Our bodies are built to work most effectively when they receive the food they recognize as such in the necessary quantities and ratios. There is more and more evidence that many of the diseases that are prevalent today, diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune diseases and many others are the result of the inclusion into the human diet of the products of ‘modernization’ of our food supply like agricultural grains, refined sugars and refined oils.

In this post our focus is the refined oils! These refined oils are the reason why it’s best to avoid most of the commercial mayonnaise products. When it comes to labels that list product ingredient you may already know that ingredients are listed in the order of greatest % of content to smallest. Let’s look at one of the popular brands – Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise. The first ingredient is Soybean Oil. You may already know that almost all of the available soy beans are from Genetically Modified crops ie. they are GMO. A definite no-no! This is typical of many of the commercial mayonnaise products – some may contain canola oil which is another crop that is predominantly genetically modified or a combination of soybean and canola oil. Even the Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil and Hellman’s Mayo with Olive Oil still list soybean oil as one of the first ingredients.

If you would still like to be able buy store bought mayonnaise the best one to choose is Hain’s Safflower Mayonnaise. While better than soybean or canola, safflower oil is still high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Why is this a concern?

Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for good health but cannot synthesize them. The term “essential fatty acid” refers to fatty acids required for biological processes, and not those that only act as fuel. Only two EFAs are known for humans: alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid). [Source: Wikipedia]

The typical American diet is high in omega-6 because it is in everything! Most condiments like salad dressings, cooking oils used in processed and packaged snack products and restaurant foods. Factory farmed chicken is also higher in omega-6 than pastured chicken. The amount of omega-6 that is necessary for good health is minimal. When too much omega-6 is present in the diet it contributes to all the diseases and conditions mentioned above. The ratio of these EFAs is also important with the ideal ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 being around 6:3 – typical ratios today are between 10:1 to 20:1 and can be even higher than that in some. High levels of omega-6 also deplete the body of enzymes needed to use omega-3 in control of inflammation and immune health.

The best way to avoid the risks associated with an over-consumption of omega-6 is to avoid the most common sources of it and choose healthier alternatives. One easy way to do this is to avoid mayonnaise and other condiments or food products that include corn, soy, canola, flax, safflower and sunflower oils and instead use olive oil and/or nut oils to make your own at home. It really is very easy to make mayonnaise at home using the most healthy oils and ingredients. We made ours in under 10 minutes using a stick blender otherwise known as an immersion blender. Look how easy it is!

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To ensure that injury does not occur with improper movement, we must start with a strong foundation to prevent the improper movement in the first place. In this video, I cover some Myofascial Release techniques with Bryce Shepard-Mejia that will be the base he will need to have a long and strong career in Mixed Martial Arts. Enjoy!

This Human Performance video covers some of the most important elements you can have to improve athleticism for Mixed Martial Arts. MMA is arguably the most dynamic sport in the world. Since there is such a mix of fighting styles involved in MMA, it is absolutely essential to condition the body to become adaptable to these variables. This means that all the planes of motion involved in this sport need to be addressed if we expect to see improvements in performance, as well as a reduction in pain and injuries. This video will take you through exactly what you will need to know to make your body more adaptable to the random environments found in this complex sport.

This video will also be beneficial to just about any athlete in any sport as it does carry many functional applications outside of mixed martial arts.

*The human body is a holistic system that cannot have one thing without the other, so treating the body as one unit is absolutely essential. The human foundations video series is a culmination of an entire holistic systematic approach to correcting imbalance, so be sure to check out the rest of this series of videos.

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Enjoy!

Gavin grew up in Durban, which is a city on the East coast of South Africa. The area has a large Indian population which has influenced the local culinary tastes so that fragrant and flavorful spices feature heavily in the local cuisine. Today we are making a slightly Westernized version of the Durban Curry that Gavin grew up with to make it easier to make in American (or Worldwide) kitchens. It is an incredibly flavorful, highly nutritious and relatively simple dish to make that will have everyone asking for more! You can make it as hot or mild as you choose – this version is mild to accommodate Cailin who doesn’t like hot curry.

The word “curry” is believed to derive from the Tamil word for “gravy” and what makes curry a super-functional food is the curry spices. Curry powder’s main component is tumeric and it is the curcumin in tumeric that gives it its characteristic yellow color. Tumeric is typically combined with other spices such as cardamom, cumin, coriander and fenugreek to create curry powder but other spices and herbs may be included; fennel seed, caraway, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, nutmeg and red or black pepper.
Curry powder therefore contains many powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which increase levels of the antioxidants vitamins C and E, protect DNA from damage and prevent lipid oxidation that can lead to heart disease. In fact just two teaspoons of curry powder have as many as many antioxidants as a cup of grapes.

Some of the benefits of curry powder are:

• Improved liver function and cholesterol control
• Improved cognitive function & protection from Alzheimer’s
• May prevent cancer (curcumin interferes with melanoma cells, )
• Prevention of auto-immune disorders like Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis or Fibromyalgia
• Treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis
• Helpful for Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Natural remedy for a wide variety of conditions including jaundice, toothache, bruises, chest pain, and colic.

Ginger is also rich in antioxidants – its active ingredient, gingerol, has long been considered a strong pain relieved and Anti-inflammatory. It is often used as a natural remedy for indigestion, arthritis, nausea and migraines.

Cinnamon can be used in both sweet and savory dishes but is a wonderful complementary spice with curry and has one of the highest antioxidant levels found in any spice. It is also rich in polyphenols that help regulate blood sugar levels.

Here’s the recipe for the Beef Curry we make in the video:

1/4 cup beef tallow or olive oil
3-4 pounds of organic grass-fed lamb or beef (whole pieces with bone in or cubed if not)
3 medium organic onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of organic garlic
1 tablespoon of finely grated fresh organic ginger (or ginger paste)
3 teaspoons of organic curry powder
1 teaspoon of turmeric (optional but has lots of health benefits))
1 teaspoon of paprika (optional)
1 teaspoon of coriander (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
3 organic bay leaves
2 large organic tomatoes, finely chopped
2-3 large organic potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups chopped organic carrots
2 tablespoons fruit chutney or apricot preserve
1 cup organic beef or chicken broth (preferably home made)
1 tablespoon vinegar (any kind but balsamic works well)
2 cups of water.
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons almond butter – used to thicken the sauce if necessary (optional)

How to make it:

In a heavy pot, preferably a cast iron casserole or Dutch Oven, that can transfer from the stove top to the oven, heat the oil. Then add the meat and cook over a medium high heat until the meat is nicely brown and caramelized on all sides.

Add the onion, garlic, ginger and all of the spices, lifting the browned meat if necessary so that the newly introduced ingredients are at the bottom. Saute gently until the onion is soft and a little brown.

Now simply add all of the remaining ingredients except for the almond butter. Stir gently and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with a lid and place in the oven at 250 degrees F. for at least four hours. Six to eight hours is better if you are using larger pieces that have a lot of bone and connective tissue.

Re-season and if necessary thicken with a 2 tablespoons of almond butter.

Garnish as desired and serve with white rice, chutney and sambals.

Serves around 8-10 and is mild to medium in heat.

The functional training exercises I cover:

1.) Transverse Toss- This transverse plane exercise is great for the functional development of the anterior oblique system.

2.) Alternating Transverse Toss- Similar to the last exercise, only now it will involve more footwork along with the transverse throw. All planes of motion are covered in this exercise.

3.) Sprawl to Medicine Ball throw- Very tough exercise on the entire body. There’s probably not a muscle that is not working while doing this exercise.

Enjoy!!!