Can You Beat Olga?

at 4:41 PM 0 comments

The Flying Nonagenarian

Let me tell you about this incredible 91 year old athlete who is breaking all the masters track and field records.  You say impossible?  Not at all;  she may be one of the rare few with all the right genes but you too can grow old in a healthy way (not on oxygen, and not stooped down) if you take the right steps now.  Here is her story.

Olga Kotelko grew up as one of 11 children on a farm in Ukraine.  In the mornings, after the chickens were fed, the cow were milked and the pigs slopped, the kids would trudge two miles to school.  As an adult she taught grade school and raised two daughters.  After all the fires of raising a family were put out, she then tended to the fire that had been burning in her for a very long time; playing sports.  In 1984 she picked up softball again after retiring from teaching.  She was slow but competitive and one day a teammate suggested that she may enjoy track and field (she was 77 at the time).

She hooked up with a coach who taught her the basics and found a trainer, a strict Hungarian woman who enjoyed pushing Olga as much as Olga was keen to be pushed.  Several days during the  week Olga would train hard at the gym for up to 3 hours at a time.She would do bench presses, squats, planks and other difficult exercises.  Take a look at these numbers:  At the World Masters Games in Sydney, in the 100 meters (23.95 seconds), she was faster than some of the finalists in the 80-to-84 year category- two age groups down from her.  She also holds two world records in javelin for women over 85.  She also hold records in the long jump.  She routinely does interval training on the track.

Scientifically we don't have a lot of data for people who are elderly and also very fit.  This segment of populations-85 and older- are being studied for what they eat, their general health, maybe their social network but very few studies have focused on the long term effects of exercise on the elderly population.  To explain how age affects fitness let's talk a little science...

Mitochondria (the energy factories of our bodies- and they are present in every cell in the body) are hit hard in young people who have neuromuscular diseases such as ALS.  Because muscle cells require a lot of energy they are highly affected when the number of mitochondria go down in these diseases.  Some researchers see aging as a type of mitochondrial disease (because the muscle that have these little energy factories get weaker with age).  There is some evidence that exercise is a potent tool which slows the symptoms of patients with these types of diseases.  If that is true then maybe exercise can be a fountain of youth.

OK a little more science again- but this is so incredibly interesting and really drives the point that if we continue exercising into old age we will reap the benefits.

Exactly how exercise affects older people is kind of complicated.  The emerging proposition is what if intense training rejuvenates and regenerates our bodies at the cellular level?  I am not talking about the elderly taking a water aerobics classes or a leisurely walk.  This potential rejuvenation requires INTENSE exercise (bike, running, stairmaster and definitely weight training).  There is emerging evidence that this type of exercise may stimulate/maintain the telomerases- wait don't skip- it's really easy to explain- Telomerases are enzymes that keep these caps on the ends of chromosomes that keep the genetic information intact when cells divide.  Without them, the chromosomes (the genetic material) keep getting shorter and shorter with each cell division.  And this causes the cells to eventually die.  This may partly explain why older athletes aren't just cardiovascularly fit but also free of age-related illnesses.  Intense exercise does damage the muscles and ligaments and tendons but it also stimulates the production of antioxidants.  Resistance exercise (weight training) seems to also activate a muscle stem cell called a satellite cell. Stem cells are cells that can become any kind of cell that the body needs at the time.  So as a result of weight training the body is getting all these brand new cells that have more mitochondria (energy factories).

We all understand that most of us aren't Olga however this story which was published in the New York Times Magazine (11-28-10) really tells us that there is accumulating evidence that exercise is not only good for us now but its benefits are going to last into old age.  IF we continue to exercise intensely these benefits will accumulate and may protect us from age-related illnesses.  The idea here is to continue our intense exercise as we get older.

Delicata Squash

at 4:12 PM 0 comments

This squash is also called the peanut squash or the bohemian squash.   It has a beige skin with green stripes.  With its creamy pulp, the delicata tastes a bit like corn and sweet potatoes. You can bake it, steam it or microwave it.  I found sticking it in the oven for about an hour was pretty hassle-free. Just poke it with a fork and if the skin gives then it's done.  Once you cut it longitudinally, you will find it has some seeds but not nearly as much as the spaghetti squash.  Because the skin is so tender it is edible as well. 

