Josh Bezoni's Blog

Anything that you consume, even water which we all need to survive, can be toxic in excess amounts. However, as you’re surely aware, some foods are much healthier than others. In most cases, natural ingredients are safer than synthetic ones, but many times foods that may appear to be healthy contain toxic ingredients that could contribute, not just to weight gain, but life-threatening health conditions. Make sure you check the food label on any processed foods and find out where everything else is sourced from to avoid these four toxic ingredients!

Trans Fats
Several years ago, trans fats were linked to heart disease, so manufacturers rushed to remove trans fats from their products and display on their food labels that there were zero trans fats. However, there’s a catch: food manufacturers are required by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to list the amounts of trans fats their foods contain per serving, but if the product contains less than 0.5 grams per serving, the manufacturer can list it as containing zero trans fats. So you could be consuming trans fats without even realizing it! Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are the main culprits of trans fats, and they are found in processed foods such as peanut butter- giving it its rich, creamy taste but increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease at the same time. It’s important to carefully read food labels and look for all-natural products that don’t contain partially hydrogenated oils.

Heavy Metals
No, I’m not referring to Metallica or Iron Maiden here, but metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium which can be found in trace amounts in your found and are detrimental to your health. Lead, which can make its way into water supplies, is toxic even in the lowest concentrations. To safeguard against lead poisoning, it would be smart to invest in a water filter/filtration system. Mercury also poses a serious health risk and it is most commonly found in seafood such as tuna. In a high enough dose, it can cause brain and nervous system damage, and it is also toxic to the kidneys, liver, and heart. Pregnant women should be especially cautious about their seafood intake because mercury can pass from the mother to the fetus. Arsenic, which can be found in rice, is linked to a variety of health issues such as vascular disease, cancer, cardiovascular and central nervous system disturbances, and bone marrow depression. Cadmium, which is associated with bronchial and pulmonary irritation, kidney stones, and liver damage, can be found in a variety of foods including vegetable oils, potatoes, shellfish, baked goods, and chocolate.

Artificial Sweeteners
I’ve discussed before how bad artificial sweeteners are for your health! Some may claim to be a healthier alternative to sugar, but avoid these anything containing sucralose, saccharin, aspartame, and acesulfame-K like the plague because they contribute to gut dysbiosis, poor carbohydrate tolerance, weight gain, increased hunger, stress, accelerated aging, cognitive decline, and headaches.

Herbicides and Pesticides
Lastly, be careful about the produce you consume and avoid processed foods. It’s best to eat organic whenever possible, because genetically modified (GM) foods or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) raise a variety of safety concerns. Of all the GMOs grown worldwide, 80% are engineered to tolerate the toxic herbicide glyphosate, or “Roundup,” which is classified as a probable human carcinogen linked to Alzheimer’s disease, depression, autism, and Parkinson’s.

The point of this article is not to scare you away from all food, but rather to steer you away from processed foods. Consumed in moderation, none of these toxins will contribute to immediate health issues. What’s important is avoid your exposure to them as much as possible. It’s easy to reduce your exposure by eating natural, minimally-processed foods.

Garlic bread. Bread sticks. Ciabatta. Focaccia. Pita bread. Naan. Sourdough. Rye. Brioche. Pizza. Grilled cheese. Bread comes in many delectable forms, but bread is a carb and therefore, we have been led to believe that it’s bad for us- encouraged to avoid the very thing many of us so often crave. However, unless you have a gluten allergy, there’s no reason for you to cut bread out of your diet if you want to stay healthy. Contrary to popular belief, not all bread is bad for you! It’s simply a matter of knowing which breads won’t wreck your diet, and which to avoid. Lucky for you, I’ve done my research and found some healthy breads out there and targeted some not-so-healthy options. So the next time you’re in the supermarket trying to decide which bread to pull off the shelf, keep this advice in mind.

