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By Tara Parker Pope, New York Times, published March 11, 2008

As a symbol of health and wellness, nothing surpasses the simple push-up.

Practically everyone remembers the actor Jack Palance performing age-defying push-ups during his Oscar acceptance speech. More recently, Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor whose last lecture became an Internet sensation, did push-ups to prove his fitness despite having pancreatic cancer.

“It takes strength to do them, and it takes endurance to do a lot of them,” said Jack LaLanne, 93, the fitness pioneer who astounded television viewers in the 1950s with his fingertip push-ups. “It’s a good indication of what kind of physical condition you’re in.”

The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness. It tests the whole body, engaging muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. It requires the body to be taut like a plank with toes and palms on the floor. The act of lifting and lowering one’s entire weight is taxing even for the very fit.

“You are just using your own body and your body’s weight,” said Steven G. Estes, a physical education professor and dean of the college of professional studies at Missouri Western State University. “If you’re going to demonstrate any kind of physical strength and power, that’s the easiest, simplest, fastest way to do it.”

But many people simply can’t do push-ups. Health and fitness experts, including the American College of Sports Medicine, have urged more focus on upper-body fitness. The aerobics movement has emphasized cardiovascular fitness but has also shifted attention from strength training exercises.

Moreover, as the nation gains weight, arms are buckling under the extra load of our own bodies. And as budgets shrink, public schools often do not offer physical education classes — and the calisthenics that were once a childhood staple.

In a 2001 study, researchers at East Carolina University administered push-up tests to about 70 students ages 10 to 13. Almost half the boys and three-quarters of the girls didn’t pass.

Push-ups are important for older people, too. The ability to do them more than once and with proper form is an important indicator of the capacity to withstand the rigors of aging.

Researchers who study the biomechanics of aging, for instance, note that push-ups can provide the strength and muscle memory to reach out and break a fall. When people fall forward, they typically reach out to catch themselves, ending in a move that mimics the push-up. The hands hit the ground, the wrists and arms absorb much of the impact, and the elbows bend slightly to reduce the force.

In studies of falling, researchers have shown that the wrist alone is subjected to an impact force equal to about one body weight, says James Ashton-Miller, director of the biomechanics research laboratory at the University of Michigan.

“What so many people really need to do is develop enough strength so they can break a fall safely without hitting their head on the ground,” Dr. Ashton-Miller said. “If you can’t do a single push-up, it’s going to be difficult to resist that kind of loading on your wrists in a fall.”

And people who can’t do a push-up may not be able to help themselves up if they do fall.

“To get up, you’ve got to have upper-body strength,” said Peter M. McGinnis, professor of kinesiology at State University of New York College at Cortland who consults on pole-vaulting biomechanics for U.S.A. Track and Field, the national governing body for track.

Natural aging causes nerves to die off and muscles to weaken. People lose as much as 30 percent of their strength between 20 and 70. But regular exercise enlarges muscle fibers and can stave off the decline by increasing the strength of the muscle you have left.

Women are at a particular disadvantage because they start off with about 20 percent less muscle than men. Many women bend their knees to lower the amount of weight they must support. And while anybody can do a push-up, the exercise has typically been part of the male fitness culture. “It’s sort of a gender-specific symbol of vitality,” said R. Scott Kretchmar, a professor of exercise and sports science at Penn State. “I don’t see women saying: ‘I’m in good health. Watch me drop down and do some push-ups.’ ”

Based on national averages, a 40-year-old woman should be able to do 16 push-ups and a man the same age should be able to do 27. By the age of 60, those numbers drop to 17 for men and 6 for women. Those numbers are just slightly less than what is required of Army soldiers who are subjected to regular push-up tests.

If the floor-based push-up is too difficult, start by leaning against a countertop at a 45-degree angle and pressing up and down. Eventually move to stairs and then the floor.

Mr. LaLanne, who once set a world record by doing 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes, still does push-ups as part of his daily workout. Now he balances his feet and each hand on three chairs.

“That way I can go way down, even lower than if I was on the floor,” he said. “That’s really tough.”

By Jen Kerlin

Going green basically means thinking in terms of lessening the waste that we create and creating less of an impact on our environment. There are many simple and manageable things that we can do everyday that add up to huge change. Saving electricity by unplugging any charger that is not in use is a great beginning. Changing to compact fluorescent light bulbs not only saves electricity but it also reduces the amount of waste because they do not need to be replaced as often as incandescent bulbs. Buying local… anything, saves petroleum and supports local business growth. Recycle your grocery bags or even better buy re-usable bags and put all of your old plastic bags in the re-cycling bins that are popping up in grocery stores and pharmacies. This saves a lot of plastic and it will also reduce the amount of plastic that is produced in the future. Of course turning off any lights or appliances that are not being used is so easy and yet so important. Turning off the faucet when you are not actually using the water. All of these things are great ways to begin to lessen our carbon footprint on this planet.

I have found that as I begin to do these small things my attitude towards waste is changing. Every time I am about to put something into the garbage I pause and ask myself if there is not perhaps another purpose for the item. Over the holidays I found so many ways to recycle that I’d never thought of before. I glued wrapping paper from presents received to cardboard from unusable gift boxes and then I cut them out, punched a hole in the top, put a piece of re-used ribbon through the hole and they became 100% recycled gift tags. Catalogs that I never wanted have become a wealth of images to collage into gift cards and boxes. Old wine bottles are turned into vases and water bottles for the dinner table. I have found that ideas just start popping into my head throughout the day. The amazing thing is that with most of my recycling and re-using I almost always end up saving time, money and gas. The idea of disposable anything should really cease to exist. Old t-shirts make great cleaning rags and cloth napkins add elegance to any meal while saving paper…

Alternative fuels and power sources are a piece of the puzzle but, contrary to popular belief, our petroleum burning cars are not the biggest culprit in global warming. Cows, sheep and other farm animals are contributing huge amounts of methane gas to the atmosphere through burps and flatulence. According to Sara Lewis of The Argus, cow’s four chambered stomachs cause them to release enough methane in one day to fill 40 party balloons, from flatulence alone. Lewis goes on to report that one kilo of methane gas warms the earth 23 times as much as the same mass of carbon dioxide. Take a moment to consider the amount of wasted meat in grocery stores, in restaurants and in our own homes. So, in my opinion, one highly effective way to go green is to put a higher value on the meat that we eat. Buy local organic meat if you can, if not then purchase the highest quality meat and buy only what will be consumed. If we all begin to treat red meat as a luxury food item the number of methane emitting animals will lessen, the quality of the meat we buy will heighten and we will all be healthier to boot. Of course if you want to be really green then just stop eating meat altogether.

