Marathon Nutrition Tips

Nutrition for the Endurance Athlete

The Marathoner's Diet for Optimal Performance


You've run hundreds of miles and, in the process, burned countless calories training for a marathon. Our bodies are like cars that cannot run on empty and which will perform at their best when properly fueled. So how will you fuel your body so that you can ask it to run and run well? Read on...

Foods are made up of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Marathon runners and athletes in general should eat a diet high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat. Another key nutrient that is a must for athletes is water. You should know why these nutrients are important, as well as how much of them you should eat and how much water you need to drink before, during and after exercise. If you follow these guidelines you can be sure that your body will be adequately and properly fueled, hydrated and ready to perform at its best!

Carbohydrates and muscle glycogen

Why are carbohydrates important?
The body's preferred fuel for running (or any endurance sport) is muscle glycogen. Glycogen is the body's storage form of carbohydrate. If muscle glycogen breakdown exceeds its replacement, glycogen stores become depleted. The result is fatigue and inability to maintain training and racing intensity. In order to replenish and maintain glycogen stores, the marathoner's diet needs to be carbohydrate-rich.

How much carbohydrate should I eat?
Carbohydrates should provide 60-70% of total calories. To figure out the amount that's right for you, multiply your weight in kilograms by 7, or multiply your weight in pounds by 3.2 - to give you the number of grams of carbohydrates you should consume per day.


The best sources of carbohydrate are grain products (preferably whole grains) such as bread, rice, cereal and pasta, as well as fruits, vegetables and lowfat dairy foods. Food labels tell you how many grams of total carbohydrate are in a serving of that food. Each day, the endurance athlete should try to eat at least 15 servings of grain products, at least 6 servings of fruits and 6 servings of vegetables, and at least 5 servings of lowfat dairy foods.
In general,

a serving of a grain product, such as a slice of bread or 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta, and a serving of fruit, such as a piece of fruit or 3/4 cup fruit juice, each provides 15 grams carbohydrate
a serving of dairy, such as 1 cup of lowfat milk or yogurt or 1.5 ounces of cheese provides 12 grams carbohydrate
a serving of vegetables, such as 1 cup of leafy raw vegetables, 1/2 cup chopped vegetables, or 3/4 cup vegetable juice provides 5 grams carbohydrate.
NOTE: starchy vegetables such as peas and corn, as well as dried beans such as lentils or garbanzo beans provide greater amounts of carbohydrates, about 15-20 grams per 1/2 cup serving.

Protein
Why is protein important?
Protein is needed for muscle growth and repair. Regular physical training tends to reduce muscle protein breakdown and protein loss from the body. While some protein breakdown may occur during exercise, protein build-up is enhanced during the recovery and the effectiveness of protein synthesis is increased. When muscle glycogen stores are high, protein contributes no more than 5% of the energy needed. However, when muscle glycogen stores are low, due to inadequate calorie and carbohydrate intake, protein is used for energy rather than for muscle growth and repair and may contribute as much as 10% of the energy needed for exercise. Such use of protein for fuel is expensive and inefficient.

How much protein do I need to eat?
Endurance athletes need up to 50% more protein than sedentary adults. Protein should contribute 12-15% of total calories per day. To figure out the amount for you, multiply your weight in kilograms by 1.3, or multiply your weight in pounds by 0.6 to calculate the number of grams of protein you should consume per day.

Good sources of protein include lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products which contain all of the essential amino acids and thus are complete proteins. Other good protein sources are tofu, nuts and dried beans. As with carbohydrates, food labels tell you how many grams of protein are in a serving. An endurance athlete should consume 3-5 servings per day. One serving of lean meat, fish or poultry is 3 ounces, roughly the size of a deck of playing cards.

In general,

a 4 ounce serving of lean meat, poultry or fish, provides 21 grams of protein.

a 1/2 cup of cooked beans, 1 ounce of cheese, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 4 ounces of tofu or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter each provides 7 grams of protein.

One cup of lowfat milk or yogurt provides 8 grams of protein.

One serving of grain products (preferably whole grain) such as a slice of whole wheat bread provides 3 grams of protein.


What are the consequences of eating a high protein diet?

When an athlete eats more protein than he needs, he either burns it for energy, or stores it as fat. Carbohydrates are a more efficient and less expensive source of energy. In addition, consuming too much protein increases the body's water requirement and may contribute to dehydration, because the kidneys require more water to eliminate the excess nitrogen load of a high protein intake. Also, a high protein, high fat diet after heavy training will cause incomplete replacement of muscle glycogen and impair performance. Such a diet is hard to digest and may lead to feeling sluggish. A high carbohydrate diet, on the other hand, is easy to digest and quickly restores muscle glycogen.

Fat
Exercise does not completely eliminate the health dangers associated with eating a high-fat diet, such as increased risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers.

How much fat can I eat?

Endurance athletes as well as all people should consume less than 30% of total calories from fat and less than 10% from saturated fat. If, as an athlete, you eat 3000 calories per day, less than 1000 of those calories should be from fat. Choose heart health fats such as: olive oil, canola oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, avocado, or flax seed oil.

High-fat foods include chocolate, fried foods, ice cream, bacon, hot dogs, and cookies. Food labels tell you grams of fat and percentage of calories from fat per serving. Choose foods with less than 30% of calories from fat.

Will a high-fat diet impair my performance as an athlete?

Muscle glycogen is preferred over fat for fuel for high intensity exercise of long duration because fat breakdown cannot supply energy fast enough. In addition, fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and thus should be limited in pre-exercise meals.

Healthy Heart Guide

The human heart can be compared to the engine of a car—both are power units that keep bodies moving. Your heart works as a pump that pushes blood to the organs, tissues, and cells of your body. The blood pumped by the heart delivers oxygen and nutrients to every cell and removes the carbon dioxide and waste products made by those cells. But if blood flow to the heart is slowed or stopped or the heart beats irregularly, your life may be in danger. Like your car engine, how you treat your heart will determine how long and how well it will continue to work for you.


Exercise!
Tips for getting fit

"Many people take better care of their cars than their bodies," says Dr. Denton A. Cooley, founder, president-emeritus, and surgeon-in-chief of the Texas Heart Institute. "They are careful to change the oil, have regular tune-ups, and use the proper gasoline. But when it comes to their bodies, they fuel them with high-fat and high-salt meals, they smoke, and they don't exercise routinely. Medical advances can't do away with heart disease. Good health depends largely on people taking positive action."

Heart disease is any disease that affects the heart or blood vessels. Even though there has been an effort to make people aware of causes and prevention, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in America for both men and women. In fact, heart disease kills someone every 34 seconds in the United States—that's nearly 2400 people a day. Heart disease is responsible for more deaths in America than cancer, diabetes, and accidents combined. New tests and treatment methods have reduced the number of deaths from heart disease, but they do not affect the number of people who still get heart disease.

Risk Factors and Lifestyle

Certain factors play an important role in a person's chances of developing heart disease. These are called risk factors. Some risk factors can be controlled or changed while others cannot.

"Although you cannot control risk factors such as gender, age, and genetics, there are many lifestyle risk factors you can change to prevent or postpone heart disease," says Dr. Cooley. "Medical studies show that eating a diet low in fat, salt, and cholesterol; not using any type of tobacco; exercising at least three times a week; maintaining your ideal weight; and decreasing your blood pressure can reduce your risk of heart disease."


Exercise

Exercise—or a lack of it—plays a large role in our health. Research has shown that we need to exercise aerobically (such as brisk walking, jogging, or cycling) at least three times a week for 30 minutes to condition our hearts. Also, medical studies have shown that short bouts of exercise that add up to 30 minutes a day are just as good for you as a continuous 30-minute workout.

