Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Super Foods

Super foods

Everyone has seen and read the term “super food” but what does that actually mean.  If my blueberries aren’t putting on a cape and flying through the sky then what makes them a super food?  By definition, super foods are low in calories and high in nutrients, how amazing!  Super foods are full of antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals.  It is said that eating them may reduce the risk of chronic disease and some cancers.
Now lets get into the different types of super foods that you should incorporate into your diet! 

First up, green super foods; Green super foods have the highest concentrations of easily digestible nutrients, fat burning compounds, vitamins and minerals to protect and heal the body.

WHEAT GRASS
  • sprouted grass of a wheat seed. Unlike the whole grain, it no longer contains gluten or other common allergic agents. 
  • super alkalizing and is excellent for promoting healthy blood.


BARELY GRASS
  • 11 times more calcium than cows milk, 5 times more iron than spinach and 7 times more Vitamin C and bio-flavonoids than orange juice.  Wow!

WILD BLUE GREEN ALGAE
  •  phyto-plankton and contains virtually every nutrient. 
  •  60% protein content and a more complete amino acid profile than beef or soybeans. 
  • It contains one of the best-known food sources of beta-carotene, B vitamins and chlorophyll.

SPIRULINA
  • Though it may have a taste that takes some getting used to, its high content of everything nutritious makes up for it. 
  •  top two ingredients are protein and omega fatty acids. This is a great way for vegetarians to incorporate these into their diet!


Up next we have nut, seed and fruit super foods.  These super foods are high in anti-oxidants that fight free radicals in the body. Free radicals sound like alien invaders that are coming to destroy your precious health!. When enough of these free radicals invade our immune system problems occurs. This is when we need super foods to come save the day.

GOJI BERRIES
  •  very rich source of vitamin C, having 500 times more vitamin C per ounce than oranges and actually more than any other fruit. 
  •  great source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E and contain a full complement of protein with 18 amino acids.

RAW CACAO
  •  contains possibly the most concentrated source of antioxidants found in any food.
  •  14 times more flavonoids (antioxidants) than red wine and 21 times more than green tea.

 ACAI
  • appearance of a purple grape and taste of a tropical berry it has been shown to have powerful antioxidant properties thanks to a high level of anthocyanins, pigments also found in red wine. 
  • high level of antioxidants will put a stop to those free radicals floating around your body.

CHIA SEEDS
  • good for your head with their high content of omega fatty acids that increase healthy brain function. 
  • wide variety of nutrients, such as: protein, fiber, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium and antioxidants. 


Now the easiest way to get these superfoods flying into your life is… drum roll please… SMOOTHIES!

Antioxidant Acai Cacao Smoothie Recipe
The Ingredients
·       1 cup coconut water
·       1/4 avocado
·       1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
·       1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
·       1 tablespoon almond butter or a handful of raw almonds
·       1 tablespoon goji berries (blended or sprinkled on top)
·       1 tablespoon cacao powder
·       1/2 tablespoon cacao nibs (blended or sprinkled on top)
·       1 teaspoon chia seeds
·       1 teaspoon bee pollen
·       1 teaspoon acai powder
·       1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Chocolate Blueberry Spirulina Smoothie Recipe

The Ingredients
·       1 cup almond milk
·       1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
·       1 tablespoon tahini
·       1 tablespoon cacao powder
·       1/2 tablespoon cacao nibs (blend some and sprinkle some on top)
·       1/2 tablespoon spirulina
·       1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract

Chocolate Almond Berry Butter Smoothie Recipe

The Ingredients
·       1 cup almond milk
·       1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
·       1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
·       1/4 cup almonds (ideally soaked first)
·       1 tablespoon almond butter
·       1 tablespoon cacao powder
·       1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
·       1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract

Blueberry Chocolate Dream Smoothie Recipe

The Ingredients
·       1 cup almond milk
·       1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
·       1/2 small avocado
·       1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
·       3 Brazil nuts
·       1 tablespoon cacao powder
·       1 teaspoon cacao nibs
·       1 teaspoon maca
·       1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

·       2 drops vanilla extract




Wednesday, September 23, 2015

CHANGE IS GOOD

Ever hear the phrases “change is good”, “get out of your comfort zone”, “challenge yourself to do something different”, if you have you are not alone.  As repetitive and sometimes cliché as these sound, there is an aspect of truth behind them.  To target different muscles, avoid becoming bored, and to reach personal goals it is important to have variety in your workout routine.  If you are someone that loves running and other cardio intense activities you should also spend some time focusing on strength training and flexibility. Find a gym where you can use some free weights or a group class that incorporates body weight and muscle building exercises.  If you are a yoga master you don’t want to forget about strengthening your most important muscle, the heart. Find a mountain to hike, a trail to run or a bike to ride.
As much as you may enjoy the type of exercise you do, routines get boring and that could have a negative affect on how often and how hard you work out. Getting out of bed in the morning to go to that same spin class you do every day is way harder than if you have a new hot yoga class waiting for you to rock!  There might be a new passion out there waiting for you but you will never know until you “get out of your comfort zone” and “challenge yourself to do something different.” And hey, different fitness classes mean new workout clothes, and who doesn’t love a fresh pair of spandex.  Now let us get into some work out specifics to see the benefits of each.

