"Let Food Be Thy Medicine and Medicine Be Thy Food"

During my run at the gym my eyes wandered across the plama screen t.v.s until they came upon a commercial. In the commercial there's a teacher with a class of students behind her walking up steps and down halls and such. Four times durig the commercial, the teacher busts out her bottle of pills and pops away until another teacher hands her a different bottle of pills and she smiles. The commercial then cuts to her looking all satisfied and confident. Seriously? How many pills is that? I thought, well maybe that's an exaggeration, and then I thought again to something more scary. Is this the norm? Do people in America pop a pill everytime they have an ache?

Back in February, I sprained my MCL on my left knee. It sucked really bad. I was in the middle of jamming possibly the best game I've ever played, and then it came WHAM, WHAM, WHAM, and on that third powerful hit, I went down. The newspaper quoted my non-epic words, "I fell down kind of froggy-style on the inside of my knee." That's me in the picture to the right FYI.

I did fall and it took a while for me to bounce back and my knee hurt for a while. I did yoga, took my Omega supplements, started keeping up with my MSM, glucosamine, and Chondriton supplements and the pain was reduced. I also noticed that eating lots of vegetable and staying away from processed foods not only gave me the vitamins and minerals I needed to heal quicker, but they also reduced inflammation and PAIN! That's right. If you're in constant pain, I suggest you keep a food log to see what you may be putting in your body to either cause pain or exacerbate any injuries. Night shade vegetables (tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, garlic etc.), gluten, dairy, and highly acidic foods such as coffee or soda could be the culprits behind your joint pain.

So to that teacher in the commercial, put down the OTCs, grab a green drink and set a better example for the children.

Boost your Metabolism and Be a Rock Star! Plus Yummy Recipes ^-^

When I was a teenager, my parents owned a little Mom and Pop Restaurant. I would come in before school, place my order with our cook George, and sit back and relax. I would order an omlet with turkey, cheese, and a bunch of vegetables and dig in. It was heaven I tell you. George, our pot-belly cook, would always comment, "How is it that you eat all the time and you're skinny and I eat once a day and I have this?" (he would grab his belly and shake it). My response was pretty funny though lacking insight fullness, "Because I'm a rock star and you're a butt head." I realize now that the difference in our appearances had little to do with the fact that George was a Butt-Head and everything to do with the fact that he only ate once a day at night and I ate throughout the day. His metabolism fires were flickering out while mine were roaring.

I like to think of metabolism as a fire in the belly. Now, with a fire, you want to constantly feed it small manageable chunks of wood so with little effort, the fire can burn it and maintain its roaring flames. If you wait too long to feed the fire, the flame gets smaller and it won't burn as much fuel. While I was managing my metabolism with smaller meals throughout the day, George was throwing a huge log on a tiny flame and as a result, his body packed on the pounds.

Now, George's eating habits may be extreme, but the lesson learned here is to eat consistently. Eat throughout the day starting with a wholesome and energizing breakfast and eat again every 3-4 hours. You can make your meals 300-400 calories depending on how many meals you have. Try to have a mix of Protein (not just meat), Carbohydrates (not just bread, veggies too!), and Fats (healthy oils, nuts, avocados, etc).

Need some ideas for a wholesome breakfast? Check out the recipes below. Enjoy in Good Health.

Your Trainer,
Erin Is Awesome

Oh and FYI, Mr. Megasaurus knows the importance of eating multiple meals too!

Blueberry Muffin Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings
1/4 cup blueberries (frozen)
1/4 cup peaches (frozen)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1-2 tbsp Agave Nectar (depending on how sweet you'd like it)
2 heaping tbsp coconut flour
1/2 cup water
1tbsp Coconut oil (optional)

Mix all ingredients into a blender and enjoy! It's great for gluten-free people that want something sweet and satisfying. The coconut flour gives the smoothie protein and fiber:)

Homemade Raw Granola
Makes 1 Serving
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw pecans
1/4 cup raw walnuts
1/4 cup raw almonds sliced
1 tbsp raw Cacao powder (available at whole foods)
1 tbsp Agave Nectar or 1&1/2 tbsp of xylitol
1/4 cup of almond or coconut milk

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. You can add less or more of the almond or coconut milk. You want the granola to stick together in delicious clumps. Also, take your time and enjoy this one. It's so chewy and awesome it almost forces you to sit down and enjoy it.

