, has just released a video educating consumers on where their burger meat comes from. The informative, short video, Sick Cows/Sick People-The Grassfed Antidote, shows just how unhealthy typical beef production is and what consumers can do to find excellent meat for their Labor Day barbeques.
Sick Cows
The Grass-fed Antidote
“Most beef cattle in the U.S. are morbidly obese and likely suffer from diabetes and fatty livers,” said Mark A. Kastel, Cornucopia’s senior farm policy analyst. “Very few would survive to old age if not sent to slaughter.”
Like people, a cow’s diet and environment strongly influences its health. The conventional U.S. beef production system depends on a network of farmers and ranchers who raise cattle on grain, with access to pasture, for the initial portion of their lives. But the final “finishing” months of a beef animal’s life is invariably spent wading through manure and mud on massive, crowded, grass-free feedlots, where thousands of other animals are fattened on GMO corn-based feed.
“These animals have evolved to eat grass and other fresh plants. High production grain-based rations, along with routinely administered drugs to promote growth and stave off the inevitable illness from their unnatural diet and living conditions, makes factory-produced animals sick,” added Cornucopia’s Kastel, who narrates the video. “Sadly, this conventional beef is what many will be grilling up on Labor Day weekend.”
But Americans don’t have to eat meat from sick animals. There is a more humane, healthy alternative: 100% grass-fed organic beef, available at your local co-op, specialty retailer, or farmers market.
While both USDA certified organic and grass-fed beef offer significant benefits compared to products produced by cows confined to a feedlot, these two labels are different. USDA certified organic cattle must be fed entirely certified organic feed, which means the pastures must be certified along with any grain and hay the cattle are fed. None of the feed, including the pastures on which the cattle graze, can be sprayed with dangerous pesticides or herbicides. In addition, organic beef cattle cannot receive antibiotics, growth-promoting hormones, or other drugs banned in organic farming.
Also, unlike conventional ruminants, organic cattle must comply with certain minimum grazing requirements. If beef carries a “100% grass-fed” label, it usually means that the cattle were fed exclusively grass, hay, and other forage. However, beef that carries a grass-fed label, but not the USDA organic seal, may receive antibiotics and hormones, and could be fed grass and forage that was sprayed with synthetic pesticides.
Consumers seek out both organic and grass-fed products because of their benefits to human health, animal welfare, and the environment. A high percentage of green forage in a beef animal’s diet imparts much higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the meat, and animals grazed on fresh green forage produce beef with more conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) as compared to grain-fed cows. These fatty acids have proven human health benefits. Eating grass-fed meat and dairy is among the most effective ways for humans to increase the amount of these beneficial fatty acids in their diets.
As ruminants, cattle evolved to eat mainly grass and other fresh vegetation. The microbiome in the rumen, a part of their digestive systems, excels at breaking down fiber to provide the animal with easily absorbed nutrients. Despite this, for economic reasons, most beef produced in the U.S. is grain-fed. Eating grain disrupts the normal digestive process, changing the pH in the rumen, resulting in physiological stress. This “acidosis” from grain-based diets facilitates the growth of harmful microorganisms, including dangerous strains of E. coli, and metabolic disease in animals. Feeding cattle a diet composed primarily of grass not only prevents acidosis and its associated health problems, but grazing promotes cattle’s overall physical and mental health and creates safer meat.
But consumers should be aware, greenwashing tactics are common with grass-fed labeling. A simple “grass-fed” label without any other qualifiers can just mean that the product was derived from livestock that received some portion of its diet from grass. That animal could have still received some grain, and may have been completely “finished” on grain, which negates many of the health benefits associated with prior grass feeding. However, a label with “100% grass-fed” language should close this loophole, due to basic laws regarding truthfulness in food labeling.
“One of the reasons we recommend organic certification for meat and dairy labeled ‘100% grass-fed’ is the benefit of independent, third-party oversight and federal law assuring the accuracy of the claims,” Kastel said.
