Eliminate Your High
Blood Pressure Starting Today - Not Eating This Food Group Causes High Blood
Pressure
It’s a fact that there are
certain foods that have a positive effect on blood pressure, one in particular.
And it starts with having
healthier gut bacteria.
This led researchers from
Monash University in Australia to conduct what has been described as an
“ingenious” study to learn more about the correlation between this food group
and a healthy blood pressure level.
The findings were published
in the journal Circulation.
The answer lies in fiber…
Researchers performed their
study on mice.
They first gave one group of
mice a high fiber diet and another group a
low-fiber one.
Predictably, the fiber eaters
had lower blood pressure. But, more
importantly, those on the low-fiber diet actually had blood pressure higher than that of an
average mouse.
This suggests that fiber
consumption protects you against developing high blood pressure. It also suggests not
eating enough of it also causes high blood pressure.
When they examined the mice’s
gut bacteria, they found that the two groups had very different types of
bacteria.
To investigate the
relationship between gut bacteria and blood pressure in more depth, they
implanted the gut bacteria of the low and high fiber mice into germ-free mice,
which had been raised in an isolator to prevent them from developing any of
their own gut microbiome.
The germ-free mice that
received bacteria from the fiber-deficient mice developed high blood pressure,
while those who received bacteria from the fiber-consuming mice did not.
But why gut bacteria?
Our gut bacteria help digest
and ferment fiber, the process during which certain metabolites are produced.
These metabolites, according to the authors, activate immune cells that protect
against high blood pressure.
While the recommendation is
to eat approximately 30 grams of fiber per day, researchers estimate the
average Westerner only consumes around 5 grams.
Eliminate Your High
Blood Pressure Starting Today - How A Sunny Day Lowers Your Blood Pressure to
Normal
“Stay out of the sun!” These
are often words we hear from the doctors. “It causes cancer”, are the words
that usually follow next. And we do what they say – because they’re doctors –
and they know best, right?
Maybe not!
A recent study published
in The Journal of the
American Heart Association cautions us otherwise.
Firstly, vitamin D is responsible. When ultraviolet
rays hit your skin, your body converts them into vitamin D. Consequently
vitamin D then lowers blood pressure.
Researchers obtained the blood pressure records of 342,457 patients
from 2,178 dialysis centers in the United States.
In addition, they obtained UV
radiation and temperature data for each clinic’s location from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
They then calculated a
monthly average blood pressure, a monthly average UV index
score, and an average monthly temperature. This enabled them to find the
relationships between the variables.
As they expected, they found
that their subjects had 3 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure during the sunny season.
The authors cited previous
studies that proved a 3-mmHg systolic blood pressure reduction could decrease
cardiovascular events by 10 percent.
When they separated
temperature and UV exposure, they found that each contributed to about half of
the overall effect.
So, it isn’t just vitamin D
from UV that lowers blood pressure, it’s also the warm
weather.
Regarding the risk of skin cancer, the authors cited numerous studies
that proved that it was sunburn that caused skin cancer, and not regular
exposure to sunlight.
Eliminate Your High
Blood Pressure Starting Today - This Ancient Natural Approach Drastically
Lowers Blood Pressure
If you’re been diagnosed with
high blood pressure, it’s almost a given
that your doctor has pushed medications on you.
But what if I told you that
there is procedure practiced by doctors in other parts of the world that causes
no side effects? A practice that results in permanent results and is far more
effective than prescription drugs?
This research, which
originated in China, is now available almost everywhere in the world, and it’s
backed up by a study carried out by researchers from Shenzhen Futian Hospital
of TCM.
Acupuncture in Medicine recently published a case study
on a 56-year-old man with high blood pressure of 160/100 mm Hg. He
was treated with medications to bring it down to 150/99 mm Hg. But when
acupuncture was added to the treatment regime, something surprising happened!
The team of Chinese
researchers investigated the effects of real acupuncture versus a placebo
procedure on subjects in a controlled experiment. The results confirmed that
acupuncture is indeed more effective.
They found that acupuncture reduced high blood pressure considerably
and the entire treatment procedure helped protect the heart tissues and reduced
arrhythmia, a condition that causes irregular heartbeats.
In essence, acupuncture helps
fight high blood pressure, works
effectively when combined with medications, reduces the side effects of
medications, and protects body tissues from damage.
