MAY 2015 FITNESS AND WELLNESS TOPICS

Nine Nice to Know Facts About Caffeine

Why Runners Should Strength Train

Snack, Move, and Sleep for Stress

Lemon-Garlic Chicken

This is What Sugar Does To Your Brain

We know that too much sugar is bad for our waistlines and our heart health, but now there's mounting evidence that high levels of sugar consumption can also have a negative effect on brain health -- from cognitive function to psychological well-being.

While sugar is nothing to be too concerned about in small quantities, most of us are simply eating too much of it. The sweet stuff -- which also goes by names like glucose, fructose, honey and corn syrup -- is found in 74 percent of packaged foods in our supermarkets. And while the Word Health Organization recommends that only 5 percent of daily caloric intake come from sugar, the typical American diet is comprised of 13 percent calories from sugar. “Many Americans eat about five times the amount of sugar they should consume,” Natasa Janicic-Kahric, an associate professor of medicine at Georgetown University Hospital, told The Washington Post. It's easy to see how we can get hooked on sugar. However, we should be aware of the risks that a high-sugar diet poses for brain function and mental well-being.

SUGAR CREATES A VICIOUS CYCLE OF INTENSE CRAVINGS

When a person consumes sugar, just like any food, it activates the tongue's taste receptors. Then, signals are sent to the brain, lighting up reward pathways and causing a surge of feel-good hormones, like dopamine, to be released. Sugar "hijacks the brain’s reward pathway," neuroscientist Jordan Gaines Lewis explained. And while stimulating the brain's reward system with a piece of chocolate now and then is pleasurable and probably harmless, when the reward system is activated too much and too frequently, we start to run into problems. Over-activating this reward system kickstarts a series of unfortunate events -- loss of control, craving, and increased tolerance to sugar," neuroscientist Nicole Avena explained in a TED-Ed video. In fact, research has shown that the brains of obese children actually light up differently when they taste sugar, reflecting an elevated "food reward" response. This suggests that their brain circuitry may predispose these children to a lifetime of intense sugar cravings.

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THIS IS WHAT SUGAR DOES TO YOUR BRAIN

SUGAR IMPAIRS MEMORY AND LEARNING SKILLS

A 2012 study on rats, conducted by researchers at UCLA, found that a diet high in fructose (that's just another word for sugar) hinders learning and memory by literally slowing down the brain. The researchers found that rats who over-consumed fructose had damaged synaptic activity in the brain, meaning that communication among brain cells was impaired. Heavy sugar intake caused the rats to develop a resistance to insulin -- a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and also regulates the function of brain cells. Insulin strengthens the synaptic connections between brain cells, helping them to communicate better and thereby form stronger memories. So when insulin levels in the brain are lowered as the result of excess sugar consumption, cognition can be impaired. "Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain," Dr. Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, the study's lead author, said in a statement. "Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new."

SUGAR MAY CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO DEPRESSION AND AXIETY

If you've ever experienced a sugar crash, then you know that sudden peaks and drops in blood sugar levels can cause you to experience symptoms like irritability, mood swings, brain fog and fatigue. That's because eating a sugar-laden donut or drinking a soda causes blood sugar levels to spike upon consumption and then plummet. When your blood sugar inevitably dips back down (hence the "crash"), you may find yourself feeling anxious, moody or depressed.

Sugar-rich and carb-laden foods can also mess with the neurotransmitters that help keep our moods stable. Consuming sugar stimulates the release of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin. Constantly over-activating these serotonin pathways can deplete our limited supplies of the neurotransmitter, which can contribute to symptoms of depression, according to Dr. Datis Kharrazian, functional medicine expert and author of Why Isn't My Brain Working? Chronically high blood sugar levels have also been linked to inflammation in the brain. And as some research has suggested, neuroinflammation may be one possible cause of depression. Teenagers may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of sugar on mood. A recent study on adolescent mice, conducted by researchers at Emory University School of Medicine, found a diet high in sugar to contribute to depression and anxiety-like behavior.

