Some individuals don't like to eat before a cardiovascular workout because they're worried about getting cramps.

Solution: Although you don't want to eat immediately before starting a cardiovascular workout, you should try to eat a light snack or meal about 1 to 1 1/2 hours beforehand. Doing so will make sure that you have enough fuel for your workout. As long as you give yourself enough time to digest the food, you don't have to worry about cramps. (Most side stitches are actually caused by not warming up properly.)

What should you eat? Choose something higher in carbohydrate, a moderate amount of healthy fat, low in fiber, and a source of protein. Some examples of good pre-workout fuel include: a bagel with peanut butter; a banana and an energy bar; or a bowl of cold cereal with a cup of skim milk. Stay away from rich, high-fiber, and high-fat foods, as they may cause gastrointestinal issues.

Iron-deficiency anemia is a fairly common occurance in athletes. It is especially common in female athletes who have heavy periods. Anemia causes fatigue and reduced performance.

Solution: If you frequently feel tired without an explanation, get your iron levels checked with a blood test. To help prevent anemia, make sure your diet includes red meat, or iron-rich alternatives (dark-meat chicken or turkey, salmon, tuna) and an iron-fortified cereal. If you are a vegetarian, you can also find iron in meat-less alternatives such as pistachios, cashews, chickpeas, dried apricots, sesame seeds, tahini, black molasses, spinach and wholemeal bread. It's also important to include vitamin C in your diet because it helps with iron absorption. So try to include vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, tomatoes, berries, and broccoli, at every meal.

Many athletes, especially runners, focus so much on consuming their carbs that they don't pay enough attention to their protein. 

Solution: Athletes, especially those who are doing strenuous training for long distances such as marathons, should consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kg of body weight. Good sources of protein are fish, lean meat, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains, egg whites, low or non-fat milk, low-fat cheese and some vegetables. If you're not sure how much protein you should be getting, call me to set-up an appointment for advice on how to get the right amount of protein in your diet.

Sometimes, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!

The evidence speaks for itself. The heart-healthy benefits of almonds are hard to dispute since nine clinical studies have now shown the impact almonds can have on an individual's cholesterol levels.

How can a handful of almonds a day keep the cardiologist away?
Out of all the many varieties of nuts out there, almonds are the best source of six of the 13 nutrients for which ther is a Daily Value or Daily Recommended Value. What does this mean? This means that almonds contain the following per ounce: 6g of protein; 1.1g Iron; 75mg Calcium; 137mg Phosphorus; 76mg Magnesium; 7.4mg Vitamin E; 3.5g Fiber; and 200mg Potassium.

Not only that, but almonds are an antioxidant power house containing alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E). Alpha-tocopherol is the most absorbable form of Vitamin E, and with most Americans only getting half of their recommended Vitamin E per day, almonds are the easiest way to close the gap!

Watching your weight? Worried about the fat content of almonds?
No need to worry! Almonds have 13 grams of unsaturated fat and just 1 gram of saturated fat. The unsaturated fat is heart-healthy and satiating, meaning you'll consume fewer calories for more nutrients, crunch and taste!

1 ounce of almonds is approximately 23 almonds. Make it a point to begin consuming your ounce of prevention today!

Vitamin D may protect asthmatics and those suffering with cystic fibrosis from an allergic response linked to the common mold, Aspergillus fumigates, suggests a new study. This environmental mold is a very widespread fungal organism that when inhaled does not normally cause any problems to the vast majority of people. However, in asthmatics and in patients with cystic fibrosis, exposure can lead to significant allergic symptoms. 

In an unrelated vitamin D study, researchers have identified vitamin D receptors (VDR) on 2776 gene positions and also found 229 genes that were activated in response to vitamin D. Vitamin D receptors are proteins that become activated by vitamin D. Activated VDR can then attach to specific sites on DNA which result in the expression of certain gene traits and/or genetic products such as enzymes. VDR binding sites were densely populated near autoimmune and cancer associated genes which may imply the importance vitamin D can play in autoimmune disease and cancer prevention.  

Source:

1. Vitamin D3 attenuates Th2 responses to Aspergillus fumigatus mounted by CD4+ T cells from cystic fibrosis patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
   
2. A ChIP-seq defined genome-wide map of vitamin D receptor binding: Associations with disease and evolution

There is no question that sneezes, sniffles, and coughing fits put a serious wrench on our every-day activities. This year, take proactive steps to help safeguard your family against illnesses with the following tips for the cold and flu season:

BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
- Avoid stress. Study after study shows that stress prevents your body from the ability to stay healthy. There are many stress reduction exercises, that when done regularly, can reduce the damage caused by stress. An example of a stress reduction exercise is simply closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing for a few minutes.

- Get adequate amounts of sleep. The amount of sleep each individual needs varies, but a good rule of thumb is striving for eight hours per night. Getting enough sleep allows your body the opportunity to repair cells and maintains a healthy immune system.

- Have healthy eating and exercise habits. Including a variety of fruits and vegetables on an every day basis gives your body many of the nutrients it needs. I know we are all busy, but exercising for 30 minutes at least three times per week is a must to maintain a healthy immune system and general health.

- Include high-quality supplements to ensure you are getting ALL the necessary nutrients your body needs to fight off the cold and flu this season. Include a multi-vitamin, omega-3, and an antioxidant at the very least. During the fall and winter months, I also suggest Vitamin D and Vitamin C for an added immune boost.

WHAT IF I DO GET SICK?
Do the best you can to continue to eat healthy foods. I recommend eating small frequent meals/snacks during the day. Make sure to include fruits and vegetables for their vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and drink plenty of water and healthy fluids such as 100% juice and tea. Avoid foods with a lot of sugar, salt and fat. These foods will only prolong your being sick. Not eating at all will also prolong the healing process due to the lack of nutrients your body would be getting, which are essential for rebuilding your weak immune system.

Feel free to contact me with any questions. Have a healthy fall and winter!
Alissa Robertson, MS, RD
lifestylenutritionvt@yahoo.com
(802) 999-5684

Studies show a clear link between excess belly fat and cortisol, a hormone your body releases when you're stressed. When the boss starts pushing your buttons or you're running late, "flight or fight" hormones including cortisol are being released and have nowhere to go. Our body stays in stress mode, corroding our organs and glands until our systems shut down. Individuals who secrete the most stress-response cortisol also have the most fat on their bellies, and are more likely to experience regular spikes in carb cravings.

There is, however, light at the end of the tunnel. There are at least half a dozen ways to boost the utilization of cortisol in your body - and not one of them includes doing sit-ups! Methods include changing the types of grains and proteins in your diet; the frequency and times of day you eat; the type of food you eat at cerand how much caffeine you consume in a day. Implementing some simple nutrition strategies can dramatically affect the amount of cortisol that lingers in your system and lead to a slimmer, flatter mid-section. Learning how to reprogram your body to burn fat and build muscle enables you to take control of your body and life.

Contact me to learn more. Healthy wishes!

Recent research currently shows that consuming broccoli could protect our bodies against the ravages of osteoarthritis. A certain chemical compound found in broccoli and most cruciferous vegetables, called sulforaphane, has been shown to block the primary enzyme responsible for joint destruction caused by this crippling disease.

Source: Eating Broccoli Could Guard Against Arthritis