Omega 3 Fatty Acids–One of the Most Beneficial Supplements Available

That’s according to Men’s Health and the Abs Diet gang. It’s also the opinion was echoed by my CPT professor when I went back through training to get re-certified. And, it’s the opinion of many of our research institutes.

Seriously, the benefits (scientifically supported) are truly astounding. I’ve been taking fish oil for several years. I literally carry it with me in a small medicine vial in my purse and take it with each meal. To give you a quick education according to the editor’s in Men’s Health:

“There are three types: eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid, known respectively as EPA, DHA, and ALA. EPA and DHA, the omega 3 fatty acids that are most easily used by your body, are found in significant amounts only in marine life, particularly cold-water fish (because they carry more fat for insulation). ALA, on the other hand, is obtained from plant-derived foods, such as flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. ” According to Bruce Holub, PhD., professor of nutritional sciences at U of Guelph, in Ontario, something to note is that “for ALA to provide any health benefits, your liver must convert it into EPA and DHA.”

What that means is with our ability to convert only 10-15%, we’d have to take in 6X the Omega 3’s from plant sources to equal 1 gram of Omega 3’s from fish. Things that make you go, “Hmmmm.”

For more information on the benefits of Omega 3’s:

University of Maryland Med Center Article

Wikipedia-Omega-3 Fatty Acid

Science Daily Article

Harvard Gazette Article

Fatty fish seems to be the link to long life in areas of high consumption. I’m glad it’s in my arsenal! Have you considered adding it to yours? I know a great place to start: iHealthChic- Fish Oil!

Have a wonderful weekend!

You’ve seen the articles, the research, etc. Eating organic definitely has its positives…along with a bigger piece of your paycheck! About 3/4 of traditionally grown produce show pesticides. But you don’t have to fork over your paycheck, just narrow your splurge to organic produce with soft skin or skin that you eat and save your $$ on foods that are usually free of pesticides due to their tougher, thicker outter layers. So go organic on apples, peaches, bell peppers, strawberries, pears and lettuce.  And go for conventionally grown bananas, kiwis, onions, mangoes (my personal fave!), pineapples and broccoli. How do you tell the difference? If you see a 5 digit number starting with 9, that means it is organic. A 4 digit number means conventional. And regardless of whether you purchase organic or conventional fruits and veggies, wash all of them with soap, water and a brush.

Then, to do triple duty–help the environment and your pocket book AND your body–shop nearby farmers’ markets which means less shipping, fresher produce, fewer greenhouse gases and lower costs.

On the dairy side, I personally opt for organic milks and free range eggs and meats in order to avoid antibiotics sometimes used and added hormones.  Is it worth it? You BETCHA!  

What’s that, you say? Sarcopenia, is age-related muscle loss. And for you youngsters who think it’s an “old age” thing, think again. It can start in your 30s. If you don’t take action now, you could begin to lose as much as 1 to 2 percent of your muscle mass a year by the time you hit 50. And the big picture? Less muscle, less movement = less activity. If that’s not enough, less muscle means you burn fewer calories and store more of them as fat. Now THAT’S a pretty picture, eh? No body wants to get there. And great news, you can add muscle at any age and reap benefits (but be sure to check with you doctor before starting an exercise plan AND don’t forget the importance of a well-rounded plan that incorporates resistance (for muscles and bone strength), cardio for your heart and blood pressure, and flexibility.)

What can you do? The key to stopping muscle loss is to strengthen your back, shoulders, arms, and thighs. “When you increase lean muscle mass, you burn more calories, even when you’re vegging!” Gotta love that. There are lots of places to find strength workouts, if you don’t work with a trainer. I’ve been lifting for 25 years, but I am constantly changing up my workouts and trying new things. Some good places to start are: Womens Health Magazine or, Fitness Magazine And if you are trying to lose weight, be sure to keep lifting! Our US government (http://www.healthierus.gov/exercise.html ) and American Heart Association recommend 30-60 minutes of activity most days of the week. For an idea of how to get started, look here., Studies show that if you don’t keep it up the pounds can sneak back up on you!

So, keep moving and keep choosing….HEALTH

 Yup, today was a good one.  Got up early enough so neither I nor my kids were rushed, made us all some protein pancakes (gluten free) and two fruit servings (have to get a leg up with my kiddos in order to get them to 5-6/day!). I was able to SIP (big difference between sip and gulp) two cups of green tea, then head out to run.  Just me and Chris. Daughtry, that is.  (http://www.myspace.com/daughtry )  Newly added to my ipod.  (Which is a whole other story for my technically challenged self.)  But, back to me and Chris. What a great a.m. album to run to.  His easy rock fit my morning PERFECTLY! The weather cooperated with me, upper 50s—you know against the wind you need a light jacket and with the wind—ahhh. So me and Chris, beautiful morning, and a light breakfast eaten early enough that it fueled my run just perfectly. It was one of those perfect mornings. Blue Jays called out to me the entire run. And, I was fast today. I was faster and it felt good and it was AWESOME. I ran and grinned like a crazy woman. Glad to be here. Glad I can run. Glad for the day. Glad for my kids. Yeah, it was a great run. Oh, and glad for Chris providing great company along the way. Good tunes. Plus, I was home and in front of my laptop by 8:15 and at my daughter’s soccer game by 10:30. Not every run is like that. But when it’s good, it is oh-so-good.

“No matter our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.”  Dr. Dale Turner

Stay Strong and Happy Saturday!

Do you know what’s best for you? It’s an onoing educational process as far as I am concerned! Each of us are different–we get various amounts of sleep, our diets vary, and we are exposed to different toxins, and our physical endeavors vary. I can tell you what I do–but for what’s best for YOU, is based on YOUR needs. And for that, you need an individualized plan. I have great homeopath and nutritionist friends who provide excellent guidance and direction. However, I still read and research everything I can get my hands on! For Christmas, I bought myself “You, the Owner’s Manual” ( Amazon ) by Dr. Oz, Oprah’s latest doctor friend. He came and spoke at Lifetime Fitness last year and the man is amazingly brilliant. Unfortunately, I have not let myself even peak at the book until I finish my current 3 open books! Anyway, Dr. Oz has a number of recommendations and some that are specific to your age which I found helpful ( Oprah’s Website ). You can download a PDF, which I thought was handy. There’s actually quite a few handy tools and healthy living articles from Dr. Oz at www.Oprah.com . So what’s best for you depends on you, your needs, and your nutritionist’s recommendations. If you have some other good reading recommendations, let me know. But –Dr. Oz’s book is NEXT in line and I can’t wait!

You know, try as I might, there are still days we are moving too fast. Now granted, it is usually due to the fact that we went too bed too late and didn’t get up as early as we should have…! Nonetheless, we still need something quick and easy AND healthy on our way out the door. Here’s a little something that is fast and good…AND healthy. It beats a refined-rich blueberry muffin and sugar coffee any day! (which, btw ladies, is 820 calories, 11 g protein, 35 grams of artery clogging / butt clinging FAT and 1 measly gram of fiber!) Try this and let me know what you think:

• 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese w/
• 1/2 fresh or frozen blueberries and 7 chopped almonds

(This little power mix provides 254 calories with 30 grams of protein, 7 grams of good fat, and 3 grams of fiber.) Sometimes I use Greek yogurt (so yummy and creamy) in place of the cottage cheese and throw in some Stevia and cinnamon, plus some whey protein and ground flax.

What about you? Got any on-the-go healthy snacks and meals you can share?