May 03, 2007
Fitness news you can use right away.
May 2007
Issue #24
Table of Contents:
Nutrition Myths: Think you know what's in your food?
Fitness Research: Prolonged exercise may NOT be good for your heart
Fitness Food: Grapefruit, A Great Addition to Any Meal
Tailored Fitness Recipe: Watercress and Endive Salad with Citrus Fruits
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Nutrition Myths: Think you know what's in your food?
Understanding what's in the foods you buy is key to stocking a nutritious kitchen. Yet food labels are not always easy to decipher. What exactly are you getting when you buy "juice," a "multigrain" bread, or a "low-fat food"? ______________________________________________________________
Fitness Research: Prolonged exercise may NOT be good for your heart
The cardio-respiratory benefits of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise are well documented. It is not as common, however, to hear that exercise may actually cause excessive cardiac damage. Past research has found that an acute bout of vigorous exercise may impair contractility, elevate of blood markers of cardiac stress, and promote excessive increases in arterial pressures. Researchers in Great Britain now report that impairment to heart function may occur as a consequence of high frequency endurance training specifically in highly-trained endurance athletes.
Ten (10) very highly-trained male long distance runners who had been training at least 5 days per week completed a 15.3 mile run over mountainous terrain each day for 3 consecutive days. Markers of cardiac damage in blood were assessed immediately post-exercise, at 1 hour, and 20 hours post-exercise, and researchers measured Ejection Fraction (EF) via echocardiogram to determine Left Ventricular Function (LVF) at equivalent intervals.
The most significant outcome of this experiment was the reduction in LVF after the third exercise bout. Impairment persisted through the final echocardiogram at 20 hours, however, researchers could not conclude the duration of the dysfunction. An assumption was made based on prior research, which had indicated a return to normal function between 24 and 48 hours. At no point were any of the participants in danger as EF did not drop below clinical values, which are less than 50%.
The value of this study was implied to rest with the Endurance/Ultra-endurance athlete and military personnel who are exposed to long-duration training on a daily basis. There should also be concern for the deconditioned individual who is experiencing cardiac stress from exercise volume and intensity relative to that of the endurance athletes in this study. To prevent excessive cardiac stress, intensity and duration should be varied regularly to promote adequate recovery. Heart rate and blood pressure should be assessed frequently and may help to estimate proper recovery time between sessions.
Source: Exercise Etc. Middleton, N. et al (2007) Impact of Repeated Prolonged Exercise Bouts on Cardiac Function and Biomarkers. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 39 (1): 83-90.
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Fitness Food: Grapefruit, A Great Addition to Any Meal
Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like grapefruit may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms; over 20 scientific studies have suggested that vitamin C is a cold-fighter. Vitamin C also prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. As free radicals can oxidize cholesterol and lead to plaques that may rupture causing heart attacks or stroke, vitamin C is beneficial to promoting cardiovascular health. Owing to the multitude of vitamin C's health benefits, it is not surprising that research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Enjoy Benefits from the Antioxidant Lycopene
The rich pink and red colors of grapefruit are due to lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient. Lycopene appears to have anti-tumor activity. Among the common dietary carotenoids, lycopene has the highest capacity to help fight oxygen free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells.
Limonoids Promote Optimal Health
Phytonutrients in grapefruit called limonoids inhibit tumor formation by promoting the formation of glutathione-S-transferase, a detoxifying enzyme. This enzyme sparks a reaction in the liver that helps to make toxic compounds more water soluble for excretion from the body. Pulp of citrus fruits like grapefruit contain glucarates, compounds that may help prevent breast cancer.
Grapefruit Lowers Cholesterol
Grapefruit contains pectin, a form of soluble fiber that has been shown in animal studies to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis. In one study, animals fed a high-cholesterol diet plus grapefruit pectin had 24% narrowing of their arteries, while animals fed the high-cholesterol diet without grapefruit pectin had 45% narrowing.
Both blond and red grapefruit can reduce blood levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and red grapefruit lowers triglycerides as well, shows a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Both red and blond grapefruits both positively influenced cholesterol levels, but red grapefruit was more than twice as effective, especially in lowering triglycerides. In addition, both grapefruits significantly improved blood levels of protective antioxidants. Red grapefruit's better performance may be due to an as yet unknown antioxidant compound or the synergistic effects of its phytonutrients, including lycopene.
Source: World's Healthiest Foods- www.whfoods.com
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Tailored Fitness Recipe: Watercress and Endive Salad with Citrus Fruits
This recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
: 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad:
1 head endive
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced
Cooking Instructions
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1. Place all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well.
2. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
For the Salad: 1. Toss the watercress, endive and half of each fruit with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
2. Divide the greens mixture onto four plates.
3. Garnish each plate with the remaining fruit.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup salad with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette
Amount Per Serving
Calories 281
Protein 2 g
Total Carbohydrate 27 g
Dietary Fiber 8 g
Soluble Fiber 0 g
Insoluble Fiber 8 g
Sugar 17 g
Total Fat 21 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
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Rick DeToma, Fitness Coach and Personal Trainer
Helping Busy Men and Women Get Fit in The Privacy of Their Own Homes
Serving Holliston, and the communities in Metrowest, Middlesex County, and MA
1595 Highland Street, Holliston, MA 01746
Phone: 774-217-3207