Training Diary-Phase 1- Wk4.

I'm writing this at 12:40am on Thursday night/Friday morning. My training this week has been, well, non existent. Due to the public holiday on Monday (and the resulting concert: Soundwave, which was awesome by the way!), then having the day off Tuesday to sleep it off (re: not hungover, didn't drink at all, just uber tired and somewhat sun burnt), my first day of training this week was Wednesday night, in which I did day 3's workout. It was a pretty weak workout, I felt flat, and tired, mostly matched personal bests (went a little under on some exercises). Could be the break in the routine, could have been the sun from Monday, could be the diet.  Thursday, I didn't train, as I didn't work (didn't want to do the hour and a half drive) so now I have only tomorrow morning before work (as I have to take my car in to the garage after work), which will largely depend on how tired I feel in the next 2-3 hours, at the moment I'm hopeful I'll go in (note: I didn't go in). Maybe I could make it in over the weekend as well, maybe if I got to shmoopy's house on Saturday night, I could stop in an do a workout, hmmmm... That'll mean I only miss one workout, which is.. acceptable, as an anomaly (note: I didn't go in over the weekend). I started on day 3's workout as I anticipated only getting in for 2 sessions this week, if I go in on Saturday, I'll do day 1's workout. I have phase 2 next week of this superset program, which I expect will be hard, at first, as most programs are.

Oh one thing that I've forgotten to include which I am a total hypocrite on, is the warm up, I basically don't do one. Not a meaningful one anyway, I walk from my car, which is about 10 minutes away, is this a warm up? No.  Is it better than nothing? Mmm not by much. I haven't done it simply because I'm lazy, that's it, and I pay the price, with poor movement and tightness. I don't recommend it, and if you're one of my clients, you know how much of a hypocrite I am, by not doing a good, or even moderate warm up, it's something I intend to fix! When I start my new program I will attempt to warm up.


Program

Rob Build Up
Phase 1
Superset
Day 1
Upper Body	S	R	Wk3
BB Bench/ BB BO Row	3	12
DB Inc Bench/ Suppt T-bar	3	12
BB Military Press/ Pullup	3	12
Skullcrusher/ BB Curl	3	12
Dip/ DB Alt Curl	3	12
Day 2
Lower Body/Abs	S	R	Wk3
Hex Bar Deadlift	3	12
DB Split Squat/SLDL	3	12
DB Step Up/ Lateral Lunge	3	12
Rollout/ Dynamic Plank	3	12
Day 3	S	R	Wk3
Upper Body
BB Decline/ DB BO Row	3	12	70kg/30kg, 90kg/32.5kg, 100kg/35kg
DB Bench/ CG Seated Row	3	12	30kg/90kg, 30kg/90kg, 30kg/95kg
DB Military Press/ Chinup	3	12	20kg/BWx8, 20kg/BWx7, 22.5kg/BWx8
CG Bench/ Preacher Curl	3	12
Rope Pulldown/ DB Curl	3	12
Day 4	S	R	Wk3
Lower Body
BB Back Squat	3	12
DB Walking Lnge/ Good Mrng	3	12
Hack Squat/ Lying Leg Curl	3	12
Bodysaw/ Hanging Leg Raise	3	12

Diet wise things have been ok, I haven't had any meat in almost 2 weeks, I went to dinner twice (Maya Masala- Indian, Lido- Vietnamese Restaurant) last weekend, and had a vegetarian thali at Maya, and Tofu at Lido, both were excellent, even if I did miss the meat meals and looked enviously at everyone eating them (fortunately both meals I ate with other vegetarians with the exception of Claire at Lido, a former vegetarian herself). I thought energy levels were levelling out, I felt less reactionary, less angry, and much more reasonable, until I realised people are telling me how grumpy I've been and I succumbed to road rage the other day, which I never do (not exactly scientific conclusions I'm coming to here I know). I've been pretty tempted to rationalise a meat meal here and there (convenience and laziness mostly), but have resisted. I've bought some tofu this week, which I'm going to cook up into a korma curry and store in the fridge like I used to do with my chicken and beef, to be eaten over the week (post workout meals mostly). If anyone knows how long I can store cooked tofu I'd really appreciate some info.

Well, as of writing that on Thursday night, it is now Sunday afternoon, and 2 things have happened, (1) I had meat on Friday night (Maya Masala) and I've gotta tell ya, it was delicious and made me feel great! (2) As some of you know, there has been a debate on my Facebook page (my name is Rob El, add me if you haven't), regarding tofu/psuedoscience. It's based on questions like "is tofu safe", if it is "who's saying it is" and "are they reliable" some say yes, some say no. I want to do a blog on tofu because it's a great source of protein for vegetarians. And there is some controversy as to its safety.

Having said that, and as I originally claimed, I was going to take a more semivegetarian stance, but I've dived right into a vegtarian lifestyle, and it's been killing me, it's killing my relationships and it's killing my ability to think (which I admit could be my fault by going from 0-60 in 2 seconds or not getting enough from my diet). So I may perhaps try to include 1 meat meal a day, or every 2 days (or whenever I feel like I need it). Coincidentally a friend of mine, Wolf (awesome name right?) sent me a blog post, from his blog on beef/meat, and he contacted me (via Facebook) to send me some information about meat in regards to my blog on the nutritional benefits of a vegetarian diet:

" ...the nutritional argument for vegetarianism doesnt hold up to the available evidence and that while it *can* be better than the typical western diet, it is not (imo) the optimal diet for health. Meat contains a lot more nutrients than protein/iron/b12 and by cutting it out completely you are depriving yourself of one super nutrient dense food group. I posted this on my blog a while back which I think demonstrates that while there are concerns about red meat, you can have your cake and eat it too, if you take some steps in preparing it first."

Here is a link to his blog, for those who are interested: http://myopinionofthings.blogspot.com/2010/05/beef-is-not-four-letter-word.html

It's important to look at what he's saying simply in the context of nutrition, he's simply stating meat has benefits, and that my argument doesn't hold a lot of water (overall). Check it out guys, some great work there.

Breakfast: 1/2 cup of oats with 1 scoop protein powder, hilo milk, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. 700mL of water.

Meal after morning shift:  Smoothy- 1 cup of berries, 1 cup of mixed veggies, 1 banana, 1 pear, 1/2 cup of walnuts, a touch of cinnamon, 750mL of water, 1 cup of yogurt, 150g cottage cheese, 3 broccoli stems, handful of cherry tomatoes, lentils, chick peas (or various other types of beans/lentils). I also forgot to note, this makes 2 shakes that I have over the course of the day, or I have the next day.

