Posts Tagged ‘supplement’
The majority of people have a problem with weight. There are billions of people who are overweight or obese, and many of them are either starting, in the middle of, or giving up on a diet at the start of every day. Because weight is one of the most important health risks for a number of conditions, it is important to make sure that everything that can possibly be done is. While some weight gain or inability to lose weight may be linked to medical conditions, it is often more likely a problem related to diet and/or lack of exercise. Of course, there is the age old excuse that some people love to give for their weight gain: slow metabolism.
Metabolism is how your body uses the food that you eat or drink to create energy. During the process, the body creates heat based on what kind of foods is being digested. This process is called thermogenesis, which accounts for about ten percent of the calories that are burned each day. Carbohydrates raise the level of thermogenesis 10%, fats a mere 3%, and proteins raise this heat level by 30%. Only alcohol raises thermogenesis higher than protein. What most people fail to realize is that they are still burning calories while they are sitting on the couch and while they are sleeping. They burn calories to keep the heart (a muscle, after all) pumping and to keep their other systems moving along. The number of calories you use just sitting still is called the “basal metabolic rate” and can be influenced by:
- Body size and composition: the bigger that you are the more calories that you burn. Those who are heavily muscled will burn more calories than those who are just overweight or very tall, however. A single pound of muscle burns between 40 and 120 calories a day just by existing. A single pound of fat burns only 1 to 3 calories per day. (Source: Roizen and Oz. 2006)
- Sex: Men tend to have less body fat and more muscle, which means they typically burn more calories than women.
- Age: The amount of muscle tends to decrease as you age, which slows calorie burning as well.
Jayla and her husband Johnnie both reluctantly admit that they are overweight, however, they were shocked to learn that they are more than that – they are both clinically obese. In addition, Jayla has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and is diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Johnnie also has high blood pressure and high cholesterol and is showing signs of arterial blockage. Both are far too young to be in this type of shape and the doctor is mortified at their condition.
Johnnie and Jayla are both smokers in addition to being obese, making them even higher risks for a number of serious health conditions and diseases. Johnnie thinks that the problem is a recent knee surgery (which he might not have needed had he been at a normal weight), while Jayla is blaming a slowed metabolism.
The first thing that the doctor does is calculate the right basal metabolic rate (BMR) for the couple and then determines how many calories they first, need to eat to maintain their current weight and then second, how many calories they should eliminate from their diet to start a slow and steady weight loss process. In addition, the doctor shows them how they can start exercising to get their metabolism revved up into higher gear. He will also explain that Johnnie’s weight loss might go faster than Jayla’s simply because of their gender.
The more they work out, the more calories they will burn. As they increase lean muscle mass, they will also raise their metabolism.
Johnny starts on a healthy diet as directed by the doctor and includes a protein supplement, Profect, from Protica, which he uses on the way to the golf course. He has taken the doctor’s suggestion and no longer uses a cart so that he gets additional exercise while out on the links. He has cut out the loaded salt and fatty junk foods that made up the bulk of his diet and increased the fruits and vegetables that he eats. He would love to say that he is not smoking, but that is the next step in his process.
Jayla, on the other hand, is an all or nothing kind of girl. There is no slow and steady diet plan for her, no losing a pound or two a week and making gains in her overall health. She starts a fad diet, one that leaves her starving most of the time, cranky, and too tired to get up and exercise. Because she is taking several medications, weight loss is a little tougher on her, but her diet plan is not helping. She loses five pounds in the first week but at the beginning of the second, she is driven to a feeding frenzy during a weak moment and regains not only the five but an additional two pounds. In addition, because she is so hungry and edgy, she is smoking more than she ever has.
She returns to the doctor, who suggests that she try to add more fruits and vegetables and to include Profect in her diet as well so that she is not starving from one meal to the next and may have enough energy to work out in some way. She may only be able to walk a few blocks at first, but she will eventually be able to work her way up and should set small goals for herself along with rewards when she meets them. These rewards should definitely be non-food, and she should work to establish guidelines that she can use when she is eating out with friends and family as well as for her lunch that she takes at work.
In addition to Profect, which gives her a full 25 grams of protein but only 100 calories, Jayla is encouraged to add plant-based proteins, which can help her lose up to 50% more weight than if she did not eat them. (Source: First For Women, 2010) Studies published in nutrition reviews also suggest that a protein-based detoxification plan may help women to lose an additional 15% of body fat as well.
