Month: May 2017

Sunlight for Healthy Training

I am an early riser by choice.  It’s just a habit I’ve formed over the years and I’ve actually never set an alarm clock in my life.  My body just has a sleep cycle that’s developed over time.  I was super excited to read and learn that many experts are now highly recommending early morning, outdoor exercise for important health benefits. My early morning workout time is peaceful and now linked to improved health, how exciting is that. Just look at my morning view, this alone can improve my mood and make me so grateful to be alive.

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Many people are now being found to be Vitamin D deficient, myself included.  I was pretty surprised when my doctor told me just how depleted my levels of Vitamin D were in lab testing.  She explained to me at the time that Vitamin D is critical for correct hormone function and brain health. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to many types of cancers including breast cancer.  I remember wondering if this deficiency had been a contributing factor of my mom’s Alzheimers disease.

When my doctor diagnosed this deficiency, I remember telling her that I really don’t spend a lot of time in the sun by choice.  While she told me the benefits of exposure to natural light, she explained that it would be nearly impossible for me to get all the needed amounts of vitamin D just from exposure to sunlight.  We talked about foods high in D (fatty fish, cheese, eggs) and supplementation plans.  It took me several front loading doses of vitamin D3 to get my levels into acceptable level ranges.  I have been on a maintenance dosage for two years now and continue to monitor levels through lab testing (blood tests).

When reading about Vitamin D, I came upon some interesting links between lack of natural sunlight exposure and wellness.  I learned that exposure to sunlight during the day can actually help you sleep better, improve hormone function and increase endorphin production.  Light sends a signal to your body and brain to wake up and also helps regulate your body’s circadian clock.   It has been found that your circadian rhythm could impact your metabolism as well.   This coupled with eating foods known to be rich with Vitamin D and proper supplementation can improve overall health.

It is said that one of the best times to be exposed to natural sunlight is between 6:00 – 8:00 AM.   You only need about 20 to 30 minutes of morning sunlight to reap the benefits.  Getting at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day boosts serotonin levels, which will help improve melatonin levels at night and could improve sleep cycles. I remember sharing this information with my dad as a means to help my mom with sundowning, a common occurrence in Alzheimer’s patients, caused by sleep disturbance. It was recommended that she be exposed to this early morning light as a means to reset her circadian clock.  Recently, I read that it’s also linked to increased benefits during exercise through improved metabolism and vitamin D levels.

This week’s training tip is to move your early morning workout sessions outside, increasing exposure to natural light, for maximum health benefits.  Even in the winter anyone can go for a short walk, perhaps not at 6:00 AM as it will be dark, but certainly before noon.  Make this your new health habit for some important lasting benefits.  Lace up those sneakers and go for a walk, or jog each morning.  Your body will thank you! I’m heading out right now myself.

Are you already a believer in early morning exposure to natural light?  Please share what you have learned on this topic in the section below.  I look forward to learning more about this topic in my quest to improve my health.

Supplementation

My doctor put me on Vitamin D3, but after several front loading doses, my levels didn’t improve.  We paired K2 and D3 and my levels finally tested in the correct range.  There is some research that demonstrates a link between the body’s ability to absorb D3 when taken with K2.  After years of taking them separate, I came across this product that has combined both into one pill.

Vitamin K2 (MK7) with D3 Supplement – Vitamin D & K Complex for Strong Bones and a Healthy Heart – 5000 IU of Vitamin D3 & 90 mcg of Vitamin K2 MK-7 – 60 Small & Easy to Swallow Vegetable Capsules

Further Reading

http://www.medicaldaily.com/sun-exposure-vitamin-d-and-other-health-benefits-sunlight-246487

Recipe Swap – Hot Toddy

I was under the weather this past week with a miserable cold and cough.  I wasn’t sure at first if it was allergies or a cold, but after a few days of horrible coughing I knew it was a chest cold.  Anyone that knows me knows I hate taking medicine, especially long term.  I did take something for the cough, but it really wasn’t helping all that much.  When all else didn’t work, I channeled my inner German/Irish grandmother and made myself a cup of hot toddy.  I couldn’t believe how much relief I got from that cup of tea.  I slept like a baby and didn’t cough during the night.