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THIS IS WHAT SUGAR DOES TO YOUR BRAIN

Research has also found that people who eat a standard American diet that's high in processed foods -- which typically contain high amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt are at an increased risk for developing depression, compared to those who eat a whole foods diet that's lower in sugar.

HIGH SUGAR CONSUMPTION IS A RISK FACTOR FOR AGE-RELATED COGNITIVE

DECLINE AND DEMENTIA

A growing body of research suggests that a sugar-heavy diet could increase risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. A 2013 study found that insulin resistance and blood glucose levels -- which are hallmarks of diabetes -- are linked with a greater risk for developing neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's. The research “offers more evidence that the brain is a target organ for damage by high blood sugar,” endocrinologist Dr. Medha Munshi told the New York Times. Some researchers, in fact, have even referred to Alzheimer's as "Type 3 Diabetes" -- which suggests that diet may have some role in an individual's risk for developing the disease.

With the information provided, take time to think about how much sugar you are consuming and how it relates to your overall health. If necessary, talk to your physician or a nutritionist about ways to reduce your sugar consumption. Source: Carolyn Gregoire, Huffington Post, 4/16/2015

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THIS IS WHAT SUGAR DOES TO YOUR BRAIN

What You Need:

· PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

· 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

· 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

· 1 teaspoon lemon pepper

· 1/4 cup lemon juice

· 2 tablespoons Pure Wesson® Canola Oil

· 4 (1b) boneless skinless chicken breasts

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Lemon-Garlic Chicken

Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Combine bread

crumbs, garlic salt and lemon pepper in recloseable food storage bag. Combine lemon juice and oil in another recloseable food storage bag.

Add chicken to bag with lemon juice mixture; toss to coat. Place each breast in bag with crumb mixture; shake to coat. Place coated chicken in single layer in baking pan. Sprinkle any remaining crumbs over chicken, if desired.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers (165°F).

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 202, Total Fat 7 g, Carbohydrate 6 g; Protein: 27 g

Add a twist to your chicken with this low calorie option Prep Time: 10 Min | Total Time: 30 Min | Ingredients: 5

Makes: 4 servings (1 breast each)

Source: Ready Set Eat

SNACK, MOVE, AND SLEEP FOR STRESS

Bills, debt, traffic, work, deadlines, family…these factors all contributors to our stress level in this fast-paced world. They say “stress is a lot like a rocking chair, it will keep you occupied but it won’t get you anywhere.” Keeping this in mind, we must find ways to manage our stressors. This article will define stress, provide long-term effects of stress and provide some ways to help you cope.

What is Stress? Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense, typically characterized by headaches, irritability, muscular tension, depression, anxiety, increased heart rate and blood pressure. Stress can cause all sorts of problems with the body and make a person depressed, anxious or panicky, irritable and fatigued. Stress can cause major interruptions in your productivity and lead to sleeplessness. Suffering from stress for long enough has been tied to a plethora of diseases and disorders that include but are not limited to: heart attacks, hypertension, depression, weight gain and headaches.

Here are some ways to reduce stress:

Exercise: Sports, weight training, martial arts, yoga—these activities are great for reducing stress. When we work out our body sees an increase in blood flow. Endorphins are also released (our bodies ‘feel good’ chemical). In short exercise clears the cobwebs, and helps us knock out that anxiety and tension.

Sleep: Laying in bed tossing and turning, thinking about the previous day or the upcom-ing one? Stress can definitely hurt our sleep requirements. Sleep is one of the most important things for us. We recover and rebuild during sleep. Without adequate rest and sleep we will only get worse. Regular exercise helps us sleep better by using up that nervous and anxious energy in a constructive way. Get Yourself Organized: Being disorganized or procrastinating only adds to stress. Eat Healthy: One of the causalities of a stressful lifestyle is our diet. In fact stress can suppress our appetites and this isn’t good. We need proper nutrition, and lots of water every-day. Our bodies need good fuel to run healthy. Here are some healthy snacks to choose to help combat stress:

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SNACK, MOVE, AND SLEEP FOR STRESS

Blueberries: "When you're stressed, there's a battle being fought inside you," Mangieri says. "The antioxidants and phytonutrients found in berries fight in your defense, helping improve your body's response to stress and fight stress-related free radicals." Research has also shown that blueberry eaters experience a boost in natural killer cells, "a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in immunity, critical for countering stress," says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health's contributing nutrition editor.

