Caffeine makes us smarter?!

Mmmmm Coffee, yes I drink it every day pretty much also tea. But anything this good must be bad, right?

 

         That's the seems to be the attitude when it comes to caffeine, isn't it? We crave it. We guzzle it. Drinking coffee and tea makes us feel good — better able to handle an overbearing boss or an unruly pack of toddlers. But then... we feel guilty about it, suspecting that sooner or later, it's going to do us in.... Dun Dun Dun!..

 

     In reality, it's not the guilty pleasure everyone makes it out to be — in fact, caffeine side effects can do you good. So feel free to grab a tall breakfast blend while we set the record straight.

True or False

Long-term caffeine consumption is just plain bad for me.

False. That myth exists in part because smokers, who metabolize caffeine twice as fast as nonsmokers, drink more coffee drinks.  But nicotine, not caffeine, is the culprit. As long as you don't have high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, or anxiety, drinking caffeinated beverages for years is no problem.

Caffeine improves my game.

True. In terms of performance during your cardio workout, caffeine could be the difference between first place and last.  Without caffeine, not only are you a little slower mentally, you're lagging physically. Caffeine stimulates you to exercise 10 to 15 percent longer, because it keeps you from getting as tired. It's also a mild analgesic, so you can work out longer before you start to feel sore.
 
Caffeine alters my body chemistry.

True. Caffeine is a natural stimulant, and 250 milligrams of it — about the amount in two cups of strong coffee — will triple the amount of adrenaline in your bloodstream, increasing your respiratory rate. In your brain, caffeine intercepts adenosine, the chemical that slows down our nerves and signals the need to sleep. It also increases dopamine levels, stimulating pleasure centers. Caffeine, therefore, has the magical ability to make you feel both alert and relaxed.

 Caffeine makes me smarter.  (who knew)

True. A cup of coffee before you write your performance review isn't a bad idea. "It improves cognitive functions" by blocking that brain-slowing adenosine, says Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a food chemist at the University of Scranton. When given caffeine equal to two cups of coffee, severely sleep-deprived Navy Seal trainees improved their alertness, vigilance, learning, and memory by as much as 60 percent. Now I wouldnt recommend not studying but caffeine cant hurt. = )

Caffeine causes high blood pressure.

False. The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that caffeine doesn't put you at risk for hypertension, although something else, unknown to scientists, in sugared and diet colas does. In people with normal blood pressure, any change in heart rate is not only "too small to measure," Dr. Graham says, but it disappears within minutes of your first cup. If you already have high blood pressure, however, avoid excessive intake, says Lynne Shuster, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic's Women's Health Clinic, because caffeine can exacerbate a pre-existing condition. The same goes for those who suffer from heart arrhythmia or anxiety — caffeine can trigger arrhythmia in those who are prone to it and can worsen anxiety.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/

Fresh vs. Frozen

Q. Fresh vs. Frozen Vegetables: Are we giving up nutrition for convenient?

A. Americans typically eat only one-third of the recommended daily intake (three servings instead of nine) of fruits and vegetables, so if you’re in a bind, a vegetable in any form is better than no vegetable at all.

1. Not Much Difference Between Fresh and Frozen

The Federal Food and Drug Administration has already announced that there is virtually no difference in nutritional content between fresh and frozen vegetables. For most brands, the vegetables are picked fresh, cleaned and cooked very slightly before they are placed in an airtight package and frozen. Many people insist that frozen vegetables have more of the healthy nutrients than their fresh counterparts because they are usually picked at their prime ripening time and frozen immediately. Sprays and time on a truck, coupled with handling and sitting under ultra-violet lights on the store shelves can actually reduce the vitamins you get from fresh produce.

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2. Consider the Source

Homegrown vegetables are hard to beat. You know what, if any, chemicals and fertilizer you used to grow them and you know where they've been since picking. No store-bought vegetables or frozen foods can beat fresh food coming straight from your own garden. Tailgate markets are becoming increasingly popular venues where you can purchase fresh vegetables from your neighbors' gardens. Local growers, who don't have big commercial farms, peddle their wares in parking lots on Saturday mornings all over the country. Get to know some of those vendors to find out what they use to grow their vegetables. Roadside vegetable stands also can offer a source of freshness that is hard to match. Be sure to ask the owners where their produce came from though. Some roadside vendors supplement their own garden goods with vegetables shipped in from larger farms.

3. Read the Labels

While frozen vegetables can be just as healthy as their fresh counterparts, you must read the labels to find out if additional chemicals or processing formulas were used in the product, which could affect the nutritional content. Sodium is often added for taste and any vegetables prepared in a sauce will contain high amounts of fat and preservatives. Vegetables that are frozen onsite and kept frozen should not need any preservatives. By looking at the nutritional information, you find out the mineral and vitamin content and tell if the processing of the frozen veggies decreased the values. In some tests, lower calcium content was detected on frozen vegetables, while the fresh veggies held lower vitamin C amounts.

4. Take a Taste Test

For the most part, the biggest difference between fresh and frozen vegetables shows up on the palate. The tastes and how you use them makes all the difference in making your final decisions. If you plan on eating vegetables raw, then it is difficult to substitute frozen for fresh. For cooking, however, frozen vegetables can supply an equal amount of flavor, while giving you more time to enjoy your meal.

