Olive Oil, the Bests

Olive Oil, the Bests

Home chefs know all about the benefits of olive oil. It’s one of the more healthful oils to cook with, which is why I recommend it as a key ingredient to a healthy lifestyle. There are many varieties, from regular to virgin to extra-virgin. The best one really depends on your taste buds and budget. Extra virgin is the most expensive and highest-quality olive oil. To qualify as extra-virgin, the olives must be handpicked at the optimum ripeness, giving the oil a rich flavor. When a bottle is labeled just “olive oil,” it contains some imperfections, lacks some of the rich flavor of extra-virgin and costs less. Virgin olive oil falls somewhere between extra-virgin and plain when it comes to taste and quality. And take caution: Light olive oil is not light in calories, but light in taste and appearance. It’s designed for people who want to use olive oil but don’t like its strong taste. Here’s another reason to love olive oil: Studies have shown it may reduce cancer risk, lower blood sugar levels and improve heart health. Don’t miss out on the benefits of this wonderful cooking ingredient!
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Carbs +Fats, Bad Combination

Carbs +Fats, Bad Combination

Significant amounts of carbohydrates and fats in any one meal is a deadly combination. The pairing leads to a bad scenario: high levels of insulin and fat within the blood simultaneously. Carbohydrate ingestion triggers a release of insulin response, while fat ingestion raises blood lipid (fat) levels. Avoiding this combination will allow you to lose weight more quickly. This translates into increased calorie-burning muscle retention – a very welcomed benefit while dieting. To successfully implement this strategy, eat protein with every meal coupled with either carbs or fat, but not both. For added benefit, nosh on carbs with your morning meals and snacks, and then avoid them in the evening by making the switch to protein-and- fat meals later in the day.
To your body transformation success,Joel Marion

Low V.D Linked to Heart Dysfunction

Low V.D Linked to Heart Dysfunction

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Vitamin D deficiency is associated with heart dysfunction, sudden cardiac death, and death due to heart failure, German researchers report.
An association between vitamin D deficiency and heart trouble is physiologically plausible, the researchers note. For example, vitamin D is known to affect contractility of the heart.
Dr. Stefan Pilz, from the University of Heidelberg, and colleagues assessed vitamin D levels in 3,299 Caucasian patients who were referred for a test used to look for clogged heart arteries called coronary angiography from 1997 to 2000. The subjects were then followed for 7.7 years.
During follow-up, 116 patients died from heart failure and 188 from sudden cardiac death, Pilz and colleagues report.
In analyses taking into factors that might influence the results, they found that severe vitamin D deficiency, compared with optimal vitamin D levels, was associated with nearly a three-fold increased risk of death from heart failure and about a five-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death.
"These data strongly indicate that the maintenance of an optimal vitamin D status may be a promising approach for the prevention and/or therapy of (heart) diseases, warranting confirmation in interventional trials with vitamin D supplementation," the researchers conclude.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism October, 2008.