Cashews: One ounce of the buttery nut packs 11% of the daily recommended value of zinc, an essential mineral that may help reduce anxiety. When researchers gave zinc supplements to people who were diagnosed with both anxiety symptoms (irritability, lack of ability to concentrate) and deficient zinc levels over a course of eight weeks, the patients saw a 31% decrease in anxiety, according to Nutrition and Metabolic Insights. This is likely because zinc affects the levels of a nerve chemical that influences mood. If you're already getting enough zinc, then it may not help your mood to chow down on cashews (or other zinc-rich foods like oysters, beef, chicken, and yogurt). But, cashews are also rich in omega-3s and protein, so they're a smart snack no matter what.

Seeds: Flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are all great sources of magnesium (as are leafy greens, yogurt, nuts, and fish). Loading up on the mineral may help regulate emotions. "Magnesium has been shown to help alleviate depression, fatigue, and irritability," Sass says. "Bonus: When you're feeling especially irritable during that time of the month, the mineral also helps to fight PMS symptoms, including cramps and water retention."

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SNACK, MOVE, AND SLEEP FOR STRESS

Yogurt: As bizarre as it may sounds, the bacteria in your gut might be contributing to stress. Research has shown that the brain signals to the gut, which is why stress can inflame gastrointestinal symptoms; communication may flow the other way too, from gut to brain. A 2013 UCLA study among 36 healthy women revealed that consuming probiotics in yogurt reduced brain activity in areas that handle emotion, including stress compared to people who consumed yogurt without probiotics or no yogurt at all. This study was small so more research is needed to confirm the results—but considering yogurt is full of calcium and protein in addition to probiotics, you really can't go wrong by adding more of it to your diet.

Pistachios: When you have an ongoing loop of negative thoughts playing in your mind, doing something repetitive with your hands may help silence your inner monologue. Think knitting or kneading bread—or even shelling nuts like pistachios or peanuts. The rhythmic moves will help you relax. Plus, the added step of cracking open a shell slows down your eating, making pistachios a diet-friendly snack. What's more, pistachios have heart-health benefits. "Eating pistachios may reduce acute stress by lowering blood pressure and heart rate," Mangieri says. "The nuts contain key phytonutrients that may provide antioxidant support for cardiovascular health."

Dark chocolate: Calling all chocoholics: a regular healthy indulgence (just a bite, not a whole bar!) of dark chocolate might have the power to regulate your stress levels. "Research has shown that it can reduce your stress hormones, including cortisol," Sass says. "Also, the antioxidants in cocoa trigger the walls of your blood vessels to relax, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. And finally, dark chocolate contains unique natural substances that create a sense of euphoria similar to the feeling of being in love!" Go for varieties that contain at least 70% cocoa.

Use these tips to manage your stress levels. Finding ways that help you relax is key to keeping you calm when presented with stressors. If you are interested in yoga as an option to reduce stress, check out the group fitness schedules for NCE and NCW fitness centers.

Sources: Stress eating helps, when they're these superfoods, Lindsay Funston, Health.com Mon April 13, 2015

Stress Relief and Exercise. John Styles. Fitness.com, 2015

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1. THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE. Caffeine is a naturally occurring mild chemical stimulant that exists in a variety of foodstuff, including coffee, tea, chocolate, and cola drinks. Without question, the average individual consumes a copious amount of caffeine annually. Just in the United States, for example, more than a million metric tons of coffee and three billion pounds of chocolate are ingested each year. As such, caffeine in one form or another is America’s most popular drug by far. 2. CAFFEINE BUZZ. To a degree, the perceived "jolt" that many people experience when they drink a cup of coffee is real. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by blocking the neurotransmitter (adenosine) that usually causes a calming effect in the body. As a consequence of the subsequent changes in brain chemistry that occur, you experience an increase in neuron firing, the nerve cells speed up, and the blood vessels in the brain constrict. Your pituitary gland then responds by releasing hormones that tell your adrenal glands to produce adrenaline. Bingo! You feel more alert. 3. PACE YOURSELF. For many people, caffeine is the drug of choice. As such, statistics indicate that in the United States, approximately 75% of the caffeine intake of the average American comes from coffee. Like most things in life, however, a point can be reached where consuming too much coffee (e.g., more than three cups a day) can lead to some relatively unpleasant side effects, including irritability, upset stomach, fast heartbeat, insomnia, and so on.