This
post is from the High Blood Pressure Exercise Program.It was made by
Christian Goodman Blue Heron health news that has been recognized as one of the
top-quality national health information websites.
This program will
provide you the natural high blood pressure treatments, natural recipes to cook
healthy meals and useful strategies to build a healthy diet with the aim to
help you to maintain, stabilize and get your blood pressure down in minutes
permanently and naturally.
COFFEE’S RISKS AND REWARDS, IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK
Coffee is the second most popular drink in
the world, trailing only water and, debatably, tea.
Coffee is among the most consumed — and controversial — beverages in the
world, and certainly many of us use it for a nice little boost for working out.
While coffee should be treated with care and avoided altogether by those who
metabolize it poorly, it also provides health benefits to many people,
especially bodybuilders.
Read on to find out what they are – and how to drink coffee responsibly.
Caffeine, a key component of coffee, is a
controversial compound.
With 90% of North American adults consuming caffeine daily, it is the
world’s most consumed psychoactive drug – and coffee is the delivery method of
choice.
Coffee’s origins
The coffee plant originated in East Africa — according to legend, a goat
herder tried coffee cherries after he noticed his goats acting much more
energetic after nibbling on the coffee bushes.
The earliest evidence of coffee drinking occurred in the 15th century
in Yemen. From Yemen, coffee quickly spread to Egypt and North Africa, and by
the 16th century it was being enjoyed by the rest of the Middle
East, Persia, and Turkey and soon thereafter Italy and the rest of Europe.
Fast forward to today. Coffee is ubiquitous in our culture. Everywhere you
look, there’s a coffee shop on the corner. What effect might our cultural love
of coffee have on our health?
Short answer: Well, we’re not completely sure.
Coffee’s risks
Research on coffee’s safety is mixed, for several reasons:
Metabolism
matters. People vary genetically in how well they can process caffeine and
coffee.
Coffee
interacts with many hormones and neurotransmitters in the body, such as cortisol,
acetylcholine, and insulin. These relationships are complex, and often
depend on timing, amount, and people’s individual makeup.
As a crop,
coffee is less like corn or soy, and more like cacao or wine grapes: It’s
typically grown and processed in smaller batches by smaller-scale farmers
and producers. Variations in soil and climate, as well as later roasting
and brewing technique, will change the taste and chemical makeup. It’s
hard to standardize the exact chemical compounds in coffee from batch to
batch.
So it’s hard to say definitively that coffee is “good” or “bad”; “healthy”
or “unhealthy”. Let’s explore this in more depth.
What about my metabolism?
One reason that evidence on the health effects of coffee is so mixed is that
people clear caffeine at different rates. Caffeine is broken down and cleared
by the liver, and our genetic makeup shapes how
quickly and effectively we can do this.
On one
hand, “slow” metabolizers of caffeine don’t process
caffeine effectively. These are people who are adversely affected by
caffeine, get the jitters, and are wired for up to nine hours after
consumption.
Others just
get a boost in energy and alertness for a couple of hours; they are
considered “fast” metabolizers of caffeine.
Research in the emerging field of nutrigenomics shows that about half of us
have the gene variant that makes us “slow” metabolizers, while the other half
enjoy the gene variant that allows them to get away with quad-espressos.
Thus, whether coffee is better or worse for you depends on how well and
quickly you metabolize caffeine.
If you are a slow metabolizer of caffeine and coffee, steer clear (or at
least, reduce your consumption). In your case, coffee can do more harm than
good, and this may explain why high coffee consumption has been associated
with:
non-fatal
myocardial infarction (aka a heart
attack)
On the plus side, low caffeine consumption still seems relatively safe for
most folks, so a few daily cups of tea or squares of dark chocolate shouldn’t
harm you (and in fact, may greatly boost your wellbeing!).
And fortunately, not everyone is adversely affected. For those lucky enough
to be fast metabolizers, there is good news – and lots of it. Fast metabolizers
don’t show the same association between coffee and disease — if you’re a fast
metabolizer, coffee might even improve your
health!
If you’d like to know more about how well you metabolize caffeine, you can
take a quick and easy genetic test through agencies such as 23andme.com or
existencegenetics.com
Coffee and caffeine tend to transiently increase cortisol levels; however,
this depends on several factors, including when you drink coffee, how often you
drink it, and whether you have high blood pressure.
