Sunday Morning Coffee

Coffee… The amazing aroma, the great taste & the pick up you need first thing in the day! Many of us can’t go a single morning without it.  Coffee is enjoyed by millions of people world-wide and has been for hundreds of years.  Yet there appears to be a stigma about it, the addiction.  Someone is always trying to kick the habit- but why?

Coffee contains caffeine, which is a mild stimulant, and in many people coffee drinking enhances alertness, concentration and mental and physical performance. Although it contains a wide variety of substances, it is generally accepted that caffeine is the ingredient responsible for many of coffee’s physiological effects.

So lets have a look at some facts, then you can make up your own mind about your coffee addiction!

Coffee & Antioxidants
Antioxidants fight cellular damage caused by free radicals in the body produced during daily life such as in stressful situations and via pollution. Antioxidants trap free radicals and therefore prevent a number of early steps involved in lifestyle diseases. When blood lipids like cholesterol are not oxidized this lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. When DNA damage is prevented by free radicals, the risk of certain cancers is reduced. Antioxidants are also important for anti-aging and can have an anti-inflammatory action. 

Research is showing that coffee is a valuable source of disease-fighting antioxidants. In fact, it is the number one source in the American diet and provides more antioxidants than fruit due to frequency of consumption and the antioxidant content per serve. Epidemiological studies have found that coffee is associated with a reduction in glutamyl transpeptidase, a suggested biomarker for early oxidative stress. Great news for decaf lovers is that it appears to have similar antioxidant activity. Plus the addition of milk does not appear to affect the antioxidants in coffee. Surprisingly, research suggests that coffee is more powerful in scavenging peroxyl radicals than tea and is in fact endowed with a natural antioxidant capacity around 5-8 times higher than that of tea.

Coffee & Disease

Studies show that the risk for type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers than among those who don't drink it. Also, coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease.

Coffee and exercise
Caffeine in coffee has three main effects on the body as it relates to exercise.
(1) as a stimulus to the central nervous system

(2) to decrease the contractile threshold of a muscle, allowing a smaller stimulus to elicit a muscle contraction

(3) to increase the mobilization of free fatty acids in the blood stream

Free fatty acids are the portion of fat that can be burned as fuel by the muscles, and as an energy resource they are of major importance to marathoners and other distance runners. Due to the increase of free fatty acids that occurs as a result of caffeine ingestion, caffeine was seen as beneficial to long distance runners. When you run, your muscles use both fat and glycogen as fuel. Theoretically, the body has an unlimited supply of fat for distance running purposes. However, the natural tendencies of our bodies are to use mostly muscle glycogen as fuel in the first 90 minutes of running.

Caffeine increases the use of fat as fuel thus sparing our bodies' limited supply of muscle glycogen. After about 90 minutes, the glycogen stores can become depleted, causing you to slow down as your body switches to fat as the primary fuel.

Coffee & Hormones

Coffee is a central nervous system stimulator that gives the adrenals a kick and causes production of the stress handling hormone adrenalin and the production of more cortisol resulting in short term benefits of heightened awareness / alertness and more energy, but long term may result in a crash after each consumption to lower levels of energy than previously thereby necessitating the need for more. Thus, it may be addictive and ultimately may result in adrenal exhaustion.

Sugar in your coffee
We all know about the dangers & addictive nature of sugar! (If you have time read our blog post) Sugar in your coffee is source of calories. Each serve of sugar contains 15 calories. Have one sugar per coffee per day and you'll be adding 105 calories to your week. If you regularly consume two coffees per day and have two sugars then it's 420 calories per week, which is the equivalent of running for 60mins!

So a very easy and obvious way to reduce the calories in your coffee is to reduce or stop having sugar. If this sounds too hard, try gradually reducing the amount of added sugar over a few weeks rather than going cold turkey!



So to me it seems simple – Enjoy in moderation & watch your sugar intake!

Do you have your own website or blog?  Check out the Tonic Superfoods Affiliate Program.  By spreading the word about Tonic Superfoods on your site, you are not only helping people in their health journey, but you can make money!

