The fact is most people do not look after their health sufficiently and suffer from low immunity as a result. They are therefore susceptible to every flu bug that is in the air during winter, and these nasty little bugs multiply and spread when the weather gets cold. You should work towards protecting yourself from illness this winter by boosting your Immune system first.

One of the first things you have to do is improve your diet to include lots of fruits and vegetables. These foods contain large numbers of vitamins and enzymes that are essential to build immunity.

You should also consider increasing the amount of lean protein you eat every day. Apart from the fact that protein contains essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins which are essential for the immune system, it also replaces carbohydrates in your diet. Look for high protein – low fat combinations of foods so that you do not put on too much weight.

You do need to eat carbohydrates but should keep them within reasonable limits and should also avoid refined ones that add no nutritional value. Sugars have a very bad effect on immunity so should be limited but a treat now and again is fine.
Your diet should also include low fat dairy products because of the calcium and protein they contain. Beans and whole grains are also great sources of fiber and proteins and should therefore be eaten in adequate quantities.
Removing toxins from your body also helps build your immunity so make sure you drink plenty of water.  Choose water over carbonated (fizzy) drinks or ones high in caffeine.  Keep in mind caffeine is terrible for your immune system because it dehydrates your body.  Here’s a handy tip, try and keep water handy when you are doing any work and so that you can drink it regularly.
Exercising often is another important way of building immunity and keeping cold and flus away. It increases your metabolic rate and also improves your blood circulation. This helps distribute nutrients throughout the body and also helps remove toxins. So try and do at least 20 minutes of exercise everyday to keep your body healthy and free of common ailments.

While on the subject of exercise, it is important to say that you should also get plenty of rest. Do not deprive yourself of a minimum 7 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep every night because this helps your body repair itself so it functions properly.
These lifestyle changes will go a long way towards keeping you free from the weather related illnesses that you normally suffer from every winter. Coincidentally, you will also look better because you feel better and your skin will also look radiant and young if you take good care of your health.

What’s important is that you are empowered through accurate knowledge on how to read a label without all the marketing hype trying to persuade you to buy a specific protein powder, you can then make your own decision as to what is best for you.

1. How to read a nutritional panel:

The first thing I do when I analyse a product is to turn the jar and read the nutritional panel at the back.  I immediately look for the ‘Per 100g’ column. This will give me the percentages.

For example I may pick up a protein powder which contains per 100g Protein 70g Fat 7g Carbohydrates 6.5g and Sugars 6.5g. This protein powder contains 70% protein (70% of the jar contains protein), 7% fat and 6.5% carbs (of which 6.5% are naturally occurring lactose, in a good quality formula).

By contrast, if I pick up most slimming or diet products advertised on TV and commonly found in supermarkets you will find that the Nutritional Panel looks similar to this in most cases, per 100g: Protein 35g, Fat 1g, Carbohydrates 55g and Sugars 45g. In other words this protein has 35% protein (only 35% of the jar or sachet actually contains protein), 1% fat and 55% carbs (of which 45% are sugar).

OK, This product has only 1% fat allowing the maker to claim “99% fat free”. Yet it has over 50% carbs and most of these carbs are SUGAR!! I can learn all that reading nutritional panel. The next time you are in a health food store, pick up a weight gain protein product and read the Nutritional Panel – you will find it is often very similar to typical slimming shakes!.

2. Reading the Ingredients

Have you found that most ingredients lists are as long as an encyclopaedia with words and numbers you can’t even pronounce or understand?

Typical ‘slimming’ proteins have the following ingredients. Milk Solids (non fat), Maltodextrin, Glucose, Vitamins, Minerals, Flavours and maybe an artificial sweetener like Aspartame (951), Sucralose (955) or Acesulfame-K (950). Notice the first ingredient: Milk Solids (non-fat) is just skim milk powder.  Some use better quality proteins such as whey protein. Watch for ‘blends’ with cheaper proteins such as soy protein and calcium caseinate.

The second ingredient: Maltodextrin  is a powdered starch that is high GI. High GI means the carbs are made available very quickly into the blood stream as sugar. The body is then forced to release insulin to process this excess sugar and store it as fat cells.

So the very supplements that are supposed to help you get results are actually hindering you! Maltodextrin has a GI level of 105. Table sugar has a GI level of 60. You would be better off eating table sugar which is counter productive for fat loss! Maltodextrin is also used as a filler. In my opinion, if a ‘slimming protein shake’ only contains 35% protein and over 50% carbs, shouldn’t it be called a ‘weight gain carbohydrate powder?