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Nine Nice to Know facts about Caffeine

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4. PERFORMANCE ENHANCER. A number of studies have documented the positive effect that caffeine can have on athletic endurance performance. As a result, both the International Olympic Committee and the National Collegiate Athletic Association have placed an upper limit on the amount of caffeine that is permissible in an athlete’s urine after competition (a level equal to roughly four to seven cups of coffee). On the other hand, caffeine has not been found to elicit improvement in activities involving exerting manual musculature force.

5. DRAINING THE WELL. Contrary to opinion of many people, consuming caffeinated beverages doesn’t actually cause dehydration, although it does act as a mild diuretic. Although caffeine may increase your urge to urinate, whatever caffeinated fluid you drink tends to offset the fluid that is lost through urination. 6. A SOBERING MYTH. People only think that caffeine sobers them up after an extended bout of alcohol consumption. Truth be known, to a limited point, caffeine may enhance the level of alertness of an individual who has been drinking; however, that person’s reaction time and judgment are still diminished. Sobriety has not been achieved.

7. "POTENTIAL" IS A NINE-LETTER WORD. Although caffeine has few proven health benefits, the list of caffeine’s potential medical benefits is somewhat compelling. For example, studies have found that regular coffee drinkers can reduce their risk of Parkinson’s disease by almost 80%. In turn, drinking two cups of coffee a day can lower a person’s risk for colon cancer and gallstones by 20% and 50%, respectively.

Nice to Know facts about Caffeine

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8. ALL IS NOT ROSY. Although the consumption of caffeine, when ingested in an appropriate amount, seems to be safe for most adults, some medically related downsides to caffeine can exist. For example, in some instances, caffeine can worsen anxiety disorders and bipolar disorders. Caffeine also can aggravate bleeding disorders and cause the heart to beat irregularly. In addition, caffeine can worsen the effects of diabetes and can increase the pressure inside the eye - a particularly negative factor for individuals with glaucoma. Collectively, the situation suggests that caution should be used when consuming more than a moderate level of caffeine on a daily basis. 9. A PATHWAY TO REASON. Although caffeine can be addictive in some people, a person’s consumption of caffeine can be reduced, provided that the individual undertakes targeted steps to address his or her caffeine habit. For example, keeping a log to see how much caffeine is actually consumed is a good starting point. The next step should be to gradually reduce the amount of daily caffeine consumption. Another potentially worthwhile action would be to identify and ingest an appropriate substitute foodstuff, for example, decaffeinated coffee.

Source: James A. Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM, is a freelance writer and consultant in sports med-

