http://www.protica.com/Protica Nutritional Research publishes weekly articles and white papers on advanced nutrition and health. Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, the first capsulized food.The word cholesterol has become synonymous with poor health. Indeed, one does not typically hear the word used, or see it printed, unless it points to yet another distressing fact -- that high cholesterol is the number one factor for coronary heart disease, and the number one cause of heart attacks.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=34&z=1When obesity gets out of hand, unresponsive to dietary, lifestyle and medical interventions, drastic measures are needed to cut down calorie intake. Morbid obesity with a BMI (body mass index, a measure of malnutrition) above 40 kg/m2 is an indication for surgical procedures such as gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass is now a well-trodden path to lower BMI’s and achieve healthier lives in 18 months or so. First used in the 1950’s, only the last two decades have seen safe and successful gastric bypass surgery with any consistency. Half a century of meticulous observations and patient follow-up has led to the formulation of strict guidelines to ensure desired results.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=33&z=1Youth, it is said, is wasted on the young. Too busy figuring life they hardly take the time to enjoy it. Fortunately, with medical research and scientific progress, lifespans have doubled over the last century. We can now start life at fifty and have another go at youth. Health consciousness, appropriate diet and exercise, can make the later years of life a pleasant experience. Dietary principles play as especially important role in this regard. Compensating for the physiological changes of aging, they can give us better odds at achieving our genetically determined lifespans.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=32&z=1Finally, dieters and healthy eaters everywhere have reason to rejoice, for there is a clear understanding of which fats, and which carbohydrates should be eaten for optimal health.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=31&z=1Protein, and the amino acids that comprise protein, are essential for life itself. Every system within the body depends, directly or indirectly, on protein. In fact, because protein regulates hormones, some cases of depression or anxiety are actually instigated and perpetuated by either a lack of protein, or the body’s inability to fortify its neurological system with this critical macronutrient.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=30&z=1For most people, the concept of capsulized food™ usually conjures up images of space travelers ingesting meals condensed into a compact pill. However, in modern-day reality, things are quite different. Capsulized foods are one of the most innovative nutritional advancements in recent memory, and will soon become a significant – and highly valued – concept within the healthy eating community.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=29&z=1The ingredients list found on the back or side panel of every commercially available food product - with few exceptions - serves as the consumer’s best starting point for understanding the real contents of each product. It discloses the ingredients that make up the product, sorted in order from most abundant to least abundant. What it does not show is the actual quantity of each ingredient. As such, more people than ever before are reading the Nutrition Facts panel on product labels to truly understand what is in their food.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=28&z=1The bulk of concern surrounding gastric bypass surgery is emanating from the medical community. Some experts are worried that individuals opting for this rather dramatic surgery are not prepared to make post-procedure lifestyle changes. They point out that since gastric bypass surgery reduces the size of the stomach, and therefore the amount of food that a person can digest is severely reduced, an individual must be fully equipped to eat wisely after the procedure. This “wise eating” must include both the volume of post-procedure food that is eaten, and the number of calories that are eaten on a daily basis.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=27&z=1Diabetes, which affects more than 6% of the US population or over 18,000,000 people, is diagnosed when the body is not creating or effectively utilizing the hormone called insulin. As a result, much-needed energy from sugar, starch, and other sources are not being exploited as effectively as they should. This can lead to severe adverse health consequences, including nerve, ocular, and kidney problems.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=26&z=1Finally, a positive solution regarding America’s difficult and costly campaign to stem childhood obesity is emerging. For the thousands of children and their families who are currently battling with childhood obesity, this good news is long awaited.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=25&z=1Diets supported by meal replacement plans are often successful; and herein exists the potential problem. Once a dieter has lost his or her desired weight, there is a transition period from meal replacement food to “normal” food. Without the proper nutritional supplements in place to ensure that this transition is both smooth and long-term, a high number of dieters revert back to their pre-diet unhealthy eating habits.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=24&z=1The Glycemic Index indicates how “high” or “low” blood sugar levels change in response to carbohydrate intake. A “high” Glycemic Index indicates carbohydrates with a swift breakdown, whereas a “low” Glycemic Index indicates carbohydrates with slow, gradual breakdown. This article discusses the practical application of the Glycemic Index.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=23&z=1What is often overlooked in a nutrition vocabulary dominated by talk of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, is the plain fact that vitamin supplements play a critical role in an overall healthy eating program. It is a neglect that, ironically, derives from scientific misunderstanding.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=22&z=1The importance of protein in a healthy diet is well known to nutritional scientists, and widely understood by the general population. Indeed, every bodily system is directly or indirectly supported by protein. For example, protein supports the structural development of cells, helps ensure the integrity of tissue, aids digestion, carries hormones, and strengthens the immune system.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=21&z=1Dietary considerations can present a Hobson’s choice in diabetes. Even when the intake is nutritious, assimilating it can be another matter. Then there is the problem of progression of diabetic complications if one ends up with excess glucose or fat in the system. Excess carbohydrates in a meal, and the resulting uncontrolled blood sugar levels can be detrimental to any number of tissues, from the lens of the eye, to the neurons, small blood vessels and the kidneys. Fat is also a problem with increase incidences of atherosclerosis, large vessel disease and cardiac complications. What, then is the appropriate macronutrient for the diabetic population? Enough medical literature exists to suggest that in diabetes, proteins are probably the best bet.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=20&z=1In one way, the impassioned hatred of fat is positive. It reflects a generally understood medical truth that overindulging in fat-rich foods often causes unwanted, and unhealthy, weight gain. However, in another way, this fat-phobia is potentially dangerous, because awareness of fat is not enough; an understanding of how fat influences weight gain and overall health is required. Unfortunately, those who dread and avoid all fat “as a rule” are overlooking an important difference between saturated fat and unsaturated fat.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=19&z=1The relentless avoidance of fat – even of healthy unsaturated fat – is creating a troubling scenario for many individuals. Instead of losing weight when they go “fat free”, they are actually gaining weight.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=18&z=1Some camps lobby in favor of whey protein as the best protein source, while others advocate soy. Some claim that meat and poultry are the best source of protein, while others swear that a plant-based item such as spirulina ranks at the top. There are so many opinions – each one claiming to support the best source of protein – that consumers are often left less informed after reading a few of them, rather than more educated.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=17&z=1Eating the appropriate composition of protein is an unusually difficult challenge for many Americans. Many protein sources are not considered “complete” because they do not provide all of the required amino acids necessary in order to build newer proteins. These incomplete proteins are often derived from fruit, grain, vegetable, and nut sources. However, the alternative to these incomplete protein sources – such as meats and dairy – present their own unique dietary challenges.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=16&z=1While the value of protein in diet has been accepted and promoted within the athletic community, it has been less well disseminated within the very large sedentary population. Currently making up about 25% of Americans – or 1 in every 4 people – sedentary people are defined as those who undertake less than half an hour of moderate physical activity per day.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=15&z=1America’s focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention in the 1940s when President Roosevelt introduced the RDA, or Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) model. This model, which took on the shape of a pyramid in the 1980s (and hence now goes by the term “food pyramid”), has gone through a number of iterations since its inception more than 60 years ago. http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=14&z=1Americans of all ages live such busy, fast-paced lifestyles, that eating nutritious meals is seen as something of a luxury; to be enjoyed on special occasions or when one rarely has a few hours to prepare a complete meal. Seldom is this healthy eating challenge more pressing, however, than for the typical business traveler.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=13&z=1Americans are literally running out of time. Achieving a work-life balance, which is still a luxury for tens of millions of working parents, has been overtaken by an even greater demand: a work-life-nutrition balance. Unfortunately, this increasing demand for nutrition has not been accompanied by a useful strategy that enables people to reclaim time from their harried lives.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=12&z=1Within a generation, an unprecedented demographic reality will exist in the US: 1 in 5 Americans will be older than 65. This is indeed news worth celebrating, because it means that more Americans are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. Yet this trend also presents some very real health-related problems that American society must solve.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=11&z=1The proliferation of fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and vending machines in virtually every corner of residential America has created a serious nutritional problem. “Snacking” – a harmless-sounding verb that deceptively implies something unobjectionable – has reached addictive proportions.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=10&z=1Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary to a very outdated perception, this harm is not limited to those who suffer from obesity. In reality, according to the Directors of Health Promotion and Education, the majority of Americans exhibit unhealthy eating habits, with just over one in four women and only one in five men claiming to eat the minimum five daily servings of vegetables and fruits.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=9&z=1Strength is the cumulative expression of the innumerable myofibrils orderly arranged to form the muscle. Strength training attempts to boost these protein motors and the biological machinery that supports them. Resistance exercises create a biochemical environment in the body wherein the turnover of proteins is optimized and the protein synthetic machinery is primed for growth. All that is needed to trigger a spurt of growth is a protein rich meal. http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=8&z=1The cry of “I have no willpower!” often emerges from the consumers who jokingly surrender to their lack of will when it comes to eating something clearly unhealthy. However, scientific nutritional research has identified that something much more serious – much more dangerous – is often at work here. For many people, what they perceive as a harmless lack of willpower is actually an addiction; an addiction to chemicals that the brain secretes in response to stimulation by certain foods, such as chocolate or cheese.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=7&z=1A new development in nutrition research called ‘capsulized food’ aims to exceed consumer requirements for food. Pennsylvania-based Protica Research is the first of what will likely be many companies dabbling in this new food frontier. Among other development initiatives on their roster, Protica Research engineers liquid foods that are ultra-compact, nutrient-dense, and above all else, very palatable. Their first product, Profect®, delivers 25 grams of protein and the complete spectrum of water-soluble vitamins in less than three fluid ounces. This on-the-go nutrition has some consumers re-thinking their traditional eating habits.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=6&z=1Endurance Sports are like music concerts. They start at a low key, setting a steady rhythm and culminate into a crescendo that enthralls the spectator and the athlete. And not unlike an orchestra, endurance demands a flawless performance from every organ, testing the limits of their resilience. As each system, conducted by the human will, endures a pace bordering on fatigue, the athlete begins to hear music from the heart. What’s often neglected, and considered unnecessary, in endurance sports is a high-protein diet that can expand the aerobic capacity and power the performance.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=4&z=1Protein must be a part of a healthy diet for a simple reason: it is essential for life. Every single cell in the human body -- including bones, blood, skin, chemicals, and enzymes -- depend on protein for effective operation.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=3&z=1Fairly recently, health researchers have discovered another innovative application of the isometric concept in the health care field: nutrition. These researchers have identified that an isometric approach to diet – a.k.a. the “Isometric Diet” -- can lead to health improvement.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=2&z=1The Human Body is in a constant flux with the environment. Matter and molecules flow in and out, casting themselves into its complexities. Although the body lends them structure, it is the intake—the diet—that decides its physique. To control what goes in a diet is to choose what stays inside. Dietary decisions reflect an awareness of metabolism and the nutrients needed to modify it. There may be a host of diets purported for each activity and illness. However, the one macronutrient that is invariably required, in substantial amounts irrespective of the physiological state, is protein.http://www.protica.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=1&z=1