I have to start out by saying I am definitely excited about this product as I have used it several times with excellent results. Every other sleep supplement that I have ever used has fallen into one of two categories. One being products that are not effective and two being products that work but leave you feeling drowsy or hung over in the morning. This is the first product that actually worked without any type of “hangover” effect. Specifically the product helped me fall asleep and stay asleep without waking up in the middle of the night and in the morning I felt rested.

Below is a breakdown of the key components of Sleep Revolution and what each one does.

L-theanine creates a sense of relaxation via at least two different mechanisms. First, this amino acid directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation. Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the levels of two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, producing the relaxation effect.

Additional human clinical research suggests that L-theanine may have application in improving the quality of sleep, improving learning performance, heightening mental acuity, promoting concentration, reducing negative side effects of caffeine and supporting the immune system.

(GABA) is an amino acid found mainly in the human brain and eyes. It is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it regulates brain and nerve cell activity by inhibiting the number of neurons firing in the brain. GABA is referred to as the “brain’s natural calming agent”, by inhibiting over-stimulation of the brain, GABA may help promote relaxation and ease nervous tension. GABA is also helpful in promoting sleep for those who have difficulty sleeping.

Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally in the pineal gland at the base of the brain. It is important in regulating sleep, and may play a role in maintaining circadian rhythm, the body’s natural time clock. Natural melatonin production decreases with age, and the decrease is associated with some sleep disorders, particularly in the elderly.

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Whether you believe in evolution or creationism, one fact remains: human beings were designed to move from the ground up.

In the health club/nautilus culture, machines were designed with the intention of working every major muscle group in an isolated way with the theory that fitness is achieved by the collective summation of the parts of the body. Functional training takes an oppositional stance of the body acting as a whole and disregarding the strength of a single muscle group over others.

The invention of these machines has led to a host of exercises where the feet are no longer in contact with the ground (ie. leg extensions and leg curls). Excessive use of these machines creates strength where the focus of that strength is not at the point of contact with the ground, but at a point around the ankle. This creates unnatural or unbalanced torque on the knee. Exercises of this type are called “open chain” because the direction of force is not at the farthest point of the lever arm (ie. hand or foot). ”Closed chain” exercises are by definition the opposite, and maintain the foot in contact with the ground. Squats, lunges and even leg curls on a stability or medicine ball are all examples of closed chain exercises.

Jaime Gamache M.Ed., CSCS, is Owner and Head Strength Coach of The Way Human Performance Institute ( www.thewayhpi.com and www.facebook.com/pages/The-Way-Human-Performance-Institute/117742824954659 )

Australian researchers published a long-term weight loss study in healthy adult overweight women (BMI initially ~32).

In this study, they followed 79 women for more than a year to see how protein influences weight loss and compliance to a dietary program.

Women who followed a high protein diet lost MORE weight and more fat than those that ate the high carb diet. Protein intake was inversely related to weight and fat loss such that for those that ate more protein lost an average of 14 lbs and 10 lbs of fat compared to those that ate less protein (and more carbs) who lost 7 lbs and 5 lbs of fat over the course of a year. Body composition was measured by DEXA, the gold standard for body comp assessment. After 64 weeks, body fat was higher in those that ate more carbohydrate and lower in those that ate more protein. The same was seen for belly fat – more belly fat in those that ate a higher carb diet compared to the higher protein diet.

There’s no shortage of whey products on the market, but unfortunately most of them will NOT give you the health benefits associated with high-quality whey.Most whey proteins are processed from ultra pasteurized milk and many are exposed to acid processing. Heat and acid damages the protein and makes it insoluble in water. Many cheap whey protein products are produced from acid cheese; they’re byproducts of acid processing, which is a cheap way to separate whey from the curd. Most of these whey products are rated below pet foods because of the inferior quality of the protein, which is actually more of a nitrogen waste product than one that will produce health benefits that are associated with whey.

In order to make these powders soluble in water they must add chemical flavors and detergents to restore flavor and solubility. 

Overheated whey protein is a clearly an inferior form of whey that also changes its molecular shape. If you have taken biochemistry you will be familiar with optical isomers. Proteins in foods and in your body are in the L form, but processing used to produce some whey products produces damaging D optical isomers, which are not designed to be in your body. Depositing this D protein in your bone, brain and muscle is associated with accelerated aging. Accumulation of D proteins in the brain has been linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson.

If you are looking for a high quality whey and a good value stick with trusted brands like Optimum Health’s Pro Complete 40 or Intek Evolution Protein.

What is cleansing?
The body is capable of self-cleansing but modern lifestyles can overwhelm it with toxins causing weight gain, cellulite, and all forms of skin problems to appear. People who understand cleansing, eat nutritious food and periodically use a Detox product which makes cleansing easy. Think of it like sweeping a floor. Detox gently sweeps the digestive tract helping to eliminate any unwanted buildup or toxins that have accumulated in the body.How often should I Detox?
It varies with the individual. People with specific weight loss goals generally do 3 or 4 days per week or every other week until they achieve their goal. Those who wish to maintain, or gradually improve, their weight or overall health, generally decide on a pattern: several days a week, 7 to 10 days a month, etc.

