Here’s The Truth about Chia Seeds You Need to Know

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Over the past few years, health enthusiasts have embraced obscure food and drinks in their quest to find the ultimate nutrition boost.

Chia seeds are one of their most popular finds, though they’ve been around for thousands of years.

Chia seeds’ popularity began among vegetarians and vegans, and their star is rising in Paleo communities as well. The health claims sound incredible, but are they too good to be true? Let’s find out.

What Are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds come from Salvia hispanica, a flowering plant native to Mexico and Guatemala. Cultivated by indigenous cultures like the Aztecs, Mayans, and Toltecs for food and religious purposes, these seeds were said to offer warriors endurance and strength during battle. Their name actually comes from the Mayan “chiabaan”, which means “strengthening”.

A relative of the mint plant, they come in a mix of black, brown, and white, and are about the size of sesame seeds. Although the seeds have a neutral taste, they do have a nice crunchy texture that can add some variety to Paleo foods and drinks. Chia seeds are a relative of the mint plant.

One of chia seeds’ most interesting properties is their incredible ability to absorb water. They can absorb 10 to 12 times their weight in water!  When you put the seeds in water or another liquid, they expand and transform into a kind of gel, which is why you’ll see people adding these seeds to their smoothies to thicken them.

You can always eat the seeds the old-fashioned way, too. Some manufacturers mill the seeds before packaging them, but others sell them whole. One of the traditional indigenous preparation methods was to ground the seeds into flour for tortillas, tamales, or beverages.

Today, you’ll find chia seeds in:

• Chia puddings
• Fruit / vegetable smoothies
• Homemade energy bars
• Jam
• Kombucha
• Meatballs
• Overnight “oats”
• Salads
• Various baked goods and other treats

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A Solid Nutrition Profile

Many vegetarians praise chia for their high protein content, but as you’ll see in just a second, the protein pales in comparison to the other available nutrients.

Just one ounce of chia seeds contains:

• 9 grams of fat
• 4.5 grams of protein
• 10.6 grams of fiber (42% of the daily value!)
• 30% of the daily value of manganese
• 27% of the daily value of phosphorous
• 18% of the daily value of calcium
• 7% of the daily value of zinc

4.5 grams of protein isn’t something that exactly knocks our socks off as Paleos, as eggs and other animal products contain higher amounts. But it’s a nice option for vegetarians, vegans, or other groups who focus on a plant-based diet.

One ounce accounts for only 137 calories. Those few calories manage to pack in quite a lot of nutrients.

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Chia Seed Benefits

The nutrition profile for chia seeds is solid, but are they really superfoods?

You’ll hear claims that they can do everything from slowing aging to curing cancer.

Unfortunately, the research to back up the more extraordinary claims is lacking.

Let’s dive into some of the key, scientifically-backed benefits to get a more realistic picture.

Chia Seeds Have a Great Omega-3 to Omega-6 Fatty Acids Ratio

The type of fat we consume matters. We must have a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for optimal health. When the ratio gets too skewed, we end up with chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity. When our omega-3 and omega-6 ratio gets skewed, we suffer from inflammation and obesity.

Most of us have more than enough omega-6 fatty acids, which explains why getting enough omega-3s tends to be emphasized. People who follow the typical modern Western diet, full of processed foods and vegetable oils, have ratios as high as 16:1. That’s a far cry from the optimal one-to-one ratio.

Like seafood, chia seeds contain significantly more omega-3 fatty acids than omega-6s. Consuming them is a step in the right direction to restoring balance. One ounce of these seeds contains 4,915 milligrams of omega-3s, over three times as many as the 1,620 milligrams omega-6 content.

Chia Seeds Are a Good Source of Protein

Chia seeds’ protein content attracts a lot of vegetarians and vegans. And at 4.5 grams per ounce, it’s almost as much as an egg.

