Ginger and Ayurvedic Benefits
August 9, 2010
Ayurvedic medicine is India’s form of ancient medicine. It works on a system of balancing the body’s internal energies by looking at the different temperatures that go inside us. According to this practice, ginger is one of the best foods you can eat.
Because ginger has been around so long, both ancient and modern medicine believes that ginger has numerous benefits. It has anti-cancer properties, great for digestion, and can relieve car sickness by settling the stomach.
Try this tea recipe and enjoy the ginger in your diet!
Lemon Ginger Honey Tea:
Boil water with kettle
Pour water into cup and add 2-3 slices of ginger.
1 teaspoon of honey
1/4 – 1/2 lemon squeezed
Allow to steep for 2-3minutes before drinking. Enjoy this healthy savory drink.
Power Apple Pancakes with Raspberries
August 4, 2010
This is one of my favorite healthy breakfast treats. It is filled with protein and has low carb options. These pancakes are fast, easy to cook, and perfect for an on-the-go meal.
1/4 Liquid Eggwhites
1/2c Oatmeal
3Tbl Nutiva Organic Shelled Hemp Seeds
2Tbl Trader Joe’s Apple Bread Mix
1tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 packets Xylitol (optional for a sweeter flavor)
Mix the ingredients together while you heat a nonstick skillet. Mixture will be thick, but you can add more eggwhites to make thinner pancakes.
Pour approximately 1tlbl of mixture for each pancake. Lightly brown on each side. Recipe makes about 7-8 pancakes. Garnish with raspberries or by themselves. Serve immediately with Pure Maple Syrup, Agave Syrup, or sugar-free syrup. Enjoy!
Magical Benefits of Cucumbers
July 21, 2010
Nutritional Benefits:
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours. (cucumber sandwich)
3. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
Spa/Lifestyle Benefits
4. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!
5. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed an d headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!
6. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
Miscellaneous Benefits
7. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
8. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
9. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
10. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.
13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!
Athletes and Protein
April 14, 2010
As an athlete, you want to make sure you fuel your body in a way that supports performance in your sport – and life. How much and what kind of protein is best?
Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD, a graduate of University of North Carolina School of Medicine, a registered dietitian and an American Council on Exercise master trainer, offers practical tips on how to choose protein sources.
Protein Quality
Several scales are used to evaluate protein quality. However, the most widely used and most accepted method is scaled the protein digestibility –corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). The proteins with the highest (i.e., best) PDCAAS scores are whey, casein, egg, milk, and soy proteins (Hoffman & Falvo 2004). Beef comes in next, followed by black beans, peanuts and wheat gluten (Hoffman & Falvo 2004). Fruits vegetables, grains and nuts are incomplete proteins and must be combined over the day to ensure adequate intake of each of the essential amino acids.
Choosing the Right Protein Sources
While no one type of protein is best for everyone, bear these points in mind:
Protein Does Not Exist in a Vacuum.
Remember that other that macronutrients also come into play. For example, while beef is a fairly good protein source, it is also high in saturated fat and calories. For example, a 6-ounce broiled porterhouse steak contains 38grams (g) of protein, but it also delivers 44g of fat, 16 of them saturated – almost three-fourths of the recommended daily intake for saturated fat. The same amount of salmon gives you 34g of protein and only 18g of fat, 4g of them saturated (Harvard School of Public Health 2009).
Different Proteins Are Better at Different Times
For example, whey protein is digested rapidly, resulting in a short burst of amino acids into the blood stream, whereas casein is digested slowly, resulting in a more prolonged release of amino acids (Dangin et al. 2002) If the goal is for amino acids to be available for muscle regeneration immediately following a workout, you should time your protein intake accordingly.
A High-Protein Diet Is Not for Everybody
Individuals with pre-existing illnesses such as kidnbey disease, osteoporosis, diabetes or liver disease should consult with their physician prior to adoptinbg a high-protein diet (St. Jeor et al. 2001).
