Five reasons for workout

Hi!!!!

Today I´m not tell you something so scientific. Just a little.

Some people ask me why I go to the gym training, although I´m skinny person. 

When I answer, I always give one of the reason, however the truth is: you and me don´t need a reason ore excuse to go to a gym or do some exercise.

When I was younger I was a dancer. I used to do ballet, jazz, street dance classes. I think I danced everyday, and I felt wonderful. Due to academics commitements, I had to stop and I didn´t find a way to continued. It was a mistake.

For all those years I didn´t nothing so important that i could call exercise. I just avoid elevators and try walk all day avoiding using cars (and I don´t have a car until today hehehe). Thus, year by year I just feel more stressful, little sad, without strenght to lift anything.

One day, in august of 2012, when I back to my home in Brazil, I was felling so stressful and angry that I remember what a good friend told me one day: "when I feeling very frustated and angry I go to the gym and lift a lot of weights."

Ok, it´s very good when you have a gym around your neighborhood. "The closest gym from my house it was 25 Km. What I can do now?" _ I thought. 

Well, I opened my laptop and searched. And found! A lot of examples of exercises that I could do by myself like a beginner. 

The results were awesome! I did not do heavy training, however I was moving. I could control my stress, my ansiety and close in good way my thesis. I found balance anyway.

I live this way in around one year. In august of 2013 I decrease the workouts, and stopped. I didn´t have place to do my workouts. Consequence: imsonia. I just slept 2 days in a week!

When I back to Ottawa, I back to exercises too. More intensity and more commitment. 

My mind about what I eat improve too. Everybody says to me that I can eat everything. It´s not thuth. In 2006 I did a blood exam and my cholesterol was high. Over the limit, even I didn´t get any weight. So, I can not eat everything, like you. I was eating two packages of cookies per day while I studing for finals exams at college. It was a surprise.

The fact is, you don´t need excuse or big reasons to move. Exercise is a right that everybody should do. And as a chemist, I suggest you try eat clean always is possible. Be healthy is not only a life style it´s a necessity. If everybody or the most of people eat clean, the food industry is going to stop product bad and unhealthy stuffs.

But if you want some reasons why I go to the gym, I´ll give you:

1) I can sleep 6 nights per week;

2) My menstrual cramps decrease significantly (Endorphin worked here);

3) My mood is better (Serotonin);

4) I found some muscles that I thought that I don´t have (reactions happened);

5) I don´t feel tired when I have to walk ro stopbus. 

And... I enjoying and feeling my body cleanear. 

Most of people when begin trainings wait the outside improvements, but I tell you, the better changes caming from inside. What happen outside is consequence from irreversible inner change.

I hope you enjoy too.

;)

Barbie 

   

What do you know about açaí?

What do you know about açaí?

After a long period write my thesis guess what... I´m back!!!

And today I show you a small Brazilian treasure called AÇAÍ!!!

Euterpe Oleracea Mart: Açaí is a little fruit from Amazon and have good benefits for health. Let´s see some of them!

Açaí pulp has high levels of Omegas 6 and 9 fatty acids, carbohydrates, fibers, vitamin E, proteins, Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Zinc(Zn), Cupper (Cu), Chromium (Cr) and large amount of antioxidants.  

Antioxidant effects

Its antioxidant effects have the ability to act against superoxide and peroxyl radicals, free radicals that cause oxidation in our body. The predominant phytochemicals found in the pulp of the acai berry are anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoids. Besides that there are some phenolic compounds that act as antioxidant. 

How these complicated names work? Let me explain...

 

Anthocyanins are water-soluble molecules responsible for the dark color of the acai pulp. Until the current studies, the action was checked anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant. Moreover, prevents oxidation of LDL, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Then the darker flesh color, the greater the quantity of this substance. The phenolic compounds act as cofactors in biological action of anthocyanins.

Cyanin molecule

Antiinflammatory effect

Lipids present in acai pulp may be involved in inflammatory processes and reduction of nociception. This is because the effects can exhibit inhibition of cyclooxygenase COX-1 and COX-2 and the inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce the formation of nitric acid that causes vasodilation and cytotoxic effects.

Source of molecules that boosting your body:

Polysaccharides present in the pulp has the function of stimulating T cell and myeloid cells gamma-delta, which improves the immunological system.

Poliphenolic compounds present in acai can reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, because these molecules favor lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis, which reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome and complications of type 2 diabetes.

In Brazil we usually use the pulp in juices, jelly and liqueurs. However, parts of this fruit could be use for others functions. The oil has antimalarial action, while seed is used as compost and crafts.

The best way to enjoy all these benefits is consume the fresh fruit clean. But if you is far from amazon region choose the frozen pulp recently, properly pasteurized and without additivies.

I hope you liked this information.

Any doubts ask me! 