The next few days I had a cup or two of this mix and my chest cleared.  I do still cough occasionally, but overall am feeling better.  Those old wives tales sure do come in handy sometimes.  Here’s the recipe I used for my toddy.

Laura’s Hot Toddy

Ingredients

  • Organic green tea
  • 1/4 tsp raw organic honey
  • 1 tsp organic lemon
  • 1 tsp Bragg’s Apple Cider vinegar
  • 1-2 tbsp Slivovitz (you can use Jack Daniels instead)
  • 1 sprinkle of Cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Boil the tea and steep for 3 minutes
  2. Add all ingredients and stir
  3. Sip and enjoy the warmth (I love the Cayenne pepper heat)

My first cup, I admit to using a full shot of the Slivovitz to aid my sleep and it worked like a charm.  First relief I had in days.  If you don’t want any alcohol (though over the counter medicines contain it too) you can eliminate the alcohol and up the sprinkle of pepper.

Do you have a home cold remedy recipe to share?  Please comment in the box below, I’d love to hear about new remedies.  If you try mine, let me know what you think.

Prince of Peace Organic Green Tea 100 Tea Bags

 

Madhava Natural Sweeteners Organic Raw Honey, 22-Ounce

 

Simply Organic Cayenne Pepper Certified Organic Containers – 2.89 Oz

 

Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, 16 Ounce – 1 Pack

 

Santa Cruz Organic Original Lemonade, 1 Quart

**Due to the alcohol in this recipe I do not recommend using with children, especially under the age of 18.  

Necessary Revisions

What’s getting in the way of your fitness growth?  Is it the bullshit stories you tell yourself?  Is your actual training plan causing you to lose motivation?  Lately, for me, it’s been a little of both, with a sprinkle of injury mixed in.

Running is often a solitary activity which challenges you on so many levels.  I’ve personally pounded thousands of miles these past two years alone.  This gives me a lot of time to think and get in touch with myself, but it also can be lonely.  While I don’t truly mind a nice long run with my music, there’s nothing like a nice long run with your running friends.  Time goes by so fast when you’re chatting it up and as an added bonus it takes your mind off the other stuff that comes up when running alone.

The problem I’ve had this past year, aside from injury, is that I was doing heart rate training.  This training really forced me to avoid group runs as I’ve had to slow my pace to a crawl to keep my heart rate in the right zone.  Worse still, it’s taken some of the fun and joy out of running for me.  I thought it was the training itself and slow pace of it that bothered me lately, but realize now it’s the connection to people I’m missing most.  Like everything else in life, human connection sparks excitement and motivation.  I’m missing my running tribe.

I’ve decided to rethink some of my training because I’m feeling like I’m in a running slump.  I’m losing motivation because I’m not feeling like I’m part of anything beyond solitary miles of running.  I miss running on the boardwalk with my running friends and running without constantly checking my HR watch to see if I’m in the right zone.  I’ve made running have way too many rules and somehow lost its joy in the process.  It’s time to take back control over how I train and find some balance in my plan.

First, I need to connect to people during some of my runs and move away from worrying that doing that would violate some HR rules.  On these runs, I plan to leave my HR chest strap home and concentrate on the beautiful scenery and conversation.  I also have some running clubs that I joined last year and  while I participated in online conversation, I never went to one run because I was worried about the plan I was doing and the targets I had to hit.  This year I plan to attend the group runs and not care if I’m at the back of the pack and again the chest strap can just stay home.  I will certainly run at a comfortable effort and not overdo it, but I don’t need that darn watching beeping constantly.  There are so many great people in both of my groups who are on a similar journey to mine.  I can’t wait to go, share the journey and connect on my first run tomorrow morning!

