Biofeedback and Neurofeedback for Peak Performance with Angelika Sadar and Chantea Goetz
What is bio feedback? Many people know what it is, but they don’t really know that they know. Our host Chantea Goetz together with our guest Angelika Sadar helps us understand neurofeedback and biofeedback. Angelika is a psychologist that has been in private practice since 1987. Once introduced to neurofeedback, she found the knowledge of the brain provided a tool to help patients change in a way that had often taken years with psychotherapy alone. Angelika shares with Chantea how she began her neurofeedback business and how she has grown it to where it is today. Also, Angelika tells us of some of her favorite tools, which coincidentally happens to be Chantea’s favorites too. Key Talking Points:
Key Milestones of the Episode: (00:13): How Angelika got into neurofeedback (03:41): Defining biofeedback (06:21): Peak performance training (09:04): Sleep modalities (25:02): Angelica’s greatest success story Quotes from Angelika Sadar and Chantea Goetz: “It makes the big difference when you go to work and say, I love what I do. It’s not a burden.” “It’s when we don’t have understanding that we can’t find hope.” “The brain works best when it’s had a good relaxation.” “Good fighter pilots can activate their brain and relax their brains.” “Everybody is looking for peak performance training.” “Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that is focused on measuring brainwave, electrical activity in the brain.” “There is a perfect place for traditional psychotherapy.” Angelkia Sadar Biography Angelika Sadar is a licensed psychologist who is board certified in Neurofeedback and Heart Rate Variability. She has been in private practice in the greater Philadelphia area since 1985. She is a treatment coordinator at Sadar Psychological and a nationally recognized speaker providing education and offering training to other professionals in neurofeedback, biofeedback, and hypnosis.She is the Executive Director of the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society and is on the board of the Association of Applied Psycholphysiology and Biofeedback. Connect with Angelika Website Connect with Chantea Goetz
Make the impossible, possible!
Do you ever get the feeling that you’re not living your best or most fulfilling life? Do you have goals that you don’t know how to tackle or can’t seem to accomplish? If you’re looking for a change of pace, then a life coach might be just what you need! A peak performance coach is someone who will encourage and support you on matters having to do with careers or personal challenges, and help give you the confidence to tap into your full potential. When you break it down, there are four steps to take when working toward becoming our best selves. You’ll want to balance your basic needs, make progress toward self-concordant goals, hold yourself accountable, and actively work toward modifying problematic aspects of yourself or your world. This may sound like a tall order, but with the help of a peak performance coach, nothing is impossible! COMPLIMENTARY PEAK PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
FOMO is the fear of missing out and is not exactly a new behavior. According to clinical psychologist Anita Sanz, FOMO dates back to early civilizations.FOMO is linked to our stress response. In ancient civilizations, missing out on information, a new food source, for example, could mean the difference between life and death. Being ‘in the know’ was critical to survival.Fear of being left out is actually deeply ingrained in us. In fact, part of our brain specializes in sensing if we are being left out. The problem is, being left out is no longer a matter of life or death, yet we are continually fearful of missing out leads to detrimental consequences. Social media and technology trigger the latest form of FOMO- and some view FOMO behavior as an addiction.Feeling left out or the “fear of missing out” does not feel good, which is why we try to avoid this form of stress. Unfortunately, in the process of avoiding this stress, we create a new behavior of constantly checking social media to see if we’re missing out on anything. This behavior, however, does not lessen stress.
