Tag Archive for: Diet and Exercise (free ebook)

Home Gym Workouts Can Be the Right Solution for Gym Constraints

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Many people across the world might be really concerned about how to stay healthy and fit. This is perhaps the main reason why most of them are enthusiastic about exercising. However, due to busy work schedule and exhausting routines, most of us may not get the time to go to gyms and perform exercises daily. Probably, the best solution to overcome this problem is to have a home gym. This can be quite convenient as well as save fuel cost of driving to the gym.

Home gyms have become extremely popular and common sight in many households. However, there are just a few people who are able to devise a proper home gym workout program. This is due to the reason that unlike professional gyms, there is no physical trainer to make a proper workout plan. In most cases, people either stop exercising after sometime or they do it without a proper technique.

home gym

Most of the time, they may be clueless of what they are doing and why they are doing. Whether weight loss or weight gain, a good home gym exercise routine can help those who might be confused of what exercises to carry out while exercising at home.

The most essential part of all exercises is to perform warm-up activities. These activities are crucial as the body gets into movement and accumulates the energy to perform the workout. Walking on the treadmill, skipping, and freehand exercises are some of the simple warm-up activities and form the initial step in the home gym workout program.

Those having a home gym are likely to have free weights, barbells, and dumbbells for their exercise. They can begin their workout with such instruments and follow a regular plan for their free weight exercises.

Push-ups and sit-ups are two other vital exercises that should form part of the home gym workout plan. There can be other exercises that can be performed independently. Unlike in professional gyms, there is no need to wait for the turn to complete an exercise. Moreover, individuals can avail convenience of doing exercise on any time of the day.

So, by now you must have got a good inspiration to make your own home gym exercise plan. However, it is always a good choice to consult with a physical trainer and discuss the physical limitations and lifestyle to make a proper workout plan for your home gym.

 

How to Build a Home Gym That Suits Your Needs

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These days, people are more conscious of health and they are well informed about latest fitness trends, thanks to the new developments in communication technology. Nowadays, we are all aware of the effect of sedentary lifestyle. We are living in a world where we are always at high risk of possible heart attacks, cardio-vascular diseases, respiratory infections and much more.

Unfortunately, many of us are not able to spare time for daily exercise due to our busy work schedule. However, most of us consent to the fact that it would have been much better if we could somehow manage to spare time for exercise, without having to drive to the gym every morning. Convenience is exactly the essence of having a gym at home.

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A home gym should be designed keeping in mind the needs of all your family members. A fitness area at home allows you to exercise in the utmost privacy and comfort of your home, probably while watching your favorite television channel or tuning to your favorite music station. The best advantage of home gym is that you will be able to use your treadmill or stationary bike at any time of the day, and for as long as you want.

The thought of having a gym at home seems to be full of pledges. However, if you buy fitness equipment without proper planning, the whole thing may not come to practical use. So, prior to investing in your home gym, you should consider your requirements.

First of all, make sure that you have set your practical objectives, as to what you anticipate from exercising at home gym. If you desire to strengthen and tone muscles, it is best to look for more sophisticated machines than those which abet simple exercises.

A home gym with multipurpose equipment would require a bigger space, though you can design your home gym with a smaller space. You can opt for fold-able work stations to get the maximum utility of the floor area. The choice of home gym would largely depend on what fitness equipment you are going to use.

It is very crucial to plan out the space where large fitness equipment will be installed. You will be able to find different makes and models of home gym equipment that come in different dimensions. You should plan beforehand where to place your fitness equipment and make the purchase accordingly.

Next thing in deliberation is the budget. Building your home gym is a one-time investment, as opposed to fitness clubs where you have to pay monthly or annual membership fees. In return of the upfront investment, you get the continual services from home gym. However, it does not indicate that you have to go bankrupt in building your home gym. It is best to invest in basic fitness equipment and gradually make more purchases to make the workout area versatile.

According to professional health experts, equipment for cardiovascular exercises should be an essential piece of equipment in a home gym, though it happens to be the most expensive one. To cut down the budget, you can invest on inexpensive power training fitness machines, without compromising on the quality of the fitness equipment.

