DuSoLife

By: Duana Soeda

While studying a couple years ago for my Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification, I had to study all the vitamins and minerals individually- Everything from Copper to Water, to Selenium, to Iron. Nutritional science is fascinating. When I came across the Iron section, I was shocked at the few changes that can reverse the causes of iron deficiency that I had never heard before.  I instinctively declared to my friends, “I’m going to write a post about Anemia”. About 5 out of the 10 women I told about this article declared, “I’m anemic!” Some had been since childhood. I knew I was on to something and am determined to spread the word.  If you suffer from Iron-Deficiency Anemia (IDA), this Part 1 post will detail what blocks your iron. Followed up with Part 2. Nutrients and Recipes to increase iron absorption and Part 3. Eating for your menstrual cycles and reducing menstrual cramps through diet. Let’s Go!

What does Iron do? Iron is used to transport what we breathe in, Oxygen throughout the body.  It’s a crucial role player in energy metabolism, brain function, & immune function[1]- If you’re not getting adequate O2 in your cells, how can you think clearly, feel energized or be optimally healthy?   

There’s a magical formula to work your system properly. Some nutrients stimulate absorption, while others can inhibit or block absorption when ingested together. Some combinations of foods that you’re used to eating culturally, may be harder to cut out but they’re affecting your health in ways that you may not be aware of.  

Let’s start here:  

There are two types of iron: 

Heme iron- Found only in animal products- fish, beef, chicken, etc.  More bioavailable= Higher chance of absorption. 

Nonheme iron- Found only in plants and iron-fortified foods- breads, dark green leafy vegetables, etc. = Lesser chance of absorption and needs help. 

What blocks Iron absorption?

Iron unfortunately, is essentially bullied by others.  Its trace mineral size gets pushed out of the way by certain Major Minerals, polyphenols, and other trace minerals. 

1.  Eggs- contain a compound, phosvitin that inhibits iron by up to 28%[2].  

2.  Phytic acid (phytate) found in soy protein and fiber in whole grains- Eat the fiber anyway. More details coming up.

3.  Tannins and Polyphenols found in cocoa, EGCG in Green tea, grape seed extract and coffee, are Major inhibitors!! Blocks up to 60% of iron absorption.  (4.) Avoid consuming within 4 hours of your iron-rich meal.

4. Oxalates- Vegetarians, if the only veggies you eat are spinach, beets, and kale well you may be iron deficient. These two are high in the oxalic acid scale & can actually inhibit nonheme iron absorption. However, by cooking on low heat the amount of oxalic acid will reduce.  

5. Certain Major and Trace Minerals:

a. Calcium responsible for Major bones and teeth strength, skeletal structure and function, cell signaling, blood clotting, muscle contraction (i.e. menstrual cramps) and nerve function. Found in dairy, fish, and some vegetables. 200 mg is okay, if you ingest 300-600 mg (two slices of cheese or more) within four hours of an iron rich meal, your iron will be blocked by up to 60% (3) !!! Examples of calcium rich, iron inhibitory meals: Mac & Cheese, Cheeseburger with two cheese slices, Meat lasagna loaded with extra cheese, Cheese pizza, Creamed spinach, Butter on fish with butter in mashed potatoes, etc. You see the trend? Watch your dairy intake with foods.  Eat separately.

b. Phosphorus aids in the formation of bones and teeth, important role player in how the body uses carbohydrates and fats, & needed for the body to make protein for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues. Found in protein-rich foods: meat, seafood, poultry, nuts, beans, and dairy. Too much phosphorus can block iron, however it is difficult to have too much phosphorus in the body.

c. Manganese helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It’s an important role player in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, blood sugar regulation & normal brain and nerve function. Too much in the body can block Iron. Found in Cocoa, dark chocolate, certain herbs, nuts, wheat germ, bran, mussels, and oysters. Again it’s hard to have too much in the body, however too much will block iron.

d. Zinc needed for Immunity, cell division, cell growth, wound healing, the breakdown of carbohydrates, and needed for the senses of smell and taste. Found in Spinach, beef, shrimp, oysters, pumpkin seeds, & flax. Zinc has a more negative reaction on iron when ingested from liquid sources. Take supplements with food, and take them separately to ensure adequate absorption of both.

So what to do- Not eat these foods?