Meal before training and afternoon shift: 1 can of salt reduced baked beans, 1 glass of Hilo milk. 500mL water.

Post workout shake: x2  up n go "energize"'s, 30g of protein powder. 500mL water during training.

Dinner: Various egg options, I have a kg of chicken to cook up too, I'll make a korma curry with that (I still haven't cooked it up, but will this week). I have the chicken still from the 1st week and I have tofu, but as you will see on Facebook, I may not eat it.

Supplements. 3-4 fish oil tabs with my morning smoothy, and I've started taking a multivitamin tablet once-twice a day.

Had nachos 4 times this week, I'm a fatty :(

Next week I'm into the new program, so it's "balls to the wall" again!! Stay tuned.

Here are some progress shots that I took on Friday the 11th at like 3 in the morning after I got home from my girls house (was the back story necessary Rob?)

I'm not sure what I weigh, but last check was 94kgs @ 17% Bodyfat.

Training Diary-Phase 1- Wk3.

So, my first week attempting to move toward vegetarian options has commenced, eep! It should be noted I actually started last week, and I started badly, I had McDonald's on the weekend and Maya Masala (Indian, a non-vegetarian thali).  So I havent' been altogether good. I'm essentially taking a semivegetarian to lactoovovegetarian/ovolactovegetarian stance, basically trying to cut out red meat, and over time, reduce my other animal products. Having said that though I didn't eat any other meat, from when I started (Thursday), so that's something, I guess. I'm going to try to look at meat as a special occasion kind of thing, perhaps as a reward for cutting down on my nachos. The most important thing, I haven't had any meat this week, have been relying on vegetarian sources, dairy and eggs for my protein and I gotta tell ya, I don't feel any different. People have said I'd struggle, and admittedly it is only Wednesday night (as I write this portion of the diary), so let's not count our chickens. But I feel good and confident about my decision.

Ok it's Friday morning as I write this, and I've noticed my emotions taking over a bit, have been reactionary, somewhat distant, a little aggressive, paranoid, I may be those things normally, but I feel I can control them, with reason. I brought a multivitamin supplement, and I feel somewhat more even, let's see how we go?

I've been butting heads, in the most respectful way possible of course, with a few people about this, mostly guys, and mostly guys who like meat. It seems to always come back to this "I want meat because I like it" tautology, that's fine, but that's not a good argument. I don't judge it, eat meat for whatever reason you choose, this is my personal choice, and I'm not a anti-meat warrior. But it does make me think about the faulty logic of such argument, and that's why I stopped eating it. When I realised I was causing, though my purchase of these products, suffering and pain to animals capable of both and contributing to the ruin of this planet, slowly but surely, all for my personal appeal toward meat? Well, let's say, when that clicked, it wasn't much of a choice at all.

It's also been pointed out to me that my vegetarian "moral argument" on suffering is based on a non-falsifiable principle, which is the kicker for me. It basically means my choice to be a vegetarian, is essentially, not very valid, or is rather simplistic (which I would agree with), and really can only act as a personal justification for me, not for you. I plan to do more research and see what other arguments I can find.

Program

Rob Build Up
Phase 1
Superset
Day 1
Upper Body	S	R	Wk3
BB Bench/ BB BO Row	3	12	70kg/70kg, 90kg/90kg, 90kg/90kg
DB Inc Bench/ Suppt T-bar	3	12	27.5kg/50kg, 30kg/60kg, 30kg/60kg
BB Military Press/ Pullup	3	12	45kg/BWx10, 45kg/BWx8,45kg/BWx8
Skullcrusher/ BB Curl	3	12	37.5kg/37.5kg, 37.5kg/37.5kg, 37.5kg/37.5kg
Dip/ DB Alt Curl	3	12	Skipped, due to time, but I had some caffeine, might start supplmenting with it, I felt I could go on, with less intensity.
Day 2
Lower Body/Abs	S	R	Wk3
Hex Bar Deadlift	3	12	100kg, 120kg, 140kg
DB Split Squat/SLDL	3	12	20kg/45kg, 27.5kg/45kg, 27.5kg/45kg
DB Step Up/ Lateral Lunge	3	12	15kg/15kg, 17.5kg/15kg-skipped last set.
Rollout/ Dynamic Plank	3	12	1/1, 1/1, 1/1.
Day 3	S	R	Wk3
Upper Body
BB Decline/ DB BO Row	3	12	70kg/27.5kg, 90kg/32.5kg, 100kg/35kg
DB Bench/ CG Seated Row	3	12	32.5kg/90kg, 32.5kg/90kg, 32.5kg/95kg
DB Military Press/ Chinup	3	12	20kg/BWx8, 20kg/BWx8, 22.5kg/BWx9
CG Bench/ Preacher Curl	3	12	60kg/30kg, 60kg/37.5kg, Skipped, due to fatigue
Rope Pulldown/ DB Curl	3	12	Ditto!
Day 4	S	R	Wk3
Lower Body
BB Back Squat	3	12	80kg, 100kg, 110kg
DB Walking Lnge/ Good Mrng	3	12	17.5kg/60kg, 20kg/60kg, 20kg/70kg
Hack Squat/ Lying Leg Curl	3	12	60kg/40kg, 60kg/40kg, 60kg/40kg
Bodysaw/ Hanging Leg Raise	3	12	1/1, 1/1- Skipped last set.

Feeling better actually, on the reduced meat diet. I have a lil more energy (sometimes), workouts feel good, the baked beans give me a more steady feel of energy. With the spaghetti I was feeling quite flat, though I admit that could have been the crappy food in the morning, and now thinking about, it was probably due to that. Reducing meat isn't too bad in daily life, it will hit when I socialise. It's also hard as so much of the plant food has carbs in the protein sources, so I'm gonna have to get drastic when I diet, but that's some time away, I have time to adjust to this thing. Who knows I may not stick to it...

I've been feeling strong on the gym floor, still objectively weak as the numbers suggest, but I'm getting stronger. I'm still huffing and puffing my butt off,  and have no endurance, but I'm getting there, if only because I'm conscious of my efforts and results from this blog. Many of my numbers are still climbing, I'm trying to be honest with myself about what to lift, I think about everyone reading this blog, and that helps to motivate me to push harder, as there are a few exercises I back off on, due to, well laziness (essentially).

