Yes, you read that right.  My cheeseburger has turned 1!  You see my son, Germain Spriet, and I were watching The Bionic Burger a year ago.  It’s a three minute YouTube clip explaining how a lot of fast foods today have so many preservatives in them that if you don’t eat them they’ll still look the same five years later.

Happy Birthday to our 1 Year Old Cheeseburger

Naturally, we had to test it.  We bought a burger and the photo shows what it looks like today, after 1 year.

Which begs the question, what’s it REALLY made of?  What’s been added to it to preserve it?  And more importantly, the bigger question is, what’s it doing to us when we eat this stuff?

Germain hasn’t had a cheeseburger or hamburger from ABC….# since.

It might seem like a strange thing to do, but it’s worked for me.  It’s caused my son and I to question what most people take for granted and eat every day.  In fact, today we’re going to buy from two other fast food brands and add them to the shelf.  It will be interesting to see what happens.

Take three minutes and watch this video and maybe question what you’re putting in your body.

• 

  Yes it’s true, you now have permission to chew!

  Eating Fat Makes You Fat.  The Mayo Clinic in the US has found people who increased their intake of monounsaturated fats actually lost weight without decreasing their kilojoules.  Plus, olive oil, nuts, olives and avocados reduce stomach fat.

• Chewing Gum Makes You Hungrier, So You Eat More.  Not so.  A study has found people who chew gym for an hour a day are more likely to eat less kilojoules at lunch, feel less hungry during the day and use 5% more kilojoules.
• Room Temperature Water Is Best For Rehydrating.  A new study says to keep it chilled.  According to Dr Jason Lee, cold water could be the most direct way to reduce core body temperature, therefore taking you longer to heat up and slow down.
• After A Tough Workout Take Nurofen To Offset Soreness.  Popping anti-inflammatories actually reduces production of the chemicals needed for muscle growth and repair.
• Steaming Is The Best Way To Cook Vegies.  These days, the microwave does a much better job of retaining the most recovery-boosting antioxidants.  Put your vegies in a bowl with a small amount of water and cook for 2-3 minutes.

This information was sourced from Australian Women’s Health magazine.

Every single morning he gets up at 5.20am and runs 6-7 kilometres along the beach.  When he returns home he does 200 push ups and 700 sit ups!  So it’s no wonder he’s got the strength and fitness of a man half his age!

Tom Hafey with event organisers Gerard Spriet from Geelong's Gym, Ross Hultgren from Chapman Welsh Financial Services and Rob Claridge from Claridge Naturopathics

I, along with Ross Hultren from Chapman Welsh Financial Services and Rob Claridge from Claridge Naturopathics, wanted to actively promote good health and wellbeing in the Geelong community.  We invited Tom because he has such a strong link to Geelong and, of course, because he’s such a fantastic example of what can be achieved with a healthy, fit lifestyle.

Incorporated into the evening was the introduction of our new BioAge Program at Geelong’s Gym.  We are thrilled to have this cutting edge technology which allows us to accurately measure a person’s biological age in comparison to their chronological age.

Unfortunately, a huge number of Australians have a biological age significantly higher than their chronological age.  But the good news is, now that we can accurately measure it we can improve it!  If you want to know more about this revolutionary program, click here.

All proceeds from the evening were donated to local Geelong charity, Our Women, Our Children.

Tom Hafey

We figured he was the ideal person for the job because not only does he have a strong connection to the people of Geelong but he also has a pretty spectacular qualifying resume!  Here are just a few highlights:

• He’s coached FOUR AFL teams – Richmond, Collingwood, the Sydney Swans and, of course, Geelong
• He’s coached over 500 VFL/AFL games for a 66% win record – oh and, in that time his teams have made TEN grand finals, resulting in  FOUR Premierships and a tied Grand Final
• In his first year as Collingwood coach the team rose from wooden spooners to be in the Grand Final
• He has never been beaten as a coach of the Victorian State Teams
• Only once in 22 years coaching football did a Hafey-coached team finish lower than seventh

Pretty impressive isn’t it?!

So okay, he’s got the credentials… but I’m not really that interested in hearing how to become more healthy.

Can I be blunt?  Good.  Here’s the thing, if you’re not a bouncing ball of energy who looks a good 10 years younger than you actually are… you need to take a good hard look at your health.

Let me ask you another question.  Does your biological age match your chronological age?  And I’m not just talking about how you look on the outside, although that’s part of it. 

Do you look older than you are?  Do you feel older than you are?

For the majority of Australians, what’s going on inside us is pretty scary and our bodies are actually functioning (or perhaps more accurately, not functioning) at a biological age greater than our chronological age.

That’s pretty alarming – especially if you’re wanting to live a good long life with a body that can keep up with you.  But here’s the good news, your biological age can actually be reversed!

