Day 73- Setting Goals

Sometimes we need to set goals to motivate ourselves, whether big or small, just something that will keep us accountable for our actions. With that being said, it's time for me to set my date for a full marathon! Enough procrastinating this is the year, before my life becomes even more hectic with new additions to the family. I think my life is crazy now, I haven't seen nothing yet!

Here are the two that I am considering:

Long Beach Marathon- I ran the half marathon here about 2 years ago and had a blast. The course is fun, until you get to the boardwalk and then you have to be patient passing people because the it gets pretty narrow and you have sand on each side of you. The full marathon runs through Cal State Long Beach's campus, which would be a fun adventure. This race takes place October 9th, which leaves me with just a little over 4 months to train.

Las Vegas Rock'n Roll Marathon- I have always wanted to participate in one of the Rock'n Roll series, so the one in Vegas sounds pretty intriguing. The race is in the evening instead of morning, and the course takes you down the famous Vegas strip (how often do you get the chance to do that?). The race takes place December 4th, which gives me plenty of time to get my booty in gear.

If anyone else is interested in setting a similar goal with me, let me know so that we can help keep each other accountable. There is power in numbers, and I need all the power and motivation that I can get!

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP

Day 72- 7 Worst Supermarket Breakfasts

My friend sent me over an article from Men's Health, talking about the 7 worst supermarket breakfasts. As many of you are aware, Men's Health always features a "Eat This, Not that," article in every issue, which was basically what this article was doing as well. To make the "Eat This" options even healthier I have added my own opinions to each of the 7 worst supermarket breakfasts. Plus as you may already know, I am pretty adamant about the importance of eating breakfast in the morning, and more importantly the types of food that you choose to eat for breakfast.

Article written by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding

Eat This, Not That

#7: WORST HOT CEREAL
Nature's Path Organic Instant Hot Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon (1 packet)
210 calories
2.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
14 g sugar

Nature's Path attributes its sweetness to "organic evaporated cane juice." Translation: sugar. Each packet in the box contains as much sugar as a scoop of Edy's Espresso Chip ice cream. We commend the 4 grams of fiber, but you shouldn't have to take in a dessert's load of candy sweetness to get it. Switch to Kashi GoLean Instant Hot Cereal instead. You get more fiber (7 grams), and you cut your sugar load by more than half. Or try my suggestion, and try Bob's Red Mill, Mighty Tasty GF Hot Cereal, which contains no sugar, is gluten free, and contains the same amount of calories as the Kashi GoLean.

Eat This Instead!
Kashi GoLean Instant Hot Cereal, Truly Vanilla (1 packet)
150 calories
2 g fat
6 g sugar

An Even Healthier Option:

Bob's Red Mill, Mighty Tasty Gluten-free Hot Cereal (1/4 cup)

150 Calories

1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

5 g fiber 0 g sugars

#6: WORST BREAKFAST MEAT
Banquet Brown ‘N Serve Maple Sausage Links (3 links)
210 calories
19 g fat (6 g saturated)
520 mg sodium

This truly is the weakest link. Three measly logs of sausage aren't are going to do much for your appetite, but they are going to stuff your belly with 19 grams of animal fat. Add that to your daily breakfast and you'll gain 22 pounds in a year. Switch to the turkey version and you'll cut your calories by nearly half, plus take in less fat, saturated fat, and sodium. Or try my suggestion and go with Applegate farms chicken and turkey sausage, which provides all organic and natural meat and ingredients. All meat is antibiotic and nitrate free, and is minimally processed.

