Muscles and Meg

"If it has a label, it's not food"

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:18:33 -0800

Heard this today on a video about paleo and zone nutrition, and it really hit home. Only I’m too lazy/busy to follow it well. However it’s 100% true, I would have so much more energy, and feel do much healthier if I simply didn’t eat packaged shit so often!

fuckyeahtattoos: My dad recently died and this was the last...

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 20:58:04 -0800

fuckyeahtattoos:

My dad recently died and this was the last thing he ever said to me. I found a card that had his handwriting and decided that this was something I wanted to look at for the rest of my life. Oh and for the record, I love you too Daddy.

Done by Teddy at No Hard Feelings Tattoo in Coral Springs, FL

muffintop-less: 15 Health Benefits of Eating Apples Many of us...

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 16:16:52 -0700

muffintop-less:

15 Health Benefits of Eating Apples

Many of us forget that sometimes, the simplest answers are the best. Better health could be as easy as reaching for the fruit bowl for some apples next time you need a snack

What makes apples so great?

In 2004, USDA scientists investigated over 100 foods to measure their antioxidant concentration per serving size.Two apples—Red Delicious and Granny Smith—ranked 12th and 13th respectively. Antioxidantsare disease-fighting compounds. Scientists believe these compounds help prevent and repair oxidation damage that happens during normal cell activity. Apples are also full of a fibre called pectin—a medium-sized apple contains about 4 grams of fibre. Pectin is classed as a soluble, fermentable and viscous fibre, a combination that gives it a huge list of health benefits.

1. Get whiter, healthier teeth An apple won’t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria.

2. Avoid Alzheimer’s A new study performed on mice shows that drinking apple juice could keep Alzheimer’s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. Mice in the study that were fed an apple-enhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.

3. Protect against Parkinson’s Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.

4. Curb all sorts of cancers Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 per cent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds—triterpenoids—in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumours in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fibre intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

5. Decrease your risk of diabetes Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who don’t eat apples. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings.

6. Reduce cholesterol The soluble fibre found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates intolower cholesterol levels and a healthier you.

7. Get a healthier heart An extensive body of research has linked high soluble fibre intake with a slower buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in your arteries. The phenolic compound found in apple skins also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease.

8. Prevent gallstones Gallstones form when there’s too much cholesterol in your bile for it to remain as a liquid, so it solidifies. They are particularly prevalent in the obese. To prevent gallstones, doctors recommend a diet high in fibre to help you control your weight and cholesterol levels.

9. Beat diarrhea and constipation Whether you can’t go to the bathroom or you just can’t stop, fibre found in apples can help. Fibre can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you’re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down.

10. Neutralize irritable bowel syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. To control these symptoms doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fibre in your diet.

11. Avert hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids are a swollen vein in the anal canal and while not life threatening, these veins can be very painful. They are caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Part and parcel with controlling constipation, fibre can prevent you from straining too much when going to the bathroom and thereby help alleviate hemorrhoids.

12. Control your weight Many health problems are associated with being overweight, among them heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. To manage your weight and improve your overall health, doctors recommend a diet rich in fibre. Foods high in fibre will fill you up without costing you too many calories.

13. Detoxify your liver We’re constantly consuming toxins, whether it is from drinks or food, and your liver is responsible for clearing these toxins out of your body. Many doctors are skeptical of fad detox diets, saying they have the potential to do more harm than good. Luckily, one of the best—and easiest—things you can eat to help detoxify your liver is fruits—like apples.

14. Boost your immune system Red apples contain an antioxidant called quercetin. Recent studies have found thatquercetin can help boost and fortify your immune system, especially when you’re stressed out.

15. Prevent cataracts Though past studies have been divided on the issue, recent long-term studies suggest that people who have a diet rich in fruits that contain antioxidants—like apples—are 10 to 15 per cent less likely to develop cataracts.

Full Article

Photo

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:50:05 -0700

Love. Even when I don’t have gym time. I try to keep...

