THE FORGOTTEN NUTRIENTS.....CHLORELLA
As athletes we are constantly being bombarded with ads for the ‘latest and greatest' new supplements. It seems that not a month goes by without some new ‘super product' being announced that is guaranteed to boost muscle growth, increase testosterone levels and enhance your energy levels. However, in the midst of all the frenzy, some ‘old school' nutrients slip by completely unnoticed and are given little or no attention as all the focus is placed on the ‘next great thing'. One such nutrient is Chlorella and it deserves your attention for a number of reasons.
So read on and discover why adding this ‘super nutrient' to your diet can make a significant difference to your training, recovery and overall health.....
INTRODUCING CHLORELLA
Chlorella is a single-celled freshwater micro-algae which is widely recognized as one of the most potent nutritional whole foods on earth. This remarkable plant contains the highest known quality of chlorophyll found in a nature. Chlorophyll has a chemical structure very similar to hemoglobin; it carries oxygen around in the blood and builds up the red blood cell count. On a mg for mg basis, Chlorella has five times more chlorophyll than wheat grass, twelve times more than barley and nearly ten times more than alfalfa.
Here are just some of the nutrients found in Chlorella:
As to the actual benefits on your overall health, chlorella is known to:
CHLORELLA AND BODYBUILDING...THE GROWTH FACTOR
As impressive as all these qualities are, Chlorella contains one very important nutrient which is of special interest to bodybuilders - CGF.
Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) is still a bit of a mystery in the scientific world; however it is recognized as a combination of RNA, DNA, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It is the CGF itself which facilitates Chlorella's remarkable ability to quadruple in quantity every 20 hours - something that no other plant or substance on earth can do. The DNA of the chlorella plant is programmed for ultimate survival and replication. Chlorella growth factor appears to have hormone like qualities and, although it does not make adults grow faster, it does stimulate tissue repair - even if that tissue has been ulcerated or damaged and has failed to heal using traditional methods.
In the human body, RNA/DNA is responsible for directing cellular renewal, growth and repair. However, by the age of twenty our nucleic acid levels begin to decrease and this can lead to a weakened immunity to viruses and disease as well as premature aging. Chlorella, by virtue of its superior RNA/DNA content can strengthen immunity by improving the activity of T-cells and B-cells which defend us from viruses and disease.
In fact, Dr Benjamin Frank was the first to draw our attention to the importance of RNA/DNA in our diet when it came to slowing the aging process. He suggested that by eating foods high in these nucleic acids we could avoid the onset of some of the chronic, degenerative illnesses associated with getting older. Since Dr Frank's research was originally conducted, it has been established that chlorella is in fact 3% RNA and 0.3% DNA by weight, this means it contains 5 times the RNA content of canned sardines - the food originally cited as the best source of RNA/DNA in Dr Frank's book, ‘No Aging Diet'.
CHLORELLLA AS A TOXIN REMOVER
In addition to its healing properties, Chlorella is also a very powerful supplement when it comes to removing environmental pollutants from your body. The indigestible cellulose of Chlorella's cell wall attracts and binds with heavy-metal poisons such as lead, mercury and cadmium and removes them from your body. It also facilitates the removal of hydrocarbon pesticides and insecticides such as DDT, PCB's and kepone. All of these environmental poisons are considered to be major contributors to free radical damage which can lead to cancer, brain damage, liver and kidney failure and many other serious conditions. Chlorella also has as protective effect on the liver and lowers blood cholesterol and triglycerides.
CHLORELLA, BLOOD SUGAR AND WEIGHT LOSS
Chlorella has been shown to normalize blood sugar in cases of hypoglycemia and can be useful in stabilizing diabetes. It does this via its ability to support and balance pancreatic functions. Studies have also revealed that Chlorella may exert a favorable influence on weight loss. The fact that Chlorella is a whole food and contains 60% protein means that it satisfies the appetite while also boosting energy levels. Many people who add Chlorella to their diet find that they are able to resist the snacking habit that sabotages many weight loss programs.
CHLORELLA...THE FINAL WORD
Given its effects on tissue healing, its remarkable ability to remove toxins from the body and its benefits as an addition to any weight loss program it is not hard to see why Chlorella deserves a special place on your supplement shelf. Incidentally, when combined with a high quality fish oil supplement the two seem to work synergistically as anti-inflammatory and tissue healing aids.
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