Eat This Instead!
Banquet Brown ‘N Serve Turkey Sausage Links (3 links)
110 calories
7 g fat (2 g saturated)
390 mg sodium

An Even Healthier Option:

Applegate Farms, Andouille Chicken & Turkey Sausage (1 link, 85 g)

120 Calories

6 g fat (2 g saturated)

#5: WORST CEREAL
General Mills Oatmeal Crisp Hearty Raisin (1 cup)
240 calories
2.5 g fat (0.5 saturated)
20 g sugar

Oatmeal Crisp . . . it certainly sounds healthy, right? But upon closer inspection, this may actually be the most deceptive item on this entire list. It offers no frosting or marshmallows, yet it still manages to pack in more sugar than either Lucky Charms or Frosted Flakes. For a good bowl, look no further than Kashi’s GoLean, which meets the same nutritional standard as Kashi's oatmeal. Each bowl comes with 13 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber—exceptional numbers by cereal standards. This was a hard one for me to find, since there are really not any healthy cold cereal options out there. Most have way to much added sugar, or if you are gluten-free they contain gluten, or soy or some other kind of ingredient that I don't recommend. So the closest I could get was Bob's Red Mill again, but this time the Honey Almond granola. It does contain more fat and calories, but I think the list of ingredients is a lot healthier than I saw for Kashi's GoLean, and remember not all calories are created equal!

Eat This Instead!
Kashi GoLean (1 cup)
140 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
6 g sugar

An Even Healthier Option:

Bob's Red Mill, Honey Almond Granola (1/2 cup)

230 calories

7 g fat

7 g sugar

#4: WORST WAFFLE
Nature's Path Homestyle Frozen Waffles (2 waffles)
270 calories
10 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
5 g sugar
2 g fiber

When it comes to frozen waffles, it's what you serve on top and on the side that typically makes it a healthy breakfast. Think fruit, eggs, or ham, all of which make supreme waffle pairings. With that in mind, you don't want to burn up too many calories on the waffles alone. Nature's Path makes some decent options, but this isn't one of them. It's loaded down with dubious ingredients like soybean oil and potato starch. The better option is Van’s Lite Waffles. They cut the calories by nearly half and offer three times as much hunger-fighting fiber. Or try my suggestion and go with a waffle mix, although you will have to mix it yourself and pour it into the waffle machine, (what an extra 10 minutes max?). This way you can enjoy your waffles without having to eat all the extra ingredients that go into the product just so it can save you a few extra minutes.

Eat This Instead!
Van’s Natural Foods Lite Waffles (2 waffles)
140 calories
2 g fat
4 g sugar
6 g fiber

An Even Healthier Option:

Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Pancake/waffle mix (as long as you aren't gluten-free if so check out Trader Joe's gluten-free option). 3, 4" pancakes

140 Calories

1g fat

2g sugar

6g fiber

#3: WORST TOASTER PASTRY
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts, Frosted Chocolate Chip flavor (2 pastries)
420 calories
12 g fat (4 g saturated)
34 g sugar

Since when has it been acceptable to eat chocolate-frosted pastries at breakfast? And yet, Pop-Tarts keeps coming out with new dessert-like options, destined to further inflame America's flab crises. Kellog's tries to claim that one serving is one pastry, yet there are two in each pack. That's more than 400 dessert-like calories before you start the day. Essentially you end up with zero fiber, a negligible amount of protein, and more sugar than you'd find in a Snickers bar. Special K’s Fruit Crisps provide you with the same ease and convenience, but for less than a quarter of the calories of a Pop-Tart. Another breakfast item that I would suggest skipping all together, but if you rely on the convenience that these boxed sugar bars provide and you aren't gluten free, then I'm going to suggest Amy's Kitchen Organic Toaster Pops. I would prefer consuming something with more protein and less sugar early in the morning, but for this category there it is. Although it has more sugar and calories than the special k, the ingredients list is much shorter and does not contain all the artificial flavors and additives.

