Fat Can be Bad and Good

Fat cells are underneath your skin through out various parts of your body. Fat has got a good side and a bad side. In fact, most of us can relate more to the bad side. Such as, “I need to loose weight,” “get rid of the fat around my waist” or “I’m carrying a little too much junk in my trunk.” Fat does have some importance besides being a cosmetic pain in the tush. For example, providing insulation and protection. Fat also plays a vital role in cell function, metabolizing fat-soluble vitamins and providing energy during low intensity activity. Here’s some helpful information to allow you better understand fat. Men and women carry fat differently. Women carry more fat in the hips, breast, waist and butt area. This can even vary depending on your genetics and can make getting rid of extra fat a little more challenging but not impossible.

Humans carry two types of fats, white fat and brown fat. White fat is used for insulation, protection to organs, joints as well as providing energy and more. Brown fat, which is brown due to it being highly vascular, is found in a higher amount in infants. Brown fat acts as a body temperature regulator. For example, brown fat is activated when body temperature starts to drop. It is then released in the form of heat.

These are a few of the important roles fat plays. Keep in mind that fat is a good thing but can also be a bad thing when in excess. Also know that we cannot rid our body of the amount of fat cells we carry. Fat cells can shrink when we loose weight but they can also expand and act as an unlimited storage for excess calories that are consumed. So be smart, stay active and eat healthy;).

Whole Grain Bread vs. Wheat Bread

Do you know the difference between whole grain bread and wheat bread?
Wheat bread is not really a whole grain food. A true whole grain bread will state and list in the ingredients “whole grain flour” not “wheat flour.” The difference is the actual grain will still have the endosperm, bran and germ in tact. This is all removed in wheat, white or some other types of breads, with exception to the germ. Why is this important? Because when the grain has gone through processing to where most of the micronutrients are removed, it’s no longer as nutritious as it was prior to the processing. For example, it contains less fiber, less vitamins and minerals. Because of the amount of knowledge that has been gained over the years, companies now enrich or fortify their foods to increase or replace the nutrition that was lost during processing.

Regardless, I highly recommend that you as the consumer take the time to read the label. It’s important to know what you put into your body and it’s an opportunity to educate yourself on making better food choices.

Tips For Weathering The Cold When You Need To Exercise

Winter can put a damper on your outdoor exercise routine. But the good news is, you can still exercise outdoors, making it more bearable by dressing appropriately. The cooler temperatures can make you more prone to skipping your workouts when its below 50 degrees outside. Luckily most parts of Southern California is not too bad during the Winter. But where I live we have had snow just about every winter, which means it gets pretty cold. Here are some things you can do to make your workout a little warmer.

Wearing layers will allow you to remove clothes as your body starts to heat up. Also wearing clothing that is made from synthetic fibers that are designed for working out will help keep the sweat from your body. Keep in mind that your layering should be appropriate and not overly done to where you may sweat too much causing your core temperature to drop.

This is the time of year when the cold can flare up arthritic conditions and make your muscles prone to injury by causing blood vessels to constrict. Be sure to spend 10 minutes warming up by doing some walking, light cycling or marching in place. Stretching is best done when your muscles are warmed up.

No excuses when it comes to keeping your body healthy. That means treating it right through exercise and making healthy food choices.

Merry Christmas and many blessings to you!

Chromium Picolinate May Help With Mild Memory Loss

New study shows chromium picolinate may help with mild memory loss. According to Robert Krikorian, PHD, associate professor of clinical psychiatry at University of Cincinnati Ohio. A recent study was done on 26 adults with mild memory loss and they were given 1,000 mcg of chromium picolinate or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. The adult group who took the chromium picolinate showed an improvement on memory test, while the placebo group showed no change. The theory behind the study is chromium picolinate reduces insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when the body's cell don't utilize insulin the way it should, like in diabetes. "Too little insulin in the brain may contribute to poor memory."

If your considering taking chromium picolinate as a supplement, be sure to consult with your Dr. if you have any underlying medical condition such as diabetes. Chromium picolinate may interfere with your medication.

The Dimensions of Wellness

To be healthy means to have all the key dimensions of wellness. Physical, emotional, intellectual, interpersonal, spiritual and environmental wellness. Being physically well means to be absent from disease and physically fit. The dimension of emotional wellness focuses on being able to reflect on your own thoughts and emotions and identify obstacles and get help if needed. Where as intellectual wellness means being able to challenge ones self mentally. That doesn’t mean taking on more task but allowing your mind to be challenged. Intellectual wellness also means to have healthy relationships with others such as, friends and family. These people in your inner and outer circle should be individuals you can trust and who will be there for you through good and bad times. On the other hand, spiritual wellness is to have a belief in a higher authority. We can only control so much in this life and for me personally knowing that God is in control gives me peace and comfort in my happy and trying times. And lastly environmental wellness is a place of contentment, security and positive energy. In order to obtain environmental wellness sometimes it's necessary to separate yourself from negative people or relationships that may put you in a compromising situation that is unhealthy.

Your dimensions of wellness does not have to stop with what I’ve listed but it can be a starting point for you to change your own well-being for the better.

Accomplishments

Sometimes I like to share my accomplishments because others might relate. For example, I like to post on my Facebook Wall that I made a healthy recipe that turned out good. Eating healthy does not have to taste bad. Or if I did well on a test in a class that may have been challenging. It's hard to be an adult with a family and work, plus attend school and make time for exercise. I'm sure others can relate. I also enjoy running and use it as an outlet to not only stay healthy but relieve stress. Sometimes I'll even post that I made a running goal and accomplished it. Perhaps this will motivate others to do the same. Running was something that I always wanted to do but was unable to do when I was younger due to a medical condition. Today I consider myself very blessed to be able to run for such long distances without having too many problems with exception to some occasional knee pain, if I over do it. And for the most part this is corrected by me backing off and starting up again little by little. I also enjoy running 5k’s with my clients who want to take up the sport, run for a cause or train for a ½ marathon.


One of my biggest accomplishments was getting up the nerve and confidence to do a photo shoot. This past Spring I was very blessed to work with a very gifted photographer by the name of Rowena Curtis. My goal was to put together some new marketing material for my business and I got the idea to get professional pictures taken by an old coworker I use to work with who now works in the same industry. I was nervous about getting pictures because I never thought of myself as the model type. If anything I’m a tomboy at heart. Long story short, I came across Rowena’s work and loved it. And I didn’t hesitate to make an appointment for a consultation. The day of the consultation when I met Rowena I knew I wanted to work with her. Rowena has a good heart and took pride in her work and described her photography as “artwork,"I agree. Although there was a set back before the actual shoot, which she was so kindly ready to refer me to someone else, I waited until she was able to do the shoot. I was glad I did. I’m a mom, a college student, a wife and a business owner with a crazy busy life. And sometimes I think we all forget we are human beings and not robots, we are God’s masterpiece’s. Rowena’s work reminded me that I am a masterpiece even though I may not feel or look like it all the time =).


You can view the full photo shoot slide show by visiting http://www.rowenacurtis.com/
and click on "ENTER NEW BLOG."

