We talked about the equipment. We talked about the training. Now all that’s left is to do the actual race! In the final installment of our Penticton Ironman series, Jeff Glen takes on the ultimate challenge and you’re invited to go along for the ride!

In part two of three, Jeff Glen talks about the grueling training regimen necessary to conquer the most challenging race of all: The Ironman Triathlon.

For details, click on!

One of the most critical factors for Ironman is to create a training schedule/diary at the beginning of the season, and to stick to it as best as you can.

According to Jeff’s diary, he trained 165 days during a 251 day period (just under 9 months) for an average of 4.6 days a week, and he trained for about 1.5 hours each training day. This is somewhat misleading however, since some periods were heavier than others. For instance, during the last month, Jeff only had 10 training days out of a possible 26 since he was resting for the race. There were also workouts he forgot to record in his diary, and days he went for a run without his watch. All said and done, he trained for 245 hours and travelled 4435 kilometres; 3642 on his bike alone.

What is key about all of this is that you start your endurance training early in the season and build up what’s called a “Base.” Basically, you’re improving your fitness and getting your muscles used to long distance. In the mid season you start working on speed by doing intervals, hills and sometimes shorter workouts with higher intensity. During the last leg of training, you push your limits and work on combined training such as riding 100 kilometres, then going for a 10 kilometre run. Finally, the last 4 weeks are spent tapering down with minimal amount of training and no intensity! As mentioned, Jeff spent most of that time resting, and it helped him out immensely. So many people train hard the last couple of weeks, which has no impact on increasing fitness and only serves to tire your muscles.

Swimming

Swimming is about all form, and all of the following tips will help you be more fluid in the water:

• Anything that drags in the water will slow you down, including hair (shave those legs guys)
• Keep your head down instead of looking where you’re going
• Keep your toes pointed back
• Reach forward on every stroke rather than trying to get in as many strokes as you can

Most of the training is done at 6:30 in the morning while it is still dark and cold out, but as summer approaches you really need to get some open water swimming. Jeff’s parents own a cabin on a lake, so he got plenty of time out there. Make sure you have a spotter too! Anyone can get into trouble, especially if you have been swimming for over an hour.

Cycling

Jeff cycles to work, which is highly recommended. Not only do you get your training done, but you help eliminate that nasty pollution that we all have to breathe every day. Imagine coming home and getting dressed to go for a ride before dinner – it’s the last you thing you want to do.

Jeff also put in eight big rides that exceeded 100 kilometres, which he almost always followed with a run right after. This is a critical part of training, and six of these rides included going up Cypress Mountain (15 km/1100 m) and one both Grouse Mountain and Cypress Mountain. Hill training is the ultimate and you need a long climb without interruptions. The other component is the tri-bars, which you need to get used to for balance and for power transfer. Have a professional set these up for you so you have the right balance between comfort, aerodynamics and pedal power. Use your lighter gears and spin! Unless you’re Jan Ulrich (pro rider), you’re not going to power through with a low cadence, especially over 180 kilometres.

Finally, get used to eating on the ride. During the race, this is your best chance to take in critical calories. Practice eating when you are not even hungry to see how your body takes it.

Jeff’s typical route:

• From Metrotown Burnaby to Kent Avenue
• Kent Avenue to South West Marine Drive all the way to Burrard Street Bridge
• Through downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park over Lions Gate Bridge
• Up Taylor Way (11% grade) along the highway to Cypress Mountain

• The way back is the same until you hit downtown
• Take Pender Street through Chinatown
• Then Frances Union to Gilmour, which takes you back to Metrotown

This route is in fact a bike route, which is safer than other routes.

Running

Do it often and establish your pace. Pace is everything, and since running comes last in an Ironman, you may not have much left by that time and this training will keep you going.

As with cycling, get in lots of hill work and use high repetitions. Having a long lopy stride will guarantee an injury if you are running 42 kilometres!

Interval training is also a huge helper – a simple technique is once a week run at 80% of your fastest pace for a couple minutes during a ten kilometre training run. Make sure it’s somewhere in the middle of the run so you are warmed up and won’t get injured. Try to run 3 or 4 times a week and slowly build up your distance.

Typically Jeff would run to work, which is 17 kilometres and on the odd day, run to and from work. Be careful though – if you are physically tired, you risk injury.

