Eat your veggies!

It's almost summertime and you know what that means...time to start thinking about fresh veggies from your local produce stand. Find your favorite veggie in the list below and see how it can make you happier and healthier with its many, many vitamins, minerals, phyto-nutrients, and other delicious goodness!

Artichoke
-Good source of: Folic acid, vitamin B complex (such as niacin, B-6, thiamin, and pantothenic acid), vitamins C and K, copper, potassium, iron, calcium, manganese, and phosphorus.
-Artichokes contain about 14% of your recommended daily allowance of fiber.
-How it helps: Artichoke can decrease your "bad cholesterol" or LDL levels, fight against free radicals* (known to cause infectious disease), and increase your level of red blood cells, and may help bone formation.

Asparagus
-Good source of: Dietary fiber, folates, vitamin A, vitamin B-complex (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B-6, and pantothenic acid), vitamin E, and vitamin K, and calcium, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus minerals.
-Only 13 calories per half a cup, or 20 calories in 5 spears.
-How it helps: Decrease bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, may help prevent irritable bowel syndrome, fight against and remove free radicals* from your body, helps limit neuron damage in the brain (such as in Alzheimer's patients), and can help control blood pressure and heart rate and increase red blood cell production.

Bell pepper
-Good source of: Vitamins A, B-complex (such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin), C, and minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and selenium.
-Only 23 calories per half a cup, chopped.
-How they help: May reduce triglycerides and bad cholesterol (LDL), remove free radicals* from your body, and help keep your skin, organs, blood vessels, and bones healthy.

Broccoli (one of my recommended "super foods")
-Good source of: Phyto-nutrients, vitamins A and C, folates, and omega-3 fatty acids (in the flower heads), and minerals such as calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc and phosphorus.
-Only 15 calories per half a cup, chopped.
-How it helps: Broccoli is simply awesome! It fights against many diseases such as prostate, colon, breast, pancreatic, and urinary bladder cancer, helps maintain good vision, and rid the body of free radicals.*

Brussel sprouts
-Good source of: Dietary fiber, flavonoid anti-oxidants, vitamins A, B-complex, and K, and minerals such as copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.
-Only 19 calories per half a cup.
-How they help: Protect against vitamin A deficiency, bone loss, iron deficiency anaemia, prevent against Alzheimer's and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and, colon and prostate cancers, and remove free radicals* from your body.

Carrots
-Good source of: Vitamin A and carotenes (convereted to vitamin A in the liver), vitamin B-complex (folic acid, vitamin B-6, thiamin, and pantothenic acid), carotenes. Beta-carotenes is the big one here.
-Only 30 calories in one regular-sized carrot.
-How they help: Carrots can help protect against skin, lung, and oral cavity cancers, help vision and sperm production, reduce the number of disease-causing free radicals*, and may help fight and destroy pre-cancerous cells in tumors.

Cauliflower
-Good source of: Phyto-chemicals, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, calcium and potassium.
-Only 25 calories in 1/6 of a medium-sized head.
-How it helps: The phyto-chemicals help fight prostate, breast, cervical, colon, ovarian cancers, while the vitamins rid the body of free radicals*(in turn helping fight against cancer) and help the body metabolize protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Celery
-Good source of: Vitamins A, B-complex (folic acid, riboflavin, and niacin), K, and minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium.
-Only 15 calories in 2 medium stalks.
-How it helps: Used in weight loss regimens due to its high fiber content, promotes healthy mucus membranes, skin, and vision, increases bone mass, and maintains healthy blood pressure. Its leaves contains essential oils that are used in remedies to help combat nervousness, osteoarthritis, and gouty-arthritis conditions. Its seeds can help in breast milk secretion. Also helps in removing free radicals*, protecting against lung and oral cavity cancers.

Cucumbers
-Good source of: Potassium, vitamins A, C, and K.
-Only 8 calories per half a cup of sliced cukes, or 30 calories in one medium-sized cuke.
-How they help: Help reduce blood pressure and heart rate, remove free-radicals* from your body, and help build strong bones.