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:20:48 -0700

Love. Even when I don’t have gym time. I try to keep moving

reasonstobefit: submitted by stationary-traveler

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:25:32 -0700

reasonstobefit:

submitted by stationary-traveler

Photo

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:24:26 -0700

Photo

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:39:26 -0700

Nike I love you

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:25:59 -0700

Nike I love you

Eat Your Broccoli: Another Mechanism Discovered by Which Sulforaphane Prevents Cancer

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:02:21 -0700

Eat Your Broccoli: Another Mechanism Discovered by Which Sulforaphane Prevents Cancer:

thespartanwarrior:

ScienceDaily (Feb. 28, 2012) — Researchers in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University have discovered yet another reason why the “sulforaphane”compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables is so good for you — it provides not just one, but two ways to prevent cancer through the complex mechanism of epigenetics.

Epigenetics, an increasing focus of research around the world, refers not just to our genetic code, but also to the way that diet, toxins and other forces can change which genes get activated, or “expressed.” This can play a powerful role in everything from cancer to heart disease and other health issues.

Sulforaphane was identified years ago as one of the most critical compounds that provide much of the health benefits in cruciferous vegetables, and scientists also knew that a mechanism involved was histone deacetylases, or HDACs. This family of enzymes can interfere with the normal function of genes that suppress tumors.

HDAC inhibitors, such as sulforaphane, can help restore proper balance and prevent the development of cancer. This is one of the most promising areas of much cancer research. But the new OSU studies have found a second epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation, which plays a similar role.

“It appears that DNA methylation and HDAC inhibition, both of which can be influenced by sulforaphane, work in concert with each other to maintain proper cell function,” said Emily Ho, an associate professor in the Linus Pauling Institute and the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences. “They sort of work as partners and talk to each other.”

This one-two punch, Ho said, is important to cell function and the control of cell division — which, when disrupted, is a hallmark of cancer.

“Cancer is very complex and it’s usually not just one thing that has gone wrong,” Ho said. “It’s increasingly clear that sulforaphane is a real multi-tasker. The more we find out about it, the more benefits it appears to have.”

DNA methylation, Ho said, is a normal process of turning off genes, and it helps control what DNA material gets read as part of genetic communication within cells. In cancer that process gets mixed up. And of considerable interest to researchers is that these same disrupted processes appear to play a role in other neurodegenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease, immune function, neurodegenerative disease and even aging.

The influence of sulforaphane on DNA methylation was explored by examining methylation of the gene cyclinD2.

This research, which was published in the journal Clinical Epigenetics, primarily studied the effect on prostate cancer cells. But the same processes are probably relevant to many other cancers as well, researchers said, including colon and breast cancer.

“With these processes, the key is balance,” Ho said. “DNA methylation is a natural process, and when properly controlled is helpful. But when the balance gets mixed up it can cause havoc, and that’s where some of these critical nutrients are involved. They help restore the balance.”

Sulforaphane is particularly abundant in broccoli, but also found in other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and kale. Both laboratory and clinical studies have shown that higher intake of cruciferous vegetables can aid in cancer prevention.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the OSU Environmental Health Sciences Center.

Journal Reference:

Anna Hsu, Carmen P Wong, Zhen Yu, David E Williams, Roderick H Dashwood, Emily Ho. Promoter de-methylation of cyclin D2 by sulforaphane in prostate cancer cells. Clinical Epigenetics, 2011; 3 (1): 3 DOI:10.1186/1868-7083-3-3

muscles-and-miles: Umm please be my future husband and...

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:08:50 -0700

muscles-and-miles:

Umm please be my future husband and son.

Pretty please?

Some extra motivation

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:01:35 -0700

Some extra motivation

Today...

Wed, 02 May 2012 21:59:33 -0700

Was one of those days where I ate literally everything I could get my hands on… And more, and Didn’t go to the gym. Fuck. I hate these days =[

Would totally happen at WSU

Wed, 02 May 2012 21:57:31 -0700

Would totally happen at WSU

Bahaha

Tue, 01 May 2012 11:50:01 -0700

Bahaha

Photo

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:04:03 -0700

gladiatorgirls: Nice…… shoes Nice everything else…

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:05:16 -0700

gladiatorgirls:

Nice…… shoes

Nice everything else…

I still don’t own any it’s so damn expensive…

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:04:35 -0700

I still don’t own any it’s so damn expensive…

feedmyaddictions: haha! every time! I’m so...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:05:13 -0700

feedmyaddictions:

haha! every time!

I’m so competitive… I can’t even help it!

kellierheanna: Be strong.

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:01:58 -0700

kellierheanna:

Be strong.