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#1 Multivitamins

Multivitamins fill in gaps in today’s nutrient-depleted food, and provides nutritional insurance that we’re getting the vitamins we need for great health. Parrillo Performance’s Essential Vitamin Formula™ starts with a 500 mg base of vitamin C and adds in vitamin A, B-1, B-2, B-6, and B-12, plus a jolt of folic acid, and for the Grand Finale, 5,000 iu of beta-carotene, the mightiest of antioxidants. This perfect combination of vitamins and minerals will help keep you going by supplying your body with much needed vitamin insurance. Suggested usage: One tablet with each meal.

#2 Vitamin C

With exercise, there’s a dramatic increase in the amount of oxygen used by your body. A fraction of this oxygen is converted into “free radicals.” Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that attack
bodily tissues. (1)

Fortunately, the body is equipped with a mighty defense team of substances known as antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals and prevent them from doing harm. Vitamin C is one of these antioxidants. It keeps free radicals from destroying the outermost layers of cells and has the power to regenerate vitamin E, another antioxidant. (2)

Normally, free radicals don’t cause much of a problem. But during strenuous activity, free radicals can start outnumbering antioxidants – a condition called “oxidative stress.” It leads to muscle tissue damage and inflammation, increases the body’s consumption of antioxidants, and leaves you vulnerable to disease. (3)

You may be able to ward off oxidative stress, however, by supplementing with vitamin C. In a recent experiment, investigators discovered that oxidative stress was highest when subjects did not supplement with vitamin C. (4)

To ensure that you get the vitamin C your body demands, supplementation with extra amounts than you get in our multivitamin is an excellent idea. Our Bio-C™ formula contains 1000 mg of vitamin C per tablet, and is formulated with health-building Citrus Bioflavonoids (concentrate from lemons, oranges, grapefruit, limes, tangerines). Take one or more tablet daily, preferably with meals

#3 Vitamin D

You’ll get sufficient levels of this important vitamin in our multivitamin, but I wanted to underline its importance separately. Inadequate levels of vitamin D increase risk for a host of conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, cancers, arthritis, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and overall risk of premature death. So you definitely want this nutrient in your supplemental arsenal!

#4 Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a component of cells, sandwiched between the fatty layers that make up cell membranes. When disease-causing free radicals come along, they hitch up to vitamin E, damaging it instead of the rest of the cell membrane. In the process, vitamin E soaks up the free radicals, and the cell is protected from harm. Vitamin C and other antioxidants can regenerate vitamin E. But with a shortage of vitamin E, there is an increase in free radicals, cellular injuries, and subsequent disorders to bodily
tissues.

Vitamin E is thus an important antioxidant that saves cells from damage. Specifically, vitamin E prevents a free radical-initiated process known as “lipid peroxidation.” In a domino-like series of chemical reactions, free radicals hook up with fatty acids in the body to form substances called “peroxides.” Peroxides attack cell membranes, setting off a chain reaction that creates many more free radicals.

Because of vitamin E’s positive effect on the immune system and other factors, I believe supplementation with this vitamin is important. Our Natural Vitamin E Plus™, made from natural vegetable sources and therefore well assimilated by the body, is a good source of vitamin E. I recommend 1 capsule a day, taken with meals.

#5 Multiminerals

Many trace minerals play key roles in energy metabolism. During intense exercise, the rate of energy turnover in skeletal muscle may be increased up to 20 to 100 times the resting rate. Although an adequate vitamin and mineral status is essential for normal health, marginal deficiency states may occur when the metabolic rate is high.

Prolonged strenuous exercise performed on a regular basis may also result in increased losses from the body or in an increased rate of turnover, resulting in the need for an increased dietary intake, from food and supplements. Increasing your calories from lean, nutritious food, such as the foods recommended on the Parrillo Nutrition Program, can help increase your intake of trace minerals, but exercisers may need to pay additional attention to their intake, particularly of iron and
calcium.

