Probiotics and YOU.

Did you know that 70% of your immune system is in your digestive tract? That's why it's important not to think of digestion and immunity as two separate issues. What happens in your core is crucial to your overall health.
Optimal health starts in the core - with improved digestion and a stronger immune system - and Culturelle, an all-natural dietary supplement containing the probiotic Lactobacillus GG, can be an important step achieving yours.





I got a new product to try and I was so excited to see that it was probiotics! I am a huge believer in probiotics so I had no trouble trying this out! Culturelle is a pharmacist-recommended probiotic. Our success is in our science: Culturelle's Lactobacillus GG is one of the most effective strains of good bacteria (or probiotic) at balancing out the causes of gas, bloating and stomach upset. And with better digestion, your immune system is stronger and ready to fend off bad bacteria. Every Culturelle package has a Certificate of Purity and Potency:
Lactobacillus GG was discovered in 1985 at Tufts University in Boston, MA by Dr. Sherwood H. Gorbach and Dr. Barry R. Goldin. Considered to be the premier probiotic in the world, Lactobacillus GG has been the subject of more than 400 scientific studies.
Not all probiotics are the same; to provide a beneficial effect, a probiotic must meet specified levels of purity and potency at time of use. The Gorbach Goldin Institute (GGI) has been established to assure that products meet these high standards. Only probiotics that carry the GGI seal have been certified as containing Lactobacillus GG that meets these high standards of purity and potency.





What exactly are probiotics? Quite simply, probiotics are the good bacteria found in your digestive tract. Taking a probiotic supplement like Culturelle helps to maintain the natural balance of good and bad bacteria in your body. When good bacteria are added and allowed to multiple, they help replace the bad bacteria – improving digestive health, boosting the immune system and contributing to better overall health.
Since there are many different bacterial strains, it’s important to understand that not all probiotics deliver the same health benefits.
Can Culturelle really improve my health?


Believe it or not, 70% of your body’s entire immune system is in your digestive tract. With digestion and immunity so linked, it’s easy to see how optimal health starts in the core. So when the bad bacteria in your body multiply (from causes like diet, travel, stress and certain medications), your digestion and immune system are vulnerable. Fortunately, there’s Culturelle – proven to improve digestion, as well as overall immune health.
Does Culturelle help with regularity, diarrhea and other digestive health issues?


Digestive issues occur when there is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria. By adding good bacteria (from a probiotic like Culturelle) back to your body and restoring a healthier bacteria ratio, your digestive system can get back on track.
What is Lactobacillus GG?


Found in Culturelle, Lactobacillus GG is the most clinically researched and proven strain of probiotic for digestive, immune and overall health. Doctors Sherwood Gorbach and Barry Goldin made the discovery in 1985, successfully creating a strain strong enough and sticky enough to survive stomach acids and successfully colonize in the intestines.
Is Lactobacillus GG Safe?


Lactobacillus GG is completely natural and has been studied intensely in over 250 clinical studies to determine its safety and effectiveness.
While Culturelle with Lactobacillus GG is growing in popularity in the U.S., millions of Europeans, young and old, have enjoyed the proven health benefits from Lactobacillus GG for the last two decades.
Of all the probiotics, why choose Culturelle?


In study after study, Lactobacillus GG has been proven to survive stomach acid and form a stronger barrier against bad bacteria better than almost all other probiotics. Unlike most of its competitors, Culturelle delivers the optimal number of live, active cells recommended by medical research – in each capsule.
Culturelle’s unique properties, state-of-the-art manufacturing and advanced packaging process ensure the greatest amount of active bacteria make it to the intestines – where it matters most.
How does Culturelle compare to yogurt?


Most yogurts contain 1 billion live good bacteria cells – just a fraction of Culturelle’s 10 billion. And most yogurts don’t contain a strain as hardy and beneficial as Lactobacillus GG. What’s more, most yogurt strains are less likely to stick and multiply in the digestive tract, even lessening yogurt’s probiotic power.
Is wrapping every capsule in double-foil really necessary?


Culturelle capsules are individually double-foil-protected and packaged in a way to prevent moisture, light, heat and air from getting to the Lactobacillus GG, guaranteeing maximum potency and stability – ensuring you get Culturelle’s optimal benefits.



If you want a great probiotoc go to:



www.culturelle.com



I love this brand and the quality is outstanding! I was sold on this product only after two days of taking it! I LOVE it!

Keep your immune system in shape!Every day you come into contact with millions of bacteria, viruses and other potentially harmful substances that would love the chance to live in your body. It's the job of your immune system to stop them from getting in. So, if you want to stay healthy, your immune system needs to be in tip-top shape.



See you tomorrow!

-Heather

My new fitness gear.

I was contacted by Harbinger Fitness and was asked if I would like to review a product! I was so excited when I jwent to their site and saw all the gear that they had to offer. I knew just what I was going to ask for. I have been using weighted balls at the gym for years now but this particular product has one difference. It has a handle of sorts. I have been intrigued by kettle ball training and REALLY want to try it out myself but I dont have the equipment and the YMCA doesnt have kettle balls on hand either. This baby is going to rev up my at home workouts a ton! I couldnt wait to try it out. I gotta hand it to myself....I was able to choose from 2-10 pounds and I went for the gold. 10 pounds I requested and 10 pounds I got. "I am going to be so soar after the workout I put myself through" I said to myself two days ago and "soar" wasnt the words that came out of my mouth when I literally crawled out of bed the next day. Actually, I dont think that I have cursed this much in years! Here is the lovely "ball of joy" that put my bootay through the ringer...Designed to be easily grasped, used and appropriate for every level of athlete.An alternative to using metal free weights. Enhances strength and endurance by helping isolate specific muscle groups during training. Works effectively for hands, biceps, triceps, abdominals, lunges, leg curls and stretching. Made out of soft pliable PVC. Weighted with fine sand and air. High grade woven nylon strap with padded handle and Velcro™ closure for customized fit. This is my new workout buddy!

Since a medicine ball provides a round surface you can use it as an unstable surface.
The same principle for working your core muscles works with medicine balls.
When you perform medicine ball workouts you will train your stabilizers along with the prime movers which are the primary muscles which are supped to perform the action.
Strengthening your stabilizers will help you perform all weight training exercises such as bench press and squats more efficiently.

Since a medicine ball provides a round surface you can use it as an unstable surface. The same principle for working your core muscles works with medicine balls. When you perform medicine ball workouts you will train your stabilizers along with the prime movers which are the primary muscles which are supped to perform the action. Strengthening your stabilizers will help you perform all weight training exercises such as bench press and squats more efficiently.

I wanted to give you some workout ideas that you can use if you get one for yourself. I bet you didnt know you could use this product for just about every muscle group, did ya? Here's why!

Medicine Balls provide Significant Resistance
You can get medicine balls which weight up to 30 or more pounds. Even if 30 pounds sounds light to you it will not seem light at the end of a tough medicine ball workout. Medicine ball exercises are a great way to supplement other weight training exercises during an intense scientific personal training program.

Medicine Balls Take up very little Space
Even the heaviest medicine balls don't take up very much space. Unlike a stability ball which is filled with air, medicine balls are usually made of thick rubber or are filled with sand.

Since they are very dense a medicine ball with a significant resistance can take up very little space. You can have a set of medicine balls in your hallway closet. There are medicine balls which are made large for different purposes.