3. Artificial sweeteners

My favourite topic! Many brands on the market are loaded with artificial sweeteners, gluten and other well known artificial additives currently under investigation by health professionals. Typical artificial sweeteners used are: Aspartame (951), Sucralose (955) or Acesulfame-K (950). Many people claim side effects from using them. Search online and just see the long list of potential side effects.

In 22 years in the fitness industry, having used many different protein powders and worked with many athletes, fitness models, competing bodybuilders I have found that almost all say that most protein powders give them gas and bloating. Does yours?

Artificial sweeteners do not digest in the stomach but ferment in the intestines. This could be hindering your digestion and absorption. Why spend good money on a quality protein if you are not going to absorb or digest it properly?

This is just one easily identifiable potential side effect of artificial sweeteners and  they also have a very unpleasant ‘chemical’ aftertaste.

4. Fat loss Amino Acids

Have you read the nutritional panel to see how much they actually put in? For example, in 100g of a typical protein with ‘added L-Carnitine’ you would be lucky to actually get 300mg of L-Carnitine. In a typical 25g serve you only get 75mg of L-Carnitine! That’s hardly a ‘sniff’. You need at least 1000mg per serve.

5. Vitamins and Minerals

We all need them. Again check the Nutritional Panel for Vitamin C (as an example). A typical protein powder contains 30mg per serve of Vitamin C! Most Multivitamins contain over 2300mg Vitamin C per table. A super long list of minuscule quantities in vitamins and minerals does not necessarily mean you are getting all the nutrition you need. I would still recommend you buy a good multivitamin and mineral supplement.

So what is the solution?

Buy a premium 100% natural protein powder, high in protein and low in carbs. And get your quality complex carbs from low GI fruits and vegetables. This will help you feel full for longer.

In conclusion being a competing bodybuilder myself and having experienced serious digestive issues which hindered my success I am intensely passionate about my health and yours without compromising any quality, taste or performance. I developed Tony Sfeirs Designer Physique product range in March 2000. We are now recognised as the premium quality 100% natural brand. We have 7 different types of 100% pure protein powders to suit every diet and allergy requirement and 7 Nutrition Boosters.

For 9 years the protein powders remained 100% pure – no flavours or sweeteners. I refused to add inferior flavours, sugar or artificial additives. There was not a sweetener on the market that tasted great and was 100% natural at the time. After many years spent researching and developing. I was finally satisfied last year when we launched Australia’s best tasting. 100% natural protein powder. High in protein, low in carbs with zero artificial additives or fillers! We have a unique, great tasting, 100% natural sweetener, extracted from an exotic fruit.

We are proud to announce that professional athletes are using our products getting phenomenal results and have the peace of mind that they are not damaging their health in the long term.

For more information and testimonials on Designer Physique products visit our website www.designerphysique.com. If you truly want results, you need to change how you eat. We endorse a lifestyle which recommends 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. To learn more download my free ‘Secrets to Health and Weight Loss You Should Know – but Don’t” e-Book and e-DVD valued at $97. And find us on facebook  www.facebook.com/designerphysique

OXYGEN READER PROMO

We want you to try our product and we are so confident you’ll love it, we’ll send you a 30g sample sachet ($4.95 postage & handling fee applies) and then refund you the $4.95 for postage and handling when you order a large container of our Designer Physique WPC or Slim Whey Protein.

100% Natural

Great Tasting

DAIRY & GLUTEN FREE

Do you find typical bodybuilding protein powders have an artificial sweetener aftertaste? Are they chalky and lumpy? With a whole bunch of strange ingredients and additives? Would you give them to your kids, parents or partner? Do they contain gluten and other allergens that upset your stomach and leave you bloated?

NEW ‘PEA PROTEIN ISOLATE’

A 90% protein*, low-carb shake suitable for bodybuilders and athletes who demand premium quality protein but are also intolerant to dairy or gluten, our Pea Protein Isolate is Australia’s first, best-tasting, low allergy, 100% natural protein, with a unique all-natural low calorie sweetener.

• 90% protein “Natural” flavour; 80% protein Vanilla or Chocolate

• Alkalizing protein 7.5ph!

• No Artificial sweeteners or aftertaste

• 100% natural premium quality ingredients

• Easy to digest and absorb

• Tastes great just mixed with water

• No lactose, soy, egg or animal products

• Suitable for vegans & vegetarians

• Recommended by naturopaths and health care professionals

“Like many competitive athletes, my health and performance suffered when my digestion was aggravated by artificial additives and fillers found in many supplement products. I set out to create a premium protein shake, that athletes, bodybuilders and fitness consumers would all agree was the best-tasting 100% natural protein shake. I’m proud to say we achieved that goal.”