FOMO is essentially a state of mental and emotional stress. There are a number of adverse health effects associated with FOMO, including, but not limited to:sleep deprivationbinge eatingbinge drinkinglack of focusanxietyless participation in academic eventsa cluttered schedule, and insomniaThe lack of time spent on academics, work, or even self-improvement can have detrimental effects not only to a person's goals but on health as well. FOMO causes young people to participate in risk-taking behaviors in an attempt to avoid feeling left out, some of which ironically lead to worse self-esteem and unhappiness.In an attempt to avoid the negative feelings associated with being left behind, social media has become a platform for people to divulge personal information about themselves and their activities with the public. Sadly this can come with a cost, leading to online mocking and bullying, which can consequently lead to lowered self-esteem.A FOMO-aholic may experience loneliness, frequent anxiety, life dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem, all of which can lead to or worsen depression. Most people caught in the FOMO cycle are probably not feeling too great about life. FOMO often originates out of unhappiness.FOMO is an addiction. Studies show FOMO leads people to check social media right after they wake up, before they go to bed, and during meals. How often do you check your phone? A TIME article reports:people between the ages of 18-24 check their phones an average of 74 times a daypeople between the ages of 25-34 check their phones an average of 50 times a daypeople between the ages of 35-44 check their phones an average of 35 times a dayYou may not even realize you’re using social media to make yourself feel better. Unfortunately, this can actually make you feel worse. Platforms such as Facebook don’t exactly paint a well-rounded picture of people’s lives, with the majority of feeds acting more like a highlight reel of life. In spite of this, research shows we can’t help but compare our lives to others. Research also shows people with FOMO have ambivalent feelings toward Facebook. It brings them up and slams them back down strengthening the cycle of feeling down or anxious. This sounds precisely like the highs and lows of addiction. Can anyone guess the most significant disadvantage of having FOMO?It’s the obsession with ‘what could be’, rather than what IS. When we’re continually looking for the next new thing or stressing over documenting our activities via social media just to prove we’re ‘one of you’, we miss out on living in the moment. We become overwhelmed, continually trying to find what we might be missing out on causing us to forget to focus on the here and now.We’re so focused on what everyone else is doing and don’t want to miss out- we forget to ask ourselves what we want out of life and who we want to be. People with FOMO surround themselves with people, but this doesn’t mean they are engaging in deep and meaningful relationships. Deep, meaningful relationships are vital to overall well being. Studies show individuals with supportive and rewarding relationships have better mental health, higher levels of subjective well-being, and lower rates of morbidity and mortality.Relationships are essential for helping us cope with stress and adversity, as well as an individual’s efforts to learn, grow, explore, achieve goals, cultivate new talents, and find purpose and meaning in life. Dozens of studies report that people who regularly take part in satisfying relationships with family, friends, and their community are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer. There are two main drivers of FOMO today, social media and social pressure.SOCIAL MEDIAWhile social media can be a great platform for keeping in touch with long lost friends and relatives, most would also agree that the rise of social media has led to an over-reliance on technology. The need to continually feel connected can epitomize FOMO. The days of real conversations are long gone, merely clicking ‘like’ has replaced the art of language. Let’s be honest, is there anything more exhilarating than posting something and tracking just how many likes you can get. Unfortunately, this happiness is short lived. This form of connection isn’t actually connection at all. Our innate human need to connect with others simply cannot be filled with a few ‘likes’. This explains why no matter how much we post, text, or email, we still feel lonely at the end of the day. SOCIAL PRESSURESocial pressure creates feelings of obligations to attend certain events. While it’s in our nature to want to feel a part of something, simply participating in an activity merely because we’re afraid of missing out misses the point. This again misses the mark for making a real connection.Attending events out of obligation isn’t fulfilling and can lead to feelings of resentment and frustration. The pressure of being social mixed with being fearful of missing out on something can compel us to do things we don’t enjoy. Now that we have a better understanding of what FOMO is and how it develops, we can take a look at different ways to quiet the urges to fill the void of unhappiness. First, we need to find out the source of unhappiness in our life. Is it something situational, for example, are you experiencing a significant life change? Or is it something deeper, a hormonal imbalance perhaps?Whatever the reason, it’s essential to get to the root cause of the issue to truly overcome unhappiness. Let’s take a look at some ways you may be contributing to your own unhappiness to help you overcome FOMO. Negative thoughts can manifest in numerous forms. The thing to remember is that thought patterns can change, and thoughts are not ‘facts’. Here are a few common negative mindsets that can cause