Medicine Balls are Very Durable
Medicine balls allow you to perform exercises in rough conditions. All you have is a brick wall in your backyard? Throw a medicine ball into it from different angles for a few minutes. The brick wall will take a beating but the medicine ball will remain the same.

Medicine Balls are Soft Enough
Most medicine balls are not as hard as rocks. They are even hard enough to allow you to perform the exercises you see boxers and fighters doing when they throw the balls into each others stomach.

Since you probably have no desire to be a boxer you the softness of the medicine balls allows you to perform catching exercises. Exercises in which you catch the ball have different benefits. When you catch the medicine ball from any position your body has to activate different muscles. If you are in a position where you have to balance and catch the ball, the medicine ball workouts will help improve your balance.

Medicine Ball Workouts for Two
Medicine ball workouts are a great way to work out in pairs. Since medicine balls are heavy you can share the load for fun workouts where you and your workout partner get some work.

What are some Medicine Ball Exercises For All Body Parts?
These medicine ball exercises are great to throw in during your weight training workouts to change it up. You can also use them al together as a medicine ball workout which will be challenging for your core, cardio and muscles.

Warm Up
After your general cardio warm up you can perform a little more dynamic warm up with a medicine ball. You can even use this medicine ball exercise if you haven't performed a general warm up because it dynamically uses your major muscle groups.

Step up with Medicine Ball Twist
Start: Have a step at a desired height. The higher the step the more this medicine ball exercise will work your legs and glutes. The step should not be too high to where you struggle to reach it. Make sure the surface is stable and flat. Hold a medicine ball with both hands against your chest.
Begin the motion: Step up onto the step with one foot. Lift the opposite knee as you step up to assume a position balanced on one foot. As you lift your opposite knee up, extend your arms and rotate your torso and the medicine ball across the knee which is raised. Be careful as you lower yourself back to the original position at the bottom of the step and repeat with the other leg alternating. Modifications: You can perform a given number of reps with one leg at a time or you can perform this exercise as your medicine ball workout all together. To increase the difficulty you can use a heavier medicine ball or increase the height of the step. You can use this as the first exercise in all medicine ball workouts or you can use it as a legs or cardio exercise.

Core / Abs
Medicine balls are very effective for working your core and abs.
Before you perform any medicine ball workouts, make sure you have mastered the best core exercises and you know the difference between core and abs.

Medicine Ball Sit Ups
Medicine ball sit-ups are a good way to develop functional strength for your mid section. You will use your hip flexors also, but that is part of functional movement because it mimics activities of daily living. These medicine ball sit-ups are a great way to work your chest, arms and shoulders while your work your abs. You can perform alone or with a partner who will throw the ball at you and catch it. Start: Sit flat on the floor with your legs bent to around a 90 degree angle. Keep your feet flat on the floor for the duration of this motion. Begin the motion: Sit up without the ball and catch it when it is thrown to you. Lower the medicine ball to your chest as your lower your upper body towards the floor. After your back touches the floor sit back up and push the medicine ball up towards the ceiling and throw it at your workout partner or up in the air and catch and repeat. Medicine ball workouts are not complete without some throwing which can increase your power as well as keep your heart rate up.

Medicine Ball Twists
Medicine ball seated twists are a great way to work your abs, hip flexors, core and obliques.
Start: Sit on the floor and lift your feet off of the floor. Swing the medicine ball up and hold it. Your feet will remain off of the floor for the duration of this exercise. Begin the motion: Turn the medicine ball towards one side and touch the floor with it. Once you touch one side, immediately turn the ball over to touch the other side of the floor. Remember to keep your core drawn in for the duration of the motion. Modifications: You can bounce the medicine ball on each side if you want. Another great modification is to throw the medicine ball up to yourself after you touch the floor on each side. You may find it difficult to keep your feet up for the duration of the motion. Certain body types with long or heavy legs will find this exercise more of a hip flexor exercise. If this is the case you may want to avoid this medicine ball exercise. Remember medicine bal workouts are flexible so don't get discouraged if you some medicine ball exercises are not for you.

Legs & Glutes
If you use medicine balls while performing body weight leg exercises you will work the muscles which stabilize your body more.

Lunge w/ Torso Twist
This medicine ball exercise is a must for all medicine ball workouts.
Lunges with twist are a tremendous exercise to work your legs, glutes, obliques, core and overall stabilization. The twisting motion of your upper body will challenge your lower body's stabilization. Start: You can either perform these walking provided you have enough free floor space or stationary if space is limited.
Take a medicine ball and hold it at your chest. Stand up tall with your core drawn in and your shoulders in neutral alignment. Begin the motion: Lunge one foot forward and land with your heel or the back 2/3 of your foot first. Your lunge should be far enough to where your knee is directly above your ankle and your front and back legs are close to a 90 degree angle.
From the bottom position with your back knee about an inch off of the floor extend your arms with the medicine ball. Keep your core tight and rotate your upper body and the medicine ball over the front leg as far as you can while you maintain your drawn in core. Modifications: You can perform multiple stationary lunges for each lunge or multiple twists each time you lunge for a more intense workout. This is a good exercise to use at the beginning, middle and end of your medicine ball workouts.

Chest
Medicine balls can make the push up, one of the most basic leg exercises advanced by adding a shoulder stabilization component to it.

Medicine Ball Alternating Push-ups
Medicine ball alternating push-ups are a great way to exercise your shoulder stabilization as well as your chest, anterior deltoids, triceps and core.
Start: Have a single medicine ball on a hard surface. Place one hand on the ball and one hand on the floor. Your hands should be spread apart significantly wider than shoulder width
Bring your feet back so your are in the plank / push-up position with a neutral back.
Begin in motion: Keep your body and spine in neutral alignment. Lower your chest towards the floor. Since the surface is uneven you will be able to lower the side with your hand on the floor lower than the side with the medicine ball. Push your self back up to the original position. Roll the ball to the other side while you keep your hips from tilting to work your core. Repeat the push-up while you keep your tight drawn in core with your head and spine in neutral alignment.
Modifications: The closer your feet are towards each other, the more difficult this exercise will be for your core. You can perform a number of reps with your hand on the ball and then switch to the other side or you can perform a single push-up on at a time. If you lift a foot up or place your feet on an unstable surface such as a BOSU ball you will increase the need for stabilization and make the exercise more difficult.

Triceps
The triceps are a synergist (helper muscle) for most chest and shoulder exercises.
If you perform any chest exercises during your medicine ball workouts there is a good chance you have already worked the triceps.

Medicine Ball Triceps Push-ups
Close grip pushups with both hands on a single medicine ball are not only one of the best functional exercises, but one of the best exercises for triceps.
Start: Have a medium or large sized medicine ball and place it on a flat hard surface such as the gym's rubberized flooring or a hardwood floor. Place both your hands on the medicine ball.
It works best if your palms are facing each other towards the side of the ball. Push yourself up until you are in a solid push-up position with your spine in neutral alignment.
Begin the motion: Keep your head up with your elbows close to your sides and lower your chest all the way to the medicine ball. As you lower yourself down make sure you keep your core tight and don't let your hips sag towards the floor. Modifications: If you cannot perform these push-ups from your feet you can perform them from your knees. If you perform push-ups from your knees start from your feet. Drop your knees straight down towards the floor and keep your back in the same alignment. You can also perform the following medicine ball press for chest and triceps.

