Proanthocyanidins are found in the seeds of red grapes and are rich in polyphenols, which are compounds found to be high in antioxidant value. Test animals fed grape seed extract had lower levels of triglycerides, fatty acids, and glycerol in their blood than those animals that were not given this extract.  The grape seed extract was shown to activate ATP production in muscle and improve activation of Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) which is a thermogenic, metabolically active type of fat.  Additionally, grape seed extract activated genes specific to energy creation. These studies show the potential benefits of eating antioxidant-rich diets for successful weight and health maintenance. Getting consistent sources of antioxidants can play an important role in overall health.

This is why I personally take a product called NutraMetrix Isotonix OPC-3 on a daily basis. It is an isotonic-capable food supplement that is made from a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine and pine bark extracts, and citrus extract bioflavonoids, all found to be powerful antioxidants. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are bioflavonoids (complex organic plant compounds) found in fruits, vegetables and certain tree barks that provide exceptional nutritional benefits to the human body. Studies have shown OPCs to be up to 20 times more powerful than vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than vitamin E in neutralizing free radicals. NutraMetrix Isotonix OPC-3 contains the only isotonic form of Pycnogenol® in the world. Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree and the most clinically researched and potent bioflavonoid. The product has been shown to have positive affects on energy levels, inflammation, arthritis, allergies, asthma, fatigue, fibromyalgia, blood sugar control, high cholesterol, joint pain, menstrual related discomfort, and many other chronic diseases and ailments.

Here's to your health!


Source: Acute Administration of Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Modulates Energetic Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle and BAT Mitochondria

According to a recent study from the Journal of Nutrition, consuming high levels of flavonoids from citrus fruits can have significant effects on reducing specific markers of inflammation. In previous studies this class of phytochemicals has been shown to have significant benefits for many aspects of human health including cardiovascular, brain and eye health, and has also been shown to possess anti-cancer properties.

Flavonoid Food Sources:
- Berries
- Tree Fruits: Bananas, Oranges, Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Apples, Pears, Plums, Peaches, and Apricots
- Nuts and Beans
- Vegetables (particularly red and green veggies): Peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Red & Green Onions, Celery, Artichokes, Snap Beans, Okra, and Broccoli
- Spices: Dill, Thyme, Parsley, and Capers.
- Dark Chocolate (small amounts)
- Beverages: Fruit juices from raw, unprocessed fruit, Red Wine (1 glass per day), 100% Grape Juice, Tea of all types including black, red and green varieties

Source: Selected Dietary Flavonoids Are Associated with Markers of Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction in U.S. Women

Do you or someone you know struggle with the following ailments?

- Diabetes
- High Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Chronic Fatigue
- Thyroid Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis

Did you know that by dropping as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can greatly improve or alleviate many of these health-related problems?

Just imagine how amazing you'll feel after not only losing some of the extra weight, but how you'll improve your overall health for the long-term!

Take action today and commit to increasing your physical activity and writing down what you eat each day. Start small. Where is your activity level now? If you exercise 1-2 days per week now, commit to doing 2-3 days per week to start. Writing down what you eat and when you exercise is one of the best weight management tools out there....and it doesn't cost a thing! This simple act will build awareness, hold you accountable, and if you share it with a coach or friend regularly, you'll find it even more effective!

Healthy wishes!

A diet rich in foods that are loaded with POTASSIUM can reduce your risk for a stroke by 21 percent and may also lower your risk of heart disease, suggests a new study.

Make sure to drink water with your meals. This will help with digestion as well as the absorption of potassium.

HIGH POTASSIUM FOODS: (more than 225 milligrams per 1/2 c. serving)  
- Soy nuts - They pack a whopping 510mg per 1/4 cup!
- All meats, poultry and fish are high in potassium.
- Apricots (fresh more so than canned)
- Avocado
- Banana
- Cantaloupe
- Honeydew
- Kiwi 
- Lima beans
- Milk - Skim
- Oranges and 100% orange juice
- Potatoes
- Prunes
- Spinach
- Parsley
- Tomatoes
- Vegetable juice – Low sodium
- Winter squash
- Yogurt – Non-fat Plain or Non-fat Greek Yogurt ex. Chobani or Brown Cow

MODERATE: (125 - 225 mg per serving) 
- 100% Apple juice
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cherries
- Corn
- Eggplant
- Grapefruit
- Green peas
- Loose-leaf lettuce
- Mushrooms, fresh
- Onions
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Raisins
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Summer squash, including zucchini
- Tangerines
- Watermelon

Source: Potassium Intake, Stroke, and Cardiovascular Disease

A new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that heart patients with
a large waist size (greater than 35 inches for women and 40 for men) were 70 percent more likely to die during the study than those with smaller waists.

The study also found, like some previous studies have, that Body Mass Index (BMI) is a flawed measurement tool, as it tells you nothing about where fat is located in the body, and it appears that the location of the fat is more important than the amount of fat when it comes to measuring heart risks.

BMI also neglects to mention how muscular a person may be. Athletes and completely out-of-shape individuals can have close to the same BMI scores, or a very muscular person could be classified as "obese" using BMI, when in reality that person’s body consists of lean muscle accounting for their higher-than-average weight. 