Breakfast: 1/2 cup of oats with 1 scoop protein powder, hilo milk, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. 700mL of water.

Meal after morning shift:  Smoothy- 1 cup of berries, 1 cup of mixed veggies, 1 banana, 1 pear, 1/2 cup of walnuts, a touch of cinnamon, 750mL of water, 1 cup of yogurt, 150g cottage cheese, 3 broccoli stems, handful of cherry tomatoes, lentils, chick peas. I also forgot to note, this makes 2 shakes that I have over the course of the day, or I have the next day.

Meal before training and afternoon shift: 1 can of salt reduced baked beans, 1 glass of Hilo milk. 500mL water.

Post workout shake: x2  up n go "energize"'s, 30g of protein powder. 500mL water during training.

Dinner: Various egg options, I have a kg of chicken to cook up too, I'll make a korma curry with that (I still haven't cooked it up, but will this week).

One thing I forgot to add:

Supplements. 3-4 fish oil tabs with my morning smoothy, and I'm finishing off the probiotics I was taking (everything is in working order again, if anyone was wondering).

As you can see my diet looks a lot better, much cleaner. It's not so much to the wonders of a vegetarian diet at the moment, and more to do with being exited to do something new.

The Continuing Discussion On Vegetarianism.

The discussion about my first Vegetarianism blog has started, and it's great, as it get's me to sharpen my ideas, and my choices.  One of my clients, Sean "P Diddy" Powell contacted me tonight, via email, with these list of, shall we say concerns? Objections? Points? Regarding my argument, and what I considered or lacked in my argument. His email was so good I got his permission to post it here. And it got me to thinking, if anyone has any responses to the vegetarianism blog, please contact me at the blog and I may chuck them up. To address things I haven't or to allow me to defend my (unpopular) position, as best I can.
Here is P Diddy:

"Being of a squeamish nature, I haven’t watched the video, but do you know where it is sourced from?  Australia has pretty strict laws on how animals are processed (to use the clinical term) for slaughter and AQIS does regular inspections of all Australian abattoirs.  Even cattle slaughtered for halal consumption has a stungun applied to the forehead and then the halal slaughterman cuts the throat.  I’m guessing that the video is probably American, and without the benefit of the stungun.

I agree that animals can feel pain, show love (or a variation defined as fondness, loyalty, or at worst associating human presence with reward) and express  curiosity – anyone who has cared for a pet would most likely agree.  But I also think that there is a human ability to accept double standards or turn a blind eye or delude ourselves that lets most of us enjoy our meat while not thinking about where it comes from.

There is also a concept which you didn’t refer to – you may have considered it but not thought it worth raising – being the right of the predator, or the food chain concept.  Do humans, as a more capable predator, have the right to kill and eat other animals -  which admittedly is a slightly elemental argument, but if we eliminate the suffering aspect and breed, raise and kill humanely without suffering, does that make it ok.  I don’t think Australian abattoirs are there yet because focus is on throughput and volume because its run as a business but it could get to the same stage that the egg industry has moved to where eggs are graded as caged, barn or free range (my personal protest is that I only buy free range eggs...)" (Powell 2011) 

My reply:

"I haven't sourced the video no, and that is something I probably should have done, I think the point was even if the animals are killed humanely (is that possible? Think, for example your loved ones being killed the ways in the video, or the ways you mentioned), there are still the other issues of environment and suffering, all of which I think are reason enough, on their own, to give up meat. But when added together? Make a very strong case for me, at least, to abandon meat..

I agree, yes humans can accept a double standard, but that's also what I'm arguing against, as in, what is the basis for the double standard? Is it valid? Again, for me? No, for you? Sure. The same double standard is what allows us to live happily while places like Africa and the Middle East suffer, which I also don't agree with, as in we can do something to help, which is what I'm advocating with the denial of meat.

The last point you raised is an interesting one, and was cited to me tonight. I don't agree with it, but let me tell you why. It seems to me if I have understood you (and others), than an argument from biology is being made, as in, we have evolved to be the best at killing, or have evoled to be at the top of the food chain so shouldn't we kill? I think a hidden premise in this argument might also be: other animals kill, but do we think a lion is inhumane for killing the gazelle?

In response I would say, evolution has adapted us to also have consciousness, intelligence and as an emergent result we have culture, science etc. We also have the ability to deny our biological urges (laws against rape go directly against our biological urge to procreate), hence it seems plausible that as the dominant species on this planet, it falls to us, to maintain the well-being of ourselves, this planet, and all the other life on this planet. With that in mind, it seems plausible to me, that given we know our eating of these animals causes either suffering or pain or both (and environmental concerns) that we are duty-bound, as the dominant species to protect other species, to reduce suffering. Especially as we can live healthily without meat. I guess the point is, and I take a long time getting there I know, is we deny our biology and the rules of this planet all the time, I think we are justified in doing it in this case. As in the hidden premise (that I admit, could be my own interpretation), a lion doesn't have the capabilities to know it can be a vegetarian, it doesn't have consciousness, self awareness etc, hence it does what it's biology tells it, it doesn't keep animals in pens and it's eating of the gazelle doesn't cause environmental concerns. So while it still is causing pain, it has no other way to live it's life, we do." (Bezant 2011)

I encourage anyone who has concerns to offer critique or argument, see if I can justify myself.

As if upon request I received a startling beat down from the President of the Atheist Community of Austin (Texas), and all round smart dude, Matt Dillahunty

"The pain argument is a non-starter, for me. Certainly I'm against excessive pain and animal cruelty and I'll favor improvements in the slaughter industry, but if suffering (the awareness and cognizance of pain) is the foundation, then the argument fails the instant one points out that it is possible to kill without pain.

This is a rights issue. What sort of rights should we afford non-humans - and why? And are all non-humans afforded the same rights - and why or why not? Do the gnat, chicken, dolphin and chimp have the same standing?

Humans aren't granted rights because we can experience pain and suffering, we initially take those rights as an act of volition and then grant them as a matter of empathy, practicality and a conscious awareness that it increases the well-being of all of us.

I tend to afford the same opportunity for rights and defense of rights to all animals and I do so equitably. It's not immoral for the shark or the lion to eat me...and vice versa.

All that said, there are other arguments (including ethical ones) for vegetarianism that still intrigue me and may even sway me, but the simplistic pain arguments are, I think, horribly flawed.

Is it immoral for me to anesthetize a bunny so that it doesn't feel pain? If I then lop off it's head, am I immoral - even though it did not suffer?

