Author: Jill Noble

Top 10 Energy Foods: Carbs Athletes Should Love

By Kimberly Brown, M.S., R.D
Not since the public outcry against fat has there been such uproar about popular nutrition–the message in the mainstream media seems clear: It’s protein you want not carbs! With all the hype, no wonder so many of us are second-guessing our eating habits. In truth, the message about carbohydrates has been so over-simplified that many people are skimping on the most critical energy source the body has.

Restricting carbohydrates can zap energy levels, compromising the quality of workouts and negating the benefits of a fitness program.

Here’s the simple truth: There are many high-carbohydrate foods beneficial to both your health and athletic performance. The key is choosing the right carbs.

Following is a breakdown of ten of the best energy-sustaining foods, all loaded with powerful nutrients to keep your body running on premium fuel.

1. Rolled Oats
Heart disease still tops the charts as the No. 1 cause of death among women, so it’s no surprise that the Food and Drug Administration recommends women on a 2,000-calorie daily diet eat about 30 grams of fiber a day.

With a mere half cup of cooked oats providing four grams of dietary fiber, adding rolled oats to your diet will help you meet this recommendation.

Fiber not only helps reduce risk for heart disease, it slows glucose absorption into the bloodstream, helping maintain peak energy levels and curb appetite. Rolled oats are also an excellent source of B vitamins (great for stress management and energy production) and contain a significant amount of zinc for immune function.

2. Lentil Soup
Lentils produce a low-glycemic response, meaning you won’t experience a spike in blood sugar followed by an energy-sapping crash. Also loaded with dietary fiber (eight grams per half-cup serving), lentils provide the feeling of satiety, helping mute those intense cravings for sweets. Lentils also are packed full of folic acid, a nutrient essential for keeping cardiovascular risk low and guarding against birth defects.

3. Fresh Figs
Just three figs provide a whopping 30 grams of good carbohydrates along with a multitude of B vitamins, calcium and potassium to help ensure peak muscle function and optimal bone health. Figs also are an excellent source of soluble pectin fiber, shown to lower cholesterol and ultimately reduce cardiovascular risk. For a tasty snack, try serving quartered fresh figs with a dollop of reduced-fat ricotta cheese or flavored yogurt.

4. Roasted Chestnuts
In comparison to other calorie- and fat-dense nuts, chestnuts contain less than one gram of fat per ounce while providing a hefty dose of fiber, vitamin C and folic acid, nutrients important for immune function, formation of collagen and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. Chestnuts are tasty in stuffing, pilaf, vegetable side dishes and soups. Or try them as a snack by themselves.

5. Blueberries
A one-cup serving and a mere 80 calories later, you get 20 grams of energy-enhancing carbohydrates, four grams of appetite-curbing fiber as well as a significant amount of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that keeps the immune system revved. Blueberries have the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) score of any fresh fruit, which means they can destroy free radicals in the body before they cause damage to healthy cells.

In addition, the dye that makes blueberries “blue” has been shown to improve memory, balance and coordination. Blueberries are a tasty addition to cereals, salads and smoothies. In the colder months when fresh blueberries are less prevalent, opt for the frozen variety.

6. Low-fat Plain Yogurt
Yogurt has always been touted as a nutritional powerhouse, partly because it’s loaded with calcium, a critical nutrient considering osteoporosis affects 20 million women each year. Rich in vitamin B-12, yogurt also helps prevent fatigue. And plain yogurt just may be the perfect recovery food for athletes, as it promotes glycogen replenishment and muscle recovery.

Give yourself an energy boost after your next workout by slicing a ripe banana into a cup of plain yogurt. Make sure your yogurt contains active cultures called probiotics, hugely beneficial to immune function.

7. Rice Bran
The USDA reports more people are eating refined white bread, which lacks quality nutrients due to processed flours. Rice bran boasts superior nutritional credentials, with five grams of carbohydrates and more than two grams of fiber in a mere two tablespoons.

