New Equipment Coming Soon!
Heads up MAC members – after a recent equipment survey, we listened to your feedback and will be adding the following new equipment:
- 2 Treadmills
- 2 Ellipticals
- 3 Spin Bikes
- 1 Adjustable Bench for the Weight Floor
- 1 Squat Rack
- 1 Set of BODYPUMP equipment
- Stability balls
- Resistance bands
Perfect Your Jump Shot
If you were to walk into just about any gym in America to watch kids warming up before the start of practice, do you know what you’d see? You’d see a bunch of young basketball players heaving up shots from behind the 3-point line. This is the last thing they should be doing! At such a young age, these players aren’t strong enough to shoot the ball from this distance with proper mechanics. What happens is that they develop bad habits that quite often stay with them when they reach an older age. So, if you are in 6th grade or younger, don’t worry about the 3-ball just yet (with few exceptions). Start at a close range, and follow the tips below.
The Perfect Jump Shot
Take a look at the players with the best jumpers in the world, and you’ll see a number of things they have in common with their shot. (more…)
20 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism
By Heather Bauer, RD,CDN, REDBOOK
Whether you’re trying to shed some lbs or just stay fit, these tricks to increase your metabolism from nutritionist Heather Bauer, RD,CDN, will help you reach the finish line even faster.
1. Keep Hydrated I’m sure the general population thinks dieticians sound like a broken record when it comes to the whole water thing, but it really is important. Drinking the recommended eight cups of water a day will help your body function at peak performance levels. (more…)
Brain Food- A fix for Alzheimer’s ?
2 weeks ago I held a workshop on Superfoods. These are the top 10 most naturally powerful (health boosting) foods on the Planet – We covered Coconut and it’s properties.. But I wanted to give you some research that will not only benefit you – but your elders as well. Need ways to implement coconut into your daily diet? Contact Me – Breanne Curran AADP CHHC bcurran@macseattle.com
Coconut Oil and Alzheimer’s Disease
From Well Being Journal (Nov/Dec 2011 ) By Bruce Fife, N.D.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT for Alzheimer’s may be
sitting on your cupboard shelf.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/62456679/Coconut-Oil-Alzheimers
Recently a medical doctor
neurodegeneration while researching a new drug.
From time to time I receive testimonials from people
who attest that coconut oil helped them or a family member
overcome neurological problems. These problems
include Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism,
dementia, epilepsy, and various emotional disorders. Of
these conditions, the effects of coconut oil or the fatty
acids in coconut oil on epilepsy are the most thoroughly
studied and documented. However, new research on Alzheimer’s
disease has shown that coconut oil may be the
best alternative treatment for this otherwise untreatable
condition. REST OF ARTICLE BELOW .. AND AVAILABLE THROUGH LINK
Purple Foods
Do you know what an Anti-oxidant is? It is a nutrient that aids cellular repair – reverses cellular damage from free radicals from pollutants, stress and other foods we consume. They are the warriors that protect your cells from damage. And they happen to be found in all natural colored fruit and vegetable. They are literally a pigment of color.
So – meet the color purple and it’s warrior like powers for your body. I cooked this tonight – and it is delicious! .. photo to come
Black Rice Stir Fry
Black rice comes from Thailand, find it at you favorite natural foods store (PCC or whole foods, Madison market etc..)
Black rice takes on a deep purple hue when cooked and makes for a dramatic and more nutritious dinner plate. Plus every forkful is packed with health boosting nutrients and minerals such as : anthocyanin and antioxidants. Eggplant and tofu add a meatiness to the dish and red cabbage, kale, ginger, garlic and lime – make it fresh and crunchy!
Ingredients
3 tbsp veg oil
12 oz firm tofu drained
course salt ( Himalayan pink is great)
1 eggplant – halved lengthwise and sliced into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 head red cabbage – sliced (4 cups)
1/2 bunch purple kale torn into 2 – inch pieces
2 cups cooked black rice
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
Directions
Preheat a wok or skillet over medium – high heat for 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp oil swirling to coat . Season tofu with with salt and cook until golden and crispy about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add 1 tbsp oil and cook eggplant stirring until golden and tender about 4 minutes, remove and set aside . Add remaining tbsp oil and cook ginger garlic and scallion whites. Stirring 1 minute. Add cabbage, kale and 1/4 cup water and cook stirring until kale is tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in rice, once heated through add tofu and eggplant. Stir in Sriracha and soy sauce . Remove from heat , stir in lime juice
ENJOY!
Per serving: 272 cals, 12 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 35 g carb, 137 mg sodium, 12 g protein, 5 g fiber.
Cook it on the weekend.. have it ready in the fridge for a busy week – dinner or bring to work for lunch. It’s got it all – fiber, carbs, protein and veg.. and flavor!
Best nutrients in this recipe:
Red cabbage and eggplant: Anthocyanins – antioxidants that improve brain function and balance may reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease.
Kale is full of nutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits that help your body stay vibrant and youthful. Kale is also packed with chlorophyll. Chlorophyll removes heavy metals and chemical toxins from your body.
The Best Foods for Thought, Literally
By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN
We’ve long known that the Mediterranean diet is good for the heart. Now, it may be good for the brain as well. (more…)
Hearts and Chocolate .. “Heart Blood”
Happy Valentines Day!
Did you happen to read my previous post on Raw Cacao? Check it out for what Cacao is and where to find it.
I wanted to continue on Valentines Day with my love of Cacao and it’s benefits for all. Cacao is the number One Superfood. So we all know that chocolate is a big Valentines gift.. why? Well it makes us feel good and makes us happy! Why? – read on!