“Looking for the organic seal also ensures that you know what you are getting. There is a high percentage of grass-fed meat being imported from countries that might not uphold the same high standards as the U.S. ‘100% grass-fed,’ certified organic, and locally produced is the gold standard when shopping,” Kastel added.
Consumers interested in the threefold benefits to human, environmental, and animal health and welfare, should look for beef that carries both the USDA organic seal and a 100% grass-fed label. 100% grass-fed organic beef from local farmers ensures the greatest nutrition and minimizes exposure to agrichemicals, antibiotics, and growth hormones. A cooking tip for Labor Day barbeques: 100% grass-fed beef naturally has less fat, so don't overcook on the grill to enjoy that perfect, juicy, beefy burger taste.
Protein – Brownies? That Are Delicious!
Guest Post: Sloane Davis
My approach to weight loss is based upon flexible dieting. My clients are given macros, which are proteins, fats and carbs, which comprises total calories. They then eat within the budget that is prescribed for their specific body. What makes this plan so effective is that there are no foods that one has to eat and no foods that are off limits. This makes for very sustainable, long term, successful weight loss.
While I can have a brownie, ice cream or cookies, I have learned that those types of calorie dense foods add up very fast. And because I like to eat in volume, I have created many healthy, low calories, low fat versions of these desserts so that I can have the entire tray if I’d like for less calories rather than just one.
One of my favorite recipes is my Protein Brownie. You can add a peanut butter swirl to it, a cream cheese filling, chocolate chips or simply plain as is. Not only do they hit the spot and cure my cravings for sweets, but keep my waistline in check too.
Here is the recipe that has never been shared before, as it’s a new edition to my recipe ebook due out in a few weeks
These are a total crowd pleaser to bring to your next barbecue. Also, try these out on children a great way to serve a snack with a healthy punch!
Sloane Davis is a Certified Nutritionist and Personal Trainer who has helped thousands of people, both men and women, around the world get in to top shape both mentally and physically. Sloane has her undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Arts from Syracuse University and became accredited through ISSA with her degree in Sports Nutrition and Personal Training. She works personally and online with thousands of clients around the US and globally.
She has been featured in People, Fitness Magazine, New Beauty Magazine, Apple News, The Daily Mail, Yahoo News, FOX Good Day New York, FOX Good Day DC, NY1, Bay Area Focus, Women’s Fitness, Womanista, Livestrong, Mind Body Green and Westchester Magazine
Ener-C Announces NSF Non-GMO True North Certification
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pauling Labs, the maker of Ener-C multivitamin drink mix, is extremely proud to announce that Ener-C has achieved NSF Non-GMO True North certification of all ingredients.
Since the birth of the brand in 2013, their goal has always been to attain third party certification of Ener-C's non-GMO status. Although Ener-C has always been non-GMO, they hold a firm belief that if you claim it you need to verify it by a respected third party. Pauling Labs chose to work with NSF True North because they are an internationally recognized verification and testing organization.
Ener-C Power Up The TasteNSF Certified Products all carry this logo
Since 1955, NSF has been committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. Athletes who wish to compete in the Olympics and world sporting events can only take NSF certified supplements. "NSF is the gold standard for all supplement testing worldwide, which is why we decided to go with NSF's True North Non-GMO testing regime for Ener-C," said Richard Pollock, President, Pauling Labs.
Pollock and his team believe that consumers have the right to know what's in their products and have the right to make the healthiest decisions when purchasing those products. Although there continues to be a debate over the health effects of GMO ingredients, Pollock believes there should be no question as to who owns the seeds and plants: Mother Earth, not corporations. "Pauling Labs and Ener-C are committed to continually doing better and improving the lives of our consumers, our employees, and our communities," said Pollock.
About Ener-C and Pauling Labs:
Ener-C is a multivitamin drink mix made with real fruit powders that was created to address two important basic human truths. The first truth is that we are all, by nature, thirsty creatures. The second is that we all could do with more energy.