Slow down & Stop the stress!

It’s often hard to find the time to get everything done!  We all have such fast paced lifestyles, with work, home life, social lives, exercise & general day to day occurrences. It can be stressful, but with fear of missing out on the excitement we push ourselves to keep going. We want to be part of it all, but sometimes it’s too much – we get tired and we can’t keep up. Why? It is said that at one time or another, adrenal fatigue effects an estimated 80% of people living in industrialized countries – so what is it, & how do we treat it?

The Adrenals

Your adrenal glands are two tiny pyramid-shaped pieces of tissue situated right above each kidney. Their job is to produce and release, when appropriate, certain regulatory hormones and chemical messengers.

Adrenaline is manufactured in the interior of the adrenal gland, called the adrenal medulla. Cortisol, the other chemical from the adrenal gland, is made in the exterior portion of the gland, called the adrenal cortex. The cortex also secretes androgens, estrogens, and progestins. Cortisol, commonly called hydrocortisone, is the most abundant - and one of the most important - of many adrenal cortex hormones. Cortisol helps you handle longer-term stress situations. These two primary adrenal hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, help control body fluid balance, blood pressure, blood sugar, and other central metabolic functions.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

The adrenal glands produce adrenaline and cortisol in response to stress, temporarily increasing the body's ability to deal with whatever is causing it stress. Modern life can be so full of stress that the body overproduces adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones. 

Adrenal fatigue often develops after periods of intense or lengthy physical or emotional stress, when overstimulation if the glands leave them unable to meet your body's needs. Constant stress and poor nutrition can weaken the adrenal glands.

Adrenal fatigue is your body's attempt to shut itself down long enough to recover from all those stress hormones. The overproduction of adrenal hormones caused by prolonged stress can weaken the immune system and inhibit the production of white blood cells.

Signs of Adrenal Fatigue

·      excessive tiredness

·      overwhelmed by or unable to cope with stress

·      feeling rundown

·      craving salty and sweet foods

·      energetic in the evening

·      not feeling rested after a full night's sleep

·      interrupted sleep

·      low stamina

·      difficulty concentrating

·      poor digestion

·      low immune function

How to treat Adrenal Fatigue

Listen to your body. Not every case of adrenal fatigue presents the same symptoms, and as such it will need to be treated differently.  It is important though to reduce stressors & to take some time out to relax.  Equally important is SLEEP! Most adults need eight hours of daily sleep, and trying to make up for all your lost sleep once the weekend rolls around is counterproductive, get yourself into a good sleep schedule to help the body restore its equilibrium.

Exercise resets the biological systems, increasing pleasure hormone levels in the body and increasing its ability to metabolize the waste products of adrenal hormone production, you don’t want to over do it though – try walking or yoga.

Nutrition & Adrenal Fatigue

The cortisol produced by the adrenal glands has a significant effect on blood sugar levels, and so eating habits play a major role in moderating the condition. Balance Your Blood Sugar With Your Diet. To minimize stress on the adrenal system, and ensure maximum energy, you should consider a low-glycemic (low-sugar) diet, consisting of sufficient protein and fat, low-glycemic carbohydrates, eaten in smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Sugar and simple carbohydrates put stress on the adrenal glands due by rapidly shifting blood sugar levels. By switching to vegetables, fruits and proteins, and high fiber carbohydrates, blood sugar remains more stable, providing less strain on the adrenal glands.

Coffee can stimulate the adrenal glands, only worsening your adrenal overload & should be avoided at all costs!  Instead try Yerba Mate, a herbal tea native to South America.  Yerba Mate is considered far more nutritious than black tea or coffee, and though it also has some caffeine, it's effects are energizing & nourishing.

A Vitamin B complex is also extremely important with stress management. When we ‘stress’ our body leeches high levels of mineral and uses up vitamin stores to manage excess hormone levels.  Bee Pollen is a rich source of B vitamins & is a rich source of enzymes & other vitamins & minerals.  The reason why bee pollen is a better choice over other B Vitamin supplements is that it is a food substance that is easily absorbed, it is also high in protein & essential amino acids.