Bottom line: When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients. Choose packages marked with a USDA “U.S. Fancy” shield, which designates produce of the best size, shape and color; vegetables of this standard also tend to be more nutrient-rich than the lower grades “U.S. No. 1” or “U.S. No. 2.” Eat them soon after purchase: over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade. Finally, steam or microwave rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.

Darn you side aches! Why do you hurt?

       Today I was at the gym doing a Turbokick class. About 15 minutes in I started to develop a side ache! Ugh, I was in the front row so of course, I had to try and ignore it, shake it off and, not let it show . Then I started to wonder what causes them and made it a point to research it and blog about it.

        Have you ever wondered? Do you get them a lot? I don't get them very often, so I don't know what I did differently today. This is what I I found!

            A side cramp is spasm in your diaphragm -(a dome-shaped muscle that separates the organs in your abdominal cavity from the heart and lungs in your chest cavity). As you inhale and expand your lungs, the diaphragm sinks down. When you blow out a breath, it expands upward. So far, no problem. But your liver is attached to the diaphragm by two ligaments, and sometimes running or even brisk walking--which can mean almost 200 pounds of force with each foot strike--can yank the diaphragm downward even as it is expanding upward with each exhalation. The result: a sharp twinge below your ribs, usually on the right hand side, where the liver is located. A full stomach can have a similar effect. Pretty interesting I didn't know it was because it was because of your liver and a ligament. Hmmmm! And it was on my right side too....

Here are some ways to prevent side cramps!

 You can avoid cramps by minimizing stress on the diaphragm.
Here's what experts recommend:

Belly Breathe If you consistently take shallow breaths, your diaphragm remains in the "up" position, so your connective ligaments don't get a chance to relax. Instead, breathe evenly and deeply, drawing air deep into your lungs so your belly rises, your diaphragm dips, and your ligaments get a rest.

Go Easy on the Downhill Walking or running downhill increases the force on your body with every foot strike. Avoid long downhill routes if side stitches are a recurrent problem for you.

Eat Lightly Avoid heavy meals for 3 hours prior to your workout. If you need a light snack, have it 1 hour before heading out the door. Continue drinking fluids, however. They leave the stomach quickly and hydrate you, thus helping to prevent cramping.

Ease Up Sometimes stitches are the result of too much too soon. If you start to feel a stitch coming on, slow your pace and relax your body until the feeling subsides. Gradually increase your effort until you can walk or jog pain- free.
Reach for the Sky Stretching your diaphragm muscles is as important as stretching your hamstrings. Raise your right arm straight overhead. Then bend your torso to the left. Hold 20 to 30 seconds. Switch sides. Perform this stretch daily.

Rub It Out When a stitch strikes, massage or press on the area where you feel pain, while bending forward slightly. If the pain persists, stop exercising, and massage and stretch the area until the cramp subsides. Continue on at a lower intensity.

What is your method?   = )

Celery never tasted so good!

      Yum!! I know that a lot of people think celery is not tasty and not very appetizing. But for me I love it! I love the crunch and it has a lot of water in it, so I feel its refreshing. There is not much flavor so sometimes if im at home I use a vegetable dip. When I go to the store I usually buy a whole stock and pack it in my daily snack. When I'm on the go eats easy to have some celery in a baggy to eat plain.

      Ive sat in front of the TV and eaten a whole stock a couple of times. Hey, its better then a bag of chips or cookies! ; ) I like the crunch its satisfying and when you are trying to cut some calories out from your day and not eat chips or cookies this is a good option. 

 

 

 

Health benefits include

 

1. rich in vitamin C
2.  they lower cholesterol,
3. prevent cancer
4. reduce high blood pressure
5. Low in calories and reduce hunger
Here is a neat link to show all the nutrient facts of celery, enjoy! http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2396/2

Artichokes ... Something new, give them a try

    

Artichokes 

                  I was at the grocery store and wanted to try something new and healthy. I’ve had artichoke before and liked it, just never prepared it myself. So, I did just that and my attempt went great. Give them a try! Artichokes have all kinds of health benefits that help with indigestion and have antioxidants to keep you and your body healthy.

1.    Artichokes are low in calories and fat, but are a rich source of dietary fiber about 14% of RDA. Dietary-fiber helps control constipation conditions, decrease bad or "LDL" cholesterol levels by binding to it in the intestines and help prevent colon cancer risks by preventing toxic compounds in the food from absorption

2.     Fresh artichoke is an excellent source of vitamin folic acid. Scientific studies have proven that adequate levels of folates in the diet during pre-conception period, and during early pregnancy, help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn baby.

3.    Fresh globes also contain good amounts of anti-oxidant vitamin; vitamin-C. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

4.    It is one of the vegetable sources for vitamin K; provide about 12% of DRI. Vitamin K has potential role bone health by promoting osteotrophic (bone formation) activity.

5. It is an also good source of antioxidants such as silymarin, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid, which help the body protect from harmful free-radical agents

6. It is also rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, and pantothenic acid that are essential for optimum cellular metabolic functions.

7.    Further, artichoke is rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.