Cortisol is normally high in the morning, so if you drink some coffee at 6
a.m. and 10 a.m., you should be fine, as cortisol is naturally elevated at that
time of day anyway. However, your body may not appreciate coffee as much in the
afternoon or evening, when cortisol normally drops. At that point, consider tea
or something decaffeinated.
Again, there’s individual variation: Habitual consumers of coffee seem to be
less affected by the cortisol bump, while those with hypertension seem to be
more affected.
If cortisol levels are a problem for you, keep your coffee intake to first
thing in the morning, and otherwise consume more tea. (Not only does tea have
less caffeine, it also has other beneficial, calming compounds such as
L-theanine.)
What about pesticides?
Coffee plants are heavily sprayed with pesticides, which pose obvious health
concerns.
Fortunately, the plant’s structure offers some protection. While the outer
“berry” does receive a lot of exposure, it’s the interior bean that is roasted
and used for coffee, and its exposure is far less. In addition, the roasting
process destroys the majority of pesticide residues.
If you’re especially wary of pesticides, choose organically grown coffee.
(Hey, it can’t hurt.) And while you’re at it, look for the Fair Trade label,
which helps insure that family farmers are paid a fair wage for their crops.
What about my insulin sensitivity?
While a high dose of caffeine tends to decrease insulin sensitivity and
glucose tolerance acutely, it doesn’t seem to cause chronic problems. While
those at risk of developing diabetes may want to be cautious, overall
coffee consumption is actually associated with a 35% decreased risk of
developing type II diabetes.
What about my kids?
There’s no clear guideline on when kids can safely consume coffee.
Guidelines on caffeine consumption are based mostly on the size of the child,
rather than their chronological ages.
Nevertheless, Health Canada recommends:
no more than
45 milligrams a day for kids aged 4 to 6;
62.5
milligrams for kids age 7 to 9;
85 milligrams
for kids age 10 to 12; and
no more than
2.5 milligrams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight for adolescents 13
and up.
All this means that a 110-pound adolescent should not have more than 125
milligrams of caffeine a day — about one 6-8 oz cup of coffee.
Coffee’s benefits
Caffeine & dehydration
For years, fitness enthusiasts worried that coffee would dehydrate them.
However, a recent review of 10 studies found that consuming up to 550 mg of
caffeine per day (or about five 8-oz cups) does not cause fluid-electrolyte
imbalances in athletes or fitness enthusiasts.
In another review, researchers concluded that consuming caffeine-containing
beverages as part of a normal lifestyle does not lead to fluid losses exceeding
the volume of fluid consumed (intake and output were roughly equal), nor is it
associated with poor hydration status.
Take-home: Don’t drink coffee as your only beverage, and drink
enough water, and you’ll be fine.
Coffee & performance
Let’s be honest — that first morning coffee can transform us from beast to
philosopher (or at least, slightly more awake and nicer beast). Coffee, and
more specifically its caffeine content, provide many noted mental and physical
performance benefits.
Caffeine reduces our rate of perceived exertion, so it doesn’t feel like we’re
working as hard as we actually are. People who regularly drink coffee perform
better on tests of reaction time, verbal memory, and visuo-spatial reasoning.
Another study found that women over the age of 80 performed significantly
better on tests of cognitive function if they had regularly
consumed coffee over the course of their lifetimes.
Take-home: A little bit of coffee/caffeine before important
tasks requiring alertness and energy can be a good thing.
Coffee & Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is a fatal and incurable
brain disease that affects 1 percent to 2 percent of people over 65. Amazingly,
at least six studies have found that regular coffee drinkers are up to
80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s.
Researchers have identified a gene called GRIN2A that appeared to protect
people who drank coffee from developing Parkinson’s. GRIN2A is linked to
glutamate, a compound that is suspected of killing the brain cells that die off
in Parkinson’s patients. Glutamate can be affected by another compound called
adenosine, and coffee interferes with this process.
However: Only about 25% of the population has the gene variant of GRIN2A
that boosts the protective effect of coffee.
Take-home: Coffee may lower Parkinson’s risk, but only in a
small subset of people.
Coffee & Alzheimer’s
Speaking of neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form
of dementia. There is no cure for the disease,
which gets progressively worse over time, and eventually leads to death.