After a month of trying to eat well, using Profect and adding more exercise, the couple returns to the doctor. Jayla is down by 15 pounds and is no longer considered to be pre-diabetic. Her blood pressure is still higher than what is normal, but is definitely coming down. Her cholesterol levels are looking better as well. Johnnie has lost 30 pounds in this month and has improved his cholesterol level, his blood pressure and his golf score. He is working on not smoking anymore and will continue on his weight loss which he has started.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein bullets for immunodeficiency patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright
Recent studies have shown that eating a diet that is high in protein is an excellent part of treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Anumantha Kanthasamy, professor of biomedical sciences at the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, has been working on this theory regarding the disease, and believes that protein can be a part of the cure.
The research that Kanthasamy has done shows that there is a definite lack of dopamine, a chemical in the brain, in Parkinson’s patients. This research also shows that there is a certain protein (protein kinase-C) that kills the brain cells that produce dopamine. It is recommended that patients be on a low-protein diet. They still need protein in order to survive, but they must make sure that they are following a doctor-recommended diet and eating the right proteins.
Getting the Protein You Need from Your Diet
There are a number of ways that Parkinson’s patients can get the protein that they need in their diets without getting too much. There are many delicious dietary sources, as well as a number of protein supplements, including liquid and powdered supplements.
Protein in Meat, Poultry and Fish – Lean red meat, white meat poultry and fish are all excellent sources of protein, as well as a number of other vitamins and nutrients that are essential when it comes to renal care. In fact, these foods are some of the richest sources of protein that you can find.
Turkey contains 28 grams of protein per hundred gram serving, and lean beef contains 25 grams of protein. A delicious cod fillet has 22 grams of protein per hundred gram serving, and good old tuna in oil contains 26 grams of protein.
Proteins from Nuts and Seeds – This is another terrific way for vegetarians with renal troubles to get the protein that they need in their diets. Nuts are filled with protein, and as long as you are not allergic to nuts, they should be incorporated into your renal care diet. Some tasty, protein-rich nuts are cashews, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds and sunflower seeds. Also, hemp seed is a great source of protein and is also full of antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients.
Proteins from Grains – There are many delicious meals that you can make from grains that are high in protein, and these meals can be vegetarian or with meat included. One of the more popular grains that is quite protein-rich is brown rice, which goes great with many different meats and other foods. Barley is also a high-protein grain that should be a part of your renal care diet, and when added to homemade chicken soup, the amount of protein that you get is often as much as doubled.
Protein Supplements – Parkinson’s patients who are not getting enough protein from dietary sources can use any number of the terrific protein supplements that are available. There are liquid supplements that can act as meal replacements and powdered supplements that can be incorporated into shakes and other recipes. One popular protein supplement is Profect, by Protica. This supplement provides 25 grams of protein and has only 100 calories per 2.9 fluid ounce serving.
Parkinson’s and Protein: A Case Study
Sam was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease several years ago. So far, his medications have kept his symptoms fairly at bay, but he is concerned. He is very interested in watching any and all developments regarding the research for this disease. He also enjoys reading about Michael J. Fox as he deals with the disease himself. Sam works with his doctor and nutritionist for a meal plan that keeps him as healthy as possible and also keeps his medications working properly. For instance, he has learned to time his largest protein meals for after his medications are taken so that they do not interfere with one another.
In addition to good nutrition that is properly timed, Sam is being encouraged to get exercise and try to stay as active as possible. He has also joined a support group so that he can stay positive and focused.
Another thing that he will be doing is adding Profect, a protein supplement from Protica, into his diet, both as a between-meal snack and occasionally just before a meal. It is easy-to-consume and comes in a variety of flavors so that he can switch them around as he needs. The benefit of Protica is the ability to mix it with other foods or beverages if one would like to.