Eggplant
-Good source of: Fiber, vitamin B-complex (pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, thiamin, and niacin), and the phyto-chemicals known as anthocyanins.
-Only 10 calories per half a cup, cubed.
-How it helps: In a study done at a university in Brazil, eggplant was shown to reduce high blood pressure. Anthocyanins have been shown to have potential effects in fighting aging, cancer, inflammation, and neurological diseases.

Green beans
-Good source of: Dietary fiber, vitamin A, folates, vitamin B-6, thiamin, and vitamin C, and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.
-Only 25 calories in 3/4 cup, cut.
-How they help: Due to their many minerals and vitamins, green beans are excellent at removing free radicals* from your body. Due to their high levels of folate, they help prevent neural-tube defects in offspring when eaten before and during pregnancy.

Kale
-Good source of: Phyto-chemicals, flavonoids, vitamins A, B-complex, C, K, and many minerals such as copper, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
-Recognized for its nutrition as early as Greek and Roman times.
-How it helps: Fights against prostate and colon cancers, promotes healthy skin and vision, strengthens bones, strong in anti-oxidants and helps remove free radicals*, reduces blood pressure and increase red blood cell production.

Lettuce
-Good source of: Vitamins A, B-complex (thiamin, B-6, and riboflavins), C, K, folates, and phyto-nutrients and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
-You can get 247% of your daily vitamin A from 100 grams of lettuce.
-How it helps: Lettuce is know to fight against lung and oral cancers, iron-deficiency anemia, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's, and osteoporosis.

Onions
-Good source of: Phyto-chemicals, chromium, vitamin B-complex and vitamin C.
-Only 32 calories per half a cup, chopped, or 45 calories in one medium-sized onion.
-When the bulb is crushed, cut, or simply disturbed, the phyto-chemicals allium and Allyl disulphide convert by enzymatic reaction to a powerful compound known as allicin.
-How it helps: Allicin is known to reduce cholesterol, fight cancer, and lower blood sugar levels in diabetics (also assisted by the chromium found in onions). It's also beneficial in increasing blood vessel elasticity, reducing chance of coronary disease, vascular disease, and stroke.

Peas
-Good source of: Vitamin A, B-complex, C, and K, and folic acid, and minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, zinc and manganese.
-Only 59 calories per half a cup.
-How they help: Peas may lower the risk of stomach cancer, lower the chance for type 2 diabetes, as well as assist in fighting infection and removing free radicals.*

Potatoes
-Good source of: Dietary fiber, vitamin B-complex (vitamin B6, niacin, pantothenic acid and folates), vitamin C (in the skin), and essential minerals such as iron, manganese, copper and potassium.
-Only 58 calories per half a cup, chopped.
-How the help: Helps prevent colon cancer, keeps blood sugar levels regular, keep LDL (bad) cholesterol low, and help fight against free radicals.*

Spinach (one of my personal favorites, and I can see why it was Popeye's, too!)
-Good source of: Iron, dietary fiber, vitamins A, B-complex (B-6, thiamin, riboflavin, folates, and niacin), C, and K, potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper, and zinc, and flavonoids lutein, zeax-anthin, and beta-carotenes, and omega-3 fatty acids.
-Only 7 calories in one cup.
-How it helps: Promotes red blood cell production, removes free radicals*, maintains eye health, strengthens bone mass, limits neuronal damage of the brain (found in Alzheimer's patients), helps control blood pressure, regulates growth and development, promotes sperm generation, and is said to fight against osteoporosis, iron deficiency anemia, prostate cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Sweet potatoes (another one of my recommended "super foods")
-Good source of: Dietary fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, complex carbohydrates, vitamin B-complex (pantothenic acid, B-6, thiamin, and riboflavin) and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. You can find vitamin C, folates, vitamin K, and potassium in the leaves.
-They have the highest amount of vitamin A and beta-carotene among any of the root vegetables.
-Wow, sweet potatos are LOADED with good stuff, and only at 100 calories per medium-sized potato!
-How they help: Vitamin A and beta-carotene help keep your mucus membranes and skin healthy and your vision good. Beta-carotenes fight against lung and oral cancers. B-complex vitamins help metabolize protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

