I found this website that I really like: EatingWell.com. 

I think Eating Well started as a magazine but who needs paper when you’ve got all their delicious recipes and diet help right at your web-browsing fingertips.  I especially like their Diet, Nutrition and Health section where you can find descent information about food and your health as well as special recipes for those with specific diet needs, ie. gluten free, diabetes, low calorie, etc.  They also include nutritional facts, which is always good.  I’m certainly not saying this is the end all website of healthy cooking but like I say, “when in doubt, go home-made” and this is another great resource for adding healthy choices to your personal recipe collection. 

As always, use your discretion and make healthy diet choices that are best for you.  When in doubt, follow the advice of your doctor.

Wait, what?  First Fats Do Not Make You Fat and now this.  Take it easy, I’ll explain.

Over the past 5 years I have made an honest effort to integrate more exercise and healthy eating habits into my health regime.  Lean meats, lots of veggies, healthy fats.  The transition didn’t happen over night but I can now proudly say that I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle.  The benefits of this lifestyle are totally worth the added efforts…lots of energy, a stronger immune system and of course, a maintainable healthy weight where I both look AND feel good.  So I’m healthy now, the work is done and I can eat bacon cheese burgers again, right?   Wrong.  Well, mostly wrong.  The truth is that regardless of weight, and how healthy a diet is, and all that exercise, saturated fats like those in a bacon cheese burger are no body’s friend, and they WILL have a negative effect on the body, regardless of how fit I think I am.  Sure a dietary splurge every once in a while isn’t going to set me back months, but believing that’s it’s okay to eat unhealthy because I am overall healthy is in itself, well…unhealthy, and could lead me down a dangerous path.

Have you ever met a thin person with high cholesterol, or diabetes?  You think, this person looks healthy, why are they struggling with this problem?  For many, adopting an “everything in moderation” or “I’m skinny so I can eat anything attitude” is more dangerous than you think.  It’s like my guys with the high metabolisms who figure they can eat all the fast-food they want because they aren’t “fat” yet.   Well, just because your body isn’t storing the fat visibly doesn’t mean your arteries are in the clear as well.  No pun intended.  And even though counting calories and watching carbs may keep you thin, it’s still more about the quality of the food that you put into your body that determines your health destiny.  I’m not saying one cheese burger now and again is going to send you to the ER, but you better be aware that just because you look healthy, doesn’t mean you are.  So the dangers I speak of are really the reasoning and bargaining that often go on before we eat something less than optimal.  Those who are dieting may be less likely to have this conversation with themselves.  They may come to the conclusion that a high-fat meal will negatively effect their weight goals and opt for a salad instead.  My concern is that those of us who are not as worried about our weight may not think to be as mindful of our health as well.

Eating foods high in saturated fats raise cholesterol levels and clog arteries.  Bottom line.  Studies are continuously being conducted to determine whether or not exercise can reverse the immediate effects but the results are still questionable.   Your best bet is to stay away from the bad-for-you-foods and save them for a very rainy day.

For more information about saturated fats and your daily limit, visit the American Heart Associate website.

I added distance to my run this morning!   I still ran to the beach and back but took a few extra turns.  It was such a warm sunny morning and my cold was kind enough not to put a damper on my Challenge progress.  I was a little worried last night.  I’m not sure how to handle the rules if I can’t get out of bed.  Fortunately, I’m thinking I’ve got a handle on this pesky cold and should continue without a missed beat.  It is my assumption that my body is just clearing out some of the toxins accumulated during my visit to NY and travel and all that.  I’m owing the release of said toxins to the exercise I’ve been doing.  Makes sense right? That could be the reason why I actually feel my best while doing the exercise.  So another successful day and now I’m free to do as I please for the rest of this beautiful Saturday.

We’re actually going to start getting ready and find a bar that’s playing the Jet game.  Playoffs!  After that it’s off to Big Bear for a party in a cabin and snowboarding tomorrow.  Very exciting.  So no run tomorrow, unless I feel like taking on that cool mountain air.  But I think taking on the mountain will be exercise enough!

For my pre-run fuel I continued with the protein shake I’ve been drinking.  The shake I drink is Juice Plus Complete.  I like this  product.  It’s a non-dairy, gluten free, whole food based powder full of phytonutrients and no artificial sweeteners.  I mix it with rice milk.  The protein is primarily soy rice based and the vitamins are all from fruits and vegetables.  It also contains probiotics and land and sea minerals like kelp, spirulina, and wheat grass.  The unfortunate thing about Juice Plus is it’s not sold in stores, however it can be purchased online.  They send you a fourth month supply but bill you monthly.  I trust this company.  The have a lot of research to back their claims and the customer service reps are friendly and helpful.  I also use this drink as a substitute for breakfast when I’m in a rush. The All-Star drinks it too, although he’d prefer it tasted like candy, rather than health food.  It also comes in vanilla flavor but I prefer the chocolate.

Words of inspiration for today…

The best thing you can do is simply show up with a positive attitude, maintaining a high level of integrity, and lead by example.