Medicine Ball Triceps Press
If you are not able to perform push-ups on a single medicine ball you can perform the close grip triceps press. Start: Lie on either a bench or get into the supine bridge position on a stability ball. If you use the stability ball, make sure your head and upper shoulders are rested on top of the ball. Your legs should be in a 90 degree angle with your knees directly above your ankles. Hold the medicine ball tight with both hands on the side of the ball.
Begin the motion: Keep your elbows in towards your sides as you lower the medicine ball towards your chest. You should contract your triceps while you lower the ball.
Once you touch your lower chest with the medicine ball raise it up squeezing your triceps.
Modifications: If you perform these when you are not already fatigued the resistance of the medicine ball may not be enough. If you have a workout partner you can have them apply manual resistance to the ball by pushing down on it.

Lats
The lats are really the only body part which exercise balls cannot exercise very much. You can use other equipment along with medicine balls to really get the lats but you can work your lats on days you don't do medicine ball workouts.

Medicine Ball Pull-Overs
Medicine ball pull-overs are a great exercise to stretch your chest and the long head of your triceps as well as work your lats. Start: Lie on a bench or you can be in the supine bridge position on a stability ball. Hold a medicine ball on the sides. Holding the ball on the sides will allow you to keep your elbows in towards each other which will increase the effectiveness of this medicine ball exercise and prevent a shoulder injury. Begin the motion: Keep a slightly bent position of your arms and lower the medicine ball behind your head. It is important you take a deep breath as you lower the medicine ball because it will allow your rib cage to naturally expand. Squeeze your chest and triceps as you bring the ball back to the original position above your chest. Modifications: Since a medicine ball is probably a lighter weight than you are capable of lifting you can super-set this or perform it after a serious of any other medicine ball exercises for your upper body. This will create a complete medicine ball workout.

I really love that the ball has a handle. Other medicine balls that I have worked with have slipped out of my hands and I have dropped them on my feet and even my face! When doing sit-ups once I was holding the medicine ball in the air and because of sweating it came right down on me! I dont have to worry about that happening with this ball at all! If you want to change up your workouts or have something at home to have incase you cant get to the gym this is the product for you. Not only do they sell weighted balls they sell just about anything you would need for your at home gym or to start one of your own! Go to:

http://www.harbingerfitness.com/index.shtml

see for yourself!


Thanks so much for sending me a product that I can use in so many different ways. The 10 pounder makes for a great challenge!

-Heather

Rest, ice, rest.

We made it to Friday yet again! I have to say, this week really did fly by! I was going to post today about my new kicks that I ordered from CSNstores but I got them and they didn't fit so I am going to just have to go with something else. No worries, with over 200 stores I know that I will be able to find something quickly. I am thinking that a new bed spread would be nice.

This week I think that I made up for the lack of posts last week! I covered a lot! Is there a such thing as too much fruit in your diet? I gave you a link to all my workouts and my favorite fitness lady! Joint pain and how the weather relates to it and a awesome recipe. I even covered what I am reading. I told you that I would make it up to you!

I am glad that you all enjoyed the posts and I have been slowly catching back up with you all. I gotta say, this summer has started off fast! Work has been crazy and because of my aches and pains here of late I am a little slow. My elbows are hurting now...I tell you what, when one pain goes away (no more back pain, fingers crossed) it seems like another arises. I hate this because having elbow pain means you cant really move your arms, which means no arm workouts. I hate that I am not able to do push-ups! I hope that I don't loose any strength or muscle, I worked so hard to build. Sometimes though you gotta just rest and resting is what I have been doing. Well, sort of. I will admit. I have a VERY hard time resting and allowing my body to recover. I love working out so much that I just feel like something is missing if I don't get in at least one small workout a day. Walking is what I plan on doing today and I am hoping that by tomorrow I will be able to go back to the Y. In the meantime, getting some sun on my skin is nice!

I wish that I had more to report this week but I packed so much in the last week that I am almost at a loss for words. ALMOST, that is. I wanted to remind myself AND you all about rest and recovery. The In's and out's so to speak!

Most athletes know that getting enough rest after exercise is essential to high-level performance, but many still over train and feel guilty when they take a day off. The body repairs and strengthens itself in the time between workouts, and continuous training can actually weaken the strongest athletes.

Rest days are critical to sports performance for a variety of reasons. Some are physiological and some are psychological. Rest is physically necessary so that the muscles can repair, rebuild and strengthen. For recreational athletes, building in rest days can help maintain a better balance between home, work and fitness goals.
In the worst-case scenario, too few rest and recovery days can lead to over training syndrome - a difficult condition to recover from.

What Happens During Recovery?
Building recovery time into any training program is important because this is the time that the body adapts to the stress of exercise and the real training effect takes place. Recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. Exercise or any other physical work causes changes in the body such as muscle tissue breakdown and the depletion of energy stores (muscle glycogen) as well as fluid loss.
Recovery time allows these stores to be replenished and allows tissue repair to occur. Without sufficient time to repair and replenish, the body will continue to breakdown from intensive exercise. Symptoms of over training often occur from a lack of recovery time. Signs of over training include a feeling of general malaise, staleness, depression, decreased sports performance and increased risk of injury, among others.

Short and Long-Term Recovery
Keep in mind that there are two categories of recovery. There is immediate (short-term) recovery from a particularly intense training session or event, and there is the long-term recovery that needs to be build into a year-round training schedule. Both are important for optimal sports performance.
Short-term recovery, sometimes called active recovery occurs in the hours immediately after intense exercise. Active recovery refers to engaging in low-intensity exercise after workouts during both the cool-down phase immediately after a hard effort or workout as well as during the days following the workout. Both types of active recovery are linked to performance benefits.
Another major focus of recovery immediately following exercise has to do with replenishing energy stores and fluids lost during exercise and optimizing protein synthesis (the process of increasing the protein content of muscle cells, preventing muscle breakdown and increasing muscle size) by eating the right foods in the post-exercise meal. This is also the time for soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) repair and the removal of chemicals that build up as a result of cell activity during exercise. Long-term recovery techniques refer to those that are built in to a seasonal training program. Most well-designed training schedules will include recovery days and or weeks that are built into an annual training schedule. This is also the reason athletes and coaches change their training program throughout the year, add cross training, modify workouts types, and make changes in intensity, time, distance and all the other training variables.

Adaptation to Exercise
The Principle of Adaptation states that when we undergo the stress of physical exercise, our body adapts and becomes more efficient. It’s just like learning any new skill; at first it’s difficult, but over time it becomes second-nature. Once you adapt to a given stress, you require additional stress to continue to make progress.
There are limits to how much stress the body can tolerate before it breaks down and risks injury. Doing too much work too quickly will result in injury or muscle damage, but doing too little, too slowly will not result in any improvement. This is why personal trainers set up specific training programs that increase time and intensity at a planned rate and allow rest days throughout the program.

Sleep Deprivation Can Hinder Sports Performance
In general, one or two nights of poor or little sleep won't have much impact on performance, but consistently getting inadequate sleep can result in subtle changes in hormone levels, particularly those related to stress, muscle recovery and mood. While no one completely understands the complexities of sleep, some research indicates that sleep deprivation can lead to increased levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), decreased activity of human growth hormone (which is active during tissue repair), and decreased glycogen synthesis.
Other studies link sleep deprivation with decreased aerobic endurance and increased ratings of perceived exertion.