Per tablet, Parrillo Mineral-Electrolyte™ contains 250 mg of calcium, 5 mg of iron, 250 mg of phosphorus, 75 mcg of iodine in the form of kelp, 250 mg of magnesium, 11 mg of zinc, 50 mcg of selenium, 500 mcg of copper, 10 mg of manganese, 25 mcg of chromium picolinate, 45 mg of potassium, 500 mcg of boron, along with other nutrients. I recommend that you take one tablet with each meal during the day for improved metabolism and well-being.

#6 Fish Oil

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fats that your body needs to function properly but does not make. Humans must eat them through food, which means eating seafood, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel or shellfish. Among the most potent omega-3s fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Fish oil has an impressive resume of benefits. Fish oil and the omega-3 fatty acids it contains can help you boost your exercise performance. In a study of 32 healthy men, researchers found that supplementation with fish oil boosted aerobic power almost as much as the aerobic exercise itself! (5)

Fish oil may also prevent breast cancer. It combats inflammation and improves virtually all aspects of health, including the heart, skin, brain, joints, and overall mood.

Each capsule of Parrillo Fish Oil DHA 800 EPA 200™ contains 1100 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids; this includes 800 milligrams of DHA and 200 milligrams of EPA. I suggest supplementing with 2 capsules daily, taken with meals.

#7 Evening Primrose Oil

Evening primrose oil in particular has specific benefits for athletes, bodybuilders – really, anyone who is interested in improving personal health and fitness. It comes from a plant that grows wild along roadsides. It is so named because its yellow flowers resemble in color real primroses, and these flowers open only in the evening.

From this oil, your body can directly obtain GLA, which stands for gamma-linolenic acid. GLA is ultimately converted into the prostaglandin E1 series, a group of beneficial chemicals that helps reduce inflammation, regulates blood clotting, decreases cholesterol levels, and lowers high blood pressure, among other functions. Thus, evening primrose oil is indicated for various diseases or conditions in which prostaglandins are associated, and these include premenstrual syndrome (PMS); heart disease; diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve damage that is a complication of diabetes; and arthritis. A growing number of medical experts and scientists now believe that taking GLA-rich oils can effectively fight inflammation – the major cause of swollen, painful joints. GLA is a building block of a beneficial type of prostaglandin, which exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Thus, supplementing with GLA increases production of these prostaglandins and may help control the pain and inflammation associated with joint problems and arthritis.

The Parrillo Performance solution is Evening Primrose Oil™ a concentrated source of essential fatty acids, including GLA. EFA’s keep joints lubricated, hair and skin healthy, and brain neurons firing correctly. Each 1000 mg gel cap contains 30 IU’s of vitamin E, 100 mg of Gamma Linolenic Acid and 760 mg of Linoleic Acid. Take one to three capsules daily.

#8 Glucosamine & Support Nutrients

Our ongoing research recently led us to develop the Parrillo Joint Formula™ to assist in the rebuilding of damaged joints, tendons, cartilage, and soft tissue. The nutrients contained in this supplement include:

Glucosamine: Chemically, glucosamine is a combination of glucose and amino acids, and it has been extensively studied for joint health and support. When you supplement with glucosamine, it gathers in the liver, kidneys and articular cartilage. Once it reaches the chondrocytes, the cells that produce cartilage, the glucosamine is incorporated into those cells. Eventually, it forms a viscous fluid that helps protect and lubricate your joints and cartilage.

Chrondroitin: Like glucosamine, this is another one of the molecules that make up cartilage. One of its functions is to attract fluid into the tissue, and this gives cartilage resistance and elasticity. Also like glucosamine, chondroitin appears to stimulate cartilage cells to create new cartilage and it may also slow the breakdown of cartilage.

Shark Cartilage: This supplement can provide relief to painful, swollen, and stiff joints. The secret to shark cartilage’s success in treating arthritis primarily lies in the complex carbohydrates it contains: mucopolysaccharides, which relieve the chronic and painful inflammation that is so injurious to joints. Other benefits of shark cartilage are to regulate the immune system and prevent new blood vessel growth into the cartilage of the joints. European researchers have reported dramatic reductions in pain and inflammation in arthritis patients supplementing with shark cartilage.

