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GREAT New Antioxidant Smoothie Mix-In (Even Kids Love)!

May 17, 2013 Leave a Comment
Written by: on Friday, May 17th, 2013
Berry Smoothie

Start your smoothie with organic berries (fresh or frozen)—and you're already getting a lot of antioxidants!

I am a HUGE fan of antioxidants. It’s the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth, in my opinion. Why? First, a very brief, but important, science lesson:

After we breathe in oxygen, it travels from our lungs to every cell in our body, helping to turn food into energy. But oxygen can also have negative effects. Body cells are stable when their molecules have a full set of electrons. When oxygen enters the picture, though, they can lose an electron, becoming unstable or oxidized—the same chemical reaction that causes metal to rust.

Stick with me here, the science lesson is almost over (but this is really important to understand, because free radicals are what trigger premature aging—of the body and the skin).

Losing an electron converts that cell’s molecule to an unstable, and damaging, atom known as a free radical. Free radicals can be formed in the body because of sun exposure; smoking (or exposure to secondhand smoke); car exhaust and factory pollution; exposure to allergens; exposure to pesticides (why organic is best) and chemicals (like home cleaning products); and even eating highly-processed foods. Exercise—while amazing for your body and mind—can also create free radicals in the body.

What to do? Well, that’s where antioxidants come in. Antioxidants are nature’s defense against free radicals; they donate missing electrons to free radicals and return them to a normal state.

That’s why I ingest as many antioxidant-rich foods as I can: organic berries; green tea; fresh herbs like oregano and cinnamon; dark

Healthy Smoothie Mix-Ins

Williams Sonoma also makes an Omega-3 Smoothie Mixer (with chia and flax seeds, and cranberries).

chocolate; almonds; beans; and brightly colored veggies like spinach, broccoli, and red/orange peppers. (I also slather antioxidant products on my skin—day and night.)

But I also look to other sources of antioxidants—and found this great Antioxidant Smoothie Mixer from, of all places, my local Williams-Sonoma (it’s also available online at williams-sonoma.com). It’s a brick-red powder that’s certified organic, vegan (and dairy free), and gluten free—and it’s made from crushed goji berries, pomegranate açai, blueberries, and camu-camu (all amazing sources of antioxidants).

Just mix it in with juice and fresh or frozen berries and some crushed ice (I added a frozen banana instead of ice). And you’ve got a powerhouse drink—for breakfast or a snack anytime. The only downside: it’s $24.95, but you only need one or two tablespoons per smoothie—so the bag should last you a couple of weeks, depending on how often you smoothie! (And if you buy three: one of these Antioxidant Mixers, the Omega-3 Mixer, and their Protein Mixer, you only have to pay $49.95—so definitely a better deal than just buying one.) If you’re into keeping your body as healthy as possible, this is definitely worth a try!

Bonus: my kids LOVE it. In fact, my 18-month old is having his second cupful as I type! But be forewarned: this is one smoothie that stains!

 

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“I’m Exercising…So Why Can’t I Lose Weight!?”

March 20, 2013 2 Comments
Written by: on Wednesday, March 20th, 2013
woman running

You run, therefore you should be losing weight. Not true! There's much more to the weight-loss story than that.

Despite their apparent leanness, too many active people are discontent with their body fat. All too often, I hear seemingly lean athletes express extreme frustration with their inability to lose undesired bumps and bulges:

Am I the only runner who has ever gained weight when training for a marathon???

Why does my husband lose weight when he starts going to the gym and I don’t?

For all the exercise I do, I should be pencil-thin. Why can’t I simply lose a few pounds?

Clearly, weight loss is not simple and often includes debunking a few myths. Perhaps this article will offer some insights that will lead to success with your weight-loss efforts.

woman standing on a scale

Even if you're an athlete, you cannot eat anything you want and expect to still lose weight.

MYTH You must exercise in order to lose body fat. 

TRUTH To lose body fat, you must create a calorie deficit. You can create that deficit by 1) exercising, which improves your overall health and fitness, or 2) eating fewer calories. Even injured athletes can lose fat, despite a lack of exercise. The complaint “I gained weight when I was injured because I couldn’t exercise” could more correctly be stated “I gained weight because I mindlessly overate for comfort and fun.”

Adding on exercise does not equate to losing body fat. In a 16-week study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, untrained women (ages 18 to 34) built up to 40 minutes of hard cardio or weight lifting three days a week. They were told to not change their diet, and—as a result—they saw no changes in body fatness. The bottom line: creating a calorie deficit by eating less food seems to be more effective than simply adding on exercise to try to lose weight.

Athletes who complain they “eat like a bird” but fail to lose body fat may simply be under-reporting their food intake. A survey of female marathoners, in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, indicated the fatter runners under-reported their food intake more than the leaner ones. Were they oblivious to how much they actually consumed? Or were they too sedentary in the non-exercise hours of their day?

woman running in race

Just because you're in training for a race doesn't mean you earned those chocolate chip cookies!

MYTH If you train for a marathon or triathlon, surely your body fat will melt away. 

TRUTH Wishful thinking. If you’re an endurance athlete who complains:“For all the exercise I do, I should be pencil-thin,” take a look at your 24-hour energy expenditure. Do you put most of your energy into exercising, but then tend to be quite sedentary the rest of the day as you recover from your tough workouts? Male endurance athletes who reported a seemingly low calorie intake did less spontaneous activity than their peers in the non-exercise parts of their day, found another study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. You need to keep taking the stairs instead of the elevators, no matter how much you train. Again, you should eat according to your whole day’s activity level, not according to how hard you trained that day.