Our concept of recycling needs to grow far beyond bottles, cans, clothing and cell phones. Many people are wanting to build themselves brand new green homes but the reality is that when you take an old house and green it up you are recycling that house which is saving a huge amount of waste and energy. Driving a used car that runs on biodiesel is a whole lot more sustainable than buying a brand new hybrid. We just simply need to let go of the idea that everything we own must be brand new. If every person on the planet bought a new car every year we would be living in a parking lot in no time at all. Perhaps it would help if we changed our perception of what it looks like to be successful.

The long and short of it is, in my opinion, the best way to go green is the way that works best for each individual. Trying to do it all at once will likely result in overwhelm which generally leads to giving up. So start with the changes that seem manageable to you and grow from there. If you have the desire to change and you take the first steps, you will be amazed at the ideas and inspiration that will come to you. And last but certainly not least, share your ideas and your enthusiasm. Write, blog and talk about what you are doing. Be the example, the inspiration for others. "Be the change that you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

Course Location:
The USD Campus is located at 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110.  The specific location of the course is the Varsity Weight Room (by the pool) at the Sports Center.  For a more detailed view of campus go to www.sandiego.edu/maps.

Transportation:
Each person will have to make their own arrangements for transportation to and from the school.  If you are driving, upon arrival at campus each vehicle should go to the main gate and get a free parking pass.  This will allow you to park in the visitor spots without worrying about tickets. 
 
Where to eat:
There is a cafeteria on campus where you can eat buffet style for $7-$8/person.  There are also many restaurants nearby.  Two that were recommended are Phil’s BBQ and JV’s.  The Gaslamp was recommended for evening dining. 
 
Course Schedule:
Friday, May 2: 9am - 6pm with a 1-hour break for lunch
Saturday, May 3: 9am - 6pm with a 1-hour break for lunch
Sunday, May 4: Testing begins at 10am.  There will be a lunch break followed by test review and a more detailed look at equipment.
 
Course format and testing:
The format of the course ranges from lectures and demonstrations to workouts.  It is very interactive!  There will be a written and practical test on Sunday morning. 

 
What to bring:
Bring clothes to workout in, something to take notes with and any snacks or beverages that you might want throughout the day.

From Jon’s Training Log

March 27, 2008

Today I wanted to really challenge myself and get a great workout for strength, power AND conditioning.  So I went back to my favorite all time workout…the 15/15 x 10 minutes for double kettlebell cleans & presses.

I first developed this workout when I opened up the Monkey Bar Gymnasium in January 2001. We thought it would be great to have a day to raise some money for 9/11 victims and train hard. So we thought, how about a 1000 rep push up workout? Then I saw the famous Jack Lalanne did it in 23 minutes…wow:) that is badass!

I thought I could do it under an hour for sure, so I devised a plan to break up each minute to get max reps without killing myself. Max Strength and Max Conditioning is what I got. I tried 30 seconds on and 30 seconds rest but I usually hit fatigue too early so I dropped it in half to 15/15 and the results have been amazing. I got 1000 in 40 minutes exactly and had three students make it in 1 hour! Since then I have used this 15/15 method to get 500 in 12 minutes, which is my personal best.

After this first success I modified the 15/15 to alternate between two exercises for everything; push ups and chin ups, cleans and presses, handstand push ups and kip ups, squats and swings, plyo jumps and broad jumps. Heck sometimes we do 4 exercises alternately like push ups to chin ups to squats to swings maybe repeating the 4 for 20 minutes. What I really love about this workout is it is incredible at improving Strength, Power, AND Conditioning and it does it all in just minutes. The best workout I have ever made without question.

I first started using kettlebells in this workout 3.5 years ago when I first got into kettlebells and the cleans and presses kicks your butt for sure:) One thing I love about doing cleans and presses for the 10 minute 15/15 workout is it’s fun to total the poundage for the workout.

Sometimes I like to go heavy for power/endurance and sometimes go lighter for more strength/endurance, that is the beauty of this workout…you can actually do sets of 1 (for more power) or sets of 10 (for more endurance) and train totally different systems.
My previous PR was cleaning and pressing the 24k’s (106lbs) overhead 91 times, which equals 9,646 lbs.

4 Stars!

Tamara S. Andrew Birch

Scientists and activists are raising concerns about plastic containers. There are several options available to consumers who decide to replace their plastic bottles.

Plastics, especially those containing polycarbonate or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), have become controversial for use as water bottles. Though the health dangers are not conclusive, many agree that the environmental impact is too high to continue using both disposable and reusable plastic bottles. There are many choices available to replace these and three options for what to do with the old bottle.

Reduce

Everyone has different reasons for using disposable or reusable bottles. Though it may not be easy, everyone can reduce their dependence on these plastics. One way is to replace the plastic reusable bottles with metal bottles which cost more but have a longer life span. Another is to encourage local recreation leagues to provide alternatives, such as water fountains, for their players and spectators. Some schools provide plastic bottles with their logo on the side to encourage students to drink more water during the day; request that they provide an option for metal as well or instead. Also, remember to carry the reusable bottle so that a disposable bottle is not purchased later in the day.

Recycle

Most communities provide some form of recycling for plastics. If recycling bins are not available when needed one, take the bottle home to recycle instead of tossing it in the trash. When replacing reusable bottles look on the container for the recycle number and recycle it properly. Most areas accept plastics with the recycling numbers 1, 2 and 5.

If the bottle does not have a recycling number on it then either check with the local recycling center or compare the container to these common features:

#1: (PET) commonly used for bottled water and soft drinks

#2: milk, detergent and oil bottles

#3: (PVC) used to create food wrap and vegetable oil bottles

#4: plastic bags and shrink wrap

#5: refrigerator containers, bottle caps and some food wrap

#6: disposable utensils and meat packaging

#7: plastics include most baby bottles, some 5 gallon water jugs and many sports bottles and cannot be recycled

Reuse

If a reusable bottle cannot be recycled and no longer being used for transporting drinks, consider giving it a new purpose instead of adding it to a landfill. The first step is to decorate it, or use it as is if it is already a nice color or has a decal, such as a school logo. Then, try one of these ideas:

• Use the bottle to hold pencils, pens or other small desktop items.