There were very few choices out there when it came to finding a product that was healthy, natural, non-GMO, caffeine and stimulant free, low in sugar, and made by companies consumers could trust and respect. Pauling Labs saw this as an opportunity to create a product people could enjoy taking and feel good about. Pollock stated, "Everything we do at Pauling Labs is based around the belief that we can all be better, do better, and feel better."
It's so sad, but many today are suffering with IBS and other similar problems. One of the best and most natural ways to alleviate pain and complications that come with IBS is with your diet. This is why I was thrilled to be introduced to Cinzia Cuneo's new book, "The Low-FODMAP Solution: Put an End to IBS Symptoms and Abdominal Pain".
This is what Cinzia Cuneo says about her book:
Cinzia's objective is to provide you with a tool that will help you attain intestinal wellbeing via a diet that's low in FODMAPs. The first part of her book presents the theory and provides the understanding of why the diet works as well as how you adopt the lifestyle. This includes everything from recommendations for vegetarians to an easy to follow chart which lists all the foods and ingredients that need to be avoided on the diet. She also offers sound advice on reading labels and adapting your favorite recipes.
In the second section of the book, there are 125 recipes and 4 weeks of meal plans that will help you ease into the diet with support and understanding. And the recipes are delicious -- just because you're managing IBS doesn't mean you and your family can't eat flavorful and enticing meals.
The 125 recipes are for breakfasts, starters and salads, soups, entrees, sandwiches, sides, snacks and desserts. A typical lunch is Rice and Lentil Salad with Herbs and Tomato, or Pork Fillet and Prosciutto with Spinach, Raisins and Steamed Brown Rice. And dinner is something as easy to prepare as Chicken Fajitas with Tomato and Cucumber Salsa or if you're entertaining, Filet Mignon with a Creamy Paprika Sauce with Greek-Style Roasted Vegetables.
While prepping, it's nearly impossible to try anything that's not on my meal plan, but I was able to share some of the recipes with one of my clients suffering from IBS and she had nothing but great things to say. She said that the meals were not only tasty but helped her feel much better. With IBS she really has to watch it and stay away from trigger foods and she said that the recipes she tried from this book caused no triggers.
I think this is a great book for IBS sufferers to have just from the information and knowledge shared in the first part of the book alone!
If you're familiar with Japanese culture or have visited Japan, you will quickly find how important tea is and how vastly it is used within the culture. I recently participated in the #7daydrinkgreen challenge and the results were pretty eyeopening. When asked, how can I lose more weight without doing anything or what can I do to fight sugar cravings, I always suggest tea. That's why I was so happy to have the chance to try out a Nanami Power Set.
I absolutely LOVE green tea! The health benefits of green tea are endless! It's great for your skin, your energy, your waistline and more! What's so amazing about Nanami Tea is that they offer authentic green tea (no garbage or fillers or blends). Their tea is is carefully picked and crafted from their tea farm in Uji Kyoto, Japan. This company is one of very few that offer green tea at a farm-to-cup experience.
I had the opportunity to try the Nanami Power Set, in the power set I recieved Matcha (my favorite), Sencha, Hojicha and Genmaicha.
So check out my 7 day review below:
So if I could, I would drink Matcha tea, all day every day. Matcha by far is my favorite kind of tea and was my fav from the Nanami Power Set.
Day 1 - Each one of the teas is numbered and has a different purpose but I wanted to try things a little out of order and drink tea based upon what I felt like drinking for the day. Today I tried the Matcha Tea and all I can say is AMAZING! I've tried many different Matcha teas from ordering at my local tea shop to Starbucks to ordering Matcha off of amazon and this by far is the most cleanest, purest Matcha tea yet! My energy levels were high and I felt amazing.