MYTH The more you exercise, the more fat you will lose.

TRUTH Often, the more you exercise, the hungrier you get, and 1) the more you will eat, or 2) the more you believe you “deserve” to eat for having survived the killer workout. Unfortunately, rewarding yourself with a 600-calorie cinnamon roll can quickly erase in a few minutes the 600-calorie deficit you generated during your workout.

The effects of exercise on weight loss are complex and unclear—and depend on the 24-hour picture. We know among people (ages 56 to 78) who participated in a vigorous walking program, their daily energy needs remained about the same despite adding an hour of exercise. How could that be? The participants napped more and were 62 percent less active the rest of their day, according to research published in the American Journal of Physiology. Be sure to pay attention to your whole day’s activity level. One hour of exercise does not compensate for a sedentary lifestyle

woman doing a lunge stretch

Four workouts a week with cardio, strength (and a bit of stretching) might be better for weight control than six workouts a week.

MYTH You should exercise six days a week to lose weight. 

TRUTH Research suggests exercising four times a week might be better for weight control than six times a week. Another study—published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise—with sedentary women (ages 60 to 74) who built up to exercising for 40 minutes of cardio and weights suggests those who did four workouts a week burned about 225 additional calories in the other parts of their day because they felt energized. The group that trained six times a week complained the workouts not only took up too much time, but also left them feeling tired and droopy. They burned about 200 fewer calories in the non-exercise parts of their day. Yes, they were ages 60 to 74, but the info might also relate to you?

man and woman running together outdoors

Woman will always lose weight at a slower pace than guys...it's just the way we're built.

MYTH Couples who exercise together, lose fat together.

TRUTH Not always. In a 16-month study looking at exercise for weight loss—and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine—the men lost 11.5 pounds and the women maintained weight, even though they did the same amount of exercise. In another study, published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, men who did an 18-month marathon training program reported eating about 500 more calories per day and lost about five pounds of fat. The women reported eating only 60 more calories, despite having added on 50 miles per week of running. They lost only two pounds.

What’s going on here? Well, a husband who adds on exercise will lose more weight than his wife if he’s heftier and thereby burns more calories during the same workout. But, speaking in terms of evolution, Nature seems protective of women’s role as child bearer, and wants women to maintain adequate body fat for nourishing healthy babies. Hence, women are more energy efficient. Obesity researchers at New York’s Columbia University suggest a pound of weight loss in men equates to a deficit of about 2,500 calories, while women need a 3,500-calorie deficit. No wonder women have a tougher time losing weight then do men….

The bottom line

If you’re exercising to lose weight, I encourage you to separate exercise and weight. Yes, you should exercise for health, fitness, stress relief, and most importantly, for enjoyment. (After all, the E in exercise stands for enjoyment!) If you exercise primarily to burn off calories, exercise will become punishment for having excess body fat. You’ll eventually quit exercising—and that’s a bad idea.

Instead of focusing on exercise as the key to fat loss, pay more attention to your calorie intake. Knocking off just 100 calories a day from your evening snacks can theoretically result in 10 pounds a year of fat loss. One less cookie a day seems simpler than hours of sweating…?

Copyright©Nancy Clark, MS, RD March 2013

 

 

 

 

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Vitamin D: Are you getting enough of this key nutrient?

March 15, 2013 Leave a Comment
Written by: on Friday, March 15th, 2013
woman sitting in the sun

Sitting in the sun helps your body get enough vitamin D, but save your skin—and opt to get your D other ways.

Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is actually a hormone produced by the body in response to sunlight. It is also occurs naturally in a few foods—including some fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks—and in fortified dairy and grain products. It’s hard, though, to get enough vitamin D through food alone—unless you want to take a tablespoon of cod liver oil every day (it has 1,360 IU of D per tablespoon)! Ummm…no thanks!

But, according to The Mayo Clinic, the major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones—why getting enough calcium is only half of the strong bones equation. But preliminary research also indicates the importance of vitamin D for overall health and wellbeing:

1) It contributes to a healthy heart A recent analysis of research, published in the journal Osteoporosis International just this month (March 2013), found that there’s a link between low vitamin D levels and “stroke, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and heart failure.” Enough reason for me to supplement with D…but if you need more proof, read on.

2) It may help stop the growth of cancer Preliminary research suggests that vitamin D has an anti-cancer benefit. It may stop the growth and progression of cancer cells and may be beneficial during cancer treatment, too.

3) It plays a critical role in youthful skin A recent study in the journal Dermo-Endocrinology, found that vitamin D seems to help regulate aging in many tissues, including the skin. Plus, researchers determined that “laboratory investigations have now convincingly shown that vitamin D compounds protect the skin against the hazardous effects of … ultraviolet (UV) radiation.”

milk in glass

Most milk is fortified with vitamin D3; check the label of yours to be sure.

4) It may help with hormonal problems Vitamin D influences the functions of hormones in body, including insulin, serotonin, and estrogen—hormones involved with health conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression, and premenstrual syndrome.

5) It’s key for healthy iron levels in the blood One study—conducted by Gangnam Severance Hospital and Yonsei University College of Medicine, both in Seoul, Korea—found that vitamin-D-deficient Korean women had a higher risk of anemia.

6) A deficiency of D may contribute to obesity Some research shows that a vitamin D deficiency can interfere with the “fullness” hormone leptin, which signals the brain that you’re full and should stop eating.