10 Life-Saving Facts about Antioxidants

10 Life-Saving Facts about Antioxidants

Tuesday, November 25, 2008
No wonder antioxidants are all the rage. These powerhouse nutrients protect against free radicals, the biological bullies linked to heart disease, cancer and aging. But how much is enough? And can you overdose on vitamins A, C, E and other immune-system defenders? Get the answers to these questions and more. Plus, find out how much you know about health food with our quiz…
1. How do I know if I’m getting enough antioxidants?There’s no way to know. Specific dietary recommendations don’t currently exist. Cover the bases by adding antioxidant-rich foods to your diet. Supplement that with vitamins and minerals that meet DRI (Dietary Reference Intakes) recommendations. Make sure to eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies. The antioxidant lycopene turns tomatoes red; anthocyanins make blueberries blue.
2. Can I overdose on antioxidants? Too much of a good thing can be bad, and some scientists believe excessive amounts of antioxidants can overtax the immune system, hurting the body’s ability to repair itself. But, if you’re following the recommended supplements doses, that risk is probably low.
Loading up on a single antioxidant or a select few can cause an imbalance in your system and reduce the potency of other antioxidants.
3. Red wine, berries and pomegranates are good sources of antioxidants. What are some lesser-known sources?The produce section of your favorite supermarket is loaded with antioxidant superstars: broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens and citrus fruits.
Broccoli is a great source of cancer-fighters called isothiocyanates. It’s also rich in quercetin, which supports cancer prevention and healthy blood pressure. (You’ll also find quercetin in red onions, red grapes, tomatoes, capers and citrus fruit.)
Almonds, plant oils, wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybeans are loaded with vitamin E. Lycopene-rich tomatoes, papaya, watermelon, guava, apricots and pink grapefruit support prostate health for men.
Some antioxidants target specific organs. For instance, lutein and zeaxanthin (both found in green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale) are important for healthy eyes; grape seed and skin extracts support circulation.
4. Do antioxidant-rich cosmetics and skin creams really work? Are the benefits better than antioxidants you eat?Skin protection comes from inside and out, so getting your antioxidants from both diet and skin creams is best.
Antioxidants from fruit extracts and other dietary sources can reduce skin damage caused by the sun and environmental pollutants. It works the same way plants produce carotenoids to absorb harmful sun rays before they can damage leaves or other parts of the plant. In humans, dietary antioxidants may play a significant role in protecting new skin.
5. I already eat a ton of fruits, vegetables and supplements. Which ones provide the most antioxidants? Strawberries are the top-ranking antioxidant superstar. They’re high in vitamin C, and promote collagen formation – the key protein for healthy skin – as well as folate, which supports circulation and reduces risk of birth defects.
Another all-star fruit is kiwi, which is loaded with antioxidants vitamin E and carotenoids. It’s also high in fiber, potassium, magnesium, copper and phosphorous.
Broccoli, which is packed with isothiocyanates and quercetin, has vitamins A and C, folate, niacin and potassium as well.
And don’t forget red, black, pinto and kidney beans. They’re rich in B-vitamins (including folate) and iron, and pack a couple grams of fiber per serving.
6. How can I tell if a prepared food contains antioxidants? What should I look for on a nutritional label? Antioxidants aren’t listed on food labels under “Nutrition Facts.” Here are three ways to know if a product is antioxidant-worthy:
- It has fresh, frozen or dried fruits and vegetable ingredients.
- It has real juice. Often, children’s fruit drinks contain more fruit flavors and sweeteners than real fruit juice.
- It’s labeled “whole grain.” These products have higher antioxidant value and more nutrients than refined grain products, such as white bread and rolls.
7. Is it better to get my antioxidants from food sources or nutritional supplements? Food is the best source of antioxidants because they’re in their natural state and often have other nutrients that support their stability and potency. But when availablity, cost and allergies get in the way, supplements can provide what the diet doesn’t.
Onions, for example, are among the best sources of quercetin. But if they disagree with you, you’re missing out on a powerful antioxidant that reduces cancer risk and maintains healthy blood pressure.
Blueberries are another wonderful source of antioxidants, primarily anthocyanin. But they can be expensive, especially out of season.
8. Do alcoholic beverages count as a source of antioxidants? Good news for happy-hour lovers! Alcoholic beverages with antioxidants have long been recognized for their health-promoting properties. Polyphenolics and resveratrol in wine (especially red) lower the risk of heart disease, according to many recent studies. And a pomegranate martini calls for 3 to 6 ounces of pomegranate juice, which can definitely apply to your total daily antioxidant score. So, go ahead, have that wine, pomtini, or beer (especially wheat beers)! They can make a solid contribution to your health and daily antioxidant dose – but only when consumed in limited amounts.
9. Some nutrition bars claim to contain antioxidants. Are they hype or help?Packaged nutrition or meal substitute bars can be a good source of antioxidants – if they contain real fruit pieces, fruit pastes, such as cherry or fig, or include fruit juices.
Those made with real fig pack more antioxidant power than most. But bars containing fortified with vitamins C and E, green tea extract, lycopene or blueberry extract are also high in these nutrients.
10. Which antioxidant-rich products and snacks do you recommend? - 100%-fruit juices. Pure fruit juice such as POM and cranberry juice are antioxidant arsenals. Beware of beverages containing less than 10% fruit juice and those sweetened with sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
- Dried fruits. Despite their wrinkled appearance, dried fruits still pack a huge antioxidant punch, research has found.
- Canned tomato paste and sauces. Tomato products – even ketchup – are rich in lycopene, which may help prevent cancer and heart disease.
- Vegetable juices. Products such as V8 contain several different vegetable juices in one beverage. Besides antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, vegetable cocktails are a good source of fiber, often containing up to two grams per serving.
- Fruit yogurts. Low-calorie yogurts have about 100 calories per 6-ounce serving. The added fruit is usually one of the antioxidant all-stars: blueberries, strawberries, apples or peaches.
Yogurts also contain probiotics, like lactobacillus acidophilus, which support digestive tract health, boost immunity and improve cardiovascular health.
Got a Question? Ask Dr. Wildman.
Plus, meet Dr. Wildman.
Are You A Health Nut?Lentils. Fish. Nuts. You know health food is good for you, but that doesn't necessarily make a bland block of tofu any more appealing. Experts insist that health food is essential to your diet, but do you know why? Test your knowledge on healthy fare – from garlic to green tea – with this health food quiz.

My #1 Supplement

My #1 Supplement
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

Published November 20, 2008

If I could only recommend one supplement on the planet, it’d be fish oil. Packed with “wonder” fats, fish oil can decrease risk of heart disease and cancer, decrease blood pressure, improve liver and kidney function, reduce joint pain, improve vision, improve diabetic conditions, decrease occurrence and intensity of migraine headache, reduce stress, and increase circulating levels of important fat-burning hormones.
Still, you need to be selective when choosing which fish oil product to supplement with. Depending on the product, fish oil can range from 30% to 70% active ingredients (EPA and DHA). The typical stuff you’ll find in your local supermarket is the cheap 30% stuff containing many more impurities and less active ingredients than higher-percentage products. Your best bet is to go with a fish oil product with a purity level of at least 50%, meaning for every 1,000-mg capsule, the product should contain a combined 500 mg of EPA/DHA. For an even higher purity (70%), choose Neptune Health’s pharmaceutical-grade fish oil product, Omega 8060.
To your body transformation success,Joel Marion
To download a free copy of Joel’s 15-page rapid fat-loss report, visit Joelmarioncoaching.com