Day 2 - Once again, I decided to go with some Matcha tea in the morning, but I also decided to mix the Matcha inside of my smoothie that I had for a snack. The taste was very green and exactly what I wanted and was looking for. I really feel like this is going to go into my daily rotation or be used whenever I have a craving for something super green and super clean.
Day 3 - I drink a lot of water every day to ensure I meet my fitness and health goals, but what I love about this challenge is how I'm really focusing on my water intake. Drinking the tea is like a treat! I've also been drinking this tea without any sweeteners. Drinking this way ensures I get a pure taste and get the maximum benefits of the tea which I can really feel.
Day 4 - I decided to try one of the other teas out of the set. Today, I went with Hojicha. This tea is unique because it is roasted. The directions for this tea suggest drinking it before bed and I see why. This tea was very calming and I could tell that it didn't have as much caffeine in it as the matcha because I didn't get an increase in energy. This tea is great for relaxing. The flavor is incredible and one that I never could imagine you could get from a green tea. The flavor was more nutty with a hint of caramel and very soothing! It was a great treat after drinking only water all day.
Day 5 - Things have been so busy for me these last few days and I felt like I needed a boost, so I decided to try the Sencha tea today. This was a great choice! This tea gave me the pick me up I needed to tackle the rest of my day. I had a cup of this tea after I finished my fasted cardio, and it gave me a boost of energy that I needed. It was like a pick-me up. I also noticed that I wasn't as tired as I normally would have been. This was probably attributed to the the high amount of caffeine. This is also a great tasting tea!
Day 6 - I'm almost at the end of the challenge and I don't think I want to stop! Drinking all of this water and green tea has definitely helped me feel MUCH better! Not only do I feel healthier but I feel more alert and positive. The effects of green tea!! I absolutely loved how the Sencha made me feel so I decided to start with a cup this morning and also during mid-day! So refreshing! I ended he day with Hojicha and once again, it was an amazing treat! The smell of the Hojicha is so comforting and warm! It's a must for a relaxing evening before bed.
Day 7 - Drinking water all day has many health benefits and I've really grown to appreciate them over the past few days! Drinking only water and green tea as a treat periodically throughout the day has been a treat! I would suggest this challenge to anyone that is trying to reset their system or just get a bit healthier. It's so important to limit the amount of soda and sugary drinks you intake (juices filled with high fructose syrup, hot chocolates and fraps). I started the day with my ultimate fav... MATCHA!! And ended the day with my new evening fav Hojicha.
My overall review:
These teas are amazing and I suggest every tea connoisseur try them!
New Documentary ‘What the Health,’ the health film that health organizations don’t want you to see, hits top spot on Vimeo
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., – “What the Health,” a new feature-length documentary, captured Vimeo On Demand’s number one trending spot, and racked up more than 6.5 million social media shares, following its release Thursday. “What the Health” exposes the collusion and corruption in government, big business, and the nation’s leading health organizations. With heart disease and cancer the leading causes of death in America, diabetes at an all-time high, costs and healthcare costs in the trillions, “What the Health” reveals possibly the largest health cover-up of our time.
Proceeds from online views raised more than $45,000 for hunger relief organization Food Not Bombs.
Intrepid filmmaker Kip Andersen tracks down the leading and most trusted American health nonprofits to find out why these groups are staying silent, despite a growing body of evidence. Audiences will be shocked to learn the insidious roles played by pharmaceutical companies, agribusiness, and processed animal food companies in the nation’s health, especially in the most vulnerable communities, and will cheer at the transformation and recovery of those who took their lives into their own hands.
“Like a lot of Americans, I have a family history of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, so it was important to me to learn more,” said Andersen, who co-directed the film with Keegan Kuhn. “We are astonished by the support for ‘What the Health’ and hope it contributes to the national conversation about our health, and how big business influences it.”