Tomatoes (another of my personal favorites)
-Good source of: Dietary fiber, vitamin A, flavanoids alpha and beta-carotene, lycopene and zea-xanthin,  xanthins, and lutein, vitamin C, potassium, and small amounts of B-complex vitamins such as folate, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin.  Essential minerals such as iron, calcium, and manganese can also be found in tomatoes.
-About 25 calories in one medium-sized tomato.
-How they help: The antioxidants found in tomatoes have been scientifically proven to help fight cancer such as colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic tumors. They also help control blood pressure, remove free radicals*, maintain healthy vision, mucus membranes, skin, and bones. They may also help in fighting against skin cancer.

Zucchini
-Good source of: Dietary fiber, folates, vitamins A, B-complex (thiamin, pyridoxine, and riboflavin) and C, and minerals such as iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium.
-Only 31 calories in a medium-sized zucchini.
-How they help: Protects against colon cancer, prevents neural tube defects in the fetus when consumed before and during pregnancy, reduces blood pressure, helps remove free radicals*, and promotes healthy aging. Also used regularly in many weight loss programs.

*Free radicals are unstable molecules that are looking to attach themselves to other molecules in your body tissue. Among other ways, they are generally created through metabolism, food consumption, stress, and even environmental factors such as pollutions, cigarette smoke, herbicides, and radiation. When they attach themselves to other molecules happens, they can cause cellular or even DNA damage. If not removed, they can cause cancer, promote a quicker aging process, and help develop other types of autoimmune diseases.

Notice that just about every veggie listed above helps in removing free radicals, so, as your mother always said, eat your veggies!

20 Random Health and Fitness Facts

Here are 20 random health and fitness facts that I've put together for you. Some may surprise you and some may not. Take a look...

1. In the 1950's, the average size of a dinner plate was 9". By the 1980's, the average size had reached 11". Today the average size of a dinner plate is 13". The growth of the dinner plate has been directly linked to the growth of obesity in America.

2. The human body is 60% water,

3. A pound of muscle burns 9 calories per day. A pound of fat burns only 2.

4. If you are 25 pounds overweight, your body has almost 5000 more miles of blood vessels that your heart needs to pump blood through.

5. 100 calories-too-many per day could pack on up to 10 extra pounds of excess body weight per year. 100 calories is a half a glazed donut.

6. There's a reason the jump rope has been around forever: Jumping rope for 15 minutes can burn up to 200 calories, making it one of the most efficient forms of cardiovascular exercise.

7. The human body has more than 650 muscles and 206 bones. One quarter of our bones are in our feet.

8. The importance of vitamin D (ya know, the one we can easily get from the sun) cannot be overstated. People who get their RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of vitamin D are on average 16 pounds lighter than those who don't.

9. A 220-pound person running an 8-minute mile burns up to 150 calories per mile, while a 120-pound person running an 8-minute mile only burns about 82 calories per mile.

10. It takes 200 muscles to take a single step.

11. Body temperature can affect appetite. A cold person is likely to be hungrier and consume more food than a warm person.

12. Colorado is the least obese state in the U.S. (21%), while Mississippi is the most obese (34%). My home state of Maine is the 25th most obese state in the nation (26.8%).

13. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36 states (36!) had an obesity rate of 25% or more in 2010. Of these 36 states, 12 of them have a prevalence of 30% or more. Check out the cool but terrifying graphic at the CDC website.

14. This next one is more of a prediction than a fact: By the year 2030, it is predicted that 86.3% of adults in the U.S. will be overweight and 51.1% will be obese. This is scary as hell.

15. Wonder why number 14 is scary as hell? See #1 and this next one: According to studies, kids from ages 8-18 spend an average of 7 hours, 38 minutes per day watching TV, surfing the Internet, and playing video games. This is up from 6 hours, 21 minutes in 2004.