you to turn to FOMO behaviors:Judging yourself in a harsh way. Our overly critical inner voice can be shockingly cruel. Try to realize your self-talk is not the truth. Instead, try practicing self-compassion. Replace negative self-talk with positive reinforcement. Blaming ourselves or others for misfortune never leads to a positive outcome. In fact, many psychologists say playing the blame game is one of our most destructive behaviors. Blaming Yourself For Things You Can’t Control. Sometimes it’s easier to place blame on ourselves rather than accept some things are simply out of our control. Be mindful of the fact the only thing any of us can control in life is how we react to situations. Blaming Others For Negative Situations. This one is common; however, in many cases, a negative situation is not really the fault of anyone. Instead of saying or thinking ‘he did this’ or ‘she made me mad’ rephrase your language to ‘I’. Instead of diverting responsibility to someone else, think about how you impacted the situation. Giving in to FOMO has a lot to do with our habits. Replacing harmful practices with more positive ones will help break the pattern.One Way We Cause Unhappiness Is Through Bad Habits And Addictions. FOMO behaviors are addictions, just like smoking or over drinking. While these behaviors seem to relieve stress, it’s just an illusion, in most cases making stress worse in the long run. There are lots of ways to beat addictions, and ultimately, you need to decide to be healthy and happy to participate in more positive behaviors. Comparing Yourself To Others Is Also A Bad Habit That Needs Breaking. There will always be someone with more money, hair, etc. I guarantee even if you could magically obtain whatever it is you think would make you happier, it won’t. Happiness only comes from within. Instead of comparing your situation to that of others, make your own life as good as possible. If stress and anxiety are causes of FOMO, then it stands to reason finding natural and healthy ways to reduce stress and anxiety can help you kick the FOMO addictions. There are tons of ways to reduce stress and anxiety. Try any of these options: Yoga Get out and connect with nature Journal Meditate Learn to be present Practice a calming breath technique Volunteer Go for a run Join a team sport Tap into the power of essential oils Join a book club Get on a regular sleep schedule Do something creative: writing, painting, music, etc Deep breathing exercises are perfect for calming the mind. This technique is free, fast acting, and can be done from anywhere!There are lots of different breathing techniques, give this one a try:1. Close your eyes while in a comfortable seated position. Breathe naturally, through the nostrils, without attempting to control your breath.2. Simply bring awareness to your natural breath. Be aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the body. 3. Take a deep breath, inhaling as you count to four. Hold your breath for a count of three. Exhale for a count of four. 4. As you breathe, your mind will be flooded with thoughts. Gently redirect your thoughts to counting the breath. This is the process of becoming more aware of how busy your mind is.5. Resist the temptation to follow the different thoughts as they arise, and focus on the sensations accompanying the breath. 6. Repeat this as many times as necessary until your mind settles on the breath. The sooner you make this a daily habit, the quicker you'll feel relaxed. Mindfulness is one key element missing from the FOMO lifestyle. Mindfulness is a technique that refers to a nonjudgmental observation or awareness that is focused on the present experience.Practicing mindfulness can help those with major FOMO enjoy what they are doing in the here and now, instead of yearning for what else could be.There are many different techniques for practicing mindfulness. The more you encourage your mind to be present, the easier it will become. Eventually, you won’t even have to try.Here are a few simple exercises to get you started.Undivided Attention Exercise Do something around the house, something like washing the dishes can be a meditative practice if done with undivided attention. Pay close attention to how the water feels against your skin, how the soap smells, etc. Candle Staring Exercise. Stare at a candle flame for ten minutes straight while studying everything you can about it. When your mind wanders, become aware of where it’s going, then bring it back to the candle flame. This concept is similar to the breathing exercise. Mindful Hand Awareness Exercise. Grasp your hands tightly and hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then release and pay attention to how your hands feel. Keep your attention focused on the feeling for as long as you can.Social Media Exercise. When you are on social media and see something that someone shared that really irks you, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and focus on your feelings. Research has found that being grateful can be a very powerful boost in overall happiness. If FOMO is the result of unhappiness, then gratitude is the antidote. There are so many ways to bump up your gratitude meter. Here are just a few options:Appreciate everything; there is nothing too small for you to be thankful for.Gratitude is not only about being thankful for positive experiences, find gratitude in your challenges. Create a daily gratitude journal. The trick is to picture the situation you are grateful for in detail and sit with that feeling of gratitude in your body. Doing this every day will actually rewire your brain to be naturally more grateful!Volunteering can make you more grateful for the things that you may take for granted. Additionally, giving back to others can increase our own well-being.Share your gratitude of