Next, I need to balance my training.  I’m not giving up on heart rate training because I know the research shows it is right for me.  Instead of doing only heart rate based runs, I plan to do a mix of different types of runs.  This should increase my motivation and rekindle excitement about running.  I plan to reread Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 book and work out a training plan that works for me.  The premise of the plan is to balance your training for growth, including tempo, easy and long runs.  I used to love running pick ups after each miles they really made it more interesting and spread the speed work across miles, helping me improve my pace without overtaxing my body.

I’m also really looking forward to doing some local fun runs this year.  I had stopped doing them in favor of doing larger races.  Since NYC marathon is my goal race this year, my focus is solely on that race.  I am not planning to do a lot of other races, just local races that I can enjoy.  There are so many wonderful races right here on Staten Island that I truly enjoyed in the past.  No stress with traffic or parking, just convenient fun workouts.  The first of these races is rapidly approaching and I’m super excited to do it with my team – Little Red Runners.  This will be our third year running this Memorial Day race and this year they’ve improved the after party.  Here’s our beautiful team at last year’s run:

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Finally, I’m coming to accept that I am a slow runner, always have been – even in my twenties.  It’s truly fine because an eight minute mile and a thirteen minute mile are truly the same thing – a mile.  It really doesn’t matter how long it takes, it matters that I’m doing it. I can put to rest this quest to run an eight minute mile because for now it’s just not going to happen.  I can’t make pace my priority anymore as it only serves to make me feel bad about myself.  Anything that removes enjoyment from my run is no longer welcome.  This journey is about being healthy and I’m not winning any race anytime soon.  My goal has always been to finish the race and stay healthy.  I have to go back to reminding myself of that.  I’ve even washed my favorite shirt and will likely wear it to the Memorial Day race in a few weeks.

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What’s holding you back from fitness growth?  Is it the bullshit stories you’re telling yourself?  Please share below and let’s get back on track together.

Book mentioned in article:

80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster By Training Slower

Recipe Swap – Chicken Pad Thai

I’ve been branching out and trying new recipes that I’ve never cooked before.  I’ve heard so many good things about Thai food, but have yet to try it.  I saw an easy recipe that I thought might be something I’d enjoy.  I decided against purchasing a ready made Thai sauce as I was unable to pronounce many of the ingredients listed on the label.  I used a recipe for homemade Thai sauce found below.  I did not include noodles, but I’m sure you could.  The recipe was super easy to follow and quick!  The whole process took about 30 minutes.  It will be perfect for a work night stir fry and no I don’t have a fancy wok – yet.  The taste of this was delicious, but it was a bit hot which I love.  I’m thinking the heat came from the serrano pepper and not the sauce, so go easy on that if you prefer it milder.

Pad Thai Sauce:

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp coconut yogurt
  • 3 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 tbsp. coconut aminos (healthier alternative to soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp. raw honey
  • 1 tsp. organic hoisin sauce
  • 1⁄4 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp. organic ginger (I used minced ginger in jar)
  • 1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1⁄2 tsp. organic cilantro
  • 1⁄2 tsp.  no-salt seasoning

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine all ingredients and set aside until needed for your stir fry.   Copyright © 2016 Danette May and Mindful Health, LLC

Chicken Stir-Fry:

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 oz. chicken, cubed
  • 1 small serrano pepper, minced
  • 2 tbsp. Pad Thai sauce
  • 1 cubed organic zucchini
  • 1 chopped organic red bell pepper

Directions:

  1. In pan, add 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, zucchini, red bell pepper, chicken and minced Serrano pepper. Cook until chicken browns and is fully cooked. (I actually had leftover grilled chicken that I cubed so it was done real fast.  I cooked the vegetables for a bit first, then added the cooked, cubed chicken to warm.)
  2. Add pad thai sauce.
  3. Stir and warm.

Copyright © 2016 Danette May and Mindful Health, LLC

This was a meal by itself, no sides required but you could make a nice garden salad with it.  Be sure you have something to put out the fire in your mouth.  I drank ginger kombucha.