7) It may help control inflammation Vitamin D may help control the inflammation involved with periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.

Also, some research suggests that vitamin D may help strengthen the immune system—why I’m sure to take vitamin D during the cold and flu season or when I feel that I might be coming down with something. It’s also critical for breastfeeding moms: A recent review of studies, published in the Journal of Human Lactation, found that “Maternal vitamin D insufficiency during lactation, related to lack of sun exposure and minimal intake of vitamin D from the diet, contributes to low breast milk vitamin D content and, therefore, infant vitamin D deficiency.”

vitamin D supplements

If you're going to supplement, be sure you're taking vitamin D3 not vitamin D2.

How do you get enough vitamin D?

Well, being in sunlight is the best way to get enough vitamin D. The sun’s energy turns a chemical in your skin into vitamin D3, which is carried to your liver and then to your kidneys to transform it to active vitamin D. But no one should sit unprotected in the sun for long because doing so speeds up premature aging of the skin and can cause skin cancer.

The next best step is to eat plenty of foods with vitamin D, including fortified milk. But most experts agree that it’s hard to get enough D from food alone. (For adults under age 50, the National Osteoporosis Foundation [NOF] recommends 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D and 800 to 1,000 IU for adults age 50 and older. And for children, it’s generally recommended that infants and children get 400 to 600 IU daily.)

SkinAuthority VitaD

SkinAuthority VitaD Fortified Illuminating DUO: A great way for anyone, including vegans, to get their vitamin D3!

So the next step is usually to take a supplement.  Most multivitamins contain vitamin D—but you can also take a separate D supplement particularly if you’re deficient, as I am (in which case, your doctor may recommend you take a much higher dosage of D than what’s recommended by the NOF to bring up your levels). But this is key: Opt for vitamin D3 over D2, because research shows that D3 is 87 percent more potent in raising and maintaining vitamin D concentrations. (If you’re vegan, though, know that most vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol comes from animal sources [see picture above, and copy below for an exception], but vitamin D2 or ergocalciferol comes from plant sources.)

An important note: you can take vitamin D supplements with or without food. While your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, you do not need to take vitamin D at the same time as a calcium supplement.

New sources of vitamin D

Ingenious experts at the skin-care brand SkinAuthority developed—with Dole Nutrition Institution—a vitamin D-fortified Whole Food Spice Powder. Just sprinkle it on your food and you can get up to 600 IU of vitamin D instantly. (Its nondescript taste easily blends with the flavors of a meal.) But why this is so brilliant: it’s a form of vitamin D3 that’s 100% vegan—so now vegans can have their D3 without eating animal-based products (or taking animal-based supplements)! So great! This powder also comes with an oil-free Vitamin D-based Topical Elixir ($79 for both powder and elixir; skinauthority.com) that you apply to skin to help nourish it. (It also contains vitamins A, E, and K.) I use both—and love them!

Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin D Oil

This serum helps improve skin elasticity and hydration—and minimizes the appearance of pores.

And because we know that vitamin D is so important for the skin (see point #3, above), you definitely want to be using a D serum on your skin—either this one from SkinAuthority or the one created by Manhattan board-certified dermatologist Dennis Gross, M.D.: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Active Vitamin D Serum ($65; dgskincare.com).

So be sure to get enough vitamin D daily. It’s a simple, easy way to do your body—and your health—a huge favor.

 

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5 Best Foods for Moms—and Kids

March 8, 2013 3 Comments
Written by: on Friday, March 8th, 2013
Fresh blueberries

Eat more than three servings of fresh (or frozen) blueberries or strawberries a week, and you’ll have a 32 percent lower risk of heart attack than those who eat less.

As a mom of three, I try…really, really try, to make sure my kids eat the right foods. But let’s just say that “yucky!!” is a common response to the good foods that I like to cook: veggies (like sweet peppers), quinoa, and beans (no surprise, right?).

But, after some very frustrating trial and error, I’ve found that there are some good-for-you foods that my kids will eat. Try these superfoods—for you and your kids!

1) Salmon This low-mercury fish is high in DHA (which also stands for something called docosahexaenoic acid, which is an essential fat called omega-3) and niacin or vitamin B3. Study after study shows that DHA is critical for the developing brains of babies (if you’re breastfeeding) and kids. One study even showed that it helped kids concentrate better. But it’s also a crucial nutrient for us moms trying to juggle it all! The vitamin B3 helps keep your energy up—a definite must as, like most moms, I struggle with fatigue from nighttime kid wakings. (If you’re pregnant or nursing, though, don’t eat too much salmon in one week because it does contain some mercury; two or three 2-ounce servings per week should be your max.)

chewable omega-3 supplements for kids

My kids love to chew on these...so they must taste pretty good!

Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: there’s no way my kids are going to eat fish!! Ah…I thought exactly the same thing, but then I discovered that cutting up the salmon and breading it makes it look like kid-acceptable chicken nuggets—and it actually tastes yummy. My kids love them…and sometimes even dip them in ketchup!

If you want to steer clear of fish altogether, though, you can take fish-oil supplements. My kids love Nordic Naturals Nordic Omega-3 chewable Fishies in Tangerine flavor (you can get them for about $30 from omega-direct.com). I take the Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega supplements ($23.75 for 60; also from omega-direct.com).

2) Kale I know what you’re thinking: is she crazy?! There’s no way I’m going to get my kids to eat kale! I thought the same thing until I tried kale chips (see recipe below). My kids love them! But truth be told: if I try to sauté some kale in a pan with olive oil and seasoning, they literally gag on it and beg and plead with me to not eat it. Same stuff. Go figure!

But this veggie is probably one of the single healthiest foods we can eat. It’s rich in so many nutrients—beta-carotene, iron (critical to give fatigued moms energy), immune-boosting vitamin C, calcium, potassium, folic acid, and

Kale

Try to eat kale as fresh as possible; the longer it's stored, the more bitter it becomes.

disease-busting antioxidants. An interesting study from Tufts University in Boston also found that folic acid (so important for developing fetuses) helps reduce depression—why this is particularly important for moms post-partum.

Kid-friendly recipe: Kale chips I got this recipe from Rachael Ray. First, buy a bunch of kale with smaller leaves, which have a milder flavor than larger bunches. (Otherwise, this veggie can be a bit bitter.) Wash and dry the leaves, then chop them into 2-inch pieces. (You want them to be a little larger than the size of a potato chip.) Toss with olive oil (and if you want, a bit of nutmeg). Then place on a parchment paper-lined cookie tray, sprinkle with salt, and bake at 350°F for about 8 to 10 minutes. But—let’s be honest here—whatever you do, don’t tell your kids they’re kale chips…just call them homemade potato chips and they’re more likely to take that first bite!

3) Blueberries These fruits are super high in disease-busting antioxidants—as well as immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin K (important for blood clotting and for building strong bones). But my advice to you: if you

My Super Snack

My kids love to snack on these new, all-natural snacks! (They're also available in Chocolate Chip and Apple Raisin.)

buy nothing else organic, always buy organic berries. The reason: more than 52 pesticides (which are carcinogens, neurotoxins, hormone disruptors…the long horrible list goes on!) have been detected on the skin of these berries— and it’s hard to get them all off through washing (http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=BB).

Some studies have also found that organic blueberries have higher concentrations of antioxidants than the conventional kind. But if you can’t find organic blueberries or they’re too expensive (as they often are in the off season), opt for frozen organic blueberries (which are just about as healthy as fresh).

Also, don’t be fooled into thinking that the blueberries that come in many cereals, muffin mixes, and snack bars are good for you. Many of these so-called “blueberries” are made from artificial colors, hydrogenated oils, and sugar. Look for real blueberries on the product label before buying. My fave new kids’ snack with real blueberries: nutrient-rich MySuperSnack Blueberry Banana Acai Granola Bites, with 17 essential vitamins and minerals—and no artificial anything ($3 a pouch; mysuperfoods.com)!

No-Sugar Added Sophie Greek yogurt

The mom who developed this yogurt is passionate about healthy eating!

4) Yogurt Not only is yogurt high in bone-building calcium and vitamin D (so important for nursing moms, women, and growing kids), but it also contains probiotics. Studies have shown that these healthy bacteria are important for digestion, as well as for the immune system. Just steer clear of the yogurt with fruit already in it; these products are high in sugar. Instead, opt for plain yogurt and add in the fruit and other toppings (like granola) that your kids like. My kids and I love Greek yogurt; it’s thick, creamy, and yummy!

But I recently had the opportunity to talk with fellow mom Sophie Anne Pachella; she’s a nutritionist, founder of EatStrong.com, and the founder of Sophie Yogurt (sophieyogurt.com)—a yummy brand of Greek yogurt that has no added sugar. It was Sophie who alerted me to the fact that some Greek yogurt—while seemingly all healthy—does have added sugars. (Be sure to check the label before buying.) That’s why she developed her own healthier product line (go Sophie!).

5) Dark chocolate I lovethis stuff because it’s super high in antioxidants, which help prevent diseases like heart disease and cancer. Plus, studies have shown that it helps reduce high blood pressure. I also find that when I eat dark chocolate, I’m satisfied after just a little bit (unlike milk chocolate, which I can literally not stop eating!).

Vita Chocolate Cacao Minis

This chocolate is probably the tastiest and healthiest around!

Just know that many kids can’t really tell the difference between milk and dark chocolate unless you tell them, which of course I don’t! To them, it’s just chocolate. Some of my other favorite snacks: dark chocolate-covered almonds, dark chocolate-covered goji berries (super high in antioxidants!), and Vita Raw Organic Chocolate Bars—amazing stuff! Try the Cacao Minis, which are rich in antioxidants; ($28 for half a case; vitachocolates.com). You can also find healthy, kid-friendly dark chocolates at naturalcandystore.com: they sell so many varieties (allergy free, vegan, fair trade, you name it!).

If you can try to incorporate these foods into your—and your kids’—diets, you’ll be on the path to a healthier family!

 

 

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Eat beets, drink tart cherry juice & 4 other stay-healthy tips

July 16, 2012 Leave a Comment
Written by: on Monday, July 16th, 2012

Want to be healthy—and have enough energy to power you through sports and your daily activities? Follow these tips:

fresh organic beets with greens

Beets are packed with disease-busting antioxidants—and are high in folate and fiber.

1.) Eat beets…as well as rhubarb and arugala. They’re rich sources of dietary nitrates, a compound that gets converted into nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide dilates blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and allows a person to exercise using less oxygen. In one study, cyclists consumed pre-ride beets and then three hours later (when nitric oxide peaks), they rode in a time trial. Every cyclist improved (on average, 2.8%) as compared to the time trial with no beets. Impressive! The amount of nitrates in 7 ounces (200 grams) beets is an effective dose. How about enjoying  beets—or a bowl of borchst—in your next pre-game meal?

bowl of red cherries

Tart cherries contain substances called anthocyanins, which help reduce inflammation and may even reduce tumor growth.

2.) Drink tart cherry juice. Tart cherries (the kind used in baking pies, not the sweet cherries enjoyed as snacks) have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In one study, trained athletes consumed two 10.5-oz. bottles per day of tart cherry juice the week before an excruciating exercise test. They recovered faster and lost only 4% of their pre-test strength, compared with 22% loss in the group without cherry juice.

woman's feet running up stairs

You exercise every day—but you still need to stay active the rest of the time (e.g. always take the stairs instead of the elevator).

Tart cherries can help not only athletes but also individuals who suffer from the pain and inflammation associated with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Consuming tart cherry juice (two 10.5-ounce bottles/day for 10 days) reduced the muscle soreness associated with “fibro-flares” and enhanced recovery rate. Similar findings occurred in people suffering from osteoarthritis; drinking tart cherry juice for three weeks reduced arthritis pain.

Research to date has studied the effects of drinking 21 ounces of tart cherry juice per day for 1 to 3 weeks. (That’s the equivalent of eating 90 tart cherries/day). More research will determine the most effective dose and time-course. Because 21 ounces of tart cherry juice adds 260 calories to one’s energy intake, athletes will need to reduce other fruits or foods to make space for this addition to their daily intake.

3) Sit less, move more. While sleeping used to be our most common “activity,” today it is sitting. The average person sits for 9 hours a day. Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for heart disease and creates health problems, including deep vein thrombosis  (as can happen on planes). Athletes who exercise for one or two hours each day still need do more daily activity and not just sit in front of a screen all day.

athletic woman leaping in air

Get enough sleep and you'll not only feel more powerful—you'll be more powerful in any activity you undertake.

4) Get some sleep. While we may be sitting more than in past years, we’re sleeping less: 80% of teens report getting less than the recommended nine hours of sleep; nearly 30% of adults report sleeping less than 6 hours each day. Not good. Sleep is a biological necessity. It is restorative and helps align our circadian rhythms.

Sleep deprivation (less than five hours/night) erodes well being, has detrimental effects on health, and contributes to fat gain. When we become tired, grehlin—a hormone that makes us feel hungry—becomes more active and we can easily overeat. Sleep deprivation is also linked with Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Sleep deprivation is common among athletes who travel through time zones. This can impact performance by disrupting their circadian rhythms and causing undue fatigue and reduced motivation. In comparison, extending sleep can enhance performance. A study involving basketball players indicates they shot more baskets and completed more free throws when they were well rested versus sleep deprived. For top performance, make sleep a priority!

couple walking together

Doing activities with other people is one factor that may help you live a longer life.

5) Enhance your life. In a few communities in the world, an usually high number of people live to be older than 100 years. What happens in those communities that contributes to the longer life? Some factors include choosing a plant-based diet, rarely overeating, having a life filled with purpose and meaning, connecting with others in the community, moving naturally and/or socially (as in bike commuting and walking with family and friends), enjoying alcohol socially (in moderation), and not smoking. If you want to join the centenarians, take steps to re-create those life-enhancing practices!

Creating that life-extending culture has been done, to a certain extent, in Albert Lea, MN. The “Blue Zone” project included improving sidewalks and building walking paths around a lake. Restaurants supported the program by not bringing a bread basket automatically to customers, and not serving French fries (unless requested) with meals. These and many other environmental changes contributed to a healthier lifestyle that resulted in a 40% drop in the city employee healthcare costs over two years. Impressive, eh?

6) Appreciate your body. Athletes, as well as those who aren’t athletes, commonly struggle with the belief their body is not “good enough.” This struggle gets too little attention from health care providers who focus more on the medical concerns of heart disease, cancer, and hypertension. Yet, whether you are lean or obese, having poor body image often coincides with having low self-esteem. This combination generates poor self-care.

Image with I am beautiful written in mirror

If you have to, write notes to yourself to remind yourself just how amazing you (and your body) are.

In a five-year study of teens, low body satisfaction stimulated extreme and destructive dieting behaviors that led to weight gain, not weight loss. The same pattern is typical among many seemingly “healthy” athletes. If you want help finding peace with your body, please seek help from a sports dietitian. Use the referral network of Sports & Cardiovascular Nutritionists (SCAN)—SCANdpg.org—to help you find someone local. What are you waiting for…?

 

Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD, May 2012

 

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Eat Pizza and STILL Lose Weight: A new philosophy for bathing suit season

March 16, 2012 Leave a Comment
Written by: on Friday, March 16th, 2012
Fit woman in string bikini for valerielatona.com

Looking to look fab in a bikini (or bathing suit)? Try a no-diet approach to eating.

It’s almost bathing suit season. Like most people, you’re probably starting to panic because you’ll soon be shedding layers of winter clothing and exposing your body. Eeek!!!

When you have more flab than you want, fretting about excess body fat can easily lead to thoughts of dieting. And there are plenty of diets out there to choose from: Atkins, Paleo, Jenny Craig, the Cabbage Soup Diet, the Banana Diet,… Unfortunately, none of these diets work in the long run. After all, if diets did work, then everyone who has ever been on a diet would be lean. Not the case. We are in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Not only do fad diets not work, diets commonly backfire and contribute to weight gain in the long run. A study followed teens from middle school into high school and found that those students who were dieting at the time of the initial survey were worse off five years later. They were fatter, struggled with disordered eating or had an outright eating disorder, and achieved no benefits from their attempts to lose undesired body fat. Futile efforts.

girl on scale holding chocolate cake and an apple for valerielatona.com

Sometimes, choosing the chocolate cake over the healthier food might help you reach your desired weight

Why eating is preferable to dieting

Overweight teens commonly become adults who continue to struggle with food for the rest of their lives. That’s why, starting at an early age, we need to discourage dieting and instead focus on eating healthfully and appropriately. If you don’t go on a diet, you won’t “blow your diet,” gorge on cookies, and gain weight. Eating normally —enjoying appropriate amounts of wholesome foods when your body needs fuel during the day—leads to an appropriate weight.

Normal eating includes enjoying a good balance of wholesome foods, but not limiting yourself to only “healthy foods.” That is, you don’t have to have a perfect diet to have a good diet. A healthy food plan can include 85% to 90% “quality calories” and 10% to 15% “whatever.” Some days “whatever” is an apple; other days “whatever” is a cookie (or two or three).

Striving to eat a perfect diet commonly results in deprivation of foods you truly like to eat. You’ll inevitably end up bingeing on those foods, sooner or later. Think about it this way: If you put a little boy in a roomful of toys and tell him he can play with all the toys except for the green truck, what is the first toy he’ll reach for? Yup, the green truck. Hence, if you like chocolate cake, but tell yourself you shouldn’t eat it, what will you relentlessly hanker for? Yup, chocolate cake.

stack of chocolate chip cookies for valerielatona.com

Love chocolate chip cookies? Eat them...and you'll actually binge less.

How to take power away from food

The way to take power away from a “binge food” is to eat it more often, not stay away from it. For example, if you like chocolate cake, you should eat it every day until you get sick of it. Don’t believe me? Do this experiment: For one week, eat your binge food every day instead of your normal breakfast, lunch, snack, and/or dinner. (Don’t worry: you won’t die of malnutrition in a week.) Observe what happens. Chances are, after three days of chocolate cake, you’ll hanker for shredded wheat again. And even if you want to continue to eat cake, a recent study indicates you can still lose weight on the Chocolate Cake Diet. In this study, the subjects who enjoyed chocolate cake for breakfast had better dietary compliance and ended up losing more weight than the people who were instructed to eat  “diet foods.”

Ideally, you want to learn to enjoy a daily food plan that includes a variety of mostly wholesome foods that are satiating, health promoting, and tasty. You want to eat heartily at breakfast and lunch, to prevent energy lags and cravings for sweets. You want to plan an enjoyable afternoon “second lunch” that helps energize the end of your workday and curbs your appetite for dinner. Then, at night, you want to eat a little bit less—and lose undesired body fat when you are sleeping. The goal: To wake up ready for breakfast, and perpetuate the cycle of fueling by day, dieting by night.

While these suggestions to eat “normally” are seemingly simple, many dieters find the advice is hard to implement. They are afraid that once they start eating, they won’t stop. This over-compensation is “diet backlash,” strengthened by years of “last chance to eat cake so I’d better eat it all now before the diet starts again tomorrow.”

Believe me, there is definitely a more peaceful way to manage weight.

eat pizza and still lose weight for valerielatona.com

Start eating more of what you love and less diet foods...

What is “normal eating”?

The following information offers tips for how to eat appropriately. Please trust that appropriate eating will lead you to an appropriate weight. Eating specialist Ellyn Satter RD (www.EllynSatter.com), author of Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family offers a great “definition” of normal eating.

• NORMAL EATING is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it—not just stop eating because you think you should.

• NORMAL EATING is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.

• NORMAL EATING is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad, or bored—or just because it feels good. Normal eating is three meals a day…or four or five—or it can be choosing to munch along the way.

• NORMAL EATING is leaving some cookies on the plate now because you know you can have some again tomorrow—or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.

• NORMAL EATIG is overeating at times; feeling stuffed and uncomfortable—or it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.

• NORMAL EATING takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one [not more than that] important area of your life.

• NORMAL EATING is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.

Isn’t it time we all start learning how to eat normally? Put this new philosophy into effect—and you’ll find that your weight stabilizes on its own … and that you’re much happier around food … and that you are much happier overall about your body.

Copyright Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD March 2012

 

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If you care about what you’re putting into your body, read and watch this

March 11, 2012 Leave a Comment
Written by: on Sunday, March 11th, 2012
BurgerandFries

A burger is fine, if the meat in it is real...

I’ve always been concerned about what I put into my body, but when I had kids I became hyper vigilant about what I put into their growing and developing bodies. I’ve never taken my kids to McDonald’s, Burger King, or Wendy’s (my son once asked, as we were driving by it, “Mom, what’s a McDonalds?”)—but lest you think I’m depriving my kids of an American tradition, they have had French fries (the deep-fried kind not the organic baked kind we typically make at home) and burgers at restaurants where I know that the food is a bit more real. They eat junk (cookies, candy, ice cream, potato chips) 10% of the time, but never fast-food or soda. (And now that all the information has come out about how the caramel coloring in soda contains a cancer-causing ingredient called chemical 4-methylimidazole, I’m happy I’ve banned this from our house!)

In any case, I love Jamie Oliver—for what he’s doing to shake up food (and particularly school lunches) in America. It’s a shame that a British chef has to come over to our country to open our eyes about our food with his Food Revolution, but whatever! He’s doing it. Watch this important video about where a lot of our kids’ meat (for school lunches) comes from.

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Do your health a favor: DON’T keep this stuff in your home

March 10, 2012 Leave a Comment
Written by: on Saturday, March 10th, 2012
PIllsbury Vanilla Easy Frost Frosting

Don't keep this stuff in the house if you're watching your weight!

 

When I discovered Pillsbury’s Easy Frost Frosting in a Can, I was excited (that was the mom side of me). Now I could frost cupcakes or cookies for school parties in minutes with zero hassle and mess. It tastes really good and it comes in holiday colors (e.g. pink for Valentine’s Day) as well as chocolate, cream cheese, and vanilla—which are available every day.

BUT (and this is healthy side of me) the ingredient list reads like a long list of nutrition don’ts (including trans fats); if you go to the Pillsbury site to look up the nutritional information, it’s noticeably absent (that’s a sure sign that there’s nothing good in it).

It also has 150 calories for two tablespoons. I don’t know anyone who’s going to measure out two tablespoons, which means you’ll squeeze on more frosting than usual because it’s so easy. And that means more calories.

This is dangerous when it comes to snacking at home: leftover frosting should be thrown out immediately. I made the mistake of keeping it—and then when I had a craving for something sweet, I squeezed on a bit to a cookie…and then a bit more…and then a bit more on another cookie. And while I was talking on the phone (never talk while you snack, I should know this!), I squeezed some on to a spoon and ate that. WHAT THE HECK WAS I DOING???!!!

I must have taken in at least an additional 500 calories in just frosting alone. It’s dangerous to have this stuff in your home—for your health and your waistline. A better bet: make frosting the traditional way—from scratch. That way, you know the ingredients you’re putting into your—and your kids’ bodies—and you’re less likely to have it around after you need it.

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The 6 Best Pre- and Post-Workout Foods

February 23, 2012 2 Comments
Written by: on Thursday, February 23rd, 2012
Chocolate milk good workout snack

Who would have thought this childhood fave would turn out to be so good for you?!

If you ask most people what’s the best pre- or post-workout meal or snack, they’ll probably mention sports drinks, protein powders, protein bars, and anything but plain old food.

Well, this is continually being proven wrong by researchers, sports nutritionists, and exercise specialists.

The latest research by McMaster University professor Stuart Phillips shows that the top foods for athletes—and regular exercisers—are:

1) Chocolate milk: offers post-workout water, protein, electrolytes, and carbohydrates—and not to mention, it tastes good too! According to Phillips, chocolate milk helps rehydrate your body after exercise and recharges damaged muscles. For these reasons, it’s far superior, he says, to water and sports drinks when it comes to post-workout recovery.

For more information on chocolate milk, click on rechargewithmilk.ca (full disclosure: this site, recommended by Phillips, is sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Canada—but it’s actually quite informative and packed with good information—why I’m okay with linking to it. They’re also sponsoring the giveaway at the end of this piece…and free stuff is always good!)

steel cut oats

Try steel cut oats: they take longer to cook (about 30 minutes) but have double the fiber of rolled oats!

2) Oatmeal: contains carbs, fiber and B vitamins (which are key for the breakdown of carbs into glucose and energy in the body—among other things).

Oatmeal, with protein-packed almonds, is the perfect pre-workout meal (particularly if you’re exercising in the morning). I also like to add dried cranberries, zest from a lemon, cinnamon (which helps control blood sugar), and a drizzle of agave nectar into mine. Just had a bowl this morning!

3) Salmon: rich in protein, iron, vitamin B12 (critical for healthy nervous system functioning and making blood cells) and omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for brain function, reducing inflammation in the body, and normal growth and development.

My favorite way of cooking it: Marinate it in a little lemon juice and spices (try O&Co Salt & Herb Mix for Fish, $8.50; www.oliviersandco.com/salt-and-herb-mix-for-fish.html), drizzle with olive oil, and cook covered at 400ºF for 20 minutes. Shut off the oven, take off the cover, and let sit in the warm oven for another 15 minutes.

4) Blueberries: high in carbs (key for energy) and free-radical-fighting antioxidants (more free radicals are produced in the body during exercise).

I like to add frozen blueberries to almond milk and blend up with a frozen banana and some agave nectar—the perfect fuel-up smoothie!

grilled salmon

Did you know? Salmon is rich in selenium, a free-radical busting antioxidant.

5) Sweet potatoes: chockfull of iron (which helps your body produce oxygen during exercise) and antioxidants beta-carotene as well as vitamins C and E.

Don’t have the patience or time to cook them in the oven? Simply puncture a few times with a fork and cook them on high in the microwave, on a paper towel or plate, for 4 to 5 minutes.

6) Yogurt: high in calcium (important for strong bones and muscle contractions) and energy-boosting vitamin B12. Look for yogurts with little to no added sugar and gut-busting lactobacteria or acidophilus (healthy bacteria that helps digestion).

I love Greek Fage (pronounced “fah-yeh”) Total 2% yogurt with granola (for carbs and taste) and a tiny bit of honey mixed in.

There’s no Gatorade on Phillips’ list, no packaged protein bars, no fruity gummy chews.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I’ll probably still stick these into my bike “bento” snack pack (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodFB_840200.html) for races because they’re so convenient, but the important take-home message from Phillips’ research: you don’t have to spend a lot of money on processed sports foods at other times.

Real food is still your best bet.

[Read more...]

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Water: The Amazing Performance Enhancer

February 7, 2012 1 Comment
Written by: on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

 

female biker drinking water

Drink water before, during, and after exercise to make sure you're getting enough.

Water is truly a performance enhancer. When a star U Conn basketball player took the advice of his sports nutritionist Nancy Rodriguez, RD, and started drinking enough to consistently void light-colored urine [what everyone should be aiming for], he was amazed at how much better he felt all day. Unfortunately, too many athletes overlook the power of this essential nutrient. Perhaps it’s your turn to give water a try? This article offers tips to enhance your water IQ, optimize your water balance, and help you feel and perform better.

•  You don’t have to drink plain water to get adequate water into your body. All fluids count, as do foods that have a high water content:

FOOD/DRINK     % WATER CONTENT
Coffee 99.5
Lettuce 96
Tomato 95
Lowfat milk 90
Broccoli 89
Oatmeal 84
Lowfat vanilla yogurt 79
Ice cream 60

 

• Water is a major component of the cells in muscles and organs; about 60 percent of a young male’s body weight is water, as is about 50 percent of a young woman’s body weight.

• Water is essential for proper functioning of our metabolism, the biochemical reaction by which our bodies get energy. Your body simply cannot function without sufficient water, as noted by the fact that athletes die from dehydration. Your body also needs water to moisten food (saliva), digest food (gastric secretions), transport nutrients to and from cells (blood), discard waste (urine), and dissipate heat (sweat).

• Different body parts have different water content. For example, blood is approximately 93 percent water, muscle is about 73 percent water, and body fat is about 10 percent water. Water constantly moves between the inside and the outside of cells. In fact, about 4 to 10 percent of your body water gets replaced every day with “fresh” water.

Note: Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) methods of measuring body fat actually measure body water. From that, a formula estimates the ratio of water to muscle and fat. Hence, if you use a Tanita Scale or Omron device, be sure to maintain adequate hydration. If you’re dehydrated, you’ll end up with an inaccurate (higher) estimate of body fat.

woman running in a race

Did you know? When muscles burn glycogen (long-term fuel), they release water to prevent dehydration—important during races.

• Your body produces about 8 to 16 oz. (250-500 ml) water per day during normal metabolic processes. During a marathon, a runner’s muscles can produce that much water over 2 to 3 hours. When muscles burn glycogen, they simultaneously release about 2.5 units water for each one unit of muscle glycogen; this helps protect against dehydration.

• Coffee is a popular source of water. Although once thought to have a diuretic effect, current research indicates coffee (in amounts normally consumed) hydrates as well as water over a 24-hour period. That is, after drinking coffee, you may urinate sooner, but you won’t urinate more than you consume. Army research on caffeine and dehydration confirms coffee (iced or hot) is an acceptable source of fluid for athletes, even during exercise in the heat. Hence, coffee and other caffeinated beverages such as tea or cola do count towards daily water intake.

• An increased concentration of particles in your blood triggers the sensation of thirst. If you’re a 150-pound athlete, you’ll start to feel thirsty once you’ve lost about 1.5 to 3 pounds of sweat (1 to 2 percent of your body weight).  You are seriously dehydrated when you have lost 5 percent of your body weight.

• Body water absorbs heat from the working muscles and sweat dissipates the heat, keeping you from overheating during exercise and in hot environments. The evaporation of a liter (about 36 ounces) of sweat from the skin represents a loss of about 580 calories.

• To determine how much water you lose when you sweat, weigh yourself (with little or no clothing) before and after an hour of hard exercise with no fluid intake. The change in body weight reflects sweat loss. A one-pound drop in weight equates to a loss of 16 ounces of sweat. A two-pound drop equates to 32 ounces—that’s one quart. Drink accordingly during your workouts to prevent that loss!

sweaty woman working out

Body water absorbs heat from the muscles when you work out—and sweat dissipates that heat.

• When you sweat, you lose water from both inside and outside the cells. The water outside the cells is rich in sodium, an electrolyte that works in balance with potassium, an electrolyte inside the cells. Sweat contains about 7 times more sodium than potassium, hence sodium is the more important electrolyte to replace during extended exercise.

• Most athletes who lose more than 2 percent of their body weight  (3 lbs for a 150-pound athlete) lose both their mental edge and their ability to perform optimally in hot weather. Yet, during cold weather, you are less likely to experience reduced performance, even at 3 percent dehydration. Three to 5 percent dehydration does not seem to affect muscle strength or performance during short intense bouts of anaerobic exercise, such as weight lifting. But distance runners slow their pace by about 2 percent for each percent body weight lost by dehydration. Sweat loss of more than 10 percent body weight is life threatening.

• Adequate fluid intake can reduce problems with constipation and urinary tract infections. But, there is no research to back up theories that excessive (meaning more than the normal amount) water intake will improve weight loss, remove toxins, or improve skin tone.

• Best advice: drink in response to thirst. No scientific evidence supports the rule that you should drink eight glasses of water a day [although that's often a good rule of thumb to aim for], so you can simply drink in response to thirst. You can also monitor the volume of your urine. If your urine is scanty, dark, and smelly, you should drink more! If you have not urinated during your work or school day (8:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.), you are severely underhydrated.

water pouring out of a plastic bottle

While bottled water is more convenient, it may not be any better for you than plain old tap.

• Is bottled water better for you than tap water? Doubtful. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, nearly half of  bottled waters come from municipal water supplies—not from the mountain streams pictured on the labels. This suggests standard municipal tap water is high quality. Rather than spend money on bottled water, turn on your tap! This will help stop the flood of 95 million plastic water bottles that get discarded each day, of which only 20 percent get recycled. Drink plenty of water—but think “green.”

Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD Feb 2012 

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