others by expressing that same gratitude to the people you care about. This can both make their day a little bright, and can also increase your own level of gratitude.Boost your happiness in other areas of your life that may be lacking, being grateful can make you happy, but being happy can also make you grateful.No matter which method you prefer, keep in mind your brain is a powerful tool! Training your brain to be more grateful will ensure that the gratitude comes more easily the more you practice. So we know FOMO is the fear of missing out. Any guesses what JOMO is??JOMO is the JOY of missing out! JOMO is about understanding yourself, your needs, and your desires to be truthful with yourself. JOMO helps to encourage you to embrace the pleasure of choosing what you want to do, or not do. At the heart of JOMO is the power to act in a way that engages and fulfills you.Here is a list of reasons why you should ditch the FOMO and embrace JOMO:Instead of spending free time consumed by the drama of social media, email, and text messages, you can choose to disconnect and spend time discovering and doing things that make you happy.Having every moment planned can not only be draining but suffocating. Freeing yourself up from unwanted commitments and online addictions allows time for spontaneity. This is a chance to ask what that quiet inner voice want to experience.Embrace feeling different emotions. Too often, we turn to our technology as a quick fix to being bored, lonely, sad, or frustrated. In reality, this is merely avoidance and not a fix at all. Embracing the lows make the highs that much richer. The ability to experience a range of emotion is what makes us human!JOMO helps you live in the here and now. Stop looking for the next activity, and simply find appreciation for the moment you are living at present. Imagine having (and giving) undivided attention to those you are in the presence of rather than only half-heartedly listening while you scour social media. Here are a few simple steps to help you transition from FOMO to JOMO. Step 1. Disconnect from your technology. Put your phone in a different room, turn off your electronics. Whatever it takes to step away. This might be challenging at first. It’s ok to ease into it. Step 2. Commit to a certain amount of time each day to disconnect. Plan a ‘you activity’ during this time to help serve as a distraction until you become used to being detached. Activities can include writing in your journal, going for a walk, looking through an old photo album... the possibilities are only limited to what you can imagine.Step 3. Reconnect in person. Look people in the eye when you talk to them rather than through your phone. This step can also include reconnecting with yourself by indulging in something you love. Step 4, Understand what others regret in life; it’s typically deeper, more meaningful aspects of life. Such as, not living our personal truths, not appreciating our relationships, not spending more time with friends, and not being honest about who we really are. Attending an event out of obligation is going to be pretty low on the list. Thank you for taking the time to experience my class! This is an important yet overlooked topic, and I hope everyone learned something valuable today!If you have any further questions, please post them below or email me at support@functionised.com .I am always here to support you -Chantea Goetz
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Jim Goetz
Chantea Goetz Concussion Reporting On The Rise To understand Concussion Rehabilitation, it’s important to first know what a concussion is and how one occurs. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 1.6 million to 3.8 million people experience concussions during sports and recreational activities every year in the United States. They also recognize this number is potentially higher as many concussions are never reported. Concussion is truly a traumatic brain injury, however, symptoms can often be overlooked. Effects can be long-lasting due to changes in brain tissue and altered chemical balances. Concussions can occur during any type of physical activity when there are a sudden acceleration and deceleration of the brain inside the bony skull. Injury occurs during rapid movement changes, such as whiplash when the head experiences a direct hit. Concussions can occur at any age from a variety of causes including: Motor vehicle collisions causing head impact/whiplash Work accidents such as falls/head trauma Playground accidents, falling from a slide or swing Sports injury to the head or neck Falls, which are the leading cause of concussions Violent webinars, such as: - Physical abuse during which the head is shaken - Being too close to a blast or explosion - A direct blow to the head, face, or neck - Assaults, domestic violence Concussion can result in physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms causing both short-term and long-term problems. Because of this, every concussion is considered a serious injury needing immediate medical attention by a healthcare provider. Know the Symptoms There are numerous symptoms related to concussions which can manifest in various ways, and recognizing the symptoms right away can make a difference for physical, emotional, and mental recovery. Some symptoms occur immediately, some a few hours after the injury, and some show up months or years after a concussion. People experience symptoms in different ways, some may exhibit no outward symptoms while others may complain of headaches, blurry vision, neck pain, memory loss, dizziness, balance difficulties, fatigue, incoordination, or problems concentrating. This is guaranteed to be incredibly valuable! Functionised Concussion Site
Do You Realize How Important It Is To Build A Team To Support Your Concussion?