I have prepared it in two way:

1. emptied the squash and added a little bit of cinnamon to the pulp then added some cream cheese to it.  Very creamy and delicious!  You can add it to tender leaves of a cabbage and eat it like a wrap or you can use it as a spread on fruit or crackers.

2. Cut the squash longitudinally and took the seeds out, then closed it back up and cut it in little slices.

It's really good any way you fix it.

Delicata squash with cream cheese

Sliced squash

Know When to Stop Eating During Thanksgiving...

at 6:05 PM 0 comments

With pies all around, steaming stuffing and dressing beckoning you and lots of deep fried turkey threatening to send you to the drug store for some antacid, here are some tips to keep you from OVER EATING:


1. You know you have overeaten if you have to change out of your jeans and into sweat pants.

2. You know you have overeaten if you have to unbuckle your belt before starting on your second piece of pie.

3. You know you have overeaten if you don't even have room for a cup of water or coffee.

4.  You know you have overeaten when your plate is a miniature template of the entire dinner table.

5.  And seriously you know you have overeaten when you are no longer hungry. 

You know how awful and miserable it feels to be that full, and if you don't know how it feels,  it's because you have forgotten about it or tend to ignore it.  You have overeaten on so many occasions that your hunger set point is no longer sensitive to environmental cues. 

Leave the table, go for a walk and the pie will still be there when you get back.

Guacamole Dip (Dean's)-It's Cheap and Here's Why...

at 5:01 PM 0 comments

Dean's Guacamole dip has... less than 2% avocado!!  Here are the first few ingredients:
Skim milk, soybean oil, tomatoes, water, coconut oil etc.  And here are some of the last few ingredients: xantham gum, citric acid, blue-1, red-40 and yellow-red.  YUM!  I love the blue-1 especially. It has such an avocadoey taste to it.

If you want to get guacamole, which I personally love, your healthier choice is the real stuff in the produce section which is more expensive than the guacamole dip.  Or just get avocados and mash them up, mix with onions and peppers, paprika, a little salt and pepper and lemon juice.  You will have the best tasting guacamole.  Skip the dip!

Don't Exercise, Just Get the Easy Tone Apparel

at 10:39 AM 0 comments

Right!  Have you seen the recent advertisements from Reebok?  Wait a minute, yes we have been wasting our time on exercise.  Now we can just give all that up, sleep in and not go to the gym and instead just wear the Easy Tone apparel from Reebok and get toned!  I also have a huge land in Florida that I am willing to sell for real cheap!!

Seriously?  Do they really think the consumers have no brain cells?  This kind of advertisement is up there with the belt you can wear that jiggles you and melts away your fat and you only see those ads late at night on cable.  The Reebok ad is being shown during prime time on network T.V.  What a shame!!

Listen, if this was some kind of drug it would need FDA approval.  But because they can sell it as 'clothes' they can pretty much claim whatever they want.  The short sleeve shirts are on Reebok's website for $55.  And while I am ranting about 'toning clothes' let me just dispel the myth about toning shoes.  No they can't tone.   Nothing can tone but cardio and weights and a clean diet.  Sorry America, I know we are always waiting for the easy-way-one-step-to obesity-reduction solution.  But it just doesn't work this way.  The most those shoes will do is to ensure you sprain one of your ankles!

So instead, save your money, get up and go for a brisk walk in your regular shoes, with normal clothes and reward yourself with a piece of fruit.

A Hot Breakfast- Similar to Oatmeal But Tastes Better

at 12:29 PM 0 comments

If you are trying to cut down on your sugar and carbs then this is the breakfast for you.  And let's face it; unless you are making oatmeal from scratch using steel cut oats, then almost all brands out there have a lot of sugar in them.  So here is the recipe and it takes less than 5 minutes.

1/2 to 1 scoop protein powder
3 tablespoons flax seed
1/4 cup egg whites (or two whole eggs depending on how many more calories you want to add)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Milk (optional)- enough to make a creamy consistency

Microwave for about 1 min and add your choice of nuts- I typically add a few pecans.

Enjoy!

