I can still taste it. A mix of rotten egg salad and sulfuric acid. It was worst in the spring afternoons when the air was hot and thick. It stuck to the back of your throat and clung to every panting breath as we sprinted up and down the field. It was our home-field advantage. The thick, sour smog that loomed from the factory next to our field became our ally for those two halves; but by the next practice, it was back to being our biggest rival.
Air pollution and athletes don't mix. My lacrosse team swears that down the road one of us will have defective babies or some mysterious disease from hours of sucking the poisonous air, and we'll regret not sending letters to our state congressmen like we wanted. But even if we all keep our strong, healthy physiques and our offspring have the appropriate number of limbs and digits, there's reason for fitness buffs to worry about the supply of fresh O2.
As Dr. Homer Boushey of the Health Effects Institute explains in "The air we breathe" on CNN Paging Dr. Gupta's blog, typical breathing during intense workouts is through the mouth, rather than the nose. Problem? When dirty, polluted air is your body's fuel, that breathing pattern exposes you to more pollutants. And you don't have to be Al Gore to figure out what that does to your health.
That's why Haile Gebrselassie, 34-year-old Ethiopian marathoner, will pass on the summer Olympics in Beijing. The world record holder has exercise-induced asthma, and worries that it won't mix well with Beijing's chart-topping pollution levels. Even though Boushey doubts a short trip to the heart of China's economy will do significant damage to Gebrselassie's health, it's not a risk he's willing to take. Even if it means forfeiting his chance at gold.
While we may not be breaking world marathon records or shipping out to Beijing any time soon, the inconvenient truth is that we can't breathe easy. Unless we start making some green changes, fitness junkies could be taking their workouts indoors--permanently.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Lasagna Done Light!
My mother--famous for creating delicious, more nutritious renditions of our classic faves--knocked it out of the park with this birthday entree. Traumatized by the fat, carb-laden ghosts of lasagna past? This makeover swaps the high-fat cheeses and meats with waist-line sensitive ingredients, and holds them together with fiber-packed whole wheat pasta. It's a lighter lasagna with a punch of flavor, and will be sure to win over any guest who loves their greens (and reds. And oranges.).
Birthday Butternut Squash Lasagna
3 cups chopped onions
10 cups fresh spinach
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
10 Easy Steps
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Sauté chopped onions 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach and continue for 1 1/2 minutes or until spinach wilts.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine provolone, parsley, salt, pepper, eggs, and ricotta cheeses.
4. Throw squash cubes in a microwave-safe bowl; cover and nuke on high 5 minutes or until tender.
5. Coat 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
6. Spread 1/2 cup marinara in the bottom of dish. Pile ingredients as follows: 3 noodles over sauce, 1 cup cheese mixture over noodles, 1 1/2 cups squash over that, and 3/4 cup sauce on top.
7. Add 3 noodles on top of sauce, and mix up the layer: 1 cup cheese mixture, 1 1/2 cups onion/spinach mixture, 3/4 cup marinara.
8. Repeat Step 6 & 7.
9. Top it off with 1 cup marinara and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
10. Cover each pan with foil. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.
Enjoy! Let me know what you think!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Happy Birthday to...me!
I know. Where have I been? I became blatantly conscious of my absence when my uncle calling from Germany asked about my plans to rename the blog. "It should be more like Jen's Bi-Weekly Serving," he said. "A man could go hungry waiting for your daily serving!"
I can really only amass a lame, I've-been-too-swamped excuse. I've got about 10 drafts waiting to be finished as proof that I've meant well, but I'll give it to you, my delivery has been piss-poor. But here I am, on my 22nd birthday, with the daily serving on my mind (let's leave assumptions about my social life aside...I've got an early date with a root canal in the morning, so I'm opting for a low profile night of March Madness with the family). That's gotta be automatic brownie points, right?
Waking up as a 22 year old didn't feel the same as my morning a year ago (but I guess most mornings sans massive hangovers don't). While things were definitely more relaxed this March 27th, I can't complain about where I'm at one year later. I'm wrapping up a rejuvenating spring break and heading back for one more quarter at a school I love. I've got an interview with a magazine tomorrow (post-root canal) that I'd absolutely love to work for. I'm surrounded by some of the greatest friends this world can offer. I'm blessed with a loving and supportive family, and I'd trade in kegs of warm beer for this nice glass of wine any day. Ya, life's been pretty good, and I have a feeling this year will bring many more exciting things my way.