Suffering simply can't be the criteria. It's a good emotional argument but it fails in its task. I could kill another human being and make it downright pleasant, using the right drugs - and it'd still be immoral.

It baffles me that so many science-minded individuals fail to see that the suffering argument fails falsification." (Dillahunty 2011)

Any thoughts guys?

Vegetarianism Part 1- The Moral Argument.

Scientist P.Z Myers posted this video on his blog Pharyngula a couple of days ago, it is a disturbing video taken from an abattoir, showing how they kill animals that are intended to be provided for us to eat.

Warning, the video is disturbing to watch!!

How disturbed I got during the video got me to thinking, "perhaps I don't need to eat meat". As a heavy weight trainer I eat my fare share of meat, I generally buy 2kgs of red meat (mince) a week to make into spaghetti and curry. I, like many, are aware of the ethical issues of this, some of us choose to turn a blind eye to that, some don't, some can't eat meat, due to repulsion, some like me, enjoy meat almost exclusively! I've seen this argument going around, perhaps you may not have, let's see what people are saying. Michael De Dora over at Massimo Pagliucci's blog "rationally speaking" has this to say:

"Many vegetarians (and vegan, but let’s stick with one position) argue that we should not use animals as a means to some end, but as inherently important, worthy of certain rights and protections. This is a morsel from Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy. Kant argued that every human being is deserving of respect (i.e., moral concern) because of its cognitive faculties – its autonomy, ability to reason, make free choices, and plan for the future. Vegetarians would have us expand this to non-human animals. But there is no reason to suppose that animals have such capacities, and I see little reason – judging from scientific evidence and philosophical thinking – to give them the benefit of the doubt." (De Dora 2011)

I agree that animals deserve rights, sure, they're rights we give them, but that matters little, as I'm not necessarily making an argument against the use of animals as "beasts of burden" (although I'm sure there's a discussion there). The issue, at least for me (and Sam Harris) is about working toward of state of more well-being than harm, for every living creature. I'm not sure that this idea "... there is no reason to suppose that animals have such capacities, and I see little reason – judging from scientific evidence and philosophical thinking – to give them the benefit of the doubt." is accurate, in fact this seems like a remnant of a Descartian era way of thinking (Descartes assumed erroneously that animals couldn't feel pain). Other authors on the "rationally speaking" blog disagree with De Dora too, as Scott Berjot-Stafiej states:

"according to Michael, one may promote animal quality of life and, in a humane way (i.e., with a minimum amount of mental or physical suffering), kill animals without substantial ethical qualms. I disagree...My first disagreement comes from what I believe to be an unintentional over-simplification. What I assume Michael means with the above statement is that animals exhibit the mentioned capacities to a lesser degree than humans, not that they don't exhibit them at all. Virtually all of the traits described may be found to some degree in the animal kingdom: dolphins have been known to hoard trash at the bottom of a pool when there was the prospect of future reward for gathering it; certain fish have shown memory of a year or more and have used memory of negative experiences to develop ways of becoming less easy to catch; ravens make tools; rats solve puzzles; many mammals socialize, etc. While it is relatively certain that most animals have a far less defined sense of self, it is, I believe, scientifically uncontroversial to say that many animals have the ability to reason and make projections at least to a degree." (Berjot-Stafiej 2011)

John Loftus appears to agree with Berjot-Stafiej as I do, that animals not only feel pain, but are developed enough to have similar cognitive processes to humans, or at least analogous to humans which Loftus states in his book, The Christian Delusion:

"There can be little doubt any longer that animals feel pain depending on their central nervous systems. We have evidence of it in their increased heart beats, breathing rhythms, and in the activity of the pain centers of the brains when animals are subjected to pain stimuli." (Loftus 2010)

There is no doubt, that chickens and particularly lambs/cows have fully developed central nervous systems capable of feeling pain, as intensely as you or I. Loftus also quotes Andrew Lizney who states:

"There is ample evidence in peer-reviewed scientific journals that mammals experience not just pain, but also suffering, to a greater or lesser degree than we do ourselves. The scientific reason is straightforward. Animals and humans show a common ancestor, display similar behaviours, and have physiological similarities. Because of these triple conditions, these shared characteristics, it is perfectly logical to believe that animals experience many of the same emotions as humans. " (Loftus 2010)

Here De Dora reaches the crux of his argument, and changes gears slightly:

"Here, then, is where we reach an interesting juncture: if there are no compelling ethical reasons to not kill animals for food, then vegetarianism risks degenerating from a moral stance to the level of preference.

Then again, there may be other compelling reasons in favor of the vegetarian stance. An immediate and undeniable one is the manner in which meat is typically produced, as it relates to the animals themselves.* In the U.S., factory-farmed animals are treated horribly. This matters because of the fact that animals are sentient – that is, they can feel or perceive pain. Thus, one could argue that eating meat is immoral given how the meat is produced. This would once again make vegetarianism a moral stance. This is now the basis of my vegetarianism. In fact, I have realized that it was all along." (De Dora 2011)

Although De Dora seems to be contradicting himself, I think he made an interesting point above, that even if you don't agree with his initial position that animals don't feel pain, there are still the issues of their keeping and the issues this raises about their ability to suffer. But, having said that, what about suffering? If we are to consider an animals plight, we should consider not only their ability to feel pain, but their ability to suffer, and if they do suffer, how much worse is their plight. John Loftus continues his argument:

"An argument has been made that animals cannot anticipate the future or remember the past and so their pain is only momentary. For instance it's claimed they don't worry about the future, nor do they have guilt and the fear of death. This says nothing about their present pain, and we know they experience it. But even if it's the case they have no memory of the past and cannot anticipate the future, such a state of affairs may actually increase their present pain, for in Wennberg's words "precisely because animals lack vivid links to the future (or to the past) physical pain may be actually worse, since there are no future oriented distractions to mitigate these powerful sensations..." Human suffering, by contrast writes Andrew Lizney "can be softened by an intellectual comprehension of the circumstances" of the suffering itself. For instance, a visit to the dentist's chair can be painful, but human beings know why such suffering is needed. This is not the case with animal suffering, for they "experience the raw terror of not knowing." So even if the argument can be made that animals do not suffer as much as humans, Wennberg argues: "The fact remains animals suffer physical pain and suffer from negative emotions, and at times suffer considerably."... in fact, animals can remember, show evidence of guilt, joy, fear, and curiosity, and there is evidence they think and draw conclusions as well (Loftus provides several books demonstrating this point)." (Loftus 2010)

I think we can see in the video above that the sheep who watch the other sheep being killed, are afraid, that the animals being killed are feeling fear, pain and discomfort. But let's assume an animal has no extra dimension to their pain, as in the added case of suffering, is momentary excruciating pain ok? Are we willing to let animals feel excruciating pain, who, if we deny Loftus' argument above, won't be able to reason their way out of the situation, to mitigate their pain, just because we may not think they can suffer (as in when they're kept and killed)? Perhaps, but that's an argument each of us need to wrestle with. I've seen videos like the above before, but this one got to me.


