Making healthy food choices
What is the Mediterranean diet? Well, it is one typically rich in pasta, bread, fruit, and vegetables, (high in fiber and low in trans fats) with moderate amounts of poultry and fish, using liberal amounts of virgin olive oil and a moderate amount of alcohol (specifically red wine). The Mediterranean diet is reputed to be among the healthiest in the world. Multiple research studies have shown that Mediterraneans suffer less heart disease than people from northern Europe.
Nutrition experts believe that the typical Mediterranean diet reduces ‘bad’ or saturated fat and increasing the level of natural antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, significantly reducing the risk of heart attack. A landmark research study (prospective, cohort) showed a startlingly positive, strong correlation between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and a decreased risk of developing diabetes.
This study involved over 13,000 graduates from the University of Navarra, Spain (with no history of diabetes), whose dietary habits and health were tracked over 8 years. Initially, participants completed a food frequency questionnaire designed to measure the entire diet, including questions on the use of fats and oils, cooking methods and dietary supplements.
Every two years participants were sent follow-up questionnaires on diet, lifestyle, risk factors, and medical conditions. During the follow-up period the researchers from the University of Navarra found that participants who stuck closely to the diet had a lower risk of diabetes. A high adherence to the diet was associated with an 83% relative reduction in the risk of developing diabetes.
Adherence measures how closely the participant followed the Mediterranean diet guidelines using a numerical scale. On a ten-point scale (0-2 for low, 3-6 for medium and 7-9 for high Mediterranean diet adherence) researchers discovered that each 2 point increase on the adherence scale had a corresponding 35% reduction in diabetes risk! Benefits from consuming a diet rich in plant foods (including fat) and low in processed foods? Who would’ve thought?
You might be surprised to learn just how effective body-weight exercises can be for muscle endurance and toning. Push-ups are in the ‘push and pull’ force category. Push-ups are excellent overall upper body toners, that require no external resistance. Body-weight exercises, such as push-ups are ‘functional’ exercises, or those that train your body to handle real-life situations.
There are dozens of variations to the traditional wide-grip push-up. These push-up variations emphasize different muscle groups (target, synergists and stabilizer muscles); from your chest to your back to your shoulders to your upper arms. You can even do push-up drills (walk out push-up to a plyometric jump) which elevate your heart-rate and engage lower body muscles to burn more calories.
Modify push-ups to make them more appropriate for a beginner (on your knees) or an advanced exercisers (push-ups on toes, decline push-ups). The push-up we are all familiar with is the military-style, wide-grip push-up (on toes or on knees).
The ‘diamond’ or ‘close-grip’ push-up targets the triceps muscles more than any other push-up variation. For this push-up, instead of placing your hands shoulder or chest-width apart, place them together below your sternum, forming the shape of a diamond or triangle (hands may be touching at the index fingers and thumbs or slightly farther apart). As you push-down, toward the floor, your elbows should splay outward, slightly toward your lower body. Push-up to return to the beginning position, repeat. This one is tough, start on your knees and advance to your toes.
Adding a new dimension to a traditional push-up, such as controlled instability, offers multiple benefits. Performing push-ups on a stability ball (under your shins for a decline push-up or under your upper body in place of the ‘floor’ for an incline push-up) recruits additional muscle fibers, particularly core and stabilizer muscles, throughout the movement. Adding balance to this functional exercise also increases muscle fiber activation because you have to control the movement without the help of an exercise machine. Some experts consider the push-up to be more effective for muscular development than the chest press.
Dedicated athletes looking for an edge in their field of competition need an exercise regimen based on four critical areas of training. These four areas increase speed, size, and power in any athlete. They include (1) flexibility (2) core strength (3) explosive movements, and (4) the strengthening of the posterior kinetic chain. When combined with an upper body strength routine one can almost guarantee improvement on the court, the field or the ice. In this piece, we’ll focus on the flexibility component of athletic training and conditioning.