16. It takes approximately 20 minutes for your brain to tell your stomach that it's full. So slow down!

17. Coronary heart disease accounts for approximately 40% of all deaths in the U.S. The good news is that heart disease-related deaths has decreased since the mid-1900's.

18. Studies have shown that walking at a brisk pace for 3-plus hours per week can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 65%.

19. There are an average of 47,000 products in most U.S. grocery stores. Why do we need so many when all we really need to eat is lean proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, and fruits and veggies?

20. Kids and adolescents (up to 17 years old) should be getting at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. This includes aerobic activity (capture the flag, tag, etc.) muscle strengthening (push-ups, etc.) and bone strengthening (jump rope, etc.) Adults 18 years and older should get a minimum of 2.5 hours of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week (preferably spread out throughout the week) and muscle strengthening activities at least 2 days per week.

Now get off your butt and go get healthier!

The Effect of Exercise on Cancer

Guest Post

By: David Hass - http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/david/

In an effort to conserve strength and energy, many people incorrectly assume cancer patients shouldn’t exercise; however, nothing could be further from the truth. Studies by cancer researcher organizations, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA have demonstrated regular exercise can reduce the risk, proliferation and reoccurrence of cancer.

The benefits of exercise and fitness for cancer patients are numerous. Exercise bolsters the immune system, making the body more resistant to disease, and studies have demonstrated people with higher fitness levels have an increased immunological response. Patients with higher fitness levels are better able to deal with both the physiological and psychological stress of cancer treatment, and can help in actually fighting the disease itself.

One of the most critical times for cancer patients is immediately after being diagnosed, and during this time exercise can greatly reduce the feelings of despair. As reported by Matthew Wiggins, Ed.D., of Murray State University, cancer patients develop both physiological and psychological side-effects as a result of cancer treatment. Side effects include, but at not limited to, significant increases in physical fatigue with decreased feelings of overall well-being, including psychological distress and increased anxiety.

During exercise the body releases endorphins, a natural opiate, which generate an overall feeling of well-being. Exercise increases energy levels, providing patients not only the strength to get through their treatments, but the energy to execute regular daily activities, improving the patient’s overall quality of life and ability to carry on with their normal lives.

A common reason cancer patients fail to exercise is due to a lack of having enough energy to begin an exercise routine. Cancer treatment can be draining, sapping energy so the patient doesn’t even feel like moving, and this can be especially true for cancers, which require very aggressive courses of treatments, such as mesothelioma. However, patients can reap the benefits of increased fitness levels without having to exercise for prolonged periods.

The effect of exercise on fitness levels is cumulative. Short periods of exercise throughout the day have the same effect as extended workouts of the same intensity. For example, a short 10 minute walk three times a day will increase a patient’s fitness level to the same degree as a single 30 minute daily walk.

It is important to realize there is no evidence that exercise in itself will cure cancer, but regular exercise will help the cancer patient deal with the physical and psychological rigors of both the disease and treatment. As part of a complete and integrated treatment program, regular exercise is a tool that no cancer patient should overlook.

Wash the dishes, walk the stairs, then lose 12 pounds of fat. It's NEAT.

Want to lose 12 pounds of fat this year with minimal changes to your lifestyle? Yes? Then read on...

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis, otherwise known as NEAT, is a fairly old concept that is making its way into a lot of fitness professional's vocabulary. The funny thing is that NEAT doesn't have anything to do with exercise at all. It's basically the concept of burning more calories without exercising at all, but by doing little things throughout the course of the day that add up to expended calories. Let me explain...

I've written about basal metabolic rate (BMR), which accounts for approximately 60% of total energy spent in a day. Then there's the thermic effect of food, which accounts for approximately 10-15% of your caloric output per day. This includes eating, digesting, and processing food. The thermic effect of food is a fascinating subject, one that I will probably blog about later. But if there is one gold nugget of info I'd like to give you right now, it's this: protein, specifically lean protein (chicken and fish) have an extremely high thermic effect. Carbohydrates and fat (in that order) have a lower thermic effect. In short, simply increasing the amount of protein in your diet will increase your metabolism. Don't you just love chicken so much more now?