The Environmental issue and agribusiness

One more issue I want to briefly mention, are the environmental concerns in regards to the agribusiness of producing meat. An article by Paul Roberts in SEED magazine demonstrates this:

"The production process has itself brought a slew of complications. Rivers of sewage from China’s new “concentrated animal feeding operations,” or CAFOs, overwhelm local treatment facilities. Public health experts are increasingly worried about avian flu, whose epicenter is Asian poultry. And because factory-raised livestock need so much feed—it takes 4.5 kilograms of feed to make a kilogram of poultry meat and 20 kilograms of feed to make a kilogram of beef (emphasis added)—China’s yen for meat is jacking up grain prices globally. In fact, because Chinese farmland is already so scarce, and because decades of industrialized agricultural have unleashed huge ecological problems (from chemical runoff to groundwater depletion), China has turned increasingly to imported feed—effectively pushing the “external” costs of its meat revolution onto farms in the United States, Argentina, and elsewhere... Even now, China’s meat mania is implicated in everything from deforestation in Brazil to food-price inflation in Africa, and most resources specialists expect that this nutritional domino effect will only intensify." (Roberts 2008)

Obviously China is not the main or only offender, wealthy countries like the United States (and others) are where the real cost comes. The future of this industry can lead to some dire predictions. To quote the article again:

"By 2050, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), worldwide meat consumption will reach nearly half a billion tons a year, more than twice the current level. And yet, no one has any idea how, or even if, the world can support that volume (emphasis added). Quite aside from issues of obesity or sewage, world farmers would need to grow another one billion tons of feed each year by mid-century—and this from an agricultural system already staggering under the impacts of declining acreage, water scarcity, climate change, and soaring energy costs. To be sure, all food production, like all economic activity, affects the natural systems on which life ultimately depends. But because meat represents such a concentrated use of resources, it has now forced a debate over the future of food—a debate that is beginning to reveal the flaws in an economic model premised on endless growth."(Roberts 2008)

I obviously can't go into the sheer depth of the agribusiness and environmental issues here, but this small, uncontroversial snippet should hopefully demonstrate in some small part the reality we face with a growing world wide economy, developing countries and our stunning lack of resources. To quote Massimo Pagliucci: 

"It needs to be said the predictions of climate change models range from: "this is pretty serious" to "this is catastrophic". Not "there's nothing to worry about" to "we should move our butts"!" (Pagliucci 2010)

Conclusion
So to sum up my above points, it seems scientifically verified, if we accept Loftus, Lizney, and Berjot-Stafiej, that animals suffer, and animals feel pain, particularly animals with more developed central nervous systems, and depending on those systems their suffering and pain, can be quite close to a humans. It seems also quite apparent that there is not just the animal suffering and pain to consider, but also the effect the production of meat is having on our resources and on this planet. In my next part on vegetarianism I will discuss the health benefits of vegetarianism, and what strategies one can employ to make the change from an omnivorous diet to vegetarian one.


References 
Berjot-Stafiej S., (2011). Is a Humane Killing Ethical? Retrieved 24/02/2011. http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2011/01/is-humane-killing-ethical.html

De Dora M., (2011). Vegetarianism: moral stance or mere preference? Retrieved 24/02/2011. http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2011/01/vegetarianism-moral-stance-or-mere.html.

Loftus J.W., (2009). The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails (edited John W. Loftus). Amherst, New York. Prometheus Books.Pp253-254.

Pagliucci M., (2010). CPBD 055: Massimo Pigliucci – The Limits of Science. Conversations from the Pale Blue Dot podcast. Retrieved 23/02/2011. http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=9436

Roberts P., (2008).Humanity's rapidly increasing appetite for meat is fast becoming a matter of global consequence. Paul Roberts on the science, and morality, of our planet's modern palate. Carnivores like us. Retrieved 26/02/2011. http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/carnivores_like_us/ 

Vegetarianism Part 2- The Nutritional argument.

So, what are your options?
If you're considering vegetarianism at all, I would advise you to go into it knowingly, as being an omnivore is easy, meat provides us with complete proteins and many nutrients, easily, and without much thought (that may be the problem). Vegetarianism requires thought, planning and knowing what you're doing, and that may be why it is a healthy alternative, you necessarily restrict the junk you put into your mouth (think: fast food). It requires you pick your options and it requires you eat a variety of food (which many omnivorses don't), hence it is tricky (especially for someone like me who is almost a carnivore).  There are many different vegetarian options if you're considering that route, you can become a vegan, ovovegetarian, lactoovovegatrian, ovolactovegetarian, semivegetarian and a pescovegetarian, what does becoming one of these entail? Melvin H. Williams describes it perfectly:

"There a variety of ways to be vegetarian. A strict vegetarian known also as a vegan, eats no animal products at all. Most nutrients are obtained from fruits and vegetables, breads, cereals, legumes, nuts and seeds. Ovovegtarians include eggs in their diet, while lactoovovegatrians include the milk group such as cheese and other dairy products. An ovolactovegatrian eats both eggs and milk products. These latter classifications are not strict vegetarians, because eggs and milk products are derived from animals. 
Others may call themselves semivegetarians because they do not eat red meat such as beef and pork products, although they may eat fish and white poultry meat. Those who eat fish but not poultry, are known as pescovegtarians." (Williams2007)

So let's go ahead and look at some of the benefits and downsides.

