Thursday, March 27, 2008

Whey Cool!

When I talked to my son on the phone last night, Wayne said, "Wow, Mom! The last thing I ever expected to be talking to YOU about is working out with weights. This is way cool!"

James B. LaValle, R. Ph., CCN, MSi - a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist, and doctor of naturopathic medicine, with more than 20 years of clinical experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine - says one of the things that bothers many of his patients about growing older is losing the strong, muscular body they enjoyed in their youth. There are lots of good reasons to want strong, healthy muscles. While "washboard abs" may not be a realistic goal for you, strengthening your abdominal muscles can play a big role in protecting your back against injury. Plus, a muscular body burns more calories than a fat body (Yay!) - even when you're not exercising (Yay!) - by simply raising your "basal" (resting) metabolic rate.

Muscle in your body is constantly being built up and broken down. That makes whey protein an excellent food to consider. Whey comes from the liquid that remains after milk has been processed into cheese, and there are very good reasons why it's so popular with body builders. In one study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, whey not only increased muscle more than casein (the protein found in cheese), but also contributed to loss of body fat. But whey can do a lot more than help you build healthy muscles. It can help you build a healthy immune system and boost your metabolism, thereby helping to keep your mood upbeat and sunny.

You can pick up whey at most health food stores or you can get it right here. Blend it into your favorite shakes or mix it into an eight-ounce glass of milk or water. If you're strength training, you'll probably find the whey protein not only helps energize your workout, but also helps to rebuild your muscles afterward.

[Jim LaValle is a contributor to ETR's free natural health newsletter and the author of 13 books, including Cracking the Metabolic Code.]

3 comments:

Felicia said...

Whey drinker here. Not my favorite "whey" to get protein in but it works lol. Great post! Glad you and your son are sharing the get healthy experience.

Hope you are having a great day!
*huggle*
=0)

Pattie said...

I used to love strength training. I'd do it 2-3 times a week, and even worked out with a trainer for a year or so. I love how it made me feel, and it sure helped with issues like balance and mobility.

I'm kind of a soft blob these days, but it's the thought of lifting weights again that's making think of walking through those gym doors once again.

Thanks for the reminder of how good it feels!

Susie said...

Thank you for the info. I will look into the whey..I have some around from when I tried The Abs Diet over the summer. Wow...Look at that 25 lbs gone badge!!! Congrats..you have been doing great. Thanks for posting so much useful info on here.I must poke around. Have a great weekend.