Posts Tagged ‘healthy lifestyle’

Yesterday’s CHEW Health and Wellness Tour of Chicago was amazing! I had such a blast and would recommend anyone and everyone to do it!

The tour met at Green City Farmer’s Market in the heart of the Lincoln Park neighborhood. We stopped at Tiny Greens, a farm in Urbana, IL that sprouts greens and sells them to put on salads or sandwiches. They sell everything from sunflower and cilantro to broccoli and onion sprouts! We got to sample all sorts of sprouts, but my favorite were these delicious black onion sprouts!

Our next stop at the farmer’s market was Potter’s Crackers. These homemade crackers come in a variety of flavors including flax seed, rosemary, and garlic. They were quite delicious but rather pricey.

Throughout the tour our guide consistently emphasized the importance of greens in one’s diet and how they are extremely under-rated, which I totally agree with! A lot of people get nervous about buying greens because they feel like they don’t know how to cook them. Our tour guide had a great idea; she buys collard greens and then uses them as wraps for lunch. She makes a sweet wrap with almond butter sprinkled with granola and a chopped apple wrapped up in a collard green leaf or makes a savory wrap using hummus, veggies, and protein such as chicken. I’m going to have to try these!

After the market we met with a yoga instructor in the park for a 20 minute yoga class. It was so great to be doing yoga outdoors, I felt totally connected with nature! Then we walked through Oz Park on our way to get some frozen yogurt.

We all stopped by this fountain for a photo op and to cool off! There were a total of 8 of us on the tour, 4 of them being friends of mine!

Then we arrived at Starfruit, which reminded me a lot of Berry Chill but they use Kefir instead of regular yogurt. Kefir contains 10 probiotic cultures per cup which help strengthen the immune system and aids in digestive health. Kefir is a great source of calcium, protein, and fiber and can even help with lactose intolerance.

We got to sample pomegranate and vanilla frozen kefir as well as the Berry Good 4U smoothie which contains blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, goji berries, pomegranate acai kefir and vanilla kefir. All of it was so delicious I never wanted to leave!

Then off the Lululemon Athletic we went. We got a tour of the store and had a chance to shop around and cool off in the air conditioning! I of course fell in love with a pair of plaid running shorts that I want to go back and buy to wear for my half marathon in August!

After Lululemon we walked over to LUSH. If you have never been to LUSH you have to go! They have so many wonderful beauty and bath products that are all handmade! Check out these colorful bath bombs and bubble bath bars!

They even have face masks that are made fresh on a daily basis! We got to try a ocean salt scrub on our hands as well as some lotions and massage oils; all of which were amazing! I will definitely be returning to LUSH to stock my bathroom with a few of these goodies!

The tour continued on. Just as I thought it couldn’t get any better, we went to Karyn’s Raw! Karyn Calabrese helped pioneer the raw food movement and Karyn’s Raw is a holistic health center and cafe that sells everything from raw/vegan smoothies and snacks to books on detox and holistic supplements to keep you energized and radiant!

We got to sample a Morning Cleanser smoothie made of Karyn’s Green Meal, apple juice, Rejuvalac, banana, flax oil, and Lecithin. We also sampled some dips including a vegan sour cream, a beet puree, hummus, and a vegan cheese dip!

And get this! I got to meet Karyn! She just happened to be in the store during the tour along with her famous mentor! I wasn’t able to get any pictures with them, but it was surely a great surprise!

Here we are at the cafe; Jess and Catherine are enjoying their green Morning Cleanser smoothie shot!

Sadly the tour had to come to an end, but the great thing was that we ended at the new Whole Foods Market on North and Kingsbury! If you live in Chicago and have never been to this particular Whole Foods you must go! This place is HUGE and its absolutely incredible, they have it all! Out on the back patio you can eat lunch and enjoy the view of the Chicago skyline over the Chicago River. It was such a gorgeous day, there were even a group of kayakers going by as we took pictures!

I ended up staying at Whole Foods for a bit to grab lunch and shop around a bit before heading home. This tour was an incredible way to spend my Saturday, not only did I meet some great people who love health and wellness as much as I do, but I got to experience new places around the city and even came home with a vast array of goodies, coupons, and a complementary nutrition consultation with our tour guide and founder of CHEW Chicago, Jessica Marie, who is a Holistic Nutrition Practitioner!

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The day of the CHEW Chicago tour has finally arrived! I have been waiting for this day all week! CHEW Chicago (Complete Health Education and Wellness Inc.) offers Health and Wellness tours in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. The Health and Wellness tour is a walking tour to experience the best in Chicago fitness, natural health, beauty and wellness!

The tour consists of:

• A walk around the Green City Farmers Market
• 20 minute intro yoga class in the park
• Sampling low far smoothies at Starfruit Cafe
• Touring/shopping at Lululemon Athletica
• Demonstrations and sampling at LUSH beauty products
• Raw smoothie and food samples at Karyn’s Raw
• 20 minutes intro to Pilates class at Balance Health & Wellness
• Tour of new Whole Foods Market on North and Kingsbury

The whole tour takes about 3-4 hours as you walk from place to place (about a 3 mile walk!). I cannot think of a better way to cross train on a Saturday morning! I’ll be sure to bring my camera along for the ride!

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Back in September I made a list of all of the fitness-related activities that I wanted to accomplish in the future, aka my “fitness bucket list”. After registering for the Chicago Rock N’ Roll Half Marathon and buying the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD I was able to cross off 2 of the items on the list. However, as of today, I am also able to cross off 2 more items!