icine

Nice to Know facts about Caffeine

In the old days, runners ran. (Seriously: Ask runners a few generations older than you what they did for their daily workout, and they’ll likely answer: “I ran.”). But no matter what race you’re preparing for, you might not want to stick to this old training routine. We’ve learned a lot over the last 30 to 40 years, and running has evolved. Today, runners need to do more than just run. Runners need to be strong and athletic. If they’re not, they can get hurt even if they practice good running form. In fact, some injury statistics put the annual injury rate for runners at a staggering 66 percent. That’s higher than professional football! Reducing the injury rate isn’t actually that difficult, though. In fact, runners can do so effectively with just 10 to 20 minutes of strength training each day. The benefits of strength training for runners—for both injury prevention and performance—are real. Whether your goal is simply to run easier with less pain or to run faster in your next race (whether a 5K, a half marathon, or the full 26.2 miles), a few strength sessions every week can help. Using runner-specific strength exercises will increase structural fitness—or the ability of your bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles to withstand the impact of running. While most forms of strength training can help improve overall performance, adding heavy resistance exercises, in particular, can make you faster during the final sprint of a race. Strength work is especially important for injury-prone runners and those who are putting in a lot of miles (For marathoners, that means at least three strength workouts every week!). While building your aerobic engine (read: endurance) through running, it’s key to counteract all that wear and tear with the right exercises. Since many of us live fairly sedentary lives in front of a computer all day, it’s no wonder running injuries are so common—we’ve lost all our strength! Luckily, there are specific exercises that can counteract this strength loss and are highly effective for runners. Compound Movements: The best exercises for runners train movements, not muscles—so stick to compound, multi-joint exercises in the gym (and make sure your form is correct!). Some of the classics include deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, chin-ups, bench press, and step-ups onto an elevated platform. These exercises target functional movements that we do in real life, like bending down, pushing and pulling things, and picking things up.

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WHY RUNNERS SHOULD STRENGTH TRAIN

Bodyweight Exercises: Bodyweight routines can help you recover from running while still building the strength needed to help prevent future overuse injuries. Complement compound movements with a good dose of bodyweight exercises you can do in your living room after an easy run (Need help getting started? Bodyweight routines can help you recover from running while still building the strength necessary to help prevent future overuse injuries. Other effective exercises you can do almost anywhere include lunges, planks, pistol squats, push-ups, side planks, bird-dogs, and side leg lifts. All of these build the core strength you need to prevent injuries and get stronger. Depending on the exercises you're doing, bodyweight sessions can require only low-to-moderate effort and can be done on any day of the week. Do them right after you finish your run and they’ll help you warm-down properly by increasing your range of motion and preventing muscle adhesions (i.e., places where muscles get knotty from scar tissue). By doing this, you’ll avoid a lot of the aches and pains that are too common with most runners. Hip Strengtheners: A majority of running injuries are caused by weak hips—a major problem area for runners who sit for most of the day. One solution is the ITB Rehab Routine, a series of exercises that treats and prevents IT band injuries but also works well for general injury prevention. It focuses on hip and glute strength—two of the most important stabilizing muscles that are used while running. Foam rolling is another great option for muscle recovery and injury prevention. What to do: Strength sessions can be quick: Simply pick 3-5 exercises and do 2-3 sets each, aiming for 4-8 repetitions. And don’t be afraid to lift heavy: Remember, heavy weight helps runners! Just keep in mind that heavy-weight routines are more intense and should be done just 1-2 times every week. Scheduling these exercises isn’t difficult—simplicity is the best policy here! Follow these three easy principles to make sure your strength sessions fit well with your running schedule.

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WHY RUNNERS SHOULD STRENGTH TRAIN

Save the weights for post-run and moderate effort days: Since strength workouts can be higher in intensity than a standard run, strength train after you run (immediately or later in the day) on moderate effort days. Avoid doing them on your long run or workout days since you’ll already be fatigued from your running (Your form may suffer, and you don’t want to increase injury risk). And keep your easy days easy—no hard lifting when you should be prioritizing recovery!

Build slowly: Once you’re comfortable with the basic exercises, start increasing your reps or adding more exercises to your routine. Just make sure you’re adding several types of exercises (mentioned earlier) so you’re keeping variety high—your body will benefit most when it’s working multiple muscle groups. Start with just five minutes of strength exercises (or 4-6 exercises) after your run and build from there. It’s more important to do something than nothing at all, so just get started. Don’t worry if it’s the perfect exercise or routine—you’ll notice yourself feeling better in no time. The Takeaway: When you’re doing 10 to 20 minutes of strength work each day, your injury risk will decrease dramatically, allowing you to run more, train faster, and ultimately race faster. Here's hoping you'll never be sidelined again! Source: Jason Fitzgerald, a running coach at StrengthRunning.com and 2:39 marathoner. He is also co-founder of Run Your BQ, a program dedicated to helping marathoners qualify for the Boston Marathon.

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WHY RUNNERS SHOULD STRENGTH TRAIN