Ask Spinach

[Spinach]

"Ask Spinach"

Many of you are aware of my occupation and expertise in the area of health and fitness so I am making a thread dedicated to any health and fitness related questions anyone might have. I am making this thread in the understanding that many people may have questions but aren't willing to make a whole thread for it and aren't willing to hijack another thread. Hopefull we will be able to build a wealth of information here for the betterment of any future members. And please keep in mind, there are no stupid questions. If you have thinking it the chances are someone else is too so by asking you are probably helping out more people then just yourself.

So please feel free to ask them here. Anything goes as long as it is roughly on topic. I and any members with the know how will do our best to answer your queries.

[SuperCrew]

Great idea! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

Here is my question:

Any tips to help me lose weight with only limited time for exercise each day? I do take TKD 2 or 3 times per week (1.5 hour classes), but feel I need more to help me lose/maintain weight loss. I am currently 230 pounds at just under 6' tall. I have a newborn baby and an 8 year old that seem to take up most of my time.

Follow-up question:

Any tips to help my wife lose some of her weight gasin from the pregnancy?

Thanks

[complete]

I have a blood test coming up.

How can I reduce my cholesterol level in a short time?

[Spinach]

Thanks for join us Supercrew.

Right! Down to business.

If you are have limited time then I suppose you assume you can't work the weight off. No worries.

If you don't have the time to run and the like then you must change youre eating habits, which is significantly more time friendly. Here are some tips that you are your wife can try out.

Cut out all processed foods.
No white flour.
No white suger and rubbish like high fructose corn syrup which is so often in processed foods.
And until you are at the weight you want,
No grains and potatos.

Just by doing this you will start to lose weight and become much healthier. Once you are following these guidelines you are free to do what you like. You certainly don't have to go hungry, eat up. Vegetables, meats, fish, fruits, nuts, yoghert and anything else I haven't mentioned that doesn't belong in the above list is all ok. If you do want guidelines then say 30% protein, 20% fat and 50% carbs is a great way to go. Although I prefer realistic measures like for example eating fruits with yoghert in the morning, salads and fruit for lunch with some nuts to snack on and meat and veg for dinner. Of course you can mix that up however you like, it is simply and example. You might feel a bit light at first but once you adapt to eating like this you will feel fine. After you have arrived at your desired weight you can do things like having a hearty sandwich/s for lunch to add a bit more body to the day.

The other thing is, eating like this can do some funny things to your body like giving you more energy and making you feel better. And of course the shrinking waistline helps as well.

A note for your wife. The period of time after a woman gives birth is a very delicate one. She needs to take it easy for about three months after giving birth for the sake of her health. After that if she is so inclined she can start doing her physical activities of choice. When woman ignore this and start running around and so on things can go wrong. A common problem is woman playing tennis after childbirth and dislocating their knees. You see the hormone that allows the pelvis to stretch and allow a babies head through is still in the blood stream. To be sure, there are too many reasons to explain here but if she is in the first three months still or is having any difficulties I can only recommend taking it easy for a bit longer.


Of course you don't have to follow any of this, it is simply my recomendation but if you do I can assure you results do follow.

Is this sufficient?

[47MartialMan]

What do you know abourt herbs like Ginseng? Not the common - google/wiki stuff.

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by complete

I have a blood test coming up.

How can I reduce my cholesterol level in a short time?

First I will give you the ultimate quick fix.

From the moment you get up in the morning, take it easy. Meditate, relax. Then drive nicely to the doctors. Meditate in the waiting room and walk slowly into the doctors office. Sit down gently in the chair and then don't stress about anything and think about sleeping.

That should take a few notches off your cholesterol read out. Its the funny thing about cholesterol, there are so many variables involved in the result. If you are standing when it is taken it will be higher then is you were sittin. If you ran up the stairs before you got it done it will be higher still. It you are stressed or thinking about lemons when you get it taken, that too will raise you cholesterol read outs.

Other then that I can only recommend long term remedies. To start with diet is very important. Stick to a natural diet and you can't go wrong. By natural I mean don't eat anything you can't eat in a fresh raw state and only things that occur naturally. So apples are in, pizza is out. Veges are good, processed vegetable oil is out. Avoid processed foods and things like white flour and suger (I sound like a broken record eh)

As a few exeptions to the rule, olive oil is natural enough as people have been making it for a very long time. However it does get stored as bodyfat very easily so use in moderation. Butter is easily one of the best fats to use, its gets used as energy quickly, is full of vitimins, mineral and is one of the richest naturally occuring sources of selenium. If you are happy with your weight rice and things like wholemeal sourdough breads are great to supplement ones diet.

Now I know it is controvesial to say this, however I am stating my opinion to a direct question a this is my answer.

Things like vegetable oil and high fructise corn syrup are concertrated forms of things you could only get in very, very small amounts in nature. For example it is impossible for most normal people to eat the amout of vegetable it takes to make a tablespoon of ordinary kitchen grade vegetable oil. Likewise for the corn syrup. I personally believe that it is indicated in bad health, obesity and heart disease of course this isn't something that is backed by massive organisations although there are a large number of health proffesionals in many different fields who have adopted this view. To go along with it many small groups of people including myself have been experimenting with such theories and have been receiving very promising results.