Adequately feeding your immune system boosts its fighting power, Vitamin C is a great way to do this. Vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses. A great source of Vitamin C is Camu Camu. Camu Camu contains more vitamin C than any other known plant, with Camu Camu powder containing up to 60 times more vitamin C than an orange, it also contains phytochemicals including serine, amino acids, valine.

The benefits of Maca can definitely not be overlooked when trying to treat adrenal fatigue.  Being an adaptogen, Maca redresses balance where imbalance exists within the body.  Its going to balance out excessive hormonal levels, combating the high levels of Cortisol & Oestrogen & assist with regulating insulin release.

Do you have your own website or blog? Check out the Tonic Superfoods Affiliate Program. By spreading the word about Tonic Superfoods on your site, you are not only helping people in their health journey, but you can make money!

SUPERFOODS AND WEIGHT LOSS: They keys to your success

By Bonnie Pockley

Everyone whose every tried to lose weight will know that weight loss can be difficult and boring. It’s easy to get frustrated, dejected and defeated. Using Superfoods to lose weight, however, is fun and relatively easy when it’s done holistically. 

Lets take a look at the three elements that are essential to weight loss:

Detoxification:

If you’ve been eating badly, if you eat non-organic meats, unwashed vegies or if you live in a city, your body will be burdened by toxins. If your organs are taxed, your body’s processes of elimination will be compromised and these nasties will be stored in your fat. As most toxins are fat soluble, your body will lay down extra fat stores to ‘house’ extra waste that can’t be metabolised. Toxins, therefore, cannot only make you gain weight but set in motions imbalances in hormonal and digestive function that have broader implications on your ability to lose weight but also in your energy levels.

So what do we do?  TAKE MSM!

TONIC SUPERFOODS' MSM is one of the best agents of detoxification. If you’ve been reading our blog or website you’d already know what we’re talking about. MSM is a naturally occurring sulphur that has both a supportive effect on the boy’s tissue membranes as well as a ‘drawing’ effect on toxins. MSM synthesises collagen that makes cell membrane’s stronger but also more permeable allowing nutrition to enter body tissue and toxin laden fat to flow out. MSM also clears stagnant bile from your liver: the organ responsible for the metabolism of fats and the filtration of what you ingest. MSM is an absolute must for weight loss.

MSM

· Detoxifies cells

· Detoxifies liver

· Increases metabolism of fats

· Synthesises collagen to strengthen cell membranes (this means glowing skin too!)

· Improves digestive function

· Improves immunity

Click here to buy MSM

Hormonal balance:

Hormonal imbalance has an ENORMOUS effect on weight gain. Cortisol, Insulin and Oestrogen are particularly culpable. Cortisol is the ‘stress’ hormone that may be released by environmental, emotional or even physical stressors. Prolonged exercise can even increase levels of cortisol leading to an increase of fat stored around your belly. Oestrogen, similar, stores weight in a particular way. Increased levels of Xenoestrogens (industrial compounds that act like oestrogen in the body but are artificial and unable to be metabolised) lead to weight gain in the lower parts of the body (legs, thigh, hips) and in the bicep area of the arm. Xenoestrogens are toxic to our systems and have been linked to the development of endometriosis, breast cancer and cysts. Xenoestrogens also increase the level of naturally occurring Oestrogen in the body producing what is known as Oestrogen Dominance. Oestrogen Dominance leads to a ‘pudgy’, ‘soft’ appearance because the dominance of this hormone compounds water retention and weight gain. Xenoestrogens are found in plastic wrap, cleaning products and of course it is contained in the contraceptive pill. Oestrogen itself can be found in many foods including tofu, soy, soymilk, chickpeas, non-organic meats and many more.