• Punch holes in the bottles and use string or wire to create a mobile or wind chime.

• Use it to hold kitchen utensils. A weight might be needed in the bottom to keep it from tipping.

• Fill it with water, glitter, bobbles, rocks and beads to create a wonder bottle for a small child. Glue or fasten the lid in place to avoid accidental opening. This works best with a clear bottle.

© Catherine Owen

Dec 22, 2007

New Year’s resolutions can benefit both yourself and the planet. Learn how to go green at the grocery store, in your home and for the environment of the future.

Resolutions are often made by thinking about individual change. You pledge to lose weight, stop smoking or pay off your debts in the New Year. However, resolutions can also be made for collective gain. Beginning January with resolutions to go green in simple ways contributes to reducing your ecological footprint on the earth. In the process, making green choices at the grocery store, around the home and in the world you will lose pounds, lessen pollution and even save money!

Green Groceries

Many of us don’t live near an organic grocery store or have the space to grow our own vegetables. In Canada, fortunately, there are now organically certified items available at most grocery stores. Choose the recycled toilet paper, the biodegradable soap and the locally grown produce when you can. Look for bird friendly, sustainably-grown coffee beans. Buy certain package-heavy goods in bulk to save on garbage. If you live near a farmer’s market, shop there in summertime. Bring your own canvas bags or a basket. Start a community garden and turn your leftovers into rich-soil producing compost. Barbeque more than you use the stove; it produces fewer harmful emissions. Better yet, eat all you can raw for the highest level of nutrients. Vegetarian cooking is getting tastier and more varied all the time. Try for at least one meatless meal a week. Saves vital resources and you’ll be surprised how much faster you’ll drop those pounds.

Green Homes

Enjoy showers more than baths, saving water with an efficient showerhead. Clothes get clean just as well in cold water, especially when you use a biodegradable detergent. Speaking of cold water, avoid buying bottles of it; instead, install a tap filter and take a reusable thermos of it with you. Lower the thermostat a bit and get snuggly in sweaters, making sure your insulation lacks gaps through which heat quickly leaks. Making your house sparkle is easy with baking soda and vinegar mixtures; no need for Mr Clean! Replace your lightbulbs with energy and dollar saving LED bulbs. Use re-chargeable batteries for toys, gadgets and tools. Steer clear of leaf blowers and weed eaters for yard work. A manual mower and a trowel does the job just as well, and gives you valuable exercise in the process.

Greening the World

The best resolution you can make for the earth is to use your car less or get rid of it altogether. Walk, bike, use public transit or car share. The emissions and money you save will be immense. Recycle much more than you throw away and buy recycled or used products. Simply buy less. Ask yourself if you really need this consumer item or if you can live without it. Lighten your expenditures and you’ll relieve stress on both yourself and the planet. Make a contribution to an environmental cause like Greenpeace, the Sierra Club or the Rainforest Action Network. If you choose to try even a few of these ideas, you’ll be starting the New Year with resolutions that will benefit yourself and the environment we all live in.

by Jon Hinds, Owner and Founder of the Monkey Bar Gym

Get in great shape fast! You’ve heard this before. You’ve seen the infomercials with people who are already in great shape repeating steps up and down off of a box or using some other crazy invention forcing you to believe that they got in that shape by only doing that workout over and over again!

The truth is you can get in great shape fast. I’ve created a program that will improve your overall strength and conditioning in 16 minutes a day.  Just 56 minutes a week assures body fat loss and muscle gain! The best part of this program is that there is no boring, repetitive routine!

I have been training people for movement skills instead of isolated muscle training for years and the proof is in the pudding.  People enjoy playful exercise much more. My clients gain more functional strength and muscle and cut more body fat!  What more could you ask for?

How  does this work?

1) Train and Progress: Pushing, Pulling, Squatting, Extending

2) Progress every week: Train each week to improve in reps, time or challenge on each of the exercises.

3) 2 x a Week do the 15/15 workout (16 minutes total)

4) 2 x a week do the Jump Rope or Running workout. (max. is 12 minutes)

5) Eat 3 simple whole foods meals a day (that are Green Plant based dominant) that could fit in a bowl the size of your hand AND 2 pieces of fruit a day.

Exercises: Levels and form: Before jumping into the workout I highly recommend taking the physical test on my website to properly place you at your correct level. Also, check out the videos as well so you learn proper form on all of the exercises.

15/15 Workout x 8 Minutes (for cutting fat, adding muscle, improving cardio) – for the first 15 seconds do push ups, rest 15 seconds, then do chin ups, rest 15 seconds, then repeat both for the remainder of the 8 minutes. Keep count of your reps for each doing your best to hit the same reps each set. Then repeat the same 15/15 workout with squats and full extensions for 8 minutes. This is an incredible strength and conditioning workout!!

Jump Rope Or Running workout: (for cutting fat, improving cardio) – Simply Jump Rope (invisible ropes are fine for beginnersJ) OR Run in place for 30 seconds as fast as comfort allows, rest for 30 seconds, repeat for 5 minutes for Stability Level, 8 minutes for Strength Level and 12 minutes for Power Level.

This program works for my students, athletes and personal trainers. 

by Jon Hinds, Owner and Founder of the Monkey Bar Gym

“Eat food, not too much and make it mostly plants” this is a simple yet righteous statement that Michael Pollan said in his most recent hit book ‘Unhappy Meals’. We all understand what it takes to eat healthy but why do we find it so difficult to do? Is it because we fold under peer pressure or show our impatience by looking for a quick fix with the most recent fad diet or is it because we haven’t been told the truth? The fitness industry has always said you MUST eat a diet of 40-50% animal protein in order to add more muscle and get leaner. While this may be true, the benefits are short lived. In the long term this diet can lead to cancer, heart disease, stroke and many more problems. The fitness industry doesn’t bother to tell you this!

