Ever heard of Jackfruit? Don’t worry. You are not alone. Unless you live south of the equator or in a climate that supports jungles, the chances are good that you might wonder if it is even a fruit. With a lizard-like, scaly skin, and the smell of a sweaty boy’s gym locker after the big game, this tropical fruit is about the same size as a large watermelon, and it looks more like an alien baby than something that is actually edible.However, according … [Read more...]
Food for Athletic Performance Before, During, and After
Athletes are always searching for ways to improve performance. Most athletic dietary goals are focused on preventing and controlling inflammation, reducing impact on joints, countering oxidative damage, and increasing energy. With so many supplements and drinks on the market, it makes you wonder if there are actually natural ways to increase physical performance and recovery? Hydration Before exercising most of us know that hydration is very important. When … [Read more...]
Nutrients to Aid Back Pain
The back is one of the most common health problems in the Unites States. The doctors who author the annual text Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment say that 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their life, and this problem ranks second among reasons to visit a doctor (Bauman, 2012). This means many of us are suffering or will suffer from back pain within our lives. In 1997 it was reported that the average expense for those who … [Read more...]
High Protein Snacks – For Home Or On The Go
Having trouble finding a healthy snack that will be good to your tastebuds and your muscles? We've piled up some ideas including quick on the go snacks and recipe ideas as well to make during your meal prepping days! Foods high in protein help your body repair fatigued muscles in able for them to grow. Not getting enough protein in your diet may cause your muscles to be more sore and exhausted after workouts. With adequate and quality protein foods, your muscles … [Read more...]
The Skinny on Essential Nutrients
Nutrient information is foundational for anyone interested in (healthy) weight maintenance, gain, or loss. No one can out train a poor diet, not even Lance Armstrong … ok, maybe Lance! Genetics play a huge role but after that, nutrition takes a close second in determining how a body responds to any given weight loss plan. The general consensus among armatures and experts is that a weight/fat loss plan needs a consistent and complementary resistance training … [Read more...]
4 Ways to End New Year’s Fad Diets Forever
There's Weight Watchers, Paleo Diet, Jenny Craig, Mediterranean Diet ... so which one do you choose? As most of us know these diets work for just a short time, they are temporary, and these fad diets can potentially negatively affect your metabolism. But there's good news! Balancing your caloric intake and proportions of macronutrients and micronutrients means you can kiss fad diets goodbye! Being healthy and fit doesn't have to be hard and intimidating. A … [Read more...]
Benefits of Drinking Water
How Much Water Should You be Drinking? You’ve probably been told, “Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.” This advice isn’t necessarily true. The recommended amount can vary depending on your age, gender, and whether or not you’re pregnant. A Dietary Reference Intake Report stated that men ages 19 and up should be consuming around 13 cups a day and women ages 19 and up about 9 cups a day. Here are the Benefits of Drinking Water To encourage you to get … [Read more...]
Nutrition 101 – Protein
Regardless of whether you are a bonafide meat eater or vegan, we all need to include protein in our diet. This is because protein plays an essential role in the proper functioning of the body as they are the building blocks for life. Protein makes up about 16 percent of the human body and is part of every single cell in the human body (i.e., brain cells, muscle, skin, hair and nails). So, as you can see, protein is an essential part of a healthy and nutritious diet. … [Read more...]
Nutrition 101 – The Basics
For some reason proper nutrition and eating a well-balanced diet seems to elude many of us. If we were all able to complete this simple task, the health of the western world would be in a much better position than it currently is, and the national health bill would be much less. All these lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and some allergies and cancers could be avoided if we just ate a balanced, … [Read more...]
Ask the Expert – Exercise and Nutrition (Part Two)
In "Ask the Expert - Exercise and Nutrition (Part One)" we got a chance to catch up with fitness and nutrition expert, Kris Abbey, to find out her take on some common questions regarding exercise and nutrition. Here is the continuation of that discussion. 6. Should active individuals consider added supplements to their current food intake? I’m a fan of supplementation. If you can’t get what you need through diet alone, than taking a supplement is a good … [Read more...]