Eat This Instead!
Special K Fruit Crisps Blueberry flavor (2 crisps)
100 calories
2 g fat (1 g saturated)
7 g sugar

An Even Healthier Option:

Amy's Kitchen Organic Apple Toaster Pops (2.11oz)

160 Calories

3.5 g Fat

10g Sugar

#2: WORST BREAKFAST SANDWICH
Jimmy Dean’s Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches (1 sandwich)
440 calories
31 g fat (11 g saturated, 3 g trans)
850 mg sodium

This is an instance where you'd be better off ordering your breakfast sandwich from a drive-thru window. In fact, Jimmy Dean’s Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit packs in as much fat as 2.5 McDonald’s Egg McMuffin sandwiches! But equally bad here is that glut of trans fat smooshed into this biscuit. Many food processors have begun scaling back the dangerous trans fats. We advise Jimmy to do the same. In the case of pre-made breakfast sandwiches, I think this is one that you are going to have to make yourself. But is it really that hard to fry an egg and toast an english muffin? If it is, I suggest you hard boil a few eggs the night before and make an egg salad so that in the morning you can just spread the mixture on the english muffin. Tada, now you have a healthier breakfast sandwich!

Eat This Instead!
Jimmy Dean D-Lights Canadian Bacon Honey Wheat Muffin
230 calories
4.5 g fat (3 g saturated)
760 mg sodium

Sorry, no healthy options for healthy frozen breakfast sandwiches!

#1: WORST BREAKFAST BOWL
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls: Pancakes and Syrup and Sausage Links (1 bowl)
710 calories
34 g fat (12 g saturated)
35 g sugar
1,000 mg sodium

It should come as no surprise that the top two breakfast offenders come from the king of sausage. This bowl surpasses the other items on this list in every category: calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium. You would have to bike roughly 17 miles to burn off just one of these breakfasts. Most of Jimmy Dean's breakfast can at least back their calories with a substantial amount of protein, but this bowl has a paltry 12 grams. The Smart Ones breakfast below manages to squeeze in 15 grams, and it does it with 500 fewer calories! I'm just not a fan of frozen eggs that you heat up in the microwave, call me crazy. The only breakfast bowl that I could think of that I would want to eat in the morning is an acai bowl, which I know is on a totally different page than these eggs in plastic container things. Although the acai bowl has WAY more calories and sugar, it does have more health benefits. I would also suggest substituting some of the fruit for protein, mixing in almond butter, chopped nuts, etc.

Eat This Instead!

Smart Ones Morning Express Cheesy Scramble with Hashbrowns (1 package)
210 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated)
1 g sugar
510 mg sodium

Acai bowl from Juice it up (16 oz)

690 Calories

19g fat

80g sugar

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP

Day 71- Coconut Kefir

What is kefir?

Kefir is a drink made by fermenting either cow's or goat milk or coconut water or coconut milk. It has a distinct tart and refreshing flavor, which has been explained to be similar to drinking yogurt. It contains beneficial yeast as well as friendly bacteria (probiotics).

The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast that grow during the fermentation process give amazing health benefits to all kinds of conditions. Even those who are lactose intolerant, can usually enjoy kefir, since the abundance of beneficial yeast and bacteria provide the enzyme lactase, which consumes most of the lactose during the culturing process.

According to Kefir.net:

"Kefir is easly digested, it cleanses the intestines, provides beneficial bacteria and yeast, minerals, and vitamins, and complete proteins. Because kefir is such a balanced and nourishing food, it contributes to a healthy immune system. Its tranquilizing effect on the nervous system has benefited many who suffer from sleep disorders, depression, and ADHD.

The regular use of kefir can help relive all intestinal disorders, promote bowel movement, reduce flatulence and create a healthier digestive system. In addition, its cleansing effect on the whole body helps to establish a balanced inner ecosystem for optimum health and longevity.

Kefir can also help eliminate unhealthy food cravings by making the body more nourished and balanced. It's excellent nutritional content offers healing and health-maintenance benefits to people in every type of condition."

There are several ways to make coconut kefir; making coconut milk kefir is probably the easiest. All you really need is a can of organic coconut milk, and the kefir grains. Coconut water kefir made with young green coconuts, is just harder to find, but I believe that the health benefits are even better. Still all you will need is the actual coconuts and the kefir grains.

So what are kefir grains and how do you get them?

The kefir "grains" are actually active live cultures consisting of yeast and bacteria and have received the name grains only due to their appearance. You can also buy a powdered starter culture, but in the long run this can end up being more costly. You can purchase the grain or powdered starter kits from various websites, a good site to find them is bodyecology.com.