Green Sea Mussel: This nutrient supports the restoration and maintenance processes of synovial fluid and connective tissues, joints, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and intervertebral discs. The suggested usage is one or two tablets three times a day. (Joint Formula™ should not be taken if you are allergic to seafood.)

Keep in mind that all these products should be used in conjunction with The Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program for best results.

References

1. Ji LL. Exercise, oxidative stress, and antioxidants. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1996;24:S20-S24.

2. Kanter MM. Free radicals, exercise, and antioxidant supplementation. International Journal of Sport Nutrition. 1994;4:205-220.

3. Ji LL. Exercise, oxidative stress, and antioxidants. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1996;24:S20-S24.

4. Alessio HM, et al. Exercise-induced oxidative stress before and after vitamin C supplementation. International Journal of Sport Nutrition. 1997;7:1-9.

5. Bucci, L. 1993. Nutrients as ergogenic aids for sports and exercise. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.

Mass Stack

When it comes to getting in the best possible shape, the subject of supplements becomes an important one for you to implement. You need to know which supplements work best, and which ones work best together. The technical term for this is “stacking.” In this column, I’m going to talk about the best “mass stack” for gaining lean muscle. Using the following supplements synergistically will help you make great gains, along with hard training.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine has been the subject of more than 400 research studies in the past 10 years, focusing primarily on muscle performance and size both in athletes and in individuals with neuromuscular diseases. Creatine is a key nutrient in muscle energy production, and it also appears to increase muscle size.

What can you expect from creatine? Typically, hard-training bodybuilders can expect an increase of 4 to 14 pounds of lean mass during the first month of use. The more muscle mass you have, the more creatine you can assimilate leading to greater weight gains. We’ve seen athletes experience a 5 to 15 percent increase in strength on their maximum lifts and an increase of about 2 reps per set with their working weight during the first month. This increase in intensity allows you to put a greater load on the muscle, which will indeed increase your gains in muscle mass over time.

The way to use creatine is to start with a loading phase, which usually is 20 grams a day for five to seven days. To do this, take five grams (one teaspoon) four times a day, for five to seven days. This is followed by the maintenance phase, which is five to ten grams a day. After only one month, you should see a noticeable increase in size and strength. Parrillo Creatine Monohydrate™ is the highest purity creatine supplement available. Take creatine monohydrate with your meals or supplement drink as this will facilitate absorption.

Whey Protein

Whey is one of the highest quality proteins found in protein supplements. It is a component of milk that is separated from milk to make cheese and other dairy products. Whey is among the most rapidly digested of all supplemental proteins. What this means to you is that the amino acids in whey are rapidly absorbed so that the processes of repair and growth can be accelerated.  In addition, whey is loaded with various health-building nutrients, including B-complex vitamins, selenium, calcium, and iodine.

A mass-gaining benefit of whey protein is its potential to stimulate IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) production. IGF-1 is structurally and functionally similar to insulin. It enhances protein synthesis and increases muscle growth.

Whey protein is found in the following Parrillo products: Optimized Whey Protein™, Hi-Protein Powder™, 50/50 Plus Powder™, All-Protein Powder™, Hi-Protein Pancake & Muffin Mix™, Hi-Protein Low Carb Pudding™, Hi-Protein Cake & Cupcake Mix™, Protein Frosting Mix™, Contest Cookie Mix™, Contest Brownie Mix™, Protein Ice Kreem Mix™, and all of the Parrillo bar varieties. Any of these products can be taken either before or after workouts for a muscle-building effect.

How to Stack: You can also make a shake by combining creatine with any of our whey-containing protein powders.

CapTri®

Researchers in Spain found that dietary manipulation with special lipids, like CapTri®, can cause more than a 900 percent increase in growth hormone levels – a peak that is reached two hours after ingestion and is maintained for over three hours (1).

Just think: If you’re eating every two or three hours like you should be on the Parrillo Nutrition Program and supplementing with CapTri®, you can keep your growth hormone levels naturally elevated each day. So that’s why CapTri®, a powerful medium chain triglyceride oil formulated by Parrillo Performance, works so well when used in conjunction with proper nutrition.