Sam will monitor his health and watch for signs that his symptoms are returning or progressing. He will go to the doctor at regular intervals so that he can keep his strength and his health at the level that it is at this point. He discusses tips and health hints with his support group and waits hopefully for a cure or a better treatment plan.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein drinks for bariatric patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright
Getting the right amount of protein in the diet is important, however, it is not always all that simple. The average person is busy running errands, working long hours away from home and not taking the time to take proper care of themselves. There is little doubt that there are millions of people who need to get better control of their diets. There are 34 million people who qualify as obese in the United States. (Source: www.med.Stanford.edu) There are a number of conditions that are caused or worsened by being overweight, including:
- Cardiovascular disease, which kills over 16 million people per year worldwide. 30% of all deaths every year are directly related to this killer, with stroke and heart attack the two leading causes. In the US, cardiovascular disease causes 40% of all deaths. (Source: Natural News)
- Some cancers list obesity as one of the major risk factors. These include colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic, kidney, gallbladder, ovarian, cervical, liver, prostate and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The risk of death from these cancers is higher with a higher BMI as well. (Source: Ammer, 2005)
- Diabetes
- Gall bladder disease
- Psychological issues related to the weight, including low self esteem.
There are diets that are suggested by doctors as well as diets that are found online, in books and from a number of magazines. Some of these diets are not well-researched or studied, not safe and most of all not effective for the long term. It is important to keep in mind that a healthy, well-rounded diet includes all of the food groups, has the right level of all of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat and protein) and ensures that all vitamin needs are met every day. A good diet plan has enough calories to keep the metabolism high without sending the body into a state of ketosis.
Using a liquid protein supplement shot, like Profect from Protica, is also a good choice, especially for those who do not want to or cannot use whey protein.
The Benefits of Whey Protein
Adding whey protein powder to the diet can be advantageous not only as a weight loss tool, but also for the many additional health benefits that can be realized with it. Whey powder is derived from milk, a byproduct of cheese. It contains lacto globulin, alpha-lactalbumin and serum albumin, making it perfect for pregnant women. It is also the highest food source of branched chain amino acids (BCAA), which have the advantage of being the only amino acids to metabolize directly to muscle tissue. These are used first for exercise and resistance training. Whey protein is also an excellent source of leucine (which is also needed for muscle growth.) Leucine is an amino acid that has been shown to decrease body fat. Finally, whey has glutathione, an antioxidant that is an important part of the healthy immune system.
Benefits of whey protein:
- Improves blood vessel function
- Helps insulin work better in the body and also helps to maintain a stable blood sugar level after meals
- Helps the optimal intake of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals
- Helps to preserve lean muscle mass
- Maintains the blood pressure within normal limits
- The whey-derived peptide NOP-47 increases vascular function
(Source: Mercola 2009)
Additional Benefits for Weight Loss
Whey has little or no fat and carbs. It has several benefits for weight loss, starting with its ability to stabilize the blood glucose. When the body digests food it is converted to glucose to be used for energy. If the body does not need the energy at that time, the glucose will be stored as fat and the body will gain weight. The faster that the body digests food, the more the blood sugar level will be raised, leading to a flood of insulin. Insulin is like the traffic cop, deciding where blood sugar has to go. If there is too much sugar and too much insulin, there will be more weight gain. It is a simple formula. Whey protein also helps to lower the amount of hunger that is felt by the body by releasing two hunger-suppressing hormones, cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucogon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Whey protein shows a greater impact on satiety than casein, which is found in milk.
Whey Protein
There are two forms of whey protein: concentrate and isolate. The concentrate is the most common and usually less expensive of the two and contains between 30-85% protein. The isolate is 90% protein and has less fat and less lactose. A person who is lactose intolerant may be able to handle the whey protein isolate in some cases. Whey protein is appropriate for those who follow a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, but is not for vegans.
Whey Protein for Athletes
Whey protein is an excellent resource to enhance muscle recovery after a workout and prevent muscle breakdown. Glycogen in the body is stored as energy in the muscle and helps the muscles to retain water. During exercise, the muscle burns carbohydrates for fuel first because fat and protein cannot be burned fast enough to keep up with the demands. After the workout is completed, the muscle will continue to burn energy for up to 24 hours. During this time, if there is not a new protein source, the muscles will be broken down for fuel, leading to a loss of lean muscle mass. (Source: Quinn 2007)
Using Whey Protein Powder
Before buying a huge canister of whey protein powder, it is better to try a smaller container first (even though it will be more expensive this way) to make sure that you can tolerate the taste and that there is no allergic reaction. Whey can be a problem for those who are lactose intolerant, however, there might be a lesser problem if you stick to powders that are labeled as a whey protein isolate rather than concentrate.
