Although summer is drawing to a close, we (in the north) still have a few warm days left to enjoy.  And, I don’t know about you, but on warm days I prefer to eat light. For me, that means salad … vegetable salad, fruit salad, tuna salad, chicken salad … I love ‘em all! Although I’ve recently posted a recipe for one of my favorite chicken salads, Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberries, I do have one more that I’d like to share. This salad is great with a side of fruit or in pita bread. It’s substantial and filling and I think you’ll enjoy it!

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lbs skinned/boned chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
3 cups seedless red & green grapes, halved
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Lettuce leaves (optional)

Stir together 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped chicken and grapes, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Stir in toasted pecans just before serving. Place one scoop of salad over lettuce leaves.

Note:  I’ve varied this recipe by leaving out the sour cream (increasing the mayonnaise a little) and lemon juice and adding some honey. Also very good!

Estimated nutritional value (6 servings): Calories 287, Total Fat 24 g, Cholesterol 28.6 mg, Sodium 572 mg, Potassium 326 mg, Carbs 19.5 g, Protein 8.5 g

(Original recipe found in Southern Living Magazine)

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The “Five Principles of Yoga” describes the holistic perspective of yoga. Each Principle emphasizes the idea that yoga is a practiced lifestyle, meant to achieve physical and mental health, as well as spiritual growth, and not just an exercise routine.

Our bodies are made to move and need exercise to maintain good health. We have become an unfit and unhealthy population due to inactivity, stress, and our polluted environment. Without movement, discomfort and disease set in.

Yoga asanas, or postures, are designed to systematically work all parts of the body … stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, improving flexibility of the spine and joints, and regulating the metabolism and improving circulation.

Yoga poses, practiced properly, relax you, give you strength and vitality and rejuvenate all the systems in your body, including your internal organs, glands and hormones. The flow from one pose to another is combined with proper breathing, which regulates physical and phsiological functions of the body.

Most people breathe in a shallow manner, using only a portion of their lungs. Learning to control your breath  through breathing techniques helps you to use your lungs to their fullest capacity. Proper breathing is deep, slow and rhythmical, maximizing oxygen intake by using all the parts of the lungs. Yoga teaches you to regulate and become aware of the length and duration of your inhalations and exhalations and to breathe from your diaphragm. Proper breathing increases your lung capacity, which sends more oxygen throughout your body, increasing energy and mental clarity.

We live in a stress-filled world. Our lifestyle — social life, diet, work, and even entertainment — makes it difficult for us to relax. Even while attempting to rest, our minds and bodies continue to consume energy through tension. Bad moods, depression, anger, irritation and physical pain use up a lot of energy. Attempting to repress negative emotions can become a way of life. This can be devastating for both the mind and the body. Releasing tension in muscles and resting the whole body revitalizes your nervous system, allowing you to feel relaxed, refreshed and at peace. When you’re relaxed, it’s easy to let go of worries and fears. Tension uses up energy and a relaxed body conserves energy.

Principle 4: Proper Diet

The food we eat not only sustains our bodies, but it greatly affects our minds as well. An improper diet results in mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness.  A proper diet should be well balanced and based on natural foods. Simple meals aid digestion and improve the assimilation of food’s nutrients.  Foods from nature that are free from chemicals and pesticides provide superior nutritional value.

A proper diet also means eating in moderation and eating only to satisfy hunger. Many of us have a tendency to use food to treat sadness or depression and usually reach for unhealthy “comfort” foods filled with sugar, fat and additives. These foods tend to make us feel sluggish, dulling our senses and fogging our minds. And they cause us to crave even more unhealthy foods. This type of eating often leads to diet-related diseases like obesity and diabetes. We should eat for sustenance so that we have strong immune systems, light and supple bodies and calm minds.

The way we think greatly affects our lives, because ultimately, we are what we think we are.  Positive and creative thoughts will contribute to vibrant health and a peaceful, joyful mind.

Meditation is the act of concentrating your mind on an object, or turning inwards to your own thoughts or on a mantra. Practicing meditation helps you to become attentive and more observant of the present. It not only relaxes your body, but also sharpens your thinking. With practice, everyone has the ability to meditate  - to shut out thoughts and quiet the mind.

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You’d think this would be true, wouldn’t you? A lot of us think that if we cut out a meal or two, we’ll lose weight. But when the body senses the lack of food, it goes into a self-preservation mode. Thinking it’s being starved, it slows digestion and holds on to fat.

To effectively lose weight and boost your metablism, it’s best to eat small meals throughout the day than to skip meals and go hungry. This way your body will burn fat rather than store it. And add some exercise into the mix and your body becomes an efficient, fat-burning machine. In fact, it will even burn fat when you aren’t exercising. How great is that!

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When was the last time you jumped rope? Elementary school? Junior High? Well, maybe it’s time to try it again … because skipping rope isn’t just for kids.  It’s an extremely efficient calorie consuming, fat burning aerobic exercise.  Jumping rope is one of the reasons why boxers are considered the fittest of all athletes. It increases cardio health, physical endurance, coordination and agility while toning your body. Jumping rope can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour. And you can take a jump rope with you and fit in a workout almost anytime or anywhere.

Roping Essentials

It takes very little to get started, other than a good rope and a decent pair of aerobic shoes or cross trainers that have reinforced toes and a lot of cushioning for the balls of the feet.

There are a lot more choices in jump ropes than there were when we were kids. Today’s jump ropes offer choices of materials, grip styles and lengths. Avoid weighted handles, which can become too cumbersome and choose a light-weight, adjustable rope with foam grips that don’t slip in sweaty palms. Because you will get sweaty!

To determine the proper length for you, stand with one foot on the center of the rope and bring both handles together in front of your chest. The handles should reach about chest high.

Basic Do’s and Don’ts

Before getting started, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Grip the handles lightly.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your elbows close to your body.
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
• Use your wrists to turn the rope, (not your whole arm) and try to keep a smooth arc in the rope.
• Think about your posture … keep your core muscles tight, back straight and head up.
• Keep your jump low to minimize the impact on your knees and ankles.

Make it fun

Once you get the basic jump down, add some variety to keep it fun. Add some kicky music to keep you energized. Get creative with your style … jump backwards, vary your foot work, lift your knees higher or scissor your legs. Rather than totally stopping when you’re tired, twirl the rope from side to side and keep your feet moving by walking in place or stepping side to side. Once you catch your breath, jump back in.

After time, you’ll notice you can jump for longer periods without tiring. And you’ll have more energy for other sports and activities … and just for life in general. And let’s not forget improved muscle tone and a leaner you as your body efficiently burns all those calories and fat!

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The breakdown of cartilage that causes the pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis is usually considered an unavoidable part of aging. Other factors that contribute to joint pain can be weight, injuries and genetic disposition. But recent osteoarthritis studies suggest that, due to our increased participation in high-impact activities, we may be developing the condition much earlier in life – sometimes as young as 25!  So what can you do to help prevent osteoarthritis?

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Did you know that all of us, men and women alike, begin losing bone mass around the age of 30? Bones are composed of living tissue that constantly breaks down and reforms. Up until age 30, your body produces more bone tissue than is destroyed, but once you hit the big 3-O, it’s all down hill. The good news is that whatever your age, the right exercise and diet can help prevent bone loss and keep you healthy and strong.

Exercise Equals Strong Bones

Just as exercising your muscles makes them stronger, exercising your bones makes them stronger and denser.  Health professionals suggest movement for 30 minutes every day of weight-bearing exercise So, include daily activities that will keep you moving like walking, biking, hiking, climbing stairs, dancing, even cleaning the house. Lifting weights is especially important. “Anything that puts stress on the bones strengthens them,” says Lanou.

Bone Nutrition

Strong bones require lots of calcium.  The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams. Try to include foods that are calcium rich in your diet. Milk and milk products are high in calcium but as we age, we lose the ability to absorb calcium from these foods. Many of us become lactose intolerant as we age.

But, no worries, there are plenty of other calcium-rich foods to choose from. A diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish will provide plenty of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are a great source and a lot of fruit juices now come fortified with calcium.

In supplement form, it’s best to take two 500 mg dosages at different times during the day with vitamin D and magnesium to help absorption.

Don’t Forget Vitamin D

Our bodies can’t absorb calcium without vitamin D.  There is also research that suggests that vitamin D may play a key role in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” D is naturally produced in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Because of the fear of skin cancer and the aging affects of sun exposure, we tend to avoid direct sun or slather on sunscreen when do spend time outside.  But sunscreen blocks the skin’s natural production of the vitamin and the end result is that many of us are D deficient.

It doesn’t take frying on the beach to produce sufficient amounts of Vitamin D. Consider getting outside for 10 to 15 minutes daily without sunscreen.  Foods that provide calcium and vitamin D include almonds, beans, fortified cereal and oily fish, like tuna and salmon.  Vitamin D can also be taken in supplement form, although scientists and nutritionists recommendations vary anywhere from 200 IUs to 1500 IUs a day.