Balance Exercise with Rest and Recovery. It is this alternation of adaptation and recovery that takes the athlete to a higher level of fitness. High-level athletes need to realize that the greater the training intensity and effort, the greater the need for planned recovery. Monitoring your workouts with a training log, and paying attention to how your body feels and how motivated you are is extremely helpful in determining your recovery needs and modifying your training program accordingly.

I hope that this is helpful and I plan to continue to allow myself ample time to recover so that I can dodge a injury! Hope you have a wonderful weekend! See you on Monday.

If you have any secrets that may help me in my recovery process, do tell!
-Heather

Good Question....Great Answer!

We are oh so close to Friday again. Man...this week flew for once! I am glad that the weekend is almost here. I have been meaning to catch up with all the blogs that I read but I just havent had time to. I am feel so behind lately! I will devote at least a couple of hours this weekend to e-mailing and reading. Promise! I can tell you what else I plan to do...


I want some pool time, some fun in the sun and some summer time treats! Do you treat yourself to things on the weekends? Do you have a cheat day on your diet? Honestly, I don't believe in "cheat days". I think that if anything maybe a cheat MEAL is ok but to say that a whole day is a free for all can actually undo all the hard work you have put in for the whole week. No kidding. I have seen some of my clients cheat days and they have ranged from 2,000-4,000 cals. That is just too much! I am not saying that I don't cheat here and there but I am saying that I don't think that one should just deprive themselves of what they want until they get to Saturday and then eat everything that they have been wanting for the whole day to get back on track on Monday. Truth is, if your diet is in place you shouldn't be craving crap. I mean that. If you are on a clean diet you will notice that craving for sweets, greasy food and calorie packed crap is just not appealing. I can remember a time when I would "crave" romen noodles. WHAT??? I know right! I did though and it was because I ate like crap. Sorry for the words but it is just that, crap.






I had a women come up to me at the gym and was trying to yet again sell me her brand of vitamins. She has tried to sell me her vitamins like a million times but usually someone catches her eye and I can just slip out. This time however, I was cornered. She went through the whole speel of the company and products but I already knew my reply. She asks "What multi vitamin do you take?" My response "I don't take a vitamin." "You don't take a vitamin!?!?" she said. "No, I don't have to...." I said. She stood there for a second and looked at me with a blank look on her face. "But why? You NEED a vitamin and I would have thought that someone as in shape as you are would take one." I said "I don't take a multi vitamin because I get all the nutrients I need through my FOOD. If your diet is in place, you shouldn't have to supplement." She laughed at me and said "Heather, there is no way that you are getting the vitamins you need through your food, not even if you were to eat only raw vegetables." I disagree" I said and then said "I would rather just leave it at that." I didn't have time to council her (she would not have listened to me anyway.) I thought I would make a post of it. So here we go!

Can you get all your nutrients from food alone?
We all know that vitamin supplements are no substitute for a healthy diet, but nobody’s perfect when it comes to healthful eating. It can be particularly challenging to get the nutrients you need if you’re dieting or if you avoid animal or dairy products. So, many of us take a daily multivitamin as nutritional insurance. But research suggests that multivitamins may not be all they’re cracked up to be.
Recent research findings raise questions about the use of multivitamins, and whether or not to take one daily has become a harder call. Many multivitamins contain some micro nutrients in excess of the recommended intake, which can lead to unsafe levels. Some studies have shown that there’s little or no evidence of protection against cardiovascular disease or cancers from a number of vitamin supplements. As the negative findings of studies of vitamins have piled up, they have raised questions about the use of multivitamins as a safety net.




The Challenge
Experts agree that the best way to get the nutrients we need is through food. A balanced diet — one containing plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — offers a mix of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that collectively meet the body’s needs. But many of us doubt whether we can get all the nutrients we need from food alone.
For one thing, the “percent daily values” featured on food labels are based on a 2,000-calories-a-day diet. Many of us can’t eat that much without gaining weight. What if your energy needs are closer to 1,500 calories a day? What if you’re dieting? Can you eat enough to take in the recommended micro nutrients without falling back on a multivitamin?

The Good News
It’s not an issue of food quantity, but rather food quality. Even a low-calorie diet can deliver all the vitamins and minerals you need, with one exception — vitamin D. So plan to take a vitamin D supplement. Getting the rest of your nutrients through diet requires some planning and some knowledge about food. The focus should be on nutrient-dense foods such as legumes, Brussels sprouts, kale, eggs, seeds, almonds, and fish, which are packed with vitamins and minerals and have relatively few calories (see examples below)




Here are some nutrient-dense foods*
Avocados
Chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach
Bell peppers
Brussels sprouts
Mushrooms (crimini and shitake)
Baked potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Cantaloupe, papaya, raspberries, strawberries
Low-fat yogurt
Eggs
Seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower)
Dried beans (garbanzo, kidney, navy, pinto)
Lentils, peas
Almonds, cashews, peanuts
Barley, oats, quinoa, brown rice
Salmon, halibut, cod, scallops, shrimp, tuna
Lean beef, lamb, venison
Chicken, turkey
*Foods that have a lot of nutrients relative to the number of calories.

What you can do:
One way to set up a plan that precisely meets your nutritional needs is to work with a registered dietitian, who can take into account your food preferences and allergies or other health issues (such as lactose intolerance). Many dietitians have access to computer programs and databases that ease the most difficult calculations, such as nutrient analyses of menus. You can ask your clinician for a referral (check to see if your insurance covers the cost of nutritional counseling), or ask at a local hospital or medical center. But if you have the time and the inclination to do the work yourself, there are free tools and calculators on the Web that can help. I also provided a 1,200-calorie sample menu below:
1,200-calorie sample menu that meets the daily DRIs* for a woman 51 to 70 years of age

Breakfast
8 oz nonfat yogurt
½ cup sliced papaya
Snack:
½ cup sliced kiwi
1 oz (14 halves) walnuts
4 oz skim milk
Lunch:
1/2 small whole-wheat pita with a
Green salad:
1 cup dark green lettuce
1 red or orange pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
½ cup edamame beans
1 tbsp. unsalted sunflower seeds.
Salad dressing made with 1 tbsp. olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper
Snack:
have the other half of the pita and the rest of the salad
Dinner:
4 oz broiled wild salmon and yogurt sauce (1 tbsp. Greek-style nonfat yogurt, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 clove chopped garlic)
¼ cup cooked barley and ¼ cup cooked lentils with spices to taste
1 cup steamed baby bok choy


I wanted to show you how you can take three meals and divide them up into smaller meals. Instead of having yogurt, walnuts, two pieces of fruit and some milk for break fast I divided it into two "meals". Ex: Yogurt (go for the Greek kind, you will get the perfect balance of protein and dairy), fruit. Then three hours later have your milk, fruit and nuts. Both meals have the perfect balance of Protein, dairy, fat, fiber and carbs. You get the idea!



This is a post that I really feel like I needed to get out there! See you on Friday peeps! We made it yet again!



xoxoxox
-Heather

New tricks!