In my late 30’s I fell victim to the fitness industry diets. By eating 40-50% animal protein I developed severe hand pain that stopped my teaching & competitive career in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I went to 4 doctors who all said “Jon, you’re 40 years old, you have arthritis. We can operate if you want but really you cannot do much.”  I   refused to believe this and looked elsewhere for an answer. A friend told me about the soon to be released “China Study” by Dr. Colin Campbell who I soon became good friends with. I got a pre-release version and stopped eating meat completely (I had already stopped drinking milk when my old client Woody Harrelson schooled me about it). Within 3 months my hand pain was gone 100%!!! The connection between my hand pain relief and not eating meat set me on a new goal…to eat a plant based diet and stay strong!

I was not an educated vegetarian though. I ended up eating only vegetables and very little protein resulting in a loss of 12lbs of muscle and a gain of 12lbs of fat in 8 months! I had made a common mistake people do when beginning vegan or vegetarian diets and that is they usually do not eat enough plant protein. The body needs protein (plant or animal) to build muscle and I knew that I could get it from plant sources instead of meat, saving myself from the long term effects of an overconsumption of animal protein. The Eat Green, Get Lean plan worked for me but would it for others?

I put my athletes and members of my Monkey Bar Gymnasium through the Eat Green, Get Lean plan and the results were off the charts….17lbs of fat loss and 5lbs of muscle gain in 60 days of training and following the Eat Green, Get Lean plan!!! 

Then Tony Gonzalez the All Pro NFL Tight End called me one sunny afternoon and talked to me about the concerns he felt eating the typical fitness industry diet. He mentioned that the average life span of an NFL player is 53 years!! Although this was shocking to me, I also knew it was 100% related to the diet.   Tony’s main concern was maintaining his extreme high level of playing. Since I was currently on this diet along with many of my athletes, who were all gaining in strength, I knew that this would work for Tony. 

When Tony changed to this plant based diet, the Wall Street Journal headlined his story with my comment and suggestions. Tony became a NFL All Pro again this year, proving the great effects that the Eat Green, Get Lean plan works!  

Eat Green, Get Lean 6 Step Hand Plan:  Shape your hand into a plate or bowl with fingers spread as a measurement for portion size.

This is an excellent way to not over eat!!!

 1.    Eat 3 SMALL meals a day mostly Greens, some healthy oils (flax, fish, coconut), raw nuts, seeds or legumes (the protein of Spartans!).

a.    KEY: eat 90% or more from Plants, some deep ocean fish and occasional lean meats are fine too if you keep it 1-2 x’s a week or less.

2.    Eat 2-3 SMALL snacks a day (a fruit, vegetable or nuts and seeds will do fineJ)

a.    This keeps the energy at constant levels and actually helps speed up your metabolism due to the fact that your body does not think that it is starving.

b.    Food is better absorbed, you feel better and have better energy.

3.    Eat slowly and to satisfaction only, no more!

4.    Drink a minimum of 10 to 12 glasses of room temperature water a day

5.    Eat organic foods as often as possible, it’s healthier for you and the planet!!

6.    Eat your last meal at least 3 hours before your bedtime. 

By following my Eat Green, Get Lean program you will lose fat, gain muscle AND make yourself a whole lot healthier to boot!!

For more information on our nutrition you can find lots of great recipes in the MBG Online Fitness Journal.

Go green my friend!!

Jon Hinds

Owner & Founder of the Monkey Bar Gymansium

The Sheraton Hotel

  

When you step into the Hotel Ruby Marie Bed and Breakfast, of Madison, Wisconsin, you are welcomed with a wonderful blend of old world romance with modern day excitement.  This historic building of Madison first received its hotel license in 1873, primarily used as an railroad hotel.  The Hotel Ruby Marie is located 0.06 miles from the Monkey Bar Gymnasium.

History meets hospitality with an array of superior hotel features and amenities that make your stay in Madison a unique experience. The Inn on the Park Hotel is a vital part of Madison’s vibrant downtown community.   The Inn on the Park is located  0.62 miles from the Monkey Bar Gymnasium.

Madison Youth Hostel

The Concourse Hotel

When you hear the word "hemp," generally the last thing that comes to mind is protein and bodybuilding. Without going into detail on the other "psychoactive" strains of hemp, it’s time you learned more about what hemp can do for you from a nutritional point of view. I know I was very surprised to learn how complete a food hemp is!

I personally tested a hemp protein supplement for a period of 2 months, using NO other supplemental protein source. It was tough to give up the whey that had I been using for many years but, to give hemp a fair trial, I needed to be sure that the results wouldn’t be affected by other supplemental protein sources.

So for 2 months, it was just hemp protein…

Now, hemp is one of the most versatile plants in the world - it can be used for anything from making clothes to fuel and even auto parts (all Mercedes/Chrysler models use hemp-composite side panels because they’re more dent-resistant). For our purposes, we will focus entirely on its nutritional/protein content.

Hemp protein, while being a plant source, is actually a surprisingly complete protein. Hemp protein contains all 20 known amino acids including the 10 essential amino acids (8 in adults - 2 more are considered essential in children and seniors) our bodies cannot produce. Proteins are considered complete when they contain all 10 essential amino acids in a sufficient quantity and ratio to meet the body’s needs.

Hemp also has an extremely good essential fatty acid profile - it contains the fatty acids in perfect balance to each other (Omega 3 and 6 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), in the near perfect ratio of 1:3 respectively).

One of the other major benefits of hemp protein supplementation is the very high insoluble fiber content of the powder. Fiber helps keep your blood sugar stable (ideal for fat loss), not to mention helping to keep you "regular." On the ingredient label, you’ll see just how much fiber is in hemp…ALL the carb content is fiber, making it an excellent protein for low-carb diets.

So what does all this mean for you? Here are the main benefits of hemp protein supplementation that I discovered in my 2 month trial:

1. First and foremost - no loss of muscle mass or decline in muscle growth

One of the main things I worried about when switching to a plant-based protein would be loss of muscle mass. Could a plant protein really provide a complete protein and in substantial enough quantities to keep muscle AND help support muscle growth? The answer is "absolutely!" In using the hemp protein, muscle building was just as good, if not better, than with whey protein or protein blends. No problems at all there.

2. Excellent protein quality and usability

A better quality protein is more bioavailble in terms of digestibility and ability to be used in the body. When you’re training with weights, you want a protein that is going to be well-absorbed and easily utilized by the body. Hemp fits the bill here. Being a "whole-food" supplement means it already contains many of the enzymes necessary for optimal digestion.

3. No protein-bloating

If you’ve ever taken a big protein shake (like whey or milk protein), you’re most likely familiar with that "expanding" feeling that happens soon after. This does NOT happen with hemp protein. Whatever the reason, be it no milk-based ingredients or that it’s a plant protein, taking hemp didn’t cause any bloating at all.

4. No protein breath

Those who take milk-based proteins like whey or casein can definitely understand this one. Your mouth tastes and smells like rotten milk soon after you drink it. Hemp protein, however, doesn’t leave a sour aftertaste. I know my wife was very appreciative of this fact and insisted I get more hemp protein based solely on that!

5. No unnecessary ingredients

The hemp protein product that I used in my test had only one single ingredient: hemp meal - no artificial sweeteners, flavors or anything not found in the hemp plant itself. To be honest, adding any other nutrients in would be totally unnecessary due to the nutritional completeness of the hemp. So if you’re concerned about getting artificial sweeteners in your protein powder (especially when on lower-carb diets), hemp is an excellent way to go.

6. High Fiber = Cleaner Insides

One of the least talked-about aspects of health is intestinal health. But it’s EXTREMELY important to mention because a cleaner intestinal tract makes for improved nutrient absorption. The better you absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, the healthier overall you will be. Plus, the better your nutrient absorption, the more efficient your body will be both in fat loss and muscle building. The high amounts of insoluble fiber found in hemp protein really help keep your digestive tract moving along and functioning well.

These are the major benefits of hemp supplementation that I experienced during my 2 month test. What about downsides? There are a few, but in my experience, they were relatively minor compared to the major benefits of the hemp.

1. Taste

Because there are no other ingredients, what you see is what you get. It’s a plant-based protein and if you take it straight, it’s going to taste like a plant. If you’re used to oversweetened protein powders, it’s going to come as a bit of a shock to you.

To me, however, this natural taste was actually a very positive thing (I was getting a bit sick of those oversweet protein drinks). I quite enjoyed the nutty flavor of the hemp and would drink it straight with water. I also tried mixing it with orange juice and it tasted quite good. Bottom line: don’t come in expecting a strawberry shortcake flavor when you drink it but if you like natural flavor, you’ll love this.

2. Cost

Hemp protein is not a "bargain-basement, 10 pounds for 20 bucks" type of protein powder. It is relatively expensive because it must be processed carefully to maintain its high nutritional content (especially the Essential Fatty Acids). Being extremely fresh and containing no preservatives, it’s also extremely oxidative, meaning it’ll go bad much faster than regular protein. This is why it’s generally sold only in 1 or 2 lb containers. Personally, I used 1 lb containers, each of which lasted me about 8 to 10 days (and I was taking it fairly frequently throughout the day).

But here’s the upside…you don’t need to use as much of it to get the benefits! Rather than slugging down 40 to 60 gram+ whey protein shakes, I found myself taking only 10 to 30 grams of hemp at a time (the higher dose was post-workout). The body processes it very efficiently and I found I did just fine on the relatively lower dose in terms of muscle maintenance and muscle building.

Overall, as far as cost goes, to me it was well worth the price.

3. Tidiness

This was a very minor drawback that I found - because the containers are small (1 lb) and the scoop has a long handle in order to reach the bottom, I found every time I pulled the scoop out of the container, I spilled a little powder on the counter. But if that’s the worst thing that happens to you in a day, count your blessings. Like I said, it’s a VERY minor thing.

Conclusion:

When I first decided to give the hemp protein a try, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The information I read on it was very positive but I had always used whey or egg-based protein supplements. Would hemp do the job?

Hemp passed the test with flying colors. If you’re looking for a high-quality protein that has the potential to really improve your health, I HIGHLY recommend hemp protein as an excellent addition to your supplement regimen.

My personal preference now is to supplement with hemp throughout the day and use whey protein (which is faster digesting) immediately after workouts. I’ve found this to be a very good combination, giving you the benefits of both types of protein.

Let me put it this way…it’s not often that I include a new supplement in my core supplement regimen and I’m CONSTANTLY testing new supplements to see how well they work. In the past 6 months, I’ve tried 11 new supplements. The ONLY one to make the cut is hemp protein. 

By Jon Hinds, Owner/Founder of the Monkey Bar Gym

Ever since people began to exercise they have constantly sought out the most efficient way to train the body and mind for ultimate health. Back in the day the ab crunch was thought to be the best…then the hanging leg raise was next, a little better but still not the best. Next people began doing crunches on a stability ball, it’s a bit unstable but all in all, none of them are as efficient as the Power Wheel and some of its most effective exercises: Roll-out, Crawls and Pike Ups.

Here are the 4 Point guidelines you want to follow:

1. The LESS supported you are the MORE you must stabilize.
   
   • Meaning the less area supporting your body (which can be from your whole body, hands, feet, head or your back/feet or butt on the floor or a stability ball or bench) means you MUST work more to right yourself while doing any movement or exercise.
   • The more unstable the movement, the harder it will be. This is true up to a point; if the movement is overly un-stable then it defeats the point. A perfect example of this is standing on a stability ball to improve stability. Now while this is a really challenging exercise. It is so unstable that it goes in the direction of being dangerous. Also, this does NOT mean, unstable and supported though, it simply means unstable:). Many people think crunches on a stability ball, yes it’s unstable, but your supported. In the real world you would never be supported, nor is doing a crunch the optimal way of strengthening the ‘core’, so pass on that one.
2. The MORE you oppose gravity, the MORE you work your body.
   
   • Meaning the more your body is extended directly against gravity (horizontally is best as that is direct opposition to gravity) the more challenge you have.
   • The second part of opposing gravity is the longer lever arm you make the harder the movement. So the more you are lengthened or extended over gravity, the ground, the harder the exercise will be.
3. The MORE intense the contraction, the MORE efficient the exercise.
   
   • Fewer reps, treat the ‘core’ like any other muscle group you train for strength, power or endurance.
4. Prone position for truly effective core work.
   
   • Prone(face down), not supine (face up), as people have usually trained the core. In which case, they are supported and stable, this sounds nice and safe, but in reality, it is not what you want.
   • In the real world people need the ability to react, stabilize and support themselves, and you can’t do that if you only train in a supported and stable environment.
   • Lets look at the traditional core exercises and I’ll break them down.
     
     • Crunch - supported by floor completely, stable, short lever, weak contractions, even on a stability ball it is still a weak exercise as you have to literally do hundreds of reps with the results of no gain in stability, because none was trained.
     • Sit ups - A bit better but very similar, supported, stable, a longer lever arm so it’s better there, good contraction, less reps to fatigue, but still not a lot of stability gained. I like it more than crunches by a long shot though:)
     • Hanging leg lifts - still better yet as you can create a long lever arm, but here you get a ton of hip flexor work and for people who have tight hips (about 90% of all Americans:) this is not what you want to tighten even more. Similar to a laying leg lift, they definitely work ‘core’ stability, but can tighten the hip flexors a lot too.

by Brendan Brazier

I’ve been in rooms filled with them, high level athletes who used to be vegan. Why are there so many people who used to be vegan, people who have tried it and decided it was not for them?

"I’m always hungry."

"I don’t have any energy."

"I’m scared I’ll get a stress fracture."

It’s certainly not uncommon for competitive athletes to try a vegan diet, just uncommon for them stick with it. With sincere intentions to improve their health naturally and benefit their performance, many high-level athletes try eliminating animal products from their diets. So why, after a short period, do the majority revert back to consuming animal products? Quite simply, there’s not enough information out there. Following is a list of problems athletes commonly have when switching to a vegan diet –and their solutions.

Problem 1
Constant hunger, low energy levels — this is common for active people who have stopped consuming animal products.

Reasons

Dietary protein

Active people need more protein than the average person does. Often when animal products are eliminated from the diet, so is a large portion of the protein. Without adequate dietary protein the carbohydrate consumed will enter the bloodstream faster, causing insulin levels to rise quickly (spike), and then a short time later decline (crash). With protein and snack added to each meal a "sugar crash" will not occur. Protein will complement the carbohydrate, allowing it to enter the bloodstream at a steady rate, thus delaying the onset of hunger and sustaining energy levels.

Protein, a vital part of an athlete’s diet, is used in the rebuilding process of muscle tissue broken down by training. During endurance training at a low heart rate (60-70% of maximum), fat is the body’s primary fuel source (90%) with protein second (10%). Because Ironman and other endurance training requires the body to be efficient at using fat as fuel, long rides in this zone are necessary. A six-hour-ride, for example, would burn nothing but protein as fuel for 36 minutes.

If dietary protein needs are not met, muscle tissue will be catabolised; in turn, strength will decline. A 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio has been shown to yield the best muscle glycogen recovery results. The small amount of protein (25%) combined with a high glycemic carbohydrate (sugar) has been shown to improve recovery over the conventional "sugar only" approach. Sweetened soy drink is a good provider of this ratio.

Dietary Fat

Once animal products are eliminated, so is a large portion of the fat. The dairy industry measures fat as percentage of volume, not as percentage of calories. For example, 2% milk is in fact 33.5% fat. Cutting all fat out of the diet is not the goal, although saturated fat should be minimized for optimum performance. A very low fat diet is OK for a low to moderately active person. However, a highly active person, especially an endurance athlete who has adopted a plant-based diet, will benefit by adding good quality fats to his/her meals.

As with protein, fat helps to slow the rate at which the carbohydrate enters the bloodstream, thus providing sustained, consistent energy. Dietary fat also helps the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that will help quicken the recovery process. Cold pressed oils such as flax and hemp are extremely valuable to the vegan athlete. Both flax and hemp oils contain omega-3 fatty acids, and, most importantly, have anti-inflammatory properties. These oils vastly speed the recovery and repair of soft tissue damage, a toll of daily training.

During times of level 1 (60-70% of maximum heart rate) endurance training in the fat burning zone (also know as metabolism training), the athlete should consume a combination of carbohydrate and protein in an easily digestible form

Solution

Consume protein and good quality fat as part of each meal and snack.

*Tip: If you make bread, muffins, or any baked goods, leave out some of the flour and replace it with soy protein powder, hemp flour, or bean flour. Use hemp seed oil as a base for salad dressing or to mix with a soy drink to make it creamier. Use hemp seed oil on cereal and in baking.

Good quality protein sources:

Good quality fat sources:

Problem 2
Muscle cramps, muscle stiffness

Reasons

Low sodium level

Lack of dietary sodium combined with regular sweating will deplete sodium stores. Athletes who have adopted a plant-based diet are prone to reduced sodium levels, often resulting in muscle cramping and stiffness. Dairy products in particular contain high levels of sodium. Also, salami, pepperoni, baloney and most all prepared meats contain very high levels of sodium. Most plant sources have little sodium with the exception of some seaweeds. Sedentary people, vegan or not, do not need to be concerned with a lack of dietary sodium; however, vegan athletes do. As with many nutrients, sodium requirements become elevated as activity increases.

During times of heavy training, producing a high sweat rate, the vegan athlete will benefit by salting his/her food. By adding sea salt to regularly eaten foods, the athlete will notice that muscle cramping subsides and suppleness returns. Due to excessive sweating, produced by racing in a hot environment, the athlete may need sodium tablets. Leading up to a long race such as Ironman, the athlete must pay special attention to ample salt intake that will result in lower dependence on race day. Salt stores will be preserved. A healthy, active person will not experience a rise in blood pressure with the addition of dietary sodium.

Low Calcium levels

Low calcium levels in vegan athletes are usually due to a combination of lack of dietary calcium and hard training. Calcium is used during muscle contractions, causing many endurance athletes, vegan or not, to have reduced stores. For example, an athlete who cycles for 5 hours at the standard cadence of 90 rotations per minute will perform 54,000 muscle contractions. The contractions are from a combination of the three biggest muscles in the body (gluteus maximums, quadriceps, and hamstrings) obviously a significant draw on the body’s calcium reserves.

Solution

During heavy training a vegan athlete would benefit by adding sea salt to at least one meal or snack per day. One week prior to a long race in a warm climate, the athlete would benefit by consuming sea salt at each meal.

An athlete who consumes calcium-rich foods at each meal will benefit by developing supple, limber muscles.

*Tip: Add non-roasted sesame seeds to cereal, salads, and anything else you can think of. Sesame seeds are very high in calcium with 1 cup ( 250 ml) yielding 2900 mg of calcium. In comparison, 1 cup (250 ml) of cow’s milk contains 300 mg of calcium. Of course, it’s much easier to down a cup of milk than a cup of sesame seeds, but once you include them as a staple in your diet, they add up quickly.

To maximize the absorption of calcium from sesame seeds, grind them in a coffee grinder. I recommend grinding a mixture of sesame seeds and flax seeds and keeping them in the fridge for convenient, daily use.

Calcium rich foods include:

Problem 3
Low energy level (long term), reduced tolerance to aerobic exercise

Reason

Anemia

When red meat is eliminated from an active person’s diet, the long-term effect is often a reduction in red blood cells often leading to anemia. Vegan or not, athletes have traditionally had trouble maintaining satisfactory iron levels for optimal performance. Maintenance of iron stores becomes increasingly difficult during times of heavy training. As with sodium and calcium, iron is lost in sweat, making warm weather training more of a draw on iron stores. Unlike sodium, iron levels can take up to six months to become dangerously depleted. Often not realizing this, the athlete will wonder how performance has declined without any change in diet or activity level. Because iron levels take considerable time to become diminished, rebuilding takes equal time. Obviously, a six-month-rebuilding phase would best be avoided. Iron is also lost as a result of compression hemolysis (crushed blood cells due to intense muscle contractions).

The more active the person, the more dietary iron is needed. Constant impact activity, such as running, reduces iron levels more dramatically due to a more strenuous form of hemolysis. With each foot strike a small amount of blood is released from the damaged capillaries. In time this will cause anemia if the athlete does not pay close attention to diet.

Solution

A bi-yearly blood test is recommended. Iron levels will always be revealed and never allowed to become depleted. Iron rich foods are best consumed on a daily basis with vitamin C to help with absorption. If running mileage is greater than 50 miles (80km) an iron supplement is recommended. Also, if training occurs in a warm climate (excessive sweating) year round, or training consistently exceeds 15 hours per week, an iron supplement is recommended.

Iron-rich foods

If a vegan diet is something you would like to try, make sure you go about it the right way the first time. If you have tried and failed in the past, it’s not your fault because there’s very little support available. However, as with sport itself, the rewards are worth the perseverance.

Many athletes who have properly adopted a vegan diet have noticed an improved recovery rate. Obviously, if the athlete can recover faster he/she can train more, facilitating quicker improvement. I’m not saying that more training is necessarily better, but I am saying that speedy recovery in that training is important.

by Barbara Ferguson, Arab News  

T. Colin Campbell, PhD, is the project director of the China Study and Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, and has spent 30 years examining how nutrition is corrupted by special interests and industries, and largely ignored by the health establishment, despite the fact that proper nutrition can, he says, correct many troubling health trends.

Dr. Campbell, with his son Tom, is the author of the recently published book The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health (http://www.thechinastudy.com). The New York Times called the study was the “Grand Prix of Epidemiology,” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”

In The China Study, Dr. Campbell details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and also its ability to reduce or reverse the risk or effects of these deadly illnesses and details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes and cancer. His book also examines the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities and the food industry.

The China Study is not a diet book. Campbell says consumers are bombarded with conflicting messages regarding health and nutrition because the market is flooded with popular fad diet books like The Atkins Diet and The South Beach Diet.

Instead, his book delivers an insightful message to anyone living with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and those concerned with the effects of aging. Additionally, he challenges the validity of these low-carb fad diets.

“As a taxpayer who foots the bill for research and health policy in America, you deserve to know that many of the common notions you have been told about food, health and disease are wrong,” said Campbell.

“I propose to do nothing less than redefine what we think of as good nutrition. You need to know the truth about food, and why eating the right way can save your life.”

As a researcher with MIT and Virginia Tech, Campbell worked to promote better health. It was a sharp departure from his upbringing on a dairy farm, and his time at Cornell University “to do doctoral research on how to grow cows more efficiently. Both personally and professionally, I had a typical attitude that almost everyone else has.”

Now Campbell has made a complete career reversal: Animal foods “tend to promote the initiation and progression of these serious diseases, whereas plant food tends to prevent these diseases.”

Campbell, who spoke to Arab News on the phone during his nationwide book tour, said his interest in health and nutrition peaked while working in the Philippines to develop a program to feed malnourished children.

During this project, Campbell said he uncovered “a dark secret.” Children who ate the highest protein diets were the ones most likely to get liver cancer. …” He began to review other reports from around the world that reflected the findings of his research in the Philippines.

Although it was “heretical to say that protein wasn’t healthy,” he started an in-depth study into the role of nutrition, especially protein, in the cause of cancer.

“I saw this dichotomy emerging between animal protein and plant protein based foods,” said Campbell. “In the China Study, we surveyed a very large population across the entire country and measured many different things. We had the opportunity to compare the relative effects of animal and plant based foods on cancer, heart disease, blood cholesterol, etc.”

Two major surveys were made in China in 1983 and in 1989-90, because Campbell thought cancers and various other diseases would vary with geographic localization. He said it made sense to examine these regions to determine the responsible dietary and lifestyle factors.

In the 1983 survey, 367 items of information were collected on how people in 138 Chinese villages live and die; 6,500 adults and their families were surveyed. In the 1989-90 survey, more than 1,000 items of information were collected in 170 villages in rural China and Taiwan, involving 10,200 adults and their families. This new data, including a large number of socioeconomic characteristics, was combined with his new survey on causes of death for a population of 100 million (1.4 million death certificates for the years 1986-88). Campbell has continued to gather data from these combined surveys for 20 plus years.

“The results we got indicated that relatively small intakes in animal based foods were problematic, as they tended to be associated with the kind of diseases that are common in developed countries. This was also consistent with the patterns that emerged over time in different societies when people change their native diet over to food that was rich in animal foods,” he said.

The research project, and now his book, culminates a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, regarding diseases and lifestyle factors in rural China and Taiwan. Called the China Study, the project eventually produced more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between various dietary factors and disease.

The findings? “People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease,” said Campbell.

