Next to Alzheimers disease, Heart Disease is easily one of the greatest killers of Americans. The blanket term 'heart disease' doesn't do a lot to pinpoint an exact ailment like a 'broken arm' or 'ruptured spleen'. But the magnitude of this disease should not be ignored as it will effect nearly 1 in 3 people by the end of our generation.
Heart Disease is the damage or disease of the hearts blood vessels. Two primary causes of this disease in Americans is 1) Hydrogenated Fats and 2) Fried Foods. These two culprits comprise 95% of our American diet in one way or another. Sad huh? But surprisingly they stare you right in the face as you open your mouth and inhale them.. Here is what you need to know about each so as to keep you from contracting this killer.
First off when you see 'fats' do not get scared. As the Paleo movement and whole foods movement have shown, fats are essential to proper system health throughout your body. There are three types of fats:
1) Saturated; Butter, coconut oil.
2) Monounsaturated; Olive Oil
3) Polyunsaturated: these are your Omega 6 (sunflower/safflower) and Omega 3 (fish Oil,Flaxseed oil)
Hydrogenated fats or Trans-Fats are chemically processed Omega 6 Polyunsaturated fats. To simplify this, think about an oil like sunflower or canola that is heated and chemically treated to create a longer shelf life and more stable at room temperature like butter is.
Trans Fats are not easily taken in by the body because of their altered molecular structure. Your body goes; "I don't know you man, get the F*^K out of here" . The problem with this is that as it passes through your blood vessels, the processed fats keeps having the door slammed in its face... therefore it stays in the blood for a long time and oxidizes (think brown and old banana floating through your blood)!! Oxidation is not good in this case and can create blood clots... blood clots create blockages... blockages create lack of oxygen to the lungs and heart... no oxygen in lungs and heart means, YOU NO LIVE NO MORE.
Hydrogenated or Trans Fats are easy to spot as they are always in processed foods and foods with long shelf life. Chips, Peanut Butter, Cookies, Frozen Foods... They are not in Whole Foods like Grass Fed Beef, Fish, Grass Fed Butter, Nuts, Coconut Oil. So... eat those things not the first things... Got it?!
Fried Foods like French Fries, SPAM, Chicken Nuggets or Wings all go through a process of super heating in order to cook. The process oxidizes the cholesterol. That oxidized or dead cholesterol finds its way into the blood and saps the blood of its ability to stay fluid. Remember the blood clot problem I spoke of earlier... well eating fried foods (especially in Hydrogenated oils) literally quadruples the intensity and your arteries bear the burden. When you eat fried foods your arteries build up plaque which hardens and blocks blood flow.. Once again, when blood can't flow, oxygen can't get to where it needs to go ... result ... you die.
The good news is that your body is resilient and if you cut out Trans Fats and Fried Foods from your diet today, you will usually see improvement of your blood panels within 2 months!! And that is just with diet. Imagine if you stuck to a kick ass CrossFit training plan.... ohhh yeah baby.
Heart Disease is no joke. Abstaining from bad fats and incorporating good fats into your diet will dramatically reduce the likelihood of you contracting the disease. Please note that you must balance your Omega3 and Omega6 fats but if you stick to a whole foods diet that is usually pretty easy to do. Once again please message me or talk to me if you have further questions about your fat intake and how you can implement a nutrition plan.
Baseline:
3 Mins Jump Rope
-Single Leg
-skipping
-Dub's
Lunge Flow: Lunge, Elbow To Instep, Hamstring Pulses, T-spine Reach, side Lunge
Push Press Coaching and Direction
WOD:
Partner AMRAP 25
10 Push Press 115/75
10 KB Swing 70/53
10 Box Jump Overs 24"
Partner 1 completes one round before P2 can begin his/her round. BUT, P2 must complete 2(M)/1(F) Rope Climbs before they are able to begin round. The same goes for each Partner switch, the resting Partner must complete the climb before they can take over for partner.