What is in Detox and Cleanse?
Detox and Cleanse is a blend of 12 herbs, which is consumed in a capsule form. It is designed to help the body cleanse itself by supporting the liver, kidneys and colon.

What is the connection between Detox and Cleanse and weight loss?
Detox and Cleanse makes cleansing easy-you feel neither hunger nor discomfort.
The extended period without hunger or cravings breaks bad eating habits.
In other words, Detox aids in short-term weight loss through cleansing, and long-term weight loss because we no longer desire the foods which caused weight gain in the first place.

The name of the game in pre-workout products seems to be stimulants and more of them. But can too much be a bad thing? This depends on the person and you need to monitor how you feel both during your workouts as well as throughout the day. If you are feeling chronically tired, having mood swings, or a reduction in sex drive you may want to consider adjusting the dose of stimulants you are consuming. The main culprit for the negative effects is geranium extract which is listed in many products as 1,3-dimethylamylamine. Don’t misunderstand me; I am not saying this ingredient doesn’t work or that it doesn’t have its place. I have personally had some great workouts while using it. I am just trying to make the end user aware of some of the potential negative effects which may be experienced by some people. If you have experiencing any of these problems we recommend taking 2-3 days off and getting some extra sleep and then starting back up with a pre-workout that is using caffeine rather then geranium (1,3-dimethylamylamine). Also keep in mind that because these products are allowing you to train harder you may need more days off and possibly extra sleep to recover. It only makes sense that if you are taxing your body to a greater extent that recovery becomes that much more important. You should also be taking a good post workout recovery product like AfterGlow.

Proteins provide the body critical amino acids that serve as building blocks for the formation of new muscle. But not all dietary proteins are equal. The major proteins in milk are casein and whey. These two milk proteins are both excellent sources of all the essential amino acids, but they differ in one important aspect-whey is a fast-digesting protein and casein is a slow-digesting protein.

Whey stimulates protein synthesis
Fast-digesting whey means it is emptied from the stomach quickly, resulting in a rapid and large increase in plasma amino acids. This translates into a quick but transient increase in protein synthesis, while protein breakdown is not affected. Whey also has higher levels of leucine, a potent amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis. Whey protein is superior at augmenting protein synthesis rapidly, but this positive effect is short-lived. Consuming repeated doses of whey allows for sustained high levels of blood amino acids and repeated bursts of protein synthesis that provide superior effects on muscle protein balance.

Casein offers a positive protein balance
Casein is the most abundant protein in milk. It is relatively insoluble and tends to form structures called micelles that increase solubility in water. During the processing of milk, which usually involves heat or acid, the casein peptides and micelle structure become disturbed or denatured to form simpler structures. As a result, a gelatinous material is formed. This is the basis for why casein has a slower rate of digestion, and results in a slow but steady release of amino acids into circulation.

In one study, researchers gave healthy subjects 30 grams of either whey protein or casein protein and made several measures of the anabolic and catabolic effect for 7 hours after the meal. Whey protein resulted in a rapid increase in blood amino acids and protein synthesis, but it was short-lived. Casein, on the other hand, resulted in a prolonged increase in blood amino acids that resulted in a 34% reduction in protein breakdown. The net protein balance remained more positive after intake of casein protein over a 7-hour period. The superior long-lasting effect of casein was attributed to a delayed gastric emptying and slower absorption rate from the gastrointestinal tract to the blood.

Whey and casein are better together
Since whey rapidly increases protein synthesis and casein blocks protein breakdown, a combination of both would be ideal.

A recent study compared the effects of supplementing with either a combination whey and casein protein versus carbohydrate on several markers of muscle anabolism during strength training. Untrained men participated in a 10-week resistance training program and either supplemented with 40 grams of carbohydrate or 40 grams of protein containing a mixture of whey and casein. Half of the supplements were consumed one hour before and then immediately after exercise on workout days. The results were overwhelmingly positive for the combination protein group. Despite similar background diets and identical training programs, supplementation with protein resulted in greater increases in several measures of muscle anabolism, including greater increases in lean muscle mass, thigh muscle mass, muscle strength, anabolic hormones and muscle specific proteins.

In a similar study that lasted 14 weeks, untrained men performed resistance training and received either 25 grams of carbohydrate or 25 grams of a combination whey and casein protein one hour before and immediately after exercise. The combination protein group had significantly greater increases in muscle fiber size compared to the carbohydrate group. These studies provide strong evidence that a combination protein consumed before and after workouts increases muscle size.

