Helpful And Important Information From A Reader

A little while ago I received a heartfelt e-mail from a reader, David Haas. He sent me an article he has written for my blog to help keep my readers informed of how eating clean and regular exercise can help ward off illness and disease. His blog can be found here, I highly recommend checking it out!

Beat Cancer with Fitness

David Haas
A happy, active and energetic person may find himself or herself in a deep state of shock after being diagnosed with cancer, even a rare lung disease such as mesothelioma. While it can be a difficult adjustment moving from normal everyday life to that of a cancer patient, it does not have to be the end of fitness. Research has shown that engaging in regular physical activity during and after treatment has many benefits to those trying to regain health.

The effect of exercise on a cancer patient's energy level can be profound. Treatment regimens often cause fatigue, which can lead to patients staying in bed or otherwise not being as active as they should be. While going to the gym may be out of the question, a quick walk each day can help maintain muscle integrity and help the patient to control their weight while gaining energy.

Exercise may also keep cancer away in the future. Patients who take up or resume a regular physical activity routine after treatment may have a lower incidence of recurrence and are less likely to develop diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Being active is not a cure for cancer or any other ailment, but it does make the immune system stronger and better able to resist breakdown.

Going out to exercise each day brings social benefits to the patient by providing time with friends and family or other people going through treatment. Talking about the cancer experience with others who have survived it can be an inspiration if the patient is struggling. It also helps to avoid the isolation and loneliness that can occur, especially early in the treatment process when side effects are the most disturbing.

The best benefit of exercise is the sense of control and well being it provides to the patient. Something as simple as walking a little farther between the car and the house can make the patient feel accomplished. Physical activity can also keep depression and anxiety from taking over. This can improve the quality of the patient's life before and after treatment.

Anyone who is going through or has just finished cancer treatment should speak to his or her doctor before starting an exercise program. This will ensure the patient is healthy enough for physical activity and at what level they should begin. It is usually best to start out with low intensity exercise and gradually move into moderate intensity activities as energy levels permit. The patient should keep in mind that periods of rest are just as important as exercise in order to keep the body in balance.

Cancer is not the end but is actually a second chance at life. Being physically active is good for body, mind and spirit and can help patients make the most that gift. So get out there, fight back and get active!

I think it's wonderful that people care so much about the health and well-being of others and are willing to share their knowledge. Let's keep the discussion going, do you have anything to add? If so, let me know and we can really keep each other informed.

Thank you again David for all of the information, I hope others read it and become more informed!

How do you know what to combine?

Just found this interesting chart on Facebook.

I have been asked a few times how to know what to combine with what, so this might be a smart starting point.

Clean Eating and Juicing

About a week ago I started replacing one meal a day with a vegetable/fruit juice mixture. About 4 days ago I began replacing two meals a day with the juice. I also have eliminated all processed foods from my diet, and meats other than fish. I have never felt better! I want to eventually make it to replacing all my meals each day with juice. Once I am on an all-juice diet I plan to remain on it for about 15-20 days, after which time I will reintroduce raw fruits and veggies into my diet and then slowly begin to add meat.

Here is a link to the juicer that I currently use, there are many others out there as well. I can say that I think it is a good investment, however you can use a blender for many of these recipes as well. The link  is to a the Jack LaLanne website with recipes and other tips and tricks for juicing!

If you haven't yet, I think everyone should watch the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead". It's a great documentary that can really show you the importance of what you put into your body and what you can expect to get out of it.

Join The Reboot is the movement that the documentary has created. It's a great place to start with lots of FAQ's about fasting and recipes to get you started. The best feature is that there is an interactive forum where people can come together to share successes and failures they experience while juicing.



I've been taking 'before' pictures of the veggies and fruits that I've put in my juices to post and also I've been compiling some 'Juicing Tips' for those just getting started.

Ingredients (Makes 1 serving):

1 Beet*

1'' Ginger root

2 Large Carrots

1 Pink Lady Apple

1/2 Cucumber

8 Radishes

4 Celery Stalks

*Caution! The beet juice can stain your clothes/hands/etc. Be careful of where you wipe your hands!

Ingredients (Makes 2 servings):

4 Celery Stalks

1 1/2 cup Grapes

2 Cucumbers

3 Carrots

1 Handful of Kale

2 Apples

2 Plums

Don't forget to juice your kale first, followed by a high water content veggie (Cucumber, grapes, etc.). This will give you the maximum amount of juice from the kale! 

Ingredients (Makes 1 serving):

1/2 Cucumber

1 Pear

4 Celery Stalks

*This juice is very sweet and very refreshing, a great morning juice! 

Ingredients (Makes 1serving):

1 Pear

1 Apple

1 Mango*

1 Plum

1 cup Grapes

1/2 Cucumber

3 Celery stalks

*Juicing mango makes this juice much thicker than other juices (almost a smoothie-like feeling), it's very sweet and very delicious, but if texture is an issue for you leave out the mango.