So why not come along and hear Tom Hafey speak.  And while you’re there, you’ll learn how you can utilize the Bioage Program to measure and improve your biological age.

When: Wednesday, 14th July at 7.00pm

Where: Newtown Event Centre, 40 Read Street, Newtown

Entry: Gold coin entry to be donated to Geelong Charity “Our Women, Our Children”

RSVP: By Wednesday, 7th July to Geelong’s Gym

For more information, click here.

Naomi Watts swears by these four rules

1.  Cut back on Alcohol.  Alcohol is loaded with carbs and calories and, on top of that, it tends to cause people to make bad food choices.  Just a couple of sugary cocktails can add up to 1000 calories – half an average person’s daily need.  Avoiding alcohol altogether is best, but if you do indulge, opt for a glass of wine or slim down your drink with tonic instead of soda.

2.  Say “No” to fried food.  You can grill, bake, steam or broil, but just don’t fry!  Frying takes away the nutrients of healthy food and adds fat and calories.  Plus, many restaurants use trans fats, which increase your risk of raising artery clogging bad cholesterol and lowering fat-clearing good cholesterol.

3.  Avoid carbs at night.  You don’t have to completely deprive yourself of carbs, despite popular belief, but you should be conscious of when you eat them.  Consuming high-carb foods, such as potatoes, rice, pastas and breads, early in the day allows your body more time to burn them off.  Whereas carbs eaten at night are more likely to go unused and be stored as fat.  Barretta’s rule: stick to lean protein and vegetables after 6pm.

4.  Choose unprocessed foods.  Out of convenience we often reach for processed products, even though we know fresh unprocessed foods are better for us.  While it can be difficult to cut out processed foods entirely, there are certain ingredients you should steer clear of, such as high-fructose corn syrup, MSG, white flour and processed sugar.  Here’s a tip: shop around the perimeter of the supermarket, where all the fresh meats and produce are.

The good news is you don’t have to follow a strict diet plan.  If you adopt these four nutrition rules you’ll see a vast improvement in the way your body feels and looks.  And they’re really not that hard to follow.

Why men in particular?  Well, according to an article in the Business Review, men are more fatalistic in their approach to health.  Bascially they think when their number’s up, it’s up.  So they don’t really make an effort to change.

But it’s not all bad news.  Smoking rates have been rapidly declining which instills confidence that men can change when they choose to.

Maintaining the correct body weight is a key factor in reducing cancer risk

And change is what men need to do.  Cancer Council research shows that 1 in 3 men’s cancer deaths are preventable through lifestyle choices – an important statistic considering men are 60% more likely to die from cancer than women.

Top 3 Tips For Reducing Cancer Risk:

• Quit smoking permanently
• Achieve and maintain normal body weight, i.e. take a good hard look at your diet and make the necessary changes, then get into a gym and start working on your fitness
• Moderate alcohol intake

No one knows if they’re going to get cancer or not.  So why not start working on your health and fitness now and put yourself in a better position to avoid this deadly disease.

Q.  Doctor, I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life.  Is this true?

A.  Your heart only good for so many beats, and that it… don’t waste on exercise.  Everything wear out eventually.  Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster.  Want to live longer?  Take nap.

Q.  Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A.  You must grasp logistical efficiency.  What does cow eat?  Hay and corn.  And what are these?  Vegetables.  So steak is nothing more than efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system.  Need grain?  Eat chicken.  Beef also good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable).  And pork chop can give you 100% of recommended daily allowance of vegetable product.

Our esteemed Dr Hu

Q.  Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A.  No, not at all.  Wine made from fruit.  Brandy is distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way.  Beer also made of grain.  Bottom up!

Q.  How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A.. Well, if you have body and you have fat, your ratio one to one.  If you have two bodies, your ratio two to one, etc.

Q.  What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A.. Can’t think of single one, sorry.  My philosophy is: No pain…good!

Q.  Are fried foods bad for you?

A.  YOU NOT LISTENING!  Food are fried these days in vegetable oil.  In fact, they permeated by it.  How could getting more vegetable be bad for you?!?

Q.  Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A.  Definitely not!  When you exercise muscle, it get bigger.  You should only be doing sit-up if you want bigger stomach.

Q.  Is chocolate bad for me?

A.  Are you crazy?!?  HEL-LO-O!!  Cocoa bean!  Another vegetable!  It best feel-good food around!

Q.  Is swimming good for your figure?

A.  If swimming good for your figure, explain whale to me…

Q.  Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?

A.  Hey!  ‘Round’ a shape!

Thank you to Dr Hu for his valuable input.  I’m sure we all have a much better understanding of food and diets now!

And don’t forget, life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive, well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Chardonnay in one hand, chocolate in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “Woo Hoo, what a ride!!”