If you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it.  It was part of a 30 day meal program I participated in recently with Danette May.

Some ingredients needed:

Nutrifera Organic Coconut Coconut Aminos 12.7 fl oz (375 ml)

Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce, 20 oz

 

NoSalt Original Sodium-Free Salt Alternative 11 Ounce (Pack of 2)

 

 

Tracking Fitness

During a conversation with my nutritionist, I came to realize that I needed to track more than just my nutrition.  I was telling her how much I work out and felt I wasn’t making enough gains.  I went over my workout schedule for the week and explained how hard I was working each day.  She looked at me and asked, “What about the rest of the day?  How active are you?”  I remember thinking, why does that matter if I work out each day for at least sixty minutes I should be good to go.  That simple conversation was a turning point for me.  I realized that despite running for an hour I didn’t get to sit and be a couch potato the rest of the day.  Clearly I had the wrong mindset.  I was seeing exercise as something I needed to do, rather than a lifestyle change.

I left the nutritionist’s office that day with a simple plan.  I was going to see just how active I really was by tracking my steps in a day.  She said the goal was 10,000 steps per day.  I ordered a simple step counter, set the target and tracked.  On days I ran, I had no issue hitting the 10,000 step target, however I noticed all my step activity was from the morning run.  On days I didn’t run, I was way under that target.  I quickly started adding more steps to my day by taking short walks several times a day, parking my car farther away from the store door and yes, even circling my bedroom before bed to reach the target.  I just love when the watch signals meeting the goal.  Such a simple addition to my day that increased my activity immensely.

Today’s tip is to get a step tracker and log your daily movement.  You will think 10,000 is easy and it very well may be.  But, like me, you may find you are thinking of exercise as something to check of your to do list.  On a day I didn’t run my step count was as low as 4K.  That was truly eye opening for me.  I guarantee with this simple addition to your fitness routine, you will increase your daily activity.  My husband got a Fitbit for his birthday and I am seeing him go through the same process.  He’s always checking his steps and now consistently hits 14K a day.  My dog is super happy for this fitness tip and should really get his own Fitbit because he gets so many walks now.

Are you tracking your steps?  What’s your daily goal?  Please leave a comment in the section below, I’d love to hear about your goals.

Fitbit Trackers

Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker, Silver/Black, Small

Not ready to commit to an expensive tracker, try this inexpensive entry level Fitbit:

Fitness Tracker, MoreFit Slim Touch Screen Activity Health Tracker Wearable Pedometer Smart Wristband, Silver/Green

Recipe Swap – Creamy, Spicy Coleslaw

I am a recent coleslaw lover much to the surprise of my husband who has spent 34 years hearing me say otherwise.  He’s feeling sad thinking that when we go to a diner I will no longer give him my share of it.  He really shouldn’t worry though because I won’t be indulging in a mayonnaise laden version of this staple side dish anytime soon.  I have tested a few healthier, lighter versions and found one that I’m especially loving so I’ll be eating my coleslaw right here in my home.

My first taste of coleslaw came recently at a dinner out.  It was on top of a pulled pork slider and man was I sold on it after the first bite.  I haven’t tried the pulled pork recipe hunt yet, but quickly got after a coleslaw recipe I’d enjoy.  Here’s what I’ve settled on for now.  Spicy, tangy and crunchy while reducing some of the mayonnaise fat.  I served it last night on top of some grilled chicken and boy was it a hit around here.

Spicy Coleslaw Recipe

  • 4 cups shredded cabbage (I used green already shredded organic coleslaw mix)
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 6 oz cottage cheese (I used goat cottage)
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup coconut sugar ( I guess this could be optional but I used it)
  • Optional – add sprinkle of hot sauce (I didn’t but I will next time!)

Directions:

  1. Mix the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne pepper, vinegar, sugar until combined well.
  2. Begin to add the shredded cabbage until well coated.
  3. Chill covered for at least 2 hours.