Ingredients (Makes 1 serving):

2 Stalks Kale

3 Large Carrots

1 Apple

1 Plum

1/2 Cucumber

3 Stalks Celery

1'' Ginger root

This is by far my favorite juice! Put the kale in first, with the ginger and followed by 1 stalk of celery. This is the best way to maximize the juice yield from the kale and the ginger root! 

Juicing Tips:

-Juice the low water items first (Leafy greens, ginger, garlic, basil, etc)

-Immediately follow these items with a high water item (Cucumber, Celery, Apple, etc.)

-I usually save the cucumber to juice last, to wash out the remaining juice from the other vegetables. 

-As a general rule, if you don't normally eat the peel of the item, go ahead and remove it before juicing (Citrus fruits, kiwi, etc.)

-Juice can be stored in an air tight container for up to two days, but tastes best immediately after juicing. 

-Items that are good in basically every juice: Cucumbers, Celery, Apples, Carrots. I use these as a base for most juices because they yield lots of juice and have fairly neutral flavors that mesh well with most other flavors.

I'll continue to post more juice recipes and tips as things come up. Happy Juicing!

6 Ingredient Nutella Microwave Cake!!

In my pursuit for the perfectly fluffy and chocolate-y dessert I have made this little gem! (best of all it makes a whole coffee cup full.)

Ingredients:

1tsp baking powder

1/4 cup flour

1Tbsp egg whites

1Tbsp milk

1 1/2 Tbsp Nutella 

1tsp vanilla extract

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in a coffee cup, microwave for 2 minutes on high heat. 

Enjoy!!

Spicy California Roll

Kevin and I love sushi, but not the price. I recently got interested in making our own sushi. Turns out, it's not nearly as complicated as you think and it's super affordable!!

You'll need:
Rolling mat
Sushi rice (Short grain rice)
Rice vinegar
Seaweed paper (Nori)
Avocado
Imitation Crab meat
Tilapia (or white fish of your choice, you can also omit this part)
Mayonnaise (I use Kew pie, it's an asian mayonnaise, but any kind you have will work)
Siracha (Spicy sauce, or any spicy toping you might like, such as tabasco sauce)
Cucumber/Bell Pepper/Jalepeno (Optional, I didn't use it in this recipe)

Cook your rice according to the packaged directions. I add Rice Vinegar when the rice is finished cooking (about 1/2Tbsp per cup of rice) for flavor.
Then while waiting for the rice to cool down to a little for easier handling...
Cook the white fish of your choice (if you're choosing to use one) in a pan, no need to keep it all in one piece as you will be putting it in a food processor or blender shortly.
When the fish is cooked, put it in the food processor with the imitation (or real) crabmeat and blend. (I usually put a little mayonnaise and siracha in with the fish mixture) This will be your "filling" for your roll.

Then, get a small bowl of water. (this will be really useful for keeping the rice from sticking to your hands!

With the rough side of the seaweed facing upwards on the mat, wet your hands and begin to put the rice down in a layer that is thin, but thick enough to cover the seaweed. You want to go a little over halfway up the seaweed paper with the rice.

Lay down the "filling" you made earlier, and next to it place your avocado slices and any other seasonings/fillings you  might want to put inside (Jalepenos, green bell pepper slices, cucumber, etc.)

Roll the mat up starting at the end you filled first, roll tightly and slowly to ensure you're accurate. Keep rolling all the way!

Using a wet knife, slice the sushi into as many pieces as you want, I'm usually able to do about 8 pieces successfully.

Serve and Enjoy!!!

Today's work out

30 minutes of cardio (Today I will use the elliptical machine, but I try to change it up each time.)

Lower Body: 

One legged Squats (4 sets of 10 each leg)

The slower the better on these and keep your core tight as you squat. 

Half Ball Squats (4 sets of 15)

The slower the better! (To up the difficulty hold weights in your hands when squatting) 

Be sure to keep your core tight when doing these! Adding the 1/2 ball to your leg work outs adds the balance element that tones and tightens more muscles and increases the difficulty. 

Step-Ups (2 minutes, twice-4 minutes total)

Be sure to rest at least 2 minutes between each set, keep moving and stretching but don't sit down! For the first 2 minutes, start with your right leg, for the second 2 minutes start with your left leg. 

Calf Raises (4 sets of 10 each leg)

For an easier method, stand on the floor, or keep both feet on the block.

3 Ingredient Spicy Fish and Rice

This is one of my favorite snacks, it's low calorie, low fat, and high in protein! The fish I use is Tilapia, because it has a very mild flavor and I found it on sale at the grocery store. I have also used Cod for this recipe and it turned out delicious as well. I'd be interested to see how other fish substitutions work with this dish.

For one serving:
1 Tilapia Filet (or white fish of your choice)
1/4 Cup of short grain rice
1 and 1/2 Tbsp Siracha

The preparation is very simple. Cook the rice as directed. In a skillet, cook tilapia until it flakes a part, then mix the rice and fish in a bowl with 1 and 1/2 Tbsp of Siracha. Serve warm and Enjoy!!