SUGAR

sugar the body uses for energy is glucose

this is attained from food....CARBS

starches, fruit, grains & in its purest form, maple syrup, table sugar, etc

as we know, sugar cause a chemical reaction in the brain

my theory is:

if you want something sweet

HAVE IT

but be smart

we dont what to cause a huge shift in our systems

you also dont want to pump your body full of chemicals that are added

to a sweetener during processing

BEST OPTIONS

natural, raw products

in small quantities

natural sugar vs refined sugar

The repeated processes of washing, boiling, centrifuging, filtering and drying, nearly all of the plant’s nutritional elements are lost. What remains in the raw sugar product is 95% sucrose along with nutritionally insignificant minerals. "Raw Sugar" is not a raw or natural product at all, but is the highly refined, nutritionally depleted, 95% sucrose product before it is even further refined. IF sanitized by steaming this "raw sugar" can be marketed as turbinado. To produce the white crystals we call table sugar, bleaching agents such as lime and carbon dioxide are added. The sugar is then further "purified" (refined) and whitened by being filtered in a water-added liquid state through beef bone char. This process removes even more minerals. Sucrose in its completely refined stage is more familiarly called table sugar. "Pure" sugar refers to chemical purity, devoid of all nutritional and other elements, and not to a wholesome quality.

The completely refined white sugar product is now over 99.9% sucrose and for all practical purposes contains no nutritional elements such as vitamins, minerals, proteins or fibers. This accounts for expressions such as "empty calories" and "junk food".

While artificial sweeteners may save on calories when compared to refined white sugar,

they offer little to no nutritional value.

In addition, there is so much controversy surrounding the safety of artificial sugar substitutes

that it's best to find more natural sweeteners.

There are safe and natural sweeteners that contain nutrients the body needs.

AU NATURAL:

Agave Syrup

Agave syrup is approximately 25 to 30 percent sweeter than sugar and has trace amounts of minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Agave ranks low on the Glycemic Index, meaning it does not affect blood sugar and insulin levels as much as regular sugar. Agave is a good natural sweetener for beverages and baking.

Blackstrap Molasses

Blackstrap Molasses is approximately 65 percent as sweet as sugar and can be used in both cooking and baking. Blackstrap molasses is an excellent source of manganese and copper, and also contains iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin B6.

MAPLE SYRUP

good source of magnesium and zinc.

about 60 percent as sweet as sugar.

HONEY

has powerful disease-protecting antioxidants

thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

25 to 50 percent sweeter than sugar

if you want to treat yourself occasionally without the set backs or the preservatives & chemicals

YOU ARE VERY SMART

orderAlphaSweets@gmail.com

pick your poison:

Sean's 2.0 BROWNIE BITES

gluten/dairy free

240 calories 4g protein 37g carbs 9g fat 20g sugar

(full brownie or 4 bites)

Pineapple

Delight

Muffins

vegan/gluten free

CALS 111

PROTEIN 1.25

CARB 18g

FAT 2g

SUGAR 5g

Lemon

Freckled Cookies

dairy/gluten free

CALS 54

PROTEIN 1g

CARBS 10g

FAT 2g

SUGAR 5g

APPLE BRAN G'Mornin Muffins

vegan

70 calories 1g protein 15g carbs 1g fat 8g sugar

THE SECRET COOKIE

Banana

Oatmeal

Chocolate Chip

gluten/dairy free/vegan option

CALS 70

PROTEIN 2g

CARBS 12g

FAT 2g

SUGAR 2g

and many more.....

PUMPKIN CORN MUFFINS

GINGER BROWNIES

LEMON RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

ZUCCHINI & BANANA BREADS

CARROT & RED VELVET VAKES (& cupcakes)

PUMPKIN OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

APPLE/PUMPKIN BERRY PIES

if you are in ATL, i am still taking Christmas orders

for my LA based health nuts, place your NYE request TODAY!

caloric intake

at my lil informative seminar yesterday in NJ

there was a few questions about daily caloric intake

there was also talk of weight watchers

lets get right in to that............

there is no set number of calories a person

SHOULD intake in one day

ever person is differint

factors being: metabolism, sched (hrs awake), goals etc

WEIGHT WATCHERS

here is my beef

when you are given a calorie limit per day

you have the option of

1. having one large meal

2. lack of quality in food choices

the problems with intaking one large meal a day are endless

the problems that develop over time from processed foods are huge

we need to be educated on not only food choices

but the function of the hypothalamus

blood pressure,

body temperature,

fluid/electrolyte balance,

& body weight

are held to a precise value called the set-point

which are all governed by this gland in the brain

lets just imagine how off your hormones will be if they arent given commands on a regular basis........

if you are not fueling your body, what happens when it runs out of fuel?

the common answer is......