Yoga- it is important to incorporate yoga into your work out routine for strength and flexibility.  Having a consistent yoga practice will lengthen and tone giving you long and lean muscles.  Overtime you will gain more flexibility, which will help prevent muscle injuries.

Running/spinning/cardio classes- your heart is one of if not the most important muscle in your body (pumping blood, oxygen, ya know those things you need to live). In order to strengthen your heart, you need to do cardiovascular intense work outs, ones that spike your heart rate and your breathing.  These types of workouts also speed up your metabolism, and keep it running throughout your day.

Strength training- whether you are a gym rat and hit those barbells or prefer a group class that ties in strength training, it is important to work on building muscle.  Building muscle uses energy that your body would otherwise turn into fat.

So there you have it… embrace the cliché and take a step out of your routine, switch things up, find a new passion and work your body in new and exciting ways.  Your overall health and fitness will thank you for taking that leap.  

There is a great way to try new things at a low cost, Class Pass!  You can try out different fitness studios around your area a few times a month for a much lower cost :) 




Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Portion Control

Something most everyone struggles with is portion control.  Often our eyes are MUCH bigger than our stomachs.  People are not aware of the actual amount of energy from food they need and how much they use throughout the day, leading to consuming much larger portions than necessary. 
Being able to visualize portion sizes is an important diet tool. If you understand what a portion really looks like, you will be able to monitor how much you are consuming.  Here are some helpful tips.

 1 cup cooked rice, pasta, etc= 1 baseball

 1 medium fruit= 1 baseball

 1 cup fresh/raw fruit/vegetables= 1 baseball

 3 oz. meat/poultry= deck of cards

 4 oz, grilled/baked fish, tofu, seitan, tempeh= check book

 2 tbs nut butter or hummus= 1 golf ball

 1 oz. cheese= 3 stacked dice

 1 cup yogurt= 1 baseball

 1 tbs dressing= 1 poker chip

 1 cup strawberries= about 12

 1 cup carrots= about 12 baby

 ¼ cup almonds= about 24

 1 tsp oil= size of tip of thumb

Here is a way for you to take this new information and put it into practice.  On the average day you should have each of the following portions of food groups (lower end if less active or have a sedentary job)
4-5 servings protein
3-4 servings fruit
4-5 servings vegetable
2-3 servings starch/grain
1-2 serving fat/ taste enhancer

Knowing this, you can visualize your serving sizes at each meal/snack.

1 protein unit is:
·       1 cup plain greek nonfat yogurt or nonfat cottage cheese
·       3 ounces cooked poultry or lean meat
·       4 ounces cooked fish or shellfish
·       1 whole egg + 4 egg whites OR 7 egg whites
·       4 ounces tofu or other plant based meat substitute
1 fruit unit is:
·       1 cup of cut fruit or berries
·       1 medium piece of fruit (apple, orange, banana, etc)
·       1 small handful(palm of hand) of dried fruit
1 vegetable unit is:
·       1 cup any raw vegetable
1 starch/grain unit is:
·       ½ cup cooked grain (rice, pasta, quinoa, etc), beans, lentils, corn kernels or peas
·       1 slice whole grain bread
·       ½ large potato, white or sweet
·       1 cup cooked rolled oats
1 fat is:
·       2 teaspoons oil
·       2 Tablespoons low calorie salad dressing
·       ¼ medium avocado
·       small handful of nuts

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

EVERYDAY HEALTHIER

Nutrition, health and fitness can be extremely overwhelming, especially with the constant stream of information, fad diets and fancy products everywhere.  So how can the average human that just needs some simple tips on how to make his/her everyday life a little bit better even begin to filter through this information overload?  It’s simple, everyday just be a little bit healthier.  Learning simple and easy tricks to alter your current habits and routines will make the adjustment to a healthier life WAY better. 

I will simplify health and wellness information for you to easily understand and put into practice!  Each post will include a little science, a how to, and an easy way to get started. Now let's all get a little healthier everyday!