To train for a marathon, you will at least want to cover 30 kilometres in a training run, but putting a marathon into your schedule is a better test. Make sure it is at least 3-4 months before the Ironman though.

Nutrition

All aspects of Ironman require giving up something. Mostly it’s your personal time, but you also need to stop drinking beer and eating junk food!

The key to remember is this: while working out, your body is burning fuel and you can eat just about anything (but don’t). After a workout however, you are rebuilding muscle, so beer and potato chips do a really bad job of that! The first time Jeff trained for an Ironman, he didn’t drink alcohol for 6 months. This time, he may have had a dozen beer over the whole 9 months of training.

Jeff didn’t consume bread, beef, pizza, pop, alcohol, candy (except dark chocolate), dairy (including ice cream) or any type of fast food. These are things that will be hard to give up for some, but he’s weaned himself off them over the years so it wasn’t as much of a challenge. He did have to start skipping his future mother-in-law’s Chinese home cooking because it’s a bit greasy! Jeff mostly eats organics and tonnes of carbs.

No, we’re not talking about the superhero that fights evil in theatres next month. But when you get a load of what an average Joe like Jeff Glen goes through to train for the ultimate triathlon, you’ll wonder whether he has supernatural powers!

Summer’s just around the corner so you’ve probably started to notice a lot of people out training for the marathons and triathlons that are going down all over the world in the coming months. Ever wonder what it takes to finish a race like that? Well, Jeff should know! In part one of three, he introduces the equipment necessary to conquer the most challenging race of all: The Ironman Triathlon.

Next week, we’ll take a peek at his training regimen!

Every single day I’m bombarded by reports about the healing powers of different foods, or things I need to do to prevent disease. It’s so overwhelming. Last week I had no knowledge of said reports and I thought I’d be just fine. If I actually followed every recommendation brought forth by these studies, I’d never leave my house or eat anything that I didn’t grow myself. And considering that I can’t keep a plant (let alone an entire field of crops) alive for longer than a week, that denotes that I wouldn’t eat at all. So where do we draw the line?

Astro is telling me that their new yogurt is one of these essentials. With ten billion active acidophilus & bifidum probiotic cultures per 94 ml container, Astro contends that this is the Cadillac of Probiotic yogurts. They claim that Maximmunité has ten times the amount of probiotic cultures of its competitors.

In layman’s terms, probiotic supplements are kind of like taking a multivitamin that’s directed specifically at your intestines. They help keep your counts of “good bacteria” up, aid in the absorption of nutrients, and help inhibit the growth of “bad bacteria.”

I took a trip to my local grocery store and became lost upon entering the yogurt section. It’s incredible how many different brands and types have hit the market in the last ten years. They actually had a section of the shelves that was dedicated specifically to probiotic yogurts. The market is really growing for health foods and this was no exception. Available in packs of eight or four in strawberry, vanilla, or açai berry (I don’t know what that is either), they’ll run you about $6.50 for eight and $3.50 for four.

You know Yop? That’s what this stuff reminds me of. It’s a little bit of that yogurt creaminess mixed with milk and it’s delicious. The real unfortunate part is its size. I feel like I would have to drink at least three of these to feel like I was having a snack, or at least a substantial beverage. I tried the strawberry and it tasted really good. Considering I was brought up on no fat, no taste yogurt, anything with a little bit of sugar and I’m head over heels in love. With that comes the calories however and each mini bottle packs about 75. To me, it’s not worth the cals to indulge in a delicious yogurt beverage. To each his own though.

Here’s the rub. In my research into probiotics, I found that they work almost exactly like multivitamins in the sense that if you stop taking them, they stop working. So really, you’re paying this premium to enhance something that your body does naturally anyways. There are certain times when a supplement like this might be of use in regulating your intestines or replenishing your bacteria supply. After travel to Mexico (come on, we’ve all been there), taking a cycle of antibiotics, or on your doctor’s orders (ladies, you know what I’m talking about). But as a daily supplement? I can’t see paying for a daily shot of yogurt being worth it. For most people, this is something that your body will do anyways.

I’m sure that you could find 50 scientists who would call me a fool for taking such a simple view of something like this. But I am a simple person, not a scientist, and in order to wade through the masses of reports and studies I read about that tell me every way I’m shortening my life expectancy, my only way to cope is to try and make sense of things by dumbing them down.