The best way to ensure adequate absorption is to 1. Eat a balanced diet, with a Variety of foods. We all have our Go-To foods, but mix it up every now and then. 2. Avoid eating Calcium rich foods/supplements within 4 hours of your iron rich meal. Same goes for Green tea and Coffee. We love a boost of caffeine culturally after our meal, but doing this will interfere with all that lovely iron. If this is a problem, make your dinner the most substantial part of your iron sources, and very important- also avoid Dairy during that meal!

Part 2 will detail recipe flips, and what nutrients help to absorb your iron. For now, get used to these small adjustments that may be difficult habits to break initially, but the payoff of having more energy, feeling healthier, and your new natural glow because there is more Oxygen flowing through your body will make it a worthwhile sacrifice. As our bodies grow older, things change, and we must adapt. With all the changes that surround us, it’s enlightening to find new ways to understand the blood that flows through our veins, and the magic that is within us.

[1] Sources: James & Bartlett, Nutrition 5th Edition, p. 422, 431, 453, 463- 492

[2] http://www.irondisorders.org/diet/

[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1600930

I constantly get this question. The one that dictates to clients, what they should cut out of their diet in order to lose weight. The go-to: Carbs. I don’t recommend this diet as one client cut out carbs for a week, and being an executive who needs energy and brain power, she found- “I couldn’t think straight” as the result. She quickly returned to her healthy diet. While I’m not promoting eating pizza as a daily dietary necessity, this one I will- balance. Life in balance.

Having been vegetarian, (pesco-uovo-lactotarian to be precise), with a social lifestyle for 4 years was quite challenging. People were constantly intrigued with what I was eating, mainly what I wasn’t eating and were alllll up in my plate. I found giving in on rare occasions saved numerous friendships, especially during the time of a cleanse when I shouldn’t have been going out, but somehow there was a birthday to celebrate every week.  Life in balance, here we go:

There are 3 main food types our body Needs in order to function properly. Let’s rewind, Food= Fuel. Those calories dictate how much fuel your system has to burn or energy to use.

Eat many calories, don’t burn them- the excess gets stored as fat.

Eat less calories, you burn them all, plus some- you lose weight.

Carbohydrates (largest amount needed), Protein (next largest), and Fat (lowest amount needed). Cutting complex carbs (Good grains- amaranth, quinoa, barley, sweet potatoes, potatoes, beans, fruit).. The main source of energy your body likes- probably not the best idea. Cutting out senseless carbs (white flours, French fries, muffins, pastries, jams/jellies, candy, added sugar) Yes! You should avoid those anyway. While on a dietary high, and wanting to achieve your weight goals, I tell clients, friends, everyone- cut out one or two things that you Should cut out and stick with it. What’s your vice? Do you eat cheese with every meal? Senseless carbs? You add sugar to your coffee/tea? There are many ways to prevent those extra calories you indulge in from entering, and still be happy and take one step closer to living much healthier.

When does your diet take an overhaul, and make everyone around you, crazy or simply, annoyed?

a. Don’t put your personal demands on others or judge others simply because their diet doesn’t match yours. This new found path feels so good you may want to share it with everyone, but take heed- they may not care. Let them ask you directly, or observe your actions without hearing you boast about it. Keep friends, it feels better than any diet will make you feel.

b. Whilst eating out, you all order a pizza and you decide to eat just the ingredients on top of the pizza- This is a bit extreme. Order a salad to avoid driving people crazy, wasting food, and most likely saving everyone’s budget as well, or better yet check out C.

c. Whilst eating out, you ask the waiter for every possible substitute that doesn’t even exist on the menu- guess what- Stop. You’re going to drive yourself and your friends crazy. Cook at home while on your dietary high to keep everyone happy, meet them for drinks or to say hi later.  No one wants to hear at a celebration why you can eat sweet potatoes, but not regular potatoes. Stop.

d. Does your exercise routine, match your diet? While diet is the main lifestyle overhaul to lose weight, exercise is the ultimate to keep those endorphins working, plus making every part of your body happy. Since carbs give you fuel, eat them earlier in the day. Keep in mind- portion control and eating clean. If you indulge one day, oh you feel guilty now? Go work it out. Exercise is the best combatant of excess calories, because it burns them! Your exercise routine will be much stronger with carbs, your muscles will recover with protein, and the fatty acids help so many processes that I’ll detail in another post.