Don't Forget About Fruit

Don't Forget About Fruit
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert

Are you chomping on fruit on a daily basis? You should! Fruits have many benefits in terms of fiber and phytochemicals. Yes, fruit contains a bit more sugar – and therefore, more calories – than vegetables. But fruit's fiber content helps fill the stomach faster, which will stop you from eating high-calorie foods. To maximize your fat burning, keep your fruit intake to lower-sugar fruits such as apricots and blackberries. While you're not likely to bite into a lemon or lime, these two fruits add great flavor to foods and even plain or sparkling water - and they don't deliver an excess of sugar. Two other delicious and good-for-you fruits are tomatoes and avocados. They often get lumped in with vegetables, but are actually fruits because they grow from a flower and mature with some type of seed inside. Try to eat fruit that’s a rich yellow, orange or red color – they’re packed with antioxidants that fight off free radicals.
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Statin reduces death and heart attack rates

Statin reduces death and heart attack rates
Published November 10, 2008

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - The use of a statin, a commonly prescribed type of cholesterol-lowering drug, dramatically reduced the rates of death, heart attack and stroke in patients with healthy cholesterol levels, but who had high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of arterial inflammation, researchers said on Sunday.
The rates of heart attack, stroke, need for bypass or angioplasty procedures, and cardiovascular death were lowered by a surprising 45 percent over less than 2 years.
The research was funded by AstraZeneca, maker of rosuvastatin (Crestor), the statin used in the study, called JUPITER (Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention.)
"JUPITER should dramatically change prevention guidelines," Dr. James Willerson, director of the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, said in a statement.
"If your high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) is high, you should be on statin therapy regardless of your cholesterol level. This is an approach we can start using tomorrow," Willerson said.
The 17,802-patient study was stopped more than 2 years early by independent safety monitors because the benefit from 20 milligrams of Crestor daily was so pronounced -- 142 heart events with Crestor versus 251 on placebo. For every 25 patients treated, one serious heart event was avoided.
Heart attacks were cut by 54 percent, strokes by 48 percent and the need for angioplasty or bypass was cut by 46 percent compared with a placebo. Study subjects taking Crestor were also 20 percent less likely to die from any cause, a secondary goal of the trial.
The benefits for men, women and minorities alike with healthy cholesterol levels were nearly twice what doctors expect from statins among even patients with high cholesterol.
These were patients who under current guidelines would never be prescribed a statin -- already the world's most widely used prescription drugs -- because they had excellent cholesterol levels.
"Half of all heart attacks and strokes occur in men and women with normal cholesterol," said Dr. Paul Ridker, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, who led the study.
"We've been searching for ways to improve detection of risk in those patients," Ridker said. "We can no longer assume that a patient with low cholesterol is a safe patient," he said in an interview.
Dr. Robert Glynn, the study's statistician, estimated that about 250,000 heart attacks, strokes, angioplasty and bypass procedures or deaths could be avoided in the United States alone if the JUPITER strategy was applied for 5 years.
The incidence of physician-reported diabetes was higher in the Crestor group than in the placebo group -- 245 versus 196 -- a finding researchers said was consistent with other statin studies. But the incidence of cancer and cancer deaths was lower in the Crestor group -- 298 and 35 for Crestor, compared with 314 and 58 on placebo.
Researcher have pointed out that the cancer data from JUPITER could be a chance finding.
Volunteers in the JUPITER trial were middle-aged men and women with elevated hsCRP of greater than 2 milligrams per liter. The average was about 4 mg per liter, while the preferred level is less than 1 mg per liter, Ridker said.
Patients on Crestor had CRP levels drop by an average of 37 percent and LDL came down by 50 percent, researchers said.
It was not immediately clear whether the dramatic benefits were more the result of intensive LDL lowering or the impact on CRP levels. "Getting CRP down on top of LDL lowering appears to have added incremental benefit," Ridker said.

Late Night? Grab A Snack!

Late Night? Grab A Snack!
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
Published November 19, 2008

Although typically shunned by the weight-loss community, a little pre-bedtime snack can yield quite a few benefits when done right. It can’t fall into the typical carb-laden munchie category: potato chips, cookies, etc. Instead, reach for a slow-digesting source of protein, such as chicken, fish or turkey. These low-carb, high-protein choices won’t give rise to insulin (the major reason after-dinner snacks are discouraged), but will help fuel muscle tissue as you retire for the evening. For example, if you finished dinner at 7 p.m. and then ate nothing until you woke up the next morning at 7 a.m., you just went a full 12 hours without feeding your muscles whatsoever. This is a sure recipe for muscle loss, especially when you’re dieting and already restricting calories. Additionally, many proteins are rich in tryptophan – an amino acid that is often used in sleep-promoting supplements as it has been scientifically proven to have a relaxing effect on the mind and body. For less hunger, a faster metabolism and better sleep, grab a protein-rich snack!
To your body transformation success,Joel Marion

Vitamins C, E do not cut heart attack, stroke risk: study

Vitamins C, E do not cut heart attack, stroke risk: study
Published November 10, 2008

