5 Reasons To Eat Pumpkin This Fall- Guest Post by Jaime Martinez of Nutrition CPR

Fall is my favorite season as it is defined by football, foliage, and pumpkins.  While pumpkins are fabulous for carving Jack O’Lanterns during Halloween, the flesh of the pumpkin is highly nutritious and provide many health benefits.

Here are 5 reasons to include pumpkin on your plate this fall:

 

 

1.  Vitamin A and C:  Pumpkins are rich in vitamin A and C, essential nutrients responsible for eye and vision health (Vitamin A) and a cofactor for several enzymatic reactions, collagen synthesis as well as a powerful antioxidant with immune benefits (Vitamin C).

2. Potassium: 1 cup of cooked pumpkin provides more potassium than a banana!  (Pumpkin 564mg vs. Banana 422mg) Potassium is a key electrolyte that has many significant roles in the body, including helping to manage hypertension or high blood pressure and muscle contractions.  For those who exercise, pumpkin is an excellent food to help replenish potassium levels to prevent muscle cramping.

3. Tryptophan: The seeds of the pumpkin are rich in the amino acid tryptophan which can positively influence mood.  Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, is considered to be the main contributor to feelings of well being and happiness and tryptophan is responsible for the production of serotonin.

4. Carotenoids:  The orange hue of the pumpkin provides the antioxidant/free radical fighter beta carotene that has numerous health benefits to include cancer fighting properties! 

5. Phytosterols:  Pumpkin seeds as well as other seeds are rich in phytosterols, a naturally occurring solid, unsaturated fat compound found in plants.  Phytosterols successfully reduce LDL (low density lipoproteins or “bad” cholesterol) by reducing the production and absorption of bad cholesterol.  
   

There are endless recipes on the internet incorporating pumpkin.  One of my favorite websites for healthy recipes is Healthy Living How To and its creator Vanessa has some fabulous pumpkin recipes.

 

Enjoy pumpkin this fall knowing you are eating a food that can positively influence your health! #eatforyourhealth

 

The information provided in this post is for education only and is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor should it be used as a replacement for seeking medical treatment.

 

Copyright © Jaime Coffey Martinez, MS RD    Nutrition CPR, LLC

Top 10 Supplements To Optimize Your Health, Part 2

Continued from Part 1 (October 4th, 2013)...

      6.  Vitamin D

As a kid growing up, chances are you got plenty of time in the sun outdoors.  That time in the sun allowed your body to produce enough Vitamin D on a regular basis to help keep you relatively healthy from the inside out.  Now that you’re older however, more of your day is probably based indoors working long hours at the office or tinkering around the house. What does that mean to your health?  Vitamin D impacts just about every system in the body. Its deficiency is linked to many health problems, including obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, autoimmune diseases, chronic pain and lowered immunity.  When vitamin D levels have been chronically low, you might feel weak, tired, achy and “out of it”.  Most experts agree that optimal levels of vitamin D are 50-80 ng/mL or 125-200 nM/L.  The only way to truly know if you are within a healthy range is to get your blood work done. From there you can decide if it’s appropriate to supplement with Vitamin D.  But before making that decision, keep in mind that 20 to 30 minutes of time in the sun with most of your skin exposed results in a production of over 10,000 IUs of Vitamin D.  Most people can benefit from 1,000 to 2,000 IUs of Vitamin D during the cooler months if you’re getting minimal sun exposure, but may require closer to 5,000 IUs in the Winter when we’re least likely to get time in the sun.  Most high-end multi-vitamins provide up to 1,000 IUs of Vitamin D so it may be appropriate to find an additional quality Vitamin D supplement to add into your daily routine.  Once levels are restored within the optimal range, rejoice as you enjoy your new found energy and mood, both of which will help you live a more active lifestyle and perform better during your workouts.

A side note as we head into cold and flu season, ssupplementing with 2,000 IU of Vitamin D every day could dramatically decrease the occurrence of cold and flu symptoms.  Not a bad deal for 1 tiny pill a day.

      7.  Electrolytes/Coconut Water

Electrolytes are critical to your heart, brain, muscles and nervous system.  They help maintain the “voltage” required to carry the electrical impulses that constantly occur in your body in order to maintain healthy communication between your brain and body.  Fresh coconut water is one of the richest and most natural sources of electrolytes.  You lose electrolytes when you sweat, and if they’re not replenished through food or drink, your body and performance could suffer.  The 5 electrolytes that coconut water provides are potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and sodium.  These electrolytes play an important role in regulating heartbeat and muscle function (contraction and relaxation), energy transfer throughout the body as well as maintaining proper hydration on a cellular level.  While coconut water might not have the same sweet taste that other electrolyte sports drinks offer, those drinks are typically loaded with things you don’t want like refined sugars, chemicals and artificial colors/sweeteners. Although you might not need to supplement with coconut water on a daily basis, it’s important to keep in stock for strenuous workouts lasting 60 minutes or longer as well as when you’re out in the heat for extended periods of time.

      8.  BCAAs

Protein is broken down into organize compounds called amino acids.  There are 21 of these amino acids in total.  13 of which are essential and cannot be produced from other substances, and the remaining 12 called are nonessential.  Three of the essential amino acids also fall into a small sub-group known as branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) and include leucine, isoleucine and valine. While most amino acids are broken down in the liver upon digestion, BCAAs are utilized by muscle tissue to provide energy and offer a host of other benefits to your health and performance. This less-known supplement helps support muscle building, fight fatigue during high-intensity endurance and even improve mental function and mood.  For the men out there, research suggests that the use of BCAAs result in heightened testosterone levels, predominantly when taken along with strength training.  Research also suggests that those who supplement with BCAAs have a more favorable body composition with enhanced fat oxidation during exercise.  To keep the benefit train going, BCAA supplementation has also been shown to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) which typically occurs 24 to 72 hours following an intense bout of exercise.  To receive the maximum benefits of BCAAs, I would recommend consuming 5-15g of this supplement split up before, during, and after intense exercise.

      9.  Generation UCan

Many of my clients over the years have commented to me on how drained of energy they feel going into a workout as well as in general throughout the course of their day.  Much of this lack in energy can be tracked back to how they regulate blood sugar, which is largely impacted by diet and lifestyle choices. Trying to find a significant source of carbohydrates to fuel your body and brain for your workday and workouts, that doesn’t send your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride can be challenging.  Most of us have experienced the 2-3pm carb-induced coma following a heavy lunch.  This results from your body’s insulin response to the digested carbohydrates.  When carbs are digested, your body releases insulin to absorb the sugars in the bloodstream to be metabolized for fuel.  Often times, when your blood sugars spike significantly higher above fasting levels following a carb-heavy meal, you’ll experience a crash in blood sugar below fasting levels following the insulin response.  Not only that, but when insulin is released into your bloodstream, you in turn shut off your ability to burn fat as a fuel source and increase the amount of stored fat.  So instead of fueling your body for the day or for an upcoming workout, you’ve actually hindered your performance both physically and mentally, as well as the results you should be gaining from the hard work you’re putting in.  Insert Generation UCan here.  This SuperStarch supplement provides carbohydrate fuel with ZERO insulin response, allowing you to continue burning fat as a fuel and sustaining normal blood sugar levels for extended energy over the course of your day and workout.  Not only that, but your body will continue to burn even more fat following your workout for a greater “after-burn” effect and quicker results.  Outside of exercise, Generation UCAN can also aid in appetite suppression and improve mood, helping you to make overall healthier choices throughout your day.  The best times of day to take Generation UCAN are early morning, when blood sugar levels are naturally highest, as well as 1 hour before exercise, immediately following exercise, and around 2-3pm when you might experience the afternoon crash.  Personally I add this supplement into my morning and post workout protein shakes (I workout in the morning, so my morning shake acts as my pre-workout meal), and notice a significant difference on days that I don’t take it with all other factors being equal (sleep, stress, diet, etc.). 

      10.  Melatonin

“I have a hard time falling asleep at night.” 

“I have no problem falling asleep, but wake up frequently throughout the night for no reason.”

“When I wake up in the morning, I feel as if I didn’t sleep at all and just want to stay in bed for ever.”

If any of these real-life quotes sound like you, then you may benefit from a melatonin supplement.  Melatonin is created from the amino acid tryptophan and acts to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, including sleep patterns. Its production is supposed to go up in the evening, preparing you for a restful sleep. Many of us live a stressful and high-speed lifestyle with an active night life.  These factors affect your body’s ability to produce melatonin at night, which greatly influences not only the amount of sleep you get, but also the quality of sleep you receive. Ideally, we need 7 to 8 hours of restful sleep to recharge our batteries and reduce the effects of sleep deprivation, which I highlighted in a previous blog post.  Taking supplemental melatonin about a half hour before bedtime can help you fall asleep and achieve a deeper, more restful sleep.

For more Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness advice contact Paul Wantuck or stop by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started on the path towards a healthier you!

Top 10 Supplements to Optimize Your Health, Part 1

       

          
          The topic of nutritional supplementation has always been a controversial one.  One train of thought states that you can get all your body needs from whole foods.  Then, you have another train of thought saying that there is no way you can obtain all the vital minerals, vitamins and nutrients needed in the human body from food without overeating on your calories.  So who is right?  I guess the decision is ultimately up to you the consumer, but to help you with that decision I have included my personal pick of 10 supplements that many of us can benefit from to maximize the results seen from a healthy nutrition and exercise program.

 These supplements help to round out your meal plan, especially given the typical on-the-go lifestyle most of us lead.  We don’t all have time to cook the perfect meals, nor do we all have access to the foods we would need to create the perfect meal.  Thus, supplementation could be a great way to achieve your nutritional goals in a reasonable manner without jeopardizing your health. 

