Scientists have been studying what makes one food high and another low for more than fifteen years. There is a wealth of information that can easily confuse. We have summarised the results of their research in the following table which looks at the factors which influence the G.I. factor of a food.

The key message is that the physical state of the starch in the food is by far the most important factor influencing the G.I. value. That’s why the advances in food processing over the past two hundred years have had such a profound effect on the overall G.I. factor of the food we eat.

Amylose and amylopectin. There are two sorts of starch in food— amylose and amylopectin—and researchers have discovered that the ratio of one to the other has a powerful effect on the G.I. factor of a food.

Amylose is a straight chain molecule, like a string of beads. These tend to line up in rows and form tight compact clumps that are harder to gelatinise and therefore digest.

On the other hand, amylopectin is a string of glucose molecules with lots of branching points, such as you see in some types of seaweed. Amylopectin molecules are therefore larger and more open and the starch is easier to gelatinise and digest.

Thus foods that have little amylose and plenty of amylopectin in their starch have higher G.I. factors e.g. Calrose rice and wheat flour. Foods with a higher ratio of amylose to amylopectin have lower G.I. factors including Basmati rice and all sorts of legumes.

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RER (respiratory exchange ratio) measures, or the measure of fat and glucose utilisation, need to be looked at for intensity and duration of exercise both for fit and unfit (possibly fat) people, to gain a better appreciation of the appropriate form of exercise for those most likely to be carrying excess fat.

More vigorous exercise obviously burns more total energy in a given time period, but the graph shows that, at least in the unfit, under normal conditions (i.e. no excessively restricted energy intake), higher intensity exercise is likely to be less effective for fat loss. In other words, for an unfit person, the total amount of exercise at this intensity—even if it could be carried out by an unfit person—would not result in substantial fat loss. For a fit person, however, high intensity exercise is associated with fat burning.

Similar difference between the fit and the unfit can be seen, suggesting that the longer the effort—at least at moderate intensity—the greater the proportion of fat used in the energy cycle. In the unfit though, some of the research quoted above suggests that this may be true only up to a point, beyond which there is likely to be a decrease in fat utilisation and an increased reliance on glycogen. As fatigue sets in glycolysis plays a more important part, and glucose is thus likely to become more important as an energy source for the unfit.

These suggestions have been shown in practice in research by Dr David Kelly from the University of Pittsburgh.10 Kelly exercised obese people over a week for either 50 minutes at 70 per cent of their maximum capacity, or for 70 minutes at 50 per cent of their maximum. Both treatments resulted in exactly the same calorie expenditure. But the RER and total fat oxidation were higher for the longer, less intensely exercised group. Their total fat utilisation was estimated to be 24.5 grams for the 70 minutes, compared to 131 grams for the more intensely exercised group. Because fat utilisation is known to decrease in the unfit with duration of exercise, this suggests that for unfit people, fat utilisation would be even greater in the less intense group if the same time period (i.e. 50 minutes) was used for exercise.

All this suggests a change in thinking about the right parameters of exercise for fat loss in unfit (which include most fat) people. The FITT (frequency, intensity, time and type) mnemonic may be appropriate for improvements in fitness, but this needs to be modified for changes in fatness—at least in fat, unfit people.

Even this model has reservations when it comes to prescribing exercise for specific population sub-groups (women, older people, children etc.). Interestingly though, the new FATT factors also agree with the physical activity requirements for wider health gains. Several recent long term studies have shown that high intensity exercise is not necessary for health, or metabolic improvements, such as decreased risk of heart disease. Regular, low intensity, long duration activities can be sufficient to provide these improvements. Recently, it has also been shown that in obese people, short (10-minute) bursts of exercise, four times daily, are more effective in fat loss (and even in fitness gained) than continuous (40-minute) bouts. This is primarily because it is easier for obese people to comply with the demands of shorter bouts.

Myth-information. ‘Digital tummy trimmers’ are designed to force the abdominal muscles to contract against a tight belt. At best, this may increase some isometric muscle strength in the abdominals. It will have no effect on subcutaneous fat.

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The usual definition of overfatness or overweight is up to 20 per cent over a recognised ideal body weight, or a body mass index (BMI) (or height-weight measure) of 25-29.9- BMI is a measure using weight divided by height squared (kg/m2); the normally recognised ‘ideal’ is a BMI of 20-25. Obesity is regarded here as a BMI of 30-39.9; and morbid obesity as BMI over 40.

Summary of main points.

• Almost 1 in 2 people in western countries are now defined as overweight or obese.

• People in some Western countries have been increasing body weight at the average rate of 1g/day over the last decade.

