RealNutritionandFitness

Shari published in AMERICAN FITNESS magaine May/Jubne 2013

2013-04-21T21:31:00.001-07:00

The article titles, "Organic, Natural and Healthy, What does it all mean?," is the featured CEU article in the Man/June edition of American Fitness.
My articles is in the section that Jillian Michaels publishes, ie; it is her space.

For more information or to subscribe, go to www. AAFA.com.

Shari quoted on Fox News online and Academy of Nutrition

2012-12-17T20:42:00.001-08:00

Diet Trends Worth Skipping and Trying
(Sharon Richtor, RD; Tricia Thompson, RD; Bob Seebohar, RD; Shari Portnoy, RD & Amanda Berhaupt-Glickstein, RD all quoted)
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/health/2012/12/16/diet-trends-worth-skipping-and-trying/

12-17-12
Shari quoted on Fox News online

Shari quoted in another language

2012-11-07T13:46:00.001-08:00

http://wolipop.detik.com/read/2012/11/07/100036/2084299/849/ini-makanan-yang-sebaiknya-dikonsumsi-setelah-olahraga-begadang?991104topnews

I am quoted in Indonesian, can anyone tell me what I said?

More confusing labels.

2012-11-05T12:50:00.002-08:00

If you think food labels are hard to understand now, look at these. Some of these are used in other countries and some may come out in the future.

Importance of Food Labels--life or death

2012-11-05T12:44:00.003-08:00

A serious problem with labeling brought to light by a very sad story

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Luanne

When FoodFacts.com learns of a story like this we feel compelled to bring it in front of our community. We are committed to educating our audience about what is actually in the food products we consume every day and alert everyone we can about possible dangers in our food supply. Sometimes, though, that mission becomes disturbing and sad.

Earlier this month, Wendy Crossland filed suit against Monster Beverage, the company that produces Monster Energy Drinks. Her 14 year old daughter died last year from cardiac arrest after she had consumed two 24 –ounce cans of the drink over a 24-hour period. Her lawsuit states that Monster Energy did not warn about the risks of consuming its drinks. According to the results of her daughter’s autopsy, the teenager passed due to “cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity” that exacerbated an underlying heart problem.

First let’s touch on how much caffeine is in an average-sized cup of coffee. It’s about 100 milligrams. In one 24-ounce can of Monster Energy, there are 240 milligrams. An average grown, healthy adult who has no adverse reactions to caffeine can safely consume between 200 and 300 milligrams per day. The teenage girl who passed away consumed 480 milligrams in a 24-hour period … well over the amount that’s safe for grown human beings. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends that adolescents consume no more than 100 milligrams per day.

While FoodFacts.com understands that the teenager willingly consumed the beverages and the company did not force her to purchase them, we feel that it is important to point out that she had no way of knowing how much caffeine she was consuming. While the FDA does regulate the amount of caffeine in soft drinks and has set the limit in 12 ounces of soda at about 71 milligrams, energy drinks are not held to these same standards. Since energy drink manufacturers choose to classify their products as dietary supplements, they are not required to adhere to the same regulations or to label the actual amount of caffeine their beverages contain.

In addition to that very important piece of information, energy drinks most often contain guarana seeds. This botanical product breaks down to caffeine – in a potent way. Three to five grams of guarana seed breaks down to 250 milligrams of caffeine. This is in ADDITION to the actual caffeine the manufacturers are adding to the drinks.

Last spring, the FDA was asked to investigate the caffeine levels and the safety of other ingredients.

Food expiration date, food label

2012-10-04T01:06:00.002-07:00

Shari quoted News$http://fox8.com/2012/09/20/bargain-seeking-bidders-scoring-at-grocery-auctions/

Shari quoted News 4--Sept 20

2012-09-27T11:16:00.001-07:00

http://www.news4jax.com/Bargain-seeking-bidders-score-big-at-grocery-auctions/-/475982/16677408/-/14mkkgdz/-/index.html

Shari quoted CNN Eatocracy Sept 20 2012

2012-09-27T11:15:00.001-07:00

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/09/20/grocery-auctions/?hpt=hp_bn11

Somebody give me a six dollar bill to start. A six in the hand."
Auctioneer Doug Allen rapidly runs off numbers into a microphone trying to find the highest bidder in the crowd. Over 100 people have shown up in this volunteer fire department's banquet hall in Severna, Maryland, where there are hundreds of items to be sold off.
Unlike auctions held by Christie's or Sotheby's, Allen is not auctioning off a Picasso or a Monet. The item up for bid is a cardboard box full of Rold Gold pretzel snack bags. Doug Allen and his wife Kathy are holding a grocery auction.

Grocery auctions sell off items that food distributors and grocery stores are trying to unload. The items may be seasonal, discontinued, or in excess. Food items may also be nearing or have passed its "sell-by" date.
These auctions aren't a new occurrence but auctioneers say these types of auctions became more popular and frequent as the recession hit.
"We realized this was probably the largest money maker. Of course you want to stick with it anyway, but it didn't mean it was going to be the one to thrive. But it did because it was the necessity," says Kathy Allen, owner of Wishing Rock Auctions.
Allen, who has been in the auction business for almost 20 years, says she rarely does antique or collectible auctions any more and focuses on grocery auctions.
A big draw for attendees to these auctions - food prices.
According to the U.S. government's Consumer Price Index, food prices in August rose 2% from the same time last year. For consumers that has resulted in higher prices at the grocery store and in turn higher grocery bills. With the severe drought that hit the United States this year, the USDA is predicting even higher than average food prices in 2013.
Eileen Carter has been coming to food auctions for over a year and says she keeps coming back because it’s cheaper than going to the grocery store.
"I can fill up my whole pickup truck for $120 and have to give my neighbors half the food," says Carter.