I have some leftover right now in my refrigerator and can’t wait for lunch to crunch on some.  If you try this recipe, or have a version of coleslaw to share, please post it in the comments below.

Ingredients used in this recipe –

Natural Value Organic Sriracha Chili Sauce, 18 Ounce

I have to hide this from my husband who puts it on everything!

 

NOW Foods Organic Coconut Sugar,16-Ounce

Healthier option for recipes that call for sugar.  It is still sugar and should be used sparingly, but it does have a lower glycemic index.

 

Training Tip – KT Tape

KT Tape is an elastic sports tape designed to relieve pain while supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments.  I fell in love with KT Tape following my ankle surgery.  I absolutely swear by it and use it for any run over 5 miles, or any race I run.  It feels like my armor, or protection, which takes my mind off my ankle.

I remember when I first started seeing sports tape on athletes in the summer Olympics in 2008.  I was obsessed with beach volleyball that year and remember seeing it and thinking it made the girls look like such bad asses.  The colorful tape was all the rage that year and I wondered what it was for beyond a fashion statement.  Until I needed it, I never really looked into it.  This tape is thought to reduce pain and injury when applied correctly.  The goal is to support the muscles and tendons and aid in the flow of fluids around the area.  It is also thought to help stop ankles from rolling, but I don’t bank on that and am super careful about the terrain I run on.  It may be all in my head, but I feel more confident about my ankle when I wear it and that is well worth the price and time to apply.

Application of the tape can be tricky at first.  I actually went to a vendor at the expo prior to my half to get it applied properly.  They taught me a few tricks I didn’t know, like how to put compression socks on over the tape without ruining it.  They also told me you can leave the tape on for a few days at a time, even showering with it on, which would save some money I guess.  I don’t leave it on as I’d look mighty funny in my work attire and KT tape designs.

If you have any areas that you are concerned about, or experience discomfort in, I highly recommend you check out KT Tape.  It may just be the tip you’re looking for.  There are so many options to choose from when looking.  I like the KT Tape brand and go for the funky colors to keep it interesting.  I recommend you google some videos on Youtube to learn how to put it on correctly.  This is an important step.  Here’s a sample video of how to tape your peroneal tendon, a common running tendon injury.

If you have a Physical Therapist you are working with, ask her to teach you how to correctly apply the tape.  It is well worth learning proper technique to ensure you are getting the benefits from using.

Let me know if you are a fan, like me, of this tape.  Please leave a comment in the section below.

Here’s the information on the tape I use:

KT TAPE Original Cotton Elastic Kinesiology Theraeputic Tape – 20 Pre-Cut 10″ Strips, Blue

It is absolutely worth buying the precut strips.

Recipe Swap – Gluten Free Gnocchi

Sunday sauce and recipe testing just plain go together. Especially on a chilly, rainy Sunday with nothing to do. I am always looking for ways to make this staple meal healthier. I am not gluten intolerant, but do try to limit the amount of food I eat that contain gluten. Pasta is the first swap I made and I rarely eat pasta that contains gluten. This week’s recipe swap is a delicious, easy to make version of gluten free gnocchi.

Gnocchi are soft dumplings that can be made from semolina, potato or various other combinations of ingredients. The recipe I made today was gluten free and delicious. It was a big hit and the texture was for me perfect. Had I not made them myself I wouldn’t have known they were gluten free. I hope you give them a try.