"One of the best things we can do for ourselves is to fuel our body with low-fat food and exercise regularly," says Dr. Cooley. "Exercise burns off calories, reduces the appetite, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress levels, and raises HDL (good cholesterol) levels. It also makes us look and feel better. It's almost too simple."


Diet


Focus on Nutrition:
Heart-healthy eating


Making only a few sensible changes in your diet can also help reduce the risk of heart disease. Heart-healthy habits include limiting your salt intake to no more than a teaspoon (6 grams) or 2400 milligrams a day. (If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may suggest that you have even less.)

Your diet should consist primarily of fruits, vegetables, grain products, lean meats, and fish. Try to decrease your level of fat (especially saturated fat) and cholesterol (fatty red meats, whole milk, whole milk cheeses, eggs, cream-based dishes, and rich desserts).

"You can reduce your blood cholesterol level by five to ten percent by eating a heart-healthy diet—eating more dietary fiber and less fat and cholesterol," says Dr. Cooley. "By eating foods high in fiber, people tend to feel full and eat less high-calorie, high-fat, and high-cholesterol foods."


Alcohol

Drinking alcohol also affects your heart. Medical research shows that a moderate amount of alcohol each day protects against heart disease and heart attacks. Experts say that moderate intake is an average of one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. One drink is defined as 1½ fluid ounces (fl oz) of 80-proof spirits (such as bourbon, Scotch, vodka, gin, etc.), 1 fl oz of 100-proof spirits, 4 fl oz of wine, or 12 fl oz of beer. But drinking more than a moderate amount of alcohol can cause heart-related problems such as high blood pressure, stroke, irregular heartbeats, and cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle). And the average drink has between 100 and 200 calories. Calories from alcohol often add fat to the body, which may increase the risk of heart disease. It is not recommended that nondrinkers start using alcohol or that drinkers increase the amount that they drink.

Stress

Stress is another factor that can affect your heart. People with heart disease often say they have heart pain during emotionally stressful situations. Heart attacks are also more likely to happen during times of stress, because when we feel stressed, our hearts race and our blood pressure rises, increasing the heart's need for oxygen. Stress can also injure the arteries because of the extra hormones and the increased blood flow during the stress response. As the arterial walls begin to heal, they thicken, making them prone to plaque buildup, which narrows the artery. Researchers are not saying that stress causes heart disease, but they do believe it can make heart conditions worse.

Being Aware

"Most of us consider ourselves healthy, as long as we are not experiencing symptoms of illness. However, sometimes the first noticeable symptom of heart disease is a heart attack," says Dr. Cooley. "Once you begin to notice symptoms of heart disease, damage has already occurred. Thus, it is important to be aware of the risk factors for heart disease and to take the necessary steps to reduce your risk. Simply by controlling one or more of your risk factors, you can add months and possibly years to your life."



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Dr. Denton A. Cooley founded Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in 1962 for the study and treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. More than 109,000 open heart operations and 230,000 diagnostic cardiac catheterization procedures have been performed at the Institute—experience no other facility can match. The Institute's doctors are also world leaders in nonsurgical treatment methods. The Institute is consistently ranked among the top ten cardiology centers in the United States in U.S. News and World Report's annual guide to "America's Best Hospitals."

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Ingredients:

White Bean Pesto

1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked navy beans, drained

1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

Sandwiches
1 eggplant, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 yellow squash, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 large whole wheat baguette

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tomato, thinly sliced

1 cup baby spinach

Instructions:
For the pesto
ONE: heat oil in a small nonstick pot over medium heat. Add garlic cook until lightly browned.

TWO: Transfer to a food processor, add beans, parsley, rosemary, salt, Tabasco, and lemon juice and puree until smooth and creamy. Set pesto aside.

For the sandwiches
ONE: Steam eggplant, squash, and zucchini until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. (Alternately, vegetables may also be grilled or broiled approximately 2 inches from a flame or heating element for 2 to 3 minutes until tender).

TWO: Spread half of the reserved pesto evenly over length of one side of the baguette. Layer baguette with eggplant, squash, and zucchini, then top with red onions, tomatoes, and spinach. Spread remaining pesto on the other half of the baguette and arrange it over the vegetables to make a sandwich, pressing halves together lightly. Cut into 4 pieces and serve.

Greek Lamb Burgers

Ingredients:

6 ounces drained fat-free feta, crumbled

1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

Instructions
One:In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine feta, olives, onion, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the lamb and with your hands or two forks, lightly bring all the ingredients together, taking care not to overwork the mixture. Form the meat into 6 patties of even thickness.

TWO: Place on a lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, light the grill or preheat the broiler. Cook the burgers for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked to your desired doneness.

Turkey Burger with Roasted Red Pepper and Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Pepper and Avocado Salsa

1 avocado, finely chopped

1/2 pound roasted red peppers, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil

1/4 teaspoon or more finely chopped habanero pepper

Salt to taste

Turkey Burgers

1 pound ground turkey

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dried whole wheat bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated cheese parmesan

2 tablespoons finely chopped basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

ONE: For the salsa, put avocado, red peppers, lime juice, basil, habanero peppers and salt into a bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.

TWO: For the burgers, preheat grill.

THREE: Put turkey, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, basil and pepper into a large bowl and mix together well. Shape turkey mixture into 4 patties, then grill, flipping once, until just cooked through. Serve turkey burgers topped with salsa.

Tangy Cury Tuna Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lowfat yogurt

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon finely chopped dill

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 to 2 tablespoons seedless raisins

1 can Tongol or Albacore Tuna (salted or unsalted), drained

Salt to taste

6 slices whole wheat sandwich bread

6 leaves butter lettuce

Instructions
ONE: Put yogurt, curry powder, green onions, zest, dill, celery, raisins, tuna and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then spread on bread, top with lettuce and serve sandwiches

Apple and Tempeth Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, halved lengthwise, then crosswise to make 4 squares

1 small Fuji, Braeburn or Gala apple, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 cup sugar free apple juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons tamari

1 1/2 teaspoons agavi nectar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Black pepper to taste

4 slices whole wheat sandwich bread

mustard

4 large leaves green leaf lettuce

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange tempeh in an 8-inch-square baking dish in a single layer. Scatter apple slices over the top; set aside.

TWO: In a medium bowl, whisk together juice, oil, vinegar, tamari, agave necter, cumin and pepper, then pour the mixture over the tempeh and apples.

THREE: Bake until most of the liquid is absorbed, tempeh is golden brown around the edges and apples are soft and caramelized, 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside to let tempeh cool slightly.

FOUR: Spread one side of each slice of bread with a bit of honey mustard then top with a piece of lettuce and a piece of tempeh, with the baked apples arranged over the top. Serve.

Grilled Salmon Kabobs

Ingredients:

1 pound wild salmon fillets, cut into chunks

1 zucchini, cut into chunks

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks

1 large red onion, cut into chunks

Sea salt and black pepper

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon (about 2 small sprigs) chopped rosemary leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoon lime juice

Wooden or bamboo skewers, soaked in water 10 minutes



INstructions
ONE: Place salmon, zucchini, bell pepper and onion in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

TWO: Whisk together garlic, rosemary, olive oil and lime juice in a small bowl. Pour mixture over salmon and vegetables, toss and marinate 15 to 30 minutes.