• ‘Overfatness’ is a more appropriate term than ‘overweight’.

• The fitness and nutrition booms have had little impact on levels of fatness throughout the world.

• The environment determines prevalence, and genes determine the presence of obesity.

• The traditional paradigm of ‘weight=energy in (food)— energy out (exercise) is no longer adequate for understanding obesity.

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Pollen is the male germ cells of the plant kingdom. Pollen in beehives and honey comes from flowers. It is believed that it comes to the beehive in two ways: it attaches itself to the legs of honey-collecting bees and then falls off their legs while they deposit their honey; also it is believed that it is deliberately collected by the bees to feed the young working bees which produce royal jelly—another amazing substance on which the queen bee lives exclusively.

Analysis of pollen has shown that it is indeed a food for gods—it is the richest and most complete food in nature!

Pollen contains 20 percent protein; all the water-soluble vitamins (with the exception of Bi2); a rich supply of minerals and trace elements, and enzymes and coenzymes. The other vital substances are so-called deoxiribosides and sterines, plus traces of steroid hormone substances and other plant hormones. Most researchers believe, however, that there must be some other as yet undiscovered substances in pollen which must share the credit for its acknowledged prophylactic and therapeutic value. It has been demonstrated that pollen does increase the body’s own immunity and also stimulates and rejuvenates glandular activity.

Pollen for prostate trouble

Extensive studies were made by three Swedish doctors, Professor Gosta Jonsson, Dr. Gosta Leander and Professor H. Palmstierna. They reported that strictly controlled tests on 179 cases of chronic prostate inflammation showed that Cernilton, a pollen preparation, together with conventional treatments gives in 60 to 80 percent of the cases better results than conventional therapy alone. By 1965 their studies included over 1,100 cases, with the same positive results.

Pollen for hemmorrhoids

Dr. Lars-Erik Essen from Sweden reports that he has used a pollen preparation, Cernitory, for the treatment of hemmorroids. He said that in many cases where treatments with the traditional chemical suppositories were ineffective, the pollen preparation brought about fast relief, even in advanced cases. The preparation is available without prescription in Swedish drug stores.

Pollen for a healthier digestive tract

Many researchers suggest that pollen has an extremely beneficial effect on the digestive tract and intestines. A French researcher, Dr. Remy Chauvin, reports that pollen seems to have an anti-putrefactive factor. It destroys harmful bacteria in the intestines and improves assimilation and elimination. In clinical tests the administration of pollen has relieved chronic constipation and colonic infection. Patients suffering from chronic diarrhea have also showed improvement.

It has been suggested that Bulgarians, Rumanians, Russians, and other East European peoples known for their enviable record of longevity have to thank lactic acid for their excellent health and youthful vitality. Their diets are high in soured foods (rich in lactic acid), such as sour milk, yogurt, black sour-dough bread, sauerkraut, and the like. Lactic acid has a beneficial anti-putrefactive effect on intestines and keeps the digestive tract in good health.

Probably the most beneficial effect of pollen is that, taken internally, it quickly produces the same anti-putrefactive effect as lactic-acid foods, and thus contributes to a healthy digestive system and good assimilation of nutrients—absolute prerequisites for good health and long life.

Other indications

Pollen in pure form or in the form of Swedish Cernitin preparations has also been used successfully for the following conditions:

As a general tonic, especially in convalescence and in conditions of neurasthenia.

In chronic bronchitis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, gastric ulcers, and arthritis.

In hay fever.

In treatment of symptoms of aging.

Pollen completely harmless

French doctor Remy Chauvin fed hundreds of experimental mice nothing but pollen for two years to discover possible harmful effects from pollen. Not only he did not see any adverse effects, but through several generations of mice there were increasing vitality and greater reproduction. He continued similiar experiments with children, adults, and old people. There has never been reported any example of the possible harmful effect of pollen on human beings.

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Keep in mind that high blood pressure is not a disease, but rather a symptom of other disorders in the body. Hypertension can be due to nervous tension, kidney disease, glandular disorders, obesity, hardening of arteries, etc. In general, it could be said that a great number of diseased conditions in the body will raise the blood pressure. However, by far the most common cause of high blood pressure is the hardening of the arteries. When arteries and arterioles become constricted by cholesterol or other deposits, they lose their elasticity and become brittle and hard, so the blood has difficulty passing through them and the heart has to work harder and increase its pressure in order to maintain circulation. In case of infections or other diseased conditions in various parts of the body, blood pressure is increased as a defensive measure in order to increase the flow of blood to the diseased area, to supply it with the nutrients, hormones and other vital substances needed for the healing processes, to accelerate the detoxification of the blood, and to speed recovery.

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