A good diet is best supplemented with regular exercise. Run, swim, lift weights and do martial arts in whichever order and amount that suits you.

By doing these thing you will be healthy and lower your bodies requirement for cholesterol as well as romoving substances with damage the body and raise the requiements for cholesterol.

It is important to note that high cholesterol doesn't mean that you have too much in your diet, it means something is wrong. Cholesterol is an alchohol that is in every cell in your body which is used for repair and acts as an antioxident. If your body is making too much of it then you have to run more tests and find out what is really going on as it indicates that something is broken/needing repairs or will break/need repairs.

This is all I have to say for now, is it enough Complete? And would you like more specific info?

[complete]

Good info. Thanks.

I assume all those recommendation would also reduce my blood pressure as well as cholesterol?

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by 47MartialMan

What do you know abourt herbs like Ginseng? Not the common - google/wiki stuff.

I do have something to say about ginseng. For starters the quality is very variable. Siberian ginseng is crap yet is labled as just ginseng on supplements that require panax ginseng to save money.

It is a very good herb, it is one of the few herbs that can treat weichi, or your original energy which you receive on conception. However the indications for use is very tricky and not something that an untrained person should ever do. Alot of people just don't need something with such a hot nature and for anyone with a hot nature disease at the time it could do damage. The indications given on the side a naturopathic ginseng supplement will say for use in times of extreme exhaustion, and rubbish like that. Ginseng is an extremly complex herb, its use requires knowledge and a gentlemans touch. Something with so many chemicals in it requires knowledge of the effect it could have on everything else the naturopath has forgotten to mention. In short, naturopaths are not TCM practitioners and are not qualified to use this herb, not that it will stop them from trying. They do not have the training and knowledge to deal with it safely. TCM diagnosis and medical theory is an exceedingly complex web and indications are never as simple as, its helps you feel less tired.

On the same note, anyone who like the idea of self prescribing herbs, don't. People have this idea that herbs are natural and therefore safe. They certainly are not. Nearly all of the modern pharmacuetical drugs originally came from a plant or root or the like. The average TCM herbal mixture will have hundreds of chemicals in it. It can do harm just like the pharmacueticals which is why people study for years to learn how to prescribe them.

If anyone wants to use herbs like ginseng I instead urge you to find a good herbalist and see them instead.

[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by complete

Good info. Thanks.

I assume all those recommendation would also reduce my blood pressure as well as cholesterol?

There was a thing called good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.

Also, do you have access to Korean remedies and health practices?

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by complete

Good info. Thanks.

I assume all those recommendation would also reduce my blood pressure as well as cholesterol?

You're most welcome.

That would be a true statement. All of the things mentioned will assist in lowering blood pressure. Exercise is also very important when it comes to lowering blood pressure. How high is it? Just like I'm a bit older now so it isn't perfect high or like obese man gonna have a heart attack high?

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by 47MartialMan

There was a thing called good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.

Also, do you have access to Korean remedies and health practices?

Korean remedies are very similar to TCM because of chinas massive influence early on. There are a few difference though, for example Korean herbalists include garlic as a herb where Chinese herbalists don't. Little things like that.

If there are any other nuances I wouldn't know about it as it is outside my scope of practice.

[SuperCrew]

Great information, Spinach. Thanks alot. My wife has been cleared for exercise (in moderation, of course) so we are hoping to be able to maybe start walking in the evenings together as a start. It is hard with the baby and getting homework done with our 8 year-old. Then TKD classes from 5PM - 8PM 2 or 3 days a week and where did all my time go? I guess the biggest thing that you have not mentioned is time-management to make the time to take care of yourself.

Thanks again for helping me think things through on this. Complete's question could have also been one of mine. Your answers have got me thinking. I'm sure I'll have more questions for you soon.

[complete]

Originally Posted by 47MartialMan

There was a thing called good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.

Also, do you have access to Korean remedies and health practices?

There are Koreans who still practice the traditional medicine with acupunctures and herbs but I've never been a big fan. My father was a doctor so I'm more used to the western medical practice. This does not mean I don't believe in the acupunctures and stuff, I just never experienced it first hand. I'm also not a big fan of taking pills either.

I've taken a lot of Korean ginseng in the form of teas and they are supposed to help you with your endurance. In high school, I've noticed a great improvement in my long distance running when I drank Korean ginseng teas.

[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by complete

There are Koreans who still practice the traditional medicine with acupunctures and herbs but I've never been a big fan. My father was a doctor so I'm more used to the western medical practice. This does not mean I don't believe in the acupunctures and stuff, I just never experienced it first hand. I'm also not a big fan of taking pills either.

I've taken a lot of Korean ginseng in the form of teas and they are supposed to help you with your endurance. In high school, I've noticed a great improvement in my long distance running when I drank Korean ginseng teas.

It is said that the American species is better than the Asian, though I dont know why. And I get different info on its purposes. (All species)

Though it could be a different thread, but I have to ask Spin for the sake of his outlook, not that I may not have knowledge, but;

Why is it that some people think jogging is good, where others say it is bad?

[complete]

Originally Posted by 47MartialMan

It is said that the American species is better than the Asian, though I dont know why. And I get different info on its purposes. (All species)

What do you mean by species?

If talking about ginseng, I think there are only two - Siberian and Korean.
If you are talking about species as in race, then it's a whole different discussion.