Probiotics and why drinks like Yakult are a waste of money.

At the moment one of the favourite marketing buzzwords is 'probiotic' and we are constantly bombarded with information and messages telling us that we need 'healthy' or 'friendly' bacteria in order to remain fit and healthy. Every other yoghurt in the supermarket is probiotic now and there is a huge market for the little probiotic drinks that you should take daily to improve your digestion and therefore immune system. The marketing has been comprehensive and as a result many hundreds of thousands of us dutifully drink our mini yoghurt drinks each day, thinking we can't function without it and so the millions of $$$$ roll in for the big food and pharmaceutical companies.

So, this raises a number of questions........ 1) What is a probiotic, and do we need a probiotic at all? ...and.... 2) Are drinks like Yakult actually any good for us?

1) Most people don't realise that about 80% of our immune system is actually contained in our gut, and therefore maintaining a healthy gut is crucial to your whole health and wellbeing. In the gut we have many billions of bacteria and enzymes that deal with any external bacteria, viruses or bugs that are ingested, as well as ensuring that we properly digest the foods we eat, fully absorbing all of the nutrients available. Clearly, without a healthy gut full of these good bacteria we won't be properly nourished, or properly protected from disease and illness.

Unfortunately for us, one of the side effects of modern life with its chemicals, convenience foods and poor diets is that the average British gut is not in a god way! It is lacking in good bacteria, is usually inflamed from all of the grain and low quality dairy products as well as the lack of raw fruit and veg, not to mention the damage done by cola, alcohol and other products. This partially explains how many people suffer from food allergies, IBS, and various vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Therefore, I believe the vast majority of the population would certainly benefit from supplementing their diet with a good quality probiotic. This view is supported by many doctors and nutritionists and people in similar fields. A good example is that a large scale trial has just been completed in the UK where hospital patients were all given a daily probiotic tablet for the entire duration of their stay, and it was so successful in preventing the spread of bugs and infection that it is being considered as a standard procedure for all British hospitals.

2) So, if we should all be taking a probiotic, then should we all be drinking Yakult and eating probiotic yoghurt daily? In my opinion, the answer is NO. Take a look at the information below that I cut and pasted from the Yakult website just now.....

Yakult

Ingredients: water, skimmed milk (reconstituted), glucose-fructose syrup, sugar, maltodextrin, flavouring, contains Lactobacillus casei Shirota.

	Per 100ml	Per bottle (65ml)
Energy	280.0kJ / 66.0 kcal	182.0kJ / 42.9 kcal
Protein	1.3g	0.9g
Carbohydrate	14.7 g	9.6 g
of which sugars	14.2 g	9.2 g
Fat	< 0.1 g	< 0.1 g
of which saturates	< 0.1 g	< 0.1 g
Fibre	0 g	0 g
Sodium	0.02 g	0.01 g

Contains 10¹⁰ (10 billion)Lactobacillus casei Shirota per 100ml when refrigerated (6.5 billion per bottle).

First, let us look at the ingredients:

Water - no problems.

Reconstituted skimmed milk - first of all this is low quality pasteurised and homogenised dairy that has been skimmed into little more than lactose water, and it has effectively been taken apart and put back together again in food processing. Do you really think your body will recognise this as a nutritious and available food or will it actually cause you inflammation and possible allergy?

Glucose-fructose syrup - basically sugar broken down into different parts and formed into a syrup making it very quick to be absorbed and very high GI, meaning a blood sugar spike and fat storage.

Sugar and Maltodextrin - more of the same, but maltodextrin is actually a very starchy product that closely resembles sugar.

Flavouring - this could be anything?!?! Are you willing to trust them no to fill this product with cheap, unsafe chemicals to make them more money, because I am not!

Finally, the actual bacteria which is listed at the bottom of the page as being a count of about 6.5 billion. Whilst this sounds like a lot, it is actually only about half of the amount found in the quality probiotic supplements recommended by informed doctors and experts in the field. Most recommend a daily intake in the region of 12 billion bacteria, and at times of illness or stress, up to 25 billion per day is taken.

The bottom line is that these drinks are only minimally effective at improving gut health due to the low numbers of bacteria, and that any benefit is mostly out weighed by the large amount of fattening and unhealthy sugar. Just look at the table above and tell me that is a good way to start your day with 9g of quickly absorbed carbohydrate. especially for a child! Don't believe the marketing hype, there is another way.......

A simple, daily capsule will provide all that you need to support your body's needs. Look for about 12 billion bacteria per dose and take a dose daily with a meal. You can also help your gut by cutting out crap processed foods and eating more raw vegetables.

Here are some useful links to expand your knowledge:

This is what I use and recommend:

https://www.philrichardsperformance.co.uk/index.php/digestive-health/probioticgut-health.html

Dr Briffa's blog containing many article relevant to probiotics:

http://www.drbriffa.com/?s=probiotic&h=

Also read anything by Dr Nigel Plummer.

