Everlasting Beauty

This was the title for a health workshop I attended last night presented by Step Up Women's Network and lead by Aimee Raupp, a certified acupuncturist and herbalist who holds a bachelor's of science iin biology and a master's in traditional Oriental medicine. I learned quite a bit and thought it would be a great topic for this post. We were given a lot of information so this will only touch on a few key pieces. Let me know if you're interested in any particular section and I'll expand in another post.

Aimee believes there are three main components to Everlasting Beauty - general good health, mental clarity, and confidence.

General good health - there are three key things that should be included in our diets every day. Antioxidants (nutrients that help combat the oxidative damage to our bodies associated with aging) can be found in foods such as avocado (Vitamin E), blueberries (Vitamin C), Goji berries (Vitamin C), tomotoes (Vitamin C and lycopene), and sweet potatoes (Vitamin A and carotanoids). Omega 3's are also very important and help support healthy skin and nails and act as natural anti-inflamatories. Foods such as walnuts and almonds, olive oil and fatty fish (salmon, herring and sardines are best). Quality supplements such as fish oil and cod liver oil are also great sources (Aimee recommends Nordic Natural and Garden of Life brands). Lastly, detoxifiers are essential. Not detox programs that are pushed through informercials, but natural sources such as green veggies (kale, spinach, etc). Because our busy schedules make it difficult to incorporate green veggies into all of our meals, Aimee suggests supplements such as spirulina. It comes in the form of a tablet or capsule and if you're really adventurous there are powders that can be mixed into smoothies or other beverages. Detoxifiers help keep skin clear, healthy, and beautiful.

In addition to the things we should include in our diet, there are a few things that we should avoid at all costs. Processed foods, added sugar (especially high fructose corn syrup) and soy. You're probably wondering about the last one. I did too. I thought it was good for me. Well, apparently short term studies do show advantages but long term studies show that soy is very damaging to our hormones and our bodies are unable to fully digest it. So, the conclusion is to stay away (even edemame!)

Mental Clarity - I particularly love this one. Aimee wants us all to just calm down! To step back and relax. Stress ages us more than almost anything else as it causes genes to degrade at a faster rate. We need to learn how to manage our stress and take time for ourselves. Two five minute breaks per day with our eyes closed and deep breathing. Check in with yourself or just relax. Turn everything off - blackberries, iPhones, cell phones, tv's, radios. Everything. Just take five minutes and break the stress cycle. She also suggested focusing on gratitude. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, take a few minutes each day to write down a few things that you are grateful or thankful for. Or, find a friend who wants to do this to and send an email to them each day telling them one thing you're thankful for. Turning the TV off 20 minutes before bed will also help you calm down and relax. This and getting 7-8hrs of sleep every night are both key. I unfortunately, hardly ever get 7-8 hrs of sleep during the week. This is one thing I must work on.

Lastly, Confidence - Confidence shows through, but all too often we don't have the self confidence that we should. One way to boost confidence is to start censoring how you talk to yourself. Talk to yourself the same way you would talk to others. Or rather, don't talk to yourself in ways that you wouldn't talk to others. Don't diminish your strengths or focus on the things you don't like about yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and tell yourself that you like yourself. That you love yourself. Sounds cheesy, I know. I haven't tried this yet but it sounds like a good way to focus on inner confidence and being proud of yourself. We have to be confident in ourselves and not rely on others to be.

By focusing on these three pieces it seems we should become closer to having everlasting beauty. It comes from within, not from a bottle of lotion. Don't think that you have to follow this word for word every minute of every day, but it is best to eat and live as healthfully as possible. I'm looking forward to trying some of these tidbits of advice and seeing how it makes me feel. Let me know if you try any of them and what you think.

If you're interested in more information, Aimee wrote a book called Chill Out & Get Healthy. I purchased it last night when 10% went to Step Up and I'm looking forward to digging in!

Have a healthy & happy day!

A Handful of Cherries

I am a fruit lover. This wasn't always the case though. I wouldn't eat strawberries when I was young because of the seeds and 'fuzz.' That's the truth! How crazy was I? Now I can't get enough. Summer is always my favorite time for fruit. There is something incredibly refreshing, cool, and satisfying about a big bowl of fresh fruit salad, a crisp apple or a huge slice of watermelon that drips all over and makes my fingers sticky. Here are some tips on how best to enjoy fruit as we get closer to fall.

When to buy:

Now is still a great time to buy berries like raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Peaches (white peaches is a current obsession of mine) and nectarines are plentiful and pomegranates are starting to come onto the market. The end of summer is also a great time cantaloupe and grapes. Apples will be arriving soon enough although some farmer's markets like the ones here in NY seem to have them available year round.

How to store:

A good thing to remember is that the nutritional value of any fruit begins to decrease the moment it is picked so it is always best to eat your fruit as soon after it is harvested to get the most nutrients.

- Apples should be stored in a plastic or paper bag and for no longer than 3 weeks.

- Unripe bananas can be kept at room temperature however ripe fruits can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (apparently it is okay if the skin turns black).

- Blueberries should be kept in the refrigerator and can last up to 10 days but it is best not to wash them until just before they are going to be eaten.

- Mangoes can be stored at room temperature for 1 to 2 days and stored in the refrigerator after they are peeled and sliced.

- Fresh figs should be kept in the coldest part of your fridge and eaten within 2 days.

- Whole pomegranates can be stored in a cool and dry area for 1 month or up to 2 months in the fridge.

Organic v Conventional:

It's been found that there is no real nutritional difference between organic and conventionally grown fruits. HOWEVER, the different growing methods result in the presence of pesticides and herbicides on the fruit. The Environmental Workers Group compiled a list of produce that is worth spending the extra few dimes on to purchase organically because they contain the highest levels of chemicals. This list was compiled from research data released by the FDA. Peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, grapes, and pears are included on the list. Click here for a handy shoppers guide.

How much fruit is enough?

Sometimes it is hard to eat enough fruit each day. We are busy people! The latest recommendations suggest we only need 2 cups of fruit a day (1 apple, a banana, 8 strawberries, and 1/2 cup of dried fruit). Just remember, it's better to have a little fruit, even if it isn't 2 cups, than to have none at all. Just stay away from the sugary 5% fruit juices - they don't count!

Now go grab an apple!

The Little Things

There is an article in yesterday's New York Times about the Department of Energy failing to use fairly simple technology that lowers the thermostat temperature when people are not around - mainly at night and on the weekends. An audit found that if the technology was used, the department would save $11.5 million annually. $11.5 million! I don't know about you, but this is a lot of money to me. A lot of money that could be put to much better use - or just not spent (imagine that!). The DOE encourages citizens to think wisely about purchases (EnergyStar) and daily living in order to decrease energy usage and increase conservation. It seems counterproductive when they don't follow their own advice, especially when many of the DOE facilities already have the equipment in place. I encourage you to check out the article. It's definitely interesting and worth 5 minutes of your day. Don't get me wrong though - I definitely appreciate the work they do, especially with the Weatherization Program, but this article brings to light the easy ways we can all contribute to saving energy. Turn down the thermostat, turn off lights when you leave the room, don't leave our work computers on all week long (I need to be better about this!) and other simple things. We can all make a difference.


On a training note.... I ran 15.45 miles on Saturday!! It was the last weekend of Summer Streets and even though it was raining when we started out and was extremely humid, it turned out well! Matt ran the first down & back with me (over 8 miles, a record for him!) and then I ran back down to City Hall and up to Astor Place. I then walked up to Union Square and stopped at the Farmer's Market to purchase a couple ears of corn, apples, and Ronnybrook chocolate milk for a recovery drink! I picked up the bus at Madison Square Park and made my way home. I am so glad I did it. I feel great and I'm encouraged that I'll be able to finish 18 miles this Saturday!

A Pedestrian Friendly City

Have you heard of the Broadway Boulevard? The New Yorkers reading this have, and maybe a few others. Last year the city (read: Mayor Bloomberg) decided to close multiple lanes of Broadway in effort to make it a more pedestrian friendly street and relieve traffic congestion in the area.

I have never been a fan of Times Square. There are too many people, too much traffic, and it always takes forever to walk through it. I only go there if I must. Sounds strange, right? It's the heart of New York City! Well, I don't think I'm exaggerating when I tell you that I think most people who live and/or work in this city feel the same way. The only time I really enjoyed going through Times Square was during the Nike NYC Half Marathon last summer, when they close down the streets completely for the runners. Well, I find this new traffic route pretty interesting. The city closed two lanes of traffic to create pedestrian plaza's featuring tables with umbrellas, benches, and planters as well as a dedicated bike lane as far north as 59th St down to 47th where they closed Broadway completely. The plaza's continue down to Herald Square and again near Madison Square Park. Personally, I think they are a welcome addition to the city. They exhibit NYC's ability to innovate and promote transportation alternatives - walking and biking. There have been many vocal opponents to the changes, especially those who work in the areas most affected, but there are always people who are resistant to change, aren't there? Hopefully they'll give it a chance and warm up to the idea eventually.

Broadway and Columbus Circle

Times Square looking south

If you're interested, you can check out these links for more info about the Broadway Boulevard project: NY Times and Streetsblog

A Cup of Tea

A cup of tea is a great way to start the day. I love coffee too, but sometimes I think that a nice comforting cup of tea is a soothing and easy way to wake up and get started. Matt and I start every weekday with at least one cup of tea. I don't remember drinking it much before we were married though. We registered for a tea kettle and a tea box for our wedding and have used it just about every day since it arrived. We were spoiled on our honeymoon at Little Dix Bay where they would set up an amazing afternoon tea each day. Since then we've become big fans of the healthy and soothing beverage.