Young Coconut Kefir water or Coconut Milk Kefir

• Add either the water from about four young (green) coconuts or a can of organic coconut milk with one package of starter or 2 Tablespoons of kefir grains into a glass container
• Cover top with a kitchen cloth and secure with a rubber band
• Set aside in a non-drafty place, preferably somewhere warm
• Let sit for 24 hours
• Strain the grains out of the kefir and place in the fridge
• You will know when it's done (usually after another day) because it will have a slight tangy flavor, like yogurt.
• If you would like to reuse the kefir grains you can store them in the refrigerator in a glass of cow's milk.

Helpful Hints:

• Don't store the grains in coconut milk between batches, store in cow's milk
• Never use a metal container or spoon in the process of making kefir, this can disrupt the process and will cause the kefir to not thicken.
• If your kefir does not thicken within 24 hours, your house may not be warm enough, preferably the temperature should be between 68-85 degrees F
• If your first batch of kefir does not turn out the way you like, it could just take a few times for the kefir grains to acclimate to the coconut milk.
• If the kefir ever has a foul or unpleasant smell, throw it out

For more information on making kefir and a step by step guide with pictures, check out this website for Body Ecology.

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP

Day 70- Sunday BBQ

Here is a great recipe for a weekend BBQ; full of Omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, fiber, vitamin C, and other healthy vitamins and minerals.

Hamburgers:

• 1 lb Organic, grass-fed ground beef
• 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
• 5 spice seasoning from Trader Joe's
• Lettuce leaves
  

Sweet Potato Fries:

• Coconut oil
• 1 large sweet potato
• Sea Salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Artichoke:

• 1 artichoke
• 1/4 cup butter (not margarine!)
• Fresh pesto

Directions:

Hamburgers-

1. Separate the ground beef into 4 even sections, add the 5 spice seasoning into each section and mix in.
2. In the middle of each section add the crumbled goat cheese, covering it so that the cheese makes its way into the center.
3. Grill the patties until the desired amount of "doneness."
4. Wrap the individual patties in lettuce leaves
5. Add your favorite condiments to the burgers

Sweet Potato Fries-

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
   
2. Peel the skin off the sweet potato if desired, otherwise just clean it very well.
3. Cut the sweet potato into thin strips.
4. Place on baking sheet
5. Add coconut oil, sea salt, and pepper to the baking sheet
6. Place in oven, flip fries every once in awhile in order to cover all sides with coconut oil

Artichoke-

1. Fill a large pot with water and a little bit of sea salt
2. Bring water to a boil
3. Cut the stem off the artichoke and the top of each leaf off the artichoke
4. Once the water starts to boil, place the artichoke in the water, and place lid on top
   
5. Let artichoke boil for about 20-30 minutes or until artichoke leaves easily pull out.
6. Melt butter and mix with the fresh pesto.

Pura Vida!
Alica Ryan, NTP

Day 69- My Mother, My Inspiration

Happy Mother's day to all the mothers out there! May today and all days be a reminder of how much you mean to your children's lives.

I would like to give a special thank you to my mother for being such an amazing part of my life. I owe so much of who I am today to my mother; she raised me to be a strong and compassionate person.

She taught me the importance of nutrition, and I can honestly say that I would not have pursued this path without first learning it from her. Growing up with fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs from her amazingly beautiful garden. Learning the importance of getting outside to play instead of sitting in front of the television. Learning to contemplate my options when it comes to my health, instead of just blindly running to get the recommended prescription drug, only to mask my symptoms.

Not only is she my mother, but she is also such an important friend in my life. She is someone that I can call at anytime and talk to, whether it is because I need a shoulder to cry on, someone to celebrate with, or just an ear to listen. She makes my morning work commute much more bearable as we catch up on the events of each other's lives. I look to her for guidance and support, and value her opinions on my journey to become an adult.

One day when I have my own children, I hope that I follow in her footsteps, as an amazing mother, like she was for me.

Thank you mom, for all that you have done and all that you continue to do.

I love you!