It's Wednesday and already looking forward to the weekend. I am house sitting for yet another person but this one will be a piece of cake. The house is just a few blocks away and I am a pro as far as house sitting for this person. I am actually excited. A huge back yard, screened in back porch and lots of kitties!


I am so glad that you liked yesterdays post and even happier that you are still reading ;)


I made some pretty darn good things over the weekend and I wanted to share them with you! Shelley, my coworker and friend is the sweetest and gives me some of the most beautiful produce I have ever seen. I mean that! I go to farmers markets all the time and they got nothin on Shell's garden givings. Just last week she gave me, tri-colored squash, the biggest napa cabbage I have ever seen (this thing was seriously 5 pounds, I should have done curls with them!), okra, a turnip of sorts kind of green along with a ton of butter lettuce and red leaf. I went to the farmers market and got fresh Basil, heirloom tomatoes, purple carrots, fresh spinach, shallots and garlic. I had the makings for a awesome dinner! Napa Cabbage Rolls with a side of stir fried garden veggies! I couldn't wait! Shelley gave me a Napa Cabbage to have the week before and I ate lettuce wraps the whole weekend. I knew that there had to be another way to eat this wonderful crunchy veggie than just raw and in salads. So I went out into the blog world to see what maybe some of you have done with your cabbage and found a idea that I wanted to implement. Baked cabbage rolls it was! I was surprised at how pretty they came out and it was fairly easy to put together. I made my own stuffing and sauce and set out to make a hot dish that would also taste great cold. I had success!

First I made the "stuffing".

1 cup quinoa, with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit. I wanted the quinoa to be cool before adding in the other veggies because I knew that I would be baking this dish and didn't want to over cook the veggies. After the quinoa cools add in 2 cups spinach, 1 chopped shallot, 2 carrots, 1 peach, 1/2 mango, 1 squash chopped fine, fresh basil (as much as you like). I then added in some fennel seeds, cardamon, cinnamon and curry powder. I didn't measure, just about a 1/2 teaspoon of each for a slight flavor. Mix all together and then get out the nappa cabbage!


Peach, Mango Quinoa Stuffing


Next you want to get out the cabbage and peel about 8 huge leaves and wash. Lay them on a flat surface and cut the ends off. I got a large spoon and just took the stuffing and spread it down the middle of the napa cabbage. Think like you are making a burrito! That is how I rolled these. Once rolled for presentation purposes (and I took the green part of some green onions and tied them around the cabbage rolls before placing them in the pan. There really isn't a need to tie them down. They are perfectly fine rolled and placed end side down. After I got them all ready I drizzled them with some balsamic vinegar and in the oven they went. I cooked mine for 35 minutes at 350. You may want to cook yours longer or shorter depending on your oven and how large your rolls come out!

The final product:
This picture is kinda blurry...BUT you get the idea. I added some cilantro just for fun and scooped up the juices from the bottom of the pan for more flavor. This was soooooo good! This is a perfect meal or appetizer. The best part....I loved them COLD. It was so hot this morning that the thought of a hot meal was not appetizing at all, I tried the dish straight out of the fridge and it was perfect! I loved them hot, loved em cold. It was great!

So next time you have a huge napa cabbage you now know that lettuce wraps is chopped up in your salad is not your only option!

See you tomorrow!
-Heather

AH HA! This is it!

Everywhere I go I have people who ask me "what do you do?" As in, what kind of workouts do I do. When I give them my response "I do short but very intense interval workouts" I get a funny look.

So you dont get on the treadmill for a hour? Nope. You dont run 5 miles a day? Nope. You don't play a sport? No.

This is a huge post in my mind. If you are lucky enough to be reading my blog right now you are in for a surprise. I changed my workouts some what recently and what I got was even a surprise to me.

I have done it all...You know the truth if you know me or been reading for a long time. I found about a year ago the keys to my success as far as exercise and the results I want. I have spent countless hours doing research, reading books, articles and forums. Little did I know that while youtubing one evening I would find the most inspirational person to not only look up to as far as a bangin body but would be given all the information I needed from diet to step by step routines. I found. Zuzanna. Yes, the world is now starting to watch her and I am proud to say that I was one of the first! I started watching her videos at night before going to bed about 3 years ago. I watched her transform herself from a thin but still gorgeous women to a ripped absolutely perfect athlete. I could kick myself that I didn't ACTUALLY DO the workouts that I was watching back then. Honestly, I would watch the videos because I wanted to just SEE someone that was my own age looking fantastic. Some cut out pictures in magazine and post it on the fridge to stay inspired and motivated. I would watch a video and wish that I could look like that. Sore from pounding the weights in the gym or the hour and a half of crazy aerobic exercise or stair climber/treadmill combo. It took me to get a injury before giving it a shot. I could only work out for about 20 minutes without being in so much pain that I had to stop. I was forced to do her 10-20 minute bursting interval training body weight workouts. The verdict? Results that came so quick I couldn't believe my eyes. Within 3 months I was a new person. I had way more time to do what I wanted and I looked better than I did when I was 18. I am serious! I followed every day, changing with her and making her recipes. She said jump, I asked "How high?". I read every post, watched every video. I was(am) hooked. First I would like to explain through Zuzanna why 10-20 minute interval training workout using your own body weight and no equipment can burn fat am make you more fit than any hour and a half cardio session ever could. Ready for the answer? Here it is:


our body burns fat or carbs depending on the intensity of your activity. You burn fat even if your body is at rest. Actually you are burning fat right now as you are reading my post. If you are an average person sitting in front of your computer reading this, your body is burning about one or two calories per minute of which about 70 % comes from fat and about 30% comes from carbs.

When you exercise, as the intensity increases, your body starts using more and more carbohydrates for energy instead of fat. At the higher limits of aerobic exercise, 100 percent of the energy is coming from carbs. When carbs are no longer available, the body will break down your muscle and use it for energy. When carbohydrate stores are depleted, the rate at which fat is used as energy is reduced and that’s why carbs are essential in order to metabolize fat.

You lose fat only if you burn more calories than you eat on a daily basis, not because you burn fat (or something else) when you are exercising.

When you eat after your workout (including the workouts that burn more fat than carbohydrates), you will rapidly replenish both carbs and fats that you have used up during the workout. As soon as an excess of calories (from either fats or carbohydrates) exists, your body will begin to store them as fat. This means that your body’s fat stores will be virtually unchanged.

The key to fat loss is to boost your metabolism so that your body is continuously burning calories at a higher rate 24/7. People with muscle mass are automatically burning more calories and fat. Every 5 pounds of muscle that you build on your body will burn up to 15,000 extra calories a month which equals roughly 2 pounds of fat. Building this extra muscle will give you one hell of an advantage and it shows that muscles are the best engine for burning fat.

High Intensity Interval Strength Training using your own body weight is the most effective way to burn fat and build lean muscles. The workouts that I do will boost your metabolism for as long as 24 to 48 hours after the workout is over. The more intense your workouts are the more fat you will burn and the stronger and leaner you will become. My high intensity interval body weight workouts will also improve your cardiovascular strength and endurance, agility, balance, speed, and power.