THREE: Preheat the grill or broiler. Skewer the salmon and vegetables, reserving marinade, and grill or broil 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until salmon is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

FOUR: While cooking, boil the marinade in a small saucepan for 5 minutes. Drizzle over skewers and serve.

Grilled Tuna Kabobs

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) package frozen tuna steaks, thawed and cut into chunks*

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 lemons

1 cup peach mango salsa, divided

1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks

2 bell peppers, red or green, cut into chunks

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (1/2 box) couscous, plain or whole wheat*


Instructions
ONE: If using wood or bamboo skewers, put in water to soak.

TWO:Preheat an oiled grill to medium high. Prepare couscous according to package directions for 4 servings.

THREE: Cut one lemon in half and slice into thick half moons. Squeeze the other lemon and combine with oil and 2 tablespoons salsa in a small bowl.

FOUR: Alternate fish, vegetables and lemon slices on soaked skewers. Brush with salsa/lemon mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

FIVE: Place skewers on hot grill and cook 3–5 minutes, basting often with mixture, turning once. Serve kabobs over couscous with remaining salsa for dipping.

Article on Body Composition

This article was in the Scott and White Community Blog.

Stepping on the scale can weigh heavy on your mind. Have you gained weight? Do you weigh enough? How accurate is the scale?
Your bathroom scale may cause you anxiety and grief and perhaps even lead to a poor self-image. But, according to Randall Moore, MD, Psychiatry, it can also give you misleading information regarding your health.
In a critical study involving 1100 middle-aged women of normal weight, 54 percent had excess body fat (more than 30% body fat), notes Dr. Moore. These women met the federal guidelines for weight, yet when their body composition was analyzed, they were clinically overweight.
A scale can be deceiving. It provides total weight, without taking into account fat-to-muscle ratio. For example, an average-height, 145-pound woman with small bones and very little muscle with 30 percent body fat will be considered to be of normal weight. Similarly, an average-height, 245-pound male athlete with 10 percent body fat would be considered overweight.
Dr. Moore asserts, “It’s not the number on the scale. It’s not your weight that counts. It’s your body composition that matters. How much muscle do you have? How much fat do you have? It’s critical to see that it’s not the number on the scale that’s important.”
“If your weight is normal, you’re middle aged and you’re not exercising, you probably have a bad body composition. You probably have excess fat and not enough muscle. Even though you’re of normal weight, your cardiovascular risk is double to quadruple what it would be if you had a healthy body composition—less fat and more muscle. So even though you may be of normal weight, you still have all these vascular disease risk factors that put you at risk,” cautions Dr. Moore.
Health problems associated with a poor body composition include:
High blood pressure
High blood cholesterol
Diabetes
Body composition is your proportion of fat and lean body tissues (muscles, bones, and organs). You’re at greater risk for significant health problems if you have too much fat—particularly if the fat is inside your abdominal cavity.
There are two simple ways to calculate your body composition:
Waist circumference (the distance around your natural waist)
Body mass index (BMI; it’s your weight divided by your height, squared) [see chart]

According to the American Heart Association, a woman’s waist circumference should be under 35, and a man’s under 40 (depending on height). A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9.
Dr. Moore reminds us: “The number on the scale is not a guarantee of good health. Our culture tells people—especially women—that their value is determined by the number on the scale. Women say, ‘I am worth what my weight is.’ That’s just wrong. It would be really nice if women would get away from the notion of valuing themselves by the number on the scale.”

Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey or chicken

1/2 c. finely chopped onion

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 c. oat bran

2 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

TWO: Mix egg and oat bran in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix.

THREE: Use an ice cream scoop to place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes or until golden.

Makes 12-16 meatballs. 6 servings

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:

8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

1 med. white onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 (6-8 oz.) bag baby spinach

3/4 c. low fat ricotta cheese

1/2 c. navy beansor black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 c. low fat mozzerella cheese, shredded

1/4 c. parsley, chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Pinch nutmeg

8 small whole wheat tortillas



Instructions:



ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

TWO: Lightly coat chicken with 1 tsp. oil and season with salt and pepper. Place chicken on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from oven and let cool.

THREE: Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot(but not smoking) add onion and red pepper, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add spinach to pan and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and place mixture in a paper towel lined bowl. Let cool.

FOUR: In a large bowl combine ricotta cheese and beans, mashing beans slightly. Add mozzerella cheese, parsley, lemon juice and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well. When chicken has cooled, dice into 1/2 inch pieces and add to cheese mixture.

FIVE: Working in small batches. squeeze excess moisture from spinach mixture with your hands. Add spinach mixture to chicken and cheese mixture. Mix thoroughly. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

SIX: On a flat surface, lay out tortillas and scoop out 1/3 c. mixture onto center of tortilla. Fold each tortilla in half, pressing gently to flatten filling evenly, until filling is about 1/4 inch from edge. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil and season with salt and pepper.

SEVEN: Place quesadillas on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes or uintil tortillas are well browned and crisp. Let sit for 3 minutes before cutting.

Tuna Melt

Ingredients:



6 oz. can tuna in water

3 Tbsp. celery, diced

3 Tbsp. red onion, diced

2 Tbsp. carrots, diced

2 Tbsp. tomato, diced

2 Tbsp. apple, diced

1/3 c. nonfat Greek yogurt

1½ tsp. white wine vinegar

½ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. parsley flakes

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 whole wheat sandwich thins, or 2 slices of whole wheat bread

2 slices tomato

2 (1 oz.) slices reduced fat Mozzarella cheese



Instructions:



ONE: Stir together first 11 ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined.

TWO: Divide tuna salad equally among both slices of bread. Top each with 1 slice tomato and 1 slice cheese. Broil topped bread halves for 5 – 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 2 servings.

Burn Off Calories

Consider these high-level sports for fat burning during steamy summer months.

Canoeing 256 calories

Walking(about 3.5 mph) 277 calories

Water aerobics 292 calories

Leisurely bicycling 292 calories

Playing Volleyball 292 calories

Golfing(carrying clubs) 329 calories

Playing softball 365 calories

Hiking 438 calories

Water skiing 438 calories

Swimming laps 511 calories

Backpacking 511 calories

Playing singles tennis 584 calories

Jogging(about 5mph) 584 calories

Rollerblading 913 calories

Running(about 8mph) 986 calories



*Calories burned per hour, based on a 160-pound person; adapted from Ainsworth, BE, et al. "Compendium of physical activities: An update of activity cosed andMET intesities." Medicine & Science in Sports & exercise.

Turkey Burger and Sweet Potato Chips

Craving fast food? Try this instead.

Ingredients:

•Non-stick olive oil spray

1 medium sweet potato, sliced thinly (1/8" thick slices)

Sea salt, to taste (optional)

8 oz lean ground turkey

¼ cup salsa, divided

4 slices tomato

2 Romaine lettuce leaves

2 whole-grain, thin burger buns, toasted

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 400°F.

TWO: Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray. Spread sweet potato slices on baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through, stirring once halfway through.

THREE: Meanwhile, lightly spray a large sauté pan with olive oil spray. Mix ground turkey with 2 tablespoons of salsa, divide in half and form each half into a patty. Cook patties over medium-high heat until lightly browned on one side (approximately 4 minutes). Flip burgers over and continue cooking until done, approximately 3 more minutes.

FOUR: On half of each bun, place a lettuce leaf and 2 tomato slices; place burgers on the opposite bun and top with remaining salsa (1 tablespoon each). Place lettuce and tomato side on top of burger and salsa and serve immediately with the sweet potato chips.