Change your Diet, Change your Life

As a personal trainer, I often counsel people on nutrition to reach their goals. I remember when I was going through the necessary training for my certification and my jaw dropped when I learned that nutrition is 70% of weight loss. I was so disappointed when I heard this. Food had always been my downfall, but I just made up for it by being so active. When I heard that, it was a reality check.

Ugh. Ok, so I have to change it up with nutrition. So I did. I poured over books, magazines, scientific journals, blogs, and more to learn what I did. Now, if you've read my past blogs, you know that another motivator for my focus on nutrition was from my own battles with intestinal pain and I have to say, health for me is a much bigger motivator than dropping 10 lbs.

Now I am speaking from the perspective of someone who's refrigerator looks like an orchard. There's no way around it that if you want permanent health changes in your body and health, you need to make permanent healthy changes to your diet.
Who knows? You may start to crave vegetables instead of pizza. Your palate does change and when you feel the energy and difference in your body, you may become hooked. Who ever thought that fruits and vegetables could be addicting?

Feed your addiction below and Enjoy ^-^

Your Trainer,
Erin Is Awesome


Recipe of the week: Chipotle Garlic Kale Chips
June 22, 2011 By Reboot Nutritionist Stacy Kennedy
Chipotle Garlic Kale Chips

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 large bunch fresh kale (any variety)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle seasoning
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Wash kale well then rip off stems in large pieces
Mix olive oil, garlic and chipotle in a large bowl
Add kale to bowl and drench with oil spice mixture

Pour kale onto baking sheet

Bake for ~12 minutes. (note cooking times vary depending on oven. start checking at 10 minutes to prevent over cooking).

Kale chips are ready when crisp

Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 56 kcal
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 1.5 g

Curb Appetite and Energize Your Body

Have you ever noticed that even if you don't want to workout and you force yourself to push through, you're always glad you did? Well, it could be more than just a sense of self accomplishment. Exercise causes your body to release endorphins. What are endorphins you say? "Endorphins are neurotransmitters produced in the brain that reduce pain," says Alan Hirsch, MD, neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. "They have also been known to induce euphoria."

Euphoria, eh? You may be saying, I know what that is, but running on a treadmill on incline is not my idea of Shangri La.

Well here's some good news for those of us who aren't into intense, sweat-dripping exercise: there's more than one path to paradise. Endorphins can be released from a variety of activities including yoga, meditation, walks on the beach, and of course, sex.

So why are endorphins so important? Besides reducing pain and making us feel good, endorphins also curb appetite and have been shown to regulate hormone production. These effects can last for up to 12 hours after the activity is over too! Wow! How's that for a natural high?

So if you're looking for a rush, reach for some endorphins. Your body will thank you ^-^

The Moody Blues and Misplaced Perspective

Your own moods can be extremely deceptive. They can, and probably do, trick you into believing your life is far worse than it really is. When you're in a good mood, life looks great. You have perspective, common sense, and wisdom. In good moods, things don't feel so hard, problems seem less formidable and easier to solve. When you're in a good mood, relationships seem to flow and communication is easy. If you are criticized, you take it in stride.

On the contrary, when you're in a bad mood, life looks unbearably serious and difficult. you have very little perspective. You take things personally and often misinterepret those around you, as you impute malignant motives into their actions.

In low moods we lose our perspective and everything seems urgent. We completely forget that when we are in a good mood, everything seems so much better.

Life is almost never as bad as it seems.

You can look at a bad mood as misplaced energy.When you find yourself in a bad mood, just grab onto the fact that it will pass and hey, it may be a great time for a quick run or another endorphine boosting exercise. Get it out with some boxing, jumprope, dancing like a goofball in front of your bedroom mirror to Lady Gaga....eh hem.

Are we crazy or bipolar? Maybe...but more than likely we are just experiencing the normal day to day or sometimes hour to hour fluxuations in mood. Nobody can be perfectly zen and live in the real world. Get the negative energy out through a productive means otherwise it can manifest into anything from a permanent sourpuss face ( I know you've seen people like this...the "I just bit into the sourest lemon on Earth.") to heartburn, heart pain, and even physical degeneration (Yes, I have seen this).

