Fitness & Wellness

What Genetic Predispositions Increase The Risk Of Becoming Obese?

What Genetic Predispositions Increase The Risk Of Becoming Obese?

Published by on July 15, 2023 | Leave a response

If you’re like many people in Livermore, CA, you’ve heard the latest scientific discovery linking a genetic factor to the potential of becoming obese. While genetic makeup dramatically affects your future, it doesn’t seal your fate. A predisposition means you must work harder and be more careful with your diet and other lifestyle options. Scientists recently analyzed human genome sections affecting body weight in four hundred thousand people. The people in the top 10% containing those markers were 25 times more likely to become severely obese than those in the bottom 10%.

It doesn’t mean you have to become obese.

Even if you have all the markers of obesity, your lifestyle plays an important role. While it doesn’t seem fair, people with the genetic markers of obesity have to be more careful and live a healthier lifestyle than those that don’t have the markers. It also doesn’t mean that someone with few genetic markers can avoid obesity if they live only on pastry, snack food, and other foods high in empty calories.

Your lifestyle plays a critical role.

There’s always been a debate about nature vs nurture. Which one plays the most important role in all facets of life? For obesity, it looks like it’s a 50/50 split. You inherit the genes that provide a predisposition to obesity, but after that, it’s your lifestyle that determines your outcome. It explains why two people in the same family can have very different body shapes and weights.

Just because you have a genetic predisposition toward obesity, it doesn’t make it bad.

Genes linked to excess body fat may protect the body from other health issues. Scientists also discovered 62 sections of markers that were associated with both a lower risk of heart disease and a higher risk of excess body fat. There was a difference between healthy fat cells and unhealthy ones. The key was the fat created, how the fat was distributed, and the regulation of inflammation and energy. It explains why about 45% of the people who are obese maintain healthy blood pressure, lipid levels, and glucose levels and remain relatively healthy.

  • Even if you don’t have genetic markers for obesity, you aren’t out of the woods. In the study of genetics, people without the genetic markers of obesity still developed it. That places the burden back on lifestyle.
  • Early childhood plays a role, particularly when it comes to health interventions. It doesn’t mean adults can’t change their future. It’s just easier when you learn healthier options early in life.
  • Even if you do have the genetic markers to improve heart health, people with obesity face a 72% higher risk for diabetes, increase the risk of high blood pressure by 38%, and are 34% more likely to develop heart failure.
  • Our personal trainers at LIV Fitness can help you develop a personalized plan for a healthier life, whether you have a predisposition to obesity or not. It’s all about you, your goals, and present fitness level.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in , ,
What Are The Most Energizing Foods, And Why?

What Are The Most Energizing Foods, And Why?

Published by on July 5, 2023 | Leave a response

It’s three in the afternoon and you’re wiped out. Is it time to grab a candy bar or drink a cup of coffee? The answer is a resounding no. While those types of energizing foods give a quick boost, they only provide that boost for a short time, then the dip in energy goes even lower. Real energizing food gives sustained energy that diminishes slowly. Carbohydrates provide quick energy and simple carbs immediately boost blood sugar levels. Complex carbs digest slower, as do proteins and fats.

Fiber slows the rush of carbohydrates.

When you eat a carbohydrate high in fiber, the fiber slows the glucose absorption. Fiber helps provide a longer energy boost. Chickpeas provide energy. They’re high in protein and contain both fiber and carbs. They also have a wealth of nutrients, including iron. Make those energizing chickpeas into hummus and dip sweet red peppers. The vitamin C in sweet red peppers boosts the absorption of iron.

Grab a handful of nuts or eat a hard-boiled egg instead of a donut.

You’ll get the boost of protein that keeps your body energized longer. Add a slice of whole-grain toast or bread to make the boost even quicker. If you want an easier solution, eat a handful of nuts or nut butter on whole wheat toast or bread. Combining nut butter protein with the fiber and carbohydrates of the bread helps keep blood sugar levels. If the nuts are walnuts, that’s even better. Walnuts can improve cognitive functioning.

Make a yogurt combo.

A banana has sugar, but it also has fiber that slows digestion and reduces spikes. So do berries and Greek yogurt. As mentioned previously, nuts, especially walnuts, are also good options. When you combine those all in a parfait, you’ll get a satisfying treat that can boost your energy for hours. Only use the unflavored yogurt, since the others are high in simple sugars that spike glucose levels. For the healthiest option, use yogurt with live cultures.