When you find the right kind, make sure that you are using it correctly. For instance, some whey protein powders should be mixed with nonfat or low fat milk, while some can be mixed with water.
If you have any questions about whey protein powder and its use, you should discuss them with a nutritionist. In addition, before starting any kind of supplement, you should discuss the need for it with your own physician.
Drawbacks of Protein
One of the drawbacks of protein is the allergy potential, especially for those who are lactose intolerant. Some people may also find that the taste is not tolerable to them at all. Make sure that you are still following the protein guidelines when using any supplement so that you do not exceed the safe intake level from both food and supplements. In addition, an extremely high level of whey protein can cause liver damage. (Source: Be Well @ Stanford 2009)
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein drinks for dialysis patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright
Remember George and Jane Jetson? These fictional cartoon characters had two children, a dog “Astro” and the somewhat obsolete robot, Rosie. By all accounts, Jane was an excellent wife and mother, but we are led to believe that she never slaved over a hot stove cooking meals; she simply pressed a button and dinner was ready. On occasion we saw her son, Elroy, zoom in and consume an entire meal by ingesting a pill no larger than a normal vitamin before zooming out again.
Elroy’s out-of-this-world approach to meals looks like the prescription for today’s fast-paced world. One innovative company is hard at work bringing this fiction to life. Protica Inc. researches and manufactures innovative neutraceuticals, better understood as nourishing foods with medicinal properties. Currently their flagship product is Profect, a capsulized protein and spectrum vitamin supplement with a meal-sized portion delivered in three fluid ounces.
As early as the 1950′s, capsulized food in its early form was being developed but it only had novelty value at that time. Although it may have contained all of the essential nutrition, it was heartily rejected by the majority of tasters mainly for psychological and sociological reasons. It contradicted everything that people had come to relish about conventional eating. Here was a meal that you either had to suck from a tube or consume as a series of pills and wash down with a drink. To accept such an approach wholesale would mean rejecting all of the social norms that had developed over centuries. The very standardization of the new product meant that variable taste and experience would disappear with the skill of cooking.
These findings were amplified during the space program of the 60′s. Pill meals were developed for the astronauts and although there was a degree of choice they rebelled against such clinical food. Things came to a head when John W Young smuggled a corned beef sandwich aboard Gemini 3 proving how important the familiar can be in an alien environment.
By all accounts the early capsules of food were hideous both in flavor and texture. So, has anything changed in the last 40 years? Food technologists have been toiling away quietly through the years of anti-this and anti-that. Any processed food has come in for a vast amount of criticism over the past two to three decades, especially from the complementary therapy culture. Their main argument appears to center around the fact that our bodies are designed to handle foods unaltered in any way, and to deprive our cell structures of any of this variety will cause disease. Unfortunately for the anti-processors, there is a growing pressure in our society to spend less time on certain meals. The utopia of unprocessed foods for everyone at every meal- and snack-break is just unworkable.
The answer for most truckers, salesmen and women, mobile technicians, and time-pushed office and care workers is just about any fast food that is available. Why? Because it is there, it’s palatable, has a good texture and a delicious flavor. Forget the fact that it is high in saturated fats and carbohydrates, it’s what the astronauts wanted and it’s what we all want whether we set aside five minutes or fifty minutes to eat.
So, in essence, this is where much of the food technology dollar has been spent: how to make the basic nutrition pack palatable with good texture and flavor. Solve this nutty problem and perhaps those same stressed cogs in the machine will choose a healthier and more nutritious option.
At Protica Research, they believe they have cracked the code. Not only can they compress more protein into a small measure than any comparable product, they have developed, in Actinase, a neutral organoleptic profile which in layman’s terms means that a panel of testers thought it had no perceptible taste or aroma. This means that heavy flavors and sweeteners are not necessary in the formulation of Profect. Add to this a shelf life without refrigeration that turns brown chocolate bars white and burgers green and you have a real competitor to Jetson’s meal pills that a fussy kid like Elroy might enjoy.