But here’s my final word on nutrition and health…

1.  The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

2.  The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

3.  The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

4.  The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

5.  The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

CONCLUSION:  Eat and Drink what you like.  Speaking English is apparently what kills you!

In the interest of not creating a blog post as long as both my arms,  I’m just going to look at four items today:

Cumin – did you know this is the most popular spice all over the world?  It’s not hard to see why.  It is a good source of iron, promotes a healthy digestive system and, if made into tea, reportedly cures stomach disorders.  It is also said to enhance liver and kidney function, boost immunity and treat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dryness, relieve nausea and diarrhea, and many believe, when used as a tonic, it can prevent cancer.  Phew!  That’s a long list of fantastic health benefits from something so simple.  Oh and least I forget, for those trying to lose weight, it makes your metabolism more efficient!

Sage – sage is derived from a Latin word meaning “to save or to heal”, so that’s a pretty good start.  There is an old Arab proverb which says, “Why should a man die when sage grows in his garden.”  And the Romans used it to heal many ailments from snakebites to epilepsy!  Sage has been known to restore failing memories in elderly people and studies have shown that when combined with biloba and rosemary, sage is effective in slowing down Alzheimers.  It can cure sore throats, coughs, liver disorders and upset stomachs.  And, if you didn’t mind carrying it around in your bag, can be used as a breath freshener and tooth cleaner!

Add some herbs to your diet and you might have better luck!

Rosemary – a good source of minerals and iron, it is also a dietary fibre and when applied externally as an oil, rejuvenates the skin and strengthens the capillaries.  In fact, did you know that many cosmetics have rosemary as the primary component?  It has been used to treat headaches, digestion problems, regulation of the menstrual cycle and stimulates hair growth, prevents premature greying and boosts mental activity!  Once again, it can aid in preventing cancer, Alzheimers and bad breath!

Ginger – this wonderful plant contains approximately 1-4% of volatile oils which are responsible for its medicinal value.  It is extremely effective in curing gastrointestinal distress and hence is used in natural travel sickness pills.  It has an anti-vomiting action useful in reducing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, reduces the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis , relieves dizziness and stimulates circulation of the blood, cleansing the bowels and kidneys.

So why  not add some extra herbs and spices into your diet on a regular basis?  Your body will certainly thank you for it!

Until a few years ago most of us probably hadn’t heard of the Acai Berry, but since Oprah promoted it to the top of her list of superfoods it has suddenly become famous.

So what is the Acai Berry?

Pronounced ah-sigh-ee, it is a small, round, black/purple fruit about an inch in diameter and is grown in the Amazon region of Brazil.  Unsurprisingly, it makes up a large part of the diet in Brazil and is a huge cash crop for the area.

The humble Acai Berry

The Berry is believed to have tremendous health properties and has been used by the Amazonian tribes to cure various ailments.  These tribes discovered that it helped build the immune system, fight infection, protect the heart and control prostate enlargement.  It is also a cholesterol controller, an antioxidant and has been used to produce antibiotics to fight Staph infections.

That’s a pretty impressive resume for such a small berry!

But can it help me lose weight?

Well it can certainly help if combined with a proper diet and regular exercise.  It has a natural combination of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, amino acids and phytosterols which work together to help your body function better, process food more easily and burn fat more efficiently.  It also boosts your metabolism and reportedly suppresses your appetite because of its high fibre content.

Certainly this little berry has a lot going for it, so give it a go and see what you think.

Did you know that Scientists consider love to be a drug that is good for your heart and your brain?

That’s right.  There’s more to love than soppy doe eyes and syrupy poetry.  So let’s look a bit more closely at this concept of love…

Love is more than just the quiet moments...

The first spark of attraction comes from the brain, which releases a neuro-transmitter chemical called dopamine.  From this there’s a chain reaction that leads to the heart pounding three times faster than normal.  This extra gush of blood makes its way to the cheeks and sexual organs.

This sudden blood diversion causes your stomach to feel a bit empty, thus creating the feeling of butterflies in the stomach and causing your hands and legs to get a diminished supply of blood which results in the palms getting cold and a slight shiver setting in.  Sound familiar?

And of course, love tends to lead to sexual activity!  Making love is actually good aerobic exercise which improves the circulation and can do wonders for the heart.  So love, in its round about way, does in fact lead to improved fitness.

But let’s not forget the added benefit of weight loss!  Intercourse can actually burn around 200 calories in just a few minutes.

Then there are the added health benefits… when making love the body releases endorphins, which can help lessen chronic back pain, arthritis and migraines.  On top of that, there has been some research to suggest frequent love making can boost levels of important immune cells which can help fights colds and other infections.

So this Valentines Day, spare a moment for just how lucky you are to be in love and what a blessing that person beside you is.  And if you’re not in love, maybe this will inspire you to keep a look out for that special someone, because they could be just around the corner.