What About Having a Large Waist So Potentially Dangerous?
Your body has two types of fat: visceral and subcutaneous. Subcutaneous fat is found just under your skin, and causes dimpling and cellulite. Visceral fat, on the other hand, shows up in your abdomen and surrounds your vital organs including your liver, heart and muscles.

This "visceral fat" is strongly linked to a person developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and other chronic diseases. It is thought that visceral fat is related to the release of proteins and hormones that can cause inflammation, which in turn can damage arteries and enter your liver, affecting how your body breaks down sugars and fats.

When your body is in a mode of consistently storing excess visceral fat, you increase your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, vascular disease, atherosclerosis (hardening of your arteries) and an increased thickness in the walls of your heart.

While visceral fat is often referred to as "belly fat" because it can cause a "beer belly" or an apple-shaped body, you can have visceral fat even if you're thin. As CNN reported regarding the Journal of the American College of Cardiology:

"Even heart patients with apple-shaped bodies and BMIs in the normal range were at increased
risk of dying sooner, which drives home the fact that normal-weight heart patients may need to lose some weight in their bellies too …"

Where Does Your Waist Measure Up?
Determining your waist size is easy. With a tape measure, figure the distance around the smallest area of your abdomen below your rib cage and above your belly button. If you're not sure if you have a healthy waist circumference, a general guide is:
              
- For men, between 37 and 40 inches is overweight and more than 40 inches is obese 
- For women, 31.5 and 34.6 inches is overweight and more than 34.6 inches is obese 

Leptin and Inflammation:
The hormones your fat cells produce impact how much you eat and how much fat you burn. One of these hormones is leptin, and leptin sends signals that reduce hunger, increase fat burning and reduce fat storage. That is, if your cells are communicating properly and can "hear" this message.

If you are eating a diet that is high in sugar and grains - this is the same type of diet that will also increase inflammation in your body - as the sugar gets metabolized in fat cells, fat releases surges in leptin. Over time, if your body is exposed to too much leptin, it will become resistant to the leptin (just as your body can become resistant to insulin).

Leptin resistance causes an increase in the visceral fat your body produces. Likewise, it is through an inflammatory process that it's thought visceral fat causes its damage, and the same diet that makes you leptin resistant will also increase inflammation in your body.

So by paying closer attention to this one important factor – your diet - you can reduce your risk of both becoming leptin resistant and triggering chronic inflammation in your body.

Dietary Change #1: Limit Added Sugars
The single largest source of calories for Americans comes from added sugars, primarily from soft drinks, fruit juices and sports drinks, and hidden in most processed foods. This includes foods such as bologna, pretzels, cheese spreads, and Worcestershire sauce and other condiments.

Excess sugar quickly leads to weight gain and abdominal obesity, along with elevated uric acid, which leads to chronic, low-level inflammation in your body. It will also interfere with leptin, as
fructose tricks your body into gaining weight by fooling your metabolism, as it turns off your body's appetite-control system. 

As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise keeping your TOTAL sugar consumption below 50 grams per day. Remember, the average 12-ounce can of soda contains 40 grams of sugar!

Exercise - The Key to Melting Away that Stubborn Belly Fat
Exercise not only lowers inflammation in your body, it is also one of the best weapons to fight visceral fat, but it is NOT magic and you must abide by the sugar and grain restriction if you want to reduce your body fat. About 80% of your ability to achieve an ideal body fat will be related to your food choices NOT your exercises. However if you are choosing the right foods exercise is a shockingly effective tool.

Remember, you can be thin, underweight even, and still have dangerous visceral fat around your organs. If you are thin, but rarely exercise, this may be you. And if you have a beer belly or a lot of fat around your midsection, you can also bet on the fact that you're holding on to visceral fat.

According to one study, those who did not exercise gained a substantial amount of visceral fat (8.6 percent) in six months whereas those participating in vigorous-intensity exercise lost about 7 percent of both subcutaneous and visceral fat. 

Three More Tips for a Healthy Heart
Heart disease can be one of the easiest diseases to prevent if you make the decision to be proactive. Along with reducing your belly fat by paying attention to your diet and incorporating exercise, the following items are heart-healthy steps that virtually everyone can benefit from.

1. Optimize Your Vitamin D Level
Studies show that people with the lowest average vitamin D levels had a 124 percent greater risk of dying from all causes and a 378 percent greater risk of dying from a heart problem!

2. Manage Your Stress Levels with Healthy Emotional Outlets
One of the most common contributing factors to heart disease is unresolved emotional stress. Anger, stress, guilt, sadness - really any emotion that doesn't make you feel good - can lead to heart attacks, obesity and strokes. Even the best diet in the world is not likely to overcome the damage created by lingering emotional stresses. 

When your body is under the stress response, your cortisol levels rise. And when your cortisol is chronically elevated, you'll tend to gain weight around your midsection, which further increases your heart disease risk. 

While you cannot eliminate stress entirely, you can work to provide emotional outlets for yourself such as meditation, yoga, exercise, journaling or talking to a qualified health professional.

Following these tips and staying consistent with them are a sure way to avoid heart disease and maintain optimal health for your lifetime.

Questions? Feel free to contact me:

 Alissa Robertson, MS, RD
 (802) 999-5684
 alissacrobertson@yahoo.com