  • If you want to boost your energy, drink a glass of water. Even mild dehydration can make you feel tired. If drinking water helps your flagging energy, sip on water throughout the day to prevent fatigue before it occurs.
  • Start your day with oatmeal to keep you going strong throughout the day. Oatmeal is loaded with fiber and includes protein. Top it with nut butter, blueberries, or other fruit to improve that boost and add flavor.
  • You’ll be surprised how sweet beets can taste when you steam them with the skin on and slide it off right before you eat them. Beets offer loads of fiber and nutrients. Drinking beet juice can also keep you going strong during high-intensity exercise.
  • A cup of coffee is a well-known energy booster, but tea, especially green tea, can also keep you running strong. There is less caffeine in tea and the L-theanine buffers the caffeine, preventing the jitters and the sudden drop in energy.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in ,
Will Exercise Help Me Burn More Fat?

Will Exercise Help Me Burn More Fat?

Published by on June 25, 2023 | Leave a response

If you live in Livermore, CA, you probably see people running or doing yoga at the beach. Exercise has become a way of life for some. Others are just starting. They begin for various reasons. People may want to build their stamina, lower their blood pressure, or burn more fat. Are all of those things possible? It depends on the goal and the exercise you’re doing, especially for fat burning.

You’ll burn tons of calories when you do cardio, but will you burn fat?

There is no doubt about it, you’ll burn some fat when you do cardio, but you’ll also burn some lean muscle mass. That’s because cardio uses both lean muscle mass and fat to get the calories necessary. While you’ll lose weight, it won’t change your body composition. You’ll have the same proportions of fat to muscle but weigh less. If fat burning is your goal, you need some cardio for endurance, but it’s not the ultimate answer.

Strength building is perfect for fat burning.

Just like cardio, strength-building exercises require a lot of calories. Unlike cardio, the body uses fat to get those calories and builds muscle tissue at the same time. The more muscle tissue you have, the easier it is to lose weight since muscle tissue requires more calories than fat tissue does to maintain. Strength training also continues to burn fat after you quit. It burns extra calories for up to 48 hours after you end your exercise session to get the body back to a steady state condition. It burns an extra 10 calories every hour, but since it can last up to 48 hours, it can add up to a significant number.

HIIT workouts are a way to do exercises that burn fat, not a type of exercise.

HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. It’s a simple method that can maximize your exercise time. You modify your intensity throughout the workout, going from high intensity to moderate recovery and back to high intensity. HIIT boosts the body into higher metabolism and studies show that burns more fat than steady-state workouts, even though both are important. It allows you to work at high-intensity effort longer and you can use it with any type of exercise, even walking.

  • Using kettlebells can provide a fat-burning option that’s also fun. Kettlebells provide balance, flexibility, endurance, and strength training all in one and burn lots of calories.
  • Vary your workout to increase the fat and calories you burn. You’ll maximize the benefit when you vary your workout regularly. When the body becomes too efficient at a workout, it doesn’t burn as many calories.
  • Don’t forget a healthy diet with plenty of protein to build muscle. You can workout long hours and still not burn fat if you’re eating more calories than you burn. The calories in some junk foods are far higher than the number you’ll burn working out.
  • Hydrate and get adequate sleep. Your body needs rest to heal muscles after a tough workout. Lack of sleep can also cause a hormone imbalance making weight loss more difficult. Hydrate frequently, especially before meals. You’ll eat less and lose weight faster.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in
Best Foods To Eat When On The Road

Best Foods To Eat When On The Road

Published by on June 15, 2023 | Leave a response

Whether you’re on the road for business or a fun family trip, eating healthy food can still be your goal. You don’t have to “junk-food junkie” your way across America. It takes some planning, but with the help of an internet search or a couple of coolers in the trunk, it’s possible to eat healthier. Start by planning your trip before you leave the house. Check the internet for restaurants on your route and visit their website to view what they offer.

Even fast food restaurants have some healthy options.

