Green Coffee Bean Extract short term may promote weightloss

What is green bean coffee extract (GCE)

This is not to be confused with your morning espresso. Coffee beans are roasted from their natural green to darker shades of brown, resulting in different strengths and flavours, but

also destroying beneficial compounds. This leaves a caffeinated drink that:

·           gives short burst of energy followed by energy crashes

·           disrupts blood sugar levels causing cravings

·           promotes weight gain around the tummy.

Often foods are modified losing the beauty of what nature intended. Unroasted green coffee has properties that may support:

·         superfast weightloss

·         energy boost

·         muscle toning

·         appetite control

·         fat metabolism

Studies showing nature knows best

2013 (Fan JG, Cao HX) study

GCE was taken by 16 obese subjects with insulin resistance for 12 weeks. Insulin is a chemical released to manage blood glucose level in the body, to sustain energy and enable excess sugar to be stored in fat cells for later use. Insulin resistance impairs this process, meaning fat is stored  but not easily broken down. Although insulin resistance makes fat difficult to lose, the subjects in this study lost on average 18 lbs without making changes to diet or exercise. 

The Dr Oz show

In  the show’s biggest experiment, 100 obese women aged 35 to 49 were given  400mg GCE three times a day 30 minutes before food. Over two weeks women taking GCE  doubled weightloss compared to a control group taking a placebo.

How is green coffee able to achieve this:?

Green coffee contains several beneficial ingredients, including are chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid.

Chloregenic acid

This has been shown to support:

·         blood sugar and fat metabolism

·         slower absorption of fats by the body. 

·         muscle toning

·         reduction in cravings and overeating

Caffeic acid

This compound has a range of benefits:

·        natural antioxidant

·         mild stimulant

·         reducing fatigue during physical exercise. 

Where weight loss goes wrong

A sudden plateau may be due to the lack of antioxidants, as  these neutralise toxins in the system which are found within fat cells.  Without antioxidants the body avoids breaking down fat so as not to put the system in a health crisis, and so  a low calorie diet may lead to  loss of muscle rather than fat.

How should GCE be used in practice:  

GCE supports energy, which may be used to sustain exercise for even better muscle toning and so a higher metabolism. Therefore ideally in clinic with clients I would use 400mg 3 times per day before food, with a weight bearing exercise program and a high protein diet to aim at doubling or even tripling weight lost compared to the studies. This could make a nice addition to a program aimed at weightloss especially for those experiencing a plateau.

It is important that the extract contains:

·         GCA® (green coffee antioxidant)

·         Svetol®

·         Chloregenic acid

Mental Health Awareness

Here are few ideas of what you can do to get yourself into positive spirits.

There are so many things that you can do to support mind function especially dietary wise.  Remember, food is fuel to give you energy and drive to do things, therefore what you are eating has an impact on how you will feel.

Example of where food affects your mood and how to support that

Blood sugar balancing

Problem If you aren’t doing a physically energy demanding activity and you eat certain foods you can cause a spike in your blood sugar levels. The spike tells your body to release insulin to store the sugar in cells so that you don’t pass out from too much glucose whizzing round your body.    When the sugar is packed into cells you can have a major dip in your blood sugar causing you to feel a bit emotional ie: irrational, moody and sad.

Common causes of blood sugar spikes and dips:

• Chocolate, crisps, sugar, refined carbohydrates
• Caffeinated and fizzy drinks
• Portions bigger than your two fists put together as this is the size of your stomach
• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Sweeteners
• Carb loading
• Longer than 4 hours without eating
• Stress

Solutions:

• Eat protein or fat with everything you have ie beans, meat, fish, eggs, pulses, avocado, nuts and seeds
• meal portions no bigger than your two fists together
• de-stress with breathing exercises
• herbal teas
• chromium rich foods (ie: broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, eggs, and meat)
• Eat B vitamin rich foods such as rice, meat, avocado, green leafy vegetables, sea plankton to encourage the production of positive brain chemicals to be produced.

Sunshine 

Problem most people in a westernised world don’t get enough sunshine as people tend to spend most of their time indoors whether it be working, or social and one of the reasons for that is unfortunately we don’t have great whether or year round in the UK 

Solution sunshine for at least 20 mins per day helps you produce the happy vitamin D, due to the lack of sunshine that we can get in the UK it may be a good option to take supplementation to improve mood especially during the winter.

Essential fatty acids essential for the mind

Problem low fat diets and the choice of poor fats in the diet, ie rich in saturated fats from biscuits and pastries means that people are not fuelling their brain.  Think about it this way; the brain is made up from between 60-70% fat.