Belly-bulging breads

There are certain red-flags to look out for when buying bread, namely hydrogenated oils/trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and wheat flour. Some breads may appear to be healthy, but you need to read the label first! For instance, just because the bread has “wheat” in the name doesn’t make it healthy. Read the ingredients to make sure the bread is made with 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain. Anything else is likely made with refined white flour. Whole grains are the best for your diet, as they’re naturally low-fat and cholesterol free.

Here are some culprits to look out for:

-The Mission 96% Fat Free Flour Tortillas: Just because they claim to be mostly fat free doesn’t make them healthy! These tortillas contain hydrogenated oils/trans fats, which can cause belly fat, and other more threatening health problems like heart disease.

-Sara Lee Soft and Smooth Honey 100% Whole Wheat Bread: This option may sound healthy since it’s 100% whole wheat, but again look at the ingredients: it contains high fructose corn syrup which can make you hungrier.

-Wonder’s Original English Muffins: There are much better English muffin options out there, as this one is made with refined wheat flour (not 100% whole wheat) and contains high fructose corn syrup.

Belly-flattening breads

Don’t despair. There are some healthy options out there if you know what to look for! There are plenty of healthy supermarket options that are high in fiber, made with 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grains, low in sodium, and low in saturated fat.

Here are a few good choices to get you started:

-Food for Life Genesis 1:29 bread: It’s made with sprouted grains and seeds.

-Oroweat English Muffins

-Thomas’ Better Start English Muffins

Well, that’s all for now! Always look at the ingredients of whatever you’re buying. If you know what to look out for, then there’s nothing keeping you from consuming some of your favorite foods! For more health and nutrition advice, check out my articles on http://joshbezoni.com/.

Have you ever watched a shampoo commercial and thought, How is her hair so smooth and shiny? No one’s hair actually looks like that! You wouldn’t be alone in those thoughts, but if you thought lustrous commercial-worthy hair was only possible thanks to professional products and some not-so-secret video editing, think again. Getting soft, strong, and shiny hair that’s healthy from root to tip is easier than you think. The cold winter weather and direct heat from the hair dryer can be especially rough on hair, but they’re not the only culprits. A poor diet may be the biggest offender, so simply adopting a healthy diet of nutrient-rich foods can do wonders for your hair, turning your dry, dull strands into the luminous locks you envy on tv.

Try incorporating these six healthy foods into your diet and marvel at the transformation of your hair!

1. Chicken Unless you’re a vegetarian, you should definitely be incorporating a healthy serving of chicken into your diet to get the protein benefits it provides. But any old chicken won’t fly. Unfortunately, chicken nuggets and fried chicken are high in fat and lose a lot of their health benefits. Try tossing some grilled chicken into a salad or with some healthy grains, such as quinoa or brown rice, on the side. Chicken is a high-protein food that is rich in the vitamins folate, B6, and B12 that are crucial for maintaining healthy hair. These vitamins aid in the production of red blood cells that deliver oxygen throughout the body so a deficiency of these vitamins could result in stunted hair growth, and weak and brittle strands.

2. Chickpeas Hummus not only tastes great, but it’s great for you as well! Chickpeas, whether ground up into hummus or tossed into a salad, are a perfect healthy snack. Chickpeas are a great protein substitute for vegetarians because they’re high in folate and zinc, as well as keratins, hardened proteins that keep hair strong and durable.

3. Peanuts Salted peanuts may be high in sodium, but eaten in moderation, they are full of the vitamins biotin and folate, both great for healthy hair. Biotin, another B vitamin, contributes to hair growth and a healthy scalp.

4. Beans You know that joke about beans being good for your heart, despite causing flatulence? Well, they really are good for you, and not just your heart, but your entire body…so maybe you should have listened to your mom when she tried to get you to eat your beans! Legumes are high in folate and iron, which both contribute to healthy hair. Folate helps produce red blood cells, while iron helps blood cells transport oxygen and other nutrients throughout the body, together working to prevent hair loss and strengthen your strands.

5. Kale You probably don’t need me to tell you healthy kale is. It’s one of those green superfoods touted by nutritionists everywhere for its health benefits. You should listen up, though, because kale is rich in iron and beta carotene. Beta carotene is converted by the body into Vitamin A, which is needed for cell growth and replenishment. Without enough vitamin A, you’ll be left with a dry, itchy scalp. Vitamin A also produces sebum, a natural oil put out by hair follicles, keeping hair well-hydrated.