Lastly, there's non-exercise activity thermogenesis. This activity (because in all actuality it IS an activity), accounts for approximately 15-50% of your total daily caloric burn, depending on whether or not you live a sedentary lifestyle. Some examples would be tying your shoes, walking to the bathroom, washing dishes, rolling up a car window, talking, texting, picking up a pencil, me writing this blog post...you get the idea.

Here comes another gold nugget: Studies conclude that performing simple tasks such as washing dishes instead of using a dishwasher, walking to work instead of driving, and taking stairs instead of the elevator can average out to approximately 120 extra calories spent per day, resulting in approximately 12 pounds of fat per year!

I've introduced this concept to many of my clients. It's not an excuse not to work out, but it is can be a huge contributor to success. Here are some examples of how you can apply it to your life:

-Take the stairs and not the elevator.
-Park far away from the store entrance instead of a close spot.
-Instead of emailing a co-worker, write a hand written note and walk to the co-worker's office.
-Stretch your arms, shoulders, or neck while sitting at a red light.
-Wash your dishes by hand.
-Ask for a standing station at work.
-Eat while standing up.
-Read while standing up.
-Talk on the phone while standing up. (Notice a trend here?)
-Wash your car by hand.

Of course, eating cleanly and exercising regularly is still the most effective weight loss program out there. But incorporate NEAT into your day and you could lose some unexpected weight.

So, what other ways can you think of so you can lose up to 12 pounds of fat within the next year?

Swimming, and my new found appreciation for it

I'm a terrible swimmer. The thing is, there are a lot of people who are probably terrible swimmers, so maybe this shouldn't be much of a surprise. But when you grow up on a lake in Maine and swim nearly every summer day from roughly age 7 to 17, and take swim lessons as a youngster, and generally love naturally made bodies of water, then this does come as a surprise. And when you consider yourself a pretty fit individual, then it goes from a surprise to a humbling shocker.

Now, I'm an endurance and cardio guy. I don't train much for pure strength because there isn't much need for me to. I generally,although not always, train in mid to high repetition ranges with weights and am an avid runner and biker. Naturally my ego told me that swimming would be a cake walk, so when I swam (I mean actually, really swam) for the first time in nearly 10 years at the YMCA in Freeport about a month and a half ago, I was in for a brutally rude awakening.

One length of the pool is 25 yards and one total lap is 50 yards. I'm a guy who is used to running 3 to 6 miles each time out without thinking too much about it, so I figured I'd be able to reel off 500 yards easily and be on my way. Not so fast! I was absolutely gassed after the first 50 yards and called it a day after 150.

I returned to the pool the following week and the same thing happened. The week after that the same thing happened. And the week after. Why was this happening? I've run a marathon and a half marathon and countless road races, for crying out loud! Well, after a little research--check this, this, and this--I was relieved to see I wasn't alone, that this is actually a common challenge for many runners.

Determined to get better for several upcoming triathlons planned this summer, I joined a fellow trainer's tri class at the YMCA in Portland. After explaining my struggles to her and showing her my ugly swimming form, she gave me a few things to work on. The week after that I was fortunate enough to get some instruction from one of the swim coaches. And this week coming up I will actually be getting in the pool with one of my clients (opportunities are EVERYWHERE if you are willing to look for them and accept them), a gal who used to be a Southern Maine swimming record holder about 35 years ago. The Tri for the Y is on May 19th and my goal is to swim the 325 yards in 7:30. We shall see.

Triathlons aside, if you want an excellent low impact, cardiovascular, total body workout capable of burning from 200-1000 calories an hour that is almost art-like, then I highly recommend for you to give swimming a chance.

The 2012 Summer Olympics are coming up. I will certainly be watching the swimming events with much more appreciation than years past. Much more.

