Aug. News – How to Become a Fat-Burning Machine!! via #constantcontact

Aug. News – How to Become a Fat-Burning Machine!! via #constantcontact.

Please call 800.980.9172 for more info!!!

Visit Our Weight-Loss Contest Website to Sign Up for The Next Contest Starting September 15th, 2010!!!

Filed under: Current Events on Nutrition, New York, Exercise & Nutrition, Lose 8-10 Pounds in 4 weeks!, Lose 8-10 Pounds in 4 Weeks!!, Nutrition & Pain Management, Practical Nutritional Advice, Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, Exercise and Nutrition, New York, Nutrition, Nutrition and Wellness, Optimize Your Workouts!, Weightloss

Weight Loss Contest!! Lose Weight Brooklyn, Nutritional Counseling Brooklyn

Do you need extra motivation to lose those extra pounds you’ve put on over the last year? Are you frustrated that the weight just doesn’t seem to come off like it used to?

Start your weight-loss program off right! Not only lose weight but LEARN why you lost the weight so you never have to pay for a “FAD Diet” again… correct knowledge is power, internet sites are NOT references and most contain misinformation. This quarterly contest I oversee is a doctor run, scientifically based, program that measures overall percentage of body fat lost over a 3 month time period to decide the winner. The winner receives a “Spa day and complete makeover to show off the new and improved you!”

The NEXT CONTEST STARTS SEPTEMBER 15th 2010 (OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN) – goto livinglifelighter to find out the lecture schedule and specific information for this par

In the past, the winners have lost from 10-11.5% of total body weight in 3 months which translated to between 18-28 pounds!! This contest is perfect for those people that need an extra bit of motivation to push them over the top to lose those extra pounds they promised themselves they would lose. For more in depth details and how to sign up, go to the Living Life Lighter website focused on WEIGHT LOSS BROOKLYN Or call 800.980.9172

Let Dr. Gordon teach you how to eat out properly, shop for food, meal plan, start a basic exercise program, pick the right foods, and much more! Learn more about your body composition, click on CHECK YOUR BMI to enter your vitals to calculate your BMI. Remember, 25 or less is normal, 25-30 is overweight, 30-35 is obese, and 35+ is morbidly obese. Then make an appointment to get your body fat tested in the office, you’re only responsible for your copay! Get an individualized NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM or combination of nutrition and an exercise protocol; which could be completely covered by your insurance. Just follow the MEDICAL INSURANCE CHECK link to see if you qualify, and get started on your goals right away!

Dr. Gordon Kuang C.S.C.S.

Filed under: Current Events on Nutrition, New York, Exercise & Nutrition, Nutrition & Pain Management, Brooklyn, Burn Fat, Chiropractor, Effective Ways of Exercise, Exercise and Nutrition, New York, Nutrition, Nutrition and the Healing Process, Nutrition and Wellness, Optimum Healthcare NY, Weightloss

How to Read Food Labels, Decipher the Jargon, Nutrition Brooklyn, Weightloss Brooklyn

It is essential that you learn and understand how to analyze the foods that you are eating. Educating yourself is the key to long-standing success with any subject, nutrition is no different. Would you put together a piece of electronic equipment without at least glancing at the directions? Probably not, so why would you put something into your body without glancing at what the food is made of? It is not a cliche to say “you are what you eat,” because chemically speaking once everything is broken down to its basic components you really are made up of the food products you consume.

If you can read food labels you are setting yourself up for success because you can decipher total calories, grams of each nutrient, ingredients contained within the product, serving size, how many servings, percentage of recommended daily allowance, vitamins & minerals, and much more. The food label is the blueprint for a particular product and seeing past the marketing jargon will help you avoid the common pitfalls of nutrition. Remember that companies research different marketing techniques to sell their products; they do not try and inform the consumer of the health benefits of their product. The consumer must be aware and avoid the jargon that is present all around you in the supermarket. Words like: Sugar free, fat free, sugarless, real fruit flavor, hydrogenated, light, low calorie, zero calories, just to name a few… when I see these words, red flags are immediately raised and I scrutinize these products even more. Most of the time food products with these catch phrases have artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and tons of chemical junk that you would be better off not consuming.