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Neither vitamin C nor vitamin E supplements cut the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, in a U.S. study published on Sunday.
A second study failed to show that taking low-dose aspirin helped prevent heart and artery disease among Japanese people with diabetes.
Many people take vitamin supplements to try to ward off chronic disease. In a study aiming to establish whether they prevent heart disease, 14,641 doctors with an average age of 64 took either vitamin C, vitamin E or a placebo for an average of about eight years.
The men who took the vitamins ended up doing no better than those who took a placebo, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Vitamin E and vitamin C are antioxidants, thought to protect against damage caused by free radicals, substances that can harm cells, tissues and organs. Fruits and vegetables are rich in both, and it is well documented that people who eat plenty of plant foods have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and other conditions.
"People should continue to focus on eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and controlling known risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease," Dr. Howard Sesso, one of the researchers, said in a statement.
"Unlike most previous studies in which vitamins E and C were given in combination with other antioxidants, this study investigated the two vitamins individually. Our findings add to the growing consensus about vitamin E and C's lack of cardiovascular protection," Dr. J. Michael Gaziano, one of the researchers, added in a statement.
Separately, a study involving 2,539 Japanese men and women with type 2 diabetes found that taking low doses of aspirin daily did not appear to reduce heart disease, stroke or peripheral arterial disease risk.
Heart attack and stroke are leading causes of death in people with type 2 diabetes, which is closely tied to obesity.
A commentary by an Italian researcher accompanying the study in the Journal questioned whether findings involving a Japanese population with a comparatively low risk of cardiovascular disease can apply to populations in which the disease risk is much higher.
"The use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular events in individuals with diabetes is widely recommended by existing guidelines, but the evidence supporting its efficacy is surprisingly scarce," Dr. Antonio Nicolucci of Consorzio Mario Negri Sud in Italy wrote.

Exercise may improve function in dementia patients

Exercise may improve function in dementia patients
SOURCE: International Journal of Sports Medicine, October 2008.

Published November 07, 2008
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Organized exercise designed to increase strength, flexibility, mobility and coordination may improve overall physical function among nursing home patients with Alzheimer's disease, researchers report.
Alzheimer's disease patients who have physically deteriorated are less able to perform activities of daily life, which, in turn, affects their quality of life. Despite the well-known physical benefits obtained from exercise, Professor Alejandro Lucia and colleagues in Spain found comparatively little research has focused on exercise training among patients with Alzheimer's disease.
To address this, Lucia, of the Universidad Europea De Madrid, and collaborators compared the outcomes of 16 Alzheimer's disease patients who were randomly assigned to receive normal care involving no programmed exercise or to a12-week exercise program as part of their nursing home care.
Each group consisted of five women and three men of similar functional capacity at the start of the study. Participants' average age was 73 years in the normal care group and 76 years in the exercise group, the investigators report in the International Journal of Sports Medicine.
Exercise sessions, held 3 days each week, included 75 minutes of warm-up and cool-down stretching, inside walking, joint mobility activities, elastic exercise-band resistance training, and coordination exercises using foam balls.
Lucia's team reports the exercise group had significant improvements in measures of upper and lower body strength and flexibility; agility and balance; walking abilities; and endurance. Exercise participants also showed greater ability to independently perform activities of daily living such as rising from a chair, transferring from bed to chair, bathing, or dressing.
By contrast, the normal care group showed no changes over the 12-week period.
These findings show that shorter duration exercise programs "are sufficient to induce significant improvements in patients' functional performance and independence," the investigators state. Adherence to the training program was nearly 100 percent, they add.
While more evidence of efficacy is needed from larger study populations, Lucia and colleagues suggest similar programs could be included in the overall nursing home care of Alzheimer's disease patients.
SOURCE: International Journal of Sports Medicine, October 2008.

40 Easy Ways To Eat More Antioxidants

40 Easy Ways To Eat More Antioxidants
Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Want something to fight cancer, prevent heart disease, keep your skin looking young, and head off brain drain? Check out your local farmer’s market or grocery store, where you’ll find fruits, vegetables, even treats, high in disease-fighting antioxidants. Get 40 easy, delicious ways to add more antioxidants to your diet. Plus, are you a health food nut? Take our quiz to find out… How Antioxidants WorkWhat do antioxidants really do? They shield our cells from free radical damage. To understand how these molecules work, think about peeled potatoes and sliced apples. If you leave them on the counter for several minutes, they turn an unappealing shade of brown. That’s because when you cut the apple or potato, you exposed the inner flesh to air, allowing oxygen to react with chemicals found under the skin. Squeeze on some antioxidants – orange or lemon juice – and you won’t have this unappetizing problem. The vitamin C in the juice is an antioxidant, a compound that combats oxidation and prevents cellular damage.It’s the same with your body. Pollution, toxins, smoking and normal metabolism create damaging free radicals – highly reactive molecules ready to pounce on any nearby molecule, including proteins and DNA.
Luckily, antioxidants can protect your DNA and other molecules by stabilizing free radicals before they have a chance to strike.

Eat fruits, vegetables and other antioxidant-rich foods every day, and your body will have more molecules that can react with free radicals. Push the salad bowl away, and you’ll set yourself up for chronic disease and premature signs of aging.Nature has provided us with an abundance of antioxidants. Some are familiar, others not.

Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene (the plant form of vitamin A) and the mineral selenium are the most commonly known. Others, phytochemicals, or plant chemicals, may be less well known but are as important.) Among them:
- Lycopene (found in tomatoes)- Lutein (green leafy vegetables)- Ellagic acid (berries)- Resveratrol (grapes)- Anthocyanins (blueberries and pomegranate) – but they are just as important.

Antioxidant Over-Achievers
Many foods contain antioxidant properties, but a few give you the most disease-fighting bang for your bite. These antioxidant all-stars include: berries, walnuts, pomegranate juice and grape juice, unsweetened baking chocolate, brewed tea and coffee, red wine, artichokes, dried beans, dried cloves, cherries, cabbage, spinach, and many other fruits, vegetables and spices.

You don’t have to munch carrots and raw broccoli from dawn to dusk, but you need to start thinking about fruits and veggies long before dinner to get the recommended daily 4-1/2 cups – equal to nine servings.

That may sound like a lot, but don’t throw in the dishtowel yet. Here are 40 easy ways to boost your antioxidant intake:Start Early
1. A small glass of 100% fruit juice is the perfect energizing start to your day. Vary your juices to balance your nutrient intake. Try the usual orange and grapefruit juice and the not-so-usual pomegranate and blueberry.

2. Top eggs with your favorite store-bought salsa.

3. Add sautéed mushrooms, onions, red and yellow bell peppers, or tomatoes to omelets.

4. Slice peaches, bananas, strawberries, or other fresh fruit onto your cereal.

5. Mix dried cranberries or raisins into your oatmeal.

6. Toss frozen fruit, low-fat yogurt and nutmeg or sweetener in a blender for a quick out-the-door breakfast smoothie.
Punch Up Your Cooking

7. Thread some pineapple, nectarines, bell peppers, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in with your chicken or steak kabobs.

8. Add canned or frozen vegetables to soups.

9. Build your own veggie pizza. Top a plain cheese pie with spinach, fresh herbs such as basil and tarragon, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli or small pineapple cubes.

10. Use spaghetti squash in place of pasta.

11. Add zucchini, green beans or eggplant to your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce.

12. Pack pasta and potato salads with extra veggies. Be colorful and toss in broccoli, red bell peppers, carrots and purple onion.

13. Perk up a dull green salad with nuts, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, pomegranate seeds, apple slices, red beans or jarred artichokes.
14. One to two days a week, wash, chop and separate raw veggies into plastic bags. You’ll have carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, celery, zucchini and more antioxidant-packed foods handy to toss into salads or add to casseroles.

15. Sneak in some extra beans. For example, thicken traditional chili or a favorite soup with a can of mashed white beans. No one will know they’re there.

16. Top nachos with kidney beans.

17. Mix apples, grapes and walnuts in your chicken salad. Try white beans and diced carrots in tuna salad.

18. Add fresh herbs to salads. When using them in hot food, add them toward the end of cooking.

19. Learn to cook with the most antioxidant-rich herbs and spices: ground clove, dried oregano, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, turmeric powder, dried basil, ground mustard seed, curry powder, paprika and chili powder.
Snacks

20. Put individual servings of grapes, cherries or raw veggies into small plastic bags. Keep them at eye level in the refrigerator, not tucked behind the leftover takeout. Grabbing a high-fiber, antioxidant-packed snack should be as easy as grabbing a bag of chips.

21. Mix berries and nuts into nonfat yogurt.

22. Keep an old breath mint tin filled with nuts. Pull it out when you’re stuck in traffic and need an energy boost.

23. Add a variety of dried fruit to trail mix.Out and About

24. In restaurants, start your meal with a vegetable or bean soup or a colorful mixed salad.

25. Swap French fries for a side salad or steamed vegetables.26. Ask for extra veggies on sandwiches.

27. Bring five pieces of fruit to work every Monday for a different snack each day of the week.

28. If you’re unexpectedly out at lunchtime, run by the grocery store instead of the drive-through. Pick up a prepared salad and piece of fruit.
Sip Your Antioxidants

29. Drink brewed black or green tea. Tea is our best source of a class of compounds called catechins, which are potent antioxidants. Green tea contains three times the catechins in black tea. Brew it at home; bottled tea doesn’t offer the same health benefits.

30. Sip on vegetable juice, plain or with some hot sauce for extra kick.

31. Spice up your hot tea with antioxidant-rich ground cloves and cinnamon.

32. Enjoy a glass of red wine. Moderate drinking is linked with reduced rates of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Some scientists credit the antioxidant resveratrol for these positive effects. Moderate drinking means no more than one drink per day for women, two per day for men.

33. Have a mug of brewed coffee as your early morning or midday energizer. Be careful what you put in it, though. Those lattes and mochas can turn coffee into a sugar and fat fest.

34. Choose one of these antioxidant-rich juices: grape, pomegranate, cranberry, pineapple and orange. Or mix and match them for your own unique blend.
Sweet Treats

35. Skewer some fresh berries, grapes and peach slices for a fun dessert.

36. Top ice cream with berries or pomegranate seeds.

37. Freeze fresh grapes for a delicious, all-natural frozen dessert.

38. For a sophisticated dessert that doubles the antioxidants, dip strawberries, pineapple cubes, and sliced apples and bananas into a dark chocolate fondue.