6. Strawberries See, this list is really not so painful, right? Strawberries are a sweet, delicious fruit and they also happen to contain a high level of Vitamin C, which helps the keep collagen (the fiber that maintains hair structure) healthy. A deficiency in this vital vitamin can cause dryness and split ends, making hair more prone to breakage. Eight strawberries is all it takes to reach the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, so fill up on strawberries or each just a couple and wash them down with a swig of orange juice, and you should be good to go!

Who knew that healthy hair and a healthy body were so closely related? A simple diet combining high-protein foods such as fruits, veggies, nuts, and legumes can transform your hair from blah to wow in a matter of days, while keeping you healthy at the same time.

So many of us struggle with stress eating. The struggle of daily life can feel overwhelming and in an attempt to cope, we stuff our mouths and stomachs with fatty comfort foods. Yet, this only exacerbates the issue. As stress mounts, our waistlines expand and our self-esteem shrinks—but what if there were a way to eat and lose pounds? What if there was a way to eat comfort foods that make us feel don’t just make us feel comfortable, but make us feel better?

There is! Seriously. Here are some fantastic healthy alternatives to traditional ‘comfort foods:’

Oatmeal: Oatmeal has carbs, a LOT of them. Carbs tell your brain to make serotonin. Serotonin=happy hormone. Therefore, if you eat oatmeal, you will be happy. Though this is a simple explanation for why oatmeal is such an awesome substitute, it is more or less the extent of it. Oatmeal also coerces a steady blood sugar response, which one, is great for your waistline and metabolism, and two, means steady serotonin.

Oranges: The beloved fruit of Florida decreases cortisol levels in humans. Cortisol is the body’s number one stress hormone. So more oranges equal less stress. Plus, oranges have been proven to reduce blood pressure levels when people are subject to stressful circumstances.

Turkey: The staple of Thanksgiving boasts an amino acid that goes by L-tryptophan, and L-Tryptophan also triggers serotonin release which means it triggers happy for you.

Salmon: Salmon and many other types of fish have a very large count of omega-3 fatty acids. Although ‘fatty acids’ may not exude undertones of fresh, healthy, nutrition, these do. In fact, they incite a reduction in stress levels when consumed in appropriate servings. According to a study published in none other than the respected Diabetes & Metabolism, omega 3s prevent cortisol events from peaking. Another study conducted in Michigan went so far as to say that omega 3s decrease anxiety by an astounding 20%.

Avocados: Everyone’s new favorite food has wonderful nutritional benefits when consumed in moderation. Their high potassium content helps reduce stress-induced spikes in blood pressure. Although bananas may get all the credit for potassium, avocados actually have more!

These are just a few foods that provide a tremendous alternative to more generic comfort foods. The next time you open the freezer to look for a gallon of ice cream, consider eating something that not only tastes good, but is good for you.

Our bodies and diet play an absolutely enormous role when it comes to achieving our physical transformation goals. Over the years, our society has increased our carbohydrate intake tremendously because it’s cheap and easy to mass produce, but our bodies don’t necessarily benefit from this.

In fact, because of how many carbs we consume, we have started building a tolerance to a tremendously significant hormone that can make all the difference when making the lifestyle changes we desire. It’s insulin, and it can either be an asset or a massive hindrance depending on how we use it.

Insulin is supposed to regulate your blood sugar by clearing it quickly from you blood stream after a carb-filled meal. It shuttles your blood sugar to muscle tissue instead of letting it remain stagnant and get absorbed into fat cells (which skyrockets weight gain).

But, many times, this is not the case. In reality, when we eat loads and loads of processed carbs, we build a carbohydrate tolerance which then resists much-needed insulin. This insulin resistance then results in dramatically reduced fat burning, increased blood sugar levels, and increased fat storage.

What’s more, insulin resistance often precedes and causes type II diabetes in addition to any number of health problems including but not limited to Alzheimer’s, premature aging, heart disease, and even strokes.