What Every Exercise Program Should Include

An effective and well rounded exercise program should include strength, cardiorespiratory, and flexibility training. On the days of strength training exercises should be done that challenge all muscle groups. Such as, push ups for chest and shoulders, squats for legs, calf raises for calfs, bicep curls for arms, dips for triceps (back of the arms), crunches for the abdomen and backrows for latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboid and other smaller muscle groups located in the upper body. Cardiorespiratory training should be done most days of the week for 20-60 minutes, working in a target heartrate zone of 55-90% (depending on your fitness level) . Flexibility is essential for a successful fitness program. Stretching should be done most days of the week, stretching all major muscle groups for 15-30 seconds. Stretching can easily be forgotten but it’s role is vital. Proper stretching is done by allowing your muscles to extend to a full range. Overtime this will allow connective tissue to permanently lengthen. Research has shown that stretching is improved when muscles have been warmed up prior.

Keep in mind that you can exercise all day long but if your not eating properly you will override all your hard work. And you can still be doing unforeseen damage to your body.

Fish Oil May Help Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

A report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention showed increasing evidence that fish oil supplements may play a role in preventing breast cancer.

Researchers from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle had Emily White, PHD of the public health sciences division survey 35,016 postmenopausal women with no history of breast cancer and asked them in a 24-page questionnaire if they use a “nonvitmain, nonmineral specialty supplements." After six years of following up, "880 cases of breast cancer" were seen using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registry. The regular use of fish oil containing high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA & DHA was linked to having a 32% reduced risk in breast cancer. The reduction in breast cancer was linked exclusively to invasive ductal breast cancer (the most common form). The study also shows that women who used supplements to reduce menopausal symptoms did not have an increase risk for breast cancer. Keep in mind that the fish oil used by the women in this study had the right amount of the active ingredients to allow for benefits. In other words, not all supplements are created equal. Some could have more or less of the active constituent.

Rest & Change is A Part of Your Exericse Regimen

Training has many benefits and recovery is part of it. Improved cardiovascular fitness, defined muscles, reduced risk of many diseases and the physical benefits such as improved physical appearance. Sometimes we all can get caught up in the looking good aspects of training rather than doing it for better health and forget to take time for rest. Or perhaps, you may fear loosing what you've gained so you don't take time off. In fact, taking a day or two off for rest is a good thing. Especially when you find yourself prone to injuries. Training the same muscle groups every day is a sure way to injury yourself or plateau. Changing your routine whether it’s training different muscle groups on different days, changing the amount of reps, sets, exercises and weights can all help prevent your chances of hitting the “wall.”

Taking time off for rest will allow your muscles time to recover. And as far as loosing what you gained, that takes time. Granted if you take a few weeks off from training, you will have to gradually build yourself back up to get to where you were. From my experience with training clients, I have seen many of them get back up to speed in as little a week. This of course varies from individual to individual.

Another important thing to keep in mind is to make sure you have sufficient fuel in your body to aid in recovery. Your diet should be balanced in carbohydrates, protein and fats. Protein does help with muscle recovery but more is not better. Just like any calorie, if you eat too many, (more than your daily requirement) regardless of the source, it to will be stored as fat.

How Safe Are Artificial Sweetener?

How safe are artificial sweeteners and is it best to just stick with plain old sugar? That’s a question that many people ask and want to know the safest alternative with the least amount of calories. Here are a few facts on the most popular artificial sweeteners to help you better choose.

Sucralose is a sweetener that is known as Splenda. It has a chemical makeup that includes chlorine and sugar. Sucralose has been tested and is found to be safe, thus far.

Sugar alcohols are another alternative sweetener found in some candies, protein bars, sugar-free foods, etc… These sugars are known as maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, lactitol, erythritol hydrogenated starch hydrolysates,etc… What makes a sugar alcohol is a hydrogen atom added to sugar. Some sugar alcohols absorb better than others and have less calories. Sugar alcohol don't spike blood glucose due to their slow absorption rate. Ingesting large amounts of sugar alcohols can cause GI distress. Such as flatulence, bloating and diarrhea.

Aspartame is another artificial sweetener that is somewhat safe. However, there are some reports of headaches and it should not be used by people who have PKU because aspartame is made from the amino acid phenylalanine, it can't be metabolized by people with PKU.

Saccharine (sweet & low) is not considered very safe and was actually discovered in 1879 by a researcher who accidentally spilled a chemical on his hand and he noticed that it was sweet in taste. Studies have shown that saccharine did increase the risk of bladder cancer in rats and humans. Keep in mind that this was based on a large amount of saccharine being ingested.

Acesulfame is an artificial sweetener mostly found in chewing gum, and sugar free sodas. AceK, Sunnet or the Sweet One are names commonly used. The studies on this sweetener have been inconclusive. One study showed lab animals that were feed AceK were plagued with a variety of tumors. And the second study showed that the lab animals were so sick, the FDA threw the study out. The third study that was done showed lab mice having both benign and malignant breast tumors.

Stevia is a natural sweeter derived from a Brazilian shrub that is also found in Paraguay. When tested, researchers found that after 22 months, the lab rats that were used produced fewer sperm and had an increase in cell abnormalities in their testicles. In addition, female hamsters that were fed large amounts produced “smaller offspring.” Because Stevia is sold as a supplement, it has different restrictions than food.

In my opinion, I would use plan old sugar. It has been around for ages and is much safer when used in moderation. And women who are pregnant should choose sugar over an artificial sweetener.

Vegetarian Diets

Vegetarianism can be a healthy alternative when you know what to eat and how to combine foods to make a complete protein. There are various degrees to vegetarianism, for example, ovolatovegetarian. Ovolatoegetarians include eggs and dairy in their diet but not meat. Lacotevgetarians include dairy products in their diet with exception to eggs and meat. Vegans have a diet that excludes all meat, dairy and eggs.

Most vegetarians can have diets that are complete in all essential amino acids (for maintenance of body tissue & growth). Incomplete proteins lack one or more essential amino acids. This can be resolved by combining the right plant sources of protein. For example a vegan can get complete protein by eating a peanut butter and preserves sandwich on whole grain bread, beans and brown rice, textured vegetable protein and tofu are complete protein sources. For those who are vegetarians and eat eggs and dairy, those are considered complete proteins as well as any source of meat is a complete protein. As a vegetarian it is important to make sure you get sufficient amounts of vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium (especially vegetarians who exclude dairy) and omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re not sure your getting enough of those vitamins and mineral in your diet, it might be a good idea to supplement.

How to reduce the appearance of cellulite

Have you tried desperately to get rid of an unsightly rippling of fat on your thighs (also known as cellulite)? Or out of desperation, tried massage devices or lotions in hopes of ditching the cottage cheese but with no such luck? And have you felt like you’re the only woman in the world with cellulite? Well not so, in fact according to ABC news, 90% of women have the same problem. The good news is, fat is fat and you can reduce its appearance with the right fitness program.

Cellulite is a result of a breakdown of tissues supporting the fat. In other words, the skin becomes less elastic with age and begins to stiffen. As a result, fat starts to accumulate and pushes through the skin, resulting in cellulite. Unfortunately, some people can be more predisposed to cellulite due to genetics and hormones. Also being overweight can make the condition more seen.

Cellulite does not need to be targeted in a special way in order to get rid of it. If you’re overweight, you can reduce cellulite by loosing weight. This can be done by creating a negative energy balance. In other words, burn more calories than what you take in. Try reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories a day, while increasing your level of activity. By exercising 20-60 minutes a day, you can achieve good results. For instance, imagine a layer of muscle, then a layer of adipose (fat) above it, with your skin covering the whole thing up. And as you exercise on a regular bases (aerobic training and weight training), the layer of fat begins to shrink and the muscle becomes more evident, resulting in a more toned look. Keep in mind that spot reducing is ineffective and an overall exercise program is the key. However, including exercises that will help build more muscle in your legs such as; squats, leg curls & dead lifts can help tone your hamstrings (back of your legs) giving them a more fit appearance.