Surprising, and at times hilarious, the documentary features the insights of urgent care physician Dr. Milton Mills; bariatric medicine specialist Dr. Garth Davis (“Big Medicine”); Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; physician and bestselling author Dr. Michael Greger (“How Not to Die”); NYU School of Medicine professor Dr. Michelle McMacken; public health attorney Michele Simon (“Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back”), and many more.
“We're so grateful to Kip and Keegan for making us part of this incredible film and for their generosity in supporting our efforts to share healthy vegan food with the public, many who are hungry and homeless, struggling to find nourishment in communities across North America and the globe,” said Keith McHenry, co-founder of Food Not Bombs.
AUM Films and Media is a 501c3 non-profit focused on creating films and media that promote thrivability, compassion, and harmony for all life. “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret,” its first production, premiered in late 2014. This documentary uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world's leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. For more information visit http://aumfilms.org.
Train Hungry. I’ve always preferred to train weights about 2-3 hours after a meal and there are few good physiological reasons for this.
1) With no food in your stomach you have more readily available blood to flood your muscles with for the pump, because less blood is being used for digestive-related distribution. The pump can be one key driver of muscle hypertrophy when applied correctly.
2) Your pre-workout supplements will tend hit you harder when they’re not being mixed in with food that’s already in your stomach. You’ll get more of a concentrated, high potency effect – the intended effect actually.
3) I’m a big proponent of intra-workout supplementation and going into a workout on a relatively empty stomach can boost insulin sensitivity – making your intra-workout anabolic cocktail (carbs, bcaas, insulin sensitizers/mimickers) even more effective from a nutrient uptake perspective.
4) Your weight training session isn’t really fueled by what’s currently in your stomach or what you ate an hour before your lift. It’s primarily fueled by glycogen – the carbs stored in your muscles and liver over the past 12 hours. The purpose of the intra-workout drink is more of a bonus kickstart to the recovery process and a means to offset catabolism than anything else. By driving key nutrients to your trained muscles, your body can start anabolic processes before you even touch a post workout shake.
5) Training hungry minimizes the risk of losing your pre-workout meal on the gym floor.
Training hungry isn’t for everyone and particularly not for those with poor blood sugar control issues. It’s not even something I enforce with all clients. But it will always be the way I train. Comment below if you also prefer to train hungry. -Coach Sean. Photo cred: @jasonbreeze
Supplement Spotlight: Phosphatidylserine (PS)
What is it?
A naturally occurring phospholipid found in cell membranes throughout the body, comprised of both fatty acids and amino acids. It serves to maintain optimal cell function and communication but most importantly, is a key building block for brain cells.
For us bodybuilders however, possibly the most attractive benefit of this supplement is in it’s potential to suppress the release of cortisol when taken after a workout. It should come as no surprise that contest prep places a great deal of stress on the body and mind. And when your cortisol levels aren't kept in check, it can really work against you - making it more challenging to drop those last few pounds of excess weight as well as staying full and dense through carb-restricted phases. Supplementing with something like PS can help to balance cortisol levels so you have one less factor working against you during the process.
PS is considered to be part of the nootropic family of supplements (aka smart drugs) and has demonstrated some impressive cognitive-enhancing benefits in research as well – including: boosting mental focus and task performance, preventing short term memory loss, helping with ADHD, combats depression/improves mood, improves Parkinson’s symptoms, improves symptoms and delays the onset of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dosing?
600-800 mg daily split over two doses with one dose typically taken in the post-workout period or after intense activity.
600 mg is the common research administered dose per day.
Smaller athletes and females may be able to use 400 mg/day , split over two doses.
Coach Notes
Not the cheapest cortisol support supplement, but on my own trials and with clients, it does seem to provide some great results – both from a physique enhancing perspective and cognitive performance. I usually gauge how well it’s working, by how full and hard a client’s muscles stay while dieting over a period of a month, as well as changes in abdominal fat distribution (i.e. if a client is able to drop body fat a little more efficiently in the core).
(Attached photo - proof you can find it locally. This was at Healthy Planet.)
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