So, the verdict is in. If you like doing yogurt shooters, or you’re going through a short period where a beefed up immune system would be a benefit (hello Montezuma), then a doctor may be able to convince me of the merit in shelling out the extra dough for some Maximmunité yogurt.

For this regular (every pun intended) gal however, I’ll save that money for some extra margaritas and just not drink the water.

Do You Know…

The difference between probiotic and prebiotic?

* Probiotics replenish the supply of good bacteria in your body.
* Prebiotics feed the good bacteria that are already there in order to maintain the levels your body already has.

What we’re working on…

Vitamin C to neutralize chlorine? Stasia‘s got The Goods on a shower filter which claims to be good for your skin, hair, and health!

Got a great new product that you think could make it on Stasia’s shopping list?
Email us and tell us about it!

I can instantly tell when a Canadian TV show comes on. Not because of the content or the actors, but because of the production quality. And I always know the latest up and coming Canadian artists because their songs are played to death on the radio as a result of our amazing Canadian content laws (a good idea in theory, not so much in practice). And I know every actor that’s Canadian. Why is this such a novelty for interviewers? It seems as though it’s brought up every single time said actor opens his or her mouth.

A Canadian magazine on the other hand, doesn’t stand out on the shelf with a blinking light over it, but it does offer a lot that its American counterparts do not. For one thing, it presents information and articles that are relevant to me, using Canadian experts from cities and hospitals and research facilities that I recognize. Make it health related and directed at women and in today’s day and age, you have a recipe for success. Put the name Reader’s Digest behind it and you’ve got instant credibility, so when I received Best Health in the mail, I was pretty excited to sit down and pore through its pages.

For a one year subscription, you get six maxed-out issues for about $25. The magazine is bigger than its competitors’ both in page size and in thickness, probably to compensate for not being a monthly mag. Unlike fashion periodicals, its table of contents is actually easy to find and the many quality articles are thankfully not lost in the quicksand of adverts. Best Health is intuitively split into four sections: Look Great, Get Healthy, Eat Well and Embrace Life. The bright images are a draw, and articles like “Canada’s Healthiest Cities” (Van City’s on top!) and “Stripping Off the Pounds: My First Turn at the Pole” will keep any reader engaged.

One of my favourite things in this whole magazine was a small little sidebar item on one of the pages. It was a little bitty health tip that suggested using milk instead of cream when getting your Timmy’s Iced Cap fix. Seriously, can you get any more Canadian than that? They weren’t screaming it from the rooftops, but they were giving me information I can use that is strictly Canadian. And let’s be honest, those Iced Caps add up by the end of a long, hot summer!

I loved the fact that they used predominantly Canadian experts for their articles but still made reference to American or other international studies or experts. Props to the designers as well, for the great use of imagery and space. A good publisher appreciates the fact that a good layout, even the font size and style, can make a difference in the number of eyeballs per page. Thank you new mag, for not making me flip through half the magazine to get to the end of an article (show of comments, who else finds that annoying?). The only complaint I have about this magazine is that it wasn’t directed at my age group. The very first study focused on women aged 30-59 and that theme continued throughout.

So, the verdict is in. I would absolutely highly recommend this magazine to anyone I know who is at all interested in health and is above the age of 30. Reader’s Digest has really done it again. And who better? It’s like an institution in this country. As if Best Health needs any more cred. The articles were great, the visuals phenomenal, and the price? Just right.

For this trying-to-be-healthy twenty-something, you can bet that I’ll be asking for this subscription for my thirtieth birthday.

Here’s the Table of Contents to give you an idea of what else to expect from Best Health:

Premiere Issue |Spring 2008

1 Look Great
Feed Your Skin From grape serums to mushroom moisturizers to white tea eye treatments, the latest skin care recipes put the spotlight on food.
Younger, Stronger, Sexier What’s one of the best things you can do to improve your looks and your health? Start light weightlifting.
“I Reached Nirvana in 2.5 Seconds” A 35-year-old spa virgin tells all.
Beauty Bar Our roundup of makeup, hair and skin care products.
Hair Rx Make it thicker and shinier – with every wash (really!).
White Fever Can today’s amazing array of teeth whiteners deliver a dazzling smile?
Spring Beauty Boosts The season’s trends are decidedly pretty, fresh and simple to adapt.
Secrets of Scent It’s invisible, yet sensual and powerful – and we’ve put together a guide to help you find the perfume that suits you best.
The Truth About Makeup Expiry Dates When do you really need to toss your cosmetics?