Fadd Diet

Here is my take on fadd diets; they are Foolish, And Down right Dumb, here’s why. If something is too good to be true, it probably is. Fad diets are unrealistic and they never really teach you a lifestyle change, it’s always a quick fix. For example, popping a bunch of ACME nutrient rich, super colosso, magic pills that will give you all you need in just 1-10 capsules a day (no real food required). In addition, fad diets usually want you to restrict your calories to an unhealthy level. As a result, your body gets depleted of much needed nutrients that you normally would get from a balanced diet. And depending on the type of fad diet your following, it can lead to dehydration, deficiency in vitamins, minerals and can lead to other health problems. Fad diets can cause weight loss, however the weight that is lost is lean muscle tissue and water weight.

In the long run, a healthy lifestyle change is the best choice and will cost you the least. Eating right combined with exercise does require effort but I promise you in the end you will get realistic results and no injection or fancy pill required.

Imagine your body as this fragile system that needs the right amount of energy to maintain equilibrium. If you deviate too much from eating right and taking care of your body, eventually you will break the system. And that includes putting foreign matter into your body such as ACME diet pills or the Hollywood Eat Whatever You Want & Still Loose Weight Liquid that contains three ingredients (caffeine, sugar and more caffeine). So next time you’re confronted with the latest and greatest new fadd diet remember, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

Controversy & Doing What is Right

Today I had a controversial but diplomatic discussion with a FB friend regarding a Ground Zero Mosque and both sides of the story were well presented. And if you followed the discussion, you know my stance on the subject. My stance is that out of respect to the families who have suffered losses during this tragic time as well as Americans in general, I would not agree with building it.

For a moment I would like you to set aside religion, first amendment rights etc... and recap what your goals are in this life. My goal is to not only help people through health & fitness but to do the best I can to lead my life by an example of honesty and respect to others. Understand that I am not perfect nor claim to be.

I have nothing against any race or religion. And those who know me personally know that I’m from a multicultural background and I will not deny any part of my ethnicity to fit under a “black or white check box.” I am grateful to represent many races, especially since my family consists of many races. I believe those who are citizens of this country regardless of race, ethnicity or religion are Americans.

What I'm not interested in is making my own "perfect world" via a circle of friends who agree with everything I do or believe; I’m interested in changing the world by example and not just words. For example, not every word I say has to be "God Bless" nor do I have to claim a church denomination in order to do the right thing. Those things help but are pointless without actions. I prefer actions and will stand up for what I believe is right despite controversy, political party, race or religion. This is what I was taught from a young age from a woman who is a Christan and has faith that can move mountains, my Mother.

If you have a firm belief in something, do you take action to make it happen, or is it just a thought, less the actions? There is nothing better than ending the day knowing that you have planted a seed of change and watered it with your actions, despite it being popular or unpopular with others.

HCG Diet: Loose 1-3 pounds a day...really? Part I

Last week a client brought to my attention a diet program that some doctors are prescribing to their overweight patients. It’s called the HCG diet. If you’re a woman you’re probably familiar with this hormone since it’s produced during pregnancy. HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. HCG is produced by the embryo once the egg has implanted in the uterus. During pregnancy this hormone helps to bring nourishment to the fetus by providing it with nutrients.

According to Dr. Simeon his theory has been tested and proved that HCG therapy combined with a 500-calorie a day diet will cause your body to reprogram your hypothalamus gland. By eating only 500-calories a day, this it will cause your body to reduce the amount glycogen (stored fuel) and low glucose in the blood. As a result, HCG kicks in, signaling your hypothalamus to release unwanted fat stores, while maintaining lean muscle mass and a weigh loss of 1-3lbs a day. And at the same time maintain a high level of energy. Dr. Simeon claims that the amount of HCG that is used is within a therapeutic range of 125-200iu’s compared to the amount used in fertility treatments, which is 10,000iu’s. He also says this treatment has been used since the 1950’s for men and women for weigh loss and is reported safe.

What Dr. Simeon’s does not mention in his online claim the side affects associated with using HCG injections and that the FDA since 1975 has required all HCG diet claims to state, “HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restrictions that it causes a more attractive or ‘normal’ distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.” HCG can have many side affects such as; lowered resting metabolic rate, headaches, mood swings an increased chance of developing Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, swelling of the extremities, increased chance of pregnancy, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath and weight gain. To be continued…

How to Loose Fat Weight

When faced with weight loss issues, most people are concerned about how much fat they can loose in the shortest amount of time. And what activity is the most effective in ridding the body of this unwanted guest. Remember it took you sometime to put on the weight so it will take sometime to loose it, with that in mind, patience is the key and a positive attitude will help you unlock that door;).

Here are a few things to keep in mind when loosing weight. Fat loss is the goal and not water weight or lean muscle loss. Most people who go on crash diets loose water and muscle mass but very little fat. The bodies’ choice reserves are fat, with that in mind, your body reverts to survival mode by utilizing muscle for energy (catabolism).In addition, you deplete your bodies’ water reserves. Your goal is to train your body to burn fat and maintain lean muscle and stay hydrated. To do this you need to follow a balanced diet that consists of protein to help build lean muscle. You also need complex carbohydrates for energy and cellular function. So restricting carbs is not the best idea however, you should pick your carbs wisely. In other words, decide on eating complex carbs such as fruits, veggies and wholegrains. Reduce the amount of simple carbs such as candy, cookies and unhealthy baked goods etc.... Also be sure good fats are a part of your diet such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Also avoid restricting your fluid intake. Your body is around 60% water and your brain consists of roughly 70% water. Your body needs water to carry out cellular activity.

As far as loosing fat, with the proper diet and activity you will loose fat weight, whether it’s around your waist, legs, hips etc… Aim to be active most days of the week and staying within your target heart zone for 30-60 minutes. That zone can vary depending on the individual and their health condition. For most people that range is 70-90% (considering you don’t have any underline medical condition). As you become more conditioned, you will need to push yourself in order to burn more calories. For example, 30 minutes of walking may have put you in your target heart rate zone before but now you need to take it to another level. You can do this by jogging or running for 30 minutes instead. This will allow you to get your heart back in the target zone.

Challenge yourself often and try new things in your workouts. This will get you the most results and you will be a happier and fitter you;)

Can you live to be a 100 or more?

Could you be one of the few who have genes that can determine how long you will live? You could very well be one of 3 individuals in 1000 with the DNA to live well past 100. New research on 1055 people who were over the age of 100 had a gene variation that proves to be somewhat responsible for longevity, according to Boston University & Italy. The centenarians who were a part of this study were mostly grouped into 19 clusters of genetic signatures that are related to age onset dementia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Although the prediction of longevity is not 100%, diet and exercise are among the environmental factors that contribute greatly to survival, according to the study. Still screening for the longevity genes will be helpful in determining age related diseases and customizing medications that would best work with certain genetic groups, said Paola Sebastiani, Professor of Biostatics at Boston University School of Public Health. Still researchers are looking to find the answers as to why 150 genetic markers play a role in longevity in centenarians.