And while there are tons of other Paleo protein powerhouses available, chia seeds are a healthy way to vary your protein options. Plus, they’re easy to sprinkle onto your salads, smoothies, and stir fries. Chia seeds are a great source of protein. Get your fix by sprinkling some in salads or smoothies.

This protein also comes in handy if you’re trying to stop snacking so often or lose weight. Protein has been proven to increase feelings of satiety as part of weight management protocols. It’s easier to fight off cravings or stray from your diet when you feel fuller between meals.

Chia Seeds Are High in Fiber

Many of us associate fiber with regulating bowel movements. But it does so much more than that. High-fiber diets reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even heart disease.

While processed breads and cereals with added fiber are common, there are healthier sources of fiber that are filled with nutrition: fruits, vegetables, and seeds and nuts.

Chia seeds have an extremely high fiber content, over 42 percent of the daily value in a single ounce. Consuming even a small amount daily can help you reap the benefits touched on just above.

Because they expand in the juices of your gut, they can keep you feeling fuller longer, a common feature of high-fiber foods. Chia seeds are full of fiber, and can help keep you feeling fuller longer.

That combination – high-fiber and a moderate protein content – make these seeds ideal for feeling full enough to reduce calorie intake naturally and lose weight.

Chia Seeds Are Easy to Eat

Chia seeds are small, portable, and keep for a long time.That makes it a great choice if you’re on the go or bringing your meals to work. You don’t always have a cooked chicken breast handy to toss onto a salad, but it’s easy to sprinkle on some seeds and chow down.

We already touched on versatility as well. Their neutral taste means they go well with practically everything. Whatever Paleo dish you have in mind, someone has already come up with a way to add chia seeds to make it even more delicious.

Buying your seeds online in bulk makes things even more convenient. Not only is the price per ounce much cheaper, but because they don’t weigh much, shipping will be pretty reasonable too.

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Why You Shouldn’t Eat Chia Seeds Only for Their Omega-3s

You probably already know the importance of omega-3 fatty acids for optimal health. These are crucial for fighting inflammation, maintaining a healthy heart, avoiding depression, and a laundry list of other key functions. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t getting nearly enough of them.

The richest Paleo sources of omega-3 are mostly found in fish, like salmon, mackerel, and seafood. For someone who’s not a huge seafood fan like myself, the prospect of upping my omega-3 intake by adding chia seeds – instead of being limited to fish oil supplements – was definitely appealing.

This high omega-3 content is one of the main reasons that drive vegetarians’ enthusiasm for these seeds in the first place, as omega-3s are a bit harder to come by without seafood or egg yolks.

But before we go any further, we have to get a bit more specific about which types of omega-3 fatty acids we’re talking about. There are actually three main ones:

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Most commonly found in seeds and vegetables, ALA is considered an “essential” fatty acid because it can’t be made in the human body. When we eat ALA, it can be converted into DHA and EPA in small amounts.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Usually found in seafood along with EPA.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Usually found in seafood along with DHA.

Our bodies can’t create ALA on their own, though they are able to convert it into small amounts of DHA and EPA.  Unfortunately, the conversion process is inefficient.

A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that giving 62 overweight women milled chia seeds for 10 weeks increased ALA and EPA levels in the blood, but not DHA.

It’s easy to marvel at chia seeds’ high overall omega-3 fatty acid content. Ounce for ounce, it crushes even renowned omega-3 sources like salmon!  But because the omega-3s in chia seeds must be converted, we end up with a much lower amount.

It would be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to swap chia for seafood or omega-3 supplements. Better to appreciate them for the variety they bring to your food and their other benefits.

Watch this video –The Truth about Chia Seeds – Pros & Cons, Benefits & Warnings – by Dr Sam Robbins

The Bottom Line

While chia seeds’ benefits are definitely promising, more research needs to be done before it can truly be considered a superfood. They’re great as an occasional snack or to add flavor to your food and drinks. But they’re no replacement for seafood, egg yolks, and other Paleo omega-3 sources.