FREE ENERGY BOOST CREATINE 100g VALUED AT $18.95

With purchase of 750g PEA PROTEIN ISOLATE.

Also available at all good health food stores or pharmacies’

Saccharomyces Boulardii is lactic acid yeast; a non-pathogenic, non-colonizing baker’s yeast species closely related to brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae). It is unrelated to Candida albicans, the Candida yeast species which cause infections in the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. In fact, studies have shown that Saccharomyces Boulardii inhibits the spread of Candida Albicans.

Saccharomyces Boulardii:

• is among those Probiotics that can survive gastric acidity,
• is not inhibited by antibiotics (a unique property)
• does not adversely affect the normal flora in the gastrointestinal tract
• helps ulcerative colitis (European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2003)
• protects the gut from amoebas and cholera
• alleviates diarrhea caused by Crohn’s disease and Clostridium difficile
• secretes a type of protease which is able to digest two protein exotoxins, that appear to be mediators for diarrhea and colitis caused by Clostridium
• is effective against diarrhea and dysentery according to the W.H.O.

This beneficial yeast can be found in Designer Physique’s Digestive Boost.

In general, Bifidus provides:

• energy production through fermentation,
• synthesis of B vitamins,
• mineral absorption, and
• anti-microbial activities.

As one of the most powerful and broadly active intestinal flora it demonstrates the ability to:

• digest lactose
• ferment indigestible fibers, thereby producing more energy
• synthesize some vitamins, especially several of the B vitamins
• assist in mineral absorption, especially iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc
• inhibit the growth of Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Campylobacter ejuni, Listeria, Shigella, E. coli and Clostridium by crowding them out and eating the nutrients they need
• fight bad bacteria by lowering the intestinal pH through its production of fatty acids, lactic acid, and acetic acid
  absorb large quantities of ferrous ions, thereby inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria that use it for food
• help decompose nitrosamines (cancer-causing substances) and suppress the production of nitrosamines in the intestines
• help lower serum cholesterol

Bifidus can be found as one of the ingredients in Designer Physique’s Digestive Boost

Glutamine is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the standard genetic cipher. Glutamine is called a non essential amino acid because it is the most prolific of all amino acids. It naturally occurs within our bodies and is one of the few amino acids that crosses the blood-brain barrier. It runs freely in our blood and is stored in the skeletal muscles. As it is one of the most abundant amino acids in the human body, you may then wonder why people would bother taking glutamine as a supplement.

As much as glutamine is available in the body it is also very much in demand by cells in the intestines, kidney cells, immune cells, cancer cells, etc. Glutamine is heavily marketed as a supplement for muscle growth because muscle mass is the biggest producer of glutamine and at times of hard training glutamine is highly depleted. During times of injury or illness glutamine becomes more in demand by cells trying to repair the damage. These are the times when additional intake from food or supplements is required.

Over the past 18 years Glutamine has been successfully used in studies for the treatment of illnesses, injury, burns, wound healing, etc.

A recent study by Morlion, Bart J. M.D.; Stehle, Peter Ph.D.; Wachtler, Paul M.D.; Siedhoff, Hans-P. M.D.; Köller, Manfred Ph.D.; König, Wolfgang M.D.; Fürst, Peter M.D., Ph.D.; Puchstein, Christoph M.D.
“Total Parenteral Nutrition With Glutamine Dipeptide After Major Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study” concluded that L-glutamine shortened the patients stay by 6.2 days.

There are many other claims on the benefits of taking glutamine; however some of these claims are yet to be scientifically proven.

From the current research and studies to date it appears a good idea to supplement l-glutamine.

Beef, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, dairy products, beans, spinach are all great sources of L-glutamine. And you can supplement L-glutamine with Tony Sfeir’s Designer Physique Immuno Boost.

Sporogenes produces only L(+) lactic acid and proliferates within the gastrointestinal tract in an non-invasive way characteristic of beneficial gastro-intestinal residents such as Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Bifidum.

A summary of the potential health benefits of Sporogenes includes:

• 

  improved digestion and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, easing constipation

• improved quality of life for those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• improvement in abnormalities of intestinal flora and various forms of dysbiosis
• treatment of diarrhea due to acute or chronic gastroenteritis, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea
• alleviation of symptoms associated with lactose intolerance, including pain and bloating
• treatment of type II hyperlipidemia
• complete relief in cases of non-specific vaginitis
• reduction in total cholesterol levels
• improvement in the body’s defence system by inhibiting growth of harmful bacteria

Lactobacillus Sporogenes is one of the many beneficial bacteria in Designer Physiques Digestive Boost.