We’ve all heard it from our mothers, who heard it from their mothers, who heard it from …  well, you get the picture … “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  Have you ever wondered, though, where that saying came from and if there’s any truth behind it? Do apples have healing properties?

Here are a few bits of apple trivia, core facts and nutritional info to sink your teeth into!

• “An apple a day …” was first proclaimed by JT Stinson at the St Louis World’s Fair in 1904 — adapted from an old English saying “Ate an apfel avore gwain to bed Makes the doctor beg his bread.”
• In medieval times, physicians were taught that cooked apples could relieve disturbances of the bowels, lungs and nervous system.
• In ancient Greece, Hippocrates recommended sweet apples with meals to aid digestion and sour apples for fainting and constipation.
• Archaeological findings show that humans have been eating apples as far back as 6500 BC.
• There are actually 7,500 of varieties of apples grown worldwide. They range in size from slightly larger than a cherry to the size of a grapefruit and vary widely in flavor. Apples can have an aftertaste of citrus, pears, cinnamon, strawberries, coconut, cloves, pineapple or grapes.
• A medium apple is about 80 calories and contains about five grams of fiber. Fiber promotes weight loss and aids in digestion. Apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol and are high in vitamin C and potassium.
• A medium apple with skin provides the antioxidant activity equal to 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential for healthy tissues and bones and protects your body from toxins. Antioxidants fight free radicals which damage cells, a contributing factor in the development of cancer and also in the aging process.
• Apples are rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants that help prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes and may also help in fighting bacterial and viral infections. Phytonutrients have been shown to offer stronger anti-cancer properties than vitamin C.
• Apples contain quercetin, a flavonoid that plays an important part in keeping blood vessels healthy, reducing inflammation throughout the body and preventing DNA damage to the cells. This could be beneficial to those suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Other studies have shown that quercetin may protect the brain from the type of damage that triggers neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.  Recent research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss.
• Apples are a natural source of dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps prevent cholesterol build up in the lining of blood vessel walls, which can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Insoluble fiber aids digestion and promotes weight loss. One apple contains the same amount of dietary fiber as a bowl of bran cereal.
• Apples are good for your lungs. British researchers found that apples are effective in reducing the risk of lung cancer. Dutch scientists have found that smokers who eat an apple a day are half as likely to develop emphysema and chronic bronchitis, common diseases suffered by smokers.
• Apples contain an essential trace element called boron. Boron helps with bone density and, therefore, can help prevent or decrease the effects of osteoporosis.
• Apples are one of the richest sources of malic acid, which can help boost cellular energy and alleviate muscle pain and tenderness.
• Crunching on an apple helps prevent tooth decay by stimulate the flow of saliva.
• An apple is a natural breath freshener.

To get all the nutritional and health benefits from an apple, you do need to eat the skin.  Not only does it contain a lot of  fiber, but all the quercetin is located in the skin and almost half the vitamin C content is just under it.

So there you go.  It appears that the apple does live up to its reputation. Don’t you just love it when something that tastes so good is so good for you?

Natural Fitness is a company that takes conservation very seriously. Their products are made of natural, sustainable and recycled materials. The yoga mats are made from natural rubber; yoga blocks from cork and bamboo; yoga straps and mat bags from hemp; and the handles on their rubber resistance tubes are made from recycled plastic. The packaging for every product is made from recycled paper.  In addition, they have initiated the Zero Impact Program - for every Natural Fitness product sold, in some area of the planet a tree is planted where it’s most needed to help moderate the climate, improve air quality, conserve water and harbor wildlife. Past projects have included areas of Asia, Africa and the Americas. Even the Natural Fitness website is “green” — it’s completely powered by solar energy.

One of my favorite products made by Natural Fitness is the exercise ball.  They have two grades – one designed for use with most exercise programs that is burst resistant to 300 lbs, and one that is designed to withstand the most rigorous exercise regimens that is burst resistant to 600 lbs.

Natural Fitness exercise balls have slightly textured surfaces that provide grip and keep you from sliding. Most PVC products utilize plasticizers that contain phthalates to make the material soft and flexible. but phthalates have been proven to be harmful to the environment and pose health risks to humans.  Natural Fitness developed a non-toxic, phthalate-free plasticizer for its vinyl products. This makes the ball somewhat stiff at first, which is probably why the instructions say to inflate it to 80% of its recommended size, let it sit for 24 hours and then fill to its full volume. This gives the vinyl time to “rest” before inflating fully.

I found the included “fast pump” easy to use until I got to the last few centimeters. Then it seemed as if air was escaping through the pump every time I pulled the handle up. So I hauled out my handy-dandy rechargeable air compressor (that I keep in my car for emergencies) and finished filling the ball that way. I probably should have just used it from the start, but I wanted to test the hand pump.  A plug kit is included in the box, so you can use whatever method you want to inflate the ball. Just be careful not to over inflate it.

The textured surface isn’t sticky – animal hair and dirt don’t cling to the vinyl.  I noticed a bit of a smell at first, but it wasn’t offensive and does fade.

The Natural Fitness Exercise Ball comes with a DVD that includes a warm-up, workout and cool-down, with two workout levels – beginner and intermediate. An exercise chart is also included in the kit, along with the pump and plug kit, as mentioned earlier.

When shopping for your exercise ball, be sure to choose by size, not by color. If you’re 6’ tall and you choose the 55cm ball because you like its plum color, you’re going to be very disappointed when you sit on it and your knees are level with your chin!!  Generally, the 45cm ball is for heights 4’7” to 5’; 55cm for heights 5’1” – 5’7”; 65cm for heights 5’8” – 6’1”; and 75cm for heights 6’2” and over. When you sit on your ball, your knees should bend at a 90 degree angle.  If you have extremely long legs and are short-waisted, you may want to go up a size; if your legs are short and waist long, you may want to go down a size.

You can accomplish so much with an exercise ball – increase your core strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance and coordination; and it can be incorporated into any yoga, Pilates or strength-training routine.  Use your ball as a chair, and you can work your abs and burn a few extra calories while watching television or working at your desk. And remember, by purchasing the Natural Fitness exercise ball, you get to help the planet by planting a tree!