By: Duana Soeda

Life is beautifully hectic. We give so much of ourselves, the practice of tuning in, letting go, and connecting to our bodies can suddenly become another task. A task which, we often resort to receiving from someone else. Taking care of our self becomes the last priority. We become deeply involved in loving and caring for other people in our lives, and managing many obligations such as, children, school, work, and love creating a fast-paced lifestyle. We rush everything, even our exercise routine. When we exercise, we want to sweat, we want effective moves that strengthen, and create the satisfying feeling of being sore- but are we truly achieving effective results? We may forget, the most important part of our life is how we fully connect to our mind, body, and soul in order to effectively feel grounded and optimally energized. Thus creating sustainable, longer-lasting, maximal results with minimal effort. This article, will discuss 5 key points to effectively “Tune In” to your body during exercise. Why is this important? During exercise, if we don’t properly engage our muscles, or breathe correctly, this can result in headaches, nausea, fainting, and bad form causing injuries, and over-compensation of muscles, which will lead to stored tension and stress in your bodies. Exactly the opposite of what you want to achieve from your workouts. For example, you want to work your legs, but if you’re not properly engaged, you can actually be working your neck and shoulders. You want to lift heavier, but the last thing you want to do is rush the movement without proper form. Do you know how to engage or activate your body, even without weights in your hand? Do you know how to properly breathe with your movements?  You want to fully engage so you perform the move correctly. Let’s go!

1. Close Your Eyes - By closing your eyes, this will allow your mind to stop receiving cues from the outside world. At this time your other senses will begin to take notice- You’ll smell more, you’ll feel more, the sounds you hear, and tastes will enhance. Let’s stay with feeling. Feel your body. It can be a great “mind trick” per se, to start off this way. For example: Before you begin a challenging exercise, our minds are all over the place. As soon as you close your eyes, your body molds itself into the proper position and calms down in order to effectively execute the movement. Start small, and relax into it.Open your eyes to perform and complete the set.

2. Stay Present - Be here, now! Don’t think about what’s for dinner, or what you forgot, your children, or your spouse.  Focus on your body- how it feels, how beautifully it moves, and your proper form. Focus on you and only you. Nothing else matters but this moment.

3. Proper Breathing - This is one of the most important steps. Our breath is our life force. It works in unison with our circulation and ultimately keeps our blood pumping and minds working. When our breath is “off”, we can become light-headed, dizzy, and nauseous. One of the main questions I’m asked is, “Do I breath in during the concentric phase (When muscle is contracting and executing the exercise), or during the eccentric phase (when muscle is going back to start position). To remember this, it helps to think of exercise or movement as a form of energy output. Inhale to build the force, Exhale to release the force. When you’re exerting yourself you want to assist the movement, by releasing the energy so as not to cause extra strain on the body. For example, starting small, if you’re in a seated position, and are practicing Step 1 and 2, and go to stand up- Take a breath in, and exhale on the way up to release the force you put on your body. The same goes for almost every exercise. Take your time while you learn to master your breath as to avoid headaches, and injury. With Total Body Awareness, there’s no rush.

4. Start From The Ground Up - Do you feel the ground beneath your feet? Go back to step 1, close your eyes and truly feel. Raise your toes to the ceiling and feel how your weight drifts backwards. It’s astounding how subtle movements make a significant difference. Feeling the ground beneath your feet when performing exercises, will begin the process of allowing your entire body to activate. For example, at home or at your desk, while sitting with knees at a 90 degree angle close your eyes, stay present, and push your feet deep into the ground without really moving them. All you’re doing is pushing your feet into the floor. Feel how your spine and height begins to grow taller- This is the effect of activation.  Try this for 5 breaths. Inhale relax, exhale activate and squeeze your muscles.

5. Open Up - Continuing with step 4, let’s include the main checkpoints now; Hips, core, neck and shoulders, jaw, and your 3rd eye. Come standing, feet hip-width apart. Eyes closed, staying present, connect your feet with the ground, standing tall. Bring the energy upward, feel your thighs, feel your hips. Bring your pelvis forward as to open your hips- your glutes will squeeze here aka activate. Continue upwards to your belly, suck your belly in- navel toward your spine, this will activate your inner core muscles aka intrinsic stabilizers. Continue upwards to your shoulders and neck, raise your shoulders to the sky, bring them back, and drop them down. This will open your chest and your heart. Going up, relax the jaw, and keep chin parallel to the floor with the crown of your head as the highest point. Keeping your eyes closed, and look upwards at the point between your eyebrows, at your 3rd eye. Your heels, hips, and shoulders will fall into the same line. This is also your proper posture. Relax into it. Practice this move daily, or at least 3 times a week.

Form