Increasing an athlete’s flexibility (as well as warming up prior to workouts) helps to decrease risk of injury. If an athlete lacks flexibility he/she is unable to enjoy a full range of muscular motion. Think about a new rubber band. It stretches only to a point before snapping. By ‘working’ it, repetitively, it stretches further and further without snapping. Much like your muscles. Not being able to perform an exercise completely, through a full range of motion, makes the exercise or movement incomplete or stilted. That lack of flexibility, in combination with other factors such as inadequate recovery periods, unbalanced training and/or using poor form all inhibit muscular development.
More often than not, flexibility in athletics is incorrectly incorporated into an exercise routine. It’s dangerous to stretch cold muscles. Performing a ‘dynamic’ warm up before a workout, event or game instead of static stretching is the best option. A dynamic warm-up may include movements such as walking lunges, knee raises, butt kicks, arm circles and squats. You don’t need equipment – use your own body-weight only.
Passive stretching involves using an external force to push a joint beyond its active range of motion. Performing a standing calf stretch against a wall or using a partner to push you into a deeper stretch are examples of passive stretching. Instead of passive stretches, engage in ‘active’ stretching exercises. Active stretching uses your own muscular strength and effort to hold a position. Active (isolated) stretching is safe and effective as you eliminate external forces. You use your own muscle strength to achieve the desired range of motion. As the one muscle contracts the target muscle (opposite the contracting muscle – the one you want to stretch) relaxes and lengthens.
An example of an ‘active’ stretch for the chest is extending your arms out to the sides and retracting your shoulder blades. To actively stretch the hamstrings, extend your leg straight in front of you and relax it by contracting the quadriceps. When you contract your quadriceps, your brain sends a signal to your hamstrings to ‘relax.’ This allows you to achieve a deeper stretch without force.
Now that we’ve covered flexibility, we’ll move on to the second major component in athletic training and conditioning: core strength.
The mango is a large fruit that grows on trees in sub-tropical and tropical climates. Originating in Southeast Asia, where it has been cultivated for 4,000 years. Mango trees are actually evergreens that will grow up to 60 feet tall but fruit an average of 5 years after planting. Mango trees yield the best crops during hot, dry periods. The U.S. imports most of its mangos from Mexico, Haiti, the Caribbean and South America but grows them in Florida as well. You’ll find mangos in the produce section of your grocery store. Choose mangos that are slightly firm, blemish-free with a sweet aroma and no sap on the skin. After storing at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, store cut up, peeled mango in the refrigerator.
You may not know that: there are over 1,000 different varieties of mango worldwide and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mangos are the most widely consumed fruit in the world!! Depending upon the time of year, you can usually find one of six mango tropical fruit varieties available for purchase in the U.S. They are ‘in-season’ in spring. The most widely available commercial variety in the U.S. is the ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango which is available from March – July and October – January. In June look for other varieties, including the Ataulfo, Haden, Francis and Kent mangos.
Mangos, like another tropical fruit, the papaya, contains unique enzymes that aid in proper digestion. The enzymes in unripe (green) and ripe mangos are very good tenderizing agents. Mangos are an excellent ingredient addition to any meat marinade recipe. In fact, in India, a sour powder which contains ground up green mango, is used for seasoning and tenderizing.
One cup of sliced, raw mango (without skin) offers 107 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 24 g sugars, 3 g dietary fiber and 3 mg sodium. Mangos have a very distinctive, sweet flavor and a yellow-orange flesh. It is an excellent source of vitamin C. One cup of slice, raw mango provides 45.7 mg vitamin C, meeting 3/4 of the average daily requirement for this nutrient. This fruit is also an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), meeting 25% of the recommended daily value. Vitamins A and C act as antioxidants, protecting your body’s cells from free radical damage and giving your immune system a boost. Mangos are a good source of the trace mineral copper, which, along with vitamin C, is needed to form collagen and, along with iron, form hemoglobin to transport oxygen throughout the body.
Eat mango fresh or peel, cut and freeze it (or purchase it in frozen chunks) to use in smoothies. Because they are so sweet, they work well in any smoothie, especially green smoothie recipes to off-set the bitterness of leafy greens. If you’ve got a high-powered blender, try this green smoothie recipe (no measurements, a ‘handful’ works but use your judgement and taste buds for portions): layer, in order: green grapes and/or watermelon; fresh baby spinach, one carrot, 1/4 apple, 1/4 to 1/2 avocado, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, a handful of frozen pineapple chunks and mango chunks and a splash of coconut milk, soy milk or regular skim milk (may or may not wish to add a squeeze of honey). Blend well and enjoy!
Mangos pair well with poultry and work in marinades, on salads, in fish tacos, chutney, salsa and on skewers with pork or shrimp for fun dinners. Try this mango coconut rice recipe. You can even use mangos to prepare fun, tasty alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks or sweet and savory salsa and chutney. If you love mango juice, don’t buy it bottled but make it fresh to reap greater health benefits and better flavor. That way, you can control the sugar content – remember, you don’t need much as mangos are so sweet.
Everyone, including athletes, should consume a well-balanced diet and a runners diet is no exception. Important dietary factors tied to running performance include how much (quantity), meal timing and specific food selection. Regardless of whether a run in short or long, an adequate intake of carbohydrates is essential for providing energy (the body’s preferred source of energy). However, protein plays an important role in a runners diet since it is needed to build muscle tissue. Many protein-rich foods contain nutrients which enhance muscular function – essential for any runners diet.
A serious and motivated runner should never underestimate the importance of meal structure and timing when planning his menu. Calories will vary. Carbohydrates are a key player in a runners diet but are hardly the only player. In general, a runners diet should be composed of, on average, 60% of calories from carbohydrate, between 15 and 20% from protein (up to 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass or 1/2 gram per pound of total weight), and 20 to 25% fat, primarily foods that offer ‘heart-healthy’ unsaturated fats such as fish, nuts and seeds, vegetable oils and other plant foods. A runner should fuel herself often, eating at least 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks daily. A runners diet should also include a light meal 30 to 60 minutes before a run (on average 200 calories) and a heartier meal within 60 minutes post-run (moderate protein content [at least 15 grams] to repair and re-build muscle tissue).
Protein, vitamin D and the major minerals potassium and calcium (all found in dairy products) work together to maintain proper muscle function. Vitamin D binds to muscle tissue receptors to promote growth and strength. Another major mineral, magnesium aids in muscle function (contraction and relaxation) while manganese, a trace mineral, works as a ‘helper’ for certain antioxidant enzymes that assist in repairing damaged muscle tissues. Iron and zinc, two trace minerals, are also important in a runner’s diet. Iron helps transport oxygen to muscle tissues and zinc is important for muscle metabolism. Foods rich in these nutrients include lean meats and fish, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy green vegetables.
The optimal runners diet begins with a nutritious pre-run breakfast composed of mostly carbohydrate, some protein and little fat. One suggestion includes 1/2 of a whole-grain English muffin (toasted) topped with 1 TB peanut butter, 1/2 banana and 6-oz. Greek-style yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon of honey and at least 12 oz of water. This mix of foods and nutrients fuels a run better than a meal composed of only carbohydrate (toast, fruit and juice).
A runners diet should include be a heavier, ‘recovery’ meal (within 60 minutes of workout completion). A chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato and 1/4 sliced avocado, 8 oz low-fat chocolate milk and fruit is one suggestion. Pasta is a good post-run meal as well. Just choose whole-grain and limit it to about 2/3 cup, cooked and topped with 2 tsp. olive oil. Pair it with 4 oz grilled fish and lots of non-starchy veggies that are high in absorbable calcium, such as broccoli and bok choy.
All athletes ask about protein supplements and protein powder. You can choose one a part of a healthy runners diet but avoid the low carbohydrate, ultra-high protein powders and look for a whey-based formula. A runners diet wouldn’t be complete without discussing hydration. Drink plenty of plain water and sports drinks as needed for long runs.