Grilled Veggie Tostadas

Ingredients

1 pound tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing tortillas

2 teaspoons chili powder

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into thick strips

2 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

6 (6-inch) whole wheat or low carb tortillas

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced

Lime wedges for garnish

Instructions
ONE: Put tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper and jalapeños into a medium bowl and toss to combine. Cover and chill.

TWO: Preheat grill to medium heat.

THREE: In a large bowl, mix together oil, chili powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic. Add peppers, squash, zucchini, eggplant and onion and toss to coat.

FOUR: Working in batches, grill vegetables, flipping halfway through, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter as done.

FIVE: Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with olive oil and grill, flipping once, until just crisp and lightly charred on both sides, about 3 minutes total.

SIX: Place one tortilla on each of six plates and top with vegetables, salsa and avocados. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

Ingredients

4 (3-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 pound strawberries, diced

2 kiwifruits, peeled and diced

1 cucumber, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

1 pound baby spinach leaves, rinsed but not dried


Method

ONE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place salmon on a baking sheet and sprinkle with lemon zest. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cooked through.

TWO: Meanwhile, place strawberries, kiwi, cucumber, jalapeño, mint and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a medium bowl and toss until combined. Set aside. Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add spinach, with water still clinging to leaves, cover and cook 5 minutes or until wilted, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining lemon juice.

THREE: Divide spinach among plates. Top with salmon and salsa and serve.

Chicken with Peach Salsa

Ingredients

5 ripe peaches, pitted and quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

1 chipotle pepper in adobo plus 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin


Instructions
ONE: Preheat grill.

TWO: Season peaches with salt and pepper, transfer to grill and cook, turning occasionally, until just blackened, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate, set aside to let cool then roughly chop and transfer to a bowl. Add chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, green onions, cilantro, salt and pepper and toss gently to combine. Set salsa aside.

THREE: Toss chicken with oil, cumin, salt and pepper and transfer to grill. Cook, flipping once, until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter, spoon salsa over the top and serve.

Marinated Kabobs

Ingredients:

•1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

•2 tbsp red wine vinegar

•1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice

•½ tsp rosemary

•1 clove minced garlic

•Ground pepper, to taste

•4 oz boneless skinless chicken breast

•1 cup mushrooms

•1 cup cherry tomatoes

•1 cup steamed brown rice

Instructions:


ONE: In a large bowl, mix soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice and seasonings until well blended.

TWO: Chop chicken into chunks, add to bowl and set aside to marinate for a least 1 hour.

THREE: Alternate chicken and vegetables on skewers. Grill for about 25 minutes and serve with steamed rice.

Types of Exercise

There are 3 categories of exercises: cardiovascular, strength-building, and flexibility.

Cardiovascular exercise is also known as aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise uses your large muscles and can be continued for long periods. For example, walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling are aerobic activities. These types of exercises drive your body to use oxygen more efficiently and deliver maximum benefits to your heart, lungs, and circulatory system.

Strength-building and flexibility exercises are known as anaerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise does not have cardiovascular benefits, but it makes your muscles and bones stronger. Strength-building exercises require short, intense effort. Flexibility exercises, which are also anaerobic, tone your muscles through stretching and can prevent muscle and joint problems later in life.

A well-balanced exercise program should include some type of exercise from each category.

Cardiovascular Exercise

A simple definition of cardiovascular exercise is any exercise that raises your heart rate to a level where you can still talk, but you start to sweat a little.

At least 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3 or 4 days a week should be enough to maintain a good fitness level. Any movement is good, even house or yard work. But if your goal is to lose weight, you will need to do some form of cardiovascular exercise for 4 or more days a week for 30 to 45 minutes or longer.

The ideal cardiovascular exercise program starts with a 5- to 10-minute warm-up, which includes gentle movements that will slightly increase your heart rate.

Then, slowly move into 20 or more minutes of a cardiovascular exercise of your choice, such as aerobics, jogging on a treadmill, or walking, to reach what is called your target heart rate. (The chart below can help you find your target heart rate zone.) Your target heart rate is a guideline that can help you measure your fitness level before the start of your program and help you keep track of your progress after you begin an exercise program. Target heart rate also lets you know how hard you are exercising. If you are beginning an exercise program, you should aim for the low end of your target heart rate zone. If you exercise regularly, you may want to work out at the high end of the zone.

To stay within your target heart rate zone, you will need to take your pulse every so often as you exercise. You can find your pulse in 2 places: at the base of your thumb on either hand (called the radial pulse), or at the side of your neck (called the carotid pulse). Put your first 2 fingers over your pulse and count the number of beats within a 10-second period. Multiply this number by 6, and you will have the number of heartbeats in a minute. For example, if you counted your pulse to be 20 during the 10-second pulse count, your heart rate would be 120 beats per minute.

You never want to begin exercising by immediately reaching your target heart rate, because your muscles and circulatory system need to warm up slowly. Intensify your activity slowly during exercise until you reach your target heart rate. There is no need to exceed your target heart rate during exercise.



Target Heart Rates by Age
Heartbeats per Minute (% of maximum heart rate) (See Chart under "Target HHeart Rates"

End your exercise program with a 5- to 10-minute cool down, which will help to lower your heart rate and prevent your muscles from tightening up.

It's important to stay hydrated (drink enough water) while exercising because you must replenish water lost through sweating (your body's natural cooling system). Exercising in hot and humid weather can be especially challenging; see hydration tips to lessen the risk of heat-related illness. Hydration is just as important during the winter months; see cold-weather exercise.


Strength-Building Exercise

People who lift weights or who use any type of equipment that requires weights are doing strength-building exercise. Strength-building exercise makes your muscles and bones stronger and increases your metabolism. Strength exercises also make your muscles larger. Your muscles use calories for energy even when your body is at rest. So, by increasing your muscle mass, you are burning more calories all of the time. If you strength train regularly, you will find that your body looks leaner and you will lose fat.

Strength-building exercises should be performed 2 to 3 times a week for best results. Always warm up your muscles for 5 to 10 minutes before you begin lifting any type of weight or before performing any resistance exercises.

Find a weight that you can comfortably lift for between 8 and 12 repetitions (reps). Reps are the number of times the exercise is performed. When you can easily do 12 to 15 reps of an exercise, it is time to increase the amount of weight you are lifting.

You should choose exercises that work your legs, arms, chest, back, and stomach. Make sure that each movement is performed in a slow, controlled way. Do not jerk the weights or use too much force.

Also, do not hold your breath during the movements. Remember to breathe out as you lift the weight and breathe in as you lower the weight.

Flexibility Exercises

Flexibility exercises are the most neglected part of a fitness program. Having flexibility can improve your posture, reduce your risk of injury, give you more freedom of movement, and release muscle tension and soreness.

Before you start the stretching phase of your program, always do 5 to 10 minutes of warm-up to loosen your muscles. Stretching cold muscles can lead to injury. Some examples of a warm-up are walking around, marching in place, slowly riding an exercise bike, or lightly jogging. If stretching is part of a longer program that includes a cardiovascular workout, always stretch after the cool-down section of your program. You want to make sure that your heart rate has slowed before you begin the stretching phase.

You should try to do stretching exercises for each muscle group. Each stretch should be done slowly and held for at least 10 to 30 seconds.

Do not bounce while you stretch, because bouncing can injure your muscles. Also, do not over stretch a muscle, because it can cause strain or even a tear. Try not to hold your breath while you stretch. Instead, take long, deep breaths throughout your stretching program.

Choosing the right program

Whether you decide to join a health club or to exercise on your own, you will make exercise a regular part of your life if you like doing it. So try to find one or more activities that you like to do or that give you satisfaction. Remember that exercise does not have to feel like a strenuous workout. Your body benefits from any type of movement. So if running or weight lifting are not for you, think about an activity like tai chi or yoga.

