Are You Eating By Design?

Nutrition is a field littered with so many experts and opinions that it becomes difficult and ultimately frustrating for people to "figure out" how they should be eating for optimal health.  How do you choose between Atkins, South Beach, Eat Right for Your Blood Type, Low Carb, High Carb, Low Fat, High Fat, Vegetarianism, Veganism, and hundreds of other approaches?

I think the answer may be much more simple.  If we wade through all the hyperbole, the mass marketing done by organizations with billion dollar budgets and the gurus, we find some universal principles  governing the nature of food, its purpose and how to best integrate these healthy practices into our families’ lives.  In those who have been able to do so, the results have been nothing short of miraculous.  But the miracle is not in the food itself; instead it is the amazing potential it unlocks in our incredibly designed bodies. 

Multiple authors have suggested and published supporting evidence that our paleolithic ancestors and surviving “uncivilized” tribes were and are incredibly healthy.  Heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, degenerative diseases, depression, decreased fertility, acne, and obesity were almost non-existent in their cultures (even in those who lived past 60).  By comparison, we are sick and progressively getting sicker.  It is no coincidence we move less, drink polluted water, breath polluted air, eat less fruit and vegetables from soil with less nutrients, eat less protein (most of the protein we do consume comes from sick animals or dairy from sick animals), consume more total carbohydrate and a higher percentage from grains and highly processed food sources.

Simply, our sickness crisis can be highlighted by one irrefutable fact: "Our genes have barely changed and we live a lifestyle that is now almost unrecognizable.  Living incongruently with our design has pushed us away from our natural state of health.”

The solution is matching up what we eat with what our genetics have developed on, and it's actually quite straightforward.  Each species has an optimal diet that does not differ between the species.  The same is true for humans.  What is optimal for one is optimal for all.  Of course, there may be subtle variations in amounts and sources, but the basic foundations are straightforward: Vegetables, meat from healthy animals, eggs, minimal to moderate seasonal fruits, minimal nuts and their fats, and minimal seeds.  Missing are grains, whole or otherwise, most dairy, legumes, seed and vegetable oils, and obviously processed foods.

Can you survive eating foods most people do?  Sure. Can you thrive?  Absolutely not.  If you're searching for a solution to a health crisis or just want to live optimally, you need to begin the process of Eating By Design.  You'll never look back.

To learn more about the principles of Eat By Design or to attend and Eat By Design Seminar call (613) 271.8555 or visit www.mykanatachiropractor.com.  

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanatafull time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.

Kanata Chiropractor Explains The Importance Of Lifting Heavy

 

We are Designed to be active, really active.  In fact, we have clear indicators that our body requires different types of movements and at a higher frequency than is currently "normal" for the average Kanata resident.

For most of human history we had to work for our survival—literally working with our hands, arms, legs, and feet using all of our muscles and energy systems to obtain food, shelter, and security. Physical “fitness” was an absolute necessity for survival. If you couldn’t sprint or climb it often meant going hungry or even early death and the end of the line for your genes. Walking, foraging, crawling, twisting, climbing, squatting, pushing, pressing, lunging, jumping, throwing and carrying were the basic movements that helped shape human evolution for over two million years.

Today, we can have food, shelter, find a mate and secure our safety with minimal physical effort. This is fantastic in many ways but being sedentary can just as easily kill us as can a wild beast.

Our hunter gatherer ancestors were strong, fast, lean, and powerful, with significant aerobic capacity and low body fat. Their genes are almost exactly the same genes as we carry inside each of us today.  Our challenge is to determine what activities will result in the optimum expression of those genes and the lean, strong, healthy, productive body we all seek and deserve.

Move By Design was created with our genetic requirements in mind and is based on  four parameters:  Be Mobile, Lift Heavy, Go Fast, Move Slow.  Depending on goals and objectives, each one of these areas can be tailored individually, but they form the basic foundations for optimal human movement, health and longevity. The purpose of this article is to discuss the principle of Lifting Heavy.

In the past, Lifting Heavy (strength training) was primarily used by athletes to enhance performance and/or increase muscle size. However, strength training is now recognized as a critical factor in the health and fitness of all genders, ages, and abilities.

Why is Lifting Heavy so important?

Strength training has been shown to:

• Preserve and enhance muscle mass
• Preserve and enhance metabolic rate
• Improve bone mineral density
• Improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
• Lower the risk of injury
• Improve the ability to engage in daily activities
• Improve balance
• Improve self-esteem
• Enhance strength and endurance
• Enhance speed, power, and agility
• Improve overall body composition
• Decrease bad cholesterol levels
• Decrease blood pressure
• Improve aerobic capacity

By including strength training in your routine you are giving yourself the best chance of living long, living strong and having a By Design body.

Conventional wisdom says that to be strong, one must lift heavy barbells and toss around big weights.  Strength training is using muscular force against resistance. This type of training can build the strength and size of skeletal muscles.

The essence of Lifting Heavy Things is to complete high intensity repetitions with good form using a weight that only allows you to complete a lower number of repetitions (usually 1-6).  It is very important to master the basics before attempting the technical lifts to avoid injury.

Different forms of resistance can be used when training for strength. This includes bands, body weight, and specially designed weights or machines.

Since you are not introducing any outside resistance that could overwhelm you, bodyweight is a great place to start because it is the safest way to train, easy on the sensitive joints and soft tissue that is often injured in the gym, even under expert supervision.

The Move By Design protocol is simple, focusing on several core essential movements for which our bodies are designed to execute on a daily basis. These movements were essential to our survival for two million years. Our ancestors couldn’t go about securing food, defending themselves, foraging, carrying heavy loads, or building shelter without also performing these six key movements:

1. Push-up
2. Pull-up
3. Squat
4. Deadlift
5. Overhead Press
6. Plank

Start Moving By Design and stop spending time and money on activities that don’t work.  Your "By Design" body is not simply a treadmill away.  Get lean, strong and fit, in less time while having a lot more fun!

Contact The Wellness Group at (613) 271-8555 for information about our next Move By Design Seminar.

Dr. Michael Gibson is a Kanata chiropractor and the clinic director of The Wellness Group, a multidisciplinary health facility.  He currently practices chiropractic in Kanata full time with a focus on educating and empowering his practice members to live the best life possible through the principles of Life by Design.