How to Stack: Put a tablespoon or two of CapTri® in your whey-
creatine shake.

BCAAs

I talked about branched-chain aminos in detail last month, but I want to emphasize that they should be a part of the mass stack. It is well known that the branched chain amino acids stimulate insulin secretion. Some of the newer studies also indicate an increase in growth hormone and testosterone following BCAA administration. Also, they suppress the use of muscle proteins as fuel. The insulin effect probably also has something to do with this. Importantly, the BCAAs which are not oxidized as fuel are very prone to be retained by muscle and incorporated into muscle proteins. Thus they are both a powerful anabolic as well as an anti-catabolic stimulus. (Keep in mind this is not meant to be a comprehensive review of BCAA metabolism. This is just an update from our previous reports. Please refer to the website for more detailed information.) Our Muscle Amino Formula™ contains BCAAs.

How to Stack: In addition to taking 2 Muscle Amino Formula™ capsules with every meal, and take 3-5 or more capsules particularly before or after your workout with the CapTri®, whey, and creatine combo.

Growth Hormone Releasers

Growth hormone promotes growth of nearly all the tissues of the body, including bones and internal organs. It stimulates cell division, causing tissues to grow. You can also optimize GH release through nutrition and supplementation. A diet higher in protein seems to promote GH
release.

Certain combinations of specific amino acids, such as found in our Enhanced GH Formula™, are shown to enhance GH release. Probably the best way to use these is on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, right before a workout, and before bed. You don’t actually take this supplement with the others; it is designed to complement the mass stack.

Food

The most vital substance you need for stacking is food. Yes, food! To get the results you want from nutrition, food will always work the most effectively, much better than “miracle” supplements. I call food the “perfect supplement” because it supplies the raw materials your body needs for growth and for the stimulation of chemical processes involved in the breakdown, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients.

In my work with the best bodybuilders and athletes in the world, I’ve identified which foods yield the best results in terms of mass gaining. Lean protein, for example, supplies amino acids which are required for every metabolic process. Athletes have higher requirements for protein than the average person. Without enough protein, you cannot build muscle, repair its breakdown after training, or drive your metabolism. Starchy and fibrous carbohydrates supply energy and are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver.

You need certain fats called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), which must be supplied by the diet. EFAs regulate many biological functions, including the manufacture of connective tissue, cellular walls, and hormones. A good supplemental source of EFAs is Parrillo Evening Primrose Oil™.

To sum up, for successful stacking:

● Take creatine, whey CapTri®, and BCAAs together.

● Complement your stack with our Enhanced GH Formula™.

● “Back the stack” with the Parrillo Nutrition Program.

When you approach supplementation this way – as a mass stack – you’ll make the best possible progress with your physique and buck your genetics.

Reference

1. Valls E, Herrera F, Diaz M, Barreiro P, and Valls A. Modification in plasmatic insulin and growth hormone induced by medium chain triglycerides. Span. Ana. Ped. 11: 675-682, 1978.

Unsubstantiated allegations, fake science and bogus “experts”

Consumer Reports magazine has taken aim at the nutritional supplement industry in their July issue and the industry is fighting back. Using a too-familiar strategy of innuendo, false assertions and scare tactics, CR makes the allegation that ‘heavy metal’ contamination in protein powder is a grave health concern requiring immediate government intervention. A bit of digging and some serious examination of the “facts” related in the article reveals a blatantly biased agenda. Consumer Reports bases their “call to action” on the “revelation” that three protein products (out of fifteen tested) exhibited “elevated levels” of heavy metal, i.e., arsenic, cadmium and lead. Buried in the small print were a few inconvenient truths: in order to overdose on heavy metals, even in those products that exceeded federally recommended levels, would require consuming massive amounts of the “contaminated” products for a protracted period of time. Further, an individual could overdose on these same heavy metals eating too much seafood. Finally, CR reluctantly reports that, “for most drinks we tested, levels of those contaminants were low – when we could detect them at all.” In the big bold print they proclaim, “Consuming too much protein can cause health problems.”