Biceps workout

at 3:13 PM 0 comments

Doing curls is one of the most effective ways to build and tone your biceps.  The reason I say that is because there are other methods to get a decent workout for your biceps such as doing pull ups, chin ups or any kind of back exercise.  But all the aforementioned methods are indirect ways to build the biceps (biceps not bicep-it is a twin muscle).  In this section I want to show you three methods to do curls.

The first one is doing curls with a bar-  Lift the bar all the way to the chest with your elbows safely tucked in to your sides.  Bring the bar down all the way until your arms have a slight bend.  There are many ways to get a good burn with this exercise: You can do a traditional 3-4 set method of 12-15 reps each; alternatively you can do a pyramid workout (one of my favorites because it gives such a great burn) in which you start with a heavy bar and do a few reps, then go lighter and lighter in sets.  After which you start coming back with heavier bars until you reach the first bar you started with.  At this point you should be able to do no more than 2-3 reps.  The third method is doing the curls within a set amount of time, say 30 seconds and then rest or 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest for 8 sets (Tabata workout).

The second exercise is with dumbbell curls- same method and form except you will be holding a dumbbell in each hand.  You will want to raise the dumbbells all the way to chest levels then lower them all the way down.  You can either sit on the edge of  bench or stand up while doing this exercise.

The third exercise is one of my favorites and it is the concentration curl.  You will be sitting on a bench and the arm holding the dumbbell is firmly tucked against your thigh for stability.  You will raise the dumbbell slowly then lower it all the way until there is only a slight bend in your elbow.  After doing a set you can switch to the other arm.

With all three exercises, you can do traditional sets, pyramids, or tabatas.  For a better workout, try doing push ups while you rest in between the curl sets.  Now that is one fantastic circuit training!!

Why Do Cardio?

at 7:25 AM 0 comments

Over the past 4 decades, numerous studies have looked at the relationships between physical activity, fitness and cardiovascular health.  These studies have been done in prestigious academic institutions and supported by the CDC and the American Heart Association.  The prevailing view in these reports is that more active or fit individuals tend o develop less heart disease than their sedentary counterparts.  In addition, active, fit individuals also have lower chances of having diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis just to name a few.

Despite all this evidence, the vast majority of adults in the United States are sedentary.  There are 5 major risk factors for cardiovascular disease:

1. Sedentary lifestyle
2. High blood pressure
3. Abnormal levels for blood lipids (i.e. cholesterol)
4. Smoking
5. Obesity

Here are some of the benefits of cardiovascular exercise and for the most sedentary any kind of movement during the day.  Obviously exercise promotes weight reduction and can help reduce hypertension.  Exercise can also reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood as well as raise the good cholesterol (HDL).  In diabetic patients, exercise seems to affect the body's ability to utilize insulin more efficiently.

But as I have said before, and at the risk of being redundant, will say again, you can exercise all you want... if your nutrition is uncontrolled, i.e. too much food, too much sugar, too much fat, then you will reach a plateau very quickly because exercise can only do so much.  I always say, ' if you are working out an hour every day, the other 23 hours are just as important and you can't celebrate the end of your workout by stopping by Shipley's' (a very obvious example).

Watch Out for the USDA!

at 9:28 AM 0 comments

Why does the USDA talk from both sides of its mouth?  Domino's Pizza was rated the worst tasting pizza by consumers according to a survey taken last year.  Then helped arrived in the form of an organization called Dairy Management.  You would think this would be a private marketing firm set on making money for and with big pizza chains.  But no!  Here is the shocking news.  Dairy Management is in fact a marketing creation of the USDA.  With their help consumers devoured the pizza, literally, and sales of the cheesier Domino's Pizza soared.

As healthy as this pizza has been for Domino's, one slice has as much as two-thirds of a day's maximum recommended amount of saturated fat (saturated fat has been linked to heart disease in several published studies).  You may ask, well how much cheese do we consume?  Americans eat an average of 33 pounds of cheese a year, triple the 1970 rate, in fact cheese is the largest source of saturated fat.  Dairy Management has worked with many restaurants to expand their menu of cheese-laden products.