In the U.S, that average life expectancy is 78.3 for those born in 2010 (according to the U.S Census). The Census also reported that 3 of 1000 Americans (104,754 among the 309.6 million) were reported living over the age of 100. This number is expected to increase more than fivefold by 2050.

Believe it or not, living long is very common among many cultures that take care of their elderly and they themselves eat well; remain active and live away from areas with high pollution. A good example is the Abkhasians who live in a region of Georgia that is considered very mountainous. This culture treats their elderly with great respect and look to them for guidance and wisdom. This culture also has a history of living anywhere from 100 years to 130 years of age.

In closing, living long involves caring for yourself and those around you and it means taking a better look at what really is important in this life.

Strengthening Your Core

Core muscles are the center of balance and performance and consist of several muscle groups. These muscles include abdominal, obliques; lower back, glutes as well as pelvic muscles. Having a weak core can contribute to bad posture and balance, poor athletic performance, insufficient body mechanics thus increasing the chance of injury.

Now that you’re familiar with core muscles here are somethings you can do to help tone those muscle and reduce abdominal fat. To loose abdominal fat you should start by reducing caloric intake and add exercise that includes strength training as well as cardiovascular training. Strength training should be done no less than 2 days a week, training all major muscle groups. Cardiovascular training can be done most days of the week for 30-60 minutes depending on your fitness level. You can also allow for a day or two of rest.

In this weeks blog I have included some video footage of exercises to help you strengthen your core muscles. I recommend doing 8-12 reps for 2-4 set for beginners and for those who are more advanced can do 15-20 reps for 2-4 sets.

I have also added a few bloopers for your humor:D.

A Study on Huperzine A & Alzheimer’s

In a recent publication that I subscribed to, I read about a study that was done in April 2004-07 for Huperzine A (HubA). If you’re not familiar with this supplement, it’s sold in health food stores and is used to improve brain function. Huperzine A is the active constituent found in a Chinese moss that is considered rare (Huperzia Serrata).Drugs that are used to treat Alzhimer’s work by increasing levels of acetylcholine. The study showed promising benefits that HubA increases brain function. The study went on to say that, HubA might have a disease-modifying affect on Alzheimer's disease.

This was a double-blinded study that consisted of phases and included 150 individuals male and females ages 55 and older. The dose that was given ranged from 200-400mg twice a day. Phase II was to determine whether a 200mg dose twice a day improved cognitive function in AD. The other part of the study was based on 400mg and was to determine whether HubA not only improved cognitive function in individuals with AD but also improved activities of daily living (ADL) and behavior. In addition, they wanted to find out the toxicity of HubA and determine the correlation between the blood levels of cholinesterase activity and mental function in people who suffered from AD.

The bottom line is HubA acts as a “natural cholinesterase inhibitor." This is a huge potential breakthrough for people with Alzheimer’s. For more information regarding this study visit http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00083590

Linking Fructose to Hypertension

According to the CDC 1 in 3 U.S adults suffer from hypertension. A good article in the Press Enterprise on July 3^rd talked about how researchers have found a link to fructose and hypertension. New research is showing that the high amounts of sugar added to foods is causing this increase. The study links fructose (fructose is 50% of the ingredient in table sugar and 55% in high fructose corn syrup) to HP in lab rats. They also claim that in comparison to humans the link is “elusive." The researchers from University of Colorado Denver were looking for a link in HP and added sugar intake by comparing the diets of those who ate healthy versus those who ate fructose from added sugars. The unhealthy group who consumed added fructose had an increase in systolic pressure (top number is the sytolic pressure which is when the heart is in the contracting phase).This was not the case with the individuals who ate from “healthier sources” such as fresh fruit. In addition, they found that the individuals with larger waistlines had higher blood pressure readings. Individuals who consumed more than 74 grams of fructose per day (from added sugar) were 77% more likely to have a blood pressure reading of 160/100 or greater (hypertensive). Reducing added sugar decreases your risk greatly. For example, an individual who consumes 2 ½ 20-ounces of bottled Coke can easily exceed the 74 grams of fructose a day. Cutting your intake of Coke by half can reduce your risk.

Hypertension increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and other possible conditions. According to the World Health Organization, 7.1 million deaths occur each year related to hypertension. More information regarding this study can be found by visiting the following link http://www.asn-online.org/publications/current-articles.aspx.

The Dreaded Plateau

In this week’s blog, I want to address plateauing. Anyone who has lost weight but later experienced the scale no longer going down may have plateaued. Plateauing happens when you have reached a point where you no longer loose weight or you loose very little. The first thing to do is to take a closer look at what you’re eating. In other words, start logging what you eat. Are you getting enough fat in your diet? If not, your body will go into survival mode and stop burning calories at the rate it should. For instance, your body will begin to store calories rather than burn them. What about your exercise routine, are you getting enough or too much? If your still following the same exercise routine you began with, chances are your body has adjusted and is no longer progressing but maintaining. In such case try changing your routine, make it more challenging. In contrast, too much exercise can cause the same effect. If you’re consuming too little calories and exercising your butt off with no results, this too can cause your body to go into survival mode and hold on to fat rather than burn it. Try scaling back and changing your exercise regimen. For example, do weight training 2-3days a week and add in some aerobic activity 3 days a week for 30-60 minutes (depending on your situation).

Another thing to avoid is crash dieting. Crash dieting is not the answer, in fact it’s a bad word, as well as the word “diet.” I am an advocate of healthy lifestyle changes that include reversing poor eating habits, adding physical activity and setting realistic goals. Crash dieting may take the weight off right away but there is a price to pay. Crash dieting can result in muscle wasting and an increased level of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is excreted by the adrenal glands and helps the body metabolize fat and sugar for energy. In addition, it helps manage stress. Too much cortisol may sabotage weight loss. Increased cortisol can also be an effect from using diet pills or diet energy drinks that contain high amounts of caffeine, sugar and other stimulants. My advice to you is to eat healthy, exercise regularly and give me a call in the morning and I’ll be glad to help :).

Can you really have a vacation that includes exercise and eating well?

Can exercise and vacationing go together? How about eating healthy and vacationing? To most people that may seem like an oxymoron but believe it or not it’s not. I’m a mountain girl and enjoy the great outdoors and every year my family and I spend a week up in the Sierras. Keep in mind, that I’m not much of a camper, meaning camping outside doing the “tent thing/ sleeping bag,” that just doesn’t work for me. However, I will stay in a cabin;) Anyways, we usually stay at a cabin right along the Lake. The cabin is rustic, meaning it contains limited amenities. Which means, it does have the basics (small kitchen, bathroom and a bed). The nearest grocery store and restaurant is about a good 45-minute drive down the mountain. My job is to plan the menu for the week and do grocery shopping for the week. And that means, there will be some healthy eating going on with exception to these “to die for” Cinnamon Rolls that we manage to make several 40 minute trips during the week to get. Oh, and I must confess that I did engage in eating a hot dog on one day and a Sirloin Burger on another day and yes I did have some cookies for desert on several days but it was the Kashi’s Trail Mix whole grain cookies that taste just like a macaroons :).