What separates the research on Alzheimer’s from most of the other
information covered in this article is that it derived from directly controlled
trials versus simple observation.
Here, research indicates that people who drink about three cups of coffee a
day show a marked reduction in cognitive impairment compared to
non-drinkers. Once you got up to four or more cups per day, though, the
associated protection disappears.
This protection was not seen with tea or decaf coffee, so the benefit seems
to be from the combination of the caffeine and some of coffee’s bioactive
compounds.
In fact, new research from the University of South Florida found that this
combination boosts blood levels of a critical growth factor called GCSF
(granulocyte colony stimulating factor) that seems to prevent the formation of
Alzheimer’s disease. People with Alzheimer’s disease have less GCSF than the
rest of the population. Increasing GCSF in mice improves their memory.
In the U of South Florida study, the researchers compared the effects of
regular and decaf coffee to those of caffeine alone. In both Alzheimer’s mice
and normal mice, treatment with regular coffee dramatically increased blood
levels of GCSF; neither caffeine alone nor decaf coffee provided this effect.
It recruits
stem cells from bone marrow to enter the brain and remove the harmful
beta-amyloid protein that initiates the disease.
It creates
new connections between brain cells.
It increases
the birth of new neurons in the brain.
As the lead researcher, neuroscientist Dr. Chuanhai Cao, remarked: “Coffee
is inexpensive, readily available, easily gets into the brain, appears to
directly attack the disease process, and has few side-effects for most of us”.
According to the researchers, no other Alzheimer’s therapy being developed
comes close to meeting all these criteria.
Take-home: Coffee seems to contain compounds that may reduce
Alzheimer’s risk; and may also be part of a treatment protocol in the future.
While dark chocolate and green tea gather a lot of acclaim for their antioxidant content, coffee actually
outshines them both in this department.
In fact, the antioxidants in coffee may make up as much as 50-70% of the
total antioxidant intake of the average American! (Which is not necessarily a
good thing, because it means that there are a lot of vegetablesnot getting
eaten…)
Despite some general worries about the health effects of coffee, coffee
consumption is associated with an overall decreased risk of cancer. In particular
coffee consumption has been shown to be associated with a lower risk for oral, esophageal, pharyngeal, breast (in post-menopausal women), liver, colon, and aggressive prostate cancer.
When it comes to the prostate, researchers recently found that men who drank
the most coffee (6 or more cups per day) were nearly 60% less likely
to develop advanced prostate cancer than non-coffee drinkers. Other research
has shown that people who regularly consume two or more cups per day may have a
25% decreased risk of colon cancer.
Again, the research is mixed in part because of the variation in response to
coffee.
Take-home: Coffee may lower your cancer risk,
but don’t count on it as your only health strategy. And eat some vegetables
already.
Drinking unfiltered types of coffee can increase your levels of LDL (aka “bad”) cholesterol. But overall the data seems
to indicate that coffee consumption may moderately reduce your risk of dying
from cardiovascular complications.
Take-home: Research is mixed on cardiovascular disease and
coffee.
A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine showed
that drinking two to three cups of coffee per day was associated with a 10%
decreased risk of death for men at any age, and a 13% decreased risk of death
for women at any age.
In general, coffee drinkers were less likely to die from heart or
respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, injuries, accidents or infections.
(Which makes us wonder… what do they
die of? Espresso steamer mishaps?)
Take-home: Coffee appears to generally lower overall premature
mortality slightly.
Summary and Recommendations
Coffee’s not for everyone. And it’s not a magic bullet. Still, it seems to
have significant health benefits for those who can tolerate it. This includes:
better
athletic and mental performance
possibly
lower rates of some types of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and Type
2 diabetes
Most of the research on coffee is epidemiological. This means studies look
at associations rather than cause and effect. Simply because coffee is associated with
particular risks and benefits doesn’t necessarily mean that coffee causes all
of these risks or benefits.
Just as with all foods (and nutrients for that matter), dosage matters.
While some studies have found large intakes (5-6 cups) to have significant
benefits, other research suggests that drinking that much coffee is
counter-productive.
In general, it appears that drinking some coffee
is good, but more might not be
better, especially if you are a slow metabolizer. For those who are greatly
affected by coffee and caffeine, avoid it altogether or cut down your
consumption.