Post-concussion syndrome is a complex disorder in which various symptoms — such as headaches and dizziness — last for weeks and sometimes months after the injury that caused the concussion. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that usually happens after a blow to the head. It can also occur with violent shaking and movement of the head or body. You don't have to lose consciousness to get a concussion or post-concussion syndrome. In fact, the risk of post-concussion syndrome doesn't appear to be associated with the severity of the initial injury. Did you know that 1 in 5 teens report a history of concussion (JAMA, Sept 2017)? This alarming statistic becomes even more bothersome when you begin to think about the side effects of a concussion… -Headaches -Dizziness -Fatigue -Irritability -Anxiety -Insomnia -Loss of concentration and memory -Ringing in the ears -Blurry vision -Noise and light sensitivity Yet, the prevention and management of concussions are complex, requiring cooperation and communication amongst parents and professionals from many disciplines. This is our motivation to host a webinar called Concussion Care - Sideline to Sideline that will take place on Monday, September 9th at 12:00 pm EDT. Our webinar will focus on non-invasive, research-supported therapies for concussions because we believe that the key to creating a recovery path for a multifactorial injury, such as a concussion, is to properly identify the underlying cause of the injury and then to create an individualized course of treatment. What to Expect We will be exploring some common misconceptions when it comes to concussion care as well as delving into some individualized treatment options that we offer at our clinic. Concussion/mTBI is a brain injury that changes the way the brain functions. Most of the time, structural damage does not occur, therefore, imaging of the brain like MRI and CT brain scans are usually normal, but symptoms like headaches, head pressure, confusion, fogginess, dizziness, nausea, delayed responses to questions, and memory-loss typically occur. No two head traumas are exactly the same, and due to the shape of the human skull, there is always a rotational aspect to head traumas that cause the brain to twist and damage the central or inner parts of the brain, leading to the symptoms listed above. Concussions do not always result in loss of consciousness, which is a common mistake when diagnosing. During our time together, we will focus on the following topics: -Tenets of a Concussion -Proper Acute Management -When To Call 911 -Patient-Centered Approach -Special Diagnostic Tools -Example of a Comprehensive Concussion Plan -And so much more! The key is a multidisciplinary approach to recovery that includes a variety of techniques and services and our office is focused 100% on supporting people who are in dire need of recovery. Please join us and feel free to invite others who you think could benefit from our webinar, Concussion Care - Sideline to Sideline.
This podcast and podcast show notes have been created and compiled by Chantea Goetz, MS, PhD(s)
People with emotional intelligence (EQ) with positive thinking roll a different way. Common examples many of us may face that lead to toxic, irrational thinking are followed by its rational ( EQ) counterpart to aid you in shifting your perspective. 1. Irrational Thinking: I should be liked and approved of by almost everyone. EQ Counterpart: No one is liked by everyone. That is unrealistic. 2. Irrational Thinking: To be worthy and have self-esteem, I have to be competent and successful in all respects EQ Counterpart: I can't expect to be perfect in all respects; it's okay to fail and make mistakes. 3. Irrational Thinking: I'm stupid and don't deserve this. EQ Counterpart: What I did was stupid, and I can forgive myself and try again. 4. Irrational Thinking: This shouldn't have happened. I am to be blamed. EQ Counterpart: This should have happened because it did. I am at fault, but I am not to be blamed. 5. Irrational Thinking: Things always go wrong. EQ Counterpart: I have to accept that sometimes things will go wrong. And that's okay. 6. Irrational Thinking: I am a failure. EQ Counterpart: I'm a person who sometimes fails. And that's okay. I'll try again. 7. Irrational Thinking: I'm a product of my past. I can't change anything. I've always been this way. EQ Counterpart: Things have happened in the past that have influenced my behavior, but I can learn to modify how I think and react if I work at it. People can and do change. 8. Irrational Thinking: I really need to be dependent on someone stronger than myself. My happiness depends on others. EQ Counterpart: I'm the one who ultimately decides what's best for me. Dependency is more like a habit and a state of mind that can be altered with practice. 9. Irrational Thinking: It's easier to avoid than to face this problem; hopefully it will just go away. EQ Counterpart: In the long run, it's better to face this problem and accept my role in it; only then can there be resolution and better relationships. If there will always be negativity surrounding you, how do you get rid of it? Well, you can’t! But there are ways to use it for good, and not let it bring you down. Here’s how negative influences serve their purpose:
It is your choice to let negative people affect you! Realize some of these negative people in your life, genuinely LOVE you. They could be your parents even! Some of these negative words come from protection, and personal insecurities. So here’s how to deal:
Analyze your environment, who are you talking to and what about? What movies are you watching, and what books are you reading? What goes in, will come out! What you feed will flourish, what you neglect will die. Stop complaining about the negative people and negative influences. If you focus, or feed the negativity, you will get negativity back! Start encouraging people around you and you may find they start encouraging you back! So stop focusing on who isn’t behind you, and start looking for people or that one person who is for you. If you can’t find anyone in your personal life, get connected on our Facebook! We are here FOR you, to speak life into you. We want you to succeed, as well as the rest of the community here. Get plugged in, and start dreaming! Removing Negative Habits and Thoughts from Your Life Identify your unhealthy habits: Take a moment to write down any unhealthy habits you are currently practicing in your life. Think about any habits that make you feel unhappy or sucks away all your energy. Cut back on these unhealthy habits: Cutting back unhealthy habits will allow you to use your time on other activities that could lead to progress in your career, your personal passions, and your development as an individual. Avoid negative self-talk: Negative self-talk can sometimes be just as damaging as negative habits. You may practice negative self-talk by only focusing on the negative aspects of a situation or an event, rather than the positive aspects. Use positive affirmations: Turn your negative self-talk into a positive force by focusing on healthy self-talk that makes you feel good. This means never saying anything to yourself that you would not say to anyone else. Evaluate any negative thoughts that enter your mind, consider it, and then respond with a positive thought instead. Be Your Own Best Friend We are mean to ourselves. Nearly 90% of self-talk is negative. Three steps: 1. Release it. Let it out to help process, not to dwell. Three minutes, then the pity party is over. 2. Track it. Identify when you have negative thoughts. Awareness will enable re-framing. 3. Re-frame it. Once you know why you are being mean, consider what your best friend would say to you. Then tell yourself what you need to hear. Leave your questions or comments below and I will be sure to respond to them! -Chantea Goetz
Stress is omni present in all of our lives. It is present in our work, family, environment and lifestyle choices. It can either tear us down or build us up.
Functionised Podcast guest Jamie Sussel Turner is a NY Times featured author, award winning author, speaker and coach. It is through her three separate bouts with cancer that Jamie realized the stresses in her own personal life and how they were tearing her down. Jamie Sussel Turner shares with you her extraordinary journey from school principal to her exploration of stress in the world, in herself and in you.
In this Functionised Podcast we discuss:
This podcast will bring out your best and a less stressed version of you!
Leave your questions and comments below and we will respond to you personally!
Awesome webinar with Director of Cognitive Performance Chantea Goetz and Chief of Human Performance Jim Goetz at Functionised. If your employer does not offer a corporate wellness program and you would like to reap the benefits of one or are an employer and want to maximize your employees performance contact us today at 848-444-9032.
We hear all too often individuals are buying nutrition supplements from the health food store or big chain stores because the sales person told them to buy that one. Some individuals meet with a nutritionist or other physician and end up walking out with 10 plus different supplements!!! It's understandable that if you do not know what you need or what a supplement does, you are looking for guidance from someone who is supposed to be experienced, right? But what if the individual you are getting the information from got their information from the wrong place? Fact is if you are not testing you are guessing.
You test for success. This means it's imperative to do lab work to know what you need in the first place. Why take vitamin D if your vitamin D levels are normal? Why take a B complex if your B levels are fine? Why would you eat certain foods if you knew they were inflammatory and created an immune response the moment you ate it? But unless you test, you will not know this. We have lab work done on our clients and patients and use Functionised Integrative Therapeutics to order food sensitivity panels, genomic markers and what are known as "Zoomers".
Overrated Supplements
The supplement industry is huge. It brings in tens of billions of dollars each and every year. The unfortunate part of this industry is that most of the supplements on the market either don't work or are not right for you.