The good news: chia seeds are Paleo-friendly and easy to digest – for most of us. Some people with sensitive digestive systems or a leaky gut might have issues dealing with such a concentrated amount of fiber. If that’s the case, you can cut down your intake or scrap the seeds altogether until you get your digestive issues sorted. A few teaspoons go a long way!

Written by Corey Pemberton

Author Bio:

Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths. Feel free to stop by his website or say hello on Twitter.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Simple Throat Exercises that Eliminate Snoring and Sleep Apnea

 

Click on Here to Find Out How You Can Get Rid of Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Simple Throat Exercises that Eliminate Snoring and Sleep Apnea – If You Snore, You Have Sleep Apnea, Right? (answer inside)

If you snore (which is harmless enough), chances are high that you also have sleep apnea (which is a life-threatening disease).

But the only way to find out for sure is to undergo a complicated overnight diagnosis in a sleep lap.

Or so we thought until we learned the details of a new study by researchers from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute that was presented at a Transportation Research Board committee meeting in January 2021.

Researchers from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute investigated more than 20,000 commercial motor vehicle drivers and found that previous studies may have grossly underestimated the occurrence of sleep apnea in this population.

Previous studies had found that anywhere from 7.2 to 30% of drivers suffer from this sleep breathing disorder, although some researchers think it could be as high as 49%.

Instead of sending these drivers to a sleep laboratory for a diagnosis, the researchers gave them an eight-item apnea screening tool to complete.

This tool included questions to assess their levels of snoring, tiredness, breathing pauses, high blood pressure, body mass index, neck circumference, sex, and age.

All these factors had previously been identified as strong predictors or indicators of sleep apnea. The researchers believed that this screening tool might help drivers know when to seek help.

After all, if someone says he is constantly tired during the day and he reports snoring so loudly that he wakes himself up during the night, that is a pretty good indication that his sleep breathing is not normal and that it causes daytime difficulties.

He then knows that he needs help and can have his condition officially tested in a sleep laboratory.

This screening tool is called the STOP-Bang method. Drivers reported that they would never have guessed that they had sleep apnea before they completed it.

This study is useful for two main reasons:

1. It suggests that more commercial motor vehicle drivers may have sleep apnea than previously thought.

2. It suggests that there can be simple and effective screening methods that anyone, from laypeople to doctors, can use to screen for sleep apnea before getting entangled in the expensive and complex process of a laboratory sleep test.

Thus, if you snore, are constantly tired, take breathing pauses while asleep, have high blood pressure, have a high body mass index, have a high neck circumference, are male, and are middle-aged or old, you are likely to have sleep apnea and should get an official sleep test.

Or you can just do these simple throat exercises (described here) for 3-7 minutes to permanently eliminate both snoring and sleep apnea…

Simple Throat Exercises that Eliminate Snoring and Sleep Apnea – Treat Your Sleep Apnea and Prevent Dementia Instantaneously

The problems caused by sleep apnea are substantially more serious than just poor sleep and daytime sleepiness.

One of the most serious effects of sleep apnea is the onset of dementia, according to a study published in the latest Annals of the American Thoracic Society. It can happen at any age.

The good news is that you can cure sleep apnea and dementia using the same simple method.

A team led by scientists from the University of Calgary understood that sleep apnea could cause cardiovascular disease and that people with cardiovascular disease were more likely to develop dementia.

But they wanted to know whether mild cognitive impairment was also more common in people with sleep apnea, including those with or without cardiovascular disease.

If you have trouble recalling things from memory, have trouble concentrating on your work, struggle to make simple mathematical calculations in your head, or find that your reasoning and decision-making take longer than they used to, you probably have some level of mild cognitive impairment.

The Mayo Clinic describes this as the stage between normal cognitive decline (which occurs in most aging individuals) and the more serious condition of dementia.

For two reasons, it is important to identify the causes of mild cognitive impairment so that it can be addressed.