2 Get Healthy
Walk Off 10 Pounds Do it in eight weeks with our exclusive plan.
*Toxic Truths How much should you worry about some common household products?
Canada’s Healthiest Cities We rated them from east to west.
Diagnosis: Breast Cancer There’s new thinking about the disease that every woman fears.
Pillow Talk From a Sleep Doc A medical expert reveals the three things that help her deal with her own insomnia.
Healthy Humour Our reporter’s take on the pole-dancing craze.
Male Call How to get your favourite guy to visit the doctor.
It Worked For Me! One woman tells how she finally quit smoking
Pain, Pain, Go Away The best over-the-counter pills for your ache
Quiz: Rate Your Health Take stock of your habits, and then find out how to improve your life through diet and exercise.

3 Eat Well
Zest for Spring Fresh new ideas for squeezing more nutrient-packed citrus fruits into your diet.
Let’s Ban Trans Fats Why they should beoutlawed in Canada.
Quick Fixes Healthy suppers you can make in about 30 min.
Tired of Dieting? Then try these seven get-slim strategies.
Meet Canada’s Fresh-Food Celebrity Paul Finkelstein has created some unique take-with-you lunch recipes.
Oh-mega! Why you can’t do without omega-3 fatty acids.
Test Your Supermarket Smarts Take the quiz to find out how much you know (and learn seven smart nutrition tips).
Healthy Picks Three new good-for-you choices for your shopping cart.

4 Embrace Life
Taste for Life How one woman swapped burnout for a delicious new career leading culinary tours in Turkey.
Nine No-Fail Stress Busters Relax with these research-based tips.
Force of Nature Find out why experts are saying “horticultural therapy” is helpful in treating anxiety and depression.
Just a Quirk? All of us have our idiosyncrasies. But when do you need to fret about your funny little habits?
Better Sex Now Three things to tell him – and three things to ask.
Pedal Power This group of Vancouver women know how to live it up!
Wine and Your Health To drink, or not to drink? Finally the answer.
Win At Work Leave your psychological baggage at the office door.
My Healthy Life A Halifax yoga instructor shares her wellness secrets.

*A couple of pages from the magazine for you to check out:

What we’re working on…

Immunity 101! Next week, Stasia‘s got The Goods on the new Astro BioBest Maximmunité, a probiotic drink containing unique cultures that purportedly target cells of the immune system to help fortify your natural defenses.

Got a great new product that you think could make it on Stasia’s shopping list?
Email us and tell us about it!

Totally NutFree’s new FreeNut Butter is an all natural, Canadian made, soy butter. They’re marketing this product towards people with nut allergies, vegetarians and vegans, and most of all, people who are health conscious. It has the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Health Check symbol on the jar and every piece of marketing material they supply boasts how much better it is for you than regular peanut butter.

So let’s get on with first impressions. FreeNut Butter? Seriously? I understand what the company is going for with this name (it SOUNDS just like PEAnut butter, this is perfect!) but yet, when I gave the name to three guys, it was met with a barrage of laughter and a few “Are you serious?” type questions.

Moving right past the name however (cause really, it ain’t gonna change any time soon), I went ahead and tried it. Opened the jar…good sign, a freshness seal. Thought:

Sometimes I think this is just used for effect, cause frankly, if you make a product that can sit on the shelf for years before it expires, what level of freshness can there possibly be? But I digress.

With the freshness seal intact, I proceeded to peel it back and smell the FreeNut goodness. Looks like peanut butter. Smells like peanut butter. Now for the crucial taste test:

Hmmmm. Not so much.

While it tasted similar to peanut butter, it just wasn’t the real thing. The texture was actually stickier than peanut butter if you can believe it, and there was a slight aftertaste that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. After visiting the website and seeing that the company claims the product to be free of bitter and musty aromas (I should hope so…), but then says that the product has bitter and musty flavours (excuse me?!), I suppose this funny aftertaste was explained.

But wait…there probably aren’t a whole lot of people out there who sneak a spoonful of straight PB while their mom isn’t looking right? Better try the more conventional, FreeNut Butter on toast.

I have to say, it wasn’t half bad. I had some toast and FreeNut Butter for breakfast this morning and I was impressed. The funny aftertaste was gone and it tasted more like peanut butter than it did when I ate the forbidden spoonful. Score one for FreeNuts!