39. Make ice-pops from any 100% fruit juice.

40. Indulge in small amounts of dark chocolate or cocoa without guilt. Like tea, chocolate and cocoa contain catechins.

Research suggests they may help prevent oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, thus improving your risk for cardiovascular disease.Are You a Health Food Nut? Lentils. Fish. Nuts. You know health food is good for you, but that doesn't necessarily make a bland block of tofu any more appealing. Experts insist that health food is essential to your diet, but do you know why? Test your knowledge on healthy fare - from garlic to green tea - with this health food quiz.

Needless Calories

Needless Calories
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

Published November 18, 2008
Have you ever added up the number of calories you drink on a weekly basis in the form of juice, soda, or other sweetened beverages? Probably not. If you did, you may be surprised. In a typical day, a person might drink a 12-ounce glass of orange juice, a couple of cups of coffee sweetened with sugar, a glass of sweetened iced tea, and one soda. That adds up to a whopping 500 calories! And those calories do nothing to increase fullness, curb cravings, or increase dietary satisfaction. Drinking sugar-rich beverages habitually can easily tack on an additional 3,500 calories each week (the equivalent of one pound of fat)! The simple solution: If it has calories, don’t drink it. That includes fruit juice (if you want the vitamin C in a glass of orange juice, eat an orange – the actual fruit contains even more nutrients, more fiber, and much less sugar). Instead, go with calorie-free beverages such as plain water, flavored waters, “diet” teas, or other diet-friendly flavored drinks such as Crystal Light. Save the needless calories, lose the fat!
To your body transformation success,Joel Marion

A Sweet Treat

A Sweet Treat
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP

By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published November 18, 2008

Like most people, I like to eat something sweet once in a while. But I try to stay away from foods that are loaded with energy-depleting sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, such as cake and cookies. Not only does sugar send your energy spiraling down, it's one of the main causes of dangerous belly fat, and it can do a number on your immune system, too. When I’m hankering for a sweet taste, especially just after a meal, I go to my freezer for some ice cream - but not just any ice cream. I recently discovered a new ice cream called Clemmy's. It's delicious, but has no sugar and is made with all-natural ingredients. You're probably thinking: What's ice cream without sugar? Well, Clemmy's uses a natural sweetener called Xylitol. This way you can enjoy a great-tasting scoop of ice cream without the unhealthy effects of sugar (which makes it great for diabetics, too). Find out more about it at clemmysicecream.com.
Your coach,Jorge Cruise
For information on Jorge's newest program to reduce belly fat, visit thebellyfatcure.com.

Fish help prevent diabetic kidney trouble

Fish help prevent diabetic kidney trouble

SOURCE: American Journal of Kidney Diseases, November 2008.
Published November 03, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For adults with diabetes, eating fish twice a week may help prevent kidney disease -- one of the most serious complications of diabetes, according to British researchers.
Dr. Amanda Adler from Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge and associates studied the diets of more than 22,000 middle-aged and older men and women, 517 of whom had diabetes, primarily type 2 disease.
They found that people with diabetes who reported eating fish more than once per week were considerably less likely to have protein in the urine - an early sign of kidney disease.
The condition, known medically as macroalbuminuria, "can herald worse kidney damage and increase the risk even for heart attacks," Adler told Reuters Health.
A little more than 8 percent of those with diabetes had macroalbuminuria versus less than 1 percent of those without diabetes. And 18 percent of diabetics who did not eat fish regularly (less than once per week) had macroalbuminuria compared with just 4 percent of diabetics who ate fish more than once per week.
"This suggests, then, that eating fish may prevent this early sign of kidney problems, which patients with diabetes are more likely to develop," Adler said.
The study appears in the November issue of American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation.
Lead investigator Chee-Tin Christine Lee told Reuters Health: "It is possible that fish oil improves blood lipid profiles and decreases the risk of kidney disease. It could be other components of fish, such as protein or micronutrients, are protective against diabetic kidney disease. However, it is also possible that people who eat fish frequently have other lifestyle factors, which we could not account for."
The study could not answer whether one kind of fish was better than another. "Future studies may be able to test this question," Adler said.
SOURCE: American Journal of Kidney Diseases, November 2008.

Vitamin C plays a very important role

Vitamin C plays very important roles

Vitamin C plays very important role \s in muscle recovery. This essential nutrient helps your body produce collagen, a major structural protein found in connective tissue that holds muscles, bones and other tissues together. But that’s not the only reason you need vitamin C to build healthy muscles. During exercise, as your breathing increases to meet the demands of your workout, the chemical interaction of oxygen with your cell membranes, protein and other cellular components creates unstable substances called free radicals. These highly reactive substances are much like small fires that must be extinguished before they burn, or “oxidize,” neighboring molecules in other cells, creating muscle soreness and stiffness. That’s where vitamin C steps in. As a dietary antioxidant, vitamin C blocks free radical damage in and around your cells. Citrus fruits and dark green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin C, along with most other fruits and vegetables (even iceberg lettuce!) However, to get enough of this powerhouse nutrient I recommend you take a vitamin C supplement every day – ideally, 1,000 milligrams.