Vitamin D requires fat to stay in the body, so be sure to include healthful fats in your diet, like extra-virgin olive oil, unrefined sesame oil and organic coconut oil, as well as omega-3 fats from fish and flaxseed. A recent study showed that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids may also result in stronger bones.

Our bones give us the freedom to do the things we want to do. They help us stand up straight, to run, to jump and to play. Make sure you take care of your bones so they can take care of you.

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Get your day off to an invigorating start with an energy-boosting breakfast that’s high in Vitamins A, C, E & B group; calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc and essential fatty acids. This dish is also great for your immune and digestive systems. Top off your breakfast bowl with any seasonal fruit you prefer, like antioxidant-rich raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.

Ingredients:

1 portion sugar-free muesli base (a mixture of oat, wheat, barley, rice and rye)
2 tbsps chopped nuts mixed with seeds (e.g. walnuts, filberts, almonds, sunflower seeds)
2 dates chopped
2 dried apricots, chopped
1 tbsp dried coconut
5 tbsps seasonal fresh fruit or berries
Soy, almond, rice or oat milk to taste

Instructions:
1. Mix the muesli base with the nuts, seeds, dried fruit and coconut
2. Sprinkle the fresh fruit or berries on top
3. Serve with your chosen milk to taste and a glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit or orange juice.

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You may be surprised to learn that extended periods of aerobic exercise can actually prevent you from losing weight. It’s true that the more you work out, the more you stimulate your body to burn fat. That’s good, of course, but it also increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that increases in the body when it’s under stress and, among other things, causes your body to store fat (especially around the middle).

To optimize your weight loss, limit your exercise sessions to around 45 minutes, making sure to work within your target heart rate zone. You can always work out more, if you like, but for best results, divide your workout sessions so that you only exercise for 45 minutes at a time.

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Everyone has a goal in mind when starting an exercise program, whether it’s to lose weight, burn fat, increase cardiovascular health and endurance, release stress, lower blood pressure or just plain feel good. But in order to reach those goals – in order for your workout to be effective – the most important factor to be aware of is your heart rate.

Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. But there are three types of heart rate that you need to look at when beginning an exercise program:

1. Resting heart rate (RHR): the beats per minute when you aren’t exerting yourself (which varies per person) but averages out to about 70 BPM (beats per minute) for men & 75 BPM for women
2. Maximum heart rate (MHR): the rate at which the heart beats at 100% exertion
3. Target heart rate (THR): the desired range of heart rate during exercise that enables your heart & lungs to receive the most benefit from a workout.

Pacing yourself during exercise provides the greatest results for your efforts. To burn fat and improve cardiovascular endurance, you have to maintain a sustained workout in the “zone” – that means working at your THR level for a minimum of 30 minutes.  Working below your THR won’t give you those fat burning and cardiovascular benefits and working above your THR will make it difficult to sustain your workout.

Heart Rate Chart

The following chart (from the American Heart Association) indicates the estimated THR for different ages. Find the age category closest to yours and then read across to find your target heart rate.

You can also calculate your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 to determine your maximum heart rate and then multiply that number by 70 percent.  For example, if you’re 50, your maximum heart rate would be 170 multiplied by 70 percent for a THR of 119 (220 – 50 = 170; 170 x .70 =119).

Heart Rate Zone

There are three ways to check your heart rate during a workout to make sure you’re working in your zone.

• Find your pulse (either on the side of the neck or on the wrist) and count the number of beats for 6 seconds and multiply by 10. You’ll need a clock or watch with a second hand for this.
• Take the talk test … if you can carry on a normal conversation, you aren’t working hard enough; if you can’t talk at all, you’re working too hard.
• Invest in a heart rate watch, a convenient gadget that straps onto your wrist (some require a chest belt, while others don’t). Press a button or the watch face to get a heart reading.  You can get really fancy ones that come with all kinds of things, like calories-burned calculators, pedometers, timers, stopwatches, and more.

If you’re just beginning your program, start out easy (maybe 50-60 percent of your MHR, to test the waters). If that feels good, move up to 70%. Once you’re comfortable with your program, you can push that number higher and may find that you can go as high as 85 percent of your MHR. But keep in mind that it isn’t necessary to work that hard to stay in shape. And, as always, check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.

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