While most auctions only have one winner, grocery auctions become a team sport. Each product is usually sold individually but there are normally multiples of items. Once the price is set for one of the items, anyone can purchase the additional ones at that price. Regular attendees will work together and try not to overbid for items so that they all can get it at a good price.
While a bidder can score great deals at the auctions, the idea of buying food that may be past its "sell-by" or "best if used by" date can worry some buyers. But food experts say that people get too hung up on the labeled date.
"It’s your perception when you see that date. It’s hard to get over it. It’s even hard for me and I know it. It’s in your mind," says food safety expert Shari Portnoy. "If you didn't see that date you might think totally different."
Portnoy says that many people are misinformed about what those labels mean.
"The 'sell-by' is for the store to know how long the store should display it. 'Best if used by' is for flavor or quality. It is not a purchaser's safety date. It is recommended for peak quality," says Portnoy
Portnoy also adds that the food dating labels are not regulated by the government and are usually at the discretion of the manufacturer. The only exception is for infant formula.
At the grocery auction in Severna, Maryland, the food distributor puts out sample bags of chips and snack bags for attendees to try.
"We have tried some 90% of the food our distributor has sold," says Kathy Allen. "I don't normally have people returning things at all."
Quite the opposite, in fact. Numerous hopeful bidders planned ahead and came with coolers to haul away their delicious winnings.

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Organic Food--Save the money

2012-09-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Stanford Scientists Cast Doubt on Advantages of Organic Meat and Produce

Jim Wilson/The New York Times

Conventional strawberries in Watsonville, California. Researchers say organic foods are no more nutritious and no less likely to be contaminated.

By KENNETH CHANG

Does an organic strawberry contain more vitamin C than a conventional one?

Organic Food vs. Conventional Food

A new study by Stanford researchers has added fuel to a debate about the differences between organic and conventionally grown foods. Kenneth Chang, New York Times reporter, is responding to your questions about organic eating.

Kathy Kmonicek for The New York Times

Organic apples on display in a market in Glen Cove, New York.

Maybe — or maybe not.

Stanford University scientists have weighed in on the “maybe not” side of the debate after an extensive examination of four decades of research comparing organic and conventional foods.

They concluded that fruits and vegetables labeled organic were, on average, no more nutritious than their conventional counterparts, which tend to be far less expensive. Nor were they any less likely to be contaminated by dangerous bacteria like E. coli.

The researchers also found no obvious health advantages to organic meats.

Conventional fruits and vegetables did have more pesticide residue, but the levels were almost always under the allowed safety limits, the scientists said. The Environmental Protection Agency sets the limits at levels that it says do not harm humans.

“When we began this project, we thought that there would likely be some findings that would support the superiority of organics over conventional food,” said Dr. Dena Bravata, a senior affiliate with Stanford’s Center for Health Policy and the senior author of the paper, which appears in Tuesday’s issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. “I think we were definitely surprised.”

The conclusions will almost certainly fuel the debate over whether organic foods are a smart choice for healthier living or a marketing tool that gulls people into overpaying. The production of organic food is governed by a raft of regulations that generally prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides, hormones and additives.

The organic produce market in the United States has grown quickly, up 12 percent last year, to $12.4 billion, compared with 2010, according to the Organic Trade Association. Organic meat has a smaller share of the American market, at $538 million last year, the trade group said.

The findings seem unlikely to sway many fans of organic food. Advocates for organic farming said the Stanford researchers failed to appreciate the differences they did find between the two types of food — differences that validated the reasons people usually cite for buying organic. Organic produce, as expected, was much less likely to retain traces of pesticides.

Organic chicken and pork were less likely to be contaminated by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

“Those are the big motivators for the organic consumer,” said Christine Bushway, the executive director of the trade association.

The study also found that organic milk contained more omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered beneficial for the heart.

“We feel organic food is living up to its promise,” said Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group, which publishes lists highlighting the fruits and vegetables with the lowest and highest amounts of pesticide residues.

The Stanford researchers said that by providing an objective review of the current science of organic foods, their goal was to allow people to make informed choices.

In the study — known as a meta-analysis, in which previous findings are aggregated but no new laboratory work is conducted — researchers combined data from 237 studies, examining a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and meats. For four years, they performed statistical analyses looking for signs of health benefits from adding organic foods to the diet.

The researchers did not use any outside financing for their research. “I really wanted us to have no perception of bias,” Dr. Bravata said.

One finding of the study was that organic produce, over all, contained higher levels of phosphorus than conventional produce. But because almost everyone gets adequate phosphorus from a wide variety of foods, they said, the higher levels in the organic produce are unlikely to confer any health benefit.

The organic produce also contained more compounds known as phenols, believed to help prevent cancer, than conventional produce. While the difference was statistically significant, the size of the difference varied widely from study to study, and the data was based on the testing of small numbers of samples. “I interpret that result with caution,” Dr. Bravata said.

Other variables, like ripeness, had a greater influence on nutrient content. Thus, a lush peach grown with the use of pesticides could easily contain more vitamins than an unripe organic one.

The study’s conclusions about pesticides did seem likely to please organic food customers. Over all, the Stanford researchers concluded that 38 percent of conventional produce tested in the studies contained detectable residues, compared with 7 percent for the organic produce. (Even produce grown organically can be tainted by pesticides wafting over from a neighboring field or during processing and transport.) They also noted a couple of studies that showed that children who ate organic produce had fewer pesticide traces in their urine.

The scientists sidestepped the debate over whether the current limits are too high. “Some of my patients take solace in knowing that the pesticide levels are below safety thresholds,” Dr. Bravata said. “Others have questioned whether these standards are sufficiently rigorous.”

Similarly, organic meat contained considerably lower levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than conventionally raised animals did, but bacteria, antibiotic-resistant or otherwise, would be killed during cooking.

Dr. Bravata agreed that people bought organic food for a variety of reasons — concerns about the effects of pesticides on young children, the environmental impact of large-scale conventional farming and the potential public health threat if antibiotic-resistant bacterial genes jumped to human pathogens. “Those are perfectly valid,” she said.

The analysis also did not take factors like taste into account.

But if the choice were based mainly on the hope that organic foods would provide more nutrients, “I would say there is not robust evidence to choose one or the other,” Dr. Bravata said.

The argument that organic produce is more nutritious “has never been major driver” in why people choose to pay more, said Ms. Lunder, the Environmental Working Group analyst.

Rather, the motivation is to reduce exposure to pesticides, especially for pregnant women and their young children. Organic food advocates point to, for example, three studies published last year, by scientists at Columbia University, the University of California, Berkeley, and Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. The studies identified pregnant women exposed to higher amounts of pesticides known as organophosphates and then followed their children for years. In elementary school, those children had, on average, I.Q.’s several points lower than those of their peers.

Critics of the Stanford study also argue that lumping all organic foods into one analysis misses the greater benefits of certain foods. For example, a 2010 study by scientists at Washington State University did find that organic strawberries contained more vitamin C than conventional ones.

Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler, another member of the Stanford team, said that the strawberry study was erroneously left out but that she doubted it would have changed the conclusions when combined with 31 other studies that also measured vitamin C.

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Bananas instead of Sports Drinks

2012-08-17T10:34:00.002-07:00

Fruit versus Gatorade for Athletes

Bananas are as effective as Gatorade in providing nutritional support and hydration to athletes during prolonged and intensive exercise, according to a study in the journal PLoS ONE.

Coca-Cola's Powerade is the official Olympic sports drink. The bottles are everywhere, even in the hands of America's biggest stars, from Michael Phelps to Chris Paul.

Besides the stars, another essential part to marketing in the $7-billion worldwide sports drink game is science. In the industry, Gatorade, made by Pepsi, is the market leader by far.

But just as the Olympics games began in London a group of researchers at England's Oxford University published a study of the marketing claims and the science behind them in BMJ, the British medical journal.

"We [found] that much of the science has not been well done," Dr. Matthew Thompson, senior clinical scientist at Oxford, told ABC News. "[It] could have easily been done much more rigorously so we'd actually know whether or not these products work."

The Oxford researchers, independent M.D.'s and clinical scientists, looked at more than 400 advertising claims for sports drinks and could not find scientific backing for more than half of them. They characterized many of the rest as flawed science.

"They've used a lot of industry sponsored scientists to do the research, which makes us suspicious," said Thompson. "There's nothing wrong with having a scientific study funded by a company, and this happens all the time with pharmaceuticals and many products. I think what's key is that the science that is done is of high quality."

NYC cuts Trans Fat

2012-08-17T10:27:00.005-07:00

New York trans fat ban has cut consumption, study finds

Since the city banned trans fats in restaurant food in 2008, diners have consumed 2.4 fewer grams of trans fats per lunch, which should mean better health, researchers say.

A New York regulation that took effect in 2008 prohibits all restaurants from serving food prepared with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or dishes that contain more than 0.5 gram of trans fat per serving. (Kathy Willens / Associated Press / July 16, 2012)

By Mary MacVean, Los Angeles Times

July 16, 2012, 8:09 p.m.

New York City's pioneering ban on all but the smallest amounts of trans fats in restaurant food has led to a significant reduction in consumption, a change that should translate into better cardiovascular health in the nation's largest city, according to a new report. It also demonstrates that coffee shops, fast-food joints and other eateries can play a major role in improving the health of the public, the study authors said.

Officials from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted the study to assess whether the regulation that took effect in 2008 — which prohibits all restaurants from serving food prepared with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or dishes that contain more than 0.5 gram of trans fat per serving — was making a difference for diners.

Public health officials had zeroed in on trans fats because they pose a uniquely potent health risk. Adding fewer than 4.5 grams of them to a 2,000-calorie daily diet can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by 23%, studies have found.

Researchers fanned out across Manhattan in 2007 and examined the receipts of 6,969 diners as they left fast-food restaurants at lunchtime. (The researchers went to fast-food chains because the nutrition information on the items sold there was readily available.) In 2009, they repeated the exercise with 7,885 receipts. They found that diners consumed 2.4 fewer grams of trans fat per lunch after the ban went into effect, according to their study published in Tuesday's edition of Annals of Internal Medicine.

That decline was offset by only a slight 0.55-gram increase in consumption of saturated fats, which are also associated with elevated cholesterol levels.

"Given that one-third of calories in the United States comes from food prepared away from home, this suggests a remarkable achievement in potential cardiovascular risk reduction through food policy," the authors reported.

Tour De France Champ a Vegan WSJ June 29, 2011

2012-07-20T07:32:00.004-07:00

GO Vegetable Eaters!!

JUNE 29, 2011

Riding the Tour De Vegetable

American David Zabriskie Aims to Compete in the World's Most Grueling Bike Race—As a Vegan*

By REED ALBERGOTTI

To climb the Tour de France's steep mountain passes and cross its scorching plains, cyclists have tried stuffing themselves full of steak and pasta, gulping down wine and cognac, smoking cigarettes, taking amphetamines and, of course, using other drugs during the race's 107-year history. On Saturday, American David Zabriskie plans to try something entirely new: Riding the Tour on a vegan diet.

Associated Press (Zabriskie); Reuters (tomato); Getty Images (Artichoke, Carrot)

David Zabriskie

Zabriskie's Vegan Menu

Here's what the cyclist plans to eat on race days during the Tour.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal with black strap molasses; whole food optimizer; cacao nibs; nuts; cinnamon; two tablespoons of coconut butter; an apple; hemp seeds and flax seeds
On-the-Bike Snacks:
Six Clif Bar Z bars (vegan); two Clif Bar shot blocks (vegan); two Clif Bar gels (vegan); dates; six to eight bottles of special team race drink
On the Bus, Post-Race:
White rice with maple syrup and cinnamon; vegan protein shake;
two bottles of special team recovery protein drink; goji berries
Before Dinner:
Vegan protein shake
Dinner:
White rice or pasta; salad with leafy greens; vegetables —including broccoli, spinach, carrots and beets.
Dessert:
Fresh fruit and a vegan protein shake before bed

Experts say he is the first cyclist to attempt the most difficult bike race in the world sans meat, dairy or eggs. (He will cheat slightly, he says, because he plans to eat small amounts of salmon two days per week to increase iron absorption).
Cyclists in the Tour de France can burn 8,000 calories a day—so many that some riders, already lean from their training, are unable to eat enough food to keep up with calorie loss.
The conventional wisdom is that eating plenty of meat and dairy provides protein to help cyclists' muscles recover, and that the iron in red meat keeps the body producing ample amounts of hemoglobin, part of the all-important red blood cells that transport oxygen to the muscles. Iñigo San Millán, a sports-medicine professor at the University of Colorado and a former physiologist on Zabriskie's team, calls the cyclist's desire to go vegan "a strange concept." To many cyclists, he says, a vegan diet "doesn't make much sense."
Before last season, Zabriskie, who rides for the U.S.-based Garmin-Cervélo team, was a typical meat-eating athlete, scarfing down whatever he wanted so long as it didn't make him fat. But at the beginning of last season, his team's chiropractor gave him a blood test that screened his sensitivity to certain types of foods. The chiropractor, Matt Rabin, told Zabriskie he had the highest sensitivity to food on the team. Another blood test showed Zabriskie had the highest inflammation of his muscles.
During last year's Tour de France, Zabriskie turned down the red meat being passed around the dinner table because he thought it required too much energy to digest. In the late summer of last year, he began phasing out all meat from his diet and by October, he had also cut out dairy.