Grilled chicken, salads, and fruit are offered at some drive-through restaurants. Dine-in restaurants normally have a wider variety of healthier foods Avoid fried options and choose grilled or baked foods. Find restaurants with plenty of vegetable side dishes that aren’t drenched in cream sauce. Some of the fast food restaurants even offer vegetarian or gluten-free options. It’s far easier to find healthy food on the road today than it was just 20 years ago, but you have to choose wisely, Grasshopper. (A reference for anyone old enough to remember the 1970s Kung Fu TV series)

Make your trip a family picnic along the way.

You can create meals to take with you and snacks. It’s an excellent option if saving money, or simply having food you know is healthy readily available. Bring a cooler even if you don’t bring food. You can fill it with bottled water to stay hydrated. Fresh fruit and nut butter makes a good snack. Don’t forget utensils to scoop the nut butter and cut the fruit. Unsweetened yogurt with berries is another good snack option. Rotisserie chicken, salads, and whole grain roll-ups are all healthier options.

Take along a small blender, like the Bullet, and the ingredients you need for a smoothie.

If smoothies are your thing, when you stop for the night, make them, just make sure you have all the necessary ingredients. You don’t have to bring all your food from home. Preplan a shopping trip using the Internet. You can have fresh, clean meals that you know are healthy. If you’re buying food along the way, use the older fruits and vegetables for smoothies and avoid waste.

  • Don’t forget to stop frequently to stretch your legs. It’s a healthy option that can reduce fatigue at the end of the day. Enjoy your meal or snack at a roadside stop and get some exercise at the same time.
  • If you opt for a meal that makes subs to your specifications, choose multigrain bread and pack on the vegetables. Avoid pepperoni and processed meat, American cheese, and many of the dressings. Stick with chicken, vinegar or vinaigrette, and Swiss cheese.
  • Don’t take juice for the kids, thinking it’s healthier. Opt for water, unsweetened tea, or infused water. The lack of fiber in fruit juice makes it a sugar bomb that will ramp up the kids for hours.
  • If you’re traveling in a farming area, check for farmers’ markets along the way. They have fresh produce you can prepare in your room at night. Some even have restaurants that offer farm-fresh options for every meal.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in , ,
Is Cardio Making Me Fat?

Is Cardio Making Me Fat?

Published by on June 5, 2023 | Leave a response

Starting any exercise program is a good thing, even if it’s just walking. However, if you want to lose weight and be your healthiest, you need all types of exercise, cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility. Some people focus strictly on cardio for weight loss, saying it burns tons of calories. They’re correct. It does burn calories, but if that’s all you’re doing, you might be sabotaging your efforts to lose fat and future weight loss.

Cardio burns all types of tissue for energy.

When you do cardio, the body burns both lean muscle tissue and fat to get the extra energy required. The source of the calories is important. If you’re using lean muscle tissue to fuel your run, it reduces the muscle tissue you have. However, lean muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does, so the more you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you’ll burn 24/7. It’s better to vary your workout and do more than just cardio if you want to lose weight.

If you do the same cardio every day, like running, your body becomes efficient.

Running is probably the most popular cardio workout, but if you only run, your body becomes efficient at the movements. The body is hardwired to burn as few calories as possible, so it finds ways to make the movements more precise and effective to reduce the calories you spend. It might save just a few calories every mile, but that slows your effort to lose fat. Unless you continually increase your distance, you’ll notice your body plateauing and weight loss slowing the more often you run.

Try mixing it up with other types of exercise, especially strength training.

Strength training builds lean muscle tissue as it burns calories from fat tissue. Unlike steady-state cardio, strength training causes calories to burn for hours following an intense workout. It effectively raises your metabolic rate for hours after the workout and sometimes for days. Excessive cardio can also lead to stress injuries that can sideline you for weeks. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. It simply means you must do all types of workouts to burn fat efficiently.

  • No matter what type of exercise you do, if you’re trying to lose fat, you need to change your diet, too. Eating healthy is just as important for weight loss, if not more important. You can’t out-exercise a bad diet.
  • Before you start any exercise, always check with your healthcare professional, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions. If you work with a trainer, always inform them of any limitations.
  • Some studies show that people who run frequently eat more calories per day than those who don’t. One study showed that the increase was approximately 100 more calories than they burned, making weight loss more difficult.
  • If you run, modify your intensity throughout the run. Studies show that a moderate steady-state pace burns fewer calories than a modified alternating pace going from high intensity to a slower recovery pace.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in ,
What Foods Help Lower The Risk Of Heart Disease?