Barbie 

;)

Reference:

PORTINHO, J. A.; ZIMMERMMAN L. M.; BRUCK M. R. Efeitos Benéficos do Açaí. International Journal of Nutrology, v.5, n.1, p. 15-20, jan./abr. 2012.

November in Blue

Blue, Blue and Blue!!!

Do you know why?

This month is all in blue because of World Diabetic Day (WDD). November in Blue is a campaing from Iternational Diabetes Federation to give more information about this desease.

Diabetic is a silent desease that appears suddenly without cause pain. There are three common types of diabetic:

Type 1:

• It is an auto-immune reaction where the body defense system attacks the insulin-producing cells;
• It could affect any age, but is usual in children and young adults;  
• It is not cured by insulin, but people with this type need take it daily;
• It is not contagius;
• It is not caused by unhealthy lifestyle or diet;
• It is not preventable;

Type 2:

• It is 90% of all case of diabetic;
• It is insuline resistent and relative insuline deficiency;
• It usually occurs after 40 years old, but could occur early;
• It is often associated with obesity (but not always); 

Gestational Diabetes (GDM):

• It is a high blood glucose levels during pregnancy;
• It is associated with complications in period immediately after or before birth;
• It usually disappears after pregnancy but there is a risk of development of diabetes type2 later;

Well, the most important thing to understand is the control of glucose in blood, because it can cause complications, such as: cardiovascular, kidney, nerve, and eye diseases.

The common symptoms are: loss of weight, dizziness; thirst and fatigue. If you feel it check your glycemia (level of glucose in blood). If you have some history in your family and have more than 40 years, check your plasma glucose levels periodically.

If you want to prevent type 2 diabetes try achieve a healthy body weight and moderate physical activity.

"IDF recommends a goal of at least 30 minutes of daily exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling or dancing. Regular walking for at least 30 minutes per day, for example, has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 35-40%." 

Another tip: information is everything to live better! Protec your future! Help others! Help you!

STEVIA! A good friend from the south!

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni from south America to the world!

This plant it´s native to the Amambay region in the north east of Paraguay and also occurs in the neighboring parts of Brazil and Argentina. Nowadays, its cultivation is spread to some regions of the world such Canada, Asia and Europe.

What makes stevia sweet is a chemical compound called stevioside established as a diterpene glycoside in 1952. Years after, in 1970s, other compounds were isolated, including rebaudioside A, with a sweetening potency even higher than stevioside.

One of the characteristic about steviside is it´s 300 times sweeter than saccarose and it also offer a therapeutic benefits, because it shows an anti-hyperglycemic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, anti-diarrhoeal, diuretic, and immunomodulatory effects.

Up to this moment, several studies were made about stevioside toxicity and all of them showed that this chemical does not have mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects. And more, completed studies showed its safety at high dietary intake levels.

Stevia biochemical nutritional aspects are described below:

•  Low calorie sweeten;
• Shows an adequate fat absorption capacity;
•  It´s reasonably thermally stable under elevated temperatures, that make it useful in food processing;
•  Good source of carbohydrates, protein and crude fibres; 
• Roots and leaves show inulin-type fructooligasaccharides with functional properties related to prebiotics, dietary fibre, role lipid metabolis and diabetes control;
• Contained almost all of indispensable amino acids, including tyrosine and cysteine;
•  It shows a reasonable amount of potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. It also shows high amount of iron that helps the maintenance of normal hemoglobin level in the body;
•  It contains folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin B2;

Stevia just show benefits for health. Studies show that regular consumption decrease the sugar in body, radionuclides, and cholesterol in the blood, and also improves cell regeneration and blood coagulation.

And more! It also exhibit choleretic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. Prevent ulceration in the gastrointestinal tract; it is antihyperglycemic; acts as anti human rota-virus activities; controls glucose metabolism and renal function.

Stevia and stevioside have been used in treatment of cancer and substitutes of sacarosis in the treatment of diabetes, obesity and hypertension

Now if you want get all these advantage you can drink stevia tea instea of sweetener. You could choose the best way for you.

Stevia plant it already used from native people from Paraguay and Brazil in the past. They already know all these benefits a long time a go!

Then, what are you waiting for?

Enjoy! With stevia!!

References:

Mondaca, R. L.; Veja-Gálvez, A.; Zura-Bravo; Ah-Hen K. (2012); Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, source of a high-potency natural sweetener: A comprehensive review on the biochemical, nutritional and functional aspects. Food Chemistry 132, 1121–1132.

http://emporioalecrim.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/beneficios-e-usos-stevia.html

VITAMIN C!!!

After talked about vitamins soluble in fat, I am going to talk about vitamins soluble in water.

Vitamins belong to this group we can found vitamin C and vitamins B (complex B vitamin).

Today I will show you something about C vitamin or Ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C is very important for our body and we need take it daily because it soluble in water, then we can store it for very long and we can manufacture it.