The Jetson cartoon series was first conceived by Hanna-Barbera in 1962 at a time when McDonalds had already been around for 14 years, KFC franchises abounded, and the concept of micro meals was fanciful and a sure-fire laughter maker. We may not yet be whizzing around in jet cars or dealing with dysfunctional domestic robots, but for the present-day, highway-bound sales representative or the much-hassled mobile computer technician, the ability to re-fuel their bodies nutritiously and energize themselves in a couple of mouthfuls is now a reality. No longer do they need to fill up using messy calorie-rich fast foods or sticky candy bars when they know there is a palatable vial of Profect in the glove-box.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein drinks for weight loss surgery patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright
For most individuals, the concept of capsulized food usually conjures up images of space travelers ingesting meals condensed into a compact pill. However, in modern-day reality, things are quite different. Capsulized foods are amoung the most revolutionary nutritional developments in recent memory, and will quickly turn out to be a significant – and highly valued – concept throughout the healthy eating community.
To understand what capsulized foods are and how they’re positively changing the way in which the world eats, it is useful to see the problem that capsulized foods are designed to solve. In a word, the issue is that we lack.
Despite the rising awareness of eating healthy, most attempts to offer people with healthy measl and nutritional products suffer from some type of ‘lack’.
Many foods lack convenience. Many foods aren’t packaged for convenience. Those that are convenient are oftentimes heavily processed and full of artificial ingredients. Preparing meals takes a huge amount of time out of one’s day.
Portability also determines convenience. A full course meal often can’t fit into a lunch box. Though a full-course meal might provide the right amount of low glycemic carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, and complete proteins, it’s usually tethered to the kitchen table.
There is a scarcity of sources. Our world is abundant with natural and processed foods. We do not understand how to combine these foods in a healthy way. The choices we have might not have products that fit our needs. Whether one is on a low carbohydrate, low fat, or isometric diet, finding the right foods and incorporating them into our daily lifestyle requires effort.
Nutrient-density is also lacking. The nutrition within a given food gets lesser as you get more processed. A soft pretzel weighs 60 grams yet it has an extremely low density of nutrition where as an egg weighing 60 grams is extraordinarily nutritious. Processed foods provide less nutritional value that vegetables and fruit. Processed foods do, however, provide dense nutrition in a small amount. The challenge is in identifying the foods that are rich in nutrients versus the foods that are not.
It is within this situation of that capsulized foods provide real eating solutions. Sometimes referred to as “compact liquid foods,” capsulized foods are extraordinarily portable, require no preparation time at all, and travel easily because of their small, durable, and lightweight containers. At the same time, capsulized foods are liquefied, which allows them to be quickly consumed. This is ideal for those struggling to sit down at the dinner table. Capsulized foods are also extraordinarily rich in nutrients, and in fact provide the highest nutritional value per fluid ounce of any food product on the market. They also help solve all the lackings that our current dieting system has in a cost-efficient way.
Capsulized foods also deal with the issue of flavor [i].
Research has confirmed that nutritional supplements of any kind will simply not have a lasting impact if taste is not a main design consideration. True, while individuals are prepared to tolerate foul-tasting cough medicine, they only do so because the frequency is a couple of occasions per year. Eating is something we do at least three to five times a day. Capsulized food has suffered because of this fact. It was only until recently that producers truly understood that when they developed capsulized food that taste is the key to their success.
Capsulized foods are able to provide a complete array of macro and micronutrients. This permits consumers to go from hungry to satiated, and from undernourished to nourished in less than five seconds. They also usually contain around 100-200 calories and are great for those making an attempt to maintain their weight or who are on a calorie-reduced diet.
The defining target market for nutritional supplements is no longer elite athletes, but the millions of everyday people who have been exposed, some since birth, to sugary cereals, fast foods, potato chips, candy bars, and caffeinated soft drinks [ii]. This broad group of consumers is interested in healthy choices, however has proven its absolute power in punishing products that fail to reach the lofty bar set by taste buds. Consumers also want something convenient, which is where capusulized foods come in.
Eaters can now, through capsulized foods, benefit from the convenience, portability, nutritional-density, and taste that they have demanded for decades. This is extraordinarily helpful to today’s and future generations to come.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: “Taste Matters”. AFIC. http://www.afic.org/Taste Matters.htm
[ii] Source: “Sports Drinks and Energy Bars: Fuelling the Couch Potato”. Kalorama Information. http://www.kaloramainformation.com/editor/viewcontent.asp?prid=373
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein drinks for renal care patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright