As we enter 2007, I was going through some old emails from 2005 and 2006. Below are several on a variety of topics. The emailers' comments are in black and enclosed in greater than and lesser than signs; my comments are in red.

>Subject: Ice cream

I was told recently that most ice creams these days contain a huge amount of artificial ingredients amongst them being anti-freeze. Do you know if this is true and if so what number to look out for on the list of ingredients?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Cheers,
Linda
5/19/05<

I've heard of the anti-freeze claim before, but I wasn't sure if it was true or not. So I did a quick Internet search. It turns out to be considerably different than I and probably you thought:

In addition, most commercial ice creams contain a lot of artificial ingredients in them. All you have to do is read the labels and you'll see that. And note that many different chemicals can be "hiding" under the terms "artificial flavorings" and "artificial colorings." So I would say if you're going to eat ice cream, you'd be best off using a brand that only uses natural ingredients or even better, get organic ice cream from a health food store.

But personally, I don't eat ice cream at all. Even if natural, it simply has too much saturated fat and added sugar. If I get a craving for something cold and creamy, I'll eat yogurt. Sweetened with stevia, a natural sweetener, it tastes very good. Or I'll eat frozen fruit, either from a bag, or I freeze bananas myself. Try it. You can also roll the bananas in crushed nuts before freezing them. They're really good.

You could also use the frozen fruit in the yogurt. Put the fruit in a dish and thaw it first then add the yogurt. It will have the same taste and consistency as the store-bought, fruit-flavored stuff, but without all of the added sugar. Another alternative is to add a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and a small handful of peanuts. Also very good.

Just a few thoughts.

Note: My favorite brand of Stevia is Optimum Nutrition's Stevia Liquid Extract. The liquid is much easier to use than the powder, and this brand does not contain alcohol as most other liquids.

>Subject: RE: Ice cream

Thanks for all your info. I will use yoghurt & frozen fruit - - what a good idea.

Thanks again.
Linda
5/20/05<

>Subject: whey protein van flav. for wt. loss

Hello I wanted to know if I substitute 1 meal with the whey protein van fla. I bought the lg. 2lbs. 908 grams bottle hoping to loose a little wt. I am 56 year old woman an battling the bulge. So someone recommended to try whey protein in a shake in the morning with yogurt, flax seed, bee pollen, and fruit in my bullet, what do you think?

Thanks,
Joann, senior in fla. that needs to tone up and be healthy.
12/21/05<

That sounds like a plan. The protein in the whey and the fat in the flax seeds should provide sufficient satiety value to keep you from getting hungry. But if you don't like the taste of the flax seeds, you could substitute natural peanut butter or other nut butters.

But be careful of the amounts. You probably want to stay under 300 calories. And be careful with the bee pollen. If you hay fever or other allergies, you could very well be allergic to it.

>Subject: Cleansing fasts

Gary,

I'm researching and trying to discern how Biblical cleansing fasts are. I fast periodically, for what Rex Russell calls a "normal fast" of one day, but am interested to know if a cleansing fast is 1) Biblical, 2) beneficial, and 3) if yes, to 1 and 2, what is the best way to conduct this type of fast.

Thank you for your time,
Katy
12/29/05

Fasting is definitely Biblical. However, in the Bible, fasts are for spiritual "cleansings" and to reinforce prayer, not for health reasons. I'm not saying they wouldn't have had the "side effect" of being physically cleansing, but it was a by-product, not the main point. So if you want to fast in a Biblical manner, focus more on the spiritual aspects than on the physical.

As for how to conduct it, most recommend doing a juice fast, drinking only fresh vegetable and fruit juices. Others recommend eating just raw fruits and veggies. Either way would work for physical cleansing, but I prefer the latter. Drinking a lot of juice could give you a "sugar rush." I would also recommend using organic foods if possible as consuming that much produce that contains pesticides would be counter-productive.

As for length, usually anywhere from 3-10 days is recommended. But the couple of times I tried the raw fruits and veggies fast, I found that seven days was the longest I could do it.

Rex Russell is the author of What the Bible Says about Healthy Living , a very good book.

>Subject: Explosive weight training

>Hello,

I would like to know what the best lifting exercises are for explosive athletic training? For example, best for offensive and defensive lineman, track athletes, basketball players and baseball as well.

Also, will these exercises transcend gender - are exercises that are good for the men good for the women as well?

George
1/15/06<

The classic exercise for developing explosiveness is the power clean. The reason it is considered ideal is because by its nature it is a very quick movement. However, if not done correctly, it can be a dangerous exercise. So power cleans should only be done if proper coaching is available. However, any weightlifting move will help to develop explosiveness by strengthening the involved muscles.

Particularly, helpful are the powerlifts (squats, bench presses, and deadlifts). These can be done in an explosive fashion. For instance, pause on the chest on benches, then press the weight as quickly as possible. Adding bands will prevent the bar from "getting away from you." Bands for such a use are available from Crain's Muscle World (www.crain.ws) 800-272-0051.

Note also, that exercises like wind sprints, jump squats, and the like are also invaluable for developing explosiveness. See my article on Speed Work for further details.

As for your other question, there is really no difference in how men and women should weight train. The same principles apply to both.

>Subject: Re: Explosive weight training

Gary,

Thanks for your input. I appreciate the time!

Is there a good book(s) to get and read regarding technique on all the big power lifts (squat, dead, bench, clean & jerk and snatch)?

George
1/18/06<

I don't know of any one book that covers all five lifts. You'd probably have to get separate books on powerlifting and Olympic lifting. For instance, I'm currently reading Ricky Dale Crain's Book on Xtreme Squatting. It details how to properly perform the squat. Ricky also has other books on lifting available that might provide you what you want, so you might want to contact him at Crain's Muscle World.

>Subject: RLS [restless leg syndrome]

Dear Gary,

I found your article on NADH on the internet. I have been using Neurotin or Mirapex for over a year. I have RLS at night and really tried to avoid the drugs, but eventually I had to go on them to sleep at all. I do some yoga, exercise and keep a routine to help my legs, but I still need help. So, when I found your article I felt like this was for me. I felt that the way that you communicated about your situation and experience with drugs, I really trusted your advice.

So after having to deal with side effects with drugs, I went and got some NADH and after a couple of nights it was working. I still have to take really good care of myself and if I am too stressed or upset, I can have trouble with my legs at night, but overall, I am better. I have not taken the other drugs for a few weeks now and I feel like I am heading in the right direction.

>I wanted you to know that you have really helped me. Thank you for your contribution in this area. You have given me some hope that answers are still out there.

Thank you, thank you thank you!

Sherry
1/21/06<

I glad to hear my article was of help to you. That's why I wrote it. Thanks for letting me know.

>Subject: Sarno!

Hello there,

Just stumbled on your site here. Can you give me any tips on getting [John] Sarno's stuff to work [for overcoming back pain]? I have been reading it [the book Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection] for a few months and have improved but not totally healed. I'm assuming it is because I have a lot on. I am moving house, moving job, getting married to name but a few. I fit his profile and am desperate for it to work. I got too much to do to not get better!

Kind regards
Peter
1/23/06<

You might want to download my eBook Overcoming Back Pain if you haven't already. It details all of the "tricks" I used. You might also want to get the book Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain by Fred Amir. It provides additional ideas that I found to be of help in totally overcoming my back pain.

>Subject: Teenage Weightlifting/ Growth + Diet (need help)

One quick question about hormones that's been bothering me. If you eat a high glycemic index carbohydrate does the insulin that's released influence the body's IGF-1 levels? Or is IGF-1 only controlled by GH [growth hormone]?

Thanks in advance,
Andrey
3/26/06

IGF-1 is produced by a combination of insulin and GH. However, insulin and GH exist in a "see-saw" fashion, when insulin rises, GH drops. So high glycemic carbs would elevate insulin but lower GH. OTOH, a strict low carb diet would elevate GH but keep insulin perpetually low. So either a high carb or low carb diet could lower IGF-1.

A good compromise would be to consume a moderate amount of low to moderate glycemic carbs. Then you'd get some insulin response but not enough to significantly blunt GH release. That would probably give the best IGF-1 response.

Note: I will be addressing the relationship of diet and hormones in detail in my forthcoming book God-given Foods Eating Plan: For Lifelong Health, Hormone Optimization, and Improved Athletic Performance.

>Subject: Re: Teenage Weightlifting/ Growth + Diet (need help)

Thanks a lot for you help. Just one final question. I read that distance running decreases testosterone levels. Is there any way I can keep my testosterone levels up and still be able to run?

Thanks,
Andrey
3/29/06<

That depends on why you're doing the long distance running. If you're training for cross-country/ track, then you have no choice but to do what is necessary for that training and just accept the drop in T levels.

However, if you're just running for general fitness, there's no reason to run for more than 30-60 minutes, 3x/week. And keep it to a moderate (not intense) pace. Ideally, you should strength train 3x/week (M.W.F) at a high intensity for 60-90 minutes, including warm-up sets. Then low to moderate intense aerobics on three off days (Tu, Th, Sa) will be a form of "active recovery." (Sundays off). That is the best prescription for optimal T levels and is the pattern I'm following.

Note: I will also be addressing the relationship of exercise and hormones in my forthcoming book.

Also by Gary F. Zeolla:
Darkness to Light Web site and Darkness to Light newsletter.
Christian Theology, Apologetics, Cults, Ethics, Bible Versions, and much more.

Disclaimer: The material presented in this newsletter is intended for educational purposes only. The director, Gary F. Zeolla, is not offering medical or legal advice. Accuracy of information is attempted but not guaranteed. Before undertaking any medical treatments or diet, exercise, or health improvement programs, consult your doctor. The director is in no way responsible or liable for any harm ( physical, mental, emotional, or financial) that results from following any of the advice or information in this newsletter.