Alright, so I've strayed from health tips and topics, but I had to acknowledge the white elephant cramming the HTML coding of my recently empty pages. I do have a great recipe from my birthday dinner that I'll get up here tomorrow, as well as a few articles and studies I've been reading about. For now, I've got to get back to prepping for my Men's Health interview tomorrow (not to mention the Louisville/Tennessee game!).
Oh, and Uncle David, this one's for you. Thanks for being there, from reading this blog to calling with heartfelt support and birthday wishes. I'll try to keep my portions more sustainable from now on.
I can really only amass a lame, I've-been-too-swamped excuse. I've got about 10 drafts waiting to be finished as proof that I've meant well, but I'll give it to you, my delivery has been piss-poor. But here I am, on my 22nd birthday, with the daily serving on my mind (let's leave assumptions about my social life aside...I've got an early date with a root canal in the morning, so I'm opting for a low profile night of March Madness with the family). That's gotta be automatic brownie points, right?
Waking up as a 22 year old didn't feel the same as my morning a year ago (but I guess most mornings sans massive hangovers don't). While things were definitely more relaxed this March 27th, I can't complain about where I'm at one year later. I'm wrapping up a rejuvenating spring break and heading back for one more quarter at a school I love. I've got an interview with a magazine tomorrow (post-root canal) that I'd absolutely love to work for. I'm surrounded by some of the greatest friends this world can offer. I'm blessed with a loving and supportive family, and I'd trade in kegs of warm beer for this nice glass of wine any day. Ya, life's been pretty good, and I have a feeling this year will bring many more exciting things my way.
Alright, so I've strayed from health tips and topics, but I had to acknowledge the white elephant cramming the HTML coding of my recently empty pages. I do have a great recipe from my birthday dinner that I'll get up here tomorrow, as well as a few articles and studies I've been reading about. For now, I've got to get back to prepping for my Men's Health interview tomorrow (not to mention the Louisville/Tennessee game!).
Oh, and Uncle David, this one's for you. Thanks for being there, from reading this blog to calling with heartfelt support and birthday wishes. I'll try to keep my portions more sustainable from now on.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Take Small Steps to Drop Big
I just read a great story from CNN's Health Minute about Lois Fletcher and the small steps she started taking toward a healthier body. By substituting a subway ride in place of her daily car commute to work, she added a regular exercise routine that helped her drop more than 30 pounds and get her health back on track. It's an incredible story--take a look.
Fletcher is living proof that it is possible to add fitness into your daily life--regardless of your schedule or shape. I found the same positive effect of inter-commute workouts this summer in NYC. I lived 20 blocks from my office (20 city blocks is about 1 mile), so on nice days I would forgo my trip on the 4 train for a round-trip walk instead. And there were so many amazing benefits. My mornings became more productive knowing I needed to get out the door a few minutes earlier, and less stressful by avoiding the jam-packed, super-muggy subways. It helped me unwind after a hectic work day, and spend some time in the summer sun. It made me feel more connected and familiar to the new city I was a part of, and it gave me a way to explore; on some afternoons, I would take a different route or walk way out of my way--just to see a new angle of the city. I got so much out of the short, 20-block trip that I never realized the workout I was getting. Just another reason why I can't wait to get back to the city!
Fletcher is living proof that it is possible to add fitness into your daily life--regardless of your schedule or shape. I found the same positive effect of inter-commute workouts this summer in NYC. I lived 20 blocks from my office (20 city blocks is about 1 mile), so on nice days I would forgo my trip on the 4 train for a round-trip walk instead. And there were so many amazing benefits. My mornings became more productive knowing I needed to get out the door a few minutes earlier, and less stressful by avoiding the jam-packed, super-muggy subways. It helped me unwind after a hectic work day, and spend some time in the summer sun. It made me feel more connected and familiar to the new city I was a part of, and it gave me a way to explore; on some afternoons, I would take a different route or walk way out of my way--just to see a new angle of the city. I got so much out of the short, 20-block trip that I never realized the workout I was getting. Just another reason why I can't wait to get back to the city!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Pound-Melting Miracle or Just Another Fad Diet?
While some people swear by their fat-zapping powers, I've never been bit by the fad-diet bug. To me, there's nothing less appetizing than cabbage soup or more boring than Subway subs. I don't like red meat, so Adkins was never an option. Math's not my strong suit, so I never got my head around The Zone's percentages. I tried South Beach awhile back with my mom, and while I did drop some lb's during Phase 1, the food options just weren't practical for my busy (then) high-school life. So when a new fad diet--the Alternate-day diet--started making headlines, I thought I'd at least take a look (while preparing for disappointment).