If you decide to join a group exercise program like an aerobics class or water-fitness class, here are some tips for choosing a program:

•Choose an instructor whom you like and feel comfortable with. You should be able to ask your instructor about any part of the fitness program.

•Find a program that meets your exercise needs and goals. That sounds simple enough, but a lot of people do not have a clear picture of what they hope to gain from exercise. For example, to help you lose weight, you need to burn calories through aerobic activity. But to build muscle, you will need to work specific muscle groups.

•Choose an instructor who can show you how to exercise safely and properly. Your instructor should be able to tell you what muscle groups each exercise works. The instructor should also show the class the different levels in which each exercise can be done, so each person in your class can modify the activity to meet his or her fitness level.

•Choose an instructor who is certified by a nationally recognized certification program.
If you decide that you would like a personal trainer to help you with your exercise program, here are some tips to help you get started:

•Ask the trainer to give you a list of references. Other clients are one of the best ways to find out if this is the trainer for you.

•Make sure that the trainer has a schedule that works with yours. It is easier to fit exercise into your life if you set aside the same time each day or week for training and for exercise.

•Choose a trainer who is certified by a nationally recognized certification program.
Instructors or personal trainers who are certified by a nationally recognized certification program have special training that helps them meet your needs. To prepare for the certification exam, instructors must learn the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology and know all types of safe and effective exercise. Certified instructors and personal trainers know how to develop an exercise program and can specialize in developing programs for elderly people, pregnant women, and those with disabilities. Certified instructors also know how to perform CPR in an emergency.

Preventing exercise injuries

One of the most important parts of an exercise program is the warm-up, but most people do not take the time to warm up properly.

A warm up increases your body temperature and makes your muscles loose and ready to exercise. Marching in place, walking for a few minutes, doing some jumping jacks, or jogging in place are all ways to get the blood flowing to the muscles and to prepare them for exercise.

These same exercises can and should be done to cool down after you exercise.

Buying good shoes before you begin an exercise program is one of the most important ways to make sure that you do not get hurt. Your shoes not only protect your feet but also give you a cushion for the weight of your whole body. That is why it is so important that your shoes fit properly.

You should go shoe shopping at the end of the day, when your foot is at its largest size. When you try on a shoe, there should be one-half inch between the end of your toe and the end of the shoe, and your foot should not slip or slide around inside.

Your shoes should feel good when you buy them, and they should not need a "breaking-in" period. If you are exercising regularly, you will most likely need to buy new shoes about every 3 to 6 months. Shoes that are used regularly lose the ability to absorb your weight during exercise and may cause injury to your knees and ankles.

If you are new to an exercise program, and you are exercising at a health club or fitness facility, ask for help before you try something new. The staff should be able to show you how to work any exercise equipment that you do not know how to use. Asking for help will stop you from lifting too much weight or from using the wrong posture when you use the machine. This, in turn, leads to fewer injuries.

No matter what exercise you choose, remember to drink enough water before, during, and after to prevent dehydration (see Hydration Tips).


Finally, use your good judgment and stay within your exercise limits. Light exercise performed regularly is always better than one gut-wrenching workout session a week. Your body will tell you if you are pushing it too hard. Pain, dizziness, fainting, a cold sweat, or pale skin are signs to stop. Even professional athletes and coaches will tell you that physical fitness is gained a little at a time.

Remember that exercise is not limited to working out in a health club or jogging around a track. Pushing a lawn mower, putting up storm windows, and vacuuming a rug are all forms of exercise, although they are not cardiovascular exercise. If you do not have a job that requires physical activity, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther away from your office, or taking a brief walk at lunch are all ways to find fitness during your day.

Cherry Lentil Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried green (French) lentils, rinsed and picked through

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups fresh cherries (about 1 pound), pitted and halved

1 cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions
ONE: Combine lentils and 5 cups water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, partially covered, until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

TWO: In a large bowl, combine vinegar, oil, green onions, salt and pepper. Add warm lentils and toss until coated. Let cool to room temperature; refrigerate if not serving immediately. Toss with cherries and basil just before serving. Taste and then add more salt or more vinegar if you like

Lamb Chops With Cherry Salsa

Ingredients

3 cups fresh cherries (3/4 pound), pitted and chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper

2 teaspoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided

8 bone-in lamb loin chops (about 2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

Instructions
ONE: In a medium bowl, combine cherries, green onions, mint, jalapeño, lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

TWO: Prepare a grill for medium heat grilling.

THREE: Season lamb chops with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and rub with lime zest. Grill chops 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Top with salsa and serve.

Zucchini Fries

Ingredients:


Olive oil

4 small zucchinis, cut into 3 x 3/4 in. fries

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. extra virgin oilve oil

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat lightly with olive oil.

TWO: In a large bowl, combine zucchini, salt, pepper and oil. Toss to coat thoroughly.

Three: Arrange zucchini on prepared baking sheet in a single layer and roast, tossing once halfway through cooking, for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Smothered Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2 large Portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed

1/2 c. low-sodium salsa

2 Tbsp. green onions, chopped

1/8 c. low-fat mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place mushrooms, upside down, on a baking sheet and top each with salsa, green onions, and cheese. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 1 serving.

Oatmeal

Ingredients:



1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup skim milk

1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter or almond butter

1 tsp. agave nectar


Instructions:

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn to low and cook for 5 minutes.

Crustless Quiche

Ingredients:

2 c. eggplant, chopped

1 c. zucchini, chopped

1 c. red pepper, chopped

1 c. yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped

1 egg

1 cup egg whites

1 cup skim milk

¾ tsp. ground pepper

½ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ c. fresh basil, torn

¾ c. part skim shredded mozzarella

Olive oil



Instructions:



ONE: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

TWO: Saute eggplant, zucchini, pepper, onion and garlic in oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and fold artichokes into vegetable mixture.

THREE: In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, egg whites, milk, pepper, basil and mozzarella to vegetable mixture. Stir until everything is evenly distributed.

Oil an 8 inch pan and pour in vegetable mixture. Cook for 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 5.

Trace Elements: What They Do And Where You Get Them.

Chromium

Use of sugar in the body

Whole grains, spices, meats, brewer's yeast


Copper

Hemoglobin synthesis and function; production of collagen, elastin, neurotransmitters; melanin formation

Organ meats, shellfish, nuts, fruits

Fluorine
Binding calcium in bones and teeth

Fluoridated water

Iodine
Production of energy (as part of thyroid hormones)

Seafood, iodized salt

Iron
Hemoglobin synthesis and function; enzyme actions in energy production; production of collagen, elastin, neurotransmitters

Organ meats, meat, poultry, fish

Manganese
Functions not entirely understood, but needed for optimal health

Whole grains, nuts

Molybdenum
Functions not entirely understood, but needed for optimal health; detoxification of hazardous substances

Organ meats, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, milk, beans

Selenium
Functions not entirely understood, but necessary for optimal health
Broccoli, cabbage, celery, onions, garlic, whole grains, brewer's yeast, organ meats


Zinc
Immunity and healing, good eyesight, hundreds of enzyme activities
Whole grains, brewer's yeast, fish, meats

Minerals: What They Do And Where Do You Get Them

Calcium

Healthy bones and teeth, nerve conduction, muscle contraction, blood clotting, production of energy, immunity to disease