Keep Carbs in Your Diet

Keep Carbs in Your Diet
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert

That dirty “c-word”: carbohydrates. Carbs aren’t the villains they’re made out to be. Carbohydrates provide your body with the lighter fluid needed to help burn your stored body fat. And carbs can play a critical role in achieving fat loss. But not just any carbohydrate will help you burn fat. Carbohydrates fall into two categories: whole and refined. You want to consume whole carbohydrates when possible. Whole foods have not been overly processed, refined, or bleached. Whole-grain and whole-wheat bread, oats and brown rice fall into the whole foods category. If you skimp on carbs, your muscles will shrivel up, and you’ll work out with less intensity. Consuming these good carbs will give you the energy you need to tough out your resistance training. Also, eating carbs will help nourish your new beautiful lean muscle tissue.

Your Ticket to Fat Burn: Lean Muscle

Your Ticket to Fat Burn: Lean Muscle
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert

Why is losing lean muscle bad? Because lean muscle burns fat. That’s right, lean muscle controls your resting metabolism, affecting how many calories you burn when you perform sedentary activities, such as resting on the couch, driving your car, sitting at the computer, even when sleeping in your bed. In fact, each pound of muscle burns approximately 50 calories every day just doing nothing. Lose just five pounds of muscle and your metabolism burns 250 calories less a day; in the course of just one year that will equal 26 pounds of new fat. So to maximize your calorie-burn, you should add more lean muscle tissue to your body. Doing just three sessions of moderate strength-training a week can help build at least one additional pound of lean muscle tissue. So what are you waiting for?
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Whey to Weight Loss

Whey to Weight Loss
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published November 11, 2008

Little Miss Muffet must’ve been trying to lose a few pounds when she famously ate her whey. Whey has been around for ages, and as it so happens, whey protein is a weight-loss all-star. Whey is the best supplemental form of protein to maximize your retention of fat-burning lean muscle tissue. It also has the highest bio-absorption levels. This means your body’s muscles will stay more structurally supported and your metabolism revved. But the advantages of whey don’t stop there. You’ll also benefit from a strengthened immune system, increased satiety and reduced cortisol levels (a stress hormone). Whey protein should not take the place of regular meals, but it can be consumed as a snack up to two to three times a day. I love a scoop of chocolate whey protein powder blended in water with ice as a delicious 100-calorie snack drink.
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Stay Slim in Your Own Kitchen

Stay Slim in Your Own Kitchen

You may enjoy treating yourself to the occasional dinner out or grabbing takeout when you find yourself too tired to do anything, but the healthiest option for a dieter is to cook meals at home. Preparing your own food allows you to control the portion sizes and ingredients, so there are no unpleasant surprises, such as butter in your broccoli, animal lard in your beans, or extra salt in your soup. Cooking at home gives you access to all the tools that can help make your meal diet-friendly. You can use measuring cups and spoons to ensure that you use the correct amount of oil and butter - two ingredients that are often used in excess at restaurants. At-home food preparation can save you money, too. A typical strawberry smoothie at your local juice bar can set you back $5, but you can make your own healthy version at home with ingredients that total less than $1. Kitchen scissors are another good tool to have. Many restaurants serve fatty cuts of meat, but if you're the chef you can easily snip off the extra fat and remove the skin before baking. Cut the fat and rely on spices like pepper and garlic to add flavor. Many restaurant meals are rich in meats and starches but low in veggies, so make sure you get your five-a-day by cooking veggies at home. And if you typically let your carrots or tomatoes rot because cutting them up seems too daunting, invest in a vegetable chopper. It’s OK to eat out every once in a while, but most of the time try to make your own healthy meals at home. Your new healthy habit will likely whittle your waistline as well!

Power Walk Yourself Slim

Power Walk Yourself Slim
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert

It’s a good idea to give your muscles a rest from intensive strength-training. During those days of rest, I recommend that you rev yourself up with a cardio-training power walk. I power walk on a treadmill each morning. What are the benefits of power walking? Well, walking briskly for just 20 minutes will burn 150 to 200 calories. And it’s perfect for boosting energy and getting an endorphin high. Plus it’s a low-impact exercise, so you won’t stress your joints. Shoot for an intensity level of about 7 to 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. The key to achieving this intensity is adding an incline to your walk. If you can, find an area in your neighborhood or at a nearby park that has some nice hills to walk. Power walk on your lunch break, or take mini power walks whenever you can throughout the work day. It can be as easy as treading to a coworker’s office rather than calling her on the phone. Power walking is a dynamic aerobic exercise that you’re already familiar with, so give it a try!
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Can Wine Make You Fat?