During my vacation my plan was not to exercise but to do the things that I enjoy such as taking an am run through the forest, going on a boat rowing tour across the lake with my family and Kayaking solo several times during our stay, hiking and my new favorite rock climbing. Every morning started with a breakfast of egg whites, a bowl of shredded wheat with soymilk, 2 cups of green tea and I was fueled for the morning. Even though my plan was not to exercise, I engaged in all the activities that I love to do and before I knew it, I had already spent around 2 hours or more some days exercising. For one thing, it’s not like riding the stationary bike or running on the treadmill wondering if you’ve reached the hour mark. Hiking through the forest and enjoying nature does not seem like exercise nor does scaling granite rocks along side of a waterfall seem like you’re burning calories. In fact, all I can think about is what a sense of freedom I have and the privilege to view such majestic sites of beauty that only God can create.

In closing, I’m sad that my trip came to end an end but I have no regrets of overindulging in foods that to some might be “off limits.” I ate balanced and if anything I ate more than normal to compensate for my high activity level. For example, trail mix was a wonderful energy sustainer for longer activities. I stuck to a trail mix that was mixed with dry fruit and nuts, less the simple carbohydrates such as chocolate, m&m’s etc… I also ate every 2 hours or so to properly refuel and stayed well hydrated. And when the evening came, I enjoyed a balanced dinner and popcorn as a late snack, a glass of chardonnay topped with a picturesque view of the lake. So next time when you ask yourself, how can I get through my vacation eating healthy and exercising? Simply pick out some activities that you enjoy doing and focus on eating a balanced diet. That will allow you to enjoy your vacation without the fluctuating energy level due to poor eating and planning. And in return, you will enjoy your vacation with a higher level of energy resulting in more time spent doing the things that you like best.

You look great! But...

Have you heard the saying, “we are our worse critic”? This is true, especially us women seem to have a difficult time accepting a compliment without adding a “but” to it. I have to confess that I am my worse critique and nothing I do is quite good enough. You may have even thought to yourself, I wish I could run a little faster, look a little better, a few inches taller, weighted a little less, more attractive, I wished my family didn’t complain so much (including me:D), I wish more people liked me and why can’t I be a little more like… you feel in the blank. Instead say, I run at a good pace, my height is fine, I look great because I’m God’s creation. My weight is fine for my size and I’m grateful for my family because they are there for me through thick and thin. And if someone doesn’t like you for who you are, then they shouldn’t be a part of your life.
Accepting a compliment doesn’t mean your conceited, snobby, to good for your own good, better than everyone, high and mighty nor will it go to your head. Accepting a compliment from yourself or anyone for that matter is a good thing! We are all beautiful and God made us all unique. We represent a rainbow of beauty and our individuality compliments us. Because of this we are all gloriously different and beautiful. So, next time someone says, “you look great,” say, “thank you” and say to yourself, “I do look great.” Saying that will build your self-esteem, give you confidence, make you feel good, and make your whole day feel a little more worthwhile. And the most important part is, you are beautiful because you are you. So take care of yourself

Sodium in Moderation

A high sodium diet increases your risk of stroke, hypertension and heart disease. The recommended daily allowance of salt is 2300mg a day. This is for people who are not at risk of heart disease, hypertension or stroke. A high sodium diet equals not only poor health but also some other bothersome symptoms such as, water retention and thirst. People who do have a predisposition to hypertension, stroke or heart disease should limit their sodium intake to 1500 mg a day. This daily allowance can easily be met, if your not careful of what you eat. For example, a slice of pizza can range from 200-875 mg of sodium. Most people eat more than one slice of pizza in one sitting. Even an uncooked chicken breast without seasoning can contain 150mg of sodium as a preservative. This poses a problem because most people will apply additional salt prior to cooking.

Salt is in just about everything you eat and that means even pastries as well as some candies. Processed foods still remain the biggest culprit of salt but can be avoided by preparing your own food using fresh ingredients. Here are a few tips if you’re trying to lower your sodium intake.

· Use herbs and spices to season your food.
· Try olive oil, pepper and lemon as a salad dressing.
· Read food labels. Look for foods containing less than 300mg of salt per serving.
· Watch your food portion size.
· If you’re eating at a restaurant ask for a nutritional guide.

Cutting salt might be a challenge if your not use to low sodium foods, but it’s not impossible. Overtime with patience, your palate will get an acquired taste. Keep in mind that salt is salt. In other words, Sea salt is not a better alternative. Sea salt does contain trace amounts of minerals but still needs to be monitored.

Women & Strength Training

This week I had a client who was concerned about putting too much lean muscle on her body frame. She didn’t want to promote a less than feminine appearance. This seems to be an issue for some women who want to get into weight training, so I’m going to touch on this subject a little. Women gaining too much muscle from weight training should not be of concern. It’s not possible, unless you have the genetics. For example, if you genetically carry more muscle than the average female or partake in drug use such as steroids, you will not turn into Mr. Woman. Also, women carry less muscle mass than men. In fact, we carry more fat than lean muscle tissue and because of that, it contributes to a more feminine appearance. So weight training will not morph you into a man. One of the many benefits for not only women but men as well is, building lean muscle means more calories burned. For every pound of lean muscle your body has, you will burn 6 calories a day. On the other hand, for every pound of fat your body has, it burns only 2 calories (per pound of fat). What this comes down to is, strength training has more pros than cons such as helping your body be more efficient at using energy. Strength training not only builds lean muscle but it has many other benefits such as, a decreased risk of osteoporosis, reduces the risk of muscle loss due to aging, helps to transform your body composition, resulting in a better appearance. Also, an increase in strength, reduces stress, improves your immune system and helps to increase your sex drive.

The facts are in and women have a lot to gain from strength training, so pick up those weights and start lifting :).

Moderate exercise 5 days a week vs. high intensity, less days a week?

Recent studies have shown that exercise moderate in duration for less than 4 days a week is not likely to produce the same results as exercising four or more days a week. The study showed that people who exercised less than four days a week did not achieve the results of the group that exercised four or more days a week. In fact, the group that worked out more lost 13.3 lbs and showed significant fat lost compared to the 4 lbs that the other group lost while working out less than 4 days a week.

What this means is those infomercials that claim you can workout less than 4 days a week for 20-30 minutes and get the same results as someone who worked out more is not true. Following a moderate to high intensity routine for 20- 30 minutes 2 days a week, don’t get the same results as someone who has worked out more than 4 days a week. Some of the latest exercise crazes claim you can burn significant calories by doing an extremely high intensity workout. If anything these intense routines will increase your chance of injury and the amount of effort that is required to follow such workout will eventually burn you out. One can get good results by working out several days a week at an intensity of 70% of your target heart rate. Even experts say, “There is no secret to weigh loss beyond that which we already know to be true.”

So my advice to you is quick killing yourself by following an extreme routine for 20 minutes 2 days a week. You’re better off working out 5 days a week for 30-60minutes at moderate intensity and following a nutritious diet.

What’s For Dinner?