First of all, I brought a bike from home to Chicago to use in the summertime to ride around the city to places like the beach and farmers markets. I still need to buy a lock and put some air in the tires, but I officially have a bike to ride! Secondly, tonight during an easy run for my training I ran a 8:57 minute mile, which means I can cross off my goal of running a sub-9 minute mile! It felt so great to accomplish this and wasn’t nearly as difficult as I originally thought it would be; I must be doing something right with my training!

Here’s a quick recap:

• Run a half marathon – well, not quite DONE yet, but well on my way!
• Try Bikram yoga
• Buy a bike to ride around the city
• Swim with dolphins
• Do indoor rock climbing
• Learn how to ski
• Run a sub-9 minute mile
• Go snorkeling
• Kayak down the Chicago river
• Run a race in another city
• Buy a fitness DVD
• Go parasailing
• Complete a triathlon

I hope to have another 2 of these completed by September; crossing off almost half of the items after 1 year of making the list would be quite the accomplishment!

What are your fitness goals this summer?

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There has been recent speculation about the health risks associated with the consumption of high fructose corn syrup. Before 1970, most of the sugar we ate was derived from sugar beets and cane sugar; however, since then sugar derived from corn (high fructose corn syrup) has become a popular sweetener due to the abundance in corn production around the country. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is cheap to produce, sweet, and easy to store – making it an ideal preservative in processed foods to increase their shelf life. HFCS can be found in everything from sodas and bread to pasta sauce and protein bars; take time to read the ingredient labels on the foods you purchase, you will be shocked by how many of them contain HFCS.

The debate about whether or not HFCS causes obesity and childhood diabetes is ongoing. Early studies showed a link between the consumption of beverages containing HFCS and obesity, but recent research suggests that HFCS is not any less healthy than other sweeteners. However, may of these recent studies are conducted by the beverages companies themselves and thus create a bias effect. Ever seen those television commercials marketing HFCS as safe? These commercials are funded by the United States Corn Refiners Association to keep themselves in business and put an end to any negative images associated with HFCS. The media may not always in the best interest of public consumers…

While research has yielded conflicting results about HFCS, it is important to step back and think about where you stand on the matter. HFCS may or may not be any less healthy then natural table sugar, but it should be noted that HFCS is a common ingredient in countless processed foods. HFCS itself may not directly cause obesity, but the consumption of highly processed foods over extended periods of time is. Obesity in turn promotes the development of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

The is no cut and dry answer to whether or not we should be eating HFCS. If you choose to consume foods containing HFCS, do so in moderation – whether it be natural table sugar or HFCS, too much can lead to adverse health effects. Health conscious individuals simply tend to use HFCS as a marker to identify processed foods that they are trying to avoid. Personally, if an ingredient label states that the food item contains HFCS, I’d rather leave it on the supermarket shelf then put it in my body.

If you’re concerned about the amount of high-fructose corn syrup in your diet, the Mayo Clinic suggests these tips:

• Limit processed foods
• Drink less soda
• Avoid foods that contain added sugar
• Choose fresh fruit rather than fruit juice or fruit-flavored drinks
• Choose fruit canned in its own juices rather than heavy syrup

Check out Marion Nestle’s blog What to Eat and Food Politics for more information regarding high fructose corn syrup; she has some really great insight!

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Did you know…

• Every 25 seconds one American will have a coronary event, and every minute one American will die from one. (CDC)
• In, 2006, 326,000 American females and 315,705 American males died of heart disease. (CDC)

What is Heart Disease? Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. While the number of deaths from heart disease continues to grow, the good news is that many heart diseases cases can be prevented. Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type in the United States is coronary artery disease, which leads to heart attack and heart failure. Heart attacks occur when the blood supply to the heart muscle becomes blocked. This blockage is commonly due to a gradual build-up of cholesterol plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. It is important to be aware of who is at risk for heart disease and the steps that be taken to prevent it.

A healthy diet is one important prevention tool. Choose lean meats and poultry without the skin, select low-fat or fat-free dairy products, cut back on beverages and foods with added sugar, choose and prepare foods with little to no salt, be aware of portion sizes, and choose healthy fats. Unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) are healthy fats and are found in foods such as nuts, avocados, and olive oil. Unhealthy fats include saturated and trans fat which are found in butter, high fat meats like bacon and sausage, and processed muffins and pastries.

Who is at Risk? - Risk factors for heart disease include:

• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Tobacco use
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Physical inactivity
• High fat or high salt diet
• Family history of heart disease

What Can You Do? – A healthy diet and active lifestyle are the best tools for preventing heart disease. Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself from heart disease.

• Eat a healthy diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly
• Don’t smoke
• Limit alcohol use
• Have your cholesterol checked
• Monitor your blood pressure
• Manage your diabetes
• Talk to your healthcare provider

Signs & Symptoms of a Heart Attack – Not all heart attacks are sudden and intense; many start slow as mild pain or discomfort. Be aware of these signs and symptoms. When in doubt, call 911.

• Chest Discomfort – uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back
• Upper Body Discomfort – pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
• Shortness of Breath – may occur with or before chest discomfort
• Other Symptoms – cold swear, nausea, or lightheadedness

Go Red for Women – wear red on February 5th to support the fight against heart disease in women!

For more information on heart disease, visit www.americanheart.org or www.cdc.gov/heartdisease

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