Until tomorrow.

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and burning sinuses.  It was 7:45 and I had a 9am date to do Yoga with The Kahuna.  My intention was to ride my bike the 2.7 miles to the beach apartment but that was just not happening.  I danced with the idea of staying in bed until it was time to go to work but that is not what this challenge is all about.  So at 8:30 I pulled myself together, had a protein shake, took some ColdQuell, and drove my car instead.  We used a yoga class  recorded off the Oxygen channel.  It was no easy breathin’ yoga class and perfect for today’s challenge.  Also, it was nice to have a friend join in and support my quest.  Health wise, I felt good during the class.  At present, my throat no longer hurts but my sinuses are still congested and I have a chill.

For my post-workout meal, I had an egg, mushroom and onion scramble, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with tomato and hot sauce.  I’m being mindful of calorie intake during this challenge.  It is not my goal to lose pounds so I need to make sure that I’m consuming enough calories to maintain a healthy weight.  Last night was a delicious dinner of baked chicken tenders, zucchini, mushroom and tomato.  It was so good and so easy to make.  I just threw it all in a pan with some breadcrumbs and seasoning and 350ºed it until it was done (about 30 minutes).

Other cool challenge additions…

Thanks to my personalized Google page, I happened upon LifeMojo, a neat website that lets me track my challenge and fitness goals.  I found it last night. There are no gimmicks or hidden agendas that I can see.  All I had to do was create the typical username, email, password for my profile and I was signed on and ready to track MyMojo.  You can add your daily activities, diet, glasses of water drank, even waist measurements if that’s included in your goals.  You can choose to have it posted to the public or not.  One feature, that I absolutely love, is they are hooked up with Googlemaps which I can use to create My Routes, and as well as see what other running/walking/cycling routes are being created in my area.  Thanks LifeMojo for keeping me motivated!  I set a goal to run 20 times before February 5.  I’ve got two in the bag! Eighteen more to go!

Today’s meditation: From the words of the tv yoga instructor…

When the mind is silent, happiness bubbles up.

Namaste

So despite your greatest effects, you’ve found yourself sick.  Maybe you’ve got strep throat or that sinus infection that just won’t quick.  In order to blast out those crappy germs, your family doctor has prescribed you an antibiotic.   Now what, all better?  Not all the time.   There are two rules of thumb to remember when taking any antibiotic.  The first is to make sure you take the whole course, meaning finish the bottle, even if you are feeling better.  Bacteria has been around for a lot longer than us and they are stronger than we’d wish.  If you stop taking your medicine before they are completely eradicated, they can grow into stronger strains that will be resistant to antibiotics.  Eek!

What’s the second rule?  Take a probiotic.

What are probiotics?  Most of us have heard the word.  In simplest terms, probiotics refer to the good bacteria that reside in our bowels and work to maintain an healthy environment there.  When we take antibiotics, the bad bacteria that make us sick are destroyed, but the good bacteria are killed as well.  Without these friendly micro-organisms, we can easily develop digestive tract issues such as gas, bloating and diarrhea.  It is also common to develop candida (yeast), especially in the female genital tract.

The best way to replenish our body’s natural bacterial balance is with probiotics.  While probiotics are found naturally in cultured and fermented foods like yogurt, miso and tempeh, these foods do not contain enough bacteria to effectively balance the flora.  Health care professionals recommend an intake of a minimum of 15 billion live bacteria daily, especially after an illness.  And don’t fall into the trap set by food manufacturers promising health promoting products.  Check out yesterday’s NY Times article to read about faulty claims.

The best way to go about supplementing is to consult with your health care provider.  They may carry a product line that’s right for you or know the right place for you to get them, and always follow their instructions.  While self-diagnosis seems easy enough, it’s best for your health if you get the facts and do it right the first time.

In last night’s Emmy goody bag, along with the Nano Ipods and Container Store gift certificates, attendants received some healthy party favors as well.  Among them, Chews4Health Chewable Dietary Supplements were included.  Each tasty chewable tablet contains 16 powerful anti-oxidant ingredients from land and sea, including goji berries, açai and kelp.

Anti-oxidants are powerful neutralizers of free radicals and help our bodies fight against early aging, cancer and heart disease.  Two daily tablets maintain high levels of anti-oxidant and provide recommended doses of Vitamin B12, which is necessary for the normal synthesis of red blood cells, folic acid, which is needed for energy production, and alpha lipoic acid, which plays a crucial role in the mitochondria.  While we can obtain these healthy ingredients from the food we eat, many of us are not eating the 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetables we need to do so.  Chews4Health makes it easy and convenient to supplement our diets with these powerful and important components.

Visit the Chews4Health website for product information and to find out how to order.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared September National Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® Month.  It is clear that although we are reminded time and time again about the importance of adding more fruits and vegetables to our diets, a large percentage of the American population have still not effectively adopted a healthier way of eating.  For more information on how fruits and vegetables can improve your health, visit their website.