For someone who hasn’t tasted peanut butter in a while (i.e. people with nut allergies or vegetarians/vegans), this seems to be a great alternative. It tastes close enough to peanut butter that those who don’t know any better would likely be fooled. For someone who knows and loves a good PB&J sandwich on a Saturday afternoon however, sorry folks, this just won’t do it for ya. Considering the premiums one usually pays for healthier products, it just wouldn’t be worth it to me to have the seemingly healthier FreeNut Butter on my kitchen shelves.

So, the verdict is in. I would highly recommend Totally NutFree’s FreeNut Butter to anyone I know who is allergic to, or against eating, nuts.

For this tough nut with a discerning palette however, I say pass me the Skippy!

Next week, Stasia‘s got The Goods on Clairol’s Perfect 10 by Nice ‘n Easy!

Although DHA is not a household name, it is something families should become familiar with. A key building block in children’s development from conception to adolescence, DHA should be included in their diets, particularly during their formative years as it has been proven to have invaluable health benefits in boosting brain function and in ensuring healthy development of eye and nerve tissues.

A long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid in the Omega-3 family of fatty acids, DHA plays several important roles in children’s development, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy and in the early years of childhood. Infants are usually able to get their daily requirement of DHA through breast milk if they are being breastfed by mothers who have an adequate supply of DHA from their diet, or through infant formula supplemented with DHA. However, once the intake of these foods stops, so does the intake of DHA. It should come as no surprise then, that children across Canada are not consuming enough of this Omega-3 in their diets, which means they are missing out on their chance to have higher IQ scores and better vision. (1)

DHA is most commonly found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and herring, not exactly at the top of kid’s lists of favourite foods (Omega-3 enhanced eggs are now an option though) so for more information on how you can incorporate more DHA in your children’s diets, read on…

Recognizing the importance of this nutrient in children’s development, Parmalat Canada has created two new products containing DHA, Beatrice Smart Growth Milk and Black Diamond Ficello Smart Growth Cheese Snacks.

“Many parents have no idea how important DHA is for their children’s optimal development,” says Gina Sunderland, Canadian registered dietitian. “Since the body does not naturally produce enough DHA, we have to turn to foods enriched with this unique Omega-3. By including these in your children’s daily diet, you are ensuring that they are getting the benefits of DHA, plus all the nutritional benefits of milk and cheese!”

So how do they get the DHA in Smart Growth Milk and Cheese Snacks?

By supplementing the diet of cattle with sources of DHA, some of the DHA from the feed is transferred naturally to the cows’ milk fat. This means both the milk and the cheese snacks have the exact same health benefits as the DHA found in fish, but with a taste children prefer.

In addition to including food and beverage products containing DHA in children’s diets to support brain, nerve, and eye development, also ensure that your children get a balanced diet according to the Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide. Also, don’t forget that physical activity along with a balanced diet is key; make sure children are active every day to stay energized and alert.

What is the difference between the three types of Omega-3 fats?

Omega-3 fats are a type of polyunsaturated fat. The three main Omega-3 fats found in foods are:

Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA)
• Considered an essential type of Omega-3 because the body cannot produce it
• Can help prevent heart disease (2)
• Naturally occurs in flax, canola, soybean oils and walnuts

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
• Plays a role in protecting the heart

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
• Plays a unique role in the development and maintenance of a healthy brain, nerve and eyes in the years of life when a child’s body is growing and developing
• The body is able to convert, albeit it small amounts (from 1 – 9%), of DHA from ALA

What is the acceptable intake for children?
Note: When reading the table, remember that DHA is only one of three types of “Omega-3′s.”

• Children between the age of 1-3 years old: 70 mg or 0.07 g of DHA
• Children between the age of 4-8 years old: 90 mg or 0.09 g of DHA
• Two servings a day of the homogenized Smart Growth milk would provide a 1-3 year old child with more than half of the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for DHA
• Two servings of the Smart Growth cheese snacks would provide a 1-3 year old child with more than half the Institute of Medicines’ recommendations for DHA

With the introduction of Beatrice Smart Growth Milk, children can obtain their daily requirement of DHA in both regular and chocolate milk:

• Homogenized: 20 mg of DHA
• 2% Regular or Chocolate: 10 mg of DHA
• One 250 ml glass doubles the average intake of DHA in a child’s diet
• Also an excellent source of Calcium and Vitamin D

Suggested retail price: $3.99 – $4.50 for a 2 L carton.

