Inflammation modulators are of interest to many of us physique athletes due to consequences of the pounding we put our bodies through day in & day out. It’s also of primary interest in medicine, longevity science, and even skincare & cosmetic chemistry because inflammation is one of the bottom-line reasons our bodies (inside and out) age the way they do. However all of us, at any age, posses the internal mechanisms to heal. Problem is that over time damage accumulates and our defenses become too scattered to handle the daily assaults. Life’s ‘divide and conquer’ situation = illness & disability. But what if we could reinforce our front-line and provide a repair army large enough to handle the damaging assaults? This is an intriguing area of research!

So, here I am, popping my dreaded (SO many side effects!!!) NSAID’s while looking for, and trying, various alternatives. I’ve tried some diet strategies and supplements but admit I haven’t been motivated enough (yet) to make any extreme changes nor have I tried all of the billions of supplements out there. But so far nothing has helped eliminate or even reduce my need for the evil little NSAID’s. (Not even Adequan – though that did help a lot – but powers that be dictate that only dogs and horses deserve something that beneficial – I shouldn’t get started on that rant!!!)

I saw N2BM’s Vicodene and wondered…what the heck…looks interesting…give it a try…check the stuff out further…why not? Took a few caps…pain gone (at least for awhile). Hmmmm! Read the company info then read a more in-depth company article on it then started checking out reference articles and studies (of which there are so many I’m embarrassed I didn’t know about the stuff already). HMMMM! There’s research on everything from colds to HIV….organ protection to brain protection…aches and pains to muscle and bone. There are so many articles and studies on this stuff it would probably take the rest of my life to get through half of it (especially given how long it takes me to get s—t done…Sorry Nathan!)

I’ve given Vicodene a good initial personal trial. I’ve been able to reduce my NSAID intake by about 1/3 so far. My conclusion? I’m getting another bottle!!!!! THANKS N2!

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So, during one of my 3 a.m. brain bivouacs I was crawling through the darkness of uninvited thought trying to avoid being hit by random ideations. No use. Shrapnel and bullets everywhere – such as the stupidity of tax dollars being wasted on non-violent “crimes” that only affect one’s self. And the perplexing question of how in the world does messing up people’s lives, just ‘cuz you can, make your dick grow? The assholes that derive this kind of satisfaction from pointless betrayals and crusades obviously think that is the reward…they walk around posturing like they just stuffed a sock in their jock-strap. Don’t they know there’s a difference between having a dick and being one?

I ducked out of range by jumping in a trench of fantasy. But then I heard, “fire in the hole!” and, poof, there I am having a discussion with Steven Hawking about the universe and perseverance. He knows a lot about both. He taught me that one of nature’s irrevocable laws, as consistent as E = MC2 is…..drum roll….shit happens. Then he said that because we are manifestations of universal energy we have the power to say, ‘Fuck that shit” and move on. That’s perseverance.

Lesson learned? Take stress-supplements to arm against the ‘shit happens’ wounds and get back in the gym ASAP with a ‘fuck that shit’ attitude. Thank you, Steven H!

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REALLY UGLY SCRAMBLED FRENCH TOAST (OR ‘GOETTA’)

1 whole egg + 5 egg whites

¼ cup 1% milk (or water)

2 TBS Sugar Free Syrup (I like a Splenda sweetened one rather than sugar-alcohol sweetened one)

Cinnamon – l like lots (plus Cinnamon seems to have proven beneficial in glycemic control)

Splenda or Truvia (stevia) – To taste (I add a packet of Truvia)

• Mix all of the above together in bowl and blend with a wire wisk.  Then stir in:

Walnuts – As permitted for fat allowance (4 halves = 5 grams fat & 45 cal)

2 slices crumbled high fiber whole grain bread OR ½ cup oats for the purists

• Pre-heat medium size skillet (sprayed with butter flavored Pam) on high heat using care to avoid overheating pan.
• Pour contents of bowl into pan.
• Quickly, spray the top of the mess with 5 to 10 squirts of buttery spray (like Olivo)
• Turn heat down to medium and start scrambling.  I use a good, hard spatula that scrapes the pan well.  I also cover the pan between scrambling to help ‘moisture-bake’ the contents.
• Call it done when everything is well set (moist but firm texture…no uncooked egg)

And here’s my favorite before bedtime meal.  It’s a carb-craving killer anytime the Oreos or Chocolate Stampede urge strikes!

CAFÉ MOCHA PROTEIN PUDDING

2 scoops N2BM Expresso protein powder

1 to 2 TBS Nesquick Sugar Free Chocolate

Natural Style Peanut Butter (as calorie / fat allowance permits.  2 level TBS = 16 gms fat & 6 gms carb)

OR Heavy Whipping Cream in place of peanut butter (1 TBS = 5 grams fat)

AND / OR 1 slightly rounded TBS Cool Whip

¼ cup to ½ cup water – (start with ¼ cup and add a little as needed for desired consistency)

Mix everything together with wire wisk.  Let sit for about 5 minutes.

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TRAINING TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS:

Tried various training programs without seeing much improvement?  I remember doing endless circuit style weight training sessions followed by 1 or 2 hours of cardio 5 and 6 days a week!  After spinning an hour on my stationary cycle at home one night I turned around to check out the noise coming from the hamster’s wheel as he was keeping pace with me.  That was a ‘big-Duh!-moment’ as it occurred to me that what I was doing wasn’t working.  I didn’t look any different …except that instead of looking like a road warrior I looked like road kill…..I didn’t feel any better (as a matter of fact, I got sick a lot)…..and my goal wasn’t to look like my hamster (no further comment)!  So, what’s going on here?

Conditioning goals rest on a tripod of 3 critical factors: Diet, Training Stimulus, and Recovery.

• Diet contributes 60% or more towards your success.  Without a strategic approach here, your goals may continue to be elusive.
• Training – This accounts for about 20% of our conditioning goals.  While that doesn’t sound like much, without this leg the whole thing falls down.

• • CARDIO – When we want to lose fat the first thing we tend to think of is doing cardio.  Well, cardio doesn’t cut it.  Sure, it burns calories and is a useful tool when applied strategically, but your progress will flatline if you rely only cardio for fat burning.  Why?

1. Our bodies are designed to adapt to any repetitive demand.  It’s the PROCESS of adaptation that triggers the desired change in our body.  Typical cardio is repetitive movement. You feel tired after, but further adaptation response requires further stimulus.  That’s not happening when you’ve become the well-oiled cardio machine keeping pace with the music or your mental metronome. This adaptation happens fairly quickly, too.  Isn’t doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results a metaphor for insanity?

Try mixing your cardio up with interval training.  This simple method of ‘sprint-style’ (ie. fast then slow) is more suited to our biology and is more metabolically stimulating.  Plus, you can burn more calories in a shorter time.

b.  Stress Response: And the science saaays…. doing cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach burns more fat.  So that’s what we do.  Lo and behold, it worked! For a little while…and then, nothing.

Stress of any kind requires an adaptive response from the body.  This can be good – as in stronger and bigger muscles.  Or, it can be bad – as in chronic illness from “lifestyle diseases” and over-training injuries.  This happens when stress gets to be too much for too long.  We start breaking down from the unresolving face-off between our fight-flight responses.  Excessive, long term stress causes sustained elevations in cortisol output.  Cortisol is a heavy hitting hero in a quick “fight”.   It reduces pain and calms the damaging inflammation caused by other stress-produced chemicals.  But, when cortisol is left to fight our battles for too long, it starts beating up our bodies instead.  We then succumb to deterioration in insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate metabolism, reduced metabolic output, all of which cause gains in body fat, breakdown of muscle mass, and impaired recovery.  Not what we want!!!

The following supplements will help to offset the negative effects of stress when doing cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach:

N2BM Gear – Take at least 4 capsules before and after cardio.  The BCAA’s (Branch Chain Aminos) in Gear help prevent breakdown of lean mass (muscle).  This, in turn, helps support a higher metabolic rate.

N2BM Glutamine – Take 5 grams before and 5 grams after cardio.  Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid that is rapidly depleted when we’re under stress.  Supplementing with Glutamine boosts immunity and supports production of our body’s main antioxidant, glutathione.

Antioxidants – Helps offset OMD (oxidative muscle damage).

REMEMBER:  WE GROW/PROGRESS DURING RECOVERY, NOT DURING EXERCISE.

Next  I’ll go into resistance training (with emphasis on gimps like me).

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FITTING DIET INTO YOUR BUSY LIFE

1. No matter how motivated you are you can’t fix a quick meal when your fridge is bare (of the foods you need):

Once a week, jot down a menu for the week following your diet plan.  Then grocery shop from your menu.  Remember seasonings, etc.!

2. It sucks when you leave the house unprepared!  I’ve left my meals behind many times.  Following a “no excuses” motto I’ve stashed emergency rations in my gym bag, car, and at work.  It’s not gourmet but gets the job done:

First aid kit for the frazzled:  Premium canned chicken, tuna packages, canned green beans, No Added Sugar canned peaches, almonds, paper towels, plastic utensils, can opener, small storage containers (for leftovers).

3. I often have to eat on the run:

Finger foods for the road warrior: Cut up grilled chicken with colored peppers and grape tomatoes.  (Easy and road-safe.)  Meal plan calls for a carb? Try apple chunks tossed in a little diluted lemon juice & sugar sub.

4. Monotony gets boring – Don’t stall – Do it all (at one time):

• Use several different (appropriate) marinades for your meats.  Burgers? Divide the ground meat and use different seasonings and/or seasoning mixes in each batch.

• Manage to multi-task:  Chop some veggies while the rice is cooking and potatoes are baking.  If you’re decent at multi-tasking grill or bake or crock-pot some meat while everything else is cooking.

• Fill up your water jugs and portion out your protein powder, etc, in several drink containers.

• Measure out your meals in storage containers and freeze some, refrigerate others.

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1. Tried supplements – no results.   Skeptical, since most supplements carry claims that don’t come through.

2. Tried various training programs – no real progress.

3. Frustration – Busy, hectic, demanding lifestyle that makes accomplishing a physical conditioning goal seem impossible.  And sometimes the effort you invest feels like spinning wheels and getting nowhere.

5. Confusion – so many diet principles, so many supplements….what do you do?

I’m going to address parts of these issues in my blog each week.  This week it’s:

THE SUPPLEMENT SNAFU:

Many of us have tried supplements with disappointing results.   It’s easy (and wise) to become skeptical of the many products blaring out claims that don’t come through.  So, what’s going on here?

• Inadequate product quality:  Cutting corners with a “Quick Buck – Big Buck” corporate mentality.
• Confusion:  Choosing the right product for the right purpose (goal) and using it correctly = results.
• Get your ducks in line first (!!!) – Supplements (and drugs) don’t do the work for us, they accelerate and optimize an otherwise properly structured diet and training program.  First things first!

There are countless products out there with pseudo-pharmaceutical names, undisclosed “proprietary blends”, and meat-head promo jargon all competing for your dollar (MANY dollars!).  To confuse things even more, there are different quality levels and loopholes in manufacturing so what you read on a label may or may not be what’s actually in the product.  I have an extensive background in Nutrition & Dietetics, worked with the FDA on a fraud case, and even worked in the supplement industry for 10 years, and I still struggle with getting through all the BS to understand what the heck a product is.  But I discovered a place to start and in many cases it’s all I needed to know:  Just call the company and ask what their manufacturing standard is.

There are 2 standards.  1. Medical / Pharmaceutical Grade and 2. Commercial Grade:

Medical / pharmaceutical grade standards – you know exactly what you’re getting.  No loopholes, no hidden fillers, etc.  The product is made by the same standards (and often facilities) that pharmaceutical medications are made.  Companies that go through this kind of expense and trouble are usually knowledgeable and more than happy to share information with you.

Commercial grade manufacturing isn’t so easy to evaluate.  FDA regulation states that product purity must be 90%, give or take 10%.  With the kind of money saved in taking advantage of that ‘give or take 10%’ rule you can pretty much count on the best commercial grades being around 80% pure.  I ask the company what kind of quality control protocols they have (if any) and if they can share batch assay reports with me.  Many times I get a deer-in-headlights response.  If this ‘huh?’ response goes all the way up the company ladder then I write that company off and go to the next.  Sometimes I get sales-speak and spin instead of answers.  That makes me mad (and is what prompted me to get FDA & FBI involvement in that one case).  Sometimes I get a reply of, “I don’t know but let me see what I can find out and get back with you”…..and they actually do get back with me!  This is a company worth trying.

Other ways you can fish through the sea of supplements:

Don’t let flashy advertisements guide your choices.  Ask someone experienced in physique conditioning (you may have to pay but if it won’t stress your budget then it’s worth it).  Read what reputable boards have to say (keeping in mind that many sites have their own product lines they’re selling).  Ask people in the gym who you notice are making noticeable progress or have achieved a level of conditioning you aspire towards.  If you compete, ask the winners and high placers in your competition events.

And look for a company willing to give you solid information (like article references, assays, etc.) rather than hyped up market speak.  Then, just experiment.  Try one new thing at a time.  Don’t make any huge changes in diet or training, etc. during this time.  Give it enough time to do its thing.  Then decide if the results are worth the cost.

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