Balance Omega Fats to Save Your Life

Michael Colgan

Balance Omega Fats to Save Your Life
Dr Michael Colgan 27 August 2013

 Most medical scientists now accept that chronic inflammation is the root cause of cardiovascular disease.(1,2) But, largely for commercial reasons, health policies last century cast saturated fats and cholesterol as the villains, and aimed to get rid of them.

 A wise old politician friend of mine, now retired..., puts it this way,
“With surging mass production driving the economy, and manufacturers screaming for shelf life, we convinced ourselves it couldn’t be that bad for health to switch to vegetable oils, and it was certainly good for business.”

Consequently, food manufacturers replaced saturated fats in cooking with polyunsaturated vegetable oils, hydrogenated for stability, which created multiple toxins, including trans fats. In turn, these toxins have caused massive increases in inflammation and massive increases in the very diseases they were meant to reduce.

 Manufacturers now cook most baked goods and processed, packeted foods, and almost all crackers, chips, and fries and fast foods with high-omega-6 oils such as soybean, safflower, corn, and canola. For business, it yields much longer shelf life. Once you break the seal, however, oxygen gets in and the oil goes rancid. Rancid vegetable oil is that “enticing” smell of the multiplex.
But rancidity is not the biggest problem, nor even the trans fats. The worst result of adoption of vegetable oils for manufacturing the pseudo-foods that now fill your supermarket is the huge increase in omega-6 fats in our food supply.

 Omega-6 is an essential part of every cell membrane. But to maintain good health it has to be there in the right balance with omega-3. If the balance shifts by consuming excessive omega-6, the cell membrane pours out chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.(3)

 Prior to use of these vegetable oils, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the diet was about 2:1, the same as in the ancestral diet upon which we evolved.(4) That’s the average level our cells are designed to work with. Today, the American diet contains an extreme imbalance of 15:1, which produces huge amounts of inflammatory cytokines.(5)

 One tablespoon of corn or soybean oil contains approximately 7,000 mg of highly processed omega-6 fat. In contrast, the average American intake of omega-3 has fallen to only 30-60 mg a day. Inflammation rampant !

 Our current epidemic of obesity from overeating pseudo-foods makes the problem worse. The overloaded fat cells also pour out large quantities of inflammatory cytokines, that compound the inflammatory injury caused by the very food that overloaded them.(6)

 From both the fat used to cook them, and the fat they deposit on your belly, that lunchtime bag of chips trips the inflammation trigger every day. Over time it creates a vicious cycle of overweight, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes,
It‘s even worse for the brain, in which the omega -3 balance is critical for normal function. (7) We know now that Alzheimer’s disease is largely a slow accumulation of chronic inflammation.(8) Uncommon in the 1950s, Alzheimer’s disease, is now the 6th leading cause of death in North America.

 Simple to restore the omega-6 to omega-3 balance, slash your risk of chronic inflammation, and save your brain. First, take a good omega-3 supplement. Then buy your food from the perimeter of the supermarket. Stop your cart before you enter pseudo-food country in the middle isles. Observe the folk in there for a bit. It might be just enough to turn you around.  

1. Tabas I, Glass CK. Anti-inflammatory therapy in chronic disease: challenges and opportunities. Science. 2013 Jan 11;339(6116):166-72.

 2. Roifman I, et al. Chronic inflammatory diseases and cardiovascular risk: a systematic review. Can J Cardiol. 2011 Mar-Apr;27(2):174-82.

 3. Simopoulos AP. The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2002; 56(8): 365-79.

 4. Cordain L, et al. Origins and Evolution of the Western Diet: Health Implications for the 21st Century. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005; 81:341-54.

 5. Carrera-Bastos P, et al. The Western Diet and Lifestyle and Diseases of Civilization. Research Reports in Clinical Cardiology. 2011; 2: 15-35.

6. Hardwick JP Eicosanoids in metabolic syndrome. Adv Pharmacol. 2013;66:157-266.

7. Bazan NG, et al. Docosahexaenoic acid signalolipidomics in nutrition: significance in aging, neuroinflammation, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Annu Rev Nutr. 2011 August 21; 31: 321–351.

8. Meraz-Ríos MA, et al. Inflammatory process in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Integr Neurosci. 2013 Aug 13;7:59.

Whey Protein, how much and when...

When to Use the IsaLean, IsaLean Pro, and IsaPro Shakes

August 22, 2013

No matter what your personal goals are, Isagenix has a shake for you.