Insulin is another hormone responsible for weight gain when out of balance. Insulin is secreted when we eat to instigate energy uptake by our cells. To control weight, our insulin levels must be evenly maintained and the GI index system was developed as a way of understanding the ‘spiking’ effect of high sugar foods of our insulin levels. The higher the sugar content of food, the greater the release of insulin which also leads to the greater the amount of energy stored in our bodies as fat. Maintaining these levels in also an important part of preventing diabetes and hyperglycaemia. (high blood sugar levels)

What can you take to balance out fluctuation hormone levels in your body from a variety of different sources?  MACA.

TONICSUPERFOODS' Maca is a root vegetable that naturally balances your endocrine system. Maca is an ‘adaptogen’ so it redresses balance where imbalance exists within the human body. Because the endocrine and central nervous systems are cyclical in nature and are based on fluctuating levels, Maca balances out excessive hormonal levels without negative effect. This means is combats high levels of Cortisol, Oestrogen and regulates Insulin release.  Maca also contains high levels of essential minerals including selenium, calcium, magnesium and iron as well as much needed quantities of linolenic, palmitic, oleic acids, fatty and amino acids. If you have a lot of weight to lose, Maca will also assist in skin elasticity and the ability of your skin to adjust quickly to the weight loss.

MACA

· Contains a high level of nutrition

· Balances out adverse levels of cortisol, oestrogen and insulin

· Supports your endocrine and central nervous systems

· Helps to manage stress

Click here to buy MACA

Nutrition:

The final, but one of the most important components of weight-loss is nutrition. Today’s food lacks the mineral and vitamin content is once had. Depleted soils through increased harvesting and farming mean that our food literally lacks vitality and nourishment. Unfortunately, we still require the same recommended dietary intake of nutrition that we always have and yet it seems unavailable to us through ordinary means. Our body’s regulation of food is, to a large extent, based on blood levels of nutrition and when they are inadequate we crave more food. This means we eat more. Good nutrition also means we don’t store excess weight.  In order to avoid cravings, excess weight from ‘empty’ food we needs to supplement our diets with Superfoods: nutrient rich foods.

Two of the best of these are TONIC SUPERFOODS BEE POLLEN and TONIC SUPERFOODS RAW CACAO.  

Cacao is the richest food source of magnesium and with an anti-oxidant (ORAC) score of 95500 – 14 times more than red wine – it is also the richest source of antioxidants and bioflavonoid. High levels of sulphur in Cacao act in a similar way to MSM by detoxifying the liver and supporting silicon synthesis. Assisting in immunity, tissue regeneration and protection as well as balancing brain chemistry and function, the benefits of Cacao in your diet also extends from a physical to an emotional level: Cacao contains Amantadine (the bliss chemical), Phenyl ethylamine (PEA – the chemical released when we are in love) and MAO inhibitors (suppress appetite and release serotonin). 

When you feel good, you find it easier to train, easier to reach your goals and easier to keep going with your dietary plans. Bee Pollen contains all 10 essential amino acids (but up to 22 depending on plant origin), 59 trace minerals and is about 20% protein. As a complete protein, Bee Pollen is favourably comparable to equal weights of meat, eggs and cheese with 5-7 times more bioavailable protein and amino acid content. This makes Bee Pollen an ideal component to nuts both gastronomically and as a high protein on-the-go snack.  Bee Pollen also contains high levels of B vitamins (used directly in energy production) as well as significant levels of Calcium, Chloride, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Silicon and Sulphur. It also has an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-histamine effect on the body. Both are excellent forms of comprehensive nutrition.

CACAO

· Is the richest food source of magnesium

· Contains sulphur which not only detoxifies the body but is used in most of its processes

· Is high in bioflavonoids

· Is the richest food source of antioxidants with an ORAC value of 99500

Click here to buy RAW CACAO

BEE POLLEN:

· High in Protein

· Contains significant levels of vitamin B, calcium, Chloride, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Silicon and Sulphur.

· Contains all essential amino acids (the building blocs of all cells)

· Has an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial and an anti-histamine effect on the body.

Click here to buy BEE POLLEN