Furthermore, it provides 23 percent of the RDA for magnesium, a nutrient directly responsible (along with calcium) for the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), for energy during metabolism, as well as conversion of glycogen to glucose for use as the body’s fuel during exercise.

Rice bran can replace up to half the flour in any quick bread or muffin recipe and be added to recipes for meatloaf and casseroles. If you don’t plan on baking in the near future, try sprinkling rice bran on cereal, salad or yogurt.

8. Whole Wheat Pasta
Despite some concerns about the glycemic response of large portions of pasta, this common carbo-loading meal can be a healthful addition to your diet. Whole wheat pasta provides nearly 40 grams of energy-rich carbohydrates per one cup (cooked) serving. In addition, whole wheat pasta provides five grams of dietary fiber, most of it insoluble fiber, shown to reduce risk for breast cancer.

To ensure you are buying the healthiest whole wheat pasta, look for at least four grams of dietary fiber and five grams of protein per two ounces dry (or one cup cooked) serving. Be sure to watch portions and try to add a protein (chicken, ground sirloin) to your plate to avoid craving that second pasta portion. And, of course, add some veggies for color, fiber and an array of health-enhancing nutrients.

9. Sweet Potatoes
Despite this vegetable’s impressive nutritional profile and appealingly “sweet” flavor, consumption of sweet potatoes is on the decline. A look at the facts might change your mind about this nutrient-dense veggie: A four-ounce sweet potato contains a mere 143 calories with a whopping 28 grams of carbohydrates and more than 100 percent of your daily requirement for beta-carotene.

A sweet potato also packs in more than a quarter of your daily needs for vitamins C and E, nutrients shown to prevent cell damage in athletes competing in extreme environments (altitude, heat, cold, pollution), as well as enhance muscle recovery after intense training. Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of iron. Expand your intake of sweet potatoes beyond Thanksgiving by stirring them into chili, adding some to your favorite potato salad recipe, and adding shredded raw sweet potato into hamburger, meatloaf and meatball mixtures. Also, try using mashed sweet potato as a ravioli stuffing.

10. Oranges
Considered by many to be winter’s most delicious fruit, oranges are rich in natural sugars for a quick energy boost, yet provide three grams of fiber for sustained energy. In addition, just one navel orange meets an entire day’s requirement for vitamin C, while providing immune-enhancing flavonoids, helping to keep colds and flus at bay.

Your heart will also benefit from the folate in oranges. Opt for the whole orange (rather than juice), and be sure to eat the spongy inner layer that lies right under the colorful part of the skin to ensure you are receiving energy-sustaining fiber. Besides using oranges as a tasty, convenient snack, try adding sections of oranges to salads or smoothies, or using the juice as a marinade for meat.

Mandarin Orange Salad

This is one of our all-time favorite salads – we eat it often!  DELICIOUS and NUTRITIOUS 🙂

¼ C extra-virgin olive oil

4t balsamic vinegar

1 ½ t Dijon mustard

¼ t salt

¼ t pepper

½ # spinach salad

1 can mandarin oranges (drained)

½ C sliced olives

1/4-1/2 C red onion (diced or sliced)

¼ C feta cheese – crumbled

Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, in bowl.

Combine spinach, oranges, olives, onion.

Pour dressing over salad. Toss to coat evenly.

Top with feta cheese.

 

 

 

Rebounding for Health: Strengthening the Lymphatic System

 

Every moment of every day, your body’s cells are producing waste products and dying. Toxic substances, bacteria, cancer cells, and other disease-causing agents are moving throughout your body. The circulatory system carries nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to our cells, but the lymphatic system is the body’s garbage disposal system. Its network of tiny vessels transports fluid (lymph) from around the cells through lymph nodes, where the waste products are filtered out, cancer cells are trapped and bacteria are destroyed. To keep this fluid moving, the system depends on the muscle action of your arms and legs.