View Full Image

Getty Images

Dave Zabriskie in May.

From the Archives

Tony Gonzalez: The 247-Pound Vegan

Earlier this season, Zabriskie said his energy levels were down and he felt weak. He wasn't sure if it was a result of the diet or a recent bug he was getting over. He got in touch with Brazier, who advised him to take vegan protein shakes made from hemp seeds, flax seeds and brown rice protein, among other ingredients. (Brazier invented the shake and markets them under the "Vega" brand). Zabriskie says he now drinks three or four of the shakes throughout the day.
Zabriskie also consulted with a professional motorcycle racer, Ben Bostrom, also a vegan, who advised Zabriskie to include small amounts of fish a couple of times a week because of the incredibly large load he puts on his body during training. "He told me, don't get too hung up on the word 'vegan'," says Zabriskie. The fish, Zabriskie says, helps his body absorb certain vitamins and iron.
During the Tour of California in May, Zabriskie won the time trial. Last month, he blew away the competition at the U.S. national time trial championships in Greenville, S.C. That victory, he says, reinforced his decision to change his diet. "I knew I had done everything right," he says.
Zabriskie is not a contender for the yellow jersey. He has raced in the Tour de France five times and finished it three times. He became the third American to wear the race's coveted yellow jersey in 2005 when he beat Lance Armstrong in the race's opening prologue. This year, if he just finishes, he could become a hero for advocates of the Vegan diet—at least those who don't mind the fish.
Vaughters says it might change the way professional athletes view veganism. "This is definitely the ultimate test of the vegan diet," he says. "If it works here, no one can ever say you can't do X,Y,Z as a vegan."
* With a little fish thrown in
Write to Reed Albergotti at reed.albergotti

Labeling Allergen Foods in Restaurants

2012-07-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

Great article in Wall Street Journal June 2012

When someone orders from the gluten-free menu at the Melting Pot, a chain of 140 fondue restaurants, a complex safety system kicks in behind the scenes.
The server enters a "gluten-free" notice on the electronic order ticket. That alerts the chef to stop, sanitize his work station and change his gloves and apron. He prepares the plate from a separate set of food items, strategically arranged so those containing gluten—a protein found in wheat, rye and barley—can't contaminate those without. The server delivers the order on a separate tray, and the manager comes by to see if the diner has any questions.
"Educate, separate, sanitize—I pound that into our employees," says Maria Miller-Rodriguez, who trains new Melting Pot staffers in the Phoenix area in allergy awareness.

Melinda Beck on Lunch Break looks at how some restaurants go to great lengths to guard against "cross-contamination" for patrons with food. Photo: Brian Harkin for The Wall Street Journal.

A growing number of restaurants are catering to patrons with food sensitivities. An estimated 15 million Americans—including 1 in every 13 children—have at least one food allergy, according to the Food Allergy Initiative. Another three million have celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction to gluten, and millions more avoid gluten for other health reasons. Both food allergies and gluten issues are mysteriously on the rise. Some restaurants estimate that 20% of their tables have a person with a special dietary need.

Enlarge Image

Chuck E. Cheese

At Chuck E. Cheese's in Minnesota, gluten-free pizzas are delivered to restaurants in a factory-sealed bag. The kitchen staff bakes the pie in the package, and when it arrives at the table, an adult patron opens it. The pizza also comes with a disposable cutter to prevent contamination.

Accommodating such diners requires more than just using different ingredients. For some people with food allergies, even trace amounts can trigger a serious reaction. Thus, the real challenge for restaurants comes in guarding against cross-contamination, which can occur when even tiny particles of an allergen remain on utensils, gloves, prep areas or cooking surfaces.
Since 2006, packaged foods must indicate if they could contain any traces of the "big eight" allergy foods (milk, eggs

Don't hate her for being fit--WSJ-July 2012

2012-07-20T07:20:00.002-07:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304039104577534804233667684.html?mod=health_newsreel

Don't Hate Her for Being Fit

More Moms Squeeze in Workouts as 'Me' Time; Playground Pilates, 'To Fro' Dresses

By ELIZABETH HOLMES

Michal Czerwonka for The Wall Street Journal (5)

Drea McLarty starts her run at 5:15 a.m. in Santa Barbara, Calif. It takes her about 65 minutes to go 9 miles, for a pace of seven minutes, 22 seconds a mile.

Drea McLarty, a 35-year-old mother of two, awoke before dawn to run nine miles on a recent Monday, then made breakfast for the family, did some errands and headed to the park for an hour of Pilates. Later that afternoon, she had a personal training session with a client.

Marketers are targeting a demographic they call "crazy happy." These are moms who love to work out, so much so that they will fit in several workouts a day, all short, to get in her busy schedule of car pools and school pick-up. Elizabeth Holmes has details on Lunch Break.

"I really just love to be active," says Ms. McLarty, of Santa Barbara, Calif. "It's very addicting."

6/21/11 WSJ article, "Heavy Lifting, No Rest, Candy: the Bulgarian Method

2012-07-01T21:02:00.002-07:00

Ivan Abadjiev knows a thing or two about heavy lifting.

U.S. weightlifters haven't won an Olympic gold medal for 40 years. Now they're hoping the Bulgarians can bring them success. Ivan Abadjiev, who lead their national team to multiple championships, is bring his "Bulgarian Method' to a new academy in Danville, Calif.

Bulgaria's most renowned weightlifting coach led his tiny country to a stunning Olympic victory over the Soviet Union in 1972. By the 1980s his country's strongmen completely dominated world competitions, hoisting more than three times their body weight—a feat that has rarely been matched. He's produced champions in Turkey and Qatar—and he even turned around his country's junior national badminton team.

Now, at age 79, the soft-spoken, silver-haired legend who speaks little English is taking on his most difficult challenge to date: Convincing American athletes they can do better. If only, that is, they would only adopt "the Bulgarian method."

Under the Bulgarian method, which Mr. Abadjiev invented, there is no danger of overtraining. The body, if pushed gradually and consistently, will adapt to any level of stress. Practice should ideally consume nearly half of one's waking hours and, most important, there are no days off. The theory is that injury and fatigue are less likely while adrenaline is coursing through the body, stimulating protein synthesis. Junk food is fair game.