Can Wine Make You Fat?
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
Published November 07, 2008

A glass of wine here and there isn’t bad. In fact, it may protect against heart disease. But it’s the two, three or more glasses that may be doing a number on your waistline and your health. A typical drink — 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of light beer or a shot of 80-proof liquor — contains about 110 calories. Two to three drinks a day adds up to nearly 2,000 extra calories per week. But more important than calorie content is alcohol’s effect on the body’s hormones. Alcohol consumption triggers the release of cortisol, a stress-related hormone that heavily contributes to abdominal fat storage and muscle loss. It decreases insulin sensitivity, leading to increased fat storage and decreased fat burning. It’s also associated with lower leptin levels, a hormone fundamental to metabolism, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. And lastly, even moderate alcohol consumption raises estrogen levels, which may increase your breast cancer risk. Bottom line: If you regularly enjoy alcoholic beverages, you may want to consider its effects on your waistline and your health.
To your body transformation success,Joel Marion

The Many Health Benefits of Pomegranates

The Many Health Benefits of Pomegranates
5 Reasons to Try This Antioxidant All-Star
By Jill Weisenberger, MS, RD, CDE

As you peruse the grocery store aisles, it’s easy to bypass that pile of red, leathery, baseball-sized fruit. Pomegranates are an odd-looking “super food” to be sure, but crack one open and you’ll find a delicious source of antioxidants and nutrients. With disease-fighting properties, pomegranates are becoming popular in both whole and juice form. Here are 5 reasons to pick up a pomegranate, plus two delicious recipes to get you started…The pomegranate, known as the royal fruit because of the crown on top, is bursting not just with a delicious sweet-tart juice, but also with antioxidants and disease-fighting phytochemicals. A staple of the Middle Eastern diet, the pomegranate has a rich history in literature, mythology and religion. It’s spoken of by Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and is mentioned more than two dozen times in the Bible. And now, pomegranates are growing in popularity in the U.S. While there are many varieties of the fruit, most pomegranates in this country are of the California Wonderful variety. Known for its size, large seeds and sweetness, California Wonderfuls have been found to be especially rich in antioxidants.While we’re loving the taste, scientists are studying the pomegranate’s potential role in fighting heart disease, cancer and other ails. Here are five fabulous reasons to eat a pomegranate today:

Don't Cool It on the Cool-down

Don't Cool It on the Cool-down
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published November 06, 2008

Many people ask me whether they can skip their cool-down. They tell me that stretching won’t help them create leaner hips and thighs, so why bother? Well, that’s simply not true. Stretching helps you accomplish your goal in a number of ways. Most important, stretching helps increase flexibility, which in turn helps your muscles grow stronger. Yes, it’s true! Researchers have found that flexible muscles tend to be stronger and more aerobic than tight muscles. Also, stretching will help to lengthen your muscles, creating a long, lean appearance. Finally, it helps to bring circulation to your muscles, allowing them to quickly recover from your weekly strength-training sessions. This circulation is also important in preventing cellulite. So keep stretching!

Grin for Inner Peace

Grin for Inner Peace
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP

By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published November 05, 2008

Today I want to share with you a simple trick that will help change your mood for the better and jump-start your motivation. The key is to change your brain’s chemistry by naturally increasing the levels of a special neuron-transmitter called serotonin. Research has demonstrated that higher amounts of serotonin in our brains make us feel better, while lower amounts make us feel depressed and scattered. The key to maximizing serotonin is not found in Prozac or St. John’s wort. It’s in a smile. You can literally increase the amount of serotonin in your brain by changing your facial expression. By smiling, you change the flow of blood to your brain and provide an internal environment ideal for producing serotonin. So if you want to immediately feel better, just smile. Even better, smile while you get busy performing your weekly core exercises! Do your strength-training sessions two to three times a week on non-consecutive days, and remember to focus on different muscle groups with each session.
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Grapes helped lower blood pressure and improve heart function

Grapes helped lower blood pressure and improve heart function

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Grapes helped lower blood pressure and improve heart function in lab rats fed an otherwise salty diet, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.
The findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, may help people with high blood pressure, they said.
"These findings support our theory that something within the grapes themselves has a direct impact on cardiovascular risk, beyond the simple blood pressure-lowering impact that we already know can come from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables," Mitchell Seymour of the Cardioprotection Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan said in a statement.
In a study sponsored in part by California grape producers, Seymour and colleagues examined the effects of ordinary grapes on rats that develop high blood pressure when fed a salty diet.
Some of the rats ate a diet containing a powder from red, green and purple table grapes and a high-salt diet. Others were fed the grape powder and a low-salt diet. The powder, which contained the same nutrients in fresh grapes, allowed the scientists to measure the rats' intake carefully.
After 18 weeks, the rats that ate the grape-enriched diet had lower blood pressure, better heart function, reduced inflammation throughout their bodies, and fewer signs of heart muscle damage than rats that ate a salty diet but no grapes.
"The inevitable downhill sequence to hypertension and heart failure was changed by the addition of grape powder to a high-salt diet," Dr. Steven Bolling of the University of Michigan, who heads up the lab, said in a statement.
Bolling said he thinks flavonoids, beneficial chemicals found in grapes, green tea, cocoa and tomatoes, could be having an effect on blood pressure. Flavonoids have been shown in other studies to have heart-health benefits.
Food producers are keen to show the health benefits of their products. Studies sponsored by chocolate makers, almond and walnut producers have shown various heart benefits, including reducing inflammation in blood vessels and lowering the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Grape powder comprised about three percent of the rats' diet. For humans, that would be about nine servings of grapes a day. One serving is about 15 grapes.
The California Table Grape Commission provided financial support for the study and supplied the grape powder. Other sponsors included the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.