It pays off to be careful with carbs, but so many of us don’t even know what’s supposed to happen when we eat them. Check out below for how our bodies are meant to break down carbohydrates:

Minimum Insulin Release

When your body is very sensitive to insulin, only a very small amount is required to properly transport glucose from your bloodstream to the appropriate storage sites. If this is the case with you, then you’re in great shape because the body has an intensely difficult time burning off fat with insulin in your bloodstream. As a rule of thumb, the less insulin you have, the better.

Glycogen Uptake

Glycogen, for our intents and purposes, is the stored carbohydrate in muscle tissue and the liver. Should these tissues be highly sensitive to insulin, then the lion’s share of glucose will be stored within them as an energy source. The point? If it’s stored as an energy reserve in your muscle tissue, then it’s not converted to fat—and that’s a good thing.

Minimum Fat Storage

By choosing to increase insulin sensitivity, your body will preserve carbs as energy in lean muscle and the liver, as opposed to unsightly body fat.

Basically, your body’s ability to break down carbs comes down to insulin sensitivity. So before you bite into that juicy burger, think about how it will likely affect your insulin levels. It’s an uphill battle to remain in control of our diet considering the prevalence of media and advertisement, but it’s a necessary battle to remain in control of our bodies.

When we are first being taught about nutrition, the Food Pyramid always springs to the forefront of conversation. Claiming that grains (made up of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta) make up the base of the food pyramid, it was thought we were supposed to receive an astounding fifty percent of our diet from carbohydrates.

Crazy! It’s this sort of fattening advice that perpetuates nutritional misperceptions which relegate people to an unhealthy lifestyle, condemned to believe they are doing the right thing and properly monitoring their diet when, in reality, they are actually making losing weight more difficult, more frustrating, and downright exhausting. What is perhaps the most ridiculous part of this spreading of false information is that we know better.

Fortunately, government agencies and the United States educational system have released massive updates to the outdated policy; it’s just slow to take effect. In fact, the USDA is rightfully now recommending that half of your diet come from fruits and vegetables, and only 30% should come from grains—much better advice. Not to mention, the ‘experts’ are now also suggesting that protein makes up about twenty percent of our diet, a fantastic increase from the nearly nonexistent portion that was advised before.

All this said, there are still some considerable improvements to be made even to this new and improved My Plate System (the new and improved version of the Food Pyramid). For one, it does not really allot for healthy fats like nuts, oils, and organic dairy products—think butter and cream. These sorts of fats are a vital part of any diet, and most certainly should not be eaten sparingly. In actuality, you should be consuming about 25% of your calories through these open fats.

In regards to grains, I would chop it down to size and say they should only make up about 15% of your diet. There are only two meals a day where you should even consider eating grains, anyway, and those are breakfast and the meal after your workout. The reason for this is that research has proven glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity are at their highest during these two points in the day.

With respect to protein, let’s beef that up to at least 35%. By increasing protein, you will have an increased thermic effect of feeding (which means you burn more calories just by eating protein), have better blood sugar control, see a decrease in body fat, and witness a significant increase in calorie-burning lean muscle.

Really, just by lowering grain consumption, you will improve your body’s capacity for processing carbohydrates, and then when you increase your protein intake, you can nearly DOUBLE your fat loss. It’s that easy.

Sodium. We all know about it and we’ve all heard we eat too much of it; but what, really, is sodium? And why does it matter if we eat too much of it? Well, for one, sodium, plain and simple, is necessary for the body to function to properly. It plays a vital role in water balance, nerve function, and a whole array of various physiological functions that are of the utmost significance to our health. That said, we really only need a small amount—500 mg, in fact. To put that into perspective, you can get your daily amount of sodium from a serving of chips, crackers, canned food items, pickles, cheeses, pretzels, or even salted nuts. Even condiments like ketchup and salad dressings are packed to the brim with sodium.