Fish Oil Supplements Can Fight Depression

Adults with major depression without anxiety may find serious benefit from omega-3 fish oil supplements, according to a new study (J Clin Psychiatry. ePub 15 June 2010. DOI: 10.4088/JCP.10m05966blu). Researchers from McGill University recruited adult outpatients (n=432) with major depressive episode (MDE, per Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) lasting at least four weeks for the double blind, randomized, controlled, eight-week, parallel-group trial; 40.3 percent of subjects were taking antidepressants at baseline. Subjects received fish oil supplements containing 1,050 mg/d of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 150 mg/d of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or a matched sunflower oil placebo. Primary outcome was the self-report Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS-SR30); secondary outcome was the clinician-rated Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).

The studies major finds show that fish oils may be able to help combat depression as well or better than prescription medications.

Most protein users are aware of the recent consumer reports article regarding heavy metals present in some protein powders.  The brands with the largest amounts of metals where EAS Myoplex and Cytosport Muscle Milk. 

On a positive note the brands we have chosen to support at Performance Nutrition are free of these toxic metals.  You can continue to use Optimum Health Pro Complete 40 and Intek Evolution with confidence.  

Consumer Reports purchased 15 protein powders and drinks and tested multiple samples of each for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Levels in several of the products could, with just three servings a day, result in daily exposure to arsenic, cadmium, or lead exceeding USP limits.

Of the 15 protein drinks tested, three of them contained very worrisome levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead.

Which Protein Drinks Fared the Worst?

Three daily servings of the ready-to-drink liquid EAS Myoplex Original Rich Dark Chocolate Shake contained an average of:

·              16.9 µg (micrograms) of arsenic

·              5.1 µg of cadmium

The proposed United States Pharmacopoeia’s (USP) limits for these two toxins are 15 and 5 µg respectively.

The worst of the products tested was Muscle Milk Chocolate powder, which contained all four toxic metals; three of them at the highest levels of all products tested.

Muscle Milk’s Vanilla Crème contained slightly less lead, but still exceeded the USP lead limit of 10 µg.

A fourth product, Muscle Milk’s liquid Nutritional Shake Chocolate, also tested high in arsenic, providing you with an average of 14.3 µg of arsenic per day, which is very close to the USP limit.

Arsenic and cadmium appear to be the most problematic here, as the levels of these two compounds in some cases exceeded maximum “safe” limits. However it’s worth noting that, ideally, you don’t want to ingest these toxins at ANY level, as even low-dose exposure can contribute to lingering health problems.

Prevention is clearly your best defense when it comes to protecting yourself against heavy metals and other toxins.

Fortunately, preventing exposure to toxins like arsenic, cadmium and lead is possible by making sure you’re eating as much organic foods as possible, and using protein drinks that are free of heavy metals.  We recommend Intek Protein Evolution and Optimum Health Pro Complete 40 as two of the safest, high quality, great tasting protein products available.

While we cannot recommend any of the low quality, commercial protein shakes on the market, we strongly believe that whey protein powder is a very healthful supplement to your diet and an excellent source of protein.

Whey protein has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including:

·              Helping your pancreas-produced insulin work more effectively, which supports balanced blood sugar levels

·              Promoting healthy insulin secretion

·              Helping to promote your optimal intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals needed for your overall wellness

·              Supporting your immune system, as it contains immunoglobulin

·              Helping you preserve lean body tissue (particularly during exercise) as it delivers bioavailable amino acids and cysteine

·              Maintaining blood pressure levels that are already within the normal range

So keep in mind, protein drinks can be quite beneficial, whether you’re working out and want to increase muscle or using them to supplement an otherwise healthy diet, but quality is everything, and drinking something that’s contaminated with heavy metals won’t do you any good.

Making sure that the product you buy fulfills the healthy criteria mentioned in this article (Such as Pro Complete 40, or Intek Evolution) will ensure that you’re getting the safest, healthiest protein supplement possible.

Which Protein Should You be Using?

Muscle growth is dependent on the balance between protein synthesis and protein breakdown. The goal is to increase protein synthesis and decrease protein breakdown. Casein protein is considered to be a muscle-sparing protein. Since casein protein slowly enters the blood stream, it has a moderate impact on protein synthesis, but it has a powerful effect on reducing protein breakdown.

Current research has shown that in terms of overall muscle tissue increases and decreases of body fat, casein reigns superior. It’s been shown to accomplish this by increasing anabolism to a moderate extent, but more importantly, decreasing catabolism to a large degree. It seems that the reason behind this is simply because of its slow digestion and consequently, absorption rates. It provides a steady, slower paced release of amino acids into the blood stream.

We all know that we need to take whey protein after workouts–but that doesn’t mean that whey can’t be better. Slow-digesting casein protein was once believed to have no place around workout time, but newer research suggests otherwise. In fact, a study from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) reported that men who consumed a whey/casein blend of protein after workouts for 10 weeks gained significantly more muscle than the subjects who consumed a whey protein shake without casein.  These subjects also lost more fat than the ones using only whey.

Current research is showing that the optimal protein for fat loss and muscle building is a mixture of whey and casein protein.  Try Intek Evolution Protein or Optimum Health Pro Complete 40 for the ideal blend of whey and casein proteins.