The new Black Diamond Ficello Smart Growth Cheese Snacks are the first to contain DHA:

• Made with 100% natural, stringable cheese in “Cheddarific” flavour
• Contain 20 mg of DHA per 21 g serving

Suggested retail price: $5.99 for a 252 g bag of 12 cheese snacks.

Nutritional Information for These Products
Note: When reading the table, remember that DHA is only one of three types of “Omega-3′s.”

For more info, visit www.smartdairy.ca

(1) 27. Gustafsson PA, Duchen K, Birberg U, Karlsson T. Breastfeeding, very long polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and IQ at 6 1/2 years of age. Acta Paediatr. 2004 Oct;93(10):1280-7

(2) Renaud S, de Lorgeril M, Delaye J. et al. Cretan Mediterranean diet for prevention of coronary heart disease. Am J Clin Nutr 61 (supple):1360S-7S, 1995

Women today are living longer, but are they living better quality lives?

It is a fact of life today that many women are juggling career, family, household responsibilities, and often sacrificing their own needs to take care of those around them. Some of the main health concerns that women face today are a result of these stressful and hectic lifestyles.

Stress is linked to heart disease, cancer, depression, anxiety, diabetes, and insomnia. When we are super busy, we don’t take time to eat properly, exercise and get adequate sleep, all factors that take their toll on our health – physically and emotionally.

Health expert Sherry Torkos explains how women need to make their health and well-being a priority and how this will also benefit those around them.

The Five Keys to Optimal Health

Proper Nutrition:

Food provides fuel for the body and the mind. This time of year, we are often enticed and mislead by the plethora of fad diets being promoted in the tabloids. In the video, Sherry discusses the power of functional foods specific for women.

Nutritional Supplements:

A daily multivitamin and mineral complex helps to make up for dietary deficiencies and nutrient-depleters (stress, toxins, Rx medication), and ensures your body gets all the nutrients it needs.

Fish oils are part of Sherry’s foundation because mounting evidence shows they can reduce the risk of heart disease (our #1 killer) and they are good for brain function.

Greens supplements are also highly recommended because they are rich in nutrients, fibre, prebiotics, and other powerhouse nutrients. Keep in mind that supplements should “complement,” not replace your diet.

Regular Exercise:

Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and it can also significantly cut your risk of our main health concerns: Diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Unfortunately, exercise is one of the first things to go when we get busy. We need to make it a priority because the health rewards are numerous, both physically and emotionally.

Aim for one hour of accumulated activity daily. If you don’t have a one-hour block, spend 20 minutes three times a day. Walking, biking, working out with weights, and yoga are all great activities that offer a range of benefits.

Adequate Sleep:

Sleep deprivation not only causes fatigue, but it is associated with heart disease, depression, memory loss, and weight gain.

New research links sleep deprivation and shift working to increased risk of breast cancer.

Goal: 7 – 9 hours each night.

Stress Management:

Considering that stress is linked to our major killers and over half of women are experiencing the adverse effects of stress, it is critical that we develop good stress management techniques, such as breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, and visualization.

Sherry explains how stress impacts our health beyond the obvious signs of muscle tension and a racing heart. She also suggests some natural stress management supplements.

For more information, pick up Sherry Torkos’ latest book, The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. In it, you’ll find:

• A thorough A to Z listing of the most common health conditions: From colds and ear infections to cancer, diabetes, depression, heart disease and osteoporosis

• A comprehensive guide to dietary requirements and the principles of a healthy diet

• Detailed information about vitamins and minerals, including recommended dosages for children, teenagers, adults, pregnant women and seniors

• Easy-to-follow exercise, sleep and stress-management tips that really work

• A reference guide to today’s top dietary supplements, herbal remedies and branded ingredients

• A natural prescription for each health condition, outlining conventional approaches to treatment, as well as safe and effective dietary, lifestyle, supplemental and therapeutic recommendations

• Tips on safe supplementing, including information about potential drug, nutrient and herbal interactions and how to create a supplement program

About Sherry Torkos, B.Sc. Phm.

Sherry Torkos is a pharmacist, author, and certified fitness instructor. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1992 and practises in the Niagara region of Ontario. As a leading health expert, Sherry has delivered hundreds of lectures to medical professionals and the public. She is frequently interviewed on radio and TV talk shows throughout North America and abroad. She has authored ten books, including The GI Made Simple, Live Well: A Woman’s Guide to Optimum Health, and Winning at Weight Loss. For more information, visit www.sherrytorkos.com.