As always, consult with your physician before taking any supplements.  Just because it’s on this list doesn’t mean that YOU as an individual, with your unique metabolic code and chemical makeup should be taking it. Don’t forget to do your own research as well and make sure you are purchasing your supplements from a reputable vendor.  Many supplements now come with a stamp of approval on the labels such as “GMP” (good manufacturing process), “Informed Choice” or “TruFacts” to ensure the consumer that what is listed on the label is in fact what you are putting in your body.  Many rip-off supplements appear on the market daily, using cheap manufacturing methods or ingredients to save on cost, which unfortunately could potentially harm your health.  This includes supplements found in many common stores and especially online.

With all that in mind, here is the list of my top 10 supplements to optimize your health:

1.      Multi-Vitamin

If you are not taking a multi-vitamin (MV), this is the first stop in your supplement journey.  It is outdated to think that food today, even straight from the farm, contains the same amount of vitamins and minerals that it did 50 to 100 years ago.  The soils crops grow in become stripped of their nutrients over time which leads to a decrease in the vitamins and minerals we get in our foods.  Even then, many of us are not consuming a variety of 9 to 11 fruit and vegetable servings a day as needed to achieve proper intake levels for our essential vitamins and minerals.  Meals today are heavily processed and pre-packaged, lacking the vitamins and minerals we need to sustain a healthy internal environment within your body.  Look for a MV that is gender specific, in a capsule as compared to a tablet, split into multiple doses per day (i.e.- morning and evening vitamins), and third party tested.  While this may mean you’re going to pay more per bottle/month on a MV, this will all ensure optimal absorption of your MV so you’re not flushing your money down the toilet. 

2.      Omega 3 Fish Oil

Many think that Omega 3 Fish Oil only benefits your cardiovascular system, helping to decrease bad cholesterol, increase good cholesterol and drop blood pressure.  While this is true, Omega 3 Fish Oil has many other wonderful benefits that make this the super-supplement that it is.  First off, the ideal dosage includes 2,000 to 3,000mg of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) per day, specifically EPA and DHA.  This helps to reduce inflammation throughout your body by balancing out the typical high intake of Omega 6 EFAs found in the standard American diet, which are EFAs that actually increase inflammation throughout the body.  Further benefits of Omega 3 EFAs include speedier recovery from exercise and stress, increased fat-burning, reduced insulin resistance and hormones associated with obesity, and increased cognitive ability.  EFAs also have been shown to benefit those with psychological and learning disorders as well as auto-immune disorders.  It is important to know that if you have any fish related allergies, that you should consult your physician before ingesting Fish Oils.

3.      Whey Protein

Whey protein has been linked to a variety of health benefits including preservation of your muscle tissue, maintaining blood pressure levels within normal ranges, helping your insulin work more effectively to stabilize blood sugar levels after a meal, promoting your optimal intake of protein needed for your overall wellness, and supporting your immune system.  Optimal sources of whey protein come from raw, grass-fed milk with medium chain triglycerides (MCT) and are naturally sweetened (organic, no artificial sweeteners). The ideal time to consume whey is about one hour before and one hour after your workout as to supply your muscles with the fuel needed to build new tissue.  

4.      Greens

As mentioned, the optimal daily intake for fruits and vegetables is 9 to 11 servings PER DAY.  An example of a fruit serving is a medium apple or half of a banana.  A serving of vegetables includes 1 cup of uncooked or ½ a cup of cooked veggies.  If you are eating less then these recommended levels, then I would highly suggest looking into a greens supplement to fulfill your dietary needs.  My personal choice is the brand Dynamic Greens. This powdered formula is derived from almost 50 different freeze dried superfoods, contains 15 organic foods and 70 trace minerals, no added sugar (sweetened with stevia), and tastes GREAT with just water.  These greens are loaded with enzymes, probiotics and fiber to aid with digestion and detoxification in the gut so you get the most out of your food.  They also provide great anti-oxidant support to fight the ill-effects of stress on your body including the physical stress associated with exercise. 

5.      Probiotics

80 percent of your immune system lives in your gut.  Antibiotics, processed foods, sugar, and other common components of the standard American diet can negatively affect the balance of good versus bad bacteria in your gut. For this reason, I highly recommend supplementing with probiotics daily.  Benefits include better food digestion, enhanced synthesis of B vitamins, improved calcium absorption, and support for your immune system. Individuals with IBS or diarrhea can especially benefit from supplementing with probiotics.  No one probiotic supplement works for everyone. However, research shows that more individuals respond favorably to Lactobacillus acidophilus than any other probiotic. Probiotics can also help prevent the development of childhood allergies by strengthening their immune systems.  Look for child specific probiotic supplements as they contain more appropriate strands of bacteria as compared to probiotics made for adults. 

Next week we’ll review the remaining five supplements on my top 10 list.  Until then, happy training!

For more Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness advice contact Paul Wantuck or stop by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started on the path towards a healthier you!