Considering we get our daily intake from something as simple as a bag of pretzels, it is easy to see how so many Americans are consuming far too much sodium (like 4 to 5k on a daily basis); and we only need 500mg! Even being conservative, that means the majority of American adults are processing 8 times more sodium than they should be. Even the American Medical Association is speaking up and is trying to persuade the FDA to revoke their categorization of salt as a supposedly ‘safe’ additive. You can see why.

What’s really intriguing about all of this is the fact that salt is actually an incredibly addictive substance. So it makes sense that big food manufacturers would pump the stuff into their products. They want you to keep coming back. They don’t care about your expanding waistline, only their expanding pocketbook. To show you what I mean, there has been clinical research conducted that illustrates the fact that salt actually shares many of the same attributes of addictive substances (i.e. morphine, cocaine, and heroin). When we ingest these addictive substances, our brains release hormones that we perceive as pleasurable sensations. Thus, we keep coming back for more.

Additionally, a Finnish study that was published in 2006 concluded that there is a clear-cut link correlation salt intake and obesity. From the 1980s to the mid-1990s, Americans’ salt intake increased tremendously by more than 50%. Here’s why this fact really is such terrible news: a diet that with too much sodium is the leading cause of high blood pressure, which in turn leads to heart disease and stroke (which, shocker, are two diseases that go hand-in-hand with obesity).

When a man or woman has a high blood pressure reading of 140/85, their blood begins coagulating into a sort of salty sludge. Then, in reaction, their body will start dumping extra water into their bloodstream which results in the expansion of blood vessels—indicating any number of potentially fatal problems. Well, now that I’ve established too much sodium is awful for you, here’s what you can do to mitigate the effects:

-Consumer fewer processed foods

-Choose fresh or frozen veggies, not canned

-Purchase fresh meats, not canned, cured or smoked

-Ask about unsalted meals at restaurants

-Opt for low sodium versions of soups and snacks

-Choose foods that don’t list salt or sodium in the first five ingredients

-Use a salt-free herbal blend instead of a traditional salt shaker

Good luck, Godspeed, and stay healthy! Cheers!

Recently, and by recently I mean in the last five years or so, the concept of “cellulite” has been dragged through the mud in the mainstream media as a phenomenon reserved for the obese and the unhealthy. Yet, despite the unappealing aesthetic cellulite presents, the fact is that it’s just fat. That’s all.

It’s just normal fat that is a little bumpy because the fat is poking through the connective tissue between tendons that generally covers it. Since it pokes through these areas and is not forced to distribute, the resulting appearance is one of fat with dimples, not unlike a golf ball. In this light, it’s not like cellulite is some curse plaguing those unfortunate enough to be cast under its spell. It’s merely fat, and as such, it can be reduced, shed, and eliminated, but not without what will undoubtedly be hard work.

Despite the fact that cellulite is just fat, it does tend to affect more women than men since women’s skin are generally thinner. There’s a lot of things that go into it, really. There’s your total percent of body fat, your age, and your genetic predisposition as a whole, but again, even if you are naturally inclined towards cellulite, it is possible to overcome.

Just for context so you can truly understand that cellulite is not some rare and disgusting disease, it is estimated that as much as 85% of all women have some cellulite somewhere on their body regardless if is overweight or even underweight. Even women under 100 lbs are susceptible!

This all said, there are a dangerous amount fitness gimmicks and unsubstantiated products and techniques that claim to erase your cellulite like it’s some sort of sickness and not just fat that can be lost with the right combination of nutrition and exercise. I’d like to point several of these out to ensure no one spends their hard-earned cash on a product that doesn’t even work.


Cellulite Creams

So, so many of these creams flood the market and they flat out do. Not. work. That’s all there is to it. They just don’t. There’s no research to support their working, and honestly, how is rubbing cream on your fat deposits supposed to make them disappear? Theoretically, these fatty deposits are surplus resources of energy your body is essentially saving for a rainy day. So why would smothering them in a cream on the outside of your body have any effect on their reduction? It wouldn’t.

The fact is that cellulite is located much deeper than the very superficial exterior layer of skin that said cream would cover. Just as well, your epidermis is specifically designed to keep things from soaking in and affecting your internal organs; so, really, even in theory, and definitely in practice, these creams don’t work. Put simply, steer clear.