Stay Strong

Ben

Paleo Porridge

A common issue that arises with bootcampers and PT clients alike is that when going onto a Paleo diet, they really miss 'stodgy' foods like porridge which many people tend to have for breakfast. Here is a great alternative to porridge, using super healthy chia seeds instead of oats.

Soak 3 to 4 heaped table spoons of organic, raw chia in coconut/almond milk for 5-10 minutes so that they soak up a lot of the liquid and swell up, like in the picture. Then add some fresh vanilla, some berries and a few nuts and you have a super healthy, and rather stodgy breakfast.

If you are interested in trying the Paleo diet then why not come along to a free talk: The Paleo Diet for Fat Loss and Health, being held on 21st and 23rd of Feb 2012 from 8pm in Ealing Common and Brook Green respectively. Please email ben@trilogybootcamp.com for more info or if you would like to attend.

Stay Strong

Ben

Buzzwords: Antioxidants

You often hear people talking about how this food or that food is high in antioxidants, but how many people actually know what that means? You may know that it is a good thing and that they tend to be found in healthy, natural foods like berries, but beyond that, most people don't understand the big deal about this health buzzword, so here is a quick rundown.

As your body uses oxygen to produce energy for everyday tasks including exercise it has the effect of oxidising cells in your body, causing oxidative stress and damage. When the body is under oxidative stress it produces chemically reactive molecules called 'free radicals' that cause damage to otherwise healthy cells as well as being linked with chronic conditions like cancer and heart disease. It has also been shown that exposure to air pollution 9running in a city for example) will cause increased free radical production. As the name would suggest, antioxidants are effectively the antidote to these free radicals , preventing and repairing the damage that they do, therefore protecting you from disease, and aiding in recovery post-exercise. It is therefore crucial to include adequate antioxidants in your diet to deal with free radical production, especially when training hard.

Some antioxidants that can be found in your diet:

Vitamins A, C, and E

Selenium

Polyphenols

Lutein

Lycopene

Sources of antioxidants:

Berries, especially blueberries.

Fresh fruit

Dark green leafy veg

Nuts

The bottom line is that a balanced paleo diet, rich in vegetables with some fruit and berries is a healthy way to live long term and will support your antioxidant needs without further supplementation.

Stay Strong

Ben

Course: Reclaim Your Health

On 25/26 Feb 2012 I will be attending a 2 day seminar just outside London that I am really excited about. It is organised and led by Phil Richards, a world renowned strength and conditioning coach and expert on nutrition and health.

I am attending for a number of reasons.....

1, To make sure that me and my family are as healthy as possible.

2, To help improve my strength and performance across a number of different sports.

3, To ensure that the advice and training that I give my clients is the best available.

I will let you know how it goes and maybe blog about some of the more interesting topics for you.

Stay Strong - I will!

Am I getting Enough Calcium on a Paleo Diet?

Recently a few bootcampers, new to Paleo and enjoying the way it made them feel asked about whether or not it provides enough calcium as there is no dairy allowed on a strict paleo diet. It is of particular concern to women of a certain age who are, quite rightly, concerned about their bone density.

The very short answer is that a well rounded paleo diet WILL provide plenty of calcium from other sources other than dairy, however it is not as simple as that, and here are the reasons why.......

1) Cow's milk (dairy) is designed to grow a calf into a full grown cow in a little under 1 year, and to support such extreme and speedy growth, it is about 4 times as mineral rich as human breast milk. This, combined with the low quality of the majority of mainstream dairy products mean that it is very hard to absorb the calcium that we are consuming and it can put an additional strain on the kidneys as a result.

2) Even if you consume plenty of calcium, if your diet is crap, you will excrete it all out and often lose bone mass/density as well. In a nutshell our blood should be alkaline, but when we eat a crap diet and exercise too much it can become acidic. The body will always try and achieve balance, and to balance the pH of the blood, it will take calcium (which is alkaline) from the bones and teeth to adjust the blood to a more healthy alkaline state. This calcium is then excreted through urine and your bones are less dense as a result.

3) In a similar way to point 2, you need to eat foods that allow you to properly absorb the calcium in your diet. The key is vitamin D, which many people in the UK are deficient in, leading to poor bone health. Vitamin D can be found in oily fish and liver, however the best way of getting your dose is from the sun. By exposing your skin to UV rays your body will actually produce its own vitamin D, allowing you to absorb calcium amongst other things.

4) Here is a list of paleo food that contain calcium:

Kale, Broccoli, Almonds, Brazils, Watercress, Sesame Seeds, Figs, Salmon with bones in when cooked.

5) Finally, research suggests that caffeine and smoking may also reduce calcium absorption.

To sign up to Trilogy Bootcamp where we prescribe a paleo diet for amazing results, just visit:

WWW.TRILOGYBOOTCAMP.COM

Stay Strong

Ben