Dairy products, green leafy vegetables


Chlorine

Maintaining body's fluid and electrolyte balances, digestive juices

Table salt


Magnesium

Every major biologic process, use of glucose in the body, synthesis of nucleic acids and protein, cellular energy

Green leafy vegetables, fish, nuts, beans, whole grains


Phosphorus

Strong bones, all cell functions, cell membranes

Dairy products, fish, meats, poultry, vegetables, eggs


Potassium

Many major biologic processes, muscle contraction, nerve impulses, synthesis of nucleic acids and protein, energy production

Fresh vegetables, fresh fruits


Sodium

Water balance in tissues

Table salt, added to foods by manufacturer




Sulfur

Sulfur-containing amino acids

Onions, garlic, eggs, meat, dairy products

Vitamins... And Where You Get Them

Vitamin A
(and beta-carotene)

Healthy skin, strong teeth and bones in children, maintaining resistance to infection, normal growth, cell structure, normal eyesight

Fish liver oils, liver, dairy products (vitamin A); carrots, dark-green leafy vegetables (beta-carotene)


Vitamin B-1
(thiamine)

Use of carbohydrates in the body, digestion and appetite, normal function of nervous system

Whole grains, brown rice, beans, peas, organ meats, lean pork, seeds/nuts


Vitamin B-2
(riboflavin)

Normal growth, formation of certain enzymes, cellular oxidation, prevention of sores and swelling of mouth and tongue

Dairy products, meats, poultry, fish, green vegetables (broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus, spinach)


Vitamin B-3
(niacin)

Activities of enzymes in the body's use of carbohydrates and fats, detoxification of pollutants and alcohol, nervous and digestive system functions, production of sex hormones, healthy skin

Lean meats, fish, poultry, whole grains


Vitamin B-6
(pyridoxine)

Use of amino acids in the body, making hemoglobin

Meats, whole grains, wheat germ, brewer's yeast


Vitamin B-12

Nervous system functions, normal development of red blood cells, production of genetic material in cells, effective use of carbohydrates and folic acid from foods

Fish, dairy products, organ meats, beef, pork, eggs


Biotin

Activities of enzymes needed to break down fatty acids in carbohydrates, ridding the body of wastes from breakdown of proteins

Nuts, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, organ meats, brewer's yeast


Folic acid

Important metabolic processes in the body, growth, reproduction, production of red blood cells

Green leafy vegetables, oranges, beans, peas, rice, eggs, liver


Pantothenic acid

Production of certain hormones, activities of enzymes in the body's use of fats and carbohydrates, use of vitamins, normal growth, nervous system functions

Organ meats, eggs, whole grains, brewer's yeast


Vitamin C
(ascorbic acid)

Healthy skin, bones, teeth, gums, ligaments, and blood vessels; immunity to disease; wound healing; absorption of iron from the digestive tract

Citrus and other fresh fruits, fresh vegetables


Vitamin D

Strong bones; regulation of the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the digestive tract

Fatty fish, liver, eggs, fortified milk


Vitamin E

Normal brain function, formation of red blood cells, maintaining some enzymes, normal cellular structure, protection against pollutants

Whole grains, vegetable oils, green leafy vegetables, eggs


Vitamin K

Blood clotting

Green leafy vegetables, dairy products

14 Simple Ways to Reduce Saturated Fat

1.Eat more fruits and vegetables.


•Eat more fish and chicken. Substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef. Remove the skin from chicken before cooking.


3.Eat leaner cuts of beef and pork, and trim as much visible fat as possible before cooking.


4.Bake, broil, or grill meats; avoid frying. Avoid breaded meats and vegetables.


5.Use fat-free or reduced-fat milk instead of whole milk. Instead of sour cream, try nonfat plain yogurt or a blend of yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese. Use low-fat cheeses.


6.In recipes, use two egg whites instead of one whole egg.


7.Avoid cream and cheese sauces, or make recipes with low-fat milk and cheese.


8.Instead of chips, snack on pretzels or unbuttered popcorn.


9.Limit hydrogenated fats (shortening, lard) and animal fats (butter, cream) if you can. Use liquid oils, particularly canola, olive, safflower, or sunflower.


10.Read the nutrition labels on all products. Many "fat-free" products are very high in carbohydrates, which can raise your triglyceride levels.


11.Compare the fat content of similar products. Do not be misled by terms like "light" and "lite."


12.When eating in a restaurant, ask that the sauces and dressings be served on the side.


13.Look for hidden fat. For example, refried beans may contain lard, or breakfast cereals may have significant amounts of fat.


14.Try cooking with herbs, spices, lemon juice, etc., instead of butter or margarine.

Understanding Foods

The news is always filled with stories about diet and nutrition. Many of these stories make it hard for people to know what they should and should not be eating. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), there is no single recommended diet. Instead, the AHA has a set of guidelines that take into account that people need a variety of foods to eat and that some people have specific health problems, which could mean eating less of certain foods. If you think that you are not eating a well-balanced diet, if you have health problems, or if you are about to make major changes to your diet, talk to your doctor or a dietitian who can help you decide on a nutrition plan that works for you.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services have revised their guidelines for healthy eating. The new guidelines, called the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, focus on balancing calories with physical activity, and encourage you to eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood. They also urge you to eat less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and refined grains.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel in a balanced diet. The body converts carbohydrates to "glucose," which is a type of sugar. Your body uses some of this glucose right away for energy, and any extra glucose is converted into a sugar called "glycogen." Your body stores glycogen in your liver and muscles for future use. Glycogen can be quickly changed back to glucose as needed. Once your body has made enough glycogen, the leftover glucose is stored as fat.

Sugars and starches are carbohydrates. Sugars are called "simple carbohydrates" or "simple sugars." The most common form of simple sugar is glucose. When glucose molecules link together, they create a number of larger molecules called "complex carbohydrates." Starches and fiber are examples of complex carbohydrates.

Most carbohydrates are in the form of starches, which are found in foods such as grains, potatoes, and other starchy vegetables. Another common source of starch in our diets is refined grains, like white bread and pasta. Starches also may be added to foods to thicken or stabilize them. Added sugars and added starches usually increase the calorie count of foods, but they do not add essential nutrients. Although most people consume an adequate amount of total carbohydrates, many people consume too much added sugar and refined grain and not enough fiber.

Sugars

Sugars, or simple carbohydrates, give the body a quick source of energy, because they can be used right away. Refined and brown sugars, syrups, and honey are examples of sugars. Added sugars are those found in foods like candy and soft drinks, but they add more calories than nutrients to your diet. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you should reduce the number of calories you get from added sugars. Instead, you should try to get your daily supply of sugars from fresh fruits, which will also add vitamins and minerals to your diet.

Starches

Starches are called complex carbohydrates because your body must break them down to use their sugars. Breads, cereals, corn, peas, potatoes, pasta, and rice are examples of complex carbohydrates. Many studies have shown that people who eat a lot of whole grains have a lower risk of coronary artery disease than people who mainly eat high-fat or high-sugar foods do.

Fiber

Fiber is another form of complex carbohydrate. A diet high in fiber has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and help protect against heart disease, cancer, and stomach and bowel problems. Fiber comes in two forms: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber can be found in cereals, whole-grain breads, rice, and many vegetables. Soluble fiber is found in oatmeal, dried beans, peas, and many fruits, including apples, strawberries, and citrus fruits.

The new dietary guidelines recommend eating 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories, or 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men. You should try to eat foods that contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. Both forms are important to your diet. A diet high in soluble fiber may lower your risk of heart disease by decreasing your blood cholesterol. Insoluble fiber helps speed the passage of food through your digestive tract, keeping your body "regular." Eating fiber-rich foods may also help you lose or control your weight because most high-fiber foods provide complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals with little, if any, fat. Also, fiber takes up more space in your stomach and digestive tract than fats and simple sugars do, so you may feel full without eating as many calories.