Wednesday was one of those days where I had several clients booked with a 1-hour gap in-between each appointment. At the same time, I had my priorities so I made sure I had time to help my son with his homework and spend time playing with him. And during the other time gaps, spend time working on my psychology paper that was due this week. Long story short, it all worked out but what I hadn’t figured out was, “what’s for dinner?” I knew I wouldn’t be back home until 5:30pm and I certainly didn’t not want to be prepping my dinner for 30-minutes and cooking it for 45-minutes. Usually I’m pretty good about planning a menu for the week that’s healthy and wholesome and provide leftovers but some how Wednesday escaped me. I quickly grabbed a copy of Real Simple magazine and found a great looking recipe for a vegetarian dish called “Linguine with Asparagus & Pine Nuts.” At my house we eat a lot of nuts because we’re nuts and I like variety, so I happened to have a bag of pine nuts on hand, and the other ingredients that were required. The best part was this recipe said it would take 25-minutes from start to finish. This of course was for the rest of the population, not me. If a recipe says 25-minutes for me that’s 2 hours, however I was willing to give it a try, besides it didn’t seem too complicated. Surprisingly, it did take 25-minutes to make, we were able to eat dinner by 6pm, I had leftovers, it was delicious and it looked just like the picture! If you like vegetarian or are up for trying something new then give this recipe a try! Bon appetite and happy Mother’s day to all you moms!

Linguine with Asparagus & Pine Nuts

¾ box of linguine
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
4 cloves of sliced garlic
2 lbs of asparagus (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese

1.Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pot.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, add pine nuts & garlic stirring frequently, until golden (1-2 min). Add asparagus & cook, tossing occasionally, until tender (2-3 min).

3. Add asparagus mixture to the pasta along with 1 tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper and toss together. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

"Bad Habits Can Age You By 12 Years"

In Tuesdays April 27th edition of the Press Enterprise I read an article about bad habits aging people by as much as 12 years. This article should not come as a surprise to anyone. But for the skeptics, there is research to back it. The header read “Study: Bad habits can age you by 12 years.” Most of us know that bad habits contribute to poor health. The study that was done focused on four common bad habits. These habits included: smoking, drinking too much, inactivity and poor diet.

This study tracked 5,000 British adults from the ages of 18-44 years for about 20 years. Out of the 5,000, 314 adults had all four unhealthy habits and among the 314, 91 of the studied individuals died (29%). On the other hand, 387 of the individuals that did not adopt the four bad habits, only 32 died (8%). The group of individuals who were involved in the unhealthy lifestyle habits that included: drinking more than 3 alcohol beverages per day (for men) and women, more than 2 alcohol beverages per day. People who exercised for less than 2 hours a week and did not eat the recommended daily allowance of fruits and veggies were at risk. In addition, those individuals aged themselves by 12 years and increased their mortality rate.

The healthy group included people who didn’t smoke, women who had less than 2 drinks a day, men who drank less than 3 drinks a day, exercised at least 2 hours a week and ate at least 3 servings of fruits and veggies a day. One of the doctors in the study said, “You don’t need to be extreme” to reap the benefits. As little as 1 carrot, 1 apple, and a glass of oj was all that was needed in the study (with the group of healthy people) that made a difference.

This study is clearly another reason to be healthy. Eating five or more servings a day of fruits and veggies and getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day can help you reap the benefits of good health.

Protein

Protein is found in various parts of our bodies and is vital for muscle repair and cellular function. The Institute of Medicine recommends that most adults need .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. So if you weight 135lbs. your weight in kilograms would be 61.4kg (2.2/ 135= 61.4) multiply that times .8 and that will give you 49 (grams of protein a day). This may vary depending on activity level (athletic) or health condition. Athletes can need anywhere from 1.2 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Having .8 grams of protein a day will keep your body from catabolizing tissue to meet its needs (tearing down muscle).

There are around 20 amino acids and 9 of the amino acids are essential meaning that they must be obtained through diet because the body does not produce them. The other 11 are produced in the body. Proteins that are obtained from diet and contain all the essential amino acids are considered a complete protein. Not consuming complete proteins can hinder synthesis, meaning the breaking down of protein to amino acids cannot be fully completed, resulting in the body not being able to maintain homeostasis.

All sources of protein are not equal. Usually animal protein sources are complete (dairy included). This is can pose a challenge for people who are vegetarian but it’s more difficult for people who are vegan. These difficulties can be over come by choosing the right food combinations. Plant sources do contain all amino acids and are considered incomplete. These foods include: grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and vegetables. However, mixing 2 or more of these sources will provide a complete protein source and ensure protein absorption.

Protein is the second most abundant source in our bodies (water is first). Its role varies from muscle, bone to skin and blood cell repair. Proteins are also “key elements” in antibodies that help protect us from disease. Protein also plays a role in hormone function and transporting nutrients. Protein is more complex and does require more energy from your body to break down.

Lastly, protein is one of those things that your body uses as needed. So consuming extra protein is not necessary (depending on your condition) and it should be consumed on a regular bases to insure it’s used to it’s fullest. Extra protein that is ingested and not used is broken down into energy or is considered extra calories that your body doesn’t need, resulting in it being stored as fat. Healthy diets consist of a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

Eating Healthy While Dining Out

If you’re a working Mom like me and are the primary cook in your family, eating out can be a treat. However, it can turn out to be disastrous when you’re trying to eat healthy. There are a few ways you can tackle the “eating out dilemma” less the guilt.

If you’re a healthy eater 95% of the week, you can allow yourself a cheat meal or day (keep in mind that the cheat day must come to an end at the end of the day and cheat meals may not work for everyone). A cheat day does not mean you should over do it, however this can happen when you don’t have nutritional information to guide you. In these types of situations you should avoid dishes with heavy sauces or at least ask for the sauce on the side. This allows you to control your caloric intake by putting the amount of sauce on the food that you want. In addition, order dishes that are broiled, grilled, baked, poached or steamed. Also, keep it plain and simple. Instead of ordering the double decker burger, choose a grilled chicken sandwich with lots of veggies. If your craving a chocolate malt shake that you haven’t had in ages but don’t want the extra calories, ask the Server if you could have your shake made with skim milk. Pizza is one of my favorites and I’m not afraid to have a slice or two but I usually avoid the meat and order a pizza with lots of veggies.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. It’s a time when you are breaking a fast, hence the name Break-fast. Breakfast can be loaded with calories such as pastries or deluxe French toast. If your looking to reduce calories, go for cold cereal or whole grain pancakes, egg whites or whole wheat toast with preserves. If you take in too many calories, this is probably the best time of day for that to happen because you have the rest of the day to burn off the extra energy. Eating healthy is not a one time deal, it's a lifestyle and I encourage you to look at it from that perspective. Understand that when your making a lifestyle change it means just that. In other words, make changes to your eating habits for the better. This doesn’t mean that you can never have Death by Chocolate again, it just means in moderation, making a healthier version or adjust your caloric intake and increase your level of activity.

Lycopene & It’s Benefits

Are you familiar with Lycopene? If not, let me share some important information about this amazing antioxidant. Lycopene is a part of the carotene family and is found in watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots and pink guavas. Concentrated amounts of lycopene are found in tomatoes and tomato products. Lycopene is what gives the fruit or vegetable it’s wonderful red color. A cup of tomato juice can provide you with 23mg of lycopene. Lycopene is hard for the body to break down but when tomato products are processed under high heat it makes it more bioavailable for human consumption. Processed tomato products include: tomato paste, juice, sauce and ketchup.

There has been valid research that shows lycopene does indeed help to prevent free radical damage by improving cell-to-cell junctions and cell metabolism. Lycopene has been shown to reduce the risk of many cancers such as breast, ovarian, lung, pancreas and bladder. Lycopene has even been used to treat human papilloma virus, which can cause uterine cancer. Lycopene has also been shown to reduce prostate cancer. What’s even more amazing is cancer patients who were in the advanced stages of prostate cancer received even greater benefits from lycopene (in therapeutic amounts). (http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=19428). Lycopene has also been found to reduce the risk of heart disease, lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure in individuals who suffered from mild to moderate hypertension. Consuming 7 tablespoons of tomato paste has been shown to add an SPF of 3 and improve skin texture. This is not meant to take the place of sunscreen but it certainly can give you some additional protection. If you’re not a tomato fan, add a lycopene supplement to your daily health regimen. Being that lycopene is fat soluble, consuming fats with lycopene makes it more absorb-able. For example, mixing olive oil with tomato paste increases it’s absorption.

In closing, I love all veggies that are healthy for me and I personally enjoy tomatoes paste on a whole-wheat cracker, it’s kinda my quick fix when I’m craving pizza. I take that back, I don’t like leeks and too much cilantro makes me queasy. But there are plenty of other veggies that I do like and if my health depended on eating leeks everyday, I guess I could stomach them:{

My Experiece of Feeling High

Once upon a time, I could spend an hour moving iron and afterward I would experience psychological euphoria but even then, it was short lived. I heard from dedicated addicts that there is a “zone” where this feeling of calm and pain exists, intertwined with pleasure and exhaustion with the strange need of wanting more. I wanted desperately to experience calm and tranquility to carry me through my day that can be riddled with predictability and unpredictability. I told myself, it’s important that you do this at dawn when the streets are bare and only a few dedicated ones are relishing in the high. This high for me was not achieved at 3 nor the 5 mark. I went further by going 7 then 8 and 9. This need to know and feel “high” kept driving me. Then 10 and 11, at this point I felt something that lasted for a few hours but I wanted more. I wanted to achieve this high that I heard and read about that lasted all day.

Finally, I went 13 miles going up hills and down and at the very end that last hill required the most from me but ending at 1:18 minutes with my heart rate almost reaching its 90% zone putting me at the ultimate, known as “runners high.” Believe me when I say, there is a natural drug that can make you high and for me running gives me the feeling of achievement, calmness, pleasure, peace, good health, confidence, freedom and self esteem. You don’t have to be a runner to experience all the feelings I listed, however you do need to be driven to want something better for your health and realize that you are your best investment spiritually and physically.

Aging Women & Weight

Wednesday March 24th The Press Enterprise printed an article titled, “Women face big need for workout.” This article was informative but came as no surprise to me. The article stated that aging women who want to maintain a healthy weight need to exercise (at a moderate pace) for at least an hour a day. This excluded women who were dieting. On the other hand, women who were overweight who didn’t diet need to exercise more than an hour a day. This was a 13 year study based on 34,079 nondieting middle-aged women. The article went on to say that women who took part in the study who were at a healthy weight, BMI (less than 25) and gained little or no weight were the women who exercised an hour a day at a moderate pace. In addition, only 13% of the women in this study meet that profile. The women who were overweight in the study that did not adjust their caloric intake and exercised for an hour a day were still gaining weight.

As we age our metabolism begins to slow. Some people notice a big change when they get to be in there 30’s. You can curtail the weight gain by exercising and adjusting your caloric intake. Part of the reason for metabolism slowing has to do with mitochondria slowing in cells (nutrients turned to energy) and muscle wasting. Exercise helps to increase mitochondria that inturn increase your metabolism. When you increase lean muscle mass, it requires more energy, thus speeding up your metabolism. When muscles are not used regularly, they atrophy and muscle wasting occurs and you gain weight.

Cardiovascular exercise helps burn calories during and after exercise (for a certain amount of time). Strength training builds lean muscle, burns calories and keeps burning throughout the day. Just remember that muscle requires more energy, resulting in a faster metabolism.

In closing, getting older is not doom and gloom. It’s a process of wisdom, knowledge and maturing. It’s also a time that brings on new challenges involuntarily and voluntarily. For example, you don’t have to be 21 to run the LA Marathon. In fact I know, clients, friends and colleagues, who are in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s who will tell you that they are in better shape now than when they were in their 20’s. I’m proud to say that aging has made me wiser resulting in me taking better care of myself and my overall fitness is better now than when I was 21.

If you want to check out the full details of women aging and exercise, the study can be found in the Journal of American Medical Association.

Muscle Fibers & A Flash Back To My Past

My dear brother who works in the same industry inspired this week’s blog. We both are strong willed, value good health and live to help others improve their health. Our training styles can be different and our nutritional advice may or may not match. But one things for sure, we are teachers to the people we work with and the people we work with are in turn our teachers. Long story short, he and I were having an interesting discussion about muscle fibers and exercise this past weekend. So this week’s topic is regarding muscle fibers (fast twitch and slow twitch) and how those muscle groups come into play.

Slow twitch muscle fibers have a high resistance to fatigue and a slow contraction time. Structurally these muscle fibers are small in diameter, contain small motor neurons, higher amount of triglycerides and a low amount of creatine phosphate. What this means is that these types of muscle fibers are at work when you participate in low impact aerobic activity such as walking, sitting (keeping posture) and life’s daily task. In addition, slow twitch muscle fibers use more fat for energy compared to fast twitch muscle fibers.

Fast twitch muscle fibers consist of fast twitch A & B. These muscle fibers are opposite of slow twitch. For example, they are larger in diameter, higher in creatine phosphate, glycogen and fair in triglyceride stores. These muscles come into play during a long duration of anaerobic activity with a high intensity output such as racing. Fast twitch B fibers are more likely to fatigue however, they contain more power than ST muscle fibers, which is why they work well during short anaerobic activity, like sprinting, jumping etc…

Athletes who excel in certain sports such as sprinting are likely to have more fast twitch B muscle fibers compared to endurance athletes who may have more slow twitch muscle fibers.

If your wondering which muscle fibers you may have more of, then ask yourself what am I good at? In other words, do you do excel in endurance sports such as running? If so, you genetically have more slow twitch muscle fibers. Maybe, you excel in sports such as power lifting. Then you genetically have more fast twitch muscle fibers. Can you change your genetic makeup, no. On the other hand, if you have more slower twitch muscle fibers and you want to get into power lifting, you can train your fast twitch muscle fibers resulting in an increase in strength but you will always have more ST and may not excel in power lifting like someone who genetically has more FT.

In closing I thought I would include some fond memories of growing up. I have always been a tomboy and perhaps that has to do with growing up with two brothers. I can remember always wanting to be like my older brother. We were inner city kids and grew-up in some rough areas. Weight training was a lifesaver for my brothers and I. It gave us confidence and self-esteem. I remember the first time my brother trained me. He basically put 100 lbs on the bench press and told me to, “get it up and don’t expect my help.” Somehow I got the impression that he wasn’t going to help me, so out of fear I benched pressed 100 lbs. As cruel as that may seem, that prepared me for many difficult situations that I later faced as a teenager. And to some degree that molded me to who I am today.

All of life’s experiences can make us, break us, shape us and through every experience we become better and our bettering is a gift that we can share with others.

Natural Product Expo West Food Reviews

This week’s blog is about my experience at this years Natural Products Expo West. For 5 years I have attended the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim and every year I feel at home and overwhelmed with excitement just anticipating all the latest products that are currently and soon to be in the market place. For me Expo West gives me the opportunity to meet up with old contacts and make new contacts. Most of all, it’s an educational experience. I always walk a way learning something new and eating something good.