First, people need properly functioning thinking abilities to work productively.

Second, since elderly people with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to develop dementia, we need to prevent it where we can.

Thus, the Canadian researchers wanted to know whether sleep apnea is a causal factor behind mild cognitive impairment.

For this study, they enrolled 1,084 people who had been referred to three sleep centers with suspected sleep apnea.

They were first given either a home-based sleep apnea test or a full polysomnography (sleep test) in the laboratory.

The researchers then asked them to complete a collection of cognitive tests to measure their learning, coding, and memory: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and the WAIS-IV Digit-Symbol Coding subtest of information processing speed.

The scientists also collected their sleep and medical histories to exclude factors like cardiovascular disease that could potentially distort their findings.

Their most important finding was that people with moderate or severe sleep apnea were approximately 70% more likely to have mild cognitive impairment than people without this sleep breathing disorder.

Overall, 47.9% of all sleep apnea patients were cognitively impaired; this rose to 55.3% in those with moderate and severe sleep apnea.

This comes as no surprise, since we have long known that the primary underlying cause of all types of dementia is lack of oxygen to the brain. And sleep apnea robs you of oxygen, leading directly to dementia.

Fortunately, there are easy home exercises you can do to load your brain with oxygen to stop or even reverse the onset of dementia. Learn these easy exercises here…

And if you snore or suffer from sleep apnea, you can do these simple throat exercises to open up your breathing passages and stop your snoring and sleep apnea…

Simple Throat Exercises that Eliminate Snoring and Sleep Apnea – Strange Snoring And Dementia Connection

Most people who snore loudly have underlying sleep apnea—most often undiagnosed.

If you belong to this group, then you’re at a drastically higher risk of developing dementia, according to a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The good news is that it’s very easy to eliminate snoring, sleep apnea, and dementia in one blow.

The team of Australian researchers knew that previous research had found a relationship between sleep apnea and dementia, with sleep apnea sufferers being more likely to develop dementia than people without sleep disorders.

But since very little research existed that actually examined the brains of sleep apnea sufferers to compare them with those of good sleepers, they decided to close this research gap.

As a target, they decided to focus on a protein called beta-amyloid that is often found in the blood vessels of the brains of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

They recruited 46 subjects—34 with untreated diagnosed sleep apnea and 12 who had no symptoms of sleep disorders. The former group had an average age of 57.5 and the latter of 58.5.

They were first given a polysomnogram, which is a sleep study that identifies sleep disorders. It measures indicators like breathing rate, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, eye movements, muscle activity, and brain waves.

They were then given a PET scan to measure the amyloid levels in their brains. The scientists also collected information regarding their demographic details and moods.

The subjects with sleep apnea turned out to have higher levels of the amyloid protein in their brains, which shows why they were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

Those with severe sleep apnea had higher amyloid burdens than those with mild sleep apnea, which explains why previous studies had found the dementia risk to be the greatest in people with a severe form of this condition.

Not only did people with sleep apnea have a higher amyloid burden, they also suffered from poorer sleep efficiency. In other words, they managed to get less good sleep during the same amount of time spent sleeping than their peers.

They also spent less time in sleep stage 3, which is the stage of deep sleep during which your body regenerates and repairs itself.

Watch this video – Throat Exercises for Snoring and Sleep Apnoea (oropharyngeal exercises / myofunctional therapy)

All this makes sense because I’ve been preaching for years that dementia is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, and that’s exactly what sleep apnea does. So if you’re already suffering dementia, then make sure you click here to learn how to load your brain with oxygen to beat dementia…

And if you snore loudly or have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, click here to learn simple throat exercises that eliminate snoring and sleep apnea in as little as three minutes…

This post is from The Insomnia and Stop Snoring Program offers a revolutionary new approach to help people stop snoring. Snoring is not only disruptive to our partners, but it poses health risks as well, especially for those folks who suffer from sleep apnea.

