December is definitely a winter month up here in the northern hemisphere. Some of you probably remember being taught that the reason we have a winter and a summer is that the earth wobbles on its axis. In fact this is incorrect. The earth's rotational axis is tilted at an angle to the sun, so for half the year the northern hemisphere is closer to the sun and for the other half it is the southern hemisphere that is closer. Just think what life on earth would be like if the earth was not tilted on its axis...
In this issue we show you how to obtain healthy food, explain why being vegetarian is not a good idea for your long term health, and continue our discussion of high intensity exercise.
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Animal, Vegetable or Mineral...Part 2
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Last month we explained why eating meat, fish, eggs or poultry that has been produced using industrial farming techniques is NOT a good idea. If you had to choose between eating industrial grade meat, fish, eggs, poultry OR being vegetarian, you are probably better off being vegetarian. HOWEVER...you do have another choice. The third choice is traditionally farmed and produced food. What do we mean by "traditionally farmed and produced"?
For the purpose of this discussion this means all of these things:
1. Grown or reared on land that has never been farmed in an industrial manner i.e. land has never been exposed to artificial fertilizer, pesticides, insecticides, weed killers etc...
2. Animals are allowed to forage for natural foods over a large area. This precludes feedlots, battery hen farms and all other "intensive" techniques.
3. Animals eat a diet consisting of real food...not food that comes from a tin can or a sealed plastic bag.
4. Crop rotation and "resting" of land is implemented.
Where can you go to obtain such food? A great place to start is at home...set aside a small piece of ground for a garden. You'll never look back once you taste your own home grown vegetables. The next best option is to buy food from local farmers...remember that vegetables and fruits taste best when eaten within a few hours of being pulled out of the ground or picked.
Beef should come from farmers who raise their animals on acres of green grass right up to the point of slaughter. Poultry should have access to the outdoors and should be able to feed daily off bugs and worms in the ground. Fish should be wild caught not farmed.
This means that when you buy food you MUST ask about its origins. Most of us do plenty of research before we buy a car or a new computer or a fancy camera. Why not ask some serious questions about where our food is coming from?
Where does being a vegetarian fit into all this? Unless you are willing to go the extra mile to make sure that the food you eat is truly "clean", then it is quite likely that your long term health is better served by being a vegetarian. If you take this rather lazy option then at least you can be assured that your intake of toxins is at a minimum. Following this logic, you might want to consider not eating at all. Fasting can be very useful if you have a back log of toxins to eliminate. Once you have "cleansed" your system it is then time to put some nutrients back in your body.
Human beings do not thrive on diets that completely exclude meat, fish, eggs and poultry for years at a time. Interestingly, there is evidence that such a diet has more severe consequences in countries where food hygeine is good. Why? Because food contamination (insects!!) provides just enough nutrients to prevent frank deficiency symptoms. In other words, if you must be a vegetarian you are better off living in India than in the US. |
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High Intensity Exercise...
A Tool that Demands Respect
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If you have been doing steady state cardiovascular training at least 3 days a week for 6 months or more, and still have not seen the kind of body fat loss you were hoping for, it might be time to make a change. However, before you start adding high intensity training to your weekly regimen, there are some pre-requisites:
1. Improve your posture...poor posture inevitably leads to musculo-skeletal injury. There is no better way to break the body down than by doing high intensity training.
2. Get rid of aches and pains FIRST. If you ALREADY have some aches and pains these will only get WORSE when you add high intensity training.
3. Eat in a manner that is consistent with what is being described in this newsletter.
4. Get to bed by 10pm and sleep at least 8 hours every night.
5. Have an expert check and adjust your technique in your chosen form of CV exercise. Most people have horrible technique when they run, bike, swim, row etc...
Once you have completed ALL your pre-requisites then you can safely add one high intensity workout per week to your regimen.
Next month we'll give you some specific high intensity workout examples.
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