"it then burns your stored fat"

WRONG ANSWER.

the fat is the last source of energy that is reached for

once your sugar/glucose is gone

the next to go is your muscle

muscle mass is also largely responsible for your metabolism

for each 1lb of muscle you have....30-50 more calories will be burnt

so for every 1lb of muscle eaten up when you starve yourself/wait to long to eat

you in turn ARE CREATING MORE FAT

for each lb of fat you have it takes 3500 cals to burn it off.......WOW

so imagine if you still weighed the same amount, but you turned your body fat

to muscle....not bodybuilder muscle, but long lean toned loveliness

where would you metabolism be?

THROUGH THE FRIGGIN ROOF!

instead of doing the work

we want instant gratification

we deprive ourselves-

burn our muscle-

screw with our metabolism-

then when we do eat, what happens?

our bodies decide that they have NO IDEA when the next meal will be

SO

we store even the healthiest of foods as fat

starvation mode....

so you are now beating a dead horse with NOT ONE STICK, but two

dual horse beating if you will....

(sorry peta, its just an expression)

I LOVE THE ANIMALS!!!!

("I LOVE THE GAYS!" line from favorite holiday movie THE FAMILY STONE)

if you are looking for a great holiday present

please visit

www.ArmTheAnimals.com

great tshirts for a cause

i belive in it so strongly that i wore a rabbit head in 90 degree weather

in closing,

i believe weight watchers DOES work, but there should more of a structure.

baby steps

start paying attention to what you consume....with weight watchers

next step and learn how/why this works for you

evolution of this knowledge will keep you from hitting that plateau

amp that metabolism back up and you can eat what you want

in moderation and proper balance

ONE LOVE

ONE LIVE

LET'S GET TOGETHER & FEEL ALRIGHT

-kisses

brain stim

research shows that if we were to stand on our heads more we could

A. look younger

B. have a better memory

c. look really cool in a unitard

no really...

headstands revitalize the entire body and stimulate the mind.

gravity alone pulls all the blood in our bodies down towards our feet.

in reversing the "normal" process & blood flow, there can be great benefits!

in yoga these positions are called inverted asanas

they improve health, reduce anxiety and stress

increase mental power, concentration and stimulate the chakras

uno: proper blood supply stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain,

these glands that are responsible for growth and sex hormones

they control the chemical balance of the body

dos: stimulates the nervous system, increasing mental alertness and clarity

research proves that those suffering from loss of sleep, memory and vitality, recover fully

tres: blood and lymph fluid is relieved from the legs and ankles and with regular practice prevents the buildup of fluid in the legs and feet.

(bono) catorce: lung tissue is stimulated, which relieves colds, coughs, tonsillitis, bad breath and palpitations

Headstand and Shoulder Stand

Headstand and shoulder stand are referred to as the king and queen of all yoga asanas.

Headstand is referred to as the king of all poses, while shoulder stand is referred to as queen of all poses.

Headstand develops the masculine qualities of will power, sharpness of the brain and clarity of thought, while shoulder stand develops the feminine qualities of patience and emotional stability.

These two poses are opposites energetically.

Headstand tends to heat the body and stimulate the nervous system and tones the neck muscles. Shoulder stand tends to cool or neutralize the body and sedate the nervous system while releasing the muscles of the neck and shoulders.

In practice together, the logical sequence is to do headstand first, followed by shoulder stand either immediately after, or later in your practice session.

Headstand can leave you feeling very stimulated, so once it's done you really are committed to doing the other.

Shoulder stand can be safely practiced on its own as it has the amazing ability to neutralize the nervous system.

as for the anti aging and beauty benefits

Eva Mendes admits that she lies upside down on a slant board for about 20 minutes before a photo shoot, or a hot date.

A headstand can reduce facial wrinkles

increase circulation to the face, which can bring much needed nutrients and oxygen to an area that can always use a little rejuvenation.

Practicing headstands regularly has even been reported to convert gray hair back to its natural color.

due to the increase in blood supply and nutrients to hair follicles in the scalp.

alright boys...it even stimulates hair growth

NOW dont everyone drop to the ground and flip onto your cranium

there is a technique that often takes a long time to learn

you would start with an instructor & using the wall

from there there is a long list of progressions

if you shant be standing on your head anytime soon

do yourself a favor

hang that giant melon of yours off the end of your bed

for a few minutes in the morning and a few minutes before bed

(hey a girl can dream)

and i feel though i need to say it

DO NOT

for any reason

stand up suddenly after doing anything

that involves having your head down below your hips

when your blood circulation is forced to rush you will get dizzy & many other unpleasant things can happen

listen to momma alpha

slow your role

LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES

People suffering from

high blood pressure,

detached retina,

glaucoma,

hernias,

cardiovascular disease,

cervical spondylitis,

thrombosis,

arteriosclerosis,

and kidney problems

should not practice headstand

Those suffering from neck injuries should seek advice from an experienced yoga teacher before beginning to practice headstand. It is advisable for women during menstruation to avoid inversions.