Gluten Free Garlic Gnocchi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese, strained
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 clove roasted garlic (optional)
  • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 2 tbsp xantham gum

Directions:

  1. Strain ricotta cheese in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl for 30 minutes.  Drying out the cheese will ensure your gnocchi are not too dense. (*Mine really didn’t have liquid in it but I did this step in case.)
  2. Roast garlic in a ramekin with olive oil at 250 ̊F (Chop the tops off one clove of garlic but leave the remaining shell on.)  Allow it to cool and then squeeze the garlic clove from the bottom and work your fingers up, pushing out the roasted cloves. Set half of the cloves aside for sauce (or another recipe).
  3. Mix all ingredients together to form a dough. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. You want the dough to come together to form a ball but not be too dry or stiff, just easy enough to work with and roll without getting stuck to the table!
  4. Cut the dough into 4 sections and roll the first section on a lightly floured surface (using rice flour for gluten-free) into a long log about 1/2 inch thick.
  5. Use a small paring knife to cut the log into 1 inch sections.
  6. Roll the gnocchi with a fork or gnocchi board to create indentations or simply set the gnocchi pieces aside on a foil lined tray.
  7. Continue this process with the remaining dough.
  8. If you will be using the gnocchi later, wrap the tray and keep refrigerated until you are ready to use.
  9. In a large pot, bring water to boil then add half the gnocchi to the boiling water (cooking the gnocchi in batches will prevent it from sticking together). Boil the gnocchi for about 3 minutes or until they float on the surface of the water.
  10. Strain and eat immediately.

*Recipe base on one shared by Integrative Nutrition with substitution of one ingredient

Happily this made enough for my family of three with some leftover for today.  If you have a large family I’d suggest doubling the recipe.  Not sure how they will reheat yet, but I’m sure they will be just fine.  I didn’t bother rolling the gnocchi on my fork to make the dents, but I included those instructions should you want to do so.  For me the soft pillowy clouds were just fine as is.

Please let me know if you try them how you like!  If you have a recipe you’d like to share for an upcoming blog, please let me know in the comments and I’ll contact you directly.

Ingredients used:

Bob’s Red Mill Sweet White Rice Flour – 24 oz

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Xanthan Gum, 8-ounce

 

 

Revise the Plan When You Must

Since I broke my three toes on Christmas, I’ve been struggling to get back into a running rhythm.  Anyone who has broken toes can tell you just how painful this injury can be.  I thought I had it under control as I pushed through on the elliptical in my boot and running on the treadmill with super wide shoes.  I laughed in the face of this injury and anxiously awaited warmer weather to get back outside.  Sometimes though, life has other plans.

Following my first outdoor runs, I quickly realized this wasn’t going to be so easy.  I felt like the months of easy treadmill runs did little to maintain my conditioning.  I felt like my foot and ankle were in a constant state of pain.  I felt like it was two steps forward, three steps back.  I felt like my head was spinning with the bullshit stories I tell myself.  Finally, I felt like I had to pull up my bootstraps and get this fixed.  My plans were in need of a major revision.

First, I needed to address the pain in my ankle because that is super scary to me.  I do not ever want to have that surgery again.  I think I knew the trigger for the ankle pain.  Over the winter, I was trying to switch over to zero drop shoes and believe this was putting unnecessary pressure on my peroneal tendon.  The shoes seemed to work fine on the slow runs on the treadmill, but outside training was just not the same.  I’m now back in my trusted Hoka shoes and hoping I didn’t do any damage to the tendon.

Next, my toes are still causing some pain in my foot.  This concerns me greatly and I’m hoping there’s no nerve damage.  I’m trying to incorporate the yoga toes pose back into my cool down protocols, as well as foam rolling religiously and hoping this will help.  If not, I definitely need to get an MRI in the coming weeks.

Finally, I definitely needed to revise my pre training plan to build up my strength for running.  I’ve been trying to get off some extra pounds gained during the long winter break.  Not too bad, just need to get about 10-15 off for my optimum running weight.  This week I’m down 5 pounds using the Weight Watchers app to track my eating.  Again, not a fan of plans but chose this one because I can eat real food that I cook.  I don’t agree with the severe limiting of healthy fats, but I’m incorporating what I know is right for my body with the plan and so far it’s keeping me honest about my food choices.