Christian Goodman, the creator of the program, has discovered that a selection of specific exercises can actually correct the issues that lead to excessive snoring, and help snorers and their bed mates get a better night’s sleep.

The program will allow you to shake your pesky and unhealthy snoring habit using only easy to perform natural exercises. No drugs, surgery, funky contraptions to sleep with, hypnosis or any other invasive techniques. If you can spend 7 minutes per day performing these exercises you can say goodbye to snoring for good.

To find out more about this program, click on Simple Throat Exercises that Eliminate Snoring and Sleep Apnea

7 Easy Exercises for People Suffering from Lower Back Pain

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

7 Easy Exercises for Mild to Severe Lower Back Pain

According to the research, 80% of people will have lower back pain at least one time in their life.

There are typically two primary causes of lower back pain: repetitive movements and prolonged postures. Repetitive movements could be constantly picking up things from the floor with poor mechanics or running with poor mechanics.

Prolonged postures could be sitting for long periods of time. More often than not, they are the two culprits that lead to lower back pain.

There is hope, however. Studies have shown that poor hip motion, poor hip strength, and poor middle back motion are all risk factors for lower back pain. The good news: These can improve with proper exercise. The key is that you choose exercises that are appropriate for your back pain.

Many of you reading this may have already seen a doctor. Others have been suffering from back pain and are unsure where to begin. In this article, I will map out where to start based on where you are symptom-wise.

Lastly, for those of you who have gotten an MRI and discovered changes, there is hope. Oftentimes, imaging does not correlate to pain. In fact, here is a direct quote from a big review in 2014:

Signs of degeneration are present in a very high percentage of healthy people with no problem at all. Many imaging-based degenerative features are likely part of normal aging and unassociated with pain.

The Problem with Lower Back Pain Rehabilitation

For those of you who have gone through some sort of formal rehabilitation, I am sure you are familiar with the cue of “draw your belly button to your spine.” Formally, this is called abdominal hollowing. This has been a “go to” for many rehab professionals in the first phase of rehabilitation for low back patients.

The idea of this hollowing was due to research noting there was a delay in the firing pattern of the transverse abdominal muscle (deep core muscles) in those with lower back pain.

By trying to isolate the TrA muscle without the big rectus abdominal muscles (six-pack muscles), they thought they could improve low back pain. Makes sense, right? Turns out there was more to it.

Let’s review some anatomy. The core is composed of multiple layers of muscle. You have your deeper core muscles, like the transverse abdominis and multifidus, and you have your more superficial muscles, like the rectus abdominis and internal/external obliques. As a group, all of these muscles make up the abdominal wall. So what gives?

Bring in the leading researcher Dr. Stuart McGill, who discovered through his research that all the muscles around the spine were compromised and delayed when lower back pain occurred.

Therefore, by isolating only the TrA, the other muscles around got weaker! Dr. McGill found that abdominal bracing, the contraction of all core muscles, was a better program. Creating stability with all the muscles around the spine protected the back better.

As for why your low back feels “tight,” the muscles in your low back become overactive and tighten as a way to act as a protective mechanism for the spine. And while tightness in your low back may make you feel like you need mobility, more often than not, lack of stability is the missing link.

Finally, it is important to be able to retrain your body so that it has spinal position awareness. Understanding what a good spinal position is will help tremendously for daily activities. Also, the ability to separate out hip movement from lumbar movement is crucial for maintaining spine health

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7 Exercises for Mild to Severe Lower Back Pain

If You Have… No Pain to Mild Pain

1. Cat-Camel
2. Bent Knee Fallout
3. Hip Hinge
4. Quadruped Rockback
5. Glute Bridge
6. Side Plank
7. Standing Controlled Weight Shift

If You Have… Moderate to Severe Lower Back Pain

1. Cat-Camel
2. Bent Knee Fallout
3. Hip Hinge

*Note: Limit your hip hinge to very small movements if in pain.