The following 5 supplements are overrated. Their popularity soars but benefits are in question. If you buy these supplements each month, you may want to first get labs done and then spend your money elsewhere (or better yet, save and invest it!!!) 1. Multivitamins Taking a multi makes sense. The idea is to get all of your vitamins and minerals with one swallow. These nutrients are essential for life, right!?!? Better than a multi though is a well balanced diet! If you want to drink Mountain Dew all day then yes, a multi is a good idea. Often in multivitamins though are poor ingredients such as -oxide (rust) that our bodies cannot absorb. Instead of taking a multivitamin each day, get a vitamin/ mineral panel done. Then take single nutrient whole food supplements in order to supplement your body. Remember that while you may be deficient in some nutrients, you may be fine or have an overabundance in others. There is such a thing as toxicity. 2. Fat burners Some will not workout without a fat burner. How many times have I stated that if you have to use a fat burner to workout, there is a problem. While fat burners seem like a good idea (increase metabolism, burn more fat). Remember that the sexy idea of fat burners come from fancy bottles, marketing campaigns and celebrity endorsements. Most fat burners fall into the categories though of being ineffective or harmful. The reason for this is that your metabolism is your metabolism. While supplements increase it slightly (possibly), this increase is marginal. Any supplement that causes fat to be released from your cells do not make the fat vanish. You must burn it as energy (beta-oxidation). Fat burners often cause jitters and sleeplessness, which will cause your body to increase fat. They can also cause cardiovascular dysfunction. My advice is to first exercise and eat a balanced lifestyle and then seek a true health professional for advice down the road. 3. BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) Let's just stop here. BCAA's are a total waste of your money. Their benefit does not match their cost as they are the same cost as the most expensive protein supplements on the market. Second you are far better supplementing with an essential amino acid IF it is needed. You can be tested to see what your body lacks in terms of amino acids. If you are looking to get a good source of protein (BCAA's are contained in this protein btw), then have a piece of chicken or fish or beef. 4. Testosterone boosters There are testosterone boosters that do work! It's called correcting nutritional deficiencies that are linked to low testosterone. By replenishing a mineral such as zinc (if low), your testosterone levels may rise. But if you are not deficient in zinc, then taking more zinc will only lead to toxicity and not higher testosterone. Furthermore, your testosterone levels will not rise above normal levels through supplementation of secretagogues or minerals. The only way to elevate it higher than normal would be through introducing higher levels of testosterone from an exogenous source. Again it goes back to getting tested. If you're not testing you're guessing. Supplements That You May Consider
1. Creatine
Yes, creatine!!! Creatine is for more than simply fitness freaks like myself. Creatine has been shown through decades of research to increase power at the cellular level. Through increased cellular power, and energy, your cells can grow (increased muscle hypertrophy). Aside from strength and size gains (not steroid like size but healthy hypertophy), creatine prevents sarcopenia and has been shown to have cognitive benefits and reduction of symptoms of depression. While you can get creatine from beef, not everyone eats beef daily. Therefore, supplementing with creatine would make sense for people of any age. 2. Garlic In vito, garlic kills everything. It's a great anti-viral and anti-bacteral and anti-vampire. But research is not definitive if the results are in vivo. What is clear is garlic’s positive effect on blood pressure and cholesterol. While garlic will not make you immune to heart disease, it has been shown to improve blood lipid panels, which may reduce your risk of heart attack down the road. 4. Turmeric (curcumin) Curcumin is just awesome! Curcumin is the compound that makes tumeric so potent and is what is studied. Curcumin does have a poor bioavailability rating. This is why it's important to take it with piperine and fat. But research shows the benefits of curcumin when it comes to: lowering cholesterol, improving blood sugar control, lessening symptoms of depression, and reducing osteoarthritis pain. Most of these things have a common element: excessive inflammation. Curcumin appears to be a powerful anti-inflammatory compound, with the ability to increase the amount of antioxidants our bodies make. Supplement Budget
Do you ever track how much you spend on supplements? Most individuals do not actually take a look to see how much they spend on supplements. Once they do, they are shocked. They are shocked to learn how much they have spent for so long!!! It adds up. A basic supplement regimen of a multivitamin, fish oil and vitamin D costs on the very cheap side $20 per month or $240 per year. Better quality supplements and an increased regime costs anywhere from $500 to $1000 per year. These costs are being spent without ever even testing to see if and what you need. Instead of figuring out with the sales person at the store, which supplements to buy, determine which to buy based on actual needs and evidence. Even so called evidence of supplements may be inaccurate because the evidence is based on rodent studies and not actual humans or the studies are small with methodological issues. Second, the best bang for your buck comes from supplements with proven, substantial effects. Your body has been created and evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. It maintains a state of homeostasis utilizing thousands of extremely complex pathways. What heavily marketed supplement is going to change evolution with a single pill??? 2. How do you know which supplement to buy? Have you not figured this one out by now? If you don't test you are guessing and always test for success. This is only a fraction of what was discussed on this podcast. Tune in to hear it in full and please leave your questions and comments below.
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