Protein Recommendations for Athletes
Resistance training and cardiovascular exercise induce beneficial muscular and structural damage. Because protein helps the muscles and tissues repair and rebuild themselves, the American Dietetic Association (ADA), Dietitians of Canada (DOC), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggest that athletes have higher protein needs than the general population. These agencies advise endurance athletes to consume about 0.5-0.6 grams per pound (g/lb), whereas strength-trained athletes should consume up to 0.6-0.7g/lb (ADA, DOC, ACSM).
The recommendations are even higher in specific sports such as bodybuilding, fitness, or figure athletes. The protein intake is even greater – approximately 1-2g/lb – depending on how much size and muscle the athlete is trying to add.
Courtesy of the IDEA Fitness Handout.
“Shape Up America Campaign”
March 15, 2010
The Shape Up America Campaign
30-City Tour To Fight The Obesity Epidemic
We will be posting the videos from the event on Wednesday March 17th – so be sure to check back and enjoy the show!!
The City Council of Los Angeles has granted Michael Torchia’s declaration to make the week of March 14th, 2010 an Annual Holiday called “Health and Fitness Week” in the State of California. Mayor Villaraigosa will personally be awarding the honor to Michael Torchia at the launch of the Shape Up America Campaign 30-city tour. This monumental occurrence is only the first stepping-stone to creating awareness of this dangerously growing epidemic of obesity taking over our country.
Los Angeles, CA – Michael Torchia, founder of Operation Fitness, will be launching his Shape Up America Campaign 30-city tour with a free Health and Fitness Event at Pershing Square Park in Downtown Los Angeles on March 14th, 2010. Sinbad will act as Master of Ceremonies for the Awards portion of the event honoring Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Health Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award) and Cesar Millan (Animal Health Advocate Achievement Award). Bodybuilding.com will also be auctioning off a rare piece of equipment from the historical Muscle Beach that has been signed by the legends of bodybuilding at the Award Ceremony. The proceeds will be donated to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s After-School All-Stars Organization.
This monumental event will feature Laura Mak and the Groove Attack Dancers in a dance performance/fashion show highlighting Mak Attack Fitness Wear. This high energy routine will be spotlighting “Jonsie” and Monika along with Laura Mak, and completely entertaining for the whole family. You will be on your feet ready to move as the show and music will leave you inspired. In addition, you will be able to see some fantastic Mak Attack Fitness Wear that is made with high quality fabric, energizing colors, yet functional for the day to day activities of the busy women.
Be sure to check out the free health screenings, fitness demonstrations for children and adults, nutrition lectures, healthy cooking tips/food preparation, athletic competitions, an obstacle course challenge, boxing classes and martial arts demonstrations, Pilates and yoga classes, chair and table massages, pet health seminars, pet fitness demonstrations and dog obedience training. The Airline Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) will also be setting up a flight simulator for the kids to use at the Shape Up America Campaign event in Pershing Square Park. In addition, Craig Fuller, CEO/President of the AOPA is creating a teen entrepreneurship pilot program, so kids can learn to become pilots at an early age.
The Shape Up America Campaign is designed to increase daily physical activity and healthy eating through education by means of programming, physical infrastructure improvements and city policy changes across the nation. The campaign targets all segments of our communities, including schools, city government, civic organizations, community groups, businesses, and other people who live, work and play in America. The goal is to show people how they can create fun, simple ways of working out, along with participating in stimulating activities at home, at the office, in a park or even in the wilderness. In addition, pet owners will learn innovative ways to get their pets in shape and on a healthy track with proper nutrition and sensible exercise.
Special guest appearances include: Bill Germanakos, the winner of the “Biggest Loser” (lecturing), Scott Mendelson (world renowned strongman who will bench press over 1000 pounds), Laura Mak (Internationally recognized fitness expert and Lifestyle Fitness Coach), Renowned Doctors, Fitness Experts, Holistic Practitioners, Pro Athletes, Bodybuilding Champions, and Celebrities from the entertainment industry.
Health organizations who have already joined forces for the Shape Up America 30 City Tour include: The American Diabetes Association, The Alzheimer’s Association, The National Fibromygalia Association, The Liver Foundation, The American Red Cross, The National MS Society, The American Heart Association, and The American Cancer Society.
For additional information on Shape Up America, send an email to Laura@MakAttackFitness.com.
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