Vitamin C April 2, 2009

What is it? Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that has a number of biological functions.

Where is it found? Broccoli, red peppers, currants, Brussels sprouts, parsley, potatoes, citrus fruit, and strawberries are good sources of vitamin C.

Why do athletes use it? Some athletes say that vitamin C helps keep the immune system functioning optimally. decreases recovery time between workouts.

What do the advocates say? Vitamin C is important for connective tissue repair. Although beneficial to athletes participating in a variety of sports, vitamin C is especially important to body builders whose training causes the most connective tissue damage.

Vitamin C is also important to athletes because, as an antioxidant, it may help to reverse some of the oxidative damage that may occur from exercise. This oxidative damage, caused by free radicals, may interfere with the cells’ ability to function normally and is believed to play a role in many different health conditions, including the aging process, cancer, and heart disease. Vitamin C promotes a healthy immune system and may help to prevent the dip in immune function that may occur right after exercise.

(another brief article from WholeFoods)

Personally, I take the emergen-C Raspberry flavor.

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Green Tea January 6, 2009

Did you know green tea has many health benefits? For starters it is loaded with antioxidants (EGCG). Secondly, it can reduce muscle soreness for those of you who exercise.  Some studies have also shown that green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells meaning it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. Other studies have also shown that green tea can help with reducing rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease. Of course we can’t depend on green tea alone, but instead we should include green tea in our healthy diets.

 

The down fall of green tea would be that is it has a fair amount of caffeine.  I would recommend that you drink no more than two cups a day and also include plenty of water in your diet. Too much caffeine can cause nervousness, irritability, anxiety, heart palpitations and headaches.

 

If you don’t care for the taste of green tea try squeezing some lemon in it to give it more flavor, but try not to undermine the great benefits green tea has to offer by adding sugar. There is also a brand called Numi and they have a Jasmine Green Tea which is excellent and doesn’t taste so bland as regular green tea. I have also come across that different brands of green teas taste different so don’t knock green tea if you have only tried one brand. Find one that works for you and include it in your daily diet.

5 Healthy Holiday Foods December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas! I will keep this short so you can get back to opening presents!

5 Healthy Holiday Foods

Yams are high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese; while being low in saturated fat and sodium

Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron

Nuts are the best plant source of protein not to mention they are rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants like as vitamin E and selenium

Whole Grains (stone ground wheat, oats, brown rice) are a good source of B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber

Homemade Mulled Apple Cider is high in antioxidants, but be careful, you are better off eating an apple than drinking many cups of apple cider since apple cider is concentrated