Q & A

Q: What are plant sterols?

A: The National Institutes of Health(NIH)recommends plant sterols(which include beta-sitosterol) as an option for lowering cholesterol and promoting cardiovascular health. Foods containing at least 0.65grams per serving of plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total of at least 1.3 grams, as part of a healthy diet, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Beta-sitosterol is the most prevalent plant sterol(of over 40), accounting for approximately 50% of dietary plant sterols from fruit and vegetable sources. Since over half of American adults do not meet the minimum recommended consumption of five servings of fruits, and vegetables per day, supplementing the diet with plant sterols, especially beta-sitosterol, may be wise for those patient's wishing to lower cholesterol and promote cardiovascular health.

Why Is Cardiovascular Exercise Important?

Cadiovascular exercise is ultimately how your body will burn existing fat. It is recommended to get 45-60 minutes of cardiovascular activity, 5-7 days per week.

Interval training is the best way to burn the most calories and fat, in the least amount of time. For example, start walking at a steady pace for the first five minutes, then increase your pace significantly for 30-60 seconds. Slow down for two minutes, then increase pace for 30-60 seconds; repeat cycle. Start off doing this for 10-20 minutes and increase time every week.

Interval training is simply adding a high-energy burning component to your exercise plan on an infrequent or interval basis. The goal of interval training is to give your body an unexpected jolt that requires more energy than expected. Your body will need to find more energy quick, causing your metabolism to increase and allows your body to burn more fat.

Why Is Resistance Training Important?

Resistance training, otherwise known as weight or strength training, is important to build/maintain muscle mass and preserve bone density. Muscle fibers will deteriorate as we age, which makes it imperative that we continue to build new muscle tissue.

Muscle building is a great way to boost your metabolism, because a pound of muscle will burn more calories than a pound of fat(even at rest). Thus, the more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you will burn. Not to mention, a pound of muscle takes up a lot less space than a pound of fat. You will notice your body contour becoming more shapely and lean.

It is important to vary your strength training exercises. Your body will become more efficient over time and will be able to perform the same moves, using less energy. By using a variety of strength training exercises, you will prevent your muscle groups from becoming accustomed to the same repetitions and burning fewer calories during your workout.

What is a Calorie?

Calories are units of measure, used to calculate energy. Your body needs calories(energy)to function properly and maintain daily activities.

With that in mind, it is important to give your body the correct amount and type of energy. Eating a well balanced, low-glycemic index diet, full of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats/protein, legumes, nuts/seeds,whole-wheat,whole-grain foods, and healthy oils, along with cardiovascular exercise and resistance training will support healthy body composition(more lean muscle mass and less fat).

What Is Metabolism?

Metabolism is simply the process by which the body converts food into energy. Metabolic function is term used for countless functions that are taking place inside the body.


Anabolism and Catabolism


The first function is creating tissue and cells. Each moment, our bodies are creating more cells to replace dead or dysfunctional cells.
For example, if you cut your finger, your body will begin the process of creating skin cells to clot the blood and start the healing process. This creation process is indeed a metabolic response, and is called anabolism.
On the other hand, there is the exact opposite activity taking place in other parts of the body. Instead of building cells and tissue through metabolism, the body is breaking down energy so that the body can do what it’s supposed to do.

For example, as you aerobically exercise, your body temperature rises as your heart beat increases and remains with a certain range.
As this happens, your body requires more oxygen; and as such, your breathing increases as you intake more water. All of this requires additional energy.

After all, if your body couldn’t adjust to this enhanced requirement for oxygen (both taking it in and getting rid of it in the form of carbon dioxide), you would collapse!

Your body will begin converting food (calories) into energy. This process is a metabolic process, and is called catabolism.

Metabolism is a constant process that takes care of two seemingly opposite function: anabolism that uses energy to create cells, and catabolism that breaks down cells to create energy.

What Can I Drink Besides Water?

Looking for an alternative to water?

It is still recommened to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water, daily. However, the following drinks are acceptable additions:

Blue Sky Soda, 0 calories, made with Stevia, no caffeine

Zevia Soda, 0 calories, made with Stevia, no caffeine

Sparkling waters, o calories, no caffeine
lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit--I think HEB brand tastes best.

Herbal black or green teas, 0 calories, caffeine content is ok-- sweeten with Truvia or other stevia product.