What Foods Help Lower The Risk Of Heart Disease?

Published by on May 25, 2023 | Leave a response

The food you consume can make you healthier or increase the risk of disease. It can cause an imbalance in your gut microbiome that can cause mental issues. Some foods are specifically beneficial to certain parts of the body. They can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. These foods may help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, or reduce inflammation, which reduces the risk factors for heart problems.

Eat your greens to keep your heart healthy.

A big salad before a meal can help get your digestive juices flowing while boosting nutrition. Greens are high in nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. You’ll protect your arteries with the vitamin K they contain. Greens, particularly spinach, bok choy, and several types of lettuce are high in nitrates. Unlike those in processed meats, these convert to nitric oxide, essential for heart health. Nitric oxide lowers blood pressure, makes arteries more flexible, and improves how the blood vessel lining functions. Increasing your leafy green vegetable intake could reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 16%.

Berries should be part of your meal.

Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are jam-packed with nutrients that play a central role in heart health. Add berries and nuts to yogurt or freeze them and make a traditional palate cleanser that’s refreshing and light. Berries contain antioxidants that protect the heart from inflammation and oxidative stress. If you have insulin resistance or high bad cholesterol levels, both of which can cause heart disease, one study showed eating berries for four weeks can improve both conditions. Consuming them can lower systolic blood pressure and inflammation markers.

Choose healthy fat for a healthy heart.

People seem to fear fat, but not all fat is bad. Your body needs fat for many processes, including weight loss. Fatty fish, such as salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect the heart and prevent arrhythmias. Walnuts also provide healthy fat in the form of linoleic acid—a type of omega-3 fatty acid—and fiber that reduces inflammation, plus other nutrients. Sprinkle some on your salad or in yogurt with fresh berries to increase heart health. Avocados contain monounsaturated fat. These are linked to improved cholesterol levels to improve heart health.

  • Dark chocolate that contains 70% or more cocoa has flavonoids and other antioxidants. It can help improve blood flow to the heart, which lowers blood pressure. It can also prevent cell damage and aid in reducing clotting.
  • The vitamin D from sunshine is good for the heart, but if you can’t get enough sun exposure, eat food like beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, and products fortified with vitamin D.
  • Liver and other organ meats such as beef heart, are high in CoQ10. CoQ10 reduces the risk of heart failure and helps lower high blood pressure.
  • Food high in magnesium, such as spinach, avocados, and dark chocolate, help prevent irregular heartbeat. Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and broccoli are high in folic acid which reduces the risk of heart disease by 20%.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in ,
Do Granola Bars Cause Inflammation?

Do Granola Bars Cause Inflammation?

Published by on May 15, 2023 | Leave a response

The people of Livermore, CA, have access to some great local produce and stores packed with healthy foods, so you’d think it would be easy to eat the foods that can keep you fit. That’s not necessarily true. The food is available, but finding the right food can be quite confusing. You might eat certain food because you think it’s wholesome, like granola bars. You’d be wrong. They have a downside and it’s inflammation.

Inflammation is necessary for a healthy body, but you can get “too much of a good thing.”

Acute inflammation helps your body heal. It causes a fever that activates your body’s immune system and can destroy invading bacteria and viruses. It helps you stay healthy. However, chronic inflammation is the opposite side of the coin. Chronic inflammation can lead to serious conditions, such as stroke, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes. The food you eat can increase chronic inflammation or fight it.

Food with added sugar can increase inflammation.

Granola bars fit that description. A healthy level of sugar intake is about 6 teaspoons per day, but the average diet in America has about 17 teaspoons a day. Granola bars fit that description. If you consume too much sugar at one time, it can lead to insulin resistance which causes chronic inflammation. Also, protein and fat combine with sugar in the blood, creating AGEs—Advanced Glycation End Products. They cause inflammation. A third way is that sugar makes the gut more permeable. That makes it easy for bacteria and inflammatory bits to enter the blood causing inflammation. Finally, sugar increases bad cholesterol—LDL—which ultimately leads to inflammation.

Commercial granola bars contain trans fats.