Cat-Camel | 3 sets of 15

The cat-camel movement is a safe range of motion movement. It is primarily used in the beginning stages of rehabilitation, but can be used throughout. The key is to avoid end range positions and instead work through the motion.

Get into an all fours position. First, round your back up towards the ceiling. You may feel a light stretch in your back. Next, let your back sway down towards the floor. Be sure to avoid head and neck movement. Perform nice and slowly.

Bent Knee Fallout (Safe Movement) | 3 sets of 10 per side

The bent knee fallout is an easy exercise to begin getting movement around your low back. The key is to keep your hips level as one leg falls out to the side. In other words, do not let your entire pelvis shift to the side of leg movement.

Lie on your back and keep your knees bent. Keeping your low back flat, slowly move one knee out to the side under control. Once your low back begins to move, stop and return to the starting position. This should be pain-free and under control.

Hip Hinge (Proper Movement) | 3 sets of 10

The hip hinge is one of the most important exercises to retrain movement patterns. This exercise will help you improve your spinal position so that you can begin the path of recovery or for prevention of future back injuries. Learning how to hinge from your hips instead of your back will help you complete daily activities safely.

Stand tall and place one hand on your belly and one hand on your lower back. From there, keep your core engaged and “push” your hips back slowly while maintaining a relatively “neutral” spine position. In other words, avoid flexing your lower back or arching it too much.

Quadruped Rockback | 3 sets of 15

The quadruped rockback exercise is designed to help you learn proper squatting mechanics and dissociation of hip and lumbar spine. Similar to the hip hinge, we are trying to retrain movement patterns here. Again, if your hips begin to tuck under into flexion, you will be putting undue stress on your lower back.

Get into an all-fours position. Arch and flex your back and find the center position. Maintain that center or “neutral” position and slowly sit back onto your heels. Stop when you begin to round your low back. If you are struggling to maintain that neutral position, push through your arms to help engage your core further.

Glute Bridge (Glute) | 4 sets of 12

Lie on your back. Begin the exercise by contracting your glutes and pushing through your heels to bridge up. Maintain a flat back while you do this. Slowly bring your hips down and repeat. You should feel this exercise in your glute muscles.

Side Plank (Outer Core) | 2 sets of 30-45 seconds per side

Place your elbow directly under your shoulder and feet stacked. Plank up and squeeze your glutes to ensure you are in a straight line. You should feel this in your outer core muscles.

Standing Controlled Weight Shift (Outer Core) | 3 sets of 10 per leg

Most of us think of working the core in a lying down position or a plank. However, we must learn to train our core in a functional position as well. The standing controlled weight shift does just that.

To perform this exercise, get into a shoulder-width position. Keeping your core engaged, slowly begin to march one of your legs up. The key is to avoid “shifting” more than a few inches towards the stance leg. If you need a cue, stand 3-5 inches away from a wall when performing this exercise.

While these exercises have starting sets and repetitions, be sure to continue to increase time and reps so that your back becomes more endurable. Studies have shown that endurance in the back muscles is very important in maintaining a healthy back.

Watch this video – Back Pain Relief Exercises & Stretches – Ask Doctor Jo

Written by Dr. Brian Schwabe

Author Bio:

Dr. Brian Schwabe, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS is a Board Certified Sports Physical Therapist, Strength Coach, Author, and Fitness Consultant. After Brian concluded his sports physical therapy residency with USC, he went on to achieve board certification in sports physical therapy, placing him in the top 1% of all physical therapists. He believes in blending his unique understanding of mobility, strengthening, and biomechanics to help create a healthier, more active person.

In addition to writing and creating content for PaleoHacks, Brian is the co-founder of The Student Physical Therapist, a popular educational website which teaches people how to keep their bodies healthy, injury free, and out of pain.

He resides in sunny Los Angeles, CA where he enjoys working out, the beach, and healthy living.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook