GUEST BLOG: Ground Based Nutrition, "Natures Best... Nothing Less!" - Amber Sperling

Are you looking for an all-in-one nutritional shake derived from only the finest whole foods? Look no further, Ground Based Nutrition, an innovative leader in the health and food supplement industry has you covered. 

As a plant-based athlete, I have experimented with various supplements in a pursuit to find the product which best fits my needs. With that being said, I believe I found my catalyst.Ground-Based Nutrition’s super food protein smoothie provides me with the energy I need to push-through my workouts, and provide me with a nutrition packed on-the-go drink for those hectic mornings! 

About Ground Based Nutrition

"Nature's Best... Nothing Less!",  Ground Based Nutrition emphasizes their belief that, better health starts from the ground up. In a market saturated with artificial sweeteners, man-made synthetic chemicals,  dyes, and additives, it becomes cumbersome to differentiate between what is good and bad. Ground Based Nutrition states clearly that their products are created with only the finest ingredients derived from mother earth, as nature intended; all of Ground Based Nutrition's products are made with 100% natural organic ingredients,  no artificial sweeteners, colors, dyes, additives, or man-made synthetic chemicals. 

Superfood Protein Smoothie
 

Ground Based Nutrition's Superfood Protein Smoothie is a nutritional shake which contains a blend of plant-based proteins, greens, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes.

Plant-based protein: Pea protein isolate, organic hemp seed protein, whole grain brown rice protein, sacha inchi protein, and European potato protein isolate provide a superior nutritional and functional value.

Greens: Alfalfa, wheat and barley grass combined with broccoli, kale and spirulina provide a powerful and complete super greens complex

High Fiber: Both hemp seed and sacha inchi protein are excellent sources of dietary fiber, and inulin is an all-natural soluble vegetable fiber that nourishes the good intestinal flora which helps promote digestive health and improved immune function.

Healthy Fats: Hemp seed protein and sacha inchi protein are high in essential fatty acids (EFAs) and both contain healthy Omega-3, -6 and -9 fats in an ideal ratio.   Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) derived from coconut oil are used by the body for energy.

Vitamins & Minerals: Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae which provides vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to the body to help prevent cellular damage.  Maca is a nutritionally dense superfood that contains high amounts of minerals, vitamins, enzymes and all of the essential amino acids.

Digestive Enzymes: A proprietary enzyme blend facilitates the breakdown of nutrients for higher absorption and assimilation.

Ground-Based Nutrition’s Superfood Protein Smoothie nutritional profile is at the top of it’s competitors. Not only that, it tastes amazing and mixes easily! Check out how it stacks up against the competition here: http://www.ground-based.com/resources/daily-health-2/how-does-your-plant-based-protein-stackup.

Make sure to check out our facebook page for helpful hints, recipes, and discounts: https://www.facebook.com/GroundBasedNutrition.

More about Amber can be found at http://www.veganbodybuilding.org/amber.htm

GUEST POST: Soy Protein Isolate by Rob Di Franco

Editors note: Soya is a hotly debated issue, which is surprising as the science has all really pointed one way in recent years.  Issues of GMOs & propaganda has muddied the issue to such an extent that many people are unclear what is fact & what is fiction.  On the Vegan Bodybuilding forum we've have spent some time gathering a lot of the science about soya together.  We don't really delve so much into the whole GMO side (as the science hasn't been done on that at all), but more the whole oestrogen/feminising effects debate, you can find a lot of the research about soya & health on the forum & we are adding to it all the time as new information is discovered so you can join in & keep up to date by going here & checking out the forum. Now on with the post...

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Ideal for Vegans, Soy Protein Isolate offers a lot more to consumers than your average protein shake.

For those who are unsure, Soy Protein is made from Soya flakes that are defatted and have most of the carbohydrates removed. It’s considered an excellent protein source amongst fitness enthusiasts and contains essential amino acids.

Soy Protein Isolate also boasts the highest score of protein digestibility corrected amino acid (PDCAAS) meaning that it’s of the highest quality protein. It’s also a slow digesting product, making it ideal to consume during the evening to fuel your body throughout a period in which your body looks to recover the most (during your sleep).

Ideal for building and maintaining muscle, Soy Protein Isolate is gluten free and lactose friendly. Aimed also at improving your general health, this impressive supplement also consists of a high Arginine content, which has been shown to increase blood flow in the body, thus leading to an increased recovery time.

It was once thought that Soy Protein Isolate would affect oestrogen production but, further research has shown that it doesn’t and in fact only affects oestrogen in a positive way by contributing to healthy oestrogen levels.

Soy Protein is an ideal supplement for vegans looking for a high quality protein supplement, which is rich in amino acids and provides you with numerous health benefits. 

A note about the author:
Rob Di Franco works for the supplement company Pro-10, for more details about their company check them out here

REVIEW: American Weightlifting DVD

I just got this disc through the post yesterday.  It's the new video by Greg Everett looking at weightlifting in the US today.  If you are into weightlifting, you will know that the US is not a great weightlifting nation, but it does dominate the media in terms of reporting weightlifting.  It is the names of the Americans that most us actually know in the English speaking world.  This DVD is more of a retrospective look at the sport than I expected, it had mostly the older guys in the sport & not so much the newer people, which was fine as it helps give us some idea of where these newer people actually came from & the possibly the reasons why the US is going through something of a revival in weightlifting at the moment.  One of the best things I noticed about the DVD was the use of females of all weight classes.  It seems in society today that it is ok for the strongest guys to be bigger guys, but for some reason woman are supposed to lift big & yet be totally skinny?  Well, I do have news for you, to lift the biggest weight you are going to be big!  You will have a belly, you will not be lean, you need what could be called "functional fat".  To be honest I'm not sure the science is totally understood, but it is a fact that mass moves mass & you will never be the strongest, most powerful person without some fat.  If you are in a lighter weight class, then yes you can do well as a super lean lifting athlete, but as a super-heavy you will carry some fat to be the best whether you are male or female.  So, it was great showing that a female carrying more fat is a true athlete & to be honest my max was almost certainly her warm-up weight.

It's great to see someone other than a super-thin female lifter represented in a movie

This wasn't a movie for you if you have no interest in weightlifting.  It is not a 'how to' guide, it is simply a look at weightlifting in the US today, where it came from & where it is going in the future.  It showed youngsters lifting, a few teams lifting, if you looked it showed that if you wanted to try the sport then you should be prepared to fail as often (or more often) than you succeed, that you will be stuck at a weight for weeks, maybe months at a time & that you will never master the sport.  It is probably one of the least rewarding sports in terms of monetary or results as a lot of the time it will cost you money to do, it will take you years to actually get reasonable & then once you get beyond that every Kg will be a battle.  On the up side, every Kg you add is like a real victory, every contest you meet up with great people & there is something very unique in the lifts that cannot be found by doing curls or dumbbell kickbacks (not that I have problem with either of those exercises, but trust me when I say it is not the same as throwing a weight over your head & catching it).  For those who try it, you will either like it or you won't; for those that do like it, then this DVD is for you, for those who don't then maybe 'pumping iron' or the Ed Coan powerlifting DVD might be a better choice depending on the sort of lifting you enjoy?  I enjoyed it a lot, so hopefully some of you will as well.