 

When the lymphatic system isn’t working properly, fluid accumulates around cells. This fluid prevents nutrients from entering cells, depriving them of the nourishment they need to thrive. And bacteria, cancer cells, and toxins are left to damage cells and bring on ill health.

 

What does rebounding have to do with this? A lot! The lymph system does not have an internal pump and so in order to move the lymph along, the system depends on your muscle movement. Research is finding that one of the best ways to exercise the lymph system is the daily use of a rebounder or mini-trampoline.

 

The mini-trampoline is proving to be a very efficient form of exercise. A high level of cardiovascular fitness and toning results from regular bouncing every day. The low impact rebounding acts to gently move the waste materials in the lymph. Most people must start slowly and bounce for only five minutes at a time, then work up slowly until they are jumping for the suggested twenty-minute length of time. This specific type of exercise activates lymphatic drainage.

 

Rebounding can be used by people of all ages, in all stages of life. For a more strenuous workout, simply jump faster and lower or even add light hand weights.

Baby Carrot Hoax …….by Dr. Andrew Weil

Question……

Baby Carrots: Bad for You?

I recently received an email warning about eating baby carrots because they are washed in chlorine when they are processed. Is this a legitimate concern?

Answer….. (Published 8/12/2011)

No. The warning you received is an Internet hoax that has been circulating for a few years. First, a definition: when we speak of baby carrots, we’re referring to those uniformly short pieces of carrot packaged in plastic bags. They’re not true “baby” (immature) carrots, which are sometimes sold with some of their greens attached to show that they’re the real deal. In reality, they are actually cut and shaped pieces of large carrots.

Baby carrots were introduced in the 1980s by a California farmer who wanted to salvage twisted and knobby carrots that were being thrown away as too unattractive to sell. Misshapen carrots can amount to as much as a third of a farmer’s crop; discarding them represents a significant loss. At first, baby carrots were cut and sliced by machine from the otherwise unsalable carrots, but today, they come from carrots specially bred for sweetness and uniform orange color.

It is true that these cut-and-shaped carrots are rinsed in a chlorine wash to eliminate bacteria (including E. coli and Salmonella) that can cause food-borne illnesses. Afterward, they’re rinsed again with potable water to remove the chlorine. Most other pre-cut vegetables and fruit are treated the same way. If the e-mail warning you received said that the white film that develops on stored baby carrots is the “chlorine rising to the surface,” that’s not true either. The film is a result of the dehydration of the cut carrots – you would see the same thing if you cut a regular carrot and stored it in the refrigerator.

I’m not a fan of baby carrots because I don’t like their taste. I prefer organic whole carrots. But there’s no health reason to avoid baby carrots if you like them. Look for organic ones. To give them their due, since baby carrots were introduced, carrot consumption in the U.S. has increased 33 percent.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

 

Weight Loss 101

The weight-loss industry confuses us on a daily basis. Many diets have been created and promoted that drastically differ from one another. These diets have gained popularity even with very little research to support their claims.  Weight loss should be as simple as addition and subtraction. To lose weight, burn more calories, eat your vegetables and pass on the dessert.

 

The bottom line when it comes to weight loss is to burn more calories than you take in. You can easily do that by shaving extra calories from food and beverages and increasing caloric burn through physical activity.

 

Here are 7 key points to focus on and implement as you work toward your weight loss goal and achieving fit living:

1. Eat Breakfast

 

Eating breakfast is a daily habit for “successful losers.” Insulin sensitivity is higher after eating breakfast. Insulin is a hormone released in response to eating. Insulin sensitivity refers to how well the body responds to the hormone insulin. When you eat more earlier in the day, studies show your total caloric intake throughout the day actually decreases. Wake up with protein. When consuming lean protein in the morning, don’t forget to add omega-3 rich eggs or egg whites; low-fat, organic dairy; lean and clean breakfast meats; as well as high protein, whole grains like steel cut oatmeal or quinoa.