Solution its all about the fats you do choose to eat so aim for omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids from oily fish and nuts to help your mind function. Include these foods daily, both fats together have been used together to improve symptoms of most mental health problems.

Exercise

A great way to encourage endorphins to keep you feeling happy.  If you go for a run outside, even better as you will be getting your happy hormones from the sun too.  

Cataracts Treatment

This is the clouding of the lens inside the eye which decreases the eyes visibility. It is the one main causes for loss of vision as if untreated it can cause blindness due to the light not being focused on the retina at the back of the eye.  There are a couple of options for this, a simple surgical procedure can be used.  However, over the last decade there have also been natural treatments used to reverse the condition in the space of two months.

I have just had a cataract op. Are there any supplements I can take to boost healing?

This will require healing of connective tissue and antioxidant support that are rich within the eyes structure.

Supplements

MSM and vitamin C to restore any structural damage and Reduced Glutathione and Gingko Biloba to support circulation and water balance within the eye.

Diet

Fruits and vegetables support pigmentation restoration and general lens function.

Zinc and beta carotene encourages better eye adjustment in dark conditions, reducing night blindness and supports better absorption of vitamins and minerals by the body. Beta-carotene the precursor of vitamin A, is an orange pigment that is found in sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and broccoli.

There are two types of antioxidants known as ‘carotenoids; lutein and zeaxanthin that have been shown to support eye health and reduce the risk of developing eye problems:

Lutein can be found in yellow peppers, mango, bilberries, and green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard and broccoli.

Zeaxanthin can be found in orange sweet peppers, broccoli, corn, lettuce (not iceberg), spinach, tangerines, oranges and eggs.

Nonsurgical procedure option

Following the supplements suggested above will still be beneficial for eye health but this can be combined with:  

Bright Eyes eyedrop treatment

In 2003 Richard and Judy had an ongoing study looking at NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Carnosine) drops and the benefits to eye health which have been suggested by London Eye Hospital.  To see how successful this study was for treatment you can follow the link to view the results.

Contact us and Consultation Booking

Contact: 
Samantha Prior
Email: Samanthaeprior@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: 07411 646 200
The Well Health Centre Institute Road Kings Heath, Birmingham B14

Open times: 
Monday – Tuesday 6pm -9pm
Wed- Thursday 8am-9pm
Friday Closed
Saturday and Sunday 6:30pm - 9pm

Fees
Initial Consultations 1 hr  £70 
Follow up Consultations 45mins £40
Package Deal
1 X1hr Individual consultation
1X 45 min Follow up Consultations
Total = £99

The consultation

Initial Consultation (1.5 hour): The consultation will take place after the questionnaire has been filled out and returned. The hours consultation will be carried out face to face. What the consultation shall cover: We will go through your nutritional and medical profile and come up with a plan together on dietary and lifestyle changes you can make within the following month to support your health goal. The consultation may or may not include tests to be carried out depending on your health and health goals 

Follow up consultation (45mins): The consultation may either be face to face, over skype or a telephone consultation What the consultation shall cover We will follow up on the program we set for the previous month and see if we still need to make adjustments to help us work towards your initial goal, or if you have a new goal you would like to achieve. There may be results of tests to cover and at this point there may be supportive supplements recommended and further adjustments to be made to your diet and lifestyle. We will decide if we need to make any further developments to the suggestions previously made and if you have any new targets to achieve.



Further information
Telephone consultations can also be arranged. 

Massage 

A massage that works on the head neck and shoulders relieves tension found in the most common areas that are affected by tension and stiffness. By working deep into these areas we can aim to alleviate:  

• Headaches
• tension
• reduce stress
• stimulate the lymphatic system to remove toxins
• support the immune system
• aid sleep 
• release muscle tension
• reduce anxiety

Cost
Swedish Head Neck and Shoulder Massage 30 mins £25 


The therapy (30 mins):  We will cover general health and if there are any particular areas that need extra work on, people often carry added tension in different locations.  The massage is seated to get the right amount of pressure. You remain in light clothing and there are no oils used, making this a nice option for sensitive skin. 

Stressful Week?

This is a typical Sunday evening for so many and it is a warning sign that your adrenals (energy glands) aren’t functioning how they should be. Modern life is often the disruptor to our biological clock. At work many of us work under pressure and our body copes by releasing the stress hormone cortisol. When this gets out of balance you can have too little cortisol when you need a lift, and too much when you are trying to wind down and sleep.