Ascorbic acid is needed to:

ü  Make the strong connective tissue (collagen) that holds your skeleton together, attaches your bones, builds strong blood vessels, and keeps yours organs and skin place;

ü  It is a powerful antioxidant because it mop up free radicals and helps others antioxidants do their work better;

ü  It helps immune system work better and manufacture many of your body´s hormones;  

ü  It helps avoid cardiovascular disease, because it decrease blood pressure;

ü  Vitamin C helps who has allergies and asthma. It happens because when you exposure by an agent could cause allergy your immune system will produce histamine, and all symptoms of allergy and asthma appears. Then when you take vitamin C, it keeps your immune system from making as many histamines to begin with and helps you get them out of your bloodstream faster;

We could find vitamin C in citrus fruits, such as grapefruit, lemon, orange, tangerine, you could find it in acerola (80 times more vitamin C than orange), apple, banana, guava, kiwi, mango, papaya, pepper, pineapple, tomato, for example!

Therefore, vitamin C is very important: for athletics, for recovery surgery, for babies, for diabetic type 2 and even prevent cancer. So if I were you, I will take some of it!

Enjoy! 

Reference:

Pressman, A. H., Vitamins and Minerals.

Vitamin K _ Good for Koagulation!

Vitamin K from koagulation!!!

I will explain you!

In late 1920s and early 1930s, Danish researches discovered a substance that avoid blooding, because it is essential for forming blood clots and make it fastly whenever you injure yourself. It´s vitamin K.

Vitamin K has your family too:

ü  K₁ = phylloquinone : found in plant foods;

ü  K₂ = menaquinone : is made from bacteria in your intestines;

ü  K₃ = medadione: artificial form;

All kinds of vitamin K ends up in your liver, where it is used to make some of substances that make your blood clot.

This vitamin is good to building your bones because it helps hold on calcium in your bones and make it is getting in the right place. Then, women in menopause should take more this vitamin to avoid fractures.

The vitamin K bone protection happens in two processes;

1)    One process is related to osteoclasts that are bone cells in charge of bone demineralization. In other words, they take minerals out of the bone and make their available for other body functions. However this process should be balanced because it can cause excess bone demineralization.

 Vitamin k makes this balance and keep this process in check, because of menaquinone forms that blocks formation of too many osteoclasts.

2)    The second process is called carboxylation that is a chemical reaction in which a carboxylic acid group is introduced in a substrate.

There is a protein called osteocalcin needs to be chemically altered through the process of carboxylation. When too few of this osteocalcin proteins in our bone are carboxilated, our bones have increased risk for fracture. Then vitamin K (MK-$ menaquinone) can restore these bone proteins to their proper place in our bone structure and strengthen the composition of the bone.  

Others functions of vitamin K are:

ü  Prevents calcifications of blood vessels or heart valves;

ü  Protect against oxidative damage;

ü  Regulates inflammatory response;

ü  Supports of brain and nervous system structure;

Vitamin K is found in beef liver, raw broccoli, raw cabbage, raw cauliflower, egg, milk, baked potato, soybean oil, raw spinach, strawberries, raw tomato, wheat germ, spinach, mustard greens and romain lettuce.

Do you know more? Ask me!

Barbara Bruna

References:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=112

PRESSMAN A. H., BUFF S. Vitamins and minerals. 2007. 3^rd ed.

VITAMIN E...

And now an Excellent vitamin!!!

            Why this vitamin is so important?

            Because it protects our cell membranes against free radicals. And when our cells are protected, diseases and health problems are avoided.

It could be explained considering that vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and our cell membranes are made up mainly of fat. Then, when vitamin E gets into the membrane, it avoids that any free radical get through.

It was isolated at first time, by the scientists, at 1936, and it called tocopherol, from the Greek words tokos, “offspring” and pheros, “to bear”. Afterwards, this substance it was called vitamin E.

Vitamin E has a big family that is divided in two groups: tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Tocopherols are formed by four members: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherol. Alfatocopherol is the most common and the most active form. Gammatocopherol protects you from free radicals from nitrogen oxides.

Tocotrienols are also called alpha, beta, gamma, and delta and are found in some plant foods like rice and barley. They are less active than tocopherol but all they have antioxidant powers, help in cancer prevention and keeping down your cholesterol.

Nowadays, there are some researches that explain some functions of vitamin E such as: acts against inflammation, regulates  blood cells and helps the genetic control of cell division.

If you are athlete this vitamin is a good friend  before and after intensive exercise because, it decreases the oxidative cell damage caused by free radicals. This vitamin is responsible for tissues body regeneration such as blood, skin, bones and nerves. In other words, vitamin E could avoid the overtraining symptoms.

The antioxidant vitamin E power is improved when it is intake together with others antioxidants such as vitamin C.

Vitamin E is found at in oils like: almond, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, sunflower; it is found in apple, asparagus, avocado, mango, peanuts, wheat germ, almond, nuts, kiwi, fish and milk.

Do you like to know it? Do you want to know more? 

Let your question here! ;)