Trans fats can cause inflammation. There was a lot of talk about trans fats and most people believe they were removed or at least labeled on food products. That’s not always true. If a product contains less than half a gram, the government doesn’t require the company to list it on the label, even if it’s very close to half a gram. You have to look at the ingredients to find them. If the list contains partially hydrogenated oil, there are trans fats in it.

  • Granola bars also contain a high amount of omega 6. There’s a fine balance between omega-3 and omega-6. Too many omega-6 fatty acids cause inflammation. Granola bars increase the imbalance.
  • Commercial granola bars contain high amounts of refined carbohydrates. Like sugar, they break down quickly and enter the bloodstream, spiking blood sugar levels. As your body struggles to remove the sugar, it stimulates inflammation.
  • The soft alternatives to granola bars with fruit in the center may be worse than granola bars, especially those with healthier ingredients. They’re high in sugar and increase blood glucose levels rapidly.
  • Not all granola bars are alike. Look for ones where the saturated level is lower than 20%. Find ones that have at least five grams of fiber, protein, and unsaturated fat. Identify the sugar. If it is from date paste or fruit, it’s okay.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in ,
What Is Food Flexibility?

What Is Food Flexibility?

Published by on May 5, 2023 | Leave a response

Do you miss those days when you could eat your favorite food and not feel bad? You can still do that and avoid the programmed mentality the diet culture has created. Food flexibility is based on listening to your body. It takes the bad and good labels away from food and turns it back to just plain food, sustenance for the body that you can enjoy. It also helps prevent the cycles of deprivation and binging or the defeat you feel when you’ve eaten a “forbidden” food.

The first step in developing food flexibility is understanding your internal food rules.

You may not even realize that you’ve created food rules or know where you developed those ideas once you do. Every time you eat, become aware of your self-talk. That will lead you to your internal food rules. Do these have power over you and limit your enjoyment of food? Do you ever go against them? If so, how do you feel when you do? Once you know the rules, give yourself permission to break them.

Learn to eat intuitively.

Once you understand the rules you’ve internalized and given yourself permission to break them, you need to learn to eat intuitively, accepting that foods aren’t good or bad. Intuitive eating means listening to your body. Pay attention to how you feel after you eat a specific food or eat at certain times. You might feel energetic after a certain type of meal or wake up feeling bloated after eating a big snack at night. Look for the foods and eating patterns that make you feel your best.

Food flexibility focuses on feeling good, listening to your body, and avoiding restriction.

Learning to eat healthier is part of food flexibility. It’s all about enjoying the food you eat and making smarter choices. When you permit yourself to eat the food you crave or listen to your body when you do, you won’t feel denied the pleasure of consuming it. You also won’t feel the shame that you would otherwise feel when eating food previously restricted. Taking the negative emotions out of food allows you to increase the pleasure, which can prevent overeating later.

  • Why does food flexibility work? Any type of restriction will increase the desire for the food restricted. Often one bite is enough to satisfy that desire, especially if you’re in tune with your body.
  • If you’re uncomfortable eating without rules, identify what you like about a certain food that was previously restricted. Look for the same quality in other, healthier options. The crunch from pretzels can be replaced with crisp celery.
  • Sometimes, food flexibility has roadblocks. If you’re constantly eating food with added sugar, your body may tell you to eat more. Sugar is addictive. The more you eat, the more you need to get the sweet flavor.
  • Healthy eating is all about being flexible but making smarter decisions when you do eat. However, if you’re really craving something unhealthy, you can eat it, and it’s not the end of the world or your plan of healthy eating.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in ,
Health Benefits Of Weightlifting

Health Benefits Of Weightlifting

Published by on April 25, 2023 | Leave a response

At LIV Fitness in Livermore, CA, we include all types of fitness training in our clients’ programs. Strength training is an important part of fitness and has many health benefits. You can combine it with other types of fitness training to get more from the workout in a shorter time. Some people question whether weightlifting is appropriate for women, seniors, or those with physical limitations or even if it’s healthy. The good news is that almost every adult can lift weights. The amount of weight lifted may be far less and modifications may be necessary, but the benefits are worth it.

Keep obesity at bay by lifting weights.

Obesity is now the leading cause of preventable deaths. If you want to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. A healthy diet will help limit calories consumed and weightlifting is an efficient way to burn calories. Unlike running, which burns calories from both fat and muscle tissue, weightlifting increases muscle tissue as it burns fat. Muscle tissue requires more calories for maintenance than fat tissue does. The more you have, the higher your metabolism, making it easier to shed extra pounds.