He also discovered that small amount of animal-based foods could be harmful. “We discovered that relatively small intakes of animal food could create a negative effect. Whole plant-based foods had the best health advantage — specifically whole grain cereals, rice and the like, with a minimum of salt, sugar and fat — which is the major message we were relayed in the study.”

Campbell regrets that his research, and similar findings by others, continues to be largely ignored by the medical community. “Cancer, heart disease, and other problems would substantially be reduced by people who know of the enormous power of a plant-based food to maintain health and to prevent disease. Similar works entirely consistent with what I found have been done by physicians, but have not been widely acknowledged. And other physicians have not taken kindly to it.”

By Larry West

Looking for small ways to make a big difference for the environment? Why not start by making yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

As members of the PB&J Campaign (no, I’m not kidding) like to say, “You don’t have to change your whole diet to change the world. Just start with lunch.”

Eating a plant-based lunch (such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a bean burrito, vegetarian chili, or a hearty salad) instead of an animal-based lunch (such as a hamburger, a tuna or grilled cheese sandwich, fish and chips, or chicken nuggets) will save water, preserve land and slow global warming.

How Eating a PB&J Sandwich Slows Global Warming
Every time you eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or other plant-based meal instead of an animal-based lunch, such as a hamburger, you save the equivalent of almost 3.5 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, including 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide.

That’s about 40 percent of the carbon you would save by driving a hybrid vehicle for the day instead of a standard sedan.

How Eating a PB&J Sandwich Saves Water
Growing plants for food takes a lot less water than raising animals. As a result, every time you substitute a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or some other plant-based meal for an animal-based meal such as a hamburger, you save about 280 gallons of water. Eat three PB&J sandwiches a month instead of animal-based meals and you can save as much water as you would by switching to a low-flow showerhead.

How Eating a PB&J Sandwich Saves Land
Raising animals for food takes a lot of space. For example, animal products require 6 to 17 times as much land as soy to produce the same amount of protein. Eating a plant-based lunch like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead of a hamburger, ham sandwich, or another animal-based meal saves anywhere from 12 to 50 square feet of land from deforestation, overgrazing, and pesticide and fertilizer pollution.

How Eating One PB&J Sandwich Helps the Environment
By eating lower on the food chain—plants instead of animals—you also consume fewer resources. Why? Because, basically, everything you eat comes from plants. You either eat plants directly—in the form of fruits, vegetables and plant products such as peanut butter—or indirectly after animals have converted plants into meat, milk, eggs, butter and cheese.

The problem is that animals are not very efficient as living food factories that convert plants into food for humans. Animals use most of the plants they eat to produce the energy they need to walk around and keep breathing. To stay alive long enough to become part of your lunch or dinner menu, every cow, pig and chicken has to eat much more protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients than it will yield once the ax finally falls. As a result, it takes several pounds of plants to produce one pound of beef, pork, chicken, eggs or milk.

Inevitably, that means it also takes a lot more land, water and fuel to produce one pound of meat, milk or eggs than it does to produce one pound of edible plants. Not only do the animals need food, water and room to roam, but growing the plants to feed the animals that will, in turn, become food for you requires even more land and water as well as fuel for farm machinery and irrigation pumps.

To help provide some context, the PB&J Campaign says the water required to produce the beef in one hamburger could grow enough peanuts for 17 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And the land required to put that same beef patty on your bun could produce enough peanuts for 19 PB&J lunches.

How You and Your Diet Can Make a Difference
Basically, this all comes down to your power as a consumer. Every time you choose a hamburger, omelet or grilled cheese sandwich over a plant-based meal, you’re telling your local restaurants and supermarkets to buy more meat, eggs and dairy products. By choosing more plant-based meals, you’re asking for less meat and a more efficient use of resources. Either way, your unspoken but unmistakable messages are received by your local merchants and conveyed to wholesalers and farmers.

Want to do more? Share this information with your friends, coworkers and family members and urge them to take action. Urge your school or office cafeteria, or the local restaurants you frequent, to offer more plant-based dishes. Organize a weekly PB&J lunch (or other plant-based meals) at work, home or school and calculate the positive environmental contribution you’ve made.

A Special Word About Seafood
Often, when people start thinking about reducing their meat consumption, their thoughts turn to seafood. Unfortunately, if your goal in consuming fewer meat-based meals is to eat more efficiently, reduce your carbon footprint, and free up more resources, then seafood is no better option than beef, chicken or pork.

All seafood arrives on your dinner plate from one of two sources: it’s either caught by commercial fishing boats or raised on fish farms. About half of the seafood we eat is wild-caught, but commercial fishing creates a lot of greenhouse gas emissions because fishing boats use a lot of fuel.

There are also other environmental problems with wild-caught seafood. First, 69 percent of the world’s major fish species are endangered and in decline, according to estimates by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Second, many commercial fishing methods do a lot of environmental harm. For example, trawling scrapes up everything in its path, turning delicate marine ecosystems into undersea deserts, while long-line fishing results in a tremendous amount of bycatch, fish that are hooked unintentionally and discarded in pursuit of the target species.

Aquaculture, or fish farming, poses many of the same problems as the process of farming other animals for food. If farmed fish and shellfish eat grain and soy, then raising them commercially is as inefficient as fattening cattle or hogs. If the farmed fish eat fish meal, which is made from wild- caught fish, then they contribute indirectly to the environmental problems caused by commercial fishing: greenhouse gas emissions, over-fishing, bycatch, and environmental degradation.

The next time you go grocery shopping or order a meal in a restaurant, don’t think exclusively about flavor and price. Give some thought as well to the long-term environmental effects of the food you choose to eat. It makes a difference.

Sources:

• Global warming statistics: The global warming calculations are based on information from “Diet, Energy, and Global Warming,” by Gidon Eshel and Pamela A. Martin of the University of Chicago.
• Water statistics: The water figures are based on information in “Water Footprint of Nations,” a report by the 2004 UNESCO Institute for Water Education.
• Land statistics: The land statistics are based on information from the “Quantification of the environmental impact of different dietary protein choices,” by Lucas Reijnders and Sam Soret, which appeared in a 2003 supplement to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and on the protein output per acre for soy and peanuts reported in the 1996 edition of Food, Energy, and Society, edited by Pimentel and Pimentel.