Want a quick and easy test of your coffee consumption? Ask yourself how you
feel physically, mentally, and emotionally a few hours after you drink some… as
well as if you miss your daily dose.
Also, go black if possible. Pumping your coffee full of cream, sugar, and
other exotic additives reduces any potential health benefits by adding
unnecessary calories and artificial flavours and sweeteners. (And Frappucinos or chocolate
covered coffee beans? C’mon.)
Taking all the data into consideration, it seems that your best bet is about
1-3 cups of coffee (8-24 oz) per day. This will maximize the benefits while
minimizing the risk.
And keep this in mind…while there is positive data on coffee, these
benefits don’t necessarily
include things like energy drinks and caffeine pills. There are many
antioxidants and bioactive compounds in coffee that are interacting with its
caffeine content to provide the benefits. So, unfortunately, Red Bull doesn’t
count.
A
lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of
professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising
its progressiveness and efficiency.
The
program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your
potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this
system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any
carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in
your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of
proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead
of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and
bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a
plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to
prove it.”
To what extent this happens, if at all, depends greatly on the individual.
For instance, I don’t seem to have a problem with black beans, but soy gives me
gas. I can’t touch cabbage, but lentils seem to do well with my system.
*Fiber
is an indigestible carbohydrate made up of sugar molecules, commonly called starches,
or polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. As these starches pass undigested
through the digestive tract, they ferment in the lower gut and produce
intestinal gas. Fiber is a vegetarian bodybuilder’s friend because
it improves insulin sensitivity and
offers other well-known health benefits.
The good news is that you don’t have to cut healthy foods that cause you to
get bloated out of your diet. There happens to be foods that counteract excessive gas and bloating. Without further
ado, I give you:
Although each ingredient makes a contribution, there are a couple star
players worth highlighting.
Apple Cider Vinegar: This
stuff is no joke for reducing excessive gas and bloating. It is potent,
however; to some, it throws the taste off slightly. So if your bloat isn’t
serious, you can omit it and let the other ingredients rise to the occasion.
Banana: Too
much salt causes water retention around the abdominal area. Foods
rich in potassium, such as bananas, help fight
bloating caused by salty foods. While salt invites water into the cells,
potassium drives it out. Unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which can
cause gas and bloating, so be sure to use ripe bananas!
Celery: This natural diuretic
helps relieve water retention. When buying celery, opt for organically grown
produce whenever possible.
Ginger: One of the best digestive aids
around, it works on a few levels. It soothes and relaxes the digestive system
muscles. Ginger also contains zingibain, a protein digestive enzyme, which is
particularly effective at reducing bloating and gas caused by protein-rich foods. It is also anti-inflammatory.
For more ideas to reduce excessive gas and bloating for vegetarian bodybuilders, watch these 2 videos
below –
A
lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of
professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising
its progressiveness and efficiency.
The
program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your
potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this
system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any
carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in
your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of
proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead
of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and
bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a
plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to
prove it.”
“PUTTING ALCOHOL DOWN WAS THE BIGGEST PART OF MY SUCCESS.”
“Bikini competitions
aren’t something I ever thought I would ever do, but I’ve done two shows
now and placed Top 3 in both.”
Name: Andra Purba Occupation: Food and Beverage City/State/Country: Las Vegas, NV USA Age: 33 Height: 5’8” Type:Bikini Competition Weight/Competition Weight: 136lb. / 130lb. Instagram: Andra604_702
What was your childhood like?
I was raised in Vancouver, BC. It is a beautiful place with so many outdoor
activities.
We did a lot of camping in our beautiful mountains as well as water
sports on the lakes.
I’ve always been outgoing and like to have fun; sometimes getting
myself into a little trouble.
I was raised with an amazing group of friends that I still have to this
day. Im lucky to come from such a supportive family and circle of friends.
Did you have mentors growing up?
My older sister and mom definitely played a role in planting the fitness seed for me. Growing up, my mom went
to the gym daily and was/ is an avid runner.
You will still find my mother in the gym every day and has aged
gracefully, so it’s definitely a great incentive to stay on track. She has
shown me that we don’t need to minimize our fitness goals just because we get older.