While Green Tea is one of the healthiest teas to drink, I recently read about a study done in 2007 at Purdue University that found a way to make it even healthier. When added to green tea, citrus juice, particularly lemon, allows the catechins (antioxidants found in green tea) to remain throughout digestion thus increasing the health benefits of the tea. Grab a cup of tea and check out this article from Science Daily for more information!

Not What I Had Thought

I woke up early this morning - 4:50am. It is actually pretty close to when I normally wake up, but for a Saturday, this is early. As you know, my goal was to complete my first 15mile run. I left the apartment a bit nervous but very excited. I was going to jump over another hurdle in my training and reach another level. Past the 1/2 Marathon!

I decided to run the route for Summer Streets even though it wasn't officially starting until 7am. I knew the cops would be out already and I wasn't sure what Central Park would be like that early on the weekend. My run was going really well. My legs felt great and my breathing easy. I decided to run an extra mile at the front end so I'd hit 15 since all the literature said that the route was 6.9m one way. I got down to Union Square - felt great! Then, down through Soho, Chinatown, and I look at my watch. How could I be so close to the end of the route already? I can't be running that fast, even without the hills of the park. I turned around at Brooklyn Bridge and headed back up. I knew something was off and asked two people working the route. They both said it was 6.9 one way. Okay, well, I added another mile at the end so if it's off a little I might come close.

I got home, turned on the computer right away and went to MapMyRun.com to see how far off it was. The total run came in at 11.65 miles. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed. I didn't even make it to 13! I also didn't have time to go back out and run more since we had to be somewhere at 10am. It's difficult to know a goal was not met and a hurdle not cleared, but tomorrow I will go out and do 4 extra miles and next week I'll go 14 instead of the 12 that are in my training plan. Just have to make the best of it and move on. Can't look back. I still had fun on my run and ran a few blocks I had never been on before. Next time I do a route outside of the park, I will use MapMyRun before I leave the apartment! 11.65 miles is still some serious mileage and I still enjoyed my cold glass of chocolate milk when I was mapping out the route!

Yoga on the Hudson

One of the things I enjoy most about living in New York is the emphasis the city has put on health initiatives. (I'm a big fan of calorie counting, but that can wait for another day). I came across this great website that tells New Yorkers (and tourists) about a lot of opportunities around the city to be active. I found that the city parks system provides free yoga classes in several parks and one isn't too far from my office.

With a threat of rain all day yesterday, my friend and I made the trek over to the Hudson River at 66th St and found about 30 other people, of all ages and sizes, ready to relax and recharge. With the steady humming of cars overhead on the West Side Highway and waves crashing up against the wall, we laid out our mats and practiced yoga for an hour. It was my first class in quite a while and my first ever outdoors. What a great experience! Runners were running past on the trail, a lone kayaker made his way downstream and tour boats were plenty. Even on a gloomy, humid day, it was pretty fantastic. If you're in the city, I definitely suggest you try out one of these classes. There are others in Bryant Park as well, but they only last for another month.

A quick note about my training. Today was my cross training day so I went to the gym, but yesterday I took a lap around the Reservoir in Central Park as part of my run. It's one of the most beautiful areas in the city and an amazing place to watch the sun come up. One of these days I'll take my camera out there with me so I can share it with you.

Have a great day! Check out these yoga classes and don't forget about Summer Streets this Saturday!

And it Begins

Good morning!

I've been thinking about this day for a while now. My first blog post. I decided late one night earlier this year when my husband and I were walking home from watching a Michigan State NCAA tournament basketball game, that I wanted to start a blog. We walked past a restaurant with a huge poster in the window shouting out to passersby about a new XXL extra meat, extra cheese pizza for only $9.99. We make so many choices every day and I've been trying over the past few years to make more good choices than not when it comes to eating, exercise, consumption, and life in general.

I want to share tips, suggestions, events and other interesting things with others as I search for them myself and try to incorporate them into my life. I also plan to use this blog to keep my training in check and on track. Last year I made a commitment to myself that I would run the 2009 ING NYC Marathon and I am on my way to achieving that goal. This Saturday I am scheduled to run 15 miles for the first time.

I welcome suggestions, comments, contributions, and discussions. My hope is that this will become a place for people to learn and share.

Sunday night I started a new journal. I wrote down 5 things I was grateful for that day and I'm going to continue it every night. I know I am lucky and have a lot to be grateful for, but this will help me concentrate on the good things and not dwell on the others. Focus on the positive.

Now its time to finish my breakfast and get to work.