In one instance, Dairy management spent millions of dollar on research to support a national advertising campaign that people could lose weight by eating more dairy products.  Many other studies have found no link between weight loss and dairy consumption.

Dairy management (remember: part of USDA) runs the largest of 18 Agriculture Department programs that market beef, potatoes and other commodities.  Their expenditure last year was $136 million to promote dairy sales overseas.  By contrast, the department's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, which promotes healthy diets, has a TOTAL budget of $6.5 million.

The new Domino's Pizza, called the Wisconsin, has six cheeses on top and two in the crust and one quarter of the pizza has 430 calories.

Americans are eating too much of cheese, meat, bread, rice, cheese, pasta, cheese, crackers, cheese,chips, cheese, pretzels, cheese, soda, cheese, cake, cookies, cheese and the USDA (our so-called nutritional police) has a whole agency working to ensure that we eat even MORE CHEESE!!

Research Suggests that to Lose Weight We May Have to Restrict Fructose

at 4:58 PM 0 comments

First of all what is fructose? Fructose is an isomer of glucose and this simply means that their chemical structure is exactly the same except one variation in the three dimensional space.  Fructose naturally occurs in fruits and many vegetables.  But dietary exposure to fructose has increased over the past few decades and there is concern that high fructose consumption in humans may be in part responsible for the high incidence of obesity not just in the U.S but worldwide.  Certainly fructose is not the only cause of obesity but research suggests that since its metabolism is different than that of glucose it may be more lipogenic (making more body fat) than previously thought. 

In humans triglycerides (fat molecules) are primarily made in the liver.  As Dr. Elizabeth Parks from UT Southwestern in Dallas explains, the liver acts like a traffic cop to coordinate and decide what to do with the dietary sugars. Should it store it as glycogen, burn it for energy or turn it into fat?  Fructose, it seems, enters this pathway downstream and bypasses the traffic cop, so it may not be as tightly regulated as glucose.  Dr. Parks says that this less-controlled regulation may contribute to higher amounts of triglyceride synthesis.

As I mentioned before, fructose naturally occurs in fruit but it is added to many processed foods at high concentrations.  High fructose corn syrup is 55% fructose and 45% glucose.  It has become the preferred method of sweetening processed foods because it is cheaper, sweeter and easier to blend.

In Dr. Park's research they gave healthy lean subjects sugary drinks that were either 100% glucose, half and half glucose/fructose or 25% glucose/75% fructose.  They then measured fat synthesis in these individuals and they found that lipogenesis increased significantly when only half the glucose was replaced with fructose in the sugary drinks.  The fructose given in the sugary drinks to the subjects also changed the way the body handelled the food eaten at lunch.  So it was more likely that all the extra calories that the subjects consumed during lunch were turned into fat.

The subjects in this study were healthy, lean individuals and other studies suggest that fat synthesis may be worse in people who are overweight or obese. Obviously we can't demonize fructose, it is only one of the contributors to the whole complex problem of obesity.  Americans are eating too much of everything, too many calories, too much sugar, too much fat,  and little activity other than reaching for the remote.

These seemingly 'healthy' foods all contain high fructose corn syrup:

Yoplait yogurt

Most salad dressings especially the 'lite' or reduced calorie ones

Special K cereal- there is nothing smart about this cereal and please don't replace your lunch with it which is another favorite subject that I will tackle at another time!

Many of the low calorie ice cream treats

100 calorie snack packs are loaded with HFCS.  Just have a few almonds or sugar snap peas.

Baked Egg Whites

at 10:48 PM 0 comments

This is so easy, it's embarrassing.  I typically use half an egg white carton for this recipe therefore I have enough for several servings.  Pour the egg whites into a dish, add splenda (yes, make it as sweet as you want).  Then Pam up a shallow oven-safe dish.  I have a 2 inch dish (it's actually a lid for another container). You want the dish to be shallow so the eggs can bake in approximately 30 minutes or less.  Pour the mixture in this shallow dish and  top it with cinnamon. Bake at 375 for approximately 30 minutes.  If you try to take the dish out and the egg mixture does not jiggle then it is baked!  You can cut it like a pie.  It is delicious hot and even better cold.  A high-protein meal in less than 30 minutes.  I sometimes top it with sugar-free jelly.