Created by New Orleans plastic surgeon James B. Johnson, the diet's mantra is "no restriction necessary" and the concept is simple--every other day, eat as you please. Yes, absolutely however you want. Craving pizza? Go for it. Sweeting on ice cream? Add an extra scoop. The catch? (Because obviously there has to be one.) Those other days you've got to cut your cals--big time.
Johnson got the idea from animal studies that have shown weight and health benefits from fasting every other day. As an overweight and mindless eater himself, Johnson tested the animal-based theories and saw dramatic results (35 pounds in 3 months!). Instead of fasting like the test mice and primates did, Johnson stuck to a calorie-restricted diet (approximately 20 to 30 percent of his daily caloric intake) of low-cal foods like yogurt, fruit and salads. The best result for him? The one-day-at-a-time mentality was doable and he never felt deprived.
I'm all for anything that lets me enjoy the "forbidden foods" that have been exiled by other diets, but something about this on-off approach has me thinking twice. On the one hand, I'd be a perfect candidate. I can't seem to say goodbye for good to taboo foods, I have great short-term discipline, and I'm an eater who laments every time I "mess up" on my diet (causing a downward, devastating blow to my progress). On the other hand, I see red flags all over this diet plan. My be-healthy intuition leans toward making balanced and nutritious choices everyday, while giving yourself room to enjoy the things you crave in moderation. This diet certainly doesn't teach a healthy mentality; instead it teaches that you can eat absolutely anything--just as long as you don't eat the next day. When I dug around Johnson's website, I found a calorie calculator to breakdown the "up" and "down" days based on my info. While I tend to nibble into the 1,200-1,600 daily calorie range, I could eat my way up to 1,900 calories if I wanted to on the "up" days. But on the "down" days, I'd be looking at a 350-calorie allowance. I really don't see how that could get me through 24 hours.
My verdict's still out on this one while I read into what other people have to say. What do you think? Is this a legit, get-slim-quick plan or just another fad diet gone wrong?
Created by New Orleans plastic surgeon James B. Johnson, the diet's mantra is "no restriction necessary" and the concept is simple--every other day, eat as you please. Yes, absolutely however you want. Craving pizza? Go for it. Sweeting on ice cream? Add an extra scoop. The catch? (Because obviously there has to be one.) Those other days you've got to cut your cals--big time.
Johnson got the idea from animal studies that have shown weight and health benefits from fasting every other day. As an overweight and mindless eater himself, Johnson tested the animal-based theories and saw dramatic results (35 pounds in 3 months!). Instead of fasting like the test mice and primates did, Johnson stuck to a calorie-restricted diet (approximately 20 to 30 percent of his daily caloric intake) of low-cal foods like yogurt, fruit and salads. The best result for him? The one-day-at-a-time mentality was doable and he never felt deprived.
I'm all for anything that lets me enjoy the "forbidden foods" that have been exiled by other diets, but something about this on-off approach has me thinking twice. On the one hand, I'd be a perfect candidate. I can't seem to say goodbye for good to taboo foods, I have great short-term discipline, and I'm an eater who laments every time I "mess up" on my diet (causing a downward, devastating blow to my progress). On the other hand, I see red flags all over this diet plan. My be-healthy intuition leans toward making balanced and nutritious choices everyday, while giving yourself room to enjoy the things you crave in moderation. This diet certainly doesn't teach a healthy mentality; instead it teaches that you can eat absolutely anything--just as long as you don't eat the next day. When I dug around Johnson's website, I found a calorie calculator to breakdown the "up" and "down" days based on my info. While I tend to nibble into the 1,200-1,600 daily calorie range, I could eat my way up to 1,900 calories if I wanted to on the "up" days. But on the "down" days, I'd be looking at a 350-calorie allowance. I really don't see how that could get me through 24 hours.
My verdict's still out on this one while I read into what other people have to say. What do you think? Is this a legit, get-slim-quick plan or just another fad diet gone wrong?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Portion Sizes attack!
They're merciless, they're uncontrollable and they're here to menace your figure! It doesn't take a registered nutritionist or public health lobbyist to explain our country's weight problem--our food does all the talking. Take this "Portion Distortion" quiz courtesy of the FDA and you'll see the direct and every-expanding line that links our waists to our plates.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Who's the Healthiest of Them All?
I like to think of myself as a pretty nutrition-knowledgeable gal, so when I stumbled on a healthy vs. healthier quiz on MSNBC's website, I was sure I'd ace it (I got an 85%). It was trickier than I thought (ie. apple vs. banana), but the data-dense explanations after each question were great. Just goes to show, making healthy choices isn't cut and dry--even when your choices are both great options.
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