How to Lose Weight and Improve Health By Eating!

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Many people want to lose weight. Sometimes, it’s harder for some people as opposed to others. However, by adopting the right attitude, a person can lose weight – even if they keep eating! First, it is important to outline and remind yourself of your goals; why are you losing weight?

Many people understand that by having strictly short-term goals or plans for weight loss, they can easily pack back on the pounds after their one goal is over. In order to maintain a steady and healthy weight, one’s lifestyle needs to change and here are some pointers!

lose weight

 

1: Eliminating an entire food group from your diet will rarely incite positive results. Moderation is everything, and everything in moderation. In order to function properly, an individual needs lots of different foods and items. By cutting out an entire food group or type of food, the body no longer gets that it needs.

2: Keep in mind specifically what helps your body and when. Carbohydrates and fats are best in the morning and when individuals need caloric energy in general. Protein is also a fuel for the body, but some protein can be high in fat, so watch carefully what you eat and what raw material the food comes from before you ingest it.

3: An ideal diet will depend on the individual. Different individuals have different lifestyles, and different lifestyles need different things in order to keep the person in proper health. If you are more active, you will need to eat more to maintain your lifestyle. Individuals who are less active can eat less because they are not being as hard on their bodies or demanding as much from their bodies.

4: Still interested in counting calories? For some people, counting calories helps. For others, they can lose sight of what they are trying to achieve by cutting out high calorie foods – and potentially limiting their body’s sources of nutrients and vitamins. Most adults can eat between two and three thousand calories each day, and as a general rule average women can consume less calories than the average man.

Possibly the most important thing is to observe where your food is coming from before you eat it. More important than counting calories and limiting yourself on food, it is important to look at what types of food you are eating versus what types of food you should be eating in order to improve your body and/or your lifestyle. Carbohydrates can safely make up sixty percent of one’s diet, which can be supplemented by about thirty percent of fat and ten to twenty percent of one’s diet made up by protein. These are averages and specifics will vary from person to person and will be dependent on the specifics of their body and exertion levels. Individuals do not necessarily need to eat less in order to lose weight, rather they can almost always benefit by eating different things in order to help fine tune their diet and their lifestyle. By eating the right items in the appropriate amounts, a person can create a healthier lifestyle – and lose weight!

Healthy Habits When Life is on the Go  

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The busy life that people lead these days can make sticking to your diet a real battle. It can seem so tough to find the time to sit down and consume a meal that is good for you. The good news is that there are numerous ways that you can bring healthy eating habits into your life even if you are very busy.

You have a better chance of eating well if you plan ahead and try to make healthy eating a part of your daily routine. If you know that you have a busy week ahead for example you can purchase numerous food items that are quick and easy to prepare.

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Make sure that your cupboards are well filled with foods that are low in calories. Even though you should not eat this way daily if it can be helped, there are times where you have to opt for a quick meal on the go.

These fast and easy healthy meals are a great choice for those days when you simply just do not have the time to sit down and eat well.

Whenever possible, make the time to sit down and have a good breakfast. This is a great start to your day and an important part of any diet. When your body has gone all night without food, it is desperate for fuel and nutrients.

Studies have shown that people who avoid eating breakfast often take in around one hundred more calories than people who sit down and have this meal daily. If loosing weight is a priority for you, eating breakfast is a fabulous start.

Your body needs to be well hydrated to operate properly. Water is also needed to process the nutrients in food. When you consume adequate amounts of water, you will find that your body feels fuller and lends to you being more apt to avoiding the temptation of snacks that are not healthy.

On average, you should drink about eight glasses of water each day. This amount will of course vary depending on where you live, if you reside in a warm climate, you may need to ingest more water for the same results.

To maximize the result of water consumption, consider adding ice cubes to each glass of water that you have. Studies have shown that you can actually increase your metabolism by adding ice to the water that you drink each day.

Breakfast is not the only important meal; lunch is almost as vital as breakfast is to keep your body functioning properly. Even if you are tempted to skip lunch to ditch those calories, it is simply not worth it.