Use Frozen fruit, instead of ice cubes, to add flavor to water or tea.

What Is Glycemic Index ?

What is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index is a way of measuring the relative impact of foods on blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index have carbohydrates that the body can quickly convert to sugar, which makes them more likely to cause a quick rise in blood sugar.

To determine the glycemic index of a food, human subjects are given a portion of a single food and their blood sugar is tested at intervals. The resulting response curve is compared to a control substance (either glucose or white bread) and assigned a numerical value. Glucose (or white bread) is given an arbitrary rating of 100, and all other foods are measured relative to that. Foods that rate above 100 are foods whose carbohydrates digest very quickly and are likely to raise the blood sugar immediately, while those with an index lower than 100 have less impact on the blood sugar.


What Makes a Food Low Glycemic?

Foods with few to no carbohydrates, like meats, cheeses and healthy fats, will likely result in a glycemic index close to zero. The fewer easily-digested sugars and starches a food contains, the less likely it is to create a spike in blood sugar. Dietary fiber, while classified as a carbohydrate, passes through the system undigested, so it has no impact on blood sugar. In fact, fiber works to help slow the absorption of digestible carbohydrates.

FREQUESNTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PART FOUR

Q:  Can I use canned vegetables instead of fresh vegetables with this program?

 

 A:  Fresh and frozen vegetables retain more of their vitamins and generally have little added salt. If these are  unavailable, try to purchase canned vegetables that don't have added salt or fat.

 

 

Q:  Should I exercise while on this plan?

 

 A:  Yes. Exercise is an appetite suppressant, and it also accelerates the burning of calories. Besides acting as an aid in weight stabilization, aerobic exercise will improve cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness. Your exercise program can be as simple as 30 minutes of walking 3 times a week.

 

 

 Q: What are some of the benefits of UltraMeal products?

 

 A: UltraMeal has been clinically tested as part of a balanced dietary and regular exercise program and shown to reduce body fat while preserving lean muscle mass. The typical over-the-counter product is an extremely sweet drink or bar with generally small amounts of poor quality proteins. UltraMeal has 15 or more grams of protein per serving. Lower protein products may result in loss of lean muscle mass in body composition programs. Also, the main ingredient in many over-the-counter products is plain table sugar or sucrose. There is no added sucrose in UltraMeal products. UltraMeal contains the low-glycemic index carbohydrate fructose (fruit sugar) as part of the macronutrient blend. Fructose does not cause the rise in blood sugar that sucrose can. Third, unlike many over-the-counter products, UltraMeal varieties are fortified with a complete vitamin and mineral core supplying valuable sources of all these important nutrients. It is a particularly rich source of non-dairy calcium for improving bone health. Also, unlike many other products, UltraMeal shake formulas are formulated to exclude yeast, eggs, hydrogenated oils, sucrose, or gluten. The UltraMeal Bar contains a very similar ratio of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fat to the UltraMeal soy powdered drink mix.

 

 

Q: Do I have to mix the Ultra Meal with water?

 

 A:  UltraMeal is delicious mixed alone with cold water. It can also be mixed with various fruits and other ingredients. Refer to the section in the Patient Guide on mixing instructions. Remember, however, added ingredients will add calories.

 

 

 Q:  Does UltraMeal contain caffeine or other stimulants?

 

 A: No stimulants are added, but cocoa naturally contains caffeine and theobromine. The natural chocolate from cocoa in UltraMeal Dutch Chocolate, UltraMeal Plus Dutch Chocolate, UltraMeal WHEY Dutch Chocolate, UltraMeal Mocha, and UltraMeal Plus Mocha has approximately 20 mg of caffeine and less than 150 mg of theobromine per serving. UltraMeal Bar Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Banana, and Chocolate Fudge contain approximately 10 mg caffeine and 60 mg theobromine per bar. The natural chocolate in UltraMeal RICE has approximately 8 mg of caffeine and less than 150 mg of theobromine per serving. These small amounts are about 1/5 or less the amount found in a cup of brewed coffee.

 

 Q: Can I use this dietary program if I'm gluten or dairy sensitive?

 

Yes. Except for UltraMeal WHEY, all of the UltraMeal products are formulated without gluten or dairy. UltraMeal WHEY is suitable for lactose-intolerant individuals. Additionally, using the exchange option lists, you can make food choices within the program that are gluten- and dairy-free as well.

