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Nutrition spices/supplements/life hacks

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Yeah, I'm with Harry, we should all be focusing our diets on real foods. Someone once said to me if your grandparents wouldn't recognise it as food, then chances are it's not. Maybe that could be extended to your great grand parents these days.

Most of the stuff I buy from the supermarkets comes from the outside areas of the store - meat, eggs, vegetables. fruit, and dairy. I only really venture into the isles for herbs/spices and few other trivial things for the rest of the family.

If anything has a list of numbers (additives) on the packet, then it's not food in my view it's empty calories mixed with garbage, but I really don't eat anything that comes out of a box. tin or packet, so it isn't much of an issue for me.
 
Hi guys !

Bullet proof coffee: butter and coconot oil blended into coffee. Tastes really nice and gives a real energy and mood boost for hours. On fasting days this is a sure winner.

Cinnamon: Most 'loose' cinnamon looses its potency pretty quickly. But it can be bought in pill form pretty cheaply. It is amazing to put a lid on 'carb highs' and lower glycemic load of meals.

Cissus Quadrangularis (CQ): asian herb that is very good for joint repair and fat loss (or fat gain prevention). I found I had to take a rather hefty dose to get any effect at all, but once I hit that I really saw results.

Creatine: what everyone said - 5g or so a day + plenty of water to avoid cramps. Drink it with solid food to avoid the diarrhea (I eat a stick of cellery).

I've also taken Mike Mahlers testosterone booster at one point with very good results (woke up with an, eh, 'ready state' for 2 months straight).


Other than that I've been on a full scale ketogenic diet for about a month now. Feared I'd be short on energy for training, but have had no such problems.

Best!!
 
I've been using Ashwaganda for the last two weeks & I'm starting to see some positive results. It was sent to me with an order from an on line herb store last year but I never tried it until now.

My sleep has improved out of sight and general inflammation & stress levels seem to have dropped quite a bit. I haven't had any blood tests for c reactive protein or cortisol etc before or after to be able to state that unequivocally but I do feel less aches and pains and my my recovery from training has improved quite a bit.

I can't say it's the Ashwagandha but I've added a few pounds to some lifts and I just feel stronger.

A few studies have shown some quite dramatic improvements in 1rm tests for the bench press and leg extension strength for a group taking Ashwaganda compared to a placebo group in previously untrained subjects, but I have no idea if that would translate to an experienced lifter or not.

The change in my sleep patterns are enough for me to keep taking it for a while.
Ashwagandha Improves Muscle Strength

Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. - PubMed - NCBI

Ashwagandha - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects | Examine.com
https://examine.com/supplements/ashwagandha/
It could be worth considering if you are planning to do the SFG test or beast challenge etc.
 
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I take dead sea minerals. I bought dead sea bath salt (it's the same as the stuff for food, just not as expensive) and I use it in cooking. I also ground some up and mixed it with regular table salt in my salt shaker. Its full of magnesium and other trace minerals.
 
I've been using Ashwaganda for the last two weeks & I'm starting to see some positive results.

I too have tried Ashwagandha for the first time lately. I have seen some positive results; I feel a bit younger, more energetic, yet a bit more calm than I'd expect. Ashwagandha has been credited to improve testosterone levels in some individuals, I would not necessarily object to this notion.
 
I love cinnamon in my morning coffee. I found myself thinking about taking the cinnamon shaker with me on an upcoming trip, and I just might do that.

-S-

I thought this sounded ridiculous, until I tried it. Coffee with cinnamon in it is fast becoming my routine. An added plus is the benefit as a diabetic, lowering both cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Healthy coffee, I like it!
 
@Michael Scott FWIW, while I've never looked into the research in detail myself, I hear many say that coffee is healthy anyway! So really, all coffee is healthy coffee, provided you don't go ruining it with sugar or what have you. Cinnamon is just a dirt cheap extra healthy bonus that adds to the aroma of the coffee! :)
 
@Michael Scott FWIW, while I've never looked into the research in detail myself, I hear many say that coffee is healthy anyway! So really, all coffee is healthy coffee, provided you don't go ruining it with sugar or what have you. Cinnamon is just a dirt cheap extra healthy bonus that adds to the aroma of the coffee! :)

Aroma & Flavor booster... ;)
 
I love cinnamon in my morning coffee. I found myself thinking about taking the cinnamon shaker with me on an upcoming trip, and I just might do that.

-S-

Do you put the cinnamon in first, or after you pour your coffee? I am asking, because the last two times I have had coffee, I put it on top & stirred it in, and it sank to the bottom of my cup of coffee. When I got to the bottom of the cup, there was most of the cinnamon. So I thought I would ask if you were experiencing anything similar to that.
 
@Michael Scott, I just shake a bit into my cup after there's already coffee in it. Some of it does end up staying in the cup but I've never concerned myself - it smells good and it tastes good so I'm happy.

Maybe, if the cinnamon isn't staying on the top, you need _strong_er coffee. :)

-S-
 
hey all

I am curious to hear about what sort of "life hacks" people use in their cooking to help with optimum living. I am highly active and anything that helps keep my body in tip top shape I love learning about. My overall nutrition is dialed in 90-95% of the time, I am very lean, quite happy with my muscle/lack of fat. I rarely eat processed food, do eat lots of veggies, protein, fat. I don't necessarily limit carbs (I have an every meal) but I'm very mindful of added sugars. Really try to not go over the recommended 35 grams a day. I tend to do a 16/8 diet 2-3 days a week, which usually involves skipping breakfast. Rarely do I find hunger an issue when I do this. I did the warrior diet for a while, as well as a 20/4 fast for a little bit, but I find with my lunch workout schedule its best for me to get that post workout meal and a large dinner later in the 8 hour window.

I love cinnamon in coffee, partly for the taste but also due to its reputation for helping with insulin resistance and anti inflammatory properties. I have an interest in testing out the coconut oil and coffee theory, especially on days I skip breakfast, as well as using coconut oil as a replacement for olive oil( I never use the corn syrup).

I have done tons of reading on benefits of other spices; I regular use thyme and basil which is said to help cognitive function. I've read turmeric is fantastic for cognitive function as well. Fennel is supposed to be great for the immune system; I sporadically have it in salad but also find it goes good with certain seafood. There seems to be evidence and cooking meat with rosemary helps lower the risks involved with certain cooking processes but I haven't read too far into that.

I have been debating trying out some Krill oil or fish oil and have done lots of reading on the benefits of it. Seems like it is universally considered a very good supplement. Am considering buying some soon - what is the general opinion on gels or liquid ?

Anything else people use?

Basically, you can do whatever you want with your food. Variety is the spice of everything. Trying new recipes and food types is something that I find very interesting. I often go through the internet and search for recipes, I buy cookbooks, e-books and etc. It's always fun any way. I adore paleo recipes. They are my favorite and most interesting.
 
@Michael Scott, I just shake a bit into my cup after there's already coffee in it. Some of it does end up staying in the cup but I've never concerned myself - it smells good and it tastes good so I'm happy.

Maybe, if the cinnamon isn't staying on the top, you need _strong_er coffee. :)

-S-

I just put cinnamon on top of the grounds this morning before brewing my coffee, big difference. :);)
 
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