Be healthy. Be Happy. Love yourself unconditionally. Enjoy Life.

P.S. I know the attached picture has nothing to do with the theme of this blog, but it made me laugh so hard that it put me in a great mood. I hope it will do the same for you. (And in that way, maybe it does go!)

Your Trainer,

Erin Is Awesome

Excerpts taken from Don't Sweat The Small Stuff....and It's All Small Stuff
Richard Carlson, PH.D.

Spice Up Your Life!

No, this isn't about scantily clad women singing bad pop songs. I'd like to talk about two other spices that have much more talent;)

Cinnamon and Turmeric are two power house spices that I reccomend to my clients on a regular basis. Not only do they give your food a boost of flavor, they also add healing properties.
Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties which is great for that post work-out soreness. According to a study published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, turmeric along with capsaicin (from red pepper) lowered inflammation, and other research has demonstrated decreased joint pain. If that's not enough to get you sprinkling it on your food, a study the Journal of Nutrition, showed that curcumin, the compound that gives turmeric its yellow color, may hault the growth of new fat cells. How's that for talent? Turmeric should get its own movie deal too.

As for cinnamon, it has powerful sugar balancing properties and has even been called "nature's blockbuster diabetes drug." Richard Anderson, Ph.D a researcher with the U.S. Department of Argriculture, has studied the antidiabetic effects of cinnmon for twenty year and NOTHING outperformed the tasty spice in increasing insulin sensitivity. Just so all of ya'll know, when you consume sugar, your body becomes inflammed and holds on to water, toxins, and fat. (BAD) When you supplement with spices like turmeric and cinnamon, it keeps blood sugar levels balanced and inflammation reduced. (GOOD) I like to eat them together in my oatmeal (AKA Spelt) and I find they complement each other nicely that way. I feel like I'm nourishing my body and I feel full and satisfied until lunch time.

On that note, I've posted a recipe for my Bangin' Oatmeal below. Remember it's gluten free ^-^

1 cup water
3/4 cup of spelt oatmeal flakes
1/4 cup of coconut milk
1/2 tbsp of psyllium husks (don't add too much otherwise you'll be eating an oatmeal brick:)
1 tsp of turmeric
1tsp of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
10 drops of vanilla extract
Sea Salt and Stevia to taste

Bring water to boil. Add spelt flakes and wait one minute. Add all ingredients together, allow to cool for a minute or two and then enjoy.

It seriously takes me like 7 minutes to make. Yum! ^-^

Enjoy in good health!
Your Trainer,
Erin Is Awesome

All Star Supplements: Alpha Lipoic Acid

Most people use food as a comfort once in a while. When this becomes habit or when people get a rush from a particular food or they use it as emotional padding, that's when it becomes a problem...even an addiction. It's not just lack of willpower or emotional anxiousness, it's a physical addiction.

I am a firm believer that the body is wise and at times it will crave what it needs. But this healthy craving can be satisfied by a small amount of the food. If the craving is non-stop and causes bingeing and your hands scooping at the bottom of a cookie box, then yes, there is a problem.

So what's the cure? What's the magical fix? Well, there's no magical fix, but there are supplements that can help to end the vicious cycle of sugar cravings.

Changes in diet will help of course, but when your body is still on that sugar pendulum, it can be a tooth and nail battle to control cravings, even if your intentions are the best, your will power is pretty good, and you've educated yourself on the topic. One supplement I find is extremely effective in stopping the cycle is Alpha Lipoic Acid.

In addition to balancing sugar, alpha lipoic acid has a myriad of other beneficial properties. "Alpha Lipoic Acid, the universal antioxidant, recycles other antioxidants in the body and scavenges more types of free radicals than any other known antioxidant. It is also anti-aging and anti-inflammatory for the skin" (James 162). Because of its potency, it has also proven to help prevent sunburn. I can personally vouch for that one.

ALA is a supplement that is worth taking some time to research if you have blood sugar issues and you're looking for an alternative remedy.


Citation
James, Kat. The Truth About Beauty. New York, NY: Beyond Words, 2007.