Sorry for the dramatic title.

It seems that soy is still being touted as a healthy food, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.  Another example of savvy marketing and a disregard for health on the part of manufacturers.  I simply cannot believe that the companies manufacturing most of the soy products on the market are not aware of the all the studies.

I’m going to keep this as short as possible, considering how there is so much information out there regarding the danger of soy.

Here is a list (from the FDA no less) of studies that indicate soy toxicity:

Soy is Toxic: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edjw/pltx.cgi?QUERY=soy

Here is a quick list describing the dangers of soy (complements of the West Price Foundation)

• High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
• Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
• Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
• Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
• Vitamin B₁₂ analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body’s requirement for B₁₂.
• Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D.
• Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
• Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
• Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.
• Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

The only soy products that are actually healthy are fermented.  I talk about this in part II of the Jeet Kune Do Nutrition Plan if you have not already read this.

Those of you drinking soy milk, better to switch to unsweetened rice or almond milk.  Even better to make your own nut milk fresh from whatever nuts you like (assuming you don’t have nut allergies).  The best option (for many people) would be to drink organic raw milk  from green pasture fed cows(refer to the raw milk post for more info).

Stay healthy,

In Health,

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

I mentioned raw milk in the Jeet Kune Do Nutrition Plan several months ago, and have been asked many questions since then.  There is a surprisingly small amount of information regarding milk, the dairy industry, and health that is not tainted by power and politics.

So, this post is my effort to offer some clarity and perhaps a solution for those who have found it difficult to obtain clean, natural, raw milk.

“Regular Milk” : This is the stuff you find in most stores.  If you have ever taken the time to look at the ingredients list on a milk container, you’ll often find that it doesn’t just say “milk”.  This really isn’t surprising considering all the bizarre things that can be found on store shelves that are considered food.

In any case, my point is that “regular milk” is a highly processed product that is designed to be profitable, not healthy.  Here are a few major selling points in milk advertising and their fallacies.

• Natural source of calcium:  this is true, but only if it is not pasteurized, as the high heat treatment interferes with the body’s ability to assimilate milk calcium.
• Good source of vitamin D:  this is also true, but only if the milk is from green pasture fed cows.  Vitamin D from “regular milk” is actually added in later, is synthetic, and potentially toxic.
• High quality protein: very true for raw milk, however pasteurization alters fragile milk proteins and forms highly allergenic byproducts that are usually the cause of most supposed milk allergies.
• Low fat:  why would anyone want low fat milk?  If you haven’t read up on my comments regarding healthy fats, this might be a good time.

Aside from the above issues, here are a few more things to consider:

• Organic milk:  the term “organic” is something that is being thrown around a lot in the food industry because it’s trendy, but it’s meaning is rather vague.  Although many brands of “organic” milk might be better than “regular milk” they are still low quality foods.  Organic milk may come from grain fed cows raised indoors and rarely see sunlight.  Unless it says “from grass fed cows”, it’s not good.  Cows are designed to eat grass, not corn and soy.
• Pasteurized:  I mentioned this already, but this is a big factor.  Keep in mind that most dairies do, in fact need to pasteurize their milk.  The poor health of many commercial dairy cows leads to infected milk (yes, that means pus, slime, and other nasty things, from mastitis suffering cows), so processing removes bacterial pathogens through heat and centrifugation.  Often times you will also see “ultra pasteurized” as though this was a good thing.  This just means it is processed with extremely high heat to extend shelf life.
• Homogenization: this is a commercial process that has no value whatsoever aside from the aesthetic.  This is a process of destroying the natural structures within milk so that it does not separate into milk and cream.  Milk is a highly complex fluid that is perfectly designed to deliver nutrition and protective immune factors to calves.  Homogenization, is a final slap in the face of nutrition by neutralizing beneficial substances and creating harmful byproducts.

The final issue I will cover is the safety of raw milk.

Raw milk has many built in protective factors that prevent contamination and even destroy pathogens.  Yes, milk is a living substance complete with enzymes, leukocytes, macrophages, symbiotic flora, and more, that protect it.  Studies have shown that healthy raw milk that is intentionally infected with harmful bacteria will actually attack and neutralize the invading pathogens.

I get my milk from Organic Pastures, who not only pasture feed their cows, but also use a proprietary mobile barn milking process so that cows are free to roam without having to be moved back to unsanitary conditions for processing.  They also test their milk daily for safety.

Milk from Organic pastures can be purchased and shipped directly from their dairy in Fresno, from some specialty retailers (like Whole Foods) and from the Milk Hub Sale in San Fernando.

Those of you in the San Gabriel Valley and especially Pasadena who would like to have easy access to raw milk products may contact me through this blog regarding a local milk coop in January.  I can also be reached via the Jeet Kune Do contact page at http://www.sgvjeetkunedo.com/contact.html

In Health,

-
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
Jeet Kune Do Los Angeles

Jeet Kune Do Nutrition Plan Part I
Jeet Kune Do Nutrition Plan Part II
Jeet Kune Do Nutrition Plan Part III
Our Misunderstood Friends: Cholesterol and Saturated Fat

In Part I of this post, I described briefly the emotional component of sparring endurance.

The natural followup, of course, is the physical component.

There is actually quite a lot of material available on physical conditioning for combat sports and martial arts, especially with the rise of Mixed Martial Arts.  The truly professional MMA fighters are some of most well conditioned functional athletes out there, and the imagination that is going into training these guys is tremendous.

For this post, I’m going to talk about a few concepts that can go a long way in your own training.

1. Flexibility
2. Selective tension
3. Technique specific endurance
4. Body Mechanics

This is by no means, an exhaustive exploration into the development of endurance and stamina, but it does cover some lesser known aspects.

Flexibility: Everyone knows that stretching is good right? But what does flexibility have to do with endurance and stamina?  Basically, if your body is tight, your muscles have to work against that resistance to execute any movement.  There is actually a lot more to it, but in simplified terms this is pretty direct.  Keep in mind, however that flexibility training should have a significant strength development component.  Being a flexible but limp noodle will not help your sparring!

Selective Tension: Have you ever wondered why a movement that requires extreme strength will generally result in the flexion of unrelated muscles?  This is probably due to a hardwired neurological protective mechanism, but it doesn’t really help with “scientific” combat.  The Hulk can probably get away with it, but the technical fighter that wants to economize energy expenditure would benefit from a reduction in this “bulk” system-wide tension.  This is trained primarily via awareness and conscious effort.

Technique Specific Endurance: Just is as the term implies, developing endurance specific to an movement is important.  There is a reason someone who throws lots of kicks on a regular basis can probably kick for a longer period of time than someone who doesn’t.  Of course, there is more involved that just endurance, but this is a crucial factor.  Basically, rigorously train all the things that you would normally do in sparring.  This could mean kicks, punches, evasions, footwork, etc.

Body Mechanics:  A punch is just a punch, and a kick is just a kick, but a technical punch is so much better than a “natural” punch.  When fatigue sets in, biomechanics become king.  As such, internalizing good technique for efficient force transfer really pays off when your muscles are screaming for a break.   A good way to develop this is by focusing on good form when you are already fatigued.  This really forces efficient use what strength and explosiveness is left.

These are some good guidlines that can be easily added to an existing training regimen for real a boost in performance.  Keep in mind however, that endurance and stamina are very complex subjects when placed in such a dynamic environment as sparring.

In any case, the best thing to do is simply to get going! . . . or better yet, come join us at one of the SGV Jeet Kune Do Drills & Conditioning classes in Pasadena.  If that doesn’t improve your strength, endurance, stamina, and overall fitness, I don’t know what will!

See you in class,

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

Presenting the new San Gabriel Valley Jeet Kune Do Functional fitness class demo video.

Our methods are carefully designed to develop and lock in combative arts level strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination.

Largely focusing on core strength with holistic sensory and muscular integration, the fitness component of SGV JKD Martial Arts classes introduce powerful techniques to improve health and overall fitness.

For more information about our West Covina and Pasadena martial arts and fitness classes visit:

http://www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

In Health,

-

Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
Jeet Kune Do Los Angeles

Here’s a little tidbit that came up recently and that I feel has deep significance:  “What is Kung Fu, or ‘Gung Fu’”, as Bruce Lee called it?

Most of us recognize it as Wushu or Shaolin Kung Fu, when in fact there are many many different styles.

Much to my surprise, quite a few Jeet Kune Do practitioners don’t seem to realize that Jeet Kune Do is a form of Kung Fu.  After all, the modern Western understanding of Kung Fu is any Chinese martial art, and Bruce Lee called his system “my Gung Fu”.

In any case, I think most JKDers (or any martial artist for that matter) might benefit from the classical meaning of Kung Fu.  Given how symbolic and metaphorical the Chinese language is, the Western understanding will generally be fairly vague . . . . . but here goes.

Kung Fu (according to Wikipedia) alludes to any individual accomplishment or cultivated skill obtained by long and hard work.

Essentially, the Chinese emphasis is not just the end result but rather the journey as well.  The process and discipline of learning, discovery, achievement, and mastery are essential to Kung Fu.  This, of course, applies to all things in life that are truly worth while.

Having said that, I am always interested in learning shortcuts and nifty little tricks to accomplish this and that, but real skill is cultivated through iron will, self discovery, and dedication.

Everyone is capable of this, but it seems few are willing to follow through.

Sometimes the road is easy and enjoyable, and sometimes it is painful and grueling.   I believe that both paths are actually choices made at a conscious or subconscious level and for whatever reason, many choose the latter path which often times leads away from success.

Speaking of which, I’ll take this opportunity to mention how proud I am of all my students who actually give Jeet Kune Do a fighting chance.  The work we do goes well beyond exercise and self defense and it takes a certain strength of character to stick it through.

I’ll stop here, but I just wanted to throw this out there as food for thought.

If you haven’t already, come by and check out some real Kung Fu in Pasadena at San Gabriel Valley Jeet Kune Do

In Health,

-
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
Jeet Kune Do Los Angeles

Okay, so I have been asked by three separate people on three separate occasions within a one week period on the subject of whether agave nectar is a healthy sweetener.  I don’t believe in fate, but I know when the cosmic forces (or whatever you want to call it) demand a specific action.  At this particular moment, agave nectar beckons . . .

My first experience with agave was in 2003 during a health expo at UCLA.  There was a group selling bottles of agave nectar claiming that it is a healthy natural sweetener made from the heart of the agave plant used by the Aztecs.  The main selling point was that it has a low glycemic index. meaning that it has little effect on blood sugar.

I generally don’t use sweeteners much unless I happen to be cooking a dessert or something, so I never really followed up on it.  I also did not realize that it is so prevalent, especially in the vegetarian and vegan community.

It turns out that the whole agave-nectar-as-a health-food is just another example of saavy marketing turning an unhealthy substance into a trendy “natural” product.

So what is it?

Agave nectar is basically the sap of a desert succulent.  At its unprocessed state it is actually barely sweet.  The liquid is then heated to hyrdolize the long chain sugar polymers (mainly inulin) into their smaller constituents, in this case mainly fructose and glucose.  Thus a sweet agave nectar is born.

The final product is about 70 to 90% fructose, hence the low glycemic index.  Keep in mind that high fructose corn syrup is only about 55% fructose and we all know that corn syrup is really bad right?

Fructose in such a concentrated form (fruits do not have nearly this level of fructose) can lead to VERY many health issues in the long run.  First of all, fructose is directly processed by the liver, meaning that it will turn into fat much quicker that glucose in addition to significantly raising blood triglycerides.

I cannot stress enough how problematic industrial processed fructose is for health, especially considering how prevalent it is in the processed food industry.

The best solution is simply to reduce consumption of processed foods.  Honey is a good sweetener, but like any other concentrated source of sugar, moderation is key.

In Health,

-
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
Jeet Kune Do Los Angeles

The long awaited San Gabriel Valley Jeet Kune Do logo is now complete thanks to design student Nelson Wah.  Anyone interested in hiring Nelson may reach him through this blog.

Check it out!

-
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
Jeet Kune Do Los Angeles

Trapping is a much debated topic in the Jeet Kune Do / Jun Fan Gung Fu / Wing Chun community.

Here is a very nice video, featuring Sifu Tim Tackett and myself, that should answer many questions regarding the effectiveness.

As always, the ultimate goal is not a “crystalization” of techniques and methods, but rather reflexive adaptability.

So does trapping work?  Absolutely.

Does it look as pretty and clean as it does in drills?  Usually not.

Enjoy!

Trapping against resistance (part 1) from Michael Blesch on Vimeo.

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

The first time sparring for anyone is a rather special event in the sense that it tends to leave a lasting impression, heavily influencing the way sparring is approached from that point forward.

Assuming the sparring session was done in a safe environment with a safety conscious partner, the most common feeling one is left with immediately following a session is an intense drain of energy and lack of air.

Naturally, the question that usually follows is, “How can I improve my endurance?”

Increasing endurance for sparring is a simple concept, but like most things in Jeet Kune Do, simple is not necessarily easy!

There are two major categories of elements that highly influence how one feels before, during, and after sparring:

1. Emotional
2. Physical

The emotional aspect is one that is often overlooked, but the fact of the matter is that the activity between your ears plays a major factor determining whether you float like a butterfly . . . or not.

Just to mention briefly some of the cascading emotion driven factors, excitation (Epinephrine driven) will give a short boost of energy (among other things) then quickly follow by a system crash that manifests itself as extreme tiredness and symptoms of shock.  The unfocused mind tends to go into a supercharged ramble of nonsense while a hyperactive state of alertness and reactivity not only tax the processing load on the brain, but also send a jumble of conflicting, energy consuming messages to the muscles.

This is where the mental/emotional/spiritual training in martial arts becomes critical.  Rather than being controlled by our emotions, we can harness that force to increase power, awareness, endurance, reflexes, precision, etc., culminating in an overall boost in effectiveness.

Two factors that I have found extremely useful in harnessing “emotional content” are experience and being in the moment.  Experience helps to tone down the overreaction that comes with engaging the unknown.  Being in the moment is an exercise that lightens the mental and psychological load by tightening the focus to what is relevant and present rather than spending energy on the past, future, or simply that which is inconsequential.

The progressive reactive drills we practice in class are excellent for developing this focus by beginning with a single controlled element and slowly expanding to more, all while developing a combat specific physical intelligence.

The key to this form of training is letting go and allowing yourself to truly feel, and consequently express . . . which is precisely why it is so challenging.

To be free from one’s own self imposed doubts, fears, restrictions, etc., is our greatest challenge.  As Bruce Lee said “To express oneself honestly . . . not lying to oneself . . . is very difficult to do — and you have to train.  You have to keep your reflexes so that when you want it — it’s there!  When you want to move, you are moving, and when you move, you are determined to move. . . to become one with it.”

Look for part 2 of this post soon, where I will discuss the physical elements of increasing endurance and stamina for sparring.

In Health,

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

We are now in the thick of the flu season and so many people are getting sick.

Flu vaccinations have become a pretty standard practice among Americans.  But do they really work?

Like many things in today’s modern world, greed and saavy marketing can often distort simple facts.

Here is an interesting recorded phone conversation made to a flu vaccine manufacturer.

Better to stay healthy, through positive lifestyle habits.

In Health,

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com