One of the great things about Isagenix is the variety of nutritional products they offer. The IsaLean, IsaLean Pro, and IsaPro shakes are high in the highest-quality whey protein and provide options that make living a healthy lifestyle delicious and easy. While it’s nice to have choices, making the right selection for your needs can sometimes be confusing. To clarify the differences between the shakes and the best time to use each, it’s helpful to know how they came to be.

A brief history of the Isagenix Shakes

The IsaLean Shake was launched in 2002 and is the original Isagenix meal replacement, containing just 240 calories and a healthy balance of 24 grams of high-quality protein, 24 grams of low-glycemic carbohydrates, 8 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of healthy fat. The majority of protein in the IsaLean Shake comes from undenatured whey, the form of protein optimal for torching fat and building lean muscle (1;2).

In response to accumulating evidence supporting the ability of whey protein to increase fat loss and prevent age-related muscle decline, IsaPro was launched. Unlike the IsaLean Shake, which is a complete meal replacement, IsaPro is a protein supplement with one scoop containing 18 grams of pure undenatured whey protein concentrate and being virtually free of carbohydrates and fat. To create a meal replacement even higher in whey protein, Isagenix users began adding one scoop of IsaPro to one and a half scoops of IsaLean Shake. And that’s how the IsaLean Pro Shake was born.

Containing a whopping 36 grams of protein primarily from whey, this hybrid shake permitted even greater fat burning and muscle retention, helping users break through stubborn weight loss plateaus and maximize gains in hard earned muscle. To make consuming IsaLean Pro easier, Isagenix soon created convenient single-serve packages of the IsaLean Pro Shake.

How and when to use the IsaLean and IsaLean Pro Shakes

The IsaLean and IsaLean Pro Shakes are ideal meal replacements because they contain the right type and amount of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals to promote healthy weight management and muscle maintenance, curb hunger, and provide long-lasting energy. Although undenatured whey is the main type of protein in the shakes, they also each contain undenatured milk protein concentrate, which together form a winning combination for eliciting weight loss and preserving muscle. Whey is the superior form of protein for burning fat (1) and triggering muscle growth (2), but the milk protein concentrate (made up mainly of casein) is more slowly absorbed from the stomach, providing a sustained release of protein to inhibit muscle breakdown and help a person stay full longer (3).

Maximizing satiety and preventing muscle breakdown over an extended period is a key function of a meal replacement, since time between meals can often exceed four hours. The combination of dairy proteins in the IsaLean and IsaLean Pro Shakes does exactly that, with satiety and prevention of energy crashes being further promoted by the low-glycemic carbohydrates, 8 grams of fiber, and healthy fats from sources such as flaxseed and olive oil that are included in both shakes.

So how do you decide which shake to use as your meal replacement? The answer to this depends partially on taste preference and personal goals. Both shakes will provide quality protein and prolong feelings of hunger. But IsaLean Pro is a more specialized meal replacement option for those interested in reaping the benefits offered by additional dietary protein. Diets higher in protein are particularly beneficial for athletes interested in maximizing muscle, older individuals wanting to preserve or build muscle, and those looking for extra assistance in curbing hunger and breaking through weight loss plateaus.

How and when to use IsaPro alone—or with fruit

IsaPro can be added to anything, allowing users to benefit from the fat burning and muscle building powers of quality whey protein. The product was originally designed as a supplement to the IsaLean Shake and was not initially intended to be a stand-alone product. However, science evolves, and so does creating and recommending products based on available evidence. As the science of sports nutrition has advanced, consistently showing the benefits of consuming pure whey protein directly after exercise, the potential of IsaPro to serve as a stand alone post-workout product became obvious.

Not only can IsaPro be added anywhere in the diet to boost daily protein intake (even right before bed to work as a Bedtime Belly Buster), but it really is the perfect post-workout shake. After exercise, you want to get the right kind of protein, in the right amount, into your body as fast as possible. For a short period of time after a workout the body is unusually sensitive to nutrients—muscle is hungry for protein that will stimulate its growth and repair. The whey protein in IsaPro is the best form for triggering muscle growth because it’s high in branched-chain amino acids such as leucine, and is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream for delivery to muscle (4).

In addition, IsaPro has no fat or fiber to compete with and slow down protein absorption. When a source of carbohydrates such as fruit—like a banana or strawberries—or orange juice, or Ionix Supreme, is added to IsaPro, the whey protein stimulates rapid and efficient replacement of the stored carbohydrates (glycogen) depleted during exercise (2).

Whatever your goals are, Isagenix has the right type of proteins and the right type of meal replacements for you to choose from to achieve those goals. And now, with the dairy-free Natural Berry Harvest IsaLean Shake, even more people can reap the benefits that Isagenix meal replacements and proteins provide. It’s just up to you to make that health-benefiting choice.