The reason why I keep my workouts short is because you are suppose to be pushing at your maximum effort. It is simply not possible to sustain this kind of intensity over longer periods of time. Simply put, if you have anything left at the end of these workouts, then you didn’t train hard enough. It is really that simple. Everyone has their own level of what max effort means, but the one thing that we should all have in common at the end of these workouts is that we should be completely wiped out. You are the only one that controls the intensity of these workouts. Everything depends on your effort and how much you are prepared to push in these few minutes of training. If you decide to put comfort before intensity then you are trading away your results. This pretty much sums it up. Point blank! I now want to give you her site. I didn't want to tell you about her because I was afraid you would stop reading but I know that you wont!

http://www.bodyrock.tv/

My workouts, my nutrition, my inspiration. Thanks Zuzanna for making me train smarter AND harder than ever before. I will never go back! I really hope that you all are reading this post! What a great one, in my opinion. You will thank me later!

See you tomorrow! I have a wonderful review on Friday from CSNstores and I cant wait to tell you all about my new kicks!

Bye for now!
-Heather

What I am reading NOW.

My blog is not just about food and feelings or fitness and well being. My blog is about me! Food and fitness is a large part of my everyday life so that's why most of my posts are related to this subject but it is not limited to them. I have posts that range from stories from my past to homemade wrapping paper! I try to include it all and nothing is off limits to me. I am a super private person but for some reason the blog allows me to just let it all out. The odd thing is, I don't really care. That is not to say that I don't wonder how many of you actually live in my area and see me from time to time. I think to myself..."does this person read my blog?" It is odd to think that a stranger where I live knows just about everything about me from my eats to my routine. I have been told by people close to me that I should be careful, that I could end up with a stalker or something. Well, you can try but I doubt that you would want to ;)

I pretty much wake up (or before going to bed) and write about what I am thinking, what I am feeling, or what I did for the day. I have had the pleasure of reviewing hundreds of products, met tons of other bloggers and shared recipes with the world! My dream is to work for a company that I am passionate about and travel around spreading the word/promoting the product and maintain a blog for their site telling about my journey. This is my dream. I have nothing bogging me down and the idea of me traveling the world with my laptop and a product that I love would be amazing. It doesnt have to be one in particular product...It could be anything as long as I feel strongly about it. This will happen for me, hopefully one day soon. I don't know how it will happen but it will.

Do you remember when I was house sitting recently? Gosh that feels like forever a go bit it wasn't. When I was at the house I was kinda stuck with nothing to do. No television, no computer, nothing. One thing that was pretty cool was the person that I was sitting for is a writer. Upstairs to her house is pretty much devoted to a pleasant space for writing and storage for her books. I decided that upstairs would be off limits for me mainly because I felt like it was her "special place". Well about two days in...that went out the window. It was my rule anyway so I could break it. On day three after literally sitting in the "living room" and staring at the dog for about 2 hours I said enough was enough! I had read all the magazines that I brought with me and because my laptop was not movable I was stuck without any entertainment. I went upstairs. When I got up there I was so excited! There was three walls filled with books! I almost jumped for joy (ok, I did). I started looking around and quickly realized that every single book was about writing. She must of had hundreds of books. All of which appeared to be about the art of writing or old literature and poetry. I looked through every shelf to see if she had anything that looked good to me and to my surprise....I couldn't find anything. There is one thing that you guys already know...I am NOT a writer. I like the blog (and I think you do to) because of my informal writing and I want it to be written as though I am talking to you. Not perfect, just me. I have misspelled a million words and if a real writer read my blog I think that at times they would cringe. I use slang and I even make up my own words if I think it fits. I am trying to build my own writing style and the blog has helped tremendously. I thought at that moment "this is the reason for me being here!" "I have been given two weeks to read books like "the basics of writing", "how to entice your readers", "how to create your own writing style" and "read this, write that." I grabbed a couple books and thought "This is it! I am off to becoming a great writer which will make my readers want to come back for more!" At that moment I laughed and thought..."If I had a library the whole thing would be filled up with self help books!" It's sad, but it's true. I thought "where the heck is her section of self help??? I mean, everyone has at least one or two right?" At that moment I decided to lay down. For some odd reason the fluffy carpet said "come on, you know you just want to lay on me!" I did. I crawled down on the floor with two books in my hands and I laid on my back. I put the books beside me and just closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened my eyes I turned my head to the right and there, on the floor all the way to the right on the very last row of books was the words "The Power of Now." I couldn't believe it...Hundreds of books all about writing and literature and I happened to find the one small section of hidden self help books. She had about 7 of them. They all were about Zen, meditation and teachings from philosophers. The Power of Now was in my hands and I opened it quickly. The first paragraph read.

To make the journey into the Now we will need to leave our analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. From the very first page of this extraordinary book, we move rapidly into a significantly higher altitude where we breathe a lighter air. We become connected to the indestructible essence of our Being, “The eternal, ever present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death.”

I was hooked. I was happy to see that the book was only about 200 pages and I knew that I could read the whole thing before the end of my house sitting job. Every night I read and it was better and better by the word. I LOVED this book and it changed the way I think. I have read many books about this subject but feel like this Author really "gets it" and his wording is perfect. After this book I decided that I would continue to read others written by him. I bought this book last week from Amazon.com.

It is amazing. I am not going to get into the book just yet with you (as I have only been through a couple of chapters) but I wanted to invite you to read this book with me and I thought it would be fun to have a book review of sorts when I get done. This is a purchase worth making for sure!

Building on the astonishing success of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle presents readers with an honest look at the current state of humanity: He implores us to see and accept that this state, which is based on an erroneous identification with the egoic mind, is one of dangerous insanity. Tolle tells us there is good news, however. There is an alternative to this potentially dire situation. Humanity now, perhaps more than in any previous time, has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. This will involve a radical inner leap from the current egoic consciousness to an entirely new one. In illuminating the nature of this shift in consciousness, Tolle describes in detail how our current ego-based state of consciousness operates. Then gently, and in very practical terms, he leads us into this new consciousness. We will come to experience who we truly are—which is something infinitely greater than anything we currently think we are—and learn to live and breathe freely.

Hopefully you will pick up this book or start off with The Power of Now. If you are wanting a great summer read these are both great!

Let me know if you are in! I would love to take this book three chapters at a time and even have a discussion with you all about it and what you got from it! I know that this has been done before but I just found it and maybe I have brought attention for the first time to you about this Author. Hopefully so!

I will be back on Monday and will have all sorts of great things to write about. I hope you all have a great day and a wonderful weekend!

-Heather

Boring foods make for a exciting body.

Hola!

How are you all? I am doing great! My back is still very sore but with some extra love and care I should be back at it in not time (thinking positive anyway). This summer has been different than the other years from my memory. I don't know why but it seems more hot. It is only June and already we are up in the 100's. The heat index on Tuesday was 107. Can you say not hungry, not wanting to move? When it is this hot I don't seem to have a appetite. This is the reasoning for my lack of food posts! My food frankly has been pretty boring. I have been making some fantastic smoothies though and don't forget about the ice cream. It is divine on a hot day. I thought that this morning though I would just go ahead and show you what is going down the hatch.

Greek yogurt and berries with a drizzle of agave.

Pink lady apple with PB2=perfect snack.

Totally been craving this and decided....just go back to 6th grade...Only this time with Ezekiel bread instead. Two slices of the lovely flourless bread with more Pb2 (addicted) and some smashed blackberries. Chopped carrots on the side.