Proteins

Proteins give your body the building materials for the growth, maintenance, and repair of tissues and muscles. Proteins also help your body make hormones. Extra protein is converted and stored in your body as fat, which can be used as emergency fuel when carbohydrates and fats are not on hand.

There are two main types of protein: animal protein and vegetable protein. Foods rich in animal protein include beef, pork, fish, chicken, eggs, and dairy products. Some foods that contain vegetable protein are broccoli, lentils, potatoes, pasta, oatmeal, rice, nuts, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soybeans, and kidney, lima, and navy beans.

Although animal products are a good source of protein, eating a lot of animal products can raise your cholesterol level since animal products are often high in cholesterol and saturated fat.

The new dietary guidelines suggest that we should eat more protein in the form of seafood. Seafood contributes a range of nutrients, notably the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Studies have shown that eating about 8 ounces of seafood per week is associated with reduced number of heart-related deaths among people with and without heart disease.

Fats

The American Heart Association’s diet allows 30% of your daily calorie intake to come from fat. A Mediterranean-style diet may allow for up to 40% of your daily calorie intake to come from fat, but that extra 10% must come from healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and fish.


Dietary fat is an important part of your daily nutrition, but you only need a small amount to keep your body's chemistry in balance.


Dietary fat comes in 2 basic forms: saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fat is the type of fat that raises your cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease. Main sources of saturated fat are the butter fat in milk products, fat from red meat, and tropical oils such as coconut oil.

Unsaturated fat is better for you. It comes in 2 forms: monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Vegetable oils are the best-known sources of unsaturated fat. Keep in mind, though, that a "100% vegetable oil" product may not live up to its name. Hydrogenation, the process that turns liquid vegetable oil into hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil to make shortening, margarine, and other solids, turns unsaturated fatty acids into saturated fatty acids. In general, you can easily recognize saturated fats because they will be solid at room temperature. Think of butter, stick margarine, shortening, and coconut oil. On the other hand, olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and liquid margarine are liquid at room temperature because they contain mainly unsaturated fat.

Another good way to tell whether a fat is saturated or unsaturated is to look at the label. Food manufacturers are required to list saturated fat separately, so this type of unhealthy fat is easy to spot.

In addition to saturated fat, the hydrogenation process creates another kind of unhealthy fat: trans fatty acids. This type of fat is also listed on food labels. Trans fatty acids are made when unsaturated vegetable oils are hydrogenated. The unsaturated fatty acids that do not become fully saturated may instead become trans fatty acids, which also may contribute to heart disease. Trans fatty acids have been shown to lower levels of "good cholesterol" and raise levels of "bad cholesterol."

In general, you can lower your trans fatty acid intake by avoiding foods that contain ingredients such as margarine, shortening, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Also, you can avoid foods such as french fries, doughnuts, cookies, and crackers, which are often high in trans fatty acids as well as saturated fat. Since trans fatty acids rarely occur naturally, they are mostly found in processed foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oil.

My Plate Replaces the Food Pyramid

We are finally heading in the right direction!

Choose My Plate

The USDA has replaced the Food Pyramid with ChooseMyPlate. The new dinner plate design should make it easier for you to choose healthy foods, because you can match the food amounts on your plate to what the USDA suggests. The new dinner plate symbol is part of a bigger healthy-eating campaign that has 7 key messages:

•Enjoy your food, but eat less of it.

•Avoid oversized portions.

•Make your plate half fruits and vegetables. Any fruit or vegetable or any 100% fruit or vegetable juice fits into this category. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and they can be whole, cut-up, or pureed. Vegetables may be raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, canned, or dried, and they can be whole, cut-up, or mashed(Remember that Fresh or Frozen is best and to limit consumption of fruit juices, as they tend to be high in calories and you do not get the fiber contained in whole fruit).

•Eat whole grains. Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel. Some examples of whole grains are whole wheat flour, oatmeal, and brown rice.

Drink fat-free or low-fat milk.

•Compare the amount of sodium in foods you buy and choose the foods with lower numbers.

•Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

ChooseMyPlate also encourages you to choose lean proteins for the protein portion of your plate and to go with calcium-rich foods for your dairy portion. Daily exercise is also important.

To learn more, visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

BODY SHAPE

Body Shape: Apple or Pear?

Where we store extra fat on our bodies also plays a role in the risk for heart disease. Most men tend to be apple-shaped, meaning fat is stored between the waist and the chest. Women, on the other hand, tend to be pear-shaped, meaning fat is stored on the hips and legs. Those women who develop male-pattern fat storage appear to be at higher risk of heart disease and heart attack.

The waist-to-hip ratio is another tool for determining fat distribution and heart disease risk. To find your waist-to-hip ratio, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. A number above 1 shows an apple shape. A number below 1 shows a pear shape. Remember, a waist-to-hip ratio greater than 1 shows male-pattern fat storage, which has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease.

Hydration Tips

Avoid Heat Exhaustion in Hot and Humid Conditions

Doctors warn of July 4th heat dangers for high-risk people like heart patients, the very young.

When summer arrives, it is important to think about preventing dehydration and heat-related illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 318 Americans die every year of heat-related illnesses. Most of these deaths could be avoided if people better understood the dangers.

Everyone is at risk for heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke if he or she does not stay hydrated, but there are certain people who are at greater risk:

•Those who are active, exercise, or spend a lot of time outside.
•Elderly people.
•People with chronic (long-term) illnesses who are taking certain medicines.
•People who are severely obese.
•Outdoor workers, such as construction workers and landscapers.
•Athletes who train outside in the heat.
•People with low cardiac reserve whose hearts are unable to quickly adjust to the changes the body goes through in extreme heat, such as an increased heart rate. Heart failure patients and children younger than 4 usually have low cardiac reserve. They can become dehydrated very easily, even just by sitting in a house that is too hot or walking outside in hot weather.
How does sweating work, and why is it important?

Up to 60% of the human body is water, and only about 10% of this water is in the bloodstream. A lot of the water in the bloodstream can be lost through sweating. In fact, during intense exercise in hot and humid conditions, we can sweat up to 3 liters, which is almost all of the water in the bloodstream. To replace the water that is lost from the bloodstream, the body takes water from its tissues or uses the fluids that you drink during and after exercise.


In dry weather, sweat evaporates quickly, so only a small amount of sweat is needed to lower body temperature. But in humid conditions, sweat takes longer to evaporate from the skin because the air already contains a lot of water. So, in these humid conditions, the body tries to cool itself by sweating even more. If you do not replenish the water that your body loses, you will become dehydrated.

Normally, the body cools itself by increasing blood flow to the skin. In hot weather, blood flow to the skin may increase by 3 times for healthy people. But for heart failure patients, the heart muscle may be too weak and the blood vessels in the skin may not be able to enlarge enough for heat to be released through the skin. That means that heart failure patients have greater difficulty controlling their body temperature.
Athletes

How much water should I drink during exercise?

Exercising vigorously in hot and humid weather can be challenging and even dangerous. But you can safely exercise in hot weather if you take the proper precautions. One of the most important things to do is to stay hydrated and decrease your exercise intensity on very hot days. Keeping your body hydrated during exercise helps replace the water lost from sweating and prevents fatigue and poor physical performance.