References

1. Acheson KJ et al. Protein choices targeting thermogenesis and metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Mar;93(3):525-34. Epub 2011 Jan 12.

2. Hulmi JJ et al. Effect of protein/essential amino acids and resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A case for whey protein. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Jun 17;7:51.

3 Tang JE et al. Ingestion of whey hydrolysate, casein, or soy protein isolate: effects on mixed muscle protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in young men. J Appl Physiol. 2009 Sep;107(3):987-92. Epub 2009 Jul 9.

4. van Loon LJ, Gibala MJ. Dietary protein to support muscle hypertrophy. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. 2011;69:79-89; discussion 89-95. doi: 10.1159/000329287. Epub 2012 Jan 18.

Quality Assurance...is it important?

Isagenix Quality Assurance Doesn’t Cut Corners         

 

Isagenix takes the necessary steps to ensure all products are safe and effective.

 

 To view our “No Compromise” Quality Assurance visual, click here.
As it should be, your safety is our first priority at Isagenix. Having safe, effective, “no compromise” products means giving no slack when it comes to selecting and testing raw materials, following the appropriate regulatory guidelines, and verifying that the finished products meet purity and composition standards.

The Isagenix “No Compromise” Quality Policy is extensive and thorough, covering every detail from ingredient sourcing to manufacturing guidelines. By following key procedures, Isagenix can stand by their products with confidence.

Research and selection of raw materials

After a product has been proposed and approved, it’s time to select the best source of the raw material to begin formulation. Quality ingredients could mean the difference between products having no effect and providing fantastic results. At Isagenix, raw materials are only sourced from suppliers with a proven track record of sustainability and quality.

One of the best examples of Isagenix’s quality standards is the whey protein found in IsaLean shakes. New Zealand undenatured whey protein was carefully selected after vigorous research and testing because the quality of the protein can’t be beat. It’s the best of the best.

Meet and exceed manufacturing guidelines

“No Compromise” quality does not stop after raw materials have been selected. When the ingredients are delivered to the manufacturing facility, there are strict guidelines with how materials are handled. These guidelines that define how manufacturing should be conducted are known as current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs). Isagenix works to ensure that all products meet or exceed the highest standards of cGMPs for dietary supplements.

cGMPs are outlined by the FDA and other international regulatory boards such as Health Canada and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia. These guidelines include authenticity, quarantine and release procedures, potency and purity testing of raw materials and finished products, cleanliness of the facility, employee training, and documentation (1-3).

Meeting all of these guidelines can make the release of products internationally a fairly complicated, yet beneficial, process. Through this series of checks and balances, Isagenix can stand by the quality of its products with pride.

Standardized testing methods

Isagenix also adheres to detailed written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistency and safety in each phase of our manufacturing process. One SOP Isagenix follows requires that every raw material that arrives in the manufacturing facilities be immediately quarantined, thoroughly inspected, and tested for:

• Identity (botanicals & phytochemicals)

• Strength & composition

• Organoleptic properties (taste, color, odor, & texture)

 

Any raw materials that do not meet these standardized testing methods are rejected or destroyed. Additionally, the testing that is done to confirm safety and purity of raw materials is very extensive. Rigorous testing is performed for:

• Microbial activity: total aerobic bacterial, yeast and mold, salmonella and E. coli strains, and other bacterial strains

• Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides

• Heavy metals: all botanicals are tested for the presence of lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic

• PCBs and dioxins: each batch of fish oil is third-party tested to confirm undetectable levels of heavy metals, PCBs, and dioxins

 

Finished product verification

In addition to testing raw materials, Isagenix is unique in that they also thoroughly evaluate the efficacy of finished products. This includes re-analyzing the product for identity and purity. Third-party claim testing on vitamin and mineral content is also conducted to ensure the products fully meet what is said on their labels. Finally, stability testing is done to confirm that the strength and composition as indicated on the label of the product is accurate up until at least the expiration date.

Statistical process control

Another major role of Isagenix Quality Assurance is statistical process control. This involves tracking trends to ensure product quality is continuously monitored and upheld. By putting this much care and attention towards product quality and safety, Isagenix knows it’s doing right by its customer and their health.

References

1.  Food & Drug Regulations. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved July 2013, from www.fda.gov
2.  National Archives and Records Administration. (2007). Code of Federal Regulations: Food and Drugs. Washington, D.C: author.
3.  Tortora et al. Microbiology: An Introduction. 11th Edition, 2012.