Julie Webster is excited to announce the article that was placed in the fit! section of the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado on February 10, 2009. Check it out!
Author: juliewebster
Over 30 years experience in health, nutrition and fitness.
Young Healthy Adults – Kiwi Landry Interview
Kiwi Landry is a lovely young woman of 17 years. She just returned from competing in the 2009 Bishnu Ghosh Cup, a Bikram Yoga competition held in Los Angeles February 6 – 8, 2009. This interview took place right before she headed out for the competition:
JW – How long have you been doing Bikram Yoga?
KIWI – I started Bikram Yoga in January or February of 2008 but didn’t begin to have a regular 5 day a week practice until September of 2008. So I generally say about 10 months.
JW – What got you interested/started in the first place?
KIWI – My mom got me in started in Bikram’s. She had been doing it for a year and was really into it. I went and did my first class but felt so good after that I went back again!
JW – What positive changes have you found in your body? What about in your overall health?
KIWI – This yoga has done so much for my body. I’ve always been slender but after getting a regular practice I lost some weight and really toned my muscles. I felt stronger and more energized. I started sleeping better. I gained endurance which translated to other parts of my life. My overall health also improved. I don’t get sick as often and when I do the cold or whatever doesn’t escalate as far and I come back from it a lot faster than I ever have before.
JW – Has this changed the way you eat? If so, in what ways?
KIWI – This definitely changed the way I eat. In the beginning it didn’t as much and I still ate a lot of junk. I always get really hungry after class. Now though, I’ve found that my body feels so much better during and after class if I eat healthier. I no longer drink soda, I try to stay away from food with lots of sugar and tend to only eat food with natural fat. I’m hungrier more often so I eat more protein.
JW – Do you feel it has made a difference in your school studies? Things like are you able to concentrate better? Memory is greater?
KIWI – The yoga has affected my school studies. I can study and focus on subjects for longer periods of time especially the ones I struggle with. I’m not strong in sciences but after starting yoga I’ve had more patience to push through the parts that I don’t understand. In other words, I have more endurance. Yoga has also given me the personal strength to ask questions in class. I hate not understanding something and it frustrates me. Doing yoga however has given me the ability to recognize my weaknesses and accept them so I can improve in those areas. It’s really helped in school.
JW – Would you recommend Bikram’s to other teens? Why?
KIWI – I would recommend Bikram Yoga to everybody, especially teens. Being younger gives you such an advantage in class. Naturally you’re more flexible. Your body will adapt faster and get stronger quicker. Being a teen you can gain more endurance quickly and realign your body with less pain and time. Doing Bikram Yoga as a teen everything happens faster! It also helps with school and gives you so much in your life, school, sports and even social life.
If you aren’t too sure exactly what is healthy to eat, start with watching this FREE ONLINE SEMINAR.
February Health Tip – Drinking Water
Health Tip of the Month
With cooler days and more time spent inside, it is easy to not drink enough water. Although there are various theories, it is still best to have at least half your body weight in ounces daily. In other words, if you weigh 150 pounds, that equates to 75 ounces of water. This figure varies based on your lifestyle. If you exercise a lot and therefore sweat a fair amount, you need more. If you consume dehydrating drinks you also need more. For example, for every 8 ounces of coffee you drink you need to add an additional 8 ounces of water. The best way to make sure you are getting enough is to fill containers* with the appropriate amount of ounces in the morning and then make sure to drink everything in them by the time you go to bed.
There are signs that may indicate you are not hydrated enough. Below is a list of potential signs of dehydration. If you are experiencing any of these, you might start by making sure to drink enough water and see if indeed you do feel better!
Signs of Dehydration
· Fatigue
· Constipation
· Hunger
· Headaches
· Indigestion
· Muscle and joint aches
· Asthma
· Allergies
· Depression
For more information: www.watercure.com
*Another thing you might want to consider is the container in which you put your water. There has been a lot of concern with the chemical bisphenol A also known as BPA. BPA is the substance in plastic that makes it hard. Over the last decade, there are more and more studies being done indicating that BPA may be linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, liver abnormalities and breast cancer. The FDA has conducted some of their own studies dismissing this but it has been found that those studies were conducted by those that benefited financially from the use of BPA.
For more details on this, read the following article from the Washington Post
Whatever you decide, you may want to consider eliminating your old plastic bottles, containers and baby bottles. There are many companies out there now that offer BPA FREE plastics.
Here is what Consumer Reports suggests:
“While studies are under way, if you’re concerned, here’s what you can do:”
· Identify which containers might have the chemical. Polycarbonate is usually clear rather than cloudy, although it may be colored. If the container carries a recycling code, it will be marked with the number 7 or the letters “PC,” or both. No. 7 bottles made with BPA-free polyethersulfone (PES) won’t have the PC marking. Other BPA-free plastic alternatives include polyethylene, which may be marked with recycling codes 1 (PET) or 2 (HDPE), and polypropylene, 5 (PP).
· For baby bottles, glass or BPA-free plastics such as polyethylene are the safest choices, as Consumer Reports has advised in the past.
· For those who reuse water bottles frequently and want to avoid BPA, consider polyethylene, stainless steel, or aluminum with BPA-free liners.
As far as I am concerned, the cost of replacing your old bottles is minimal compared to the potential harm from the BPA. Don’t you think?
Read about more health tips here!
February Cooking Tip – A Healthy Breakfast
Cooking Tip of the Month
NO TIME FOR A HEALTHY BREAKFAST?
Making healthy dishes, like this month’s recipe, before going to work is easy. You can chop all the vegetables the night before and store them in the refrigerator. In the morning, start the cooking before getting in the shower. By the time you are finished getting ready for work, your breakfast will be waiting for you to eat.
Note: Just make sure you have enough liquids in the pan so as not to burn the vegetables. Believe me I have done this! If you know you tend to take a while to get ready, you might want to add some water to the pans and turn down the heat.
Read here for more tips!
February Recipe – Teriyaki Buffalo with Vegetables
Recipe of the Month
Teriyaki Buffalo with Vegetables
Serves 2
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1 tsp Celtic Salt
2 TBSP Teriyaki sauce, I prefer San-J
1/3 pound ground Buffalo
½ Onion, chopped
½ pound Mushrooms (I prefer shiitake), sliced
4 cups raw Spinach, chopped
Pepper to taste
In a small pan, place one tablespoon olive oil, Celtic salt, teriyaki sauce and buffalo. Cover and cook over med-low heat until done, approximately 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate medium sized sauté pan, place one tablespoon of olive oil, onion and mushrooms. Cover and cook over med-low heat approximately 10 minutes.
Add buffalo to vegetables. Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted, approximately 2-3 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.
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