Nutrient survival tips for modern life • Stock up on your B Vitamins to support the nervous system and energy. • Vitamins B3, B6, B12 and folic acid support the ability to make energy and help to reduce tiredness and fatigue. They also support the normal function of the nervous system. • Hops exert a calming effect on the nervous system. • Liquorice is a tonic for weakness, exhaustion and tiredness, and contributes to increased mental and physical energy. • Lemon Balm helps maintain positive mood, relaxation and supports sleep. • Camomile contributes to optimal relaxation, healthy sleep and supports relaxation and mental / physical well-being so ditch the caffeine and stock up on the teas.

Reduce stress with ‘mindfulness’ at work When you are feeling stressed in your day job, nobody need know that you are taking time out to relax the mind and reground yourself. ‘Mindful meditation’ is something you can do at your desk. It is a great way to refocus your attention away from negative aspects of workday stresses and concerns and increase clarity and effectiveness.

Valentines Day

Valentine’s  Day

Treat each other on Valentine’s Day by really making one another feel special, happy and relaxed.

Massage 

Ideally we should have a massage once a month to soothe any weary muscles and to cleanse our system of any knots and toxins. However, this is so easily put to the bottom of the list of things we should do but never get around to because of social and work and business and we often feel the guilt for doing other things rather than pampering ourselves.  Pampering is important for your wellbeing and a massage builds a close bond between a couple due to the release of a chemical called oxytocin and hormones that reduce stress. 

Oxytocin is known as the cuddling hormone related to trust; what more can you offer someone that you care about? 

Chocolate

We are always looking for an excuse to chocolate and this is a good one.  It does make sense that chocolate is heavy on the valentines gift list as it contains PEA (phenylethylamine) that when eaten causes the releases your reward chemical dopamine from the pleasure zones in your brain.  Aim to go for dark chocolate with natural sweeteners such as xylitol. Xylitol is beneficial to the mouths bacteria and therefore added bonus is you can both have fresh breath! 

Bath time

Bath at bedtime soothing all the muscles and strains of the day.  This is such a

calming and relaxing experience to share with your partner as you pretend the world doesn’t exist beyond that bathroom door. You can add natural minerals which can have a very calming and relaxing effect on the mind and muscles taking aches and pains away.

Romantic meal for two

There are a range of foods that are classed as aphrodisiacs as they are rich in ingredients known to support the libido. When looking at foods for fertility you are aiming for foods that are rich in zinc, bromelain, vitamin E, selenium.

An example of foods for your romantic menu are below:

Oysters, asparagus avocado with brazil nuts followed by bananas and melted chocolate to really boost fertility levels and libido 

Keeping up your Spirits

This time of year can be tough with the shorter and darker days affecting how we feel, but there is plenty of good news too. We have survived ‘Blue Monday’, the January day that some think is the most depressing day of the year, and the days are beginning to get longer and lighter and there are plenty of supportive groups and therapies for a little helping hand.

It does seem that people aren’t as perky during the winter months and there are a few theories about this: • By using artificial light rather than natural light to regulate our body clock we are left feeling lethargic and also possibly low in our happy chemical, serotonin. • Lower levels of  serotonin over the winter can cause overeating, especially of comfort foods, to give immediate energy and make us feel cheery. However, these cravings are commonly for sugary foods which can make us feel even worse than before. • Covering ourselves in sun–protective creams. Even during the winter there are foundations that block UV rays and disrupt the natural production of vitamin D in the skin.

On a more positive note, this is what you can do to keep yourself in good spirits: Diet: • Take a comprehensive multivitamin high in B vitamins or a B complex. Combine either of these with extra vitamin C. Vitamin C, B vitamins like B6, folic acid and pantothenic acid and the minerals magnesium and zinc all help support normal psychological function and so help our mood. • Take a vitamin D supplement of at least 400iu during the winter to support levels of vitamin D. • Eating foods rich in tryptophan such as chicken and banana help support healthy levels of the happy hormone serotonin and can help reduce overeating. • Follow a low GL diet such as ‘burn fat fast’ to help with weight and energy levels.

Lifestyle: Therapies There are many different approaches to creating a positive mood : • CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a very relaxed way to form a positive mind by changing the way you process thoughts. This is one to one counselling that has a unique way of dealing with your problems by making you think about situations in a more proactive and positive way rather than trying to work out how the problem manifested itself.  • Mindfulness Meditation is meditation for a person with a busy mind and fits in nicely with a busy life. You can go to group meditation classes that are modern and easy to follow. The idea of this method is to be present ‘within the moment’ and not to dwell on past or future concerns. This can also help with maintaining a healthy diet by encouraging mindful eating to prevent overeating.