I teach 2 basic rules when shopping: 1. the rule of pronunciation, if you can’t pronounce it… its probably not good for you 2. The rule of 1 ingredient… always try to get as close to one ingredient as possible in a food product. If you purchase peanut butter it should only contain PEANUTS! There is no reason for peanut butter to have 6 ingredients in it unless its been chemically altered in some way. Take the time to read the ingredients and plan your meals, the first few time you go shopping it might take a few minutes longer but as you familiarize yourself to reading labels and the marketing jargon it will be second nature while shopping. Do You Really Need To Supplement Your Diet Or Is It All Just Marketing Hype?

It is good to know that a food simply labeled organic does not necessarily mean it is a good product, by law a food must only have to be at least 51% organic to be labeled organic. Just recently laws were passed that a food could also be labeled as organic even if it was treated by inorganic pesticides. That is why brand recognition and the place where you purchase your food will play a role in the credibility of food choices. Meat that is bought from grass fed cows will always be a higher quality than those fed by corn or other less optimal feed, some are actually fed ground up pieces of other animals! The best rules are to stick with antibiotic free, hormone free, free range animals. All fish should be wild caught and not farm raised, those fish that are farm raised have been found to contain higher amounts of PCB’s within them. The effects of PCB’s have been extensively documented. You may end up paying a few extra bucks but in the end its worth the quality of food you receive, you will pay for it one way or another… either you pay now for higher quality food or pay later for bad blood chemistry. “All natural” is also a commonly used jargon word that doesn’t mean anything objectively, the best way to check to see if the food product is natural is to look at the ingredient list. If the first few ingredients contain: Enriched white/wheat flour, white flour, modified corn starch, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, autolyzed yeast extract, MSG, and/or hydrolyzed vegetable protein; then the words “all natural” mean nothing because none of those ingredients are close to anything from nature. These common ingredients are man made, synthetic alterations of food products. For example, High fructose corn syrup is a man made form of very cheap sugar (Glucose), it’s made specifically for the purposes of saving money during food production but consuming large amounts has been linked to obesity and metabolic disorders.

When you are in the supermarket always remember that the businesses are set up to sell food products and not to ensure you buy healthy foods. It is up to you as a consumer to do your research and read food labels so you are making healthy purchases. I recommend to always make a list before shopping and think about your meals and how to plan for them. For example, a dozen eggs with celery and cucumbers to make eggwhite salad, a rotisserie chicken to make chicken salad with, cans of salmon for salmon salad, and my favorite salad: diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and avocado’s with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. These are just a few examples of how you can plan what you are planning to buy at the supermarket by thinking about what you are planning to eat.

Once you go over the jargon a few times, you will always know what words will raise red flags… learning to read the labels will help you estimate calories, which will help you lose weight or gain lean muscle mass depending on your goals. Making healthy lifestyle choices starts with the ingredients you choose to put into your body… know that whole foods are the best types of foods to be eating and supplementation should only add to a solid, healthy foundation of eating habits. Stick to the perimeter of the supermarket and buy foods that don’t have ton’s of ingredients which will automatically decrease the amount of ‘garbage’ you consume. Contact me if you are interested in getting more specific information including food lists, menu plans, a lifestyle workbook that goes over basic physiology and nutrition (Fats, carbs, proteins, vitamins & minerals, and much more), and comprehensive evaluation of your current lifestyle and past history. I focus on teaching you how to live healthy and why certain foods are good for you, just being ‘spoon fed’ what to eat may help you reach your goals temporarily but in the end if you don’t know what or why you made these choices you will always revert back to your old habits. Remember…. LIFESTYLE CHANGES are what create permanent changes, not a “diet” or 3 months of food restrictions.

These suggestions are made to focus on maintaining overall health, which in turn should help your immune system and body become stronger and hopefully more resistant to developing disease. Nobody truly knows the exact type of “diet” that will keep your from developing certain diseases such as cancer. The suggestions above in conjunction with exercise, proper sleep, and stress reduction can only help your body, so why not at least insure your body has the best chances for survival in a toxic planet? Every little bit helps and its all cumulative! Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Dr. Gordon

Filed under: Practical Nutritional Advice, Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, Decipher Marketing Jargon, Food Ingredients, Ingredients to Avoid, New York, Nutrition, Nutrition and Wellness, Weightloss

Toxicity in the Environment, Detoxification, Brooklyn, New York

Crazy report… although Reuters is not a source I consider a reference for medical knowledge… but from this report along with what I have researched about environmental toxicity and the effect it has on the human body it was a topic worth mentioning.

The original article was titled “Unborn Babies Soaked in Chemicals, Survey Finds” written by Maggie Fox on Thursday, July 14th 2005. The words that grabs peoples attention are: “Washington – Unborn U.S. babies are soaking in a stew of chemicals, including mercury, gasoline byproducts and pesticides, according to a report to be released Thursday.”

This was article was some time ago.. but WOW! In a world where there is an actual debate in congress on whether climate change exists and some questioning if humans as a whole are causing environmental problems as a result of pollution and over-consumption of a finite amount of resources; this takes the cake. Since when did survival and our planets health become a partisan issue? Because it requires money to study? Absolutely ridiculous… anyone that does not believe that due to the limited supply or resources such as oil, and exponential population growth is causing our world and the people within it to suffer is completely out of touch with reality. I am not going to discuss the politics, but I will discuss the dangerous and absurd consequences we as humans have created for future generations.

“The report by the Environmental Working Group is based on tests of 10 samples of umbilical cord blood taken by the American Red Cross. They found an average of 287 contaminants in the blood, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides and the Teflon chemical PFOA.”

“Of the 287 chemicals we detected in umbilical cord blood, we know that 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests,” the report said. “Blood tests did not show how the chemicals got into the mothers’ bodies.”

That is ridiculous… its absolutely mind blowing… These kids aren’t even out of the womb yet and they are being bombarded with chemicals that are causing possible long term detrimental diseases. No wonder there has been a spike of those children afflicted with disorders such as autism, ADD (“the real kind),” inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and although diabetes is mostly how they are raised by their family nutritionally there are strong genetic and general body health issues that play a role into this. It can be acknowledged that we are sending these kids into the world with a handicap in the game of life.

Among the chemicals found in the cord blood were methylmercury, produced by coal-fired power plants and certain industrial processes. People can breathe it in or eat it in seafood and it causes brain and nerve damage in large amounts. “Today, chemicals are being used to make baby bottles, food packaging and other products that have never been fully evaluated for their health effects on children – and some of these chemicals are turning up in our blood,” said New Jersey Democrat Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who plans to co-sponsor a bill to require more testing of toxic chemicals. Way to go Frank! Living in the Tri-State area, I can attest to never planning on eating any fish caught from this part of the Atlantic. Add onto that that testing the water in “upscale” neighborhoods in Long Island revealed trace amounts of antibiotics, hormones (Most likely from birth control pills), Viagra, and a slew of other chemicals that adults should not be consuming regularly let alone a child!

The same group analyzed the breast milk of mothers across the United States in 2003 and found varying levels of chemicals, including flame retardants known as PBDEs. What the mother ingests will be passed onto the fetus and child during feeding. It is safe to say that even without long term studies to back up allegations of the effects of toxicity on the body, no amount of toxins is a safe amount of toxins. People tend to forget that many toxins are also cumulative, meaning they build up within your body as time goes on, eventually leading to serious pathological disease. Those who are looking to lose weight, sleep better, decrease stress, increase muscle mass, strengthening they’re immune system, and improving blood markers are starting off on an unbalanced playing field when in such a toxic environment.

The worst toxins fall into a category of “metabolic disruptor’s,” one of the most commonly found food disruptor is MSG (Monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and autolyzed yeast extract) which causes havoc in the body and ultimately unbalancing a sensitive energy cycle in the body such as the Kreb’s cycle which is responsible for producing energy in the form of ATP in our bodies. One of the common methods to combat these metabolic disruptor’s and/or free radicals is the consumption of foods containing a large amount of anti-oxidants. This is not enough, but a great place to start. The top ten whole foods that have the most anti-oxidant punch are: All berries (Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, etc…), broccoli, tomatoes, red grapes, garlic, spinach, herbal tea (Green tea), carrots, Legumes (Red beans, pinto, black, etc…), artichokes, and apples. These foods contain the most TAC (Total Anti-oxidant Capacity).

You cannot lose weight, gain lean muscle mass, increase energy, aid digestion, or any other bodily process if your organs are not functioning correctly. Toxins have been medically proven to decrease the ability of your body organs to achieve optimal function. A good example would be an adrenal gland that has been overloaded by toxins and stress; if the adrenals do not function correctly then you will not effectively produce catecholamines, cortisol, and effect the production of other important hormones indirectly such as estrogen and testosterone. This is a prime example how something as simple as the water you are drinking and the food you are consuming can have disastrous end results if you are not careful about making sure what the product contains.

If you want to learn more about detoxification and how to make sure you know how to choose foods properly and avoid subjecting your body to our toxic environment more then it needs to be, contact me via email or click here. Remember, you cannot win every battle but learn to pick which ones are most important and you will see a difference in your overall health

Dr. Gordon

Filed under: Current Events on Nutrition, New York, Brooklyn, Decrease Toxicity, Detoxification, Metabolic Disruptor, New York, Nutrition, Nutrition and Wellness, Weightloss

Burn Fat Effectively Brooklyn, Weightloss Brooklyn, Nutrition Programs Brooklyn

So what’s the most effective way to burn fat during exercise? Some say to do cardio before lifting weights others, say the opposite. Ask many “weight-lifters” in the gym what kind of work out schedule they have, and many will answer one body part per day. This can be a very effective workout for a male looking to compete in bodybuilding but not necessarily so for a female looking to lose a few pounds and add some extra tone to the body. Obviously this type of regimen is also not geared for sports specific performance enhancement. What does this mean? Workouts are specific to the individual and their goals, but there are helpful guidelines to reach these goals.

As a general rule for beginners or someone who is looking to maximize weight loss, strength requiring exercises should ALWAYS be done before cardiovascular and aerobic activity. The reason behind this is quite simple. Carbohydrates are stored in your muscles in the form of glycogen (long chains of carbohydrates) and are used for energy first when exercising. If you start your workout with long aerobic activity you must burn off this muscle glycogen first before reaching your fat storage’s. When you start to strength train your body moves to an anaerobic state of exercise (little or no oxygen), therefore limiting the total amount of fat you burn. Remember, to burn fat optimally you need oxygen! Your intensity level will also naturally be decreased because you have used up energy during aerobic activity, which will affect how quickly you gain strength and produce Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption E.P.O.C. (E.P.O.C. is what makes weight bearing exercises a great fat burner, studies show you continue to burn calories after you lift weights for up to 72 hours). See how Resting Metabolic Rate testing and VO2 Max testing can help optimize your workouts

If you perform strength training before aerobic activity you burn off all the muscle glycogen stores and circulating carb’s in your blood during training. This sets your body up to be a strictly fat burning machine during the time you devote to aerobic exercise (oxygen required activity) because there is nothing left to burn except fat. This is taking into account you know what heart rate zone you should be exercising in to optimize fat loss. In addition, your workouts will be more intense because your energy levels are higher creating even greater E.P.O.C.

Once you have the basics mastered you can learn about high interval intensity training, plyometrics, and other advanced multi-functional exercises… The important point in all of this is that even though there are a plethora of different ways to burn calories while exercising, none of the methods will be effective without implementing proper nutrition. If I placed a random percentage on importance of nutrition versus exercise I would say eating right is 70% of your ability to effectively lose weight. A person can exercise very little but if they follow sensible eating patterns they will lose weight, while someone can exercise vigorously everyday but if they don’t watch what they eat its possible they won’t lose a pound. There is a reason why there is always fine print on any supplement and exercise equipment that says “with proper diet and exercise.”

Learn not to eat less but to eat smarter! Learn that food does not have to elicit a negative reaction when trying to lose weight! Most importantly, the word “diet” is a horrible word, it indicates a beginning and an end. Whenever someone says “diet” most people cringe because it already has a negative connotation to it. Losing weight is about permanent lifestyle changes, not brief 3 month crash dieting. If you crash diet you will probably gain the lost weight back (yo-yo’ing) which is much worse then just staying overweight. I set the goal to be 2 pounds a week, its steady, its safe, and the weight will stay off because you are losing fat mass not water. If your interested in learning more contact my office to make an appointment and learn the tools to educate yourself on how to lose weight effectively and permanently!

Dr. Gordon

Filed under: Exercise & Nutrition, Brooklyn, Burn Fat, Dr. Gordon Kuang, Effective Ways of Exercise, Exercise and Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, New York, Nutrition, Weightloss

What’s in your food? Nutrition Brooklyn, Weighloss Brooklyn, Burn Fat Brooklyn

NYC is a city where everyone wants everything done yesterday, in the fast paced world of “eat and run” there has been a trend for the food industry companies to make foods that require little effort or time.

Most of these prepared or semi- prepared meals in a box contain preservatives, colorings and other additives that make things like ‘macaroni and cheese’ taste better and last for years in the cupboard. Unfortunately many of these additives may have serious side effects that consumers should be aware of. Here is a summary of some of the more common preservatives in foods.

The majority of foods produced and sold at supermarkets these days lack the proper nutrients for a healthy lifestyle and can contribute to obesity, weight gain, type II diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, and many more diseases.  It is better to completely eliminate these following ingredients from your nutritional habits and substitute with fiber and whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Is a cheaper form of sugar and found in the majority of food products made in the USA.  There is a direct link from obesity to the over-consumption of this chemical (Food Additive).  This compound raises your blood glucose higher then regular sugar and has been shown to increase systemic inflammation leading to a variety of heath issues. Research on High Fructose Corn Syrup in the past 10 years have not been positive.

Aspartame (artificial sweetener, Equal or Nutra-Sweet)

Aspartame is used as a sugar substitute in many “diet” drinks and sweets. Its made of amino acids, methanol (a known poison) and phenylalanine.

Check my upcoming blog on artificial sweeteners and the effects these chemicals have on the body such as contributing to obesity, type II diabetes, and increasing the inflammatory process

BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroyandisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

BHA and BHT keep foods containing oils and fats from going rancid. The WHO World Heath Organization considers them carcinogens. BHA and BHT are not necessary in foods and can be avoided by safer chemicals like Vitamin E. These additives are found in potato chips, cereal, crackers and Quaker Granola Bars to name a few.

Colorings (Blue 1 and 2; Red 2,3 and 40; Yellow 5 and 6)

Red 3 has caused thyroid tumors in rats, according to the FDA, which has recommended that the coloring be BANNED. Yellow 5 has been known to cause mild allergies in aspirin sensitive people. Yellow 6 may have links to cancer and tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney and may also cause allergic reaction. Most food dyes are found in junk food, candies, Kraft Dinner and soft drinks. Maraschino cherries, found in fruit cocktails, contain Red 3.  Food colorings have been proven to be carcinogenic and should be avoided whenever possible.

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

MSG is an amino acid that brings out the flavor by activating taste buds, allowing food producers to reduce the amount of real flavorings or ingredients, making it cheaper to produce.

• Reactions can include headaches, nausea, burning sensations in the back of the neck, wheezing and difficulty breathing, all of which are increased in the situation of an allergy. MSG is not hard to find. Many Asian and non-Asian restaurants use it!  Is that why dim sum is sooo good?  It’s also commonly found in soups (Campbell’s uses it frequently), salad dressings, chips, frozen dinners, and HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein).   MSG has been proven to be a NEUROTOXIN:  That means that is causes NERVE DEATH when used for long periods of time.

Studies have linked MSG to be an exacerbant of chronic idiopathic urticaria (A kind of skin rash notable for dark red, raised, itchy bumps).

Nutrition is about compromise and learning what battles you need to fight and which battles are better left alone to help keep you morivated.  It is not measured in days but months and years of lifestyle choices.  No matter what your ultimate goal is there are many different paths you can choose to follow to bring you to the same end result, a healthier you! Looking at the alarming health statistics of today, it’s never too early to start paying attention to what you are consuming.

Being able to read a food ingredient label is the foundation to making the correct choices in the supermarket, at the restaurant, or meal planning.  Would you build a house on an unstable foundation?  Then why would you decide to address your nutrition without the proper education on the guiding principles of healthy nutrition.

Schedule a time to meet one-on-one with Dr. Gordon to go over your health goals.  He will teach you how to meal plan, read food labels, shop for food, and much more.  The objective is to learn how your losing weight so you understand the principle and can then apply it whenever you want.  Just like a wise person once said, why continue to buy fish when you can have someone teach you how to become a fisherman and sustain yourself.  At Optimumhealthcare NY we just don’t help you lose weight or get rid of your pain, we show you how to recreate and maintain your health so you never have to be treated over and over for the same problem. For a comprehensive evaluation which the doctor uses to create a customized NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM BROOKLYN, NY follow the link or call 800.980.9172. WEIGHT-LOSS BROOKLYN, NY is a service that could be partially covered by major medical insurance. Follow the link and input your insurance information and a staff member will call you to set up a time to sit down with Dr. Kuang and discuss your goals.

Dr. Gordon Kuang C.S.C.S.

Filed under: Practical Nutritional Advice, Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, Dr. Gordon Kuang, Eat Healthier, Ingredients to Avoid, New York, Nutrition, Obesity, Optimum Healthcare NY, Stop Cravings, Weightloss, Whole Foods