Food is fuel for the body, so what do you put in your tank?

Imagine someone filling up your car with sugar instead of gas (I can almost hear all you car lovers out there shrieking in absolute horror). Well, the damage that this causes is similar to that of your own body’s engine when you take a bite out of that lard-filled giant cookie that you can’t help but shell out two dollars for every day at the office vending machine.

Ok fine, that’s me…but I know many of you out there do the very same thing! If it’s not this heart-stopper, then it’s another. Your poison may be the irresistible bag of salt-ladened chips or the double fudge chocolate chip with caramel filling bar that speaks to you. With everyone’s ever busier and increasingly sedentary lives, it’s often hard to resist these convenient temptations.

But whatever excuse you use, it won’t work anymore. Time and effort are no longer issues as trainers, dietitians, nutritionists, and chefs prove time and again that eating healthily is both easy and quick. Take Adam Hart‘s Flourless Hemp Cookies for instance. Let’s see you try and talk your way out of this recipe, which consists of all of five main ingredients, an oh so high-tech spatula to mix it all up, and brace yourselves…ten whole minutes of baking time.

This snack alternative not only gives you the energy you need to get through that extra couple of hours of work, but you’ll be filling up your body with nothing but nature’s goodness, whole and unprocessed. The hemp seeds alone are a complete protein, which means that they naturally contain all 9 essential amino acids that your body doesn’t have to work to break down!

Adam is all about educating the public on these foods and how to easily incorporate them in people’s diets. Next week, he will introduce more whole foods to add to your grocery list, so stay tuned! Your body will thank you.

For the recipe to the yummy flourless hemp cookies, read on!

I have to admit, I was skeptical about these cookies when Adam told me about them. I’ve tried a variety of hemp products like hemp butter etc, but I’ve never really acquired the taste for this plant and I didn’t think this would make a difference.

Surprisingly, they turned out to be quite tasty! They were very filling (which is a quality you want to look for in a snack) and when eaten right out of the oven, pretty darn good. The only thing I would do differently is use a little less peanut butter and maybe a little more chocolate! Here is the recipe:

Flourless Hemp Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

1 organic egg
1 cup all natural crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup raw cane sugar
Handful of chopped dark chocolate chunks

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Spoon out small ball size portions and with a fork, flatten onto a parchment papered cookie sheet.

3. Cook in the oven at 350°F until golden brown (about 10 – 15 minutes depending on the oven).

That’s it! Enjoy!

Bonus Tip: Include 1/4 cup of ground unhulled sesame seeds to your mix to increase the iron content of each cookie.

About Adam Hart:

B.C. businessman Adam Hart says that in the gamut of workplace-wellness programs, an overlooked way to bolster the immune system, prevent worker absenteeism and help employees increase their energy levels is by eating simple, nutritious whole foods.

Hart, founder of workplace-wellness company Clear Impact, brings nutrition awareness into the workplace via his “Power of Food: 30 Days to Personal Health” programs that teach workers about unprocessed foods and their link to increased energy, improved productivity and employee well-being. He teaches about basic foods such as grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables that can be easily and quickly prepared into snacks, bag lunches and other meals conducive to the workplace (and the home).

Two of his top fall recommendations are:

* Flourless hemp chocolate chunk cookies to accompany the mid-afternoon coffee break. They’re a source of powerful protein, iron and B vitamins and ward off the afternoon energy crash.

* Sweet potato soup fortified with Quinoa, an ancient grain from South America that’s rich in dietary fibre and protein. It’s easy to make, available in grocery stores and a great source of high-quality complex carbohydrates (for energy), and of multiple vitamins and minerals to boost the immune system.

Clear Impact is rooted in Hart’s personal story. Not many years ago, he worked at a sedentary job in an office, smoked, ate junk food and was pre-diabetic. He was only 26. After intensive study of the food-wellness connection, he concluded the best diet was based on recipes in Grandma’s cookbook: simple, uncomplicated meals and snacks using unprocessed foods.

Today he ice climbs, has shed the weight, quit smoking and is no longer pre-diabetic.

Adam’s Vitals:

Adam Hart
Director, Whole Foods Personal Trainer
t: 1.604.815.3751
e: info@clearimpact.ca