When you stay away from lunch, your blood sugar levels dip and your metabolism becomes sluggish. Not to mention the fact that when dinner time roles around, you are bound to be very hungry and indulge in foods that are not good for your diet.

Instead of not eating lunch, choose to have something light but filling. Fruits and veggies are always a good idea or you could have a sandwich on wheat bread with lean deli meats if you like.

Snacks can be the downfall of many people on a diet. However, this does not have to be the case. You do not have to throw out your snacks all together; you just have to pick snack foods that are good for you.

Yogurt low in fat, fruit, trail mix, veggies or wheat crackers with peanut butter will fill you up more than something like a chocolate bar would with only a fraction of the calories.

Getting a Handle on Portion Control a Key to Losing Weight 

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Diets can seem like such a complicated matter, you know that you need to eat less and exercise more; however it can be so hard. One of the worst factors that hold you back from shedding pounds is the size of the portions that we eat.

Research in dieting has shown that if you can get control over the size of your meal portions, you will also be able to control your weight. There are tips that allow you to find the balance necessary for keeping your weight at a healthy level.

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The unfortunate part is that there are times when it is hard to keep a handle on your portion size- generally when the amount of food given is out of your control. This tends to happen for example when you dine out for a meal.

You can take control of this though through a variety of different methods. One option would be to choose an appetizer over a main course. Generally, appetizers are big enough to be satisfying without being as large as a main course.

If you are determined to order a full meal, a fabulous idea is to cut your meal in half before you start eating. You can ask to take the other half of your meal home to eat at a later time.

Breaking out of the habit of thinking you need to eat three large meals a day will go a long way in aiding you to control your food portions without feeling hungry. Skip the traditional three meals and decide instead to eat numerous small, healthy meals each day.

This is an excellent way to keep your portions small, and it will leave you satisfied and prevent the dieting pitfall of boredom.

Five small meals daily that consist of whole grains, vegetables and fruit are suggested highly by dieticians. Be bold with your fruit and vegetable selections, try out new flavors and textures, and explore and find foods that you enjoy.

If you do wish for some of your meals to be slightly larger, the earlier in the day that you eat them, the better it is. As your day progresses, ensure that your meals become smaller as you have less hours to burn off the calories that you consume.

When you are trying to control the size of your portions, you need to know the appropriate measurements of food that you need. Use the tools that you have in the kitchen to measure out your food so that you know you are always taking in the proper portion amount.

Items like measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale will help you keep your food amount under control each day. Do not try to just eyeball and guess at the amount you are eating, especially when you are just starting out on your diet.

Some people find it very difficult to stop themselves from eating too much, for whatever reason, they can simply not figure out what a good portion size is. These people will find that a plate, with pre-measured compartments is very useful.

These plates can be located online or at a variety of stores that carry kitchen supplies. This plate has areas that hold the perfect amount of vegetables, proteins and fats that are the right amount for you to eat at each meal.

Non-Essential Amino Acids

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The body builds proteins from a set of “blocks” of amino acids consisting of twenty amino acids. Once these amino acids are joined together into protein, the body uses that protein to build muscles. There are eight essential amino acids which are the ones that cannot be produced by the body from other available resources and therefore needs to be supplied as part of one’s diet, it includes: tryptophan, lysine, methionine, phenylalaine, threonine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine.

The amino acids that the body normally produces and can be found in the body proteins are called non-essential amino acids. They are called non-essential because they are not needed in the diet, however it is possible that some people have metabolic deficiencies and may have low production of certain amino acids. The particular functions usually performed by these amino acids are not fulfilled so the need for supplements may arise. One common non-essential amino acid that often gets supplemented is Glutamic acid in the form of glutamine.

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Here are the non-essential amino acids:

Alanine is one of the non-essential amino acids that is an important source of energy for muscle tissue, central nervous system and the brain. It strengthens the immune system by producing antibodies; it also helps in the metabolism of organic acids and sugars.

Aspartic Acid aids in the removal of harmful ammonia from the body. Ammonia can be harmful to the central nervous system once it enters the circulatory system because it acts as a highly toxic substance. Aspartic acid from recent studies has shown to increase resistance to fatigue and increase endurance.

Glycine is one of the non-essential amino acids that is important in manufacturing of the hormones that are responsible for strong immune system. They help trigger the release of oxygen to the energy required in cell-making process.

Glutamic Acid is believed to be nature’s “brain food” which improves mental capacities. It helps in the control of alcoholism, craving for sugar, and schizophrenia. It also assists in speeding up the healing of ulcers, and lifting fatigue.

Arginine is one of the non-essential amino acids that promotes wound healing and regenerations of the liver. It is considered to be essential for the optimal growth of muscles and tissue repair. It also causes the release of growth hormones. Studies have shown that Arginine improves immune responses to viruses, bacteria and tumor cells.

Tyrosine promotes the healthy functioning of the adrenal, pituitary glands, and the thyroid. It improves memory as it transmits nerve impulses to the brain. It increase mental alertness and helps overcome depression.

Taurine aids in the clearing of free radical wastes and helps in the stabilization of the excitability membranes which is very vital in the control of epileptic seizures. Taurine is one of the factors that are needed for the control of many biochemical changes during the aging process.

Cystine is a necessary non-essential amino acid for the formation of the skin which aids in the recovery from burns and surgical operations. It functions as an antioxidant and is a controlling aid to the body in protecting against pollution and radiation.

Amino Acid Therapy

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Amino Acid Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

The contribution in the development of cerebral palsy focuses on potentially modifiable factors during the neonatal period. Studies revealed that it has something to do with the excitable protein block- builders and their role in neurological injury.

In preventing the permanent deficit of having cerebral palsy, amino acid therapy is a method of treating brain damage and early abnormality. This was created by Professor Alexander Khokhlov from Russia who is teaching biochemistry and nuerology. He also has other clinics in Cyrpus, Czech Republic, London and New Zealand.

Amino Acid Therapy

This consists of the intravenous administration of one or more essential protein block- builders. It was performed on 84 patients that went through treatment from February 1994 to February 1996. About 39 received two courses, 20 had three sessions, 9 took four, 9 received five courses, 6 had six sessions and 1 took seven. Accordingly, a percentage of more than 50 patients were given 3 or more courses.

Amino Acid Therapy for Psychological Condition

Neurotransmitters are important chemical messengers which regulate functions in the brain, muscles, organs and nerves. Serotonin, dopamine, neropinephrine and epinephrine are the most common of its type.

People that have the neurotransmitter deficiency can have the following conditions depression, chronic fatigue, insomnia, attention deficit, anxiety, panic attacks and many more. With the application of the amino acid therapy it has helped those who are agonizing such situations. Treatments include taking SSRI or selective serotonin re- uptake inhibitors and other prescribed drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, Celexa or Wellbutrin.

It functions by artificially accelerating the amount of serotonin in the synapse of the nerve. This allows a temporary recovery in the chemical messaging system. The downside however, is that it does not increase serotonin levels and diminishes the stocks of NT. It happens because the SSRI class drugs bring about an augment in an enzyme called MAO.

Amino Acid Therapy for Cancer

Developed by Angelo John, a cancer scientist, he researched the role of the protein block- builders in the cancer cells. Afterwhich, he determined how it can be altered to eliminate to cause its death. Thus, his objective is to strategically and scientifically utilize the chemical reactions and supplemental responses by interfering with the five basic prerequisites namely structure, blood vessels, energy, growth hormones and functions.

Amino acid therapy works synergistically with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It hinders the rise of tumors and causes them to retreat. It is a six to eight month course administered to under the care of your doctor and just inside the comforts of your home.

There was a study done by Dr. Marco Rabinovitz of the National Cancer Institute where it showed that deprivation of the protein block- builders is beneficial in healing cancer. Such is an example that consists of scintifically formulated amino acids. In the otherhand, Dr. Chi Van Dang of John Hopkins School of Medicine stated that cancer cells are sugar junkies that if robbed of glucose, they will eventually pass away.

5 Action Ideas To Get Big Fast

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Are you sick and tired of picking up that latest body building magazine off the shelve, opening it to the latest program on the current bodybuilding star and discovering that he is using a six day split program that has you in the gym for four hours and day!! What it won’t tell you is that the guy is a professional and probably doesn’t have to hold down a steady job, pay off a mortgage or raise a couple of kids.

The thing is you don’t have to train like an athlete to put on muscle, all you need to do is follow these action ideas below and you will start making big gains fast without spending all your time in the Gym.

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Lets have a look:

1. Back to Basics – To build muscle you must train short and with intensity, you only have a limited amount of energy per session. Tests reveal that blood sugar levels drop dramatically after 20 minutes, so exercise selection is crucial.

Compound multi-joint movements have to be used as these offer more training stimulus, are more functional and heavier loads can be lifted. Examples of compound movements include squats, bench press, dips, and chin-ups. Performing three to four exercises with high intensity during a session are what is needed.

All the main structures of the body are worked hard during this time, remembering that as you get stronger in your upper body exercises i.e. Dips, Lat Pull downs, you will also add size to your upper arms as well as your shoulders.

Working on these big compound movements has a knock-on effect throughout the whole body; there is no need for specialization techniques or isolation movements.

The thing is, the whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperation is allowed to take place and at the next exercise session we push out a few more reps than before with the same weight, then we have gotten stronger i.e. more muscle.

2. Perform One Set Per Body Part – Having performed one set of an exercise to total failure then it should be near on impossible to generate the same force and intensity for another set.

If you are able to generate the same force and intensity for this second set then the first set was not worked hard enough.

If you give the first set 100% effort and work it to total failure (You cannot move the bar after the last rep) there is no more requirement for further stimulation.

Therefore you need to do one set per exercise, remembering to complete the training session in 20 – 30 minutes so to have the most stimulus as possible and then move on to the next exercise.

Current research shows that single set training is as beneficial as multiple set training, decreasing the chances of over training and saving energy for other lifts required during the workout. Because you are doing one set per exercise, you will have to work it hard and to total failure.

3. Cycle Your Strength Training – The development of muscle and strength is interrelated so the exercise session will have to be designed so that increases in strength are equal to increases in functional muscle.

Cycling intensity through changes in repetitions and poundage’s throughout your training program is an effective way to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus.

4. Don’t Train To Long – Training itself causes the breakdown of muscle tissue. When a person trains very intensely cortisol is released into the blood stream, which causes the breakdown of muscle tissue.  The amount of cortisol released is highly dependent upon the length of training time.

Therefore to minimize this effect training should be completed in the absolute minimum time required which is no longer than 20 to 30 minutes max. Your blood sugar levels are also dropping by this time, so do what you have to do in this time and get out of the gym, go home and grow.

5. Don’t Cheat – Do not cheat on your reps! Every strength-training trainee runs into this problem sooner or later and it will grind your gains to a stand still. There are many ways to increase the intensity of your sets and the weights used in order to maximize results. Cheating to increase your weights actually takes strain off your muscles and places it on your joints, which is counterproductive.

Now that you are armed with this information, you wont need to spend all of your time in the gym, by all means workout hard while you are in there but when you are finished go home and grow and enjoy life.

Types of Amino Acids

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A reputable addendum in connection with nutrition satisfies a diet that benefits in sustaining human beings. It forms the muscles that enable one to build in a single day sans the dilemmas of excess fats and cholesterol without straining the digestion system.

The essential building blocks of protein can only be obtained through foods such as fish, poultry, vegetables and other sources. It can also be taken from supplements that come in several types of amino acids. There are those that range from single or combination of free form, peptide bonded or branched chain.

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Branched- Chain

Comprising L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine, branched- chain are contained in proteins of all life forms. This is one of the types of amino acids wherein its dietary sources are mainly obtained from meats and vegetables.

Better known as BCAA’s or branched- chain amino acids, it was created by some neurological research community. There was then a pilot study that designated that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients demonstrated improvement when given big doses of BCAA’s. It was then concluded that branched- chain amino acids may safeguard against nueronal damage from nueroexcitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. However, most of the follow- ups came out negative and even indicated that it can increase mortality with those who have ALS.

It sometimes used in parental and enteral feedings in the management of hepatic encephalopathy. It is most of the time utilized in the nursing of major burns and severe trauma because of its possible anticatabolic action.

Peptide- Bonded

Referring to certain dipetides that are utilized in total parental nutrition (TPN), peptide bonded amino acids are delivery forms of L- glutamine. This is one of the types of amino acids where it also indicates to those that are found in some supplements specifically those marketed as fitness products.

L- glutamine in PBAA’s is an ordinary kind featured in metabolic stress conditions such as infection, cancer, trauma, sepsis and burns. The response to those states is characterized by catabolism balance and negative nitrogen. With those, L- glutamine is normally produced mainly in the skeletal muscles in ample quantities to complete physiological requirements. L- glutamine then becomes an essential protein block- builder and must be provided to the body to avoid breakdown of muscle tissues, immune dysfunction and compromise of gut mucosal barrier function.

Free- Form

One of the types of amino acids that are not bound to any other, free- form refers to the facts that they are independent from one another. Studies showed that there have been plenty of companies that have advertised FFAA’s are the purest active source of protein block- builders that can be purchased in the market. This is however, not true at all instances.

Free- form amino acids are also not immediately absorbed in the small intestines as compared to branded- chain and peptide- bonded. It should only be reserved for use in activities such as workout.

Essential Amino Acids

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Known as building blocks of protein, there are about 20 of them but only 9 are considered as essential amino acids. They cannot be produced by the body alone so human beings can only obtain them from foods or supplements.

Here are 7 of the 9 essential amino acids with a brief description of each:

amino acids

Isoleucine

Coded for in the DNA, isoleucine has a chemical composition that is similar to that of leucine. However, the arrangement of its atoms is different which then has other properties. It is a hydrophobolic amino acid that thas two chiral centers. Meaning there are four stereoisomers and two diastereomers. It can be found in eggs, pork, mutton, chicken, pulses and beans.

Leucine

Nutritionally one of the essential amino acids, leucine is isometric with isoleucine. Most commonly found in proteins, it is also significant in optimal growth especially in infancy and childhood, also in nitrogen balance in adults. It plays a major part in the maintenance of the muscles by equalizing synthesis and breakdown. Whole grains and milk products are its best sources.

Lysine

Commonly found in proteins, lysine has a 4-aminobutyl side- chain classified together with arginine and histidine. Its human nutritional requirement is 1- 1.5 grams a day. Deficiency of which can lead to lack of niacin or vitamin B that causes a disease called pellagra. It can actually function as a nutritional supplement to help fight against herpes. It is obtained in most legumes, cereal grains and fish.

Methionine

Lipotropic in nature, methionine is considered as one of the essential amino acids. Together with cyesteine, they are the only sulfur- containing proteinogenic amino acids. It has a part in carnitine and taurine synthesis by the processes called transsulfuration pathway, lecithin production and phosphatidylcholine synthesis. Astheroclerosis can be achieved if there is improper conversion of such. Meats, vegetables, nuts and legumes are its best supply.

Phenylalanine

Existing in two forms, phenylalanine are enantiomers or mirror- image molecules of one another. With a benzyl side- chain, its name was derived from its chemical structure composed of a phenyl group alternated for one of the hydrogens of alanine. Due to its phenyl group, it is considered as an aromatic compound. Its great sources are milk, avocados, pulses, legumes, nuts and seafoods.

Threonine

One of the essential amino acids that contains two chiral centers, threonine has four possible stereoisomers and two diastereomers. With its name that can be used in a single enantiomer, its side chain can also undergo O- linked glycosylation. It can become phosphorylated through the action of a threonine kinase. Lentils, fish, meats and cheese are its best supply.

Tryptophan

It may not be easily synthesized, tryptophan functions as building blocks in protein biosynthesis. A precursor for serotonin, melatonin and niacin, its functional group is indole. It has been implicated to bring about schizophrenia in persons that cannot be able to metabolize it correctly. It can be obtained in turkey, chicken, sesame , peanuts and chocolates.