Strength training is more important for seniors than the younger population.

After 30, most people start losing muscle mass due to lower hormone levels. That natural occurrence can be prevented or reversed by doing strength- training. Lifting weights builds stronger muscles, which is particularly important the older you get. For seniors, strong muscles can make the difference between living independently and requiring assistance. Stronger muscles can help prevent falls and the injuries they cause. It can also help relieve the pain of arthritis, back pain, and joint issues.

Including weightlifting in your workout helps maintain bone strength.

Seniors to do strength-building exercises, especially if they’re women. Senior women tend to suffer from bone thinning—osteoporosis—more than men, and strength-building can help prevent osteoporosis. It can even reverse it. Your bones uptake calcium to increase their strength and offset the tug of muscles. If no muscles tug on the bones, they lose calcium, and you have bone thinning. Studies show that strength-building workouts can be as effective as some medications for osteoporosis.

  • Although it might seem counterproductive to do weight training for joints and arthritis pain, the increased strength helps lift pressure off the joints, ease pain, and reduce swelling and stiffness.
  • Lifting weights can improve the strength of core muscles. Core strength can help improve posture, which affects many areas of health, such as breathing and digestion. Good posture can prevent acid reflux.
  • Weight training can help reset hormones that affect all areas of the body. It can burn off cortisol and help prevent insulin resistance, which is a precursor for diabetes. Weight training can help prevent PMS and menstrual cramps and relieve symptoms of menopause.
  • Working out with weights lowers blood pressure, boosts the immune system, and helps maintain blood sugar levels. It helps reduce visceral fat—belly fat—that negatively affects internal organs.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in ,
Supplements---Do You Need Them?

Supplements—Do You Need Them?

Published by on April 15, 2023 | Leave a response

If you’re working out regularly and eating healthy, you probably don’t need supplements to boost your muscle gain. There are exceptions, of course. If your body isn’t efficient at digesting and absorbing protein, that’s quite another thing. There are nutrient supplements to provide vitamins and minerals, plus ones that provide phytonutrients. Are any of them any good and do you really need them, or is a healthy diet all you need?

What is a supplement?

There are all types of supplements, from sports supplements that are primarily protein, to senior supplements that claim to be all the nutrients of several servings of fruit and vegetables in a pill. Some people may need supplements, but that should be decided with the aid of their healthcare professional. A healthy diet focused on your fitness goals is adequate in most cases. The definition of a supplement is any product that’s not tobacco, which has a vitamin, mineral, herb, dietary substance, or amino acid. It can come in powder or pill form and provides the nutrient your body is missing, which can be due to poor appetite, poor absorption, or poor dietary choices.

The supplement has to be bioavailable.

There are complete stores and sections of stores devoted to nothing but supplements. It’s big business because it promises an easier path to good health than modifying eating habits. Most supplements that are affordable, aren’t bioavailable. That means they aren’t easy for the body to absorb and they are often flushed down the toilet with your urine or feces. Those that are bioavailable and most useful are often high priced and not readily available to those that need them most.

There can be an abuse of OTC supplements.

If you take too much of a fat-soluble vitamin, such as vitamin A, it can build up in your body and cause health problems. While water-soluble vitamin excess flushes out of the body in urine, too much can strain the kidneys. The most abused supplements tend to be protein supplements, especially by people who want large muscles. It has side effects when you take too much. The side effects range from diarrhea and dehydration to heart and kidney problems.

  • Some of the supplements may be beneficial. People in Northern areas face a potential for vitamin D insufficiency because of the angle of the winter sun. Women attempting pregnancy or already pregnant should consider taking folic acid to help prevent birth defects.
  • Most supplements don’t contain phytochemicals that are in whole foods. When consumed in whole food, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals act in synergy, where the benefit of them together is greater than the sum of all individual nutrients.
  • Vegans may find it difficult to get adequate vitamin B12, which normally comes from animal products. Taking supplements can help prevent anemia and build red blood cells.
  • We can help you with healthy dietary plans to ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs. There are benefits from healthy eating, like satisfaction and enjoyment, which you won’t get from supplements.

For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness

Posted in ,