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PART THREE

1.  Q:  What are medical foods?

        

      A:  Medical foods are formulated with macro- and micronutrients that are recognized by scientific principles to support the dietary management of a disease or condition, and are to be administered under the supervision of a physician or licensed healthcare practitioner. Medical foods contain nutrients in therapeutic amounts that typically cannot be acquired through a typical diet.  Metagenics is one of the few professional nutraceutical companies that formulates, manufactures, and tests medical foods.

 

 

2.   Q:  Why can't I get everything I need from my diet? Why do I need to take a nutritional supplement?

 

 

      A:  The human body has often been compared to an extremely complex and wonderfully efficient machine. To function normally, it is extremely dependent upon a large variety of raw materials such as protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and so forth. If any of these critical substances are lacking in sufficient quantities, the efficiency of the "machine" suffers. Food is always the preferred source of vitamins and minerals. Many nutritional researchers point to the rising problems of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases of modern society as evidence of the deteriorating quality of the diet most people consume.

• Our diets have changed. As a society, our dietary habits have changed over the past couple of generations. A healthy diet consists of plenty of fresh (or fresh frozen) fruits and vegetables, lean meats and dairy, and whole grains—all at appropriate portions to match activity levels. The reality is that few of us meet that goal.
• We eat out more.Recent studies indicate that the majority of meals in the U.S. are eaten in restaurants—where food tends to be high in fat and sugar—rather than at home.
• We eat more processed foods. Convenience foods now make up a much higher percentage of the average diet than they did in the past. In some people well over 60% of their food is from so called "empty" calorie foods (candy, sweets, chips, or other highly processed foods that contain very little real nutritional value other than calories). The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a low nutritional value.
• We have more stress.Today's fast-paced and busy life often means more stress. The greater the external stressors, the higher the nutritional demands on the body. Eating a poor quality diet robs you of the nutritional factors necessary to help you stay healthy—especially in the face of stress.
• We don't know how to buy "healthy" foods. Many people are simply unaware of how to shop for healthy foods. Convenience and taste become the major criteria for food selection, while nutritional value may be given little attention, if any at all.

While a nutritional supplement may provide value in maintaining health, we should never think that taking a supplement (such as a multivitamin/mineral) replaces a good diet. In other words, the first and most important step is to improve the quality of the diet, and then take a supplement as a nutritional insurance policy. Depending on your unique needs, Dr. Johnson may also recommend targeted nutrients that are difficult to obtain through dietary measures—no matter how good your diet may be(Vitamin D, COQ10).
If you have questions about your diet, it's important that you discuss them with Dr. Johnson or Heather, at your next visit.


3.  Q:   What is the "glycemic index"? How is it different from the "glycemic load"?

     A:  The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of foods on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Glucose is given a relative number of 100 to provide a baseline to which all others can be compared. For example, an apple has a GI of 38 which is less than half that of glucose, but higher than soybeans (which have a GI of 18). Foods with a GI of 55 or less are considered to be low—glycemic—index foods. The GI considers the quality of a carbohydrate. The glycemic load (GL) carries that a step further and considers the quantity of carbohydrate—namely its fiber content and/or portion size. Fiber is a "good" component of carbohydrates (as opposed to sugar). The higher fiber content a food has, the lower its GL. Carrots are a high GI food. But when served as a handful of raw carrots, it has a low GL. Carrot juice, which has a lower fiber content, has a high GL. Likewise, 3/4 cup of watermelon (also a high GI food) has a low GL, while half a watermelon has a high GL. Research suggests that glycemic load is an important consideration in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases.
Most complex meals (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) have a moderate GL because proteins and healthy fats (which have a low GI) help balance out carbohydrates that may have a higher GI. Its important to include whole fruits and vegetables in your regular eating pattern to help achieve a balanced, low-GL diet. Research suggests that glycemic load is an important consideration in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases.

4.  Q:   In order to stay healthy, what is a good basic supplement program?

      A:  Each person is unique, and has unique nutritional needs. A prudent course of action to stay healthy would begin with eating a healthy diet. This means avoiding highly processed foods (candies, snack foods, convenience foods) or foods high in refined sugar or flour, as these tend to have low levels of important vitamins and minerals. A high quality multiple vitamin/mineral supplement is helpful to "fill in the gaps" in the diet. While other nutrients also may be helpful, it is important to remember your individuality and discuss the specific additional nutrients you might need with a nutritionally oriented health care practitioner.

