Superfood of the Week: Kale

When you say the word "kale," not many of us have an idea of what it really is, and quickly turn the conversation or recipe book page to a dark leafy green more frequently used, such as spinach or broccoli. Sure, we've heard that it's healthy and the newest celebrity "it" food that every trainer is telling their clients to eat more of--but in all honesty...WHAT IS THIS STUFF??! Brought to the USA in the 17th century by English settlers, Kale is a leafy green vegetable with a mild earthy flavor. It can be found in abundance in most produce sections of the local grocery store year round. Thankfully--(especially for all us trainers who BEG AND PLEAD to our clients to eat more healthfully)--Kale is beginning to stir up some well-deserved attention due its nutrient rich phytochemical content and unparalleled health benefits! Kale is absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, E and K. Kale has 7 TIMES the beta-carotene of broccoli and 10 TIMES more lutein! (Say hello to a kick-ass veggie!) Kale is rich in Vitamin C, not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans. The best and most surprising fact about the superfood? Its natural-occurring-all-important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Not to go on a rant here, but let me just explain what the heck "sulforaphane" does and why its SO IMPORTANT: An article by Dr. Linda Posh explains that sulforaphane helps boost the body's detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This in turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation. Now that's something worth eating kale for! Check out the chart below to see all the nutritional benefits of eating the leafy green... Choose kale with small leaves as they will be tenderer and offer a sweeter taste. Here are some recipe ideas for the superfood: sub it in your salads, mix into your favorite soup, add it into a wrap with hummus and grilled eggplant, or sauté it as a side dish with onions, garlic, and olive oil. One of my FAVORITE recipes is Kale Chips: heat your oven to 350 degrees. Tear the kale leaves from the stem and rip into "potato chip" style pieces. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Voila! Any way you have it, kale is sure to be good and GOOD FOR YOU!! No need to be scared of the word or the veggie now...you have graduated to the pros of leafy greens. P.S. If you live in LA, I beg you to check out one of my FAVORITE lunch spots, M Cafe, and try their Kale with Spicy Peanut Dressing salad. ITS UNBELIEVABLE!! Read more about it at: [http://www.mcafedechaya.com/about.html]

Pilates: A fix for back pain?

Pilates is known for not only toning the body (making it a lean, mean, muscle machine!), but for the immense benefits it has on the entire muscular system, which in turn affects the way we move and feel. A common complaint I hear from new clients is back pain. A lot of people have it and many never get rid of it. The ones who never get rid of it have probably never taken a pilates class before...just a hunch. My reason why? Pilates addresses the underlying structural imbalances in the body that lead to back pain. Issues like lack of core support, pelvic instability, muscular imbalances, poor posture, and lack of body awareness all effect back health. Some of the most important things to look at when wondering where your back pain is coming from may be your alignment (posture, the way your body parts align in relation to your spine), flexibility (can you twist, bend, and rotate easily?), body-awareness (bad habits, lack of mind-awareness when working out), and core strength (meaning all of the muscles of the trunk of your body are strong, flexible, and working together to support and stabilize the spine). Now I know what you're thinking...this is too much to think about! No person in their right mind has the time or the knowledge to sit down and evaluate themselves in a complete manner to find the underlying problem(s) of their pain. However, the professionals in the medical/health field (chiropractors, physical therapists, health and fitness instructors) can all help and offer solutions. Don't be afraid to fix things now before its too late and its hard to move as a senior citizen! No one wishes for that future and if you can prevent it...why wouldn't you? With all that said, back pain has many causes and pilates (in some rare cases) may not be right for all of them. If you have back pain, especially serious or chronic back pain, please check with your health care practitioner before you begin a Pilates program. If you do choose to begin Pilates, it is important to work with a fully certified instructor who is aware of exactly what challenges you are working with. Now get on it and move gracefully through the rest of your life--pain free!!

Spring Bikinis and Short Shorts--are you ready?!?

Spring is just around the corner, and while we all love the warmer weather, longer days and margarita-filled beach vacations, we all think about that one thing that haunts us all year...that itty bitty spring bikini and dang short shorts. I have good news for you: it's not too late to SHAPE UP! Here are a few tips to add into your workouts to gain more lean muscle mass and lose the fat around those areas you HATE: Incorporate more lunges, squats, triceps dips, push ups, planks, and leg lifts into your gym routine. Jump on the elliptical, treadmill, stairmaster, spin bike for at least 30 minutes 3-5 times a week, and take the workout outside 2 days a week: run stairs, hike mountains and trails, bike ride, jog around a safe neighborhood, or speed walk with friends for an hour. Don't get bored on the same routine! For belly-flattening foods, try and stick to clean foods that are naturally produced such as fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, eggs, lean meat, fish, nuts and dried fruit. I always try and eat really clean (esp. if I'm going on vacation where a bikini is worn most of the day), and DIET MATTERS MOST. Make the change, stick to it (you won't see results in 5 days people!), and you'll get into those short shorts and that lil' bikini...even if it kills you.