Feeling thirsty is not the best indicator of your body's water needs, because thirst occurs after your body is already dehydrated. Also, your thirst is usually satisfied even before your body's water supply is fully replaced. This means that during workouts, you should drink water even if you do not feel thirsty.


The amount of water your body needs to stay hydrated depends on your body weight, body temperature, and the type of exercise you are doing. If you are dehydrated after an exercise session, it will take time to replenish the body's water. Drink several glasses of water spaced out throughout the day. You are usually well hydrated if you pass a good amount of very light yellow or clear urine a couple of times before going to bed.


For workouts of less than 1-1/2 hours, you should

•Drink about 16 ounces (500 mL) of cool or cold water 1 to 2 hours before you exercise.
•Drink about 16 ounces (500 mL) of cool water or a sports drink 15 minutes before you exercise.
•Drink about 5 ounces (150 mL) of cool water every 10 minutes during exercise.
•Have about 34 ounces (1 L) of cool water on hand per hour.
•Drink about 16 ounces (500 mL) of cool or cold water or a sports drink just after exercise.

Other Pointers and Recommendations

•Wear loose-fitting clothing that will allow air to circulate but protect you from the sun.
•Avoid direct exposure to the sun. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
•Do not take salt tablets. Salt tablets make dehydration worse because they drain the water from your body.
•Drink cool water rather than cold water, because the body absorbs cool water faster.
•Do not drink juices or sodas during exercise, because these drinks contain more than 10% carbohydrates (sugar) and are not absorbed well during exercise. It is okay to drink sports drinks because they usually contain less than 8% carbohydrates, but these can lead to too many calories if you drink too much of them. When it comes to workouts lasting less that 1-1/2 hours, there is no difference between drinking sports drinks and cool water to stay hydrated. Sports drinks do replenish the salt and minerals lost through sweating, although a healthy diet is usually adequate for this.
Heart Failure Patients

Patients with heart failure and certain other chronic medical conditions should not exercise outside in very hot and humid weather. This is because their hearts have less reserve capacity to transport heat from the body, and their hearts can become overworked. Many heart failure patients are also trying to balance the fluid levels in their bodies by taking diuretic medicines that rid patients' bodies of excess water and reduce their ability to sweat. Because heat and humidity also reduce the amount of water in the body, patients taking diuretics may need to have their medicines adjusted in the summer months. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can develop in patients just by their sitting in a house or car that is not air-conditioned or by being outside in the sun for too long on very hot days.

Tips for heart failure patients, elderly people, or chronically ill patients

•Continue your usual exercise habits but move indoors to cool, air-conditioned spaces. For example, try walking laps or climbing stairs in an air-conditioned mall instead of the park.
•Do not stay in a building or house without air conditioning if the power goes out. Stay with a friend or neighbor or cool off in a public building.
•Do not ride or sit in a car that does not have air conditioning.
•Keep a good fan on hand at home.
•Dehydration lowers your body weight, so weigh yourself everyday and write it down. If your weight drops more than 2 or 3 pounds from you usual "dry" weight, call your doctor to see if your medicines need adjusting.
•Be cautious and take frequent cooling breaks if you must be outside.
Heat-related Illnesses

Heat-related illnesses occur when the body is unable to cool itself properly. Sweating is the body's first method of cooling, but, in some cases, that cannot lower the body's temperature enough. Illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke are usually preventable, but many people still die of them every year.


Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion develops in people who are exposed to high temperatures and who do not drink enough fluids. People who are especially at risk for heat exhaustion are the elderly, children, people with high blood pressure, and those who work or exercise in hot environments. During heat exhaustion, the body is able to maintain a normal temperature for a while, but only at the expense of other body functions. If not treated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke. In athletes, heat exhaustion results in sudden decreased performance and exhaustion.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include

•Heavy sweating
•Paleness
•Muscle cramps
•Dry tongue and thirst
•Tiredness
•Weakness
•Dizziness
•Headache
•Nausea or vomiting
•Fainting
People who experience these symptoms or those who have heart problems need to see a doctor immediately. If someone is developing heat exhaustion, you should move him or her out of the sun right away and into a cool place. Remove any extra layers of clothing and give the person water or a sports drink to replenish the body's lost fluids. If the person does not feel better after an hour, seek medical attention.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. It is unlikely that conditioned athletes will develop heat stroke, but young children, elderly people, chronically ill patients, and even pets may easily get heat stroke. Heat stroke is a severe form of hyperthermia (very high body temperature) and requires medical treatment right away. Because the body's cooling system has been overwhelmed by heat and dehydration, the body temperature may rise to 103°F or higher. If a person does not get treatment right away, heat stroke can lead to permanent damage to the body's organs, including the brain. In some cases, people who do not get help right away can die.


Some signs and symptoms of heat stroke include

•Body temperature of 103˚F or higher
•Red, hot, dry skin (no sweating)
•Rapid heartbeat
•Severe headache
•Dizziness
•Nausea
•Confusion
•Fainting
If you think that someone is experiencing heat stroke, call 911 right away. While waiting for an ambulance, try to cool the person by moving him or her out of the sun and into a cool place. Attempt to cool the person by any available method, such as covering them with a wet sheet, applying ice packs, or placing them in a cool tub of water. If possible, offer the person water to drink.

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Apples with Mozzarella Cheese

Ingredients:

2 ounces, thinly sliced Mozzarella cheese

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 24 slices

2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios

2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger


Instructions:
Add cheese onto the end of each apple slice and then arrange on a platter. Sprinkle cheese end with pistachios and ginger; serve. If not serving right away, to avoid browning, toss apples with a splash of lemon juice before assembly.

Strawberry Lassi

Ingredients:

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 cups strawberries

2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar

1 cup ice cubes

1/2 cup fat-free milk or almond milk

Few pinches ground cardamom


Instructions:
Combine yogurt, strawberries and honey in a blender and pulse until strawberries are pureed. Add ice and milk and blend until smooth. Pour into 2 tall glasses and garnish each with cardamom.

Patiotic Dessert

Ingredients:


1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) raw, unsalted almond pieces

2 pitted dates (about 1 1/2 ounces), roughly chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

11 ounces blueberries

1/4 cup roughly chopped mint

INstructions

ONE: Put almonds into a large bowl, cover with water and set aside at room temperature to let soak for 4 hours or overnight.

TWO: Drain well. Transfer to a food processor; add dates, vanilla and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water and purée until smooth.

THREE: In a large serving bowl, toss together strawberries, blueberries and mint. Serve with almond cream.

Healthy Dip

Ingredients

1 cup pitted green olives (about 30), drained and chopped

3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup basil, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile pepper

3 ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), cored, chopped and drained

1/3 cup low-fatsour cream

1 whole wheat pita chips


Instructions
ONE: In a large bowl, stir together olives, parsley, basil, lemon juice, oil, chile pepper and tomatoes. Set aside to let flavors meld for 30 minutes.

TWO: Transfer to a serving bowl. Spoon sour cream into the center and serve with pita chips for dipping.

Minted Quinoa and Zucchini

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa

2 large zucchini, thickly sliced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped mint

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

6 ounces low-fat feta cheese, cut into cubes

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
ONE: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add quinoa and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, rinse in cold water and drain again.

TWO: Meanwhile, arrange a rack about 6 inches from the heating element and preheat broiler.

THREE: Brush zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Broil, flipping halfway through, until tender and deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to let cool and then roughly chop and transfer to a large bowl.

FOUR: Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, quinoa, lemon juice, mint, garlic, feta, olives, tomatoes and black pepper and gently toss to combine. Cover and chill for several hours until flavors blend.