Every year at the Anaheim convention center Exhibitors from all around the world come to present the latest products that vary from foods, supplements, cosmetics etc…People who work in the health, natural products and fitness industry are able to talk to the exhibitors and find out what makes their product so great or taste so good. In some cases just trying their foods you can definitely taste why their product is great or not so great. I must confess I am a foodie so I do enjoy lounging the Natural & Specialty Foods halls, especially during the lunch hours. I had the opportunity to try a variety of foods and by the end of the day I was well feed. Some of the foods that I really enjoyed were some new foods and some old favorites. Before I share these foods, I just want to say what a wonderful day and age to live in where healthy foods no longer taste like cardboard. In fact, there is no better time to eat healthier than now. The foods I tried were filled with flavor, not laden with salt or sugar but true flavor.

A company by the name of Ozery Bakery Inc. puts out some very tasty breakfast pitas. The flavors vary from Breakfast Muesli, Cranberry Orange, to my favorite Apple Cinnamon. These pita are low in sodium, fat, good source of fiber and free of artificial preservatives. Another product I enjoyed is Guiltless Gourmet's Wraps. This is a freezer kept food that needs to be heated before serving. They come in 3 flavors, Mediterranean Spinach, California Veggie and my favorite, Black Bean Chipotle Wrap. They have a fair amount of protein, high in fiber, no trans fats and all natural (no, preservatives or artificial ingredients). If you’re on a gluten free diet, O Doughs makes a pizza kit and the pizza crust is made from flax, potato, tapioca, soy and whole grain rice flour. Each kit comes with sauce and the topping are up to you. So if you want a pizza with veggies, purchase a kit and go buy the veggies. Another food that I enjoyed a little more than I should was the Coconut Shrimp and Sesame Ginger Wild Salmon by a company named Wild Catch. All their seafood items are high quality and they follow high standards regarding harvesting practices and being environmentally responsible. They have a variety of seafood’s that range from shrimp scampi, wild sole, crab cakes and more. All of the seafood items are prepared, meaning from the freezer to the oven and to you stomach. A protein bar that I tried that I found to be fairly tasty is put out by a company called PureFit. They have a variety of bars. Almond Crunch, Berry Almond Crunch, Chocolate Brownie, Granola Crunch and my favorite Peanut Butter Crunch. The Peanut Butter Crunch bar has 240 calories (I would divide this into two serving) 7 grams of fat, no trans fat, and 18 grams of complete protein. I also enjoyed Blue Diamond’s Almond milk, which comes in a variety of flavors. This can be used as a milk substitute for cereal however, it does not contain the amount of protein that milk does, but I certainly enjoyed having a cup of the vanilla flavored milk. An old favorite of mine is Halvah. This is a sesame bar that comes is chocolate, vanilla, marble and sesame flavor. A serving is 150 calories and it has 9 grams of good fats, 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and 14 grams of carbohydrates. Last but not least is a coffee substitute made by a company named Teeccino. This is one of the best coffee subs. I've tasted. This morning I enjoyed a cup of the Dark Roast Chocolate that has a rich chocolate flavor with a bit of a bite. Teeccino comes in a variety of flavors that range from Hazelnut, Vanilla Nut, Mocha, Caffe and more. The ingredients are all organic and include:carob, barley, chicory, nuts, cocoa and some spices. Each cup is filled with a nutty aroma and taste delicious.

These are some of the foods that I tried, enjoyed and can be found at a local natural foods market such as Clark's Nutritional Centers. Sometimes it can take several months before the products hit the market due to supply and demand. I wished I had more time to cover the whole show floor but at several thousand square feet and spending time talking to some of the most educated people who know their products, it’s almost impossible. But I will certainly look forward to going again next year.

Boosting Your Metabolism

Working as a personal trainer, I’ve been asked every question under the sun regarding weight loss. And my response is not too complicated but before I share my response, here are a few of the questions and comments that I’ve heard that may sound familiar to you. What’s the best way to increase my metabolism? How can I loose fat for good? Will I ever be able to get back to my old weight? Everything I eat seems to go to my hips. If your goal is to loose fat weight and increase your metabolism, then your plan should be to increase lean muscle mass.

Lean muscle mass can help slow down the aging process on your body and speed up your metabolism. Recent studies have shown that exercise can increase your life span by adding as much as 1-4 years to your life. The effects of a moderate to vigorous exercise routine can speed up your metabolism for several hours post exercise contributing to weight loss. Exercise also helps to reduce your chance of many diseases such as cancer, diabetes, other metabolic disorders and more.

A good exercise routine should consist of weight training 2-3 days a week, using major muscles groups. Such as your quadriceps, latissimus dorsi and pectoral muscles. Exercises that include using major muscle groups such as quadriceps will usually target secondary muscle groups. For example, if you perform a squat the primary muscles used are the quadriceps while secondary muscles include the gluteus maximus and hamstring muscles. Also, including a cardiovascular program will not only help burn fat but increase your cardio respiratory fitness (heart and lungs). Aerobic activity should be done at least 3-5 days a week for 20-60 minutes depending on your goals. Try to keep your heart rate in the target training zone of 50-90%. Keep in mind that your target heart rate should be based on your current fitness level and gradually increased over time. Stretching should be a part of your exercise regimen and should consist of stretching all major muscle groups 2-3 days a week. Try to hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Stretching is best done after exercise because muscle will be warmed up, reducing the risk of injury.

Lastly, but certainly not least, eat healthy! I can’t tell you enough how important it is to fuel your body with calories that will contribute to muscle gain and fat loss. Protein is the building block of amino acids and your body needs protein to build lean muscle and lean muscle requires more energy, thus speeding up your metabolism. If you lack protein in your diet, don’t expect to build muscle. The breakdown process of protein to amino acids requires more energy.

Weight loss is not just about seeing the scale read 120 lbs. it's about lowering your body fat, having a BMI and hip to waist ratio in a healthy range. Also, weight loss does not have to be short lived, it can be permanent when it's done correctly. The bottom line is there is no quick fix to loosing weight. However there is a long-term fix that requires your time and the mindset of making good health a priority.

Fat vs. Fat, which is better?

I’m sure you know by now that saturated fats and trans fats are bad and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are good fats. But which one is better and why? Polyunsaturated fats include alpha-linolic and linolic acid. Both fats aid in hormone production, pain control such as reducing inflammation, reduction in cholesterol and pro-immune system benefits. In better detail, alapha-linolic acid is considered a part of the omega-3 category that includes flax seeds, canola oil, sardines, leafy dark greens, walnuts and wheat germ. Higher doses of omega-3 are found in cold-water fish such as salmon. On the other hand, linolic acid is a part of the omega-6 family and is found in soybeans, peanuts, corn and sunflower seeds. Both fats help decrease total cholesterol levels. Researchers have found that polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 & 6) maybe responsible for lowering low-density lipids as well as high-density lipids (HDL). Research is still being done on this subject.

Your diet should include a variety of “good fats” and less saturated fats such as, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, cocoa butter etc… These fats do contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated but the amounts are minimal and you would benefit more from fats that contained higher amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats include, olive oil and canola oil, avocados, which help lower LDL and increase HDL. Monounsaturated fats also help to prevent cell and tissue damage due to the fats ability to resist oxidation.

If your still trying to figure out which fat is best, just stick to moderation and balance. In other words, don’t consume too many polyunsaturated fats: balance it out.