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP

Day 68- Beach Body Workout

Beach Body Workout:

This workout is intended to be done on the dry soft sand. The sand provides an uneven moving surface, causing your body to work harder to balance, and as a result burning more calories. The sand is also easier on your joints, so jumping and running is less of an impact activity. If you aren't near a beach, no worries you can still do this workout anywhere.

1. Box Sprints- Timed for 1 minute. Start at one marker and sprint to a second marker. Face first marker and shuffle right 8 times. Turn so you're facing the second marker and jog backward to the first marker. Facing second marker, shuffle right 8 times. Continue until your minute is up.

2. Push-ups- 15x

3. Mountain Climbers- 25x each leg

4. Pike Crunches or V-ups- Legs straight, touch toes (Video) 20x

5. Sprints- Pick a marker a good 40 yards away, sprint to it, turn around and sprint back to your starting point. Repeat

6. Jump squats- 10x

Repeat entire workout at least 3 times through.

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP

Day 67- Acetylcholine & Memory

Acetylcholine (ACH) is produced both in the central nervous system (CNS) and in the peripheral nervous system (PNS); meaning in the brain and spinal column (CNS) and outside of the brain such as in the limbs and organs (PNS). In the CNS, Acetylcholine is used to promote excitatory actions for cognition, memory, and arousal.

In regards to the PNS, Acetylcholine is a major neurotransmitter for the autonomic nervous system. It is responsible for many important communications inside our body at a cellular level; such as keeping our heart and all the muscles in our bodies functioning properly by keeping them open to the stimulation they need to expand and contract.

When production or transmission of acetylcholine is impaired or blocked, cognitive, muscle, and other nervous system functions may begin to suffer.

Low Levels of Acetylcholine are associated with:

• Memory lapses
• Calculation difficulties
• Decreased arousal
• Impaired creativity
• Diminished comprehension
• Impaired judgment

Conditions associated with Acetylcholine imbalances:

• Alzheimer's Disease
• Dementia
• Myasthenia Gravis

The production of acetycholine begins with choline. There are two major sources of free choline. The most abundant source is from dietary consumption of foods that contain phosphatidylcholine and the second source is from production within the brain. Dietary sources of choline can increase choline levels in the blood and is easily transported across the blood-brain barrier.

Foods sources of Choline:

• Fatty pork
• Liver
• Eggs
• Beef
• Nuts
• Cream
• Fatty Cheeses
  

One thing that can deplete or inhibit acetylcholine in the body is medications. Common over the counter medications contain a property called "anti-cholinergic." Anti-cholinergic drugs inhibit activity of acetylcholine, which can lead to memory loss and cognitive impairment. Numerous drugs have been shown to act this way causing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which has been said to create or aggravate Alzheimer's type symptoms.

According to an article in the Huffington Post, the problem is that only a few of these drugs are officially classified as anti-cholinergic. The official anti-cholinergic drugs are mostly used for relieving intestinal cramps or bladder irritability and are labeled "anti-spasmodic."

But there are 17 additional types of drugs used for many other purposes that may also have anti-cholinergic effects. The list includes commonly used drugs like antihistamines, acid blockers and antidepressants. Unfortunately, many doctors and pharmacists are unaware of the anti-cholinergic properties of these medications.

For a list of medications that may have an anti-cholinergic affect, read the entire article here.

In order to tell if you are deficient in acetylcholine, I do not recommend testing through lab work, since the results will only be measuring the amount in your peripheral tissues and not the amount present in your brain. Instead answer the questions listed below to assess whether or not you are deficient.

Ask yourself these questions to see if you may be deficient in Acetylcholine:

• Do you feel your visual memory (shapes & images) is decreased?
• Do you feel your verbal memory is decreased?
• Do you have memory lapses?
• Has your creativity been decreased?
• Has your comprehension been diminished?
• Do you have difficulty calculating numbers?
• Do you have difficulty recognizing objects & faces?
• Do you feel like your opinion about yourself has changed?
• Are you experiencing excessive urination?
• Are you experiencing slower mental response?

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP