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Month: May 2021

Are Environmental Estrogens Destroying Your Health?

May 28, 2021
| No Comments
| Health and Wellness

Are Environmental Estrogen’s Sabotaging Your Health, Performance and Weight Loss Goals? The simple truth is, yes they are! It is obvious and well known that our world today is plagued by massive amounts of toxic chemicals. They are in our food, water, soil, air an many of the products we buy and use.  Is it any wonder why we as a people are getting fatter, fertility rates are low, children are physically and sexually maturing at much younger ages, breast, prostate and other forms of cancer are at all time highs, testosterone levels are lower and overall good health is at a decline. So whether you are an athlete looking for optimal athletic performance or an everyday person trying to improve your health this information is vital to your success.

Estrogen’s in our environment come from a multitude of places. To simplify I have made a list of many of the most common sources.

1. Much of the food we eat is highly contaminated with these environmental estrogen’s. These estrogen’s come from hormones and antibiotics used to improve the growth and production of beef, pork and poultry. Once injected or fed to the animal it is passed on to us when we consume them.
2. Produce is not unaffected either. A large majority of our produce is laden with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. These chemicals mimic natural estrogen activity in the body wreaking havoc on our endocrine system.
3. Our water supply is also a culprit. The use of birth control pills by a large amount of our population is excreted naturally in urine. These hormones leach into our water supply through ground water and sewage. Our water supply can also be contaminated from factory chemical waste and runoff that leaches into our groundwater Unfortunately, our sewage treatment does not effectively remove all of the drugs and hormones from our water. These hormones are then passed on to us when we drink, cook and wash with the water in small amounts. Over time, this constant exposure may accumulate in our bodies.
4. Plastic bottles and food containers are our fourth cause. Many of the chemicals used to produce plastics also mimic estrogen’s in our bodies. They may leach into our food and water. This incidence is much higher if you heat or cool food and/or water in these containers.
5. Oil based coatings such as BPA’s found in can linings and other food storage containers cash register receipts(which are super annoying by themselves) and water bottles. BPA’s are also estrogenic and toxic to our bodies.
6. Many of our skin care products such as, cosmetics, deodorant, shampoos, moisturizers, and hair gels contain chemicals called parabens. Four of the more common types are ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. Parabens have been shown to disrupt hormone function, an effect that is linked to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity.
7. Phthalates are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity. They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
They are linked to all sorts of health issues including prostate cancer.
These plasticizing chemicals are found in:
o Synthetic Scents including candles and personal care products
o Makeup (to keep lotions and makeup to stick to your face longer)
o Vinyl shower curtains, flooring and other products
o Laundry products
o Nail polish
o #3 plastic cling wrap
o Water bottles
8. Excessive Alcohol Consumption. Drinking alcohol excessively has been linked to lower fertility rates and can trigger estrogen levels to increase. Beer is one of the worst culprits.
9. Soy. Soy is an estrogenic compound. The xenoestrogens in soy may contribute to the  disruption of hormonal balance in your body.
10. Eating processed food or large amounts of grain-based foods. Aside from the fact that eating too much grain and processed foods will make you fat, chemical additives in foods can also act as hormone disruptors.

The main problem with these environmental estrogen’s is our body’s ability to detoxify them. Our body’s are constantly bombarded with these chemicals from all directions. Over time the body may have difficulty  properly detoxifying and eliminating these chemicals. This leads to a build up and can lead to increased cancer risk, decreased testosterone, increased body fat gains and a host of other illnesses.

So, now that I scared the hell out of you, what can you do to help limit your toxic exposure to these treacherous chemicals?

The following list is a great place to start.

  1. Buy certified organic meats and vegetables. These products are free of these hormones, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and are non-GMO as well.
  2. Limit consumption of water from plastic bottles and containers. Buy a special gravity fed water filter or a  reverse osmosis water filter for your house and store your water in glass containers. Although it is not fully certain this will remove all chemical contaminants there is some evidence that it does at least lower them. Here is a great place to compare many types of water filters from the Environmental Working Group. EWR Water Filters
  3. Do not heat or freeze food and/or beverages in plastic containers. It is also wise to not store foods in lastic containers as the heated temperature of the food when you put it into the container and the cold temperature of the refrigerator or freezer can lead to the leaching or plastic chemicals into the food. Instead look for glass storage containers and/or these great silicone lids and silicone storage bags that are much safer. The added bonus is you will use less plastic that would end up getting thrown out and contributing to more environmental issues. 
  4. Buy fresh or frozen foods. If you buy canned foods make sure they do not use BPA linings. If you buy frozen foods DO NOT heat them in the plastic package it came in. 
  5. Avoid all cosmetics, cleaning products, shampoos, etc that contain any form of parabens. Read the labels!  For a list of paraben levels in products also refer to: ewg.org
  6. Avoid fragranced products, including air fresheners, plug-ins, wax melts, personal care products and dryer sheets.
  7. Use coconut, olive or avocado oil instead of vegetable oil. Vegetable oils aside from being generally unhealthy for you, especial soy bean, often contain high-estrogen food additives.
  8. Avoid most types of non-stick cookware. These chemicals used to make it non-stick are not only estrogenic but carcinogenic. Healthier and safer alternative include cast iron, 100% ceramic, ceramic coated stainless steel, glass and stainless steel pots and pans. Please be aware that ceramic coated pans are usually coating a type of metal (usually aluminum a neurotoxic metal) so look for ceramic coated stainless steel instead. 
  9. Eat large amounts of  plants that have been shown to have estrogen detoxifying properties. Among these  are flax seeds and lignans, sesame seeds, leafy green vegetables,  broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, alfalfa, clover, licorice root, omega-3′s and legumes.
  10. Use helpful supplements in combination with a healthy nutrition and exercise program to assist your body’s natural detoxification pathways.

Unfortunately, environmental estrogen’s  and other toxins will continue to rise along with all of the havoc they bring to our bodies. Fortunately, we can mitigate some of the risk by being aware and applying some of the recommendations above. If this seems overwhelming simply start to make 1-2 of the small changes mentioned above. Over time these small actions can pay big dividends towards improving your health, performance and weight loss!

To your health.

Kevin

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The Jacks-A Killer Fat Burning HIIT Workout

May 20, 2021
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| Workouts

If you like killer H.I.I.T. style workouts then this will get your heart pumping, blood flowing and fat melting. This is the exact workout my tribe and I did this past Wednesday in my virtual boot camp class and it was a killer.

I like to call this workout “The Jacks”. The reason being is each exercise circuit combines an exercise for a body part group eg, chest, legs, back, etc. and a jumping jack variation. Just a warning. These are no wimpy “regular” jumping jacks. 

Overview:

The workout consists of 6 five minute circuits. Set an interval timer to 6 rounds of   40 seconds work, and 10 seconds rest. You will alternate each round between a body part exercise and a jumping jack variation. You will rest 60-90 seconds between circuits.

Equipment Needed:

The workout:

Begin with a dynamic warm-up.

See the video below for a demonstration of one of my dynamic warm-ups.

Circuit 1: 

Goblet Squats/Squat Jacks

Circuit 2:

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows/Predator Jacks with Monster Band

Circuit 3:

Kettlebell Rotational Lunge Swing/Split Jump Jacks

Circuit 4:

Spiderman Push-ups/Burpee with Floor Jack

Circuit 5:

Push-up Plank Position Floor Jacks/V-Up Jacks

Circuit 6:

Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise/Dumbbell Press Jacks

Finish lying on the floor having a long conversation with God. lol Then do an active cool-down and light stretch.

See the video below for exercise demonstrations.

Give this workout a go and let me know what you think in the comments below? 

I also have a great workout that you can do at home with minimal equipment that you can check out here.

If you are interested in our virtual boot camps or one of my other programs please contact me through the website and we can set up a quick call. 

Enjoy!

Yours in health,

Kevin

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Quick and Delicious, Shrimp, Rice and Vegetables

May 20, 2021
| 1 Comment
| Nutrition

Here is a delicious recipe I threw together the other night. It was super easy to prepare and tasted AMAZING! Surely a meal the whole family will love. 

Just a heads up. I am not a trained chef. I am just a guy, father, husband, foodie who loves to cook. especially healthy meals that taste great. 

Shrimp Scampi With Mixed Vegetables Over Basmati Rice

Prep Time: About 20 Minutes

Cook Time: About 20 Minutes.

Ingredients:

Two Pounds of Shrimp. (I use 2 bags of the Trader Joes Wild Caught Argentinian Shrimp. They are peeled and cleaned so it is fast and easy.)

1-2 Cups of Basmati Rice

1 Small white or Spanish onion

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Green Bell Pepper

2-3 small yellow squash (or whatever kind you like) 

1 head of chopped fresh garlic

Salt and Pepper

Garlic and Onion Powder

Olive Oil

1-3 tablespoons of Unsalted Kerry Gold Butter.

1/4 cup white wine

Directions:

Begin by Cooking the Basmati Rice.

1-Cup for 1-3 people. 2-Cups for 4 or more people. 

Rice to water ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1 1/2 cups of  water.

  • If using boxed store bought rice there is no need to rinse it.

  • If you bought rice at markets from a sack, rinse for hygiene purposes and also can be excessively starchy. Reduce water by 2 tablespoons, otherwise it will be gummy;

. Let’s go!

  1. Place rice and water in a medium size saucepan over medium heat with no lid. 
  2. Bring to a simmer-the edges should be bubbling and the middle should be rippling, the surface will be foaming. 
  3. Place a tight fitting lid on, then turn heat down to medium low.
  4. Cook for 12 minutes. As much as you are tempted DO NOT lift lid. 
  5. Tilt saucepan and take a super quick peek to ensure that all water is absorbed then clam the lid back down. 
  6. Remove from heat and leave for 5-10 minutes then fluff with a WOOD SPOON.
  7. NOTE: 2 cups will take 13 minutes.

(The above recipe for cooking basmati rice is taken from Recipe Tin Eats)

Once the rice is cooking:

  1. Rinse the shrimp, drain and pat dry. Season with salt, pepper, a teaspoon of garlic and onion powder. Set aside. 
  2. Cut up the zucchinis into small 1/4 inch size square pieces. Coat with a small amount of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder 
  3. Dice the red and green bell pepper.
  4. Dice the onion. 
  5. Smash and dice up a head of garlic.

Cooking The Veggies. 

  1. Heat a 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat In a large skillet. 
  2. Once the oil is glistening nicely add the zucchini and cook stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes or until about half tender. 
  3. Add the peppers and onion and cook mixing as needed until tender. Then set aside.

Cooking the Shrimp

  1. In a separate saucepan heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Until glistening nicely.
  2. Add the shrimp and spread evenly to start cooking one side for about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Just before flipping the shrimp add the garlic and 1-2 tablespoons of unsalted Kerry gold butter.  
  4. Turn the shrimp.
  5. Once the shrimp are turned and butter is almost melted add a splash of white wine.
  6. Using an oven mitt grab the handle and swirl the oil, wine butter and garlic around the shrimp. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until shrimp is done. (They cook fast so keep an eye out. DO NOT overcook the shrimp.)

Once the shrimp are done immediately remove from heat. 

Plating

  1. On a plate spread the desired amount of rice.
  2. Spoon the desired amount of veggies over the rice.
  3. Add the shrimp and using a small ladle poor some of the garlic sauce over the entire dish.
  4. Poor a glass of white wine and enjoy!

Quick Tip: I like to cut the veggies a day or so ahead of time and keep them in the fridge in airtight containers to speed up prep time. 

This dish is healthy, quick to make and is full of flavor and deliciousness. 

If you try this recipe please let me know what you think in the comments section.

If you like this recipe and are looking for a delicious, healthy breakfast alternative please checkout my healthy breakfast alternative post here.

Yours in health,

Kevin

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The Best Times to Eat Carbohydrates

May 18, 2021
| 2 Comments
| Health and Wellness

One of the questions I often get asked  is “When should I eat carbs if I am trying to lose weight?” Unfortunately, with all the news, media, social media, advice from friends etc. most people are not eating carbohydrates at the most opportune times to assist them in their weightless goals. So, if you are looking to shed excess fat, improve workout recovery, feel and look better please keep reading.

If your goal is to lose fat and become leaner it is best to keep carbohydrate intake low to very low for most people.

Before I discuss when the best times to eat carbohydrates are it is important to first recognize beneficial and non-beneficial carbohydrates.

Non beneficial carbohydrates are processed foods, white flour, sugar and corn syrup (among other syrups). These types of carbohydrates will not only prevent you from losing weight but can make you fatter. especially if you eat too much of them. These types of carbohydrates are also responsible for a host of negative health issues such as, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, inflammation, neurological disorders, cancer and digestive issues just to name a few.

So are carbohydrates the spawn of Satan himself?

Not necessarily. 

For most people trying to lose fat and gain lean body mass there are two optimal times each day to eat carbohydrates.

The first is immediately or within about 2 hours post workout on workout days.

Why?

Because at this time the glycogen stores in your body are low or depleted and spiking blood sugar raises insulin. Raising insulin at this time is a good thing.  Normally if you are not active and you spike insulin you will store most of the carbohydrates ingested as fat. However, when you spike your blood sugar and raise insulin levels  post workout your body will shuttle the glucose in your blood stream into your liver and muscle cells replenishing the depleted stores. This also, lowers cortisol and aids in recovery. Especially if you consume protein or branched chain amino acids with your carbs. These two factors assist in muscle growth and the body’s ability to burn fat.

For some individuals, they will function more optimally eating a small amount of carbohydrates pre workout. A good idea is to experiment to see which works better for you. Generally though, eating carbohydrates post workout is better for fat loss and workout recovery.

The second best time of the day to eat carbohydrates is in the evening. Many people are still under the perception that they should eat carbs in the morning. It seems logical because you will just burn them during the day right? Wrong. Yes if you are immediately going to exercise this is fine. However, if you are not going to exercise right away then you will spike your blood sugar and raise insulin early in the day. This leads to a crash a few hours later leaving you feeling hungry and craving more sugar/carbs for the rest of the day. This rising and falling of blood sugar and insulin throughout the day increases cortisol, and leads insulin resistance and storing fat.

This is why If you have/want to eat carbs each day then eat them in the evening. This will increase serotonin, make you feel full and happy.  The tired feeling the carbs bring on will help you fall asleep. Getting quality sleep each night is a key to long term health and fat loss. 

Now this doesn’t mean siting on your couch watching T.V. chowing down on a bag of Doritos and a pint of ice cream. It means eating a serving of 1-2 cupped handfuls size of  a complex carbohydrate such as, sweet potato, wild, brown, yellow, etc. rice, quinoa, small portion of whole wheat or gluten free pasta, and even a small white potato with a source of protein and some healthy fats with dinner can have a positive effect.

So to sum it up.

  • Eat a meal with high carbs, high protein  post workout.
  • Eat high protein meals with healthy fats, and fiber-rich vegetables during the day. Then, make your evening meals consist of lean protein, starchy carbs and a some healthy fats. eg. olive oil, butter, fish-oil, coconut oil and animal fat on non-training days. 

One last thought. Totally restricting all non healthy carbohydrates is also not recommended. These can lead to excessive cravings and eventually binges and that can easily derail your diet. 

The simple solution is to limit eating non healthy carbohydrates to 1-2 meals per week IF you are consistent on your diet for the rest of your meals each week and on a day that you workout. 

Are there exceptions to this rule? Sure. However, this keeps it simple and will work best for the majority of people. 

Give it a try and let me know how it goes?

Yours in health.

Kevin

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Does Eating Fat Make You Fat?

May 10, 2021
| No Comments
| Health and Wellness

Does Eating Fat Make You… Fat?

The simple answer to this question is: you will not gain weight if you do not consume large quantities of excess calories on a regular basis.

Following this line of reasoning, we may conclude that it makes no difference which macronutrient causes the surplus: if you eat too much protein, carbs, or fat, you will gain weight.

Remember the energy balance rule: you can gain weight if you eat more calories than your body needs to maintain its weight.

Conversely, if you eat fewer calories than it needs, you will lose weight.

Although there are other reasons for gaining weight, in particular fat weight, this is the underlying foundation for all weight loss and weight gain protocols. 

The 4 Types of Fat

Now, not all fats were made the same, meaning that consuming certain types of fat can be very harmful for the body.

When it comes to fats from food, there are a couple of types consider.

Those are: Trans fats, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats.

Let’s go over each one separately!

Trans fats

Fats are inherently unstable compounds, and when exposed to a variety of environmental factors (light, moisture, heat), they spoil and lose their properties quickly.

Of course, industries that use a lot of fat during production have devised a method to address this issue.

That method for refining fats is known as “hydrogenation.”

Hydrogen atoms are applied to the molecular structure of liquid fats using this method until they enter a solid or semi-solid state.

Foods made with hydrogenated fats have a longer shelf life as a result of this process. This means big money for the big food companies and big problems for your health. 

Trans fats are fatty acids with a chemically modified structure found in hydrogenated fats. This fats are 100%artificially made and do not exist naturally in nature.

When it comes to food, trans fats are one of the most harmful substances you can eat.

Trans fat consumption raises the risk of heart disease, miscarriage, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers significantly.

Trans fats are, without a doubt, one of the worst nutrients we have in modern-day food products.

However, given the abundance of such foods nowadays, it really is hard to get trans-fat consumption down to 0.

Nevertheless, all you have to do is avoid these foods:

  • Baked goods, such as cakes, cookies and pies
  • Shortening
  • Microwave popcorn
  • Frozen pizza
  • Refrigerated dough, such as biscuits and rolls
  • Fried foods, including french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken
  • Nondairy coffee creamer
  • Stick margarine.

If you see any of these, or it is a processed food then you may be certain that the product contains trans fats.

The simple solution, avoid these fats like the plague to dramatically improve your overall health. 

Saturated fats

At room temperature, saturated fats are typically solid or semi-solid.

Long, medium and short-chained triglycerides are the three forms of saturated fats that can be distinguished.

Animal products, such as dairy products and beef, pork, and veal meat, include the first type (long-chained triglycerides).

Saturated fats are contained in smaller amounts in other foods, such as chicken and turkey.

Palm, cocoa, and coconut oil all contain medium-chained triglycerides.

Now, for the longest time, saturated fats have been thought to be bad because they are thought to raise cholesterol levels. However, a major study involving nearly half a million people was published in 2010 in the American Journal of clinical nutrition.

According to the findings, there is insufficient evidence to support the argument that saturated fats are the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and strokes.

And though that is true, your best bet is to not go overboard with any type of fat, including this one.

It is recommend that you consume no more than 10% of your daily calories from saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats

Avocados, nuts, and certain plant oils, such as olive oil, are rich in monounsaturated fats.

Since this form of fat is one of the cleanest and least processed, it is a good idea to put it at the core of your fat intake.

Some studies suggest that monounsaturated fats can be useful for the cardiovascular system, improving its function and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Monounsaturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the healthy fats, along with polyunsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, but start to harden when chilled. Medlineplus.gov

  • Polyunsaturated fats

Last but not least, we have polyunsaturated fats, that are just as essential as monounsaturated fats.

In reality, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are the only ESSENTIAL types of fats.

Essential means that the body cannot produce them on its own and that we must obtain them by diet or supplementation.

This is not true of the other three categories of fats, including monounsaturated fats.

Now, though omega-6 fatty acids are essential, they are found in abundance in our modern-day nutrition.

Plant oils, such as sunflower oil, corn oil, soy, and hemp oil, vegetable oil as well as nuts and seeds, contain a significant amount of short-chained omega-6 fatty acids. 

Oppositely, we have arachidonic acid (AA), which is a long-chained form of omega-6 fatty acids.

This is involved in the structure of cell membranes and is used by the body to fight infection and regulate inflammation.

AA can be found in livers, eggs, yolks and seafood products.

Now, unlike omega-6 fatty acids, omega-3 cannot be found  much in our modern-day nutrition and is actually deficit for most people.

The bad thing about this deficiency is that omega-3 fatty acids are actually a preventative nutrient.

We can call them that because these fatty acids regulate inflammation and immune processes, along with many other processes in the body.

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in some animal products, such as fatty fish and crustaceans, but also in linseed oil, chia and hemp seeds and nuts.

Another great source of Omega-3s is supplementing your diet with a high quality fish oil supplement to assure that you are consuming enough of this very important nutrient. 

Final Thoughts

Dietary fat is one of the most essential nutrients for the body next to protein and as such, it needs to be carefully selected.

The selection of fat-containing products is important, mainly because many foods contain highly-processed fats, which are terrible for the body.

For this reason, the first step is to learn how to differentiate between the 4 different types of fat.

In my upcoming post , I am going to give you more insight on the functions of dietary fat, as well as the best sources for you to derive these fats from!

See you next time.

Yours in health,

Kevin

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But What if I Gain the Weight Back?

May 1, 2021
| No Comments
| Health and Wellness

You started an exercise and nutrition program and have lost some weight and can finally fit into your old “skinny” jeans and clothes again. You are extremely happy, and you should be. You have made an amazing accomplishment. It is at this point that I like to say to clients “now it is time to donate all of your “fat”, “old” clothes because you won’t be needing them anymore. Unfortunately, at this point the client often replies “but what if I get fat again?” Here is why it is important to change your mindset if you wan to maintain your results for the long run.

In his awesome book Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill tells this story. “A long while ago, a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield.

He was about to send his armies against a powerful enemy, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy’s country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, “You see the boats going up in smoke. That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win!

We now have no choice—we win, or we perish! Well guess what? They won!

To be successful in whatever goal you are undertaking then this is a very important and often overlooked concept. When you are attempting to accomplish something and enter into it already thinking about your “escape” plan that you have to fall back on, will you really and truly continue to give it 100%? Especially during tough times that will inevitably pop up from time to time? Probably not.

Now I am not saying it is not a great idea to have a back up plan but if that plan is also comforting you in a way that already has you thinking that you are going to fail in the long run then guess what? You WILL fail in the long run.

To keep the burning desire to reach your goals alive you need to eliminate things that will make it easy for you to retreat from your challenge when the going gets tough. If you remove the sources of retreat then you will have no choice but to succeed.

Let’s apply this to fat loss. If you keep your “fat “ clothes just in case you gain the weight back then you are already planning to gain the weight back. I see this happen all the time.

Let’s take a different approach. You just lost a bunch of weight and all of your clothes are too loose. Schedule a time and take all of the clothes that are too big for you now and confidently donate them to people that can use them. Then when you have a slip up from time to time and start to feel your “skinny” clothes getting a little tight use this as a sign to tighten up your diet (instead of your clothes) and get more consistent with your exercise before you fall to far off the wagon.

If you are serious about wanting to be leaner, healthier and fitter then “burn your boats” don’t give yourself an easy out for when you get in a rut. Remind yourself that this new lifestyle is who you are now. Not the unhappy, unhealthy and unfit person you were before. You got this!

Yours in health,

Kevin

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