Liposuction

No. No, no, no. Does liposuction reduce your fat? Yes. Does it reduce cellulite? No chance. In fact, the reason for this is the very opposite reason that cellulite cream doesn't work. Liposuction removes fat that is too deep to affect cellulite. Those tricky fatty deposits are too close to the surface for liposuction to be a viable option, and too deep for any cream to have an effect.


Mesotherapy

While I can’t outright prove this is a crock, I can certainly say I am highly skeptical. Essentially, mesotherapy is a procedure that concentrates a series of injections to the cellulite area, and then the fluid in those injections is supposed to break down and dissolve the fat in question.

Yet, like the creams, there is no scientific evidence to substantiate these claims; and the medical community itself is very distrusting of mesotherapy. Not to mention, you need to get a ton of injections, which could very well incite any number of possible side effects. Plus, every single session costs hundreds of dollars, thus making it very expensive to undergo a procedure that most of the medical world doesn’t believe in, anyway.

The only way to get true, lasting results is to make a lifestyle change that focuses on your health. Eat nutritiously. Workout religiously. Live tremendously.

Ever since you were a kid, you've known that eating your veggies was important (especially if you want dessert!) Now that you're grown up, you are probably eating them more for your health and their taste than just to get to the cookie waiting at the end of the meal, but nonetheless, you continue to eat them. And that's good! But are you eating them correctly?

If you aren't doing this one simple trick, you are probably only absorbing a small fraction of the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals sitting inside your veggies. So what's this hugely important step that you've apparently never heard of and probably aren't doing (at least not every time)??? Adding olive oil.

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that participants who added olive oil to their salads and veggie dishes absorbed significantly greater amounts of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than those who didn't. How much more? Those who didn't add olive oil unfortunately absorbed almost none of the nutrients that their olive oil drizzling friends were getting. It was almost as if.. they hadn't eaten a pile of healthy veggies at all. It's that important.

If you're going to eat veggies, you deserve to benefit from their natural effects, but in order to do that, your body has to be able to absorb them.

So why can't I absorb them, and how does olive oil have anything to do with this? Monounsaturated fats have been found to be crucial to veggie nutrient absorption. Olive oil is rich in these kinds of fats.

So what should you do? Make sure you're stocked with a nice big bottle of virgin olive oil, and integrate it into your veggie meals. Drizzle it on your salad or use it to saute your vegetables. Not only will it help your body absorb these valuable nutrients, it will also kick up the taste!

So, you’re out to dinner with our friends. The night has been going well as several compliments about your slimmer appearance have bounced around the table, but now it’s time to order. Suddenly it feels like all eyes are on you, waiting for you to choose the “better” meal and prove your commitment to the diet everyone’s heard so much about. What do you choose when you find yourself out for a meal with family or friends and the menu doesn’t necessarily line up with your diet? Below are several tips for those nights when food with friends threaten the diet you’ve worked so hard to maintain.

In many cases, even the “healthy” option strays far from the definition. When we examine the calories of many healthy dishes at popular restaurants, the calories don’t make much sense. A regular three-course meal at PF Chang’s for instance, consisting of steamed dumplings, Mongolian beef as an entree and a desert, reaches almost 2,500 calories. A small meal of fairly healthy ingredients and you’ve eaten more than a day’s worth of calories. With a few choice swaps, you can control the nutritional impact your dinners can have on your diet, and without forcing your friends to go to a niche restaurant that serves your favorite tofu.

When choosing your meal, it’s best to avoid any food with a type of sauce. Though we spend most of our time concerned about what the sauce is going on, the real threat is sneaking in between the drizzles, and adding hundreds of unnecessary calories to your food. A bad habit of restaurants everywhere is to saturate their food in butter and sugary syrups to bring the happy customers back. While this strategy works for the consumers (pun intended), it’s not the best for the discerning dieter. Don’t be afraid to voice your preference and make your dietary restrictions known, the restaurants keeping us fat and happy sure won't do it for you.