 

5.  Q:  What do vitamins do in the body?

 

      A: In order to accomplish all of the thousands of day-to-day functions of your body, the food you eat every day must be converted into energy and raw materials (building blocks for muscles, bones, ligaments enzymes, hormones, and so on). To do all this, vitamins are required. Since humans lack the ability to manufacture these critical nutrients in our bodies, we have to get them in our diet.

Generally, vitamins perform 3 major functions:

• They are "cofactors" and catalysts for enzymes, which means they are required for the enzymes to do their jobs. The B-complex vitamins B1 and B2, for example are required for every function in the body that requires production of energy-which means every function!
• They act as antioxidants, which means they prevent highly reactive molecules called free radicals from damaging delicate cell membrane structure. Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants, protecting cell membranes from free radicals.
• They act as "pre-hormones." For example, vitamin D functions as a hormone to facilitate calcium uptake and utilization.

6.      Q:  What do minerals do in the body?

          A:  Minerals have very many important functions.  Life could not exist without them. Iron is required for the manufacturing of the chemical hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood to all the cells of the body. Calcium is necessary for strong bones, and for transmission of messages within cells and from cell to cell. Magnesium is required for production of energy from the food you eat, and a selenium-containing molecule protects the body from damage by free radicals.

 

7.     Q:  What makes amino acid chelated minerals better than other types of minerals?

 

 

        A: In order to be absorbed, minerals, whether from foods or in supplements, have to be combined with a "carrier" molecule. When this molecule is a fragment of protein (an amino acid), and the mineral amino acid compound forms a stable molecule, it is referred to as an amino acid chelate. Because the body is very efficient at absorbing amino acids, chelated minerals are more easily transported across the intestinal wall than are non-chelated minerals.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, PART TWO

1.  Q:  Can I drink Tea?

     A:  Yes, herbal teas are great,  iced or hot.  Green and Black herbal teas are ok, even though they  contain  caffeine.


2.  Q:  Can I use sweeteners?

     A:  Truvia or other Stevia products are ok.  Stevia is a plant and is a natural sweetener.
           Avoid all other sweeteners.

3.  Q:  How much water should I drink every day?

      A:  It is recommend to drink half of your body weight, in ounces of water, daily.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Q:  What can I substitute for the legume category?

    A:  You may substitute on serving of nuts/seeds and add a fiber supplement or  two extra servings of    category one veggies.


2.  Q:  What do I do if I miss my Medical Food shake?

     A:  Add one serving of concentrated protein to your meal plan.


3.  Q:  How much water should I consume, on a daily basis?

      A:  You should drink half of your body weight, in ounces of water, each day.



4.   Q:  What kind of sugar substitute should I use?

      A:  Use any product that is made from the Stevia plant( ie:  Truvia, Pruvia, etc.)


5:   Q:  How should I mix my Medical Food.

      A:  Add 8-10 ounces of cold water, (crushed ice, if desired) and shake in a shaker cup or blend with a  blender.


6.   Q:  How long should I blend my Medical Food shake?

      A:  Blend for a maximum of 10-12 seconds.


7.  Q:  What can I add to my Medical food shake?

     A:  Get creative!  Blend your shake with fruit, nuts/seeds, extracts, Truvia, etc.


8.  Q:  Can I use spices?

     A: Absolutely!  Make your food flavorful.  Use a variety of spices/herbs including:  Cumin, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Rosemary, Dill, Basil, Garlic, Marjaram, Oregano, Sage, Paprika, cayenne pepper, red/black pepper, Sea Salt, Parsley, Nutmeg, Cloves, etc.


9.  Q:  What can I add to my water to make it flavorful?

     A:  Add frozen fruit to water, instead of ice cubes or squeeze in some fresh lemon or lime juice.


10.  Q: Can I have popcorn?

        A:  Popcorn is not a good snack choice, due to it's higher glycemic 

              index(70-80).　 You can have it 1-2 times a month, but stick to one serving and eat the low fat 　

              variety.

              Try soy nuts(they look like popcorn kernels).  Heat them in the microwave for a few    

              seconds, and then add sea salt.  The flavor is very similar to popcorn( it will fall into your

              legume category).