This blatant example of advocacy journalism is a far cry from the objective journalism CR used to represent. Back in the good old days, magazines and newspapers used to fact check assertions made by “experts” used in articles. Those days are gone: predetermined conclusions (“You don’t need the extra protein or the heavy metals our tests found”) are “substantiated” by “experts” like Kathleen Laquale, who erroneously states that “the body can only break down 5 to 9 grams of protein per hour and any excess that is not burned for energy is converted to fat or excreted.” In the olden days of real journalism this unsubstantiated whopper would have ended up cut from a legitimate article. In our modern era of politically-correct advocacy journalism, experts that confirm preordained conclusions are trumpeted while dissenting voices are ignored. The article ends with CR calling for massive government intervention in the supplement industry to cure a non-existent problem: no bodybuilders or athletes are blowing out their livers or falling into protein-induced comas. The worst ailment CR could unearth was the tragic case of Scott Baker who experienced diarrhea; or the NFL superstar athlete that when busted for steroids blamed protein powder.

If you are using Parrillo Performance protein powders you do not have to worry about heavy metals: we know this for a fact because our products have been tested. Unlike the vast majority of protein supplement sellers, we blend our own products using top of the line protein isolates from very reputable companies in our ultra-clean production facility located at Parrillo headquarters in Fairfield, Ohio. All our protein ingredients come with accurate certificates of analysis. Poor Scott Baker likely used a protein powder that contained cheap lactose. Scott was likely lactose intolerant and had he used Parrillo Products his diarrhea malady should have never occurred. Consumer Reports has sunk to a new low in this unvarnished hit piece on supplemental protein. Yelling “fire” in a movie theater is a jail-time offense and CR has done the journalistic equivalent of yelling fire where none exists: all in a pathetic attempt to attract readers to a likely dwindling subscriber base. This lame article uses half-facts, scare tactics and outright distortions in order to create a false sense of urgency about a non-existent problem. Shame on Consumer Reports.

-Would you like to see more information on our supplements, different diets, fascial stretching or workouts?

-Are you a competitor using Parrillo supplements?  We want to hear from you.

Contact us today 1-800-344-3404 or Heather@Parrillo.com

Rhode Island Championships 2010

Katie Deen 2010 Rhode Island

I am a wife, mother of two young girls and a personal trainer in Cincinnati, Ohio. Even though I am a trainer, I needed an extra push to make some significant changes to my butt and legs.  I have always worked out at home with my two girls, right by my side.  I have a great nutritionist by the name of Mike Feulner from New York.  Mike had me looking amazing only four months after delivering my youngest daughter.

Mike Feulner is a true believer in Parrillo products. He had me start on their supplements two weeks after delivery.  My daughter was still in the NICU when I made my first order.  After working with Mike for one year, he suggested I go do a leg workout with John Parrillo at the Parrillo Headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I was very nervous but excited for my first session.  I think that may have been my longest hour drive ever. After a few hours at Parrillo Performance, I realized that I learned more in that few hours than I had in all of my years working as a trainer.  John didn’t just show me what to do, but why I should do certain exercises. He discussed nutrition, and explained the reasons why I need to eat certain amounts of the right calories to make changes I wanted.  He showed me how to get the most effective workout with the time I have.  John introduced me to the BELT SQUAT!  I am still talking about that experience with all my friends.

When I was finished with my workout, he asked me when I wanted to come back. I was now even more excited because he invited me back for more.  After two months of training legs once a week, I have made significant changes to my entire lower body.  I may not be able to walk the day after leg day, but all the hard work is paying off.

The staff at Parrillo Performance is very customer friendly.  I always feel welcome as soon as I walk through the door.  I owe a lot to John Parrillo and Mike Feulner for the changes that I have made to my body, both mentally and physically.

I now pass along the “Parrillo philosophy” to all of my clients. I highly suggest Parrillo Performance supplemental products to anyone looking to make changes in their body.

For more information on personal training, diet and exercise facilities call 1-800-344-3404.

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