What Motivates Me (Personally)

Here's the blog that covers the topic that some folks have been asking about. Honestly, this is a topic that I could probably write a novel on. But to spare your eyeballs from sizzling out of their sockets and you going nuts, I'll keep it relatively short. In an effort to do just that, I'll break down "what motivates me" into two different categories: what motivates me personally and what motivates me professionally. For the sake of your valuable time, I'm only going to talk about the former.

Personally, I'm motivated by three things: One, I want to feel good. Two, I want to be the absolute best that I can be at what I do in my spare time. And three, I want to look good. Feeling good should be the number one reason why anyone exercises and/or eats well. However, often times it sinks towards the bottom of the list for a lot of folks because they are more focused on number three on my list. Too many people get caught up in exercising and eating well so they can look good come beach time, but I guarantee you that that is a recipe for short-term healthy living. It's all about getting those happy brain chemicals like epinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine partying like mad inside your head, leaving you with a feel-good feeling and ready to bring on the world! There have been many, many times where I have worked out a client or a member of the YMCA, and, regardless of how they were feeling prior to starting their session, they admitted feeling better AFTER they were done working out than they did before.


Polar Bear 5k-2.11.12
First in my age group with some sweet prizes


Number two may come as no surprise to some of you who know me. I'm an avid runner with a couple of triathlons under my belt. In order to be any good at these I need to exercise, right? Duh! While I will probably never finish number one overall in any road races (those early-20's whippersnappers sure are quick!), I thoroughly enjoy being better than anyone else in my age group and winning medals, prizes, and bragging rights. However, my new-found love is triathlons. When I won my age group at the Great Adventure Challenge last August, I proved to myself and to others that hard work pays off, always. When I went out to dinner with a couple of friends the night of the triathlon, one of my friends looked at me and asked, "What were your expectations going in to this?" I replied to her by saying exactly this: "I expected to win." She was a little surprised by that and said, "What? I've never known anyone to compete in something like this expecting to win." I said, "When you work and train as hard as I did for this, you expect to win." This can be applied across the board in the world of fitness. If you work hard and if you eat right, you will succeed with a long, healthy, happy lifetime.

And of course looking good is the cherry on top. It's the byproduct of being healthy and happy. Everyone likes to look good or wants to look good, but it will only happen if you can master the want-to-feel-good part first. And quite frankly, I don't want to be a statistic. Get this-- according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, it is estimated that by 2030, 86.3% of adults (nearly 9 in 10) in the U.S. will be overweight and 51.1% will be obese. No thanks. I want to be the 1 in 10 and help as many people as I can also be the 1 in 10, but I'll save that rant for my "what motivates me professionally" post...

Do It For Your Heart

In celebration of yesterday's Valentine's Day and all the hearts that were being given, taken, and maybe even broken, I thought I'd write up a little something about how important cardiovascular exercise is to YOU and YOUR heart.

For years, studies have been done showing how important cardiovascular exercise is to our overall well-being, yet I am still asked all the time by new and even long term clients, "How much cardio should I be doing?" For someone just starting out, I usually recommend at least 20 minutes 3-5 days per week, depending on their capabilities. For someone who has been at it for awhile in Fitnessville, I will take a look at their current regimen and make any necessary corrections. However, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that YOU should do your cardio exercise for 20-60 minutes, 3-5 days per week at a moderate intensity level. A lot of folks hate cardio (especially men), but the beauty of cardio is that it can be done anywhere and for practically zero cost.

Think about it. All you need to do is lace up your New Balance running shoes and go for a walk or run. Or go for a swim. Or a bike ride. Or shovel snow consistently. Or do some intervals at your local track. Or take a spin class at your local YMCA. The point is to just get that heart rate up for 20-60 minutes, 3-5 days per week at a moderate level of intensity.

If YOU do this now, just look at all the benefits YOU'LL reap: slower resting heart rate, more efficient lungs, decreased bad cholesterol, increased circulation, happy-go-lucky feeling endorphins, stronger muscles, and an improved, better, healthier, more efficient heart. After all, what are you without a happy, healthy ticker?