More than anything else cacao ( raw chocolate) supports the heart , in a literal and metaphysical and spiritual sense. Aztecs called cacao ” yollotl eztli” which means heart blood !
Cacao supports a healthy cardio system: It opens the heart, returns you to a natural state of feeling (awareness) . Cacao contains the highest concentration of antioxidants in the world ! Including polyphenols and catechins.
By weight, cacao has more antioxidants than red wine, blueberries, acai, pomegranetes and goji berries combined.
Cacao is the # 1 source of magnesium, when the body has enough magnesium veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax! Resistance is decreased and flow of blood oxygen nutrients flow through the body easier. (more…)
Challenging 100 Years of Sleep Guidelines for Children
By ANDREA PETERSEN
For parents who feel like they’re failing to make sure their kids get enough sleep, this may be comforting: Your parents also failed, as did your grandparents and great-grandparents.
A new study shows that kids get about half an hour less sleep than than recommended, the same deficit as a century ago, even though the recommended amounts have changed over that time. Andrea Petersen explains on Lunch Break. (more…)
Cuckoo for cacao
CACAO ! CHOCOLATE IN THE RAW
Cacao (Raw Chocolate) — The seed/nut of a fruit of an Amazonian tree, cacao is the highest antioxidant food on the planet, the #1 source of antioxidants, magnesium, iron, manganese, and chromium and is also extremely high in PEA, theobromine (cardiovascular support), and anandamide (“bliss chemical”). Raw Chocolate improves cardiovascular health, builds strong bones, is a natural aphrodisiac, elevates your mood and energy, and increases longevity.
Last Wednesday, at the SUPERFOODS workshop I spoke of the powers of Cacao.. Raw Chocolate. Later I heard from others that they love that I recommend Dark Chocolate…. NOT COMPLETELY TRUE
I want to clear up the confusion of Chocolate and Cacao.
Chocolate is altered Cacao and it has MANY less nutrients and minerals. Americans have taken magnificent Cacao and added sugar and milk – removing most of its powers for the human body.
RAW Cacao Is a raw food. Real Cacao has enzymes that tell it to go to the brain and the bone and it strengthens bone and improves thought processes.
Milk Chocolate = altered cacao (dairy and sugar). Less nutrients. It will
1. Draw draw minerals out of the body, cause blood sugar disorders, dehydration and is highly addictive – making you do more and more harm.
So the antioxidants, magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, zinc, copper, vitamin c, essential fatty acids, endorphins, tryptophan, serotonin and fiber – are not in your swiss mix or your Hershey Bar.
Read on for ways to find Raw Cacao..
Did you know that eating more mineral dense and nutrient dense foods decreases Bad Food Cravings? Join me at our next BOOST support group Feb 29th @ 6 PM on ways to implement superfoods, clear up any confusion on how to find and use them and what really are antioxidants? (more…)
Super Places for Super Foods
Thanks to all who came last night to my Superfoods workshop. It was a great group with good discussions. To find out what these 10 MOST powerful foods on the planet are and ways to implement them into you diet, contact me for a nutrition consultation bcurran@macseattle.com
For those of you that missed it, we covered the 10 most powerful foods on the planet. Foods that (each one)fulfills every nutrient and mineral need that you body requires. These border on being medicinal because they are so good for you they have healing properties as well!
We also reviewed nutrient dense foods that will increase your vitality on a daily basis and easier to find. These are things you should have every day such as:
1. berries or other fruit, organic is best
2. Nuts and seeds, in moderation
3. Fish and fish oil
4. Dark green leafy vegetables
5. Enzyme rich foods, such a yogurt, kefir, cultured vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchee, pickled carrots) CHECK OUT : Firefly kitchen – www.fireflykitchen.com . Good Enzymes are in any Real Whole , unaltered food.
RESOURCES to find superfoods and products
1. Chaco Canyon 50th and 12th – in the U-District, www.chacocanyon.com
2. Thrive 1026 NE 65th st 98115 206-525-0300 www.generationthrive.com
3. Jodees Desserts 7214 Woodlawn Ave NE (Greenlake) www.jodeesdesserts.com
4. Firefly Kitchen www.fireflykitchens.com 436- 8399 844 NW 49th St
5. PCC natural Food Store
6. Whole Foods
7. Pharmaca, all natural supplements and products – Wallingford and Madison Park
Great ways to get Fresh Produce : SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS AND EAT ORGANIC GREAT PRODUCE!
CSA’S = Community Supported Agriculture – for organic produce delivered to you from local farms.
More info to come tomorrow, Check every Friday and Tuesday for new and more info regarding workshop content and new nutrition information!
Yours in Health
Breanne Curran
NSCA CPT, CHC, NS, FMS Specialist
Second Chances
How Fit Are You? 3 Simple Tests to Find Out
By Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men’s Health
Ask 10 experts for their definition of fitness, and you’ll hear 10 different answers. That’s because how you define the word depends on the type of performance you expect. Some athletes need to develop a particular type of fitness over all others—powerlifters at one extreme, marathoners at another—but most of us are at our best when we achieve balanced fitness. In other words, we’re good at everything a healthy, active man needs to be able to do. (more…)
Dr. Mehmet Oz’s Top 10 Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle
Want to get serious about health and wellness? Right now is the best time to start. Dr. Mehmet Oz, New York Times best-selling author and host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” reveals his top tips for diet, fitness and more. Even better, some take just a few minutes! Find out how to start transforming your life today…
You don’t have to wait till the New Year to dump bad habits and make healthy changes. You can start today, and it’s easier than you think.
Where to begin? We asked Dr. Mehmet Oz, New York Times best-selling author and host of “The Dr. Oz Show” to share his favorite quick tips for healthy living:
1. Develop a short morning routine. (more…)