Benefits
It seems apparent that removing meat will remove a lot of junk, as much of the junk that we eat is prepared in and contains animal fats, which is seemingly the worst thing about meat (apart from how some of it is cooked). Wahlqvist notes why the vegetarian diet is beneficial:

"The vegetarian lifestyle has much to commend it. Studies of vegetarians have shown that they have a lower prevalence of a number od diseases that are now common in the affluent societies of Western countries. Such diseases include obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diet related cancers. Vegetarians diets are usually adequate in protein because the proteins of dairy products and eggs are rich in indispensable amino acids and modest quantities are sufficient to improve the nutritional quality of plant proteins to a level that is adequate. Moreover it should be remembered that in an adequately varied vegetarian diet the complimentary effects obtained by mixing dietary protein sources ensure that the protein quality of the diet is reasonably good." (Wahlqvist 2002)

I particularly agreed with Wahlqvist regarding his discussion of the addition of dairy products and eggs (ovolactovegatrians, semivegetarians, pescovegtarians) to a vegetarian diet, to help maintain protein (and certain vitamin/mineral levels) high. This is the route I will be attempting to take, with the gradual reduction and eventual removal of red meat, then white poultry, then fish, and who knows if I keep going, of all animal products, but given my carnivorous nature I think that'll be a few years away, if ever. I think one of the underlying assumptions in the above text, and it is something Williams, Carlson-Phillips (below) et al discuss, is that any vegetarian who moves further away from animal products will need to be more strict with their protein intake. Williams also mentions that vegetarian diets reduce cholesterol, fat intake, have high fibre intakes and have a high vitamin/phytochemical content (good for overall health and cancer likelihood reduction), he of course goes into extreme detail about why and how these are beneficial, but I think for our purposes it is simply enough to state that to be the case (the reference will be at the bottom for you to check, or you can ask me to borrow the book if you require more than assertion, and a few references). The Vegetarian society (https://www.vegsoc.org/), while being a neat resource for quick vegetarian information had this to say about the benefits of a vegtarian diet:

"Diet influences most aspects of health and dietary factors clearly contribute to the major degenerative diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Obesity and high cholesterol are major contributory factors linked to these diseases and also to meat consumption and low intakes of fruit and vegetables. A high BMI (body mass index) is the result of a number of factors including food choices. Compared with omnivorous diets a varied vegetarian diet contains less saturated fatty acids, cholesterol and more folate, fibre, antioxidants, phytochemicals and carotenoids all of which are associated with specific health benefits.
Vegetarians have lower BMIs on average than the general population and scientists now have a detailed understanding of why dietary factors are important in maintaining a healthy heart, vascular system, bowel and so on.  Antioxidants and other beneficial phytochemicals have been demonstrated to enhance cell function and be protective against cancer. Fibre contributes to bowel health and to lower cholesterol levels whilst an absence of saturated fat from meat benefits the heart.
Current evidence for the effectiveness of vegetarian diets in preventing certain health conditions, including coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer, hypertension and high cholesterol has been provided by studies in UK, USA and Germany.  The most comprehensive and well known studies focusing on the health of vegetarians have been the large cohort studies: Oxford Vegetarian Study, the Oxford EPIC study of cancer and nutrition and the long term American study of vegetarian Seventh Day Adventists. 
There is now evidence that vegetarians have lower rates of mortality than the general population. Evidence from cohort studies suggests that vegetarians have lower overall standardised all cause mortality ratios than the general population (BNF 2005)." (Vegetarian Society)

Downsides
As Amanda Carlson-Phillips states:

"A vegetarian diet can help you control your weight and lower your cholesterol, but you can't just drop meat and fish—a key source of protein—without a plan. Your body needs protein to build muscle and maintain a strong immune system. It's important to get about 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight a day. The good news: There are many vegetarian-friendly foods that are high in protein. Some healthy options include:

• Grains (quinoa, rice, whole grain cereals)
• Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, soybeans)
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetables
• Dairy products (eggs, milk, cheese, Greek yogurt)" (Carlson-Phillips 2010)
  

The man issue is protein, particularly for those who exercise (and moreso for those who follow intense weight trainig programs, such as myself). Animal proteins are complete, non animal proteins aren't. What does this mean? Animal proteins are made up of the nine essential amino acids: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylanine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine, which the body cant produce by itself. Whereas plants contain incomplete or low-quality proteins, which mean they lack one or more essential amino acids. Hence why a vegetarian diet completely void of animals proteins needs to be monitored closely (vegans). If we don't have adequate protein sources and protein intake, we lose muscle, we lose the ability to burn fat and as our body's are driven by protein processes we get sick. (Williams 2007)

It is important to note that Williams agrees with Wahlqvist that vegetarian diets do reduce cancers and cardiovascular disease, but a vegetarian can suffer from calorie deficiency, vitamin/mineral deficiency and as noted, protein deficiency. Again, what does this mean?  A vegetarian diet can fall short in the minerals iron, zinc and calcium, they can find iron in grains, legumes, beans, nuts, split peas, dates, prune juice, raisins, green leafy vegetables, and iron-enriched grain products (important note, especially for women- ingesting vitamins C will help aid in absorption of iron). Calcium can be found in green vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, mustard greens and spinach). Zinc rich foods are: plant foods, whole weat bread, peas, corn and carrots (egg yolk and seafood also add substantial amounts of zinc to the diet). Finally, vitamin B12 is also a problem for strict vegans as it isn't found in plant foods, they will need a B12 supplement. (Williams 2007)

Tips for a recent convert
Here are two articles that have lay outs for vegan and vegetarian options, if you're considering making the switch, check them out.

If you're struggling with the moral issues, and don't want to give up meat, here's a quote from Graham Hill who puts it so eloquently:

"...I thought about it, and I came up with one, and I've been doing it for the last year, and it's great. It's called Weekday Veg.

The name says it all. Nothing with a face, Monday to Friday. On the weekend, your choice. Simple! (emphasis added)" (Midgley 2010)

Conclusion
I think in the public eye, even with all these arguments for and against, vegetarianism simply comes down to personal preference. People like meat, they enjoy it, and as has been pointed out to me, the suffering of animals argument, is weak. I'm not sure if I've even made much of an argument in this blog, perhaps simply informing you is enough for my purposes. There are good positive, healthy reasons to give up meat, even if you don't consider an animals plight, perhaps that was the point of this blog after all.  My closing thoughts? In a place, such as Australia, where we live with every comfort, every benefit, can we not sacrifice a little of our comfort, to provide, perhaps a little, momentary piece of comfort to someone, or something else? Particularly when the other options are better for us on several fronts. At the heart of it, that's all I'm advocating, if you choose to stay an omnivore, I don't disagree, it's your right to do so, if you choose to become some form of vegetarian, I hope the above demonstrates that it is healthier, in many cases, but it is also harder, in most cases.

References 
Carlson-Phillips A., (2010). Q&A: What's the Best Source of Protein for a Vegetarian? Core Performance.  Retrieved 27/02/2011.http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/nutrition/q-a-whats-the-best-source-of-protein-for-a-vegetarian.html?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS 


Midgley D., (2010).Weekday vegetarians. Good Reason. Retrieved 24/02/2011. http://goodreasonblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/weekday-vegetarians.html

Vegtarian Society. Vegetarian diet for health problems. Vegetarian Society. Retrieved 06/03/11. https://www.vegsoc.org/
 
Wahlqvist M.L., (2002). Food and Nutrition (2nd ed.).  Crows Nest, NSW. Allen & Unwin. Pp-223-224.

Williams M. H., (2007). Nutrition for health, fitness and sport (8th edition). New York, New York. McGraw Hill. Pp- 54-60, 195-196.

Training Diary-Phase 1- Wk2.

Ok so week two is going well, I'm writing this as of Wednesday, as I'm not working tomorrow night so I'm having to do tomorrow nights workout tonight, which means my chest is going to be a bit tight, it's not as much recovery as I'd like, but it's 48hrs, which is the bare minimum. If I didn't train tonight I'd either need to drive in tomorrow night or Saturday morning, as that's an hour and a half round trip, that I do twice a day, 4 times a week? No thankyou! Just suck it up tonight n "grr" through it tonight I guess.

Thankyou all for the jibes, criticisms and teasing, it helps to make me aware that (a) you're reading the blog and (b)  that you recognize what you need to be doing, and that I don't get a free pass either. My first week was pretty weak in terms of training, as you will be able to see below, I'm still not completing the entirety of the workouts, but am etching close! Training by myself perhaps, or the crappy meal in the morning is hindering me. But I'm reasonably happy with the increase of weight moved (which is no small part due to the eyes of my clients watching!).

Program

Rob Build Up
Phase 1
Superset
Day 1
Upper Body	S	R	Wk2
BB Bench/ BB BO Row	3	12	60kg/60kg, 80kg/80kg, 90kg/90kg
DB Inc Bench/ Suppt T-bar	3	12	25kg/50kg, 30kg/60kg, 30kg/60kg
BB Military Press/ Pullup	3	12	40kg/BWx10, 45kg/BWx8,-
Skullcrusher/ BB Curl	3	12	37.5kg/37.5kgs- Yes, I'm weak!
Dip/ DB Alt Curl	3	12	Skipped, due to being all weak.
Day 2
Lower Body/Abs	S	R	Wk2
Hex Bar Deadlift	3	12	100kg, 120kg, 120kg
DB Split Squat/SLDL	3	12	20kg/45kg, 20kg/45kg, 22.5kg/45kg
DB Step Up/ Lateral Lunge	3	12	15kg/15kg, 17.5kg/15kg-skipped last set.
Rollout/ Dynamic Plank	3	12	1/1, 1/1- skipped last set.
Day 3	S	R	Wk2
Upper Body	3	12
BB Decline/ DB BO Row	3	12	60kg/27.kg, 80kg/30kg, 90kg/32.5kg
DB Bench/ CG Seated Row	3	12	27.5kg/90kg, 30kg/90kg, 30kg/90kg
DB Military Press/ Chinup	3	12	17.5kg/BWx11, 20kg/BWx9, 20kg/BWx8
CG Bench/ Preacher Curl	3	12	Skipped, due to fatigue.
Rope Pulldown/ DB Curl	3	12	Ditto!
Day 4	S	R	Wk2
Lower Body	3	12
BB Back Squat	3	12	60kg, 80kg, 100kg
DB Walking Lnge/ Good Mrng	3	12	15kg/60kg, 17.5kg/60kg, 17.5kg/60kg
Hack Squat/ Lying Leg Curl	3	12	60kg/40kg, 60kg/40kg, 60kg/
Bodysaw/ Hanging Leg Raise	3	12	1/1, 1/1, 1/1

I managed to get through much more of my workout this week, which I'm happy for, didn't complete all of it, but I'm getting there. Those upperbody workouts are really draining, by the time I get done with my chins/shoulder presses, I'm emotionally and physically done. I've lost interest, I feel sick, I feel weak and just, for lack of a better term, can't be bothered finishing my arms. Now, that's not too bad, as for some reason my arms just grow no matter what I do. But still, I'd like to complete my workouts, for peace of mind.

Diet has been pretty similar to last week's, I did my proper diet on the Monday, had nachos on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (oops). I can see my stomach starting to really show, not feeling very good about that, I can start to see some muscle developing too, which I'm more happy about. Will do my assessment sometime this week and put in the stats below.

Ok so I did my assessment, I could only do a basic weight and bodyfat measurement test on the OMRON, the results were as follows

Weight: 94kgs
Bodyfat: 17.4%

I've decided to start trying to make some options towards vegetarianism (there is a blog coming about this). So my shakes will start to have some lentils and chick peas, I'll be dropping my meat pre-workout meal for baked beans and milk. I will go into depth with this for next week.


Breakfast: 1/2 cup of oats with 1 scoop protein powder, hilo milk, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. 700mL of water.

Meal after morning shift: Nachos- 1 bag of CC's, half a bag of low fat cheese, 1 tin of salsa. 500mL of water. 1/2 cup of hilo milk.

Meal before training and afternoon shift: Smoothy- 1 cup of berries, 1 cup of mixed veggies, 1 banana, 1 pear, 1/2 cup of walnuts, a touch of cinnamon, 750mL of water, 1 cup of yoghurt, 150g cottage cheese, 3 broccoli stems, handful of cherry tomatoes.

Post workout shake: x2  up n go "energize"'s, 30g of protein powder. 500mL water durng training.

Dinner: 1 cup of brown rice, 1 cup of mince curry with mixed vegetables. 500mL of water over the night.

Probiotics.

I recently had to take some antibiotics. After my week or so dose I felt my stomach and general intestinal situation to be interrupted in terms of, well stuff we don't need to go into. But suffice it to say, my normally functioning body, was running haphazardly and uncomfortably.

Now being a know-it-all, I really just went into a thought process of "I'll just get back to eating normal and it'll fix itself", which, over time, it may have done. But I was in quite a large amount of discomfort. My hippie girlfriend suggested probiotics. Having done my sports science degree (minoring in nutrition), I had done some research into probiotics, but honestly? I was in such meathead mode at uni, that if it didn't get you big, I didn't care.

I started taking the probiotics, as it seems to follow that taking antibiotics for a streptococcus infection could reduce my gut bacteria too, some of which are streptococcus. I instantly felt better, more regular. Seems hippies still know their stuff eh?

It did inspire me to thought. I'm a reasonably healthy guy, with a reasonably healthy lifestyle, I eat a lot of yogurt, I eat a bit of fruit and vegetables, it was only when I had a chemically enhanced disturbance, did I feel out of whack. But, and here's the point (eventually), it got me to thinking about my clients, some of whom may have diets less strict, less focused on fruits, vegetables etc. I asked myself "could they benefit from a probiotic supplement?" Perhaps one cycle done bi-yearly? I'm going to do some research, and let's see what conclusions we can find, and let's see if they support my prior assumptions.

Firstly, lets define our terms, what exactly do we mean, when we say probiotics? Well, Charles Poliquin offers a definition on his blog from the World Health Organisation:

"Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host." (Poliquin, retrieved 21/02/11)

Le's not get into textual analysis, as Poloquin does in this article (though I do recommend you read it, below), on whether this is a good definition, but rather work with what we have. Or better yet, lets look to Wahlqvist to see what he has to say:

"Probiotics are viable micro-organisms which are beneficial to health by improving the intestinal micriobial balance." (Wahlqvist 2002)

While this definition still contains come generic language, I, and Poloquin don't like, we do get a little more detail in it, let's turn to Bob Calvin, who has a great in-depth review of probiotics here:

"Our digestive tract is host to a plethora of living microorganisms some "friendly" and some "harmful." "Friendly" microorganisms aid in digestion, immune function, absorption of minerals, treat inflammation, and prevent the build-up of "harmful" microorganisms, while "harmful" microorganisms can lead to disease, infection and a suppressed immune function.
The widespread use of antibiotics is effective in killing "harmful" as well as "friendly" microorganisms (emphasis added). This poses a problem and can lead to decreases in immune function and translocation of harmful bacteria from the digestive tract into other organs such as the liver and lymph nodes." (Calvin 2006)

 Let's also refer back to Wahlqvist for confirmation of the importance of probiotics in gut function:

"The gastrointestinal tract normally contains large numbers of bacteria (natural microflora) including 107-8 organisms in the oral cavity (predominantly Streptococcus, Veillonella, Neisseria), 102-3 organisms in the stomach and small intestine (Lactobacillus, Streptococcus), and 1010-11 organisms in the large intestine and colon (Bifodobacterium, Bacteroides, Eubacterium, Peptostreptococcus)."  (Wahlqvist 2002)

This certainly seems to confirm my assumption regarding the possible death of streptococcus in my gut and intestinal tract from the antibiotics and my resulting discomfort. But why would I have felt sick? Wahlqvist has the answer:

"The most commonly used probiotics are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. The reported beneficial effects of probiotics include alleviation of the symptoms of lactose intolerance, immune system enhancement, shorter duration of diarrhoea caused by rotavirus, decreased faecal mutagenicity, decrease in the levels of pathogenic bacteria, decreased faecal bacterial enzyme activity and prevention of the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer." (Wahlqvist 2002)

As far as a recommendation to clients, I only see benefits listed above, particularly if you have taken an antibiotic. Due to the strenuous nature of training, the boosted immune function could be worthwhile too. As a study by Berggren et al 2010 states:

"The common cold is a viral infection primarily caused by rhinoviruses.  Previous studies have shown that probiotics, alone or in combination with prebiotics, have reduced the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. Swedish researchers enrolled 272 men and women in a 12-week long study, during which subjects were supplemented daily with supplemented either with 109 cfu (colony forming units) of probiotics or placebo.  The team found that the probiotics reduced the incidence of one or more episodes of the common cold (emphasis added). Among those who received the probiotics, both the total symptom score and number of symptom days among were markedly reduced. The researchers conclude that:  “Intake of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus paracasei reduces the risk of acquiring common cold infections.” (Berggren et al 2010)

Bob Calvin goes on to list some other benefits and suggested times to take said you probiotics:

"The use of a probiotic supplement can be an effective way to promote the growth of "friendly" microorganisms within the digestive tract. A quality probiotic supplement should include a wide array of friendly stands of bacteria. Some examples include: L. plantarum, L. acidolphilus, B. longum, L. sporogenes, L. casei and L. salivarius.
Start by taking one or two probiotic capsules before bed. Another option: Foods such as yogurt (with live active cultures) and fermented foods such as fermented vegetables (pickles, cabbage), miso and soy sauce are also good natural sources of "friendly" bacteria." (Calvin 2006)

Conclusion
Sure, from this limited review, we only get the most basic of conclusions, but it seems at least from this superficial analysis that probiotics have a place, after antibiotic use, for immune response etc. Overall the benefits of probiotics are definitely there, I guess it comes down to the cost/benefit ratio. My girl picked up the probiotics I'm taking for $34 with about 50 tabs in it (at about 3 a day), so it is expensive, although I received this email from her:

"I think you can get less expensive ones, probably the stuff you have to leave in the fridge is cheaper. Brands I've used that don't require being in the fridge are microgenics, natures way and natures own. You can get a month's worth of microgenics for around $20-25 and the ones you got are technically one a day too - although the guy recommended 3 times for when your immune system really needs it."

I certainly think my clients, particularly the ones who are not getting several serves of veggies and fruit a day, could benefit from this. Check my sources, review the literature for yourself, disagree? Tell me why, who knows, you may convince this know-it-all.

References

Bergrren  A. Ahren I. L., Larsson N., Onning G., (2010). Randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled study using new probiotic lactobacilli for strengthening the body immune defence against viral infections.European Journal of Nutrition. Retrieved 21/02/2011. http://www.worldhealth.net/news/probiotics-may-help-ward-common-cold/ 

Calvin B., (2006)., Digestive Health. Retrieved 21/02/2011. http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/nutrition/digestive-health.html
 

Poloquin C.,What Makes a Probiotic a Probiotic? Put Your Product to the Test With This 4-Question Quiz. Retrieved 21/02/11. http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/447/What_Makes_a_Probiotic_a_Probiotic.aspx?lang=EN

Wahlqvist M.L., (2002). Food and Nutrition (2nd ed.).  Crows Nest, NSW. Allen & Unwin. Pp- 121-122.

Further reading

This is a collected group of articles on probiotics if you would like further reading.