 

2. Count Calories

 

Calories are the energy in food. Regardless of where they come from, the calories you eat are either converted to physical energy or stored as body fat. If you eat 100 calories a day more than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. About 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound of fat. For a one pound weight loss, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in or cut 500 calories from your daily diet each day to drop a pound of fat in one week.

 

3. Avoid Portion Distortion

 

Choose satisfied over stuffed. The sizes of your portions affect how many calories you’re getting. Double the amount of food equals double the number of calories. Most Americans underestimate how much they’re eating, especially when dining out. Always put your food on a plate or in a bowl. Eating out of the box or bag gives you no sense of what or how you are eating. Serve foods  with measuring cups, or spoons to see how much you are actually eating. The average woman, with moderate daily exercise should be consuming approximately 3 to 4 oz. of lean protein per meal, half to 1 cup of whole grains per meal, and 1 to 2 cups of brightly colored fruits and vegetables per meal.

 

4. Eat Fiber

 

Fiber comes from plants, particularly legumes, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Foods which are high in fiber are usually low in calories. More of these types of foods can be eaten without consuming too many calories. Fiber rich foods can be quite satisfying. They need a longer amount of time to break down. Fiber slows the rate of digestion helping us feel full longer. Aim for 25 to 50 grams of fiber rich foods daily. Be sure to balance the intake of the soluble and insoluble forms (i.e. fruits, vegetables and whole grains.)

 

5. Snack Wisely

 

Although snacks are part of a healthy diet, they can become a source of extra calories. Always keep moderation in mind. The goal for snacking is to limit snacks to 150 to 200 calories.  Always include the three macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Always understand the ingredients, avoiding anything artificial or refined.

Small meals consumed approximately every three hours can contribute to stable blood sugars throughout the day. Choose snacks that are high in fiber (5 grams or more per serving) such as, bean dips, fruits and vegetables with peanut butter or hummus, and low-fat dairy. Choose whole grains that have a low glycemic index and include a small amount of protein with them to keep your cravings in check.

 

6. Sleep Enough

 

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 63 percent of American adults are not getting the recommended eight hours of sleep a night.  When afternoon hits, most people are confusing fatigue with hunger. The trip to the vending machine is justified.  These foods do make us feel better, because they quickly raise blood sugar due to the large amount of saturated fat and refined carbohydrates. Poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation can elevate levels of ghrelin, which is our appetite-stimulating hormone, and lower levels of leptin, our appetite-suppressant hormone. As a result, we take in more calories throughout the day leading to ultimate weight gain.

 

7. Exercise

 

The key to successful weight loss and improved overall health is making physical activity a part of your daily routine. The key to weight control is balancing your intake with expenditure. Exercise along with cutting calories helps to improve your weight loss.  Aim for 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day including 2-3 strength training sessions each week.

 

Top 10 Worst Foods

According to fitness expert, KC Craichy, here is a list of the top 10 No-no’s!

1.  Doughnuts

2.  French fries and almost all deep fried foods

3.  Fast food hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, and all factory farmed meats

4.  Produce and meats raised using Genetically Modified Organisms

5.  Corn by-products

6.  Alcoholic beverages

7.  Soft drinks, conventional coffee, sports drinks (with artificial colors, flavorings, and unhealthy sweeteners)

8.  Sugar and artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, etc.)

9.  Peanut butter (conventional national brands with partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup)

10.  Foods made from bleached white flour, white bread, pastries, cakes, etc.

 

 

Commitment

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”

– Kenneth Blanchard

Benefits of Strength Training

Yes!  Cardio exercise is important for calorie burning and many other reasons BUT a proper and efficient exercise plan includes cardio AND strength training (along with flexibility, balance training, and specific exercises to strengthen the core.)

 

If you are just doing cardio, then you will be burning calories and strengthening your cardiovascular system (which is good!) but you won’t be really changing your body composition by building more muscle. For that you need strength training!

 

The benefits of strength training are numerous, including increased :  muscle strength, balance, bone density, lean muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, metabolism, and cardio endurance—not to mention that strong, lean muscles simply look better!