I am sorry but this is a lazy lunch...After being on "vacation" for 9 days my usual Sunday run to the grocery store was rushed and food wasn't on my mind. I just grabbed a loaf and some other goodies and went. I am not complaining...this was so good. When was the last time you had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Going back to the basics is never a bad thing.

After a while I needed another small snack before heading home so I headed to the fridge and grabbed these beauties.

Ok, so for the next few months you will be seeing A LOT of fruit. I am a LOVER of in season fruit and literally dream of blueberries and figs in the winter. I am not one of those "fruit has a ton of carbs so I can only have one serving." Nope, I eat it in abundance! Yum.

Dinners have been cool, crunchy salads! I have to thank Shelley because she has been so kind to bring me all kinds of goodies from her garden. My salads have had multicolored squash, nappa cabbage, egg plant, zucchini, tri-colored tomatoes and many other colorful veggies. Pair these with some balsamic vinegar and you have a awesome dinner. I have changed my diet a bit and I didn't even know it. Looking back at my food diary I have found that I haven't eaten meat in a few months. I am however making a point to eat some really good fish soon. I am not getting into it as it makes me tear up but you should too. Soon we wont be able to get the variety that we can now. I love salmon so you will be seeing my salads topped with these swimmers.

Desert? Why of course! I can not take credit for this photo. I saw this from a wonderful blogger that I like. I have no idea why I am not a mom but these were made and I ate two! I am so dorky sometimes but when I saw the frozen watermelon star Popsicles I just had to make em. They were really good and I think that kids would love these. I also think that dipping half of them in dark chocolate would be extra special too!

Some un pictured peanut butter M&M's were eaten as well. I am not perfect! If I was....I would have the perfect body! Diet is 80% of your results so you got to keep it in check if you want to look great. I had a little too good of a time while I was out on break. I am back to the grind and my schedule so hopefully I should be back to my "comfort" zone in no time. I am going to give it my all! My back is not 100% so I still have to wait it out as far as lifting any weights and jumping around. I think that is killing me more than my back! It is so hard for me to not go to the gym or head outside. I have been walking and that is about it. Hopefully this weekend it will be on! I will ease back into it though. You have to be careful when you add in new exercises to your routine.

So there you have it. What I have been eating this week! Come back tomorrow to see what I am reading! I am on to a new book and it is amazing. Just you wait!

See you tomorrow it's going to be FRIDAY! YAY!

What is your plans for the weekend?

-Heather

icy hot

So I have been back at work a few days now and things are starting to run more smooth. Except for the fact that I have a back injury...I have no idea how this happened. I haven't done anything different but I will say...it hurts :(

I am icing and trying to not aggravate it too much. Walking is pretty much the only thing that I can get away with at the moment and I plan to try to get to the pool for laps soon. Has anyone ever had a sore back? I had a back (and knee) injury this time last year and I cant help but wonder if it is the hot weather. This sounds odd to me but I found some info on weather and joints.

What’s causing your joint pain?
Joint pain can flare up for a number of reasons — some of which may be overlooked by conventional practitioners. Many of my patients, even younger women, ask me if their pain is being caused by arthritis. Sadly, it is estimated that one in five Americans has been diagnosed with some form or arthritis. There are over a hundred different arthritic conditions, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis being the most well known.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease causing inflammation in the synovial fluid of the joint. It sets itself apart from other forms of arthritis with some telltale features: a general appearance in the hands or feet, a hot or warm feeling in the joint, stiffness for over 30 minutes in the morning, the same joint affected on both sides of the body, polyarthritis (more than one joint affected at a time), and pain that can last through the night. With this form of arthritis, most of my patients notice the pain eases the more they use the joint.
Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, feels worse the more we exercise and as the day wears on. Also linked to inflammation, this type of arthritis can be traced back to a breakdown in your joint cartilage. It generally affects the hips, knees, spine, hands and feet and develops as more of a wear-and-tear situation, whereas rheumatoid arthritis is closely tied with genetic factors that lead to an autoimmunity problem. It’s hard to tell if our overworked joints have progressed to arthritis, but new technology in thermal imaging will soon be able to show us how much inflammation is present in our joints.
Inflammatory causes of joint pain
Forms of arthritis associated with joint pain
Other causes of joint pain
Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease, or DJD
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Ankylosing spondylitis(AS)
Psoriatic arthritis
Injury
Muscle strain
Bursitis
Food allergies
Leaky gut
Menopause and perimenopause
Lyme disease
Sjögren’s syndrome
There are many other causes of joint pain outside of arthritis.

Seven questions for women with joint pain or arthritis:
To get to the real root of a woman’s joint pain, I ask my patients a series of questions when they come to the clinic with this concern. And while I ask the usual what, when and where questions that relate directly to their symptoms, I am also interested in hidden, seemingly less related issues that may contribute to the pain, issues that may be emotional as well as physical irritants.
1. Is this pain relatively new?Think back over the past few months or years. If you’ve had a sports injury or trauma, such as an accident or a fall, your pain could be related to that. It’s not at all unusual for joint pain to develop and escalate after the date of the injury itself. Torn ligaments and tendons lack blood flow, so they can’t heal themselves and must be repaired surgically. Sprains can take a long time to repair themselves. With any kind of injury, it’s important to give your body the right nutritional support and enough time to heal.
2. Is the pain seasonal or related to changes in the weather?Complaints of joint pain increase during colder weather because your blood doesn’t circulate to your extremities as well in the colder months. And it doesn’t help that pain receptors are more sensitive in cold weather. A drop in barometric pressure, such as before a rain or snow storm, can also cause any inflamed tissues to expand and become more painful.
3. Can you associate the pain with any specific activity?For instance, does your neck or elbow hurt if you type for more than 30 minutes? Do your knees hurt only after a work-out? Does your hip give way only after a long drive? Overuse and misalignment are common causes of joint pain, whether from just a day of stress and strain or over a period of years. This kind of mechanical injury can inflame the bursae (causing bursitis), or the tendons (causing tendonitis), or eventually wear down the cartilage and cause osteoarthritis.
4. Is it the muscle or the joint?You may actually be experiencing pain in the muscles close to a joint and think that the joint is the problem. Muscle pain is generally associated with over-exercise or movement that has caused excess strain on the muscle, ligament or tendon. This kind of pain should resolve within two to three days of rest. You might also notice a point of tenderness or “trigger point” on the muscle in this case. Muscle pain may also respond positively to stretching or massage therapy.
5. Is your pain worse in the morning?It might be useful to start tracking your pain by using our Wellness Diary page: if your pain lasts for longer than a half hour in the morning and gets better during the day, there is a possibility that it could mean rheumatoid arthritis. Look closely at your sleeping habits and mattress. Changes here may be a simple solution. It’s also interesting how some women who eat (or drink) refined carbohydrates at night are also more likely to have fluid retention and morning pain, and how changing just this one habit can turn joint pain around — almost overnight.
6. What’s going on right now in your life?In my experience, joint pain is often reflective of some aspect of a woman’s “inner” life. In Eastern medical traditions, pain is a sign of energy blockage, and this can also mean emotional energy and life force. Pain in the knees may indicate an inability to move forward for fear of criticism or a lack of self-acceptance. Some women feel neck or back pain only while they’re at work or around certain people who make them feel tense or burdened. And while it may seem like a big leap to connect emotional stress with joint pain, we have all come to accept the idea that the body stores tension in the muscles, so it shouldn’t be difficult to accept the notion that your emotional life can impact your joints.
7. What is your family history?Some forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are connected to genetic make-up, and if anyone in your family has had it, this places you at higher risk — but not the certainty — of developing it. Just as important are the emotional qualities of your childhood and upbringing. I strongly believe these emotional overtones can be carried forward on a subconscious level and manifest themselves in our bodies as pain or disease in adulthood that keeps us stuck in a certain pattern. Like a needle stuck in a groove, we keep playing the same scratchy refrain. Luckily, our bodies often know better than we do what they need to be healthy — and often it’s simply a matter of gaining the strength to pick the needle up and put it on another song.
What’s important for every woman to know is that whatever the cause of your joint pain, there are ways to increase your mobility and decrease — or even eliminate — your pain. And the best place to start in almost every case is to address issues of inflammation.
Joint pain and inflammation:
Most forms of joint pain involve some kind of inflammation — either local or systemic. When injured, a chain of events in your immune system known as the inflammatory cascade is triggered. In a careful balance of give and take, this process starts with pro-inflammatory hormones calling out for white blood cells to clean up damaged tissue and clear out infection. This is what causes the redness, swelling and pain we often see with injury.
Next, anti-inflammatory compounds take over to heal the area once the threat is diminished. When this process, known as local or acute inflammation, waxes and wanes in response to injury it’s a sign of a healthy immune system. Yet when the symptoms of inflammation don’t disappear, it tells us that your immune system is unable to turn itself off when it should.
Just as the flame of a burning fire can help or hurt, our body’s internal fire has the dual power to heal and to cause us pain. Think of inflammation like a burner on your gas stove; local injuries and infections cause our bodies to turn the flame up high in the area of the injury, while with systemic or chronic inflammation, our bodies keep the burner on simmer, even when we’re not suffering an injury. This slow burn has been associated with range of health conditions and degenerative diseases, including asthma, allergies, skin problems, insulin resistance, irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and yes, arthritis.
In terms of our joints, pain stemming from an injury or even short-term overuse can set off localized inflammation in the cartilage, tendons, or bursae. As the injury heals, players in your inflammatory cascade will perform their tasks and disappear. If the inflammation persists it can lead to a more chronic condition.

