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Health & Fitness

Weekly Health & Fitness News | Week 27 - 4th of July Edition

I hope you had a wonderful, healthful, and enjoyable week. Here's what you may have missed in the land of health and fitness - and here's what to look forward to this week!

AT-A-GLANCE:

  • Links of the Week
  • Weston Nutrition Seminar | Great Questions and Future Topics
  • Recipes: July 4th Edition!
  • WOW - Workout of the Week!

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Find out what's happening in Wellesleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Links of the Week 

What if we are wrong about diabetes? | TED Talks, TED.com

Find out what's happening in Wellesleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

My friend and colleague, Dr. Peter Attia, gave an emotional and educational TEDMED talk in April about the treatment of diabetes. It was so compelling that it was picked up by TED and was their talk of the week last week. 

"As a young surgeon, Peter Attia felt contempt for his obese patient with diabetes. She was overweight, he thought, and thus responsible for the fact that she needed a foot amputation. But years later, Attia received an unpleasant medical surprise that led him to wonder: is our understanding right? Could the precursors to diabetes cause obesity, and not the other way around? A look at how assumptions may be leading us to wage the wrong medical war."


How Carbs Can Trigger Food Cravings | New York Times

"Are all calories created equal? A new study suggests that in at least one important way, they may not be. . . Sugary foods and drinks, white bread and other processed carbohydrates that are known to cause abrupt spikes and falls in blood sugar appear to stimulate parts of the brain involved in hunger, craving and reward, the new research shows."

David Ludwig, a pediatric endocrinologist at Boston Children's Hopsital was the lead author on the study. The take-home message of this study was summed up by Dr. Chistopher Gardner. A more helpful message than "eat less," he said, may be "eat less refined carbohydrates and more whole foods."

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Weston Nutrition Seminar | Great Questions and Future Topics

There was a great turnout for Bob Kaplan's Nutrition Seminar in Weston last Wednesday.

There were also a number of terrific questions regarding, health, fitness, nutrition, as well as the issue of cholesterol, its role in the body, and what clients should be looking for in terms of different types of cholesterol and blood lipids (LDL-Cholesterol, HDL-Cholesterol, Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, VLDL Cholesterol, LDL-Particle Number, HDL-Particle Number, LDL-Particle Size, HDL-Particle Size, ApoB, just to name a few!) as markers for health and disease in addition to statin use, cholesterol in foods, and why the research seems to be saying one thing one day, and then the opposite the next. Obviously this can get confusing very quickly and it takes more than a few minutes to explain some of the details. Having said that, the issue of cholesterol can be understood and Bob is happy to share what he has learned in the research after studying the issue and speaking with a number of leader in the field of lipidology.

Cholesterol will definitely be a topic that Bob will present in the studios for clients so look for an invitation soon! Also, if there are any topics around health, exercise, and nutrition that you would like to learn more about, please let us know and we are more than happy to provide you with more information and education.

Frederic Bastiat said, "We must admit that our opponents in this argument have a marked advantage over us.  They need only a few words to set forth a half-truth; whereas, in order to show that it is a half-truth, we have to resort to long and arid dissertations."

This applies to nutrition: there are many purported "experts" out there, as well as media sound-bytes that imply things that are not necessarily well-supported by science, but it doesn't seem to stop people from telling you that "X" is 'linked' to "Y" and can send you to an early grave.

Our challenge -- if we are to be honest brokers in the field of fitness, health, and nutrition -- is to convey "long and arid dissertations" in a manner that is easy to digest if you will pardon the pun!

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Recipes: July 4th Edition!

Jerk Chicken, Avocado Feta Salsa, Cauliflower Fried Rice, Herbed Spaghetti Squash, and Chia Flax Crackers

Great for the 4th, try the Avocado Feta Salsa with the Flax Crackers and Jerk Chicken. Serve the cauliflower rice and/or spaghetti squash as healthful side dishes.

 

Jerk Chicken

  • 4 boneless chicken breasts, raw and chopped into cubes or long, thin strips
  • ½ cup butter
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp Thicken Thin/Not Starch
  • 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 3 Tbsp parsley
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, pieces and stems 
  • ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • prepared spaghetti squash
  • Avocado-Feta salsa, prepared (optional, recipe below)

 

  1. Melt butter in a skillet over low/medium heat and add garlic.
  2. When garlic becomes fragrant, add cayenne pepper and chicken. Increase heat.
  3. Cook until chicken is no longer raw. Remove chicken from the pan, leaving the liquids.
  4. In a separate bowl, stir together half-and-half, chicken broth, and ThickNThin/Not Starch. Pour into the skilled the chicken was cooked in (with the liquids).
  5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in parsley, herbs, mushrooms, red bell pepper, and heath thoroughly, allowing flavors to blend.
  6. Add chicken and heat through.
  7. Toss with spaghetti squash, or to fried, riced cauliflower (see links below!). Top with avocado-feta salsa for garnish, color and some coolness to the flavor.

Avocado-Feta Salsa 

  • 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp snipped, fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbsp snipped fresh oregano
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 4 oz. feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

1. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, avocado, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, oil, and vinegar.
2. Stir gently to mix.
3. Gently stir in feta cheese.
4. Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to 6 hours.  

Additional Recipe Links:

Cauliflower Fried Rice 

Herbed Spaghetti Squash 

Chia Flax Crackers 

Recipes Courtesy of: Your Lighter Side, Soundness of Body and Mind, Emeril Lagasse, and Healthy Living How To

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WOW - Workout of the Week!

Get ready to be WOWed in the studio - we are proud to present our Workout Of the Week where we will keep things constantly varied while also focusing on delivering workouts in a safe and effective manner at high intensity.

This week, get ready for some Kettlebell swings, TRX Chest Presses, Kettlebell High Pulls, Goblet Squats, TRX High Rows, and more! We will also be varying the interval cardio to keep your body guessing while never forgetting that it's QUALITY over QUANTITY in everything we do: and this includes pushing ourselves during the green light and recovering on the red lights.

Our trainers will guide you through the entire workout, including coaching you on intervals, so don't worry if you don't recognize some of the exercises and protocols right away: we are here to help you every step of the way.

You can also find the WOW on youtube | YouTube.com

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Have a great week - let us know me you have any topics in particular you would like to discuss in the studio, as well as any books you think we should cover as part of our book club series (we have already received some great recommendations), as we have monthly seminars and events to keep you informed, educated, and even entertained ;-)

Sincerely,

Bob Kaplan


Bob Kaplan holds advance degrees in exercise physiology and business, an undergraduate degree in nutrition, is a nationally certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, independent nutrition researcher, and owns six Get In Shape For Women locations in Bedford, Wayland, Wellesley, Westford, Weston, and Winchester.

For more information about Kaplan's services at Get in Shape For Women in Wellesley, please call 781-237-7752 or visit at 259 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA, 02481, or online at www.getinshapeforwomen.com for a free health assessment.
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