Seeing the shape that my mom is in tells me a lot of people just use
age as an excuse. She can still outrun me! My sister was an accomplished
competitive swimmer and swim coach growing up. She loved to try different
different types of physical activities even as an adult, from Taekwondo to
Kayaking.
I’ve learned not to be afraid to step outside of my comfort zone and
challenge myself by trying new things. As we get older we lack new
experiences and that can make life monotonous. My sister is now in her mid 30’s
with a young son and is vegan, and a double Ironman. She continues to
raise the bar for herself, which makes her still my number one role model.
What is one of your personal passions outside of fitness?
I love to travel. I once took a one-way trip to the UK when I was 19 and
traveled most of Western Europe. In the past few years I did a road trip
through New Zealand, traveled Fiji, and I’m actually heading to Maui at
the end of the month.
What uncommon activity do you schedule into your daily routine?
I was recently introduced to guided
meditations on YouTube and I LOVE it! I’m addicted. I do
it throughout the day. If I’m feeling anxious I’ll do one in the middle of
the day.
At night if I’m having problems sleeping, I’ll do a guided meditation for
sleep. They have been so beneficial and I’m pretty sure I’ve
turned into that annoying person that won’t stop talking about their new
favorite activity.
I can’t say that the actual niche was something I was introduced to. I’ve
been vegetarian for eight years and got
serious about the gym scene about two years ago.
I started working out with a trainer who trains a lot of competitors.
She herself was actually in the Olympia this year and took 7th in her division.
With that, the idea of competing was introduced to me.
Bikini competitions aren’t something I ever
thought I would ever do, but I’ve done two shows now and placed Top 3 in
both.
Meal 1 – Half
cup homemade sugar-free granola (I
bake oatmeal with cinnamon and sugar-free
maple syrup). For my protein
shake:
I blend almond milk with berries, protein
powder,
and peanut butter.
Not necessarily in that order. I always try to do shoulders and legs
with my trainer. I do Yoga
once a week, usually after leg day and cardio five times a week 20-30
minutes.
My favorite exercise to do are pull-ups. It just makes all the muscles
pop in such a great way and is really empowering. When it comes time to cut for
my next show the cardio will double. I’m convinced that’s overtraining,
but my trainer tells me otherwise.
How much sleep do you get?
I sleep seven hours a night. If I sleep too long I feel just as sluggish as
if I didn't sleep enough.
Do you meditate?
I do guided meditations and I love it! Morning, noon,
night, whenever I want to feel rejuvenated.
What do you do to relax?
I like getting massages. I try to go twice a month. If I can get myself
to sit still long enough I’ll do a movie marathon on my comfortable couch
with a blanket and tea.
What tips can you share that have led to your success?
Putting alcohol down was the biggest
part of my success. It is such a distraction and can hinder your next day workouts. Also extra sugars and calories.
Aside from that, always having food prepped and ready for your next meal.
I take a lunch to work everyday, even though we have a free cafeteria. If I
know I’ll be out during my meal times I’ll make sure I have food with me.
My purse is also a very convenient lunch bag!
Do you think plant-based fitness
is a fad or will it continue to build credibility? Who are some people leading
the way?
I think there are a lot of fitness fads out there. Being on a “diet” is
not sustainable. Making a lifestyle change is something different. It’s an
overhaul of everything with an intent for permanent change, leading to
lasting results. Being a fitness enthusiast with a plant-based diet is the opposite of a fad to
me.
People in the gym are constantly trying to tell me that I won’t get results
unless I eat meat and I’m always having to justify myself and my dietary
choices. If I have to work twice as hard to be a meat-free athlete then so be it! This is the
only way we will be able to prove our credibility.
I know through personal experience in competing that I have changed the
opinions of many people that once believed steak, chicken, and turkey were
the only way you would ever be successful in this lifestyle.
What are your near-term goals at the moment?
Well I qualified for the USA’s at my last show (July 24). So right now
I’m working hard at making some gains and I’ll start the process of
cutting 12 weeks before my show. I am on a 6-month training regimen
for this one! Its a biggie! Here’s an article worth reading if you’re
thinking about entering a vegetarian bikini competition (has a meal plan).
A
lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of
professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising
its progressiveness and efficiency.
The
program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your
potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this
system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any
carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in
your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of
proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead
of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and
bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a
plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to
prove it.”