So, with this info I knew what I could and couldn't do. Ice and rest is pretty much my best bet for now! Then I thought.....Hmmmmm, what should I EAT for inflamed joints. I bet you never thought of that one! Well, because this is FoodnFeelings....I feel that I need to nourish my achy bod!

Here's what I found:

Vitamin C-which is abundant in strawberries, blueberries and raspberries-may help slow wear and tear on your joints. A study from Boston University Medical Center shows that arthritis sufferers who had the highest vitamin C intake were three times less likely to strain or injure their joints than those whose intake was lowest. The vitamin's antioxidant activity may keep free radicals from wreaking havoc. Plus, vitamin C plays an essential role in the formation of collagen, a key component of cartilage and bone. Try to get 120 milligrams daily, which can be provided by two oranges. Other C-rich foods: cantaloupe and broccoli.
A well-balanced diet can help you maintain bone strength and a healthy weight. Also, studies show that moderate amounts of certain vitamins and minerals can help ease some of the pain and discomfort associated with arthritis.

• calcium Most women with arthritis, especially those over 45 and women taking glucocorticoids, need calcium supplements to help to prevent the loss of bone that leads to osteoporosis.

• B vitamins, Several B vitamins may help reduce joint inflammation and pain. Foods enriched in vitamin B-3 (niacin) include lean meats and fish, tofu, cottage cheese and sunflower seeds; vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid) is found in meat, eggs, soybeans, wheat germ, whole grain cereals, lentils and peanuts contain; and vitamin B-6 is found in meat, fish, whole grains, wheat germ, whole wheat, bananas and soybeans.

• vitamin C, Some studies have suggested that vitamin C may reduce the risk and progression of osteoarthritis. Foods high in vitamin C include broccoli, red peppers, citrus fruits, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and strawberries.

• vitamin D, Osteoporosis may progress faster in women with low levels of vitamin D, because the vitamin helps calcium to protect bones and joint s. Foods high in vitamin D include fortified dairy products and fish such as salmon, halibut, sea bass, tuna, cod and herring.• vitamin E This vitamin helps ease osteoarthritis pain and leg cramps. Foods high in vitamin E include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, sunflower and safflower seeds, wheat germ and whole wheat flour, and various fruits and vegetables.

With this said....into the kitchen I went! I knew just what I needed to make for a HOT day and decided that I would make some yummy "ice cream." It said that I needed some vitamin C so why not right? Well this is just about as healthy as you get for ice cream. 100 cals and a whole cup! Yes, you heard me right. Just look!

Cantaloupe Ginger Sorbet (who am I kidding...It's Ice Cream!)

-1/2 chopped fresh cantaloupe (if you want to eat this right away you need to freeze the cantaloupe first so that you are using frozen fruit instead of ice.

-One cup Greek yogurt (you can use vanilla if y0u like too)

-2 packs of Stevia (or 1/4 cup agave)

-1 tablespoon of either picked ginger or fresh

-1/4 tablespoon of xantham gum and guar gum

Blend it all together and you can either eat it right then (good luck, it makes a TON) or you can have a little now and some later. Or do like me and just pick at it all day/night. Sorry but this is what happens when you are a single girl....I do admit. I am guilty of the spoon in the jar or worse, drinking out of my almond milk carton. Get over it. Ha!

I also wanted to post this recipe that I found from www.bostonfoodnwine.com

I think this one is better for the folks that don't have xantham gum or guar gum handy. I am just new to these two lovely products and now I cant seem to live without them. I do have to be careful though with the amount. If you give an inch with the stuff it takes a mile. Beware.

SUPER Simple Sorbet
Makes about 2 cups; takes about 10 minutes (with already frozen fruit).

1 pound frozen strawberries or other fruit (I used a Trader Joe’s mix of pineapple, mango and papaya)

1/2 c yogurt, creme fraiche or silken tofu (I used plain, fat free Greek Yogurt — next time I will use vanilla)

1/4 c sugar or other sweetener, but you could also use honey or agave nectar) and Water as needed (or almond milk or regular milk)

Put all the ingredients except the water into the food processor and process until pureed and creamy. Add water as needed to improve the consistency and stop occasionally to scrape down the sides. Be careful not to over-process the sorbet into liquid! Serve immediately or freeze. To serve later, just allow 10 to 15 minutes for the sorbet to soften at room temperature.

There are a million ways that you can make this "Sorbet" but I like the simple kind. I think that picking one or two fruits and then a herb is the best way to go. I am already dreaming of Watermelon basil, Strawberry Rosemary, Papaya Lavender and Green tea Mint! I mean the options are endless! I am going to make some Popsicles too! The great thing about this is I usually add fruit to my Greek yogurt and so buy doing it this way it is basically the same thing but made to believe it's ice cream. It is though! Mmmmmm, go make it now! You'll thank me later!

Ok guys and gals! I am going to get outta here for now but tomorrow I swear I will have a run down of some amazing creations. I got some veggies from Shelley's garden yesterday and OMG, amazing!

-Heather