I’m using the Couch to 5K app to warm up my body and am on week 2 of the plan.  The pain in my ankle is still there at night, but I do feel like it’s subsiding.  As I do the couch to 5K plan (similar to the one I just finished, Run for Weight Loss, but less intense) I reflect on the walk/run strategy.  For now, I think this may be just the perfect revision to my running training.

Run/walk programs are an effective training method that can help increase fitness.  The stigma attached to it is that it’s not “real running”.  This stigma overlooks the fact that when alternating running with walking, you decrease the amount of impact on your body and potentially decrease risk of injury.  Further, using this strategy you recover quicker from your workouts as your body has built in recovery breaks.  It is also a form of interval training and can increase caloric burn during your workouts.

Running as we know is a high impact sport.  The continuous use of any muscle used the same way (running long in my case), increases muscle fatigue more rapidly. Continuing to run with fatigued muscles, will greatly increase the chance of injury.  Knowing this it makes total sense to me to use a run/walk program to build my fitness for the marathon.  During the walk portion of run/walk, your body has a chance to recover – both heart rate and muscular recovery.   Walking using different muscle groups than running and allows for some muscular recovery during these sessions.

Run/walk interval training is easy to implement.  Basically you run for a designated portion of time, followed by walk period, then repeat the cycle a certain amount of times.  The free couch to 5K app tells you when to run or walk.  I find myself looking forward to those beeps during my runs now.  I was worried I’d have trouble running after a walk period, but it’s actually quite the opposite.  I look forward to the run beep knowing it’s only for a short period of time.  Mentally this method is motivating and the time flies by.  My pace is even slightly faster over the long runs as when fatigued my pace tends to slow down to a crawl, often slower than a walk pace.

I’m excited to see if this method helps me get back on track without pain, or injury.  Are there any run/walk converts out there that want to share their story?  I’d love to feature your story here in an upcoming blog.  Let me know and please feel free to leave a comment below.  Looking forward to hearing your stories.

Great read to learn more about this method of training:

The Run Walk Run Method·

 

Thursday Tips & Tricks – Morning Elixir

It seems that everything I read about prevention of disease comes back to nutrition.  One easy addition to my life has been a morning elixir.  If you want a new way to start your day in a healthy way, this recipe is for you.  This week’s tip is for a super easy to make morning elixir to help start your day on the right foot.  I drink one every single morning without fail.

Digestive health appears to be more important than anyone may think.  Getting our digestive system straightened out can reap huge rewards and even help in weight loss.  Combining three simple ingredients in a morning shot will aid your body in many ways, including improving your digestive health.

My morning elixir is made of three ingredients, each have been said to improve digestion and provide detoxing assistance to the body.  Bragg’s apple cider vinegar can help balance your body’s PH.  It also contains enzymes that can act as probiotics and can aid in helping your liver detox.   Combining this with lemon juice can help boost your metabolism.  Lemon juice has a high mineral count and of course contains vitamin C which can also help balance your PH. Top this off with a spring of cayenne pepper and your have a great natural fat burning and anti-inflammatory morning drink.

If you absolutely can’t stand the taste, but I promise you will get used to it, you can substitute the apple cider vinegar with coconut vinegar.  Coconut vinegar has many of the same properties and a slightly better taste.   I recommend you drink it quickly and give it a few days your taste buds will adjust.

I drink this upon waking each morning, prior to eating or drinking anything else.  I imagine it cleaning out my pipes.  If you want you can add a second one to your day before bed.  Give it a try, I think you will like the improvement in your digestive health.

Morning Elixir

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • dash of cayenne pepper
  • 8 oz water (room temperature, or warm)

Directions

Combine all ingredients, stir and drink.  (When I first started, I just downed it like doing shots at the bar.  Now, I can sip it and take my vitamins with it.)  It is important to use the best quality ingredients.  Bragg’s is always my top choice.  Here the the two vinegars I use:

Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, 16 Ounce – 1 Pack

Coconut Secret – Raw Coconut Vinegar – 12.7 oz

 

Let me know if you already are drinking this drink each morning.  If not, give it a shot and let me know what you think.