By contrast, most American fitness trainers believe peak performance results only from an expertly plotted combination of exercises to build things like endurance, core strength and cardiovascular health—while including periods of stretching and rest. A healthy, balanced diet is essential.

View Slideshow

Brian L. Frank for The Wall Street Journal

Olympic weight-lifting coach Ivan Abadjiev is trying to persuade American athletes to adopt his "Bulgarian method."

For the past six months, Mr. Abadjiev has been spending nearly every morning and afternoon training competitive weightlifters at a new academy here, missing work only when he heads out of town to lecture. A former student hired Mr. Abadjiev to spread his message: Never attempt less than the maximum.

Shari's Comments:

Finally a positive article on working out every day!!

Shari quoted http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/healthy-living/discover-important-34-food-expiration-dates-34-152100362.html

2012-07-01T21:02:00.001-07:00

http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/healthy-living/discover-important-34-food-expiration-dates-34-152100362.htmlThey're meant to protect us and ensure the highest quality and safety of our food, but why are expiration dates so confusing? The cryptic and sometimes smudged date on the label of a food product can leave us wondering how safe it is to eat. And, in a less than perfect economy, where many people are trying to stretch their grocery budget, is it ever OK to keep food beyond its sell-by date? Find the answer to this question and more below.

Expiration Date 101

Use by, sell by or best before…confusing, right? Next time you're trying to make sense of a food label, remember these guidelines from Lindsay Baker, RD, LD, a registered dietitian and food safety expert in Augusta, Georgia:
• Sell by most often is grocer terminology, letting the meat or dairy clerk know when to swap out stock. While you can normally safely eat a food a few days after a sell-by date, it's not recommended to go much beyond it.
• Best before refers to quality and taste standards. The length of time that food is good after this date depends on the product. Refer to the guidelines listed below for specifics on each food type.
• Use by is more of a hard-and-fast rule indicating that it is not safe to consume a product beyond the stated date.
Read more:
· The Most Popular Fruits

· Top 10 Foods That Burn Fat
· What's the Healthiest Vegetable?

And yet, in some cases, according to Shari Portnoy, MPH, RD, a registered dietician and food safety expert in New York City, it can be all in our heads. "The expiration date can have an impact on how we taste the food," she says. "A study at Cornell University that was reported in the Journal of Food Science showed that people who ate yogurt on the day it was said to expire said the yogurt tasted bad. Others who ate the same yogurt but didn't see the expiration date enjoyed the food without claims of spoilage."
Ultimately, it all depends on the type of food. Read on to find out specifics.

Meat
Expiration dates are more important than ever with raw meat-and so is common sense. "Whether it's ground hamburger or a pound of steak, either eat it or freeze it within two days of purchase," says Jackie Keller, a certified provider of food safety training for the County of Los Angeles Department of Health. But what if the date is days away? "Even if the sell-by date is five days away, home refrigerators usually aren't cool enough to keep the meat fresh for more than two days," says Keller. Any frozen ground meat should be used within three months; pork holds for six months; and beef, lamb, veal and venison last eight to 12 months, says Keller, citing the Ohio State University guidelines for food management. Signs of spoilage? "If meat is brown or green, it's no good," says Baker. "A slimy, sticky or dry texture is also indicative of spoilage, as is a sour odor." She adds, "Ground beef has more surface area than other meats and may spoil sooner due to bacterial growth.
Read more:Will I Lose Weight If I Stop Eating Meat For a Week?
Cheese
Cheese is mold, after all, so it can last an eternity in the fridge, right? Wrong, says Keller. Use her safety rules to keep yourself and your family safe: "Soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert should be eaten within three to four days of opening," she says. "Hard cheeses, such as Parmesan and Cheddar, last up to three weeks and can also be frozen up to six months." Is it ever OK just to cut off the visible mold on a block of cheese and call it good? Probably not, says Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, author of The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment. "Since there are a number of reasons for mold, it's best to throw the cheese out," she says.
Read more:Get Over Your Cravings for Cheese Effectively
Baby Food and Infant Formula

"These usually have a use-by or expiration date," says Keller. "That's because it's required by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for their nutritional value. The formula or baby food is guaranteed to contain a certain quantity of each nutrient described on the label only if consumed by that date. Also, if formula is stored too long, it loses its quality and forms lumps that will clog the plastic nipple."

Bottom line: Do not buy or use baby formula or baby food after its use-by date-ever.
Read more:Four Things You Didn't Know About Dried Frit

Canned Foods
Can you safely use a can of pumpkin from last Thanksgiving, even though it expired six months ago? Maybe, says Keller. "Some manufacturers like to claim that canned foods don't spoil for at least two years, but guidelines from the University of Minnesota say to store them below 75 degrees Fahrenheit and not to keep them for more than 12 months," she says. (Just think of how many hot summer days you endured in your un-air conditioned house-your canned food got hot too!) However, the chances are low that the canned food item will have spoiled after a year. "There is a steady loss of vitamins in canned vegetables and fruits," says Keller. And, she adds, "Watch metal lids for rust that can spoil foods." In general, high-acid canned foods such as tomatoes, grapefruit and pineapple can be stored on the shelf 12 to 18 months, says Keller. Low-acid canned foods such as meat, poultry, fish and most vegetables will keep two to five years-if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place.
Read more:The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Aspects of Cholesterol
Packaged Foods

Shari quoted 5/14/12--Livestrong.com

2012-06-18T08:26:00.001-07:00

What You Should Eat – And When You Should Eat It – To Get The Most From Your Diet

7 Comments

May 14, 2012 | By marta montenegro

CLOCK'S TICKING: Studies show that eating within an hour of exercise improves your body's absorption of nutrients.

Photo Credit iStockPhoto.com

Whether we’re talking buzzer beaters or marriage proposals, we all know that timing is everything. That’s also true when it comes to what you eat. Depending on the time of day or what situation you’re in, your body needs certain nutritional properties to help you get through—so you can work and live at your optimal level.

Food creates all kinds of hormonal reactions in your body—reactions that affect your mood, your alertness, your energy level, and everything in between. So while you may already know what you need to eat, it’s also important to know when to eat it. Follow our guide for the best foods to eat no matter what situation you’re in.

What to Eat… After a Tough Training Workout

When you put your muscles through a test, they’re like undergrads studying for finals—stressed and broken down. To respond to the next challenge, they’ll grow; that’s how you get stronger. But in order to take full advantage of that growth cycles, your muscles need proper nutrition.

Follow this formula for post-workout snacks: The carbohydrate-to-protein ratio should be 2:1 for short, low-to moderate intensity workouts or 3:1 in long, high intensity training sessions, says Andrea Hacker Thompson, MS, RD, of the ACSM Fit Society Page. The carbs will replenish the glycogen stores (that is, the stored glucose that provides energy), and the protein will rebuild the muscles.

Eat 30 minutes to one hour after completing your workout, because that’s the best window for your body to absorb the nutrients after a workout. Try a glass of chocolate milk or all-natural peanut butter on a piece of 100-percent whole wheat bread.

What to Eat… After a Long Meeting

If you feel foggy after sitting through a 200-slide PowerPoint presentation, munch on a few almonds. They provide healthy fats and a little protein, says Lauren O’Connor, RD, from Nutri-Savvy. Research published in the journal Neuron shows protein, not sugar, activates the cells that keep us awake and burning calories.

While whole grain carbohydrates provide the glucose that keeps the brain going, protein is what guarantees that you won’t forget what the meeting was about in the first place. That’s especially true when protein is rich in the amino acid tyrosine, a neurotransmitter that is critical for brain energy and alertness (one ounce of almonds contains 127 mg of tyrosine).

What to Eat… At the Finish Line

After any endurance event, replacing sweat loss should be your number one priority. That’s because you need to replace those glycogen stores. The best post-marathon foods and drinks will contain mostly carbohydrates, some vitamins and small amount of protein to help replenish those deleted stores, says Shari Portnoy, RD, CPT, a registered dietitian and certified fitness trainer. Even after a short race like a 5K, you should replenish what you depleted (just in smaller amounts).

Since liquid is more easily digested than solids and carbohydrates are more easily digested than protein, runners should go for regular or chocolate milk, says Ximena Jimenez, RD, national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Chocolate milk has the desired 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein, and it helps replace other nutrients. “It’s actually a great source of electrolytes, especially potassium,” Jimenez says. For instance, 8 ounces of Gatorade has 30 mg of potassium versus 400 mg in low-fat milk and 425 in chocolate milk—and that’s important because you can lose potassium in endurance events.

What to Eat… After a Restless Night

Spent the night pounding pillows? The groggy feeling you’ll have the following morning isn’t your only problem. Researchers at UCLA researchers found that poor sleep causes increased ghrelin and decreased leptin during the day, which can lead to an increased appetite and overeating.

To combat this, start your day off with lean protein. Try an ounce of nuts or three ounces (abut a size of a deck of cards) of lean meat, which will keep you feeling satisfied longer. You can also try Greek yogurt mixed with a banana and some Chia seeds sprinkled in.

What to Eat… After a Night Out

When your happy hour gets out of hand, consider Jimenez’s morning fix: “The next day have a virgin Bloody Mary. It’s an easy hangover cure. The tomato juice will replenish your body from water and electrolyte losses caused by an alcohol binge.”

To cut back on that “ugh” feeling before it strikes, try pear cactus, says Erin Palinski, RD, author of the forthcoming book, Belly Fat Diet for Dummies. Researchers at Tulane University found that people who took capsules of pear cactus 5 hours before starting to drink experienced 50 percent fewer hangover symptoms.

The theory: Since excessive alcohol is essentially toxic to the body, the body responds by using the inflammatory response to counteract the effects of excessive alcohol and the damage it may cause to cells and organs. Compounds in pear cactus help decrease that inflammation.

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Shari quoted on Fox.Com Sports Nutrition

2012-06-18T07:43:00.001-07:00

Marta Montenegro: Kiss Those Sugar Cravings Goodbye

By Marta Montenegro

Published June 11, 2012

Fox News Latino

Flickr

Mood, focus, energy levels and cravings can all affect your diet efforts. One thing is certain: high or low levels of neurotransmitters—chemical messengers that transmits nerve impulses across the cells—definitely have an impact.
Studies show the link between high-fat and high-sugar food and the increase in the activation of reward pathways in the brain, particularly, dopamine receptors, says Erin Macdonald, R.D.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that impacts energy, attention, and alertness. Next time you’re dragging during a mid afternoon meeting, you might blame your dopamine levels.
Dopamine Resistance
According to Macdonald, foods like cookies, chips, and French fries provide a feeling of euphoria. The more you eat them, the more you crave.
The same way that eating too much sugar may lead to insulin resistance—in which the body fails to lower blood sugar in spite of the over hormone production—some people may experience dopamine resistance, where the body has to produce more of this neurotransmitter to create an energized feeling.
Barry Sears, Ph.D., author of "The Zone Diet," explains that hormone resistance usually happens because the hormone does not bind to the receptor correctly, or because there is some type of disruption in the cell communication process to produce the proper response.
“I suspect dopamine resistance is similar to insulin resistance, but even more complex,” says Sears. He points out that the overall cellular inflammation—mainly caused by excess of saturated fats and omega-6 fatty acids—may disrupt the entire signaling mechanism, thus increasing other powerful hunger-inducing hormones.
Food Addiction. Really?
If one cookie used to satisfy your sugar cravings, now you may need two or more to get the same feeling of contentment. In addition, Macdonald says, there are many people who have fewer dopamine receptors in their brain, so they will need to eat more to get the equal rush.
Indeed, a study in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition where three energy-dense snacks foods (hazelnut, chocolate and potato chips) were consumed for 12 weeks showed that habitual consumption of these snacks results in a decrease in the sensory-specific satiety. This could lead to a higher intake to feel satisfied..
The Right Balance
Keep in mind that too little dopamine decreases energy levels, which makes you reach for quick pick-me-up food choices high in sugar and caffeine.
Dopamine is associated with motivation and alertness, so certain foods are better than others to include in your diet as a means to keep you focused and energized in the right way, says Shari Portnoy, MPH, RD, CFT.
Portnoy suggests that a trick to generate the adequate response is to add protein to a meal or snack; Foods rich in the amino-acid tyrosine also aids in the production of dopamine, such as chicken, legumes, avocado, low-fat dairy and fish.
In fact, a paper published in the journal Neuron shows protein, not sugar, activates the cells that keep us awake and burning calories.
Know How to Withdraw
When treating a dopamine resistant state, Macdonald advises to quit sugar right away. “Just like someone who wants to quit drugs, smoking, or alcohol, you can’t be successful if you try to slowly wean yourself off of it because your brain is constantly being ‘lit up’ every time you eat sugar,” she says.
Sears suggests following an anti-inflammatory diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids from fish and fish oils to increase the signal transmission as well as the levels of dopamine and dopamine receptors.
Having mini-meals about every three to four hours, including a source of protein, a small amount of whole grain and veggies and/or fruit, also will help keep sugar and neurotransmitter levels in control, adds Macdonald.
Check for Other Suspects
Notice that when dopamine gets out of whack, chances are other chemicals are affected as well. Jade Teta, ND, CSCS, author of the New Me Diet, recommends looking for these three neurotransmitters:

Having frequently “senior moments” even though you’re in your 30s? You may be running low in acetylcholine, which can make you crave for fat food. Eat more eggs, soybeans, and wheat germ. Pair this with vitamin C to support acetylcholine production like sweet peppers, kale, tomatoes and broccoli.
Feeling the blues in summer? Blame the serotonin unbalance. It is why you crave pasta, bread and starches. Even though low carbohydrate diets have proven to aid in weight loss, your diet still needs food high in the amino-acid tryptophan, which assists in this neurotransmitter production. Have some brown rice, and cottage cheese, sesame seeds, and peanuts.
Are you wired all the time? If you’re not able to relax, this may due to low gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA) levels. GABA helps you rest and wind down. If you feel like you have to eat at all time, or eat too fast and too much, look to increase this neurotransmitter by eating more egg yolks and whole wheat.

Marta Montenegro is an exercise physiologist, certified strength and conditioning coach and master trainer, who teaches as an adjunct professor at Florida International University. Marta has developed her own system of exercises used by professional athletes. Her personal website, martamontenegro.com, combines fitness, nutrition and health tips, exercise routines, recipes and the latest news to help you change your life but not your lifestyle. She was the founder of nationally awarded SOBeFiT magazine and the fitness DVD series Montenegro Method.
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Shari quoted on ABC news

2012-02-28T20:51:00.002-08:00

www.abc57.com/news/health/?feed=bim&id=139519523

2/17/12 Shari quoted on Channel 7-Children and Iron

2012-02-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

Iron deficiency in the United States isn’t the scourge it was half a century ago. But even with improved nutrition and better monitoring, it remains the single most common nutritional deficiency. Without enough iron, red blood cells can’t efficiently deliver oxygen to the body, according to Lauren Graf, a pediatric nutritionist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
Kids are at greatest risk during infancy and adolescence, when their diet may not meet the increased iron demands of their rapidly growing bodies. Overweight children are also at higher risk, studies show, possibly because they tend to snack more frequently and eat greater amounts of junk food.
Untreated, iron deficiency can eventually lead to anemia, which can seriously delay a child’s growth and neurological development.
Luckily, iron deficiency is easy to detect and treat. “A blood test at the doctor’s office can tell. And in many cases, getting iron levels up can be as simple as changing what your child is eating,” says Graf.
Here, some basic ways to help your child avoid iron deficiency from the start:

Know the signs: Kids with iron deficiency may be sluggish, look tired and pale, or get sick often.
Breastfeed your baby, if possible: Breastfed infants are at lower risk because the type of iron contained in human milk is extremely easy for their bodies to absorb, according to Shari Portnoy, a dietitian at the Day Care Council of New York.
Don’t skip breakfast. “Breakfast is an easy time to get some iron into the diet, since breakfast cereals as well as bread are generally fortified with iron,” says Graf. Plus, juices and fruits that are rich in vitamin C help the body absorb iron.
Go easy on the milk. Milk offers many nutritional benefits, but it also limits the body’s ability to absorb iron efficiently. Kids who fill up on milk may also be sacrificing space for iron-rich foods in their diets. The National Institutes of Health recommend that children older than 12 months drink no more than 16 to 24 ounces of milk per day (or up to about three small glasses).
Eat whole foods and a well-rounded diet. Lean meats, poultry and shellfish are among the best sources of heme iron, or iron from animal tissue, which is most easily absorbed by the body. Other sources of iron include greens, legumes, whole eggs, soybeans, whole grains and dried fruits.

But you don’t need to obsess about which foods have what to help your kids avoid iron deficiency, according to Graf. If your kids eat healthy meals without a lot of processed foods, they should get all the iron they need.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/lisegagne
has contributed to numerous magazines and websites,

Shari in the Miami Herald in 2009

2012-01-24T20:48:00.001-08:00

[+] Enlarge. (3 pictures) -

McClatchy-Tribune

Yoga student Shari Portnoy, foreground, hangs upside down with the rest of the group during an AntiGravity Yoga Wings class.

McClatchy-Tribune

MIAMI -

You can do it in the air. Or by sea.

You can do it if you're young. Or old. Or in 100-plus-degree rooms (Bikram yoga).

Indeed, yoga - the ancient Hindu practice for the mind, body and spirit - has evolved from breathing exercises and meditative poses to physical therapy, aerial choreography to a new way to firm your face, a way calm your child or a way limber up while pregnant.

"The thing about yoga is it's such a vast system, there's a million variations you can do," said Dayna Macy, spokeswoman for Yoga Journal, a monthly magazine. "Like any other pursuit in any other area, you can make lots of different judgments on what's good, what's not good, who knows, who doesn't know."

Macy has been a practitioner for two decades. She said the practice has grown into a fad over the last few years, thanks to its popularity among stars like Madonna and Sting.

Here are some of the more unusual yoga classes out there:

AntiGravity Yoga Wings

Like a high-flying circus act, with acrobats snaking up a rollicking trapeze, AntiGravity Yoga Wings promises the thrill of dance-defying gravity yoga in the air, albeit at a safer altitude.

Practitioners of AntiGravity Yoga Wings perform traditional yoga poses - or asanas - while suspended in a hanging fabric hammock.

"The class is a fusion of everything," said Robin Retherford, a former dancer and fitness buff.

Retherford teaches a weekly class at Crunch Fitness in Miami Beach, Fla.

"It combines yoga postures, dance and Pilates movements that help align the body and really strengthen the body from the core out," she said.

It is also something else: not for the faint of heart.

For first-timers, moves like the monkey wrap (hanging upside down with legs wrapped around the hammock, palms free or touching the ground) can prove daunting.

"You have to be muscular for that; you have to be a little bit trained," said Pascale Cowell, 45, a dancer from France, who has taken a handful of classes.

With the finesse of a ballerina and flexibility of a gymnast, Cowell executes a perfect midair arabesque and jumping pliés - all while straddling or holding the hammock.

The moves, she said, keep her muscles strong.

"Yes, you are sore after," she admitted, laughing.

There are occasional collisions, noted Dylan Giordano, an exceptionally flexible 16-year-old, who has found that out the hard way.

"It's the perfect class to get exercise and relax at the same time," Giordano said. "I'm not the scared type. You pick up on it. Even if you fall a few times, you get back up."

Prenatal yoga

Bending, stretching and pregnant bellies? In Elizabeth Bonet's class, it makes sense.

Part yoga class, part group therapy session, the twice-weekly prenatal yoga classes at Lisa's School of Dance & Gymnastics in Plantation, Fla., appeal to pregnant women looking for a different yoga class.

Many have tried regular

Shari in the Wall Street Journal 1/3/12

2012-01-21T20:08:00.001-08:00

As a registered dietitian and public-health advocate and reader of peer-reviewed literature, I disagree with your Dec. 22 editorial "Nasty, Rotty Stuff."

Research has shown that when given healthy food versus fast food over time, people enjoy the healthy food. Maybe the school system mentioned in your editorial made poor choices in deciding how to alter the food. Cooking is a skill, not just reading a recipe, so trained chefs can make just about anything taste good, but more importantly, they don't need to.

If people start out with good habits, they continue them. Colorful fruits and vegetable are delicious, ripe melon is sweeter than taffy, and kids love colors and sweets. So, if you start them out right, they will continue. If you start them out with drive-thru fast-food restaurants and television commercials where junk-food marketing prevails, they will go that way.

Don't blame it on desserts, because fresh fruit is a dessert devoured by all. Blame it on commercials produced by big business, which cares about profit, not health.

Shari Portnoy

New York

Shari on Fox News 1/13/12

2012-01-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Marta Montenegro: What to Eat and What to Bring at the Finish Line

Written By Marta Montenegro

Published January 13, 2012

Fox News Latino

FILE PHOTO 2008 ING New York City Marathon. (Getty)

When you run, nothing stops you. We runners know this for sure!
I was sitting in a meeting planning a 5K when someone asked: But what if it rains? The organizer, who certainly has logged many miles, looked at me confused. Rain never has been an issue with us as die-hard runners.
So whether you’re getting ready to run a 10K in freezing temperatures or to run through the beautiful Miami weather this January (as the city gets ready to host one of the biggest race in Florida where people come from all over the place for the ING Miami Marathon), when you cross the finish line we share the same feelings: accomplishment, toughness, pain, aches, happiness and… food.
You may not be thinking about what type of food when you cross the finish line. In the end, you made it and people are usually more concerned about what to eat before the race, what to drink during the race and what to eat after the workout on those training days leading up to the race. Oftentimes, either because you achieved your goal, or you’re so excited or so in pain, you have forgotten about feeding your body the best way post-race.
Let’s look at the typical post-race options. Are they the best ones to replenish the energy lost and to nourish your body after such a great effort?
What will you find?
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, sports nutritionist and author of the new book Food Guide for Marathoners for Everyday Champions, says, “You don’t have to rapidly recover. Your body will recover over the next few days. However, fueling right after a marathon will certainly make you feel better.”
Between the camera flashes and showing off your medal, you’ll often come across these items when you cross the finish line:
a) Oranges: 90 percent water and has potassium to help refuel muscles with some sugar. Shari Portnoy, MPH, RD, CPT, adds, “While oranges have essential minerals like calcium and potassium, one orange may not be enough after a long race.”
b) Bananas: These are one of the race food staples with a reason. They provide carbohydrates, vitamin C and potassium. In a study where cycles ate either banana chunks or a sports drink performed similarly. Nevertheless, as Clark mentions “the banana offered a beneficial anti-inflammatory response.”
c) Bars and bagels: Clark says that both are good source of carbs to refuel and protein to repair the muscles. Also, bagels have sodium.
d) Beer: You won’t find it necessarily near the finish line, but the local pub is nearby. Clark explains, “There are some studies that back up the anti-inflammatory properties of beer. Beer is plant-based, so has these antioxidants that have anti-inflammatories. But when you drink beer on an empty stomach especially after the race, it can hit you like a ton of bricks. I would advise against it. Non-alcoholic beer that would still be effective. If you’re going to drink beer, first have water, then food, then beer in moderation.”
What can your family and friends bring you in?
The options that you’ll find to feed your muscles after the race are good but certainly there’s room to improve. When you ask your family and friends to bring the camera, it may be a good idea to ask them to bring some food too. In the end, you don’t want to waste the one-hour window or so that the body has to maximize the recovery process.
Portnoy says, “Replacing sweat loss should be your number one priority after a marathon. You also need to replace glycogen (stored glucose) stores. The best post marathon foods and drinks will contain mostly carbohydrates, some vitamins and small amount of protein.”
Liquid is more easily digested than solids and carbohydrates are more easily digested than protein. Portnoy points out “keep it simple. Tell your family to bring cans of tomato juice, or a mix 0f all types of juices. A bagel and tuna is as quick as a yogurt topped with granola. Remember to eat slow. Sports drinks like Gatorade do play a part. The body can absorb more carbohydrates when it comes from a variety of sources and a sports drink has a variety of sources. You need some fat too to replenish what is lost during endurance exercise.”
In this regard, Clark advocates chocolate milk, fruit/yogurt, cereal and milk and even soup, saying, “salty and sugar: potato chips, caffeine (soft drinks), soups, bagels—you don’t get the antioxidants but it does refuel your muscles and the caffeine is a stimulant that makes things feel a little better.”
Are these “new options” worth it?
There has been a lot of buzz lately on the anti-inflammatory properties of the flavonoid quercitin, which is found in fruits, vegetables and some grains. Apples, specifically, have been associated with providing relief after endurance events due to its quercitin content. Nevertheless, Clark explains that you’ll need to eat quite a few apples to have a significant impact on race day. But don’t disregard one of the healthiest fruit yet. Clark says, “This is what you should have been eaten before the race, building up in your diet before.”
Some juices like pomegranate, cherry and grape juice, along with tea, have become to be very popular in races promoting their anti-inflammatory properties. Clark advises that they can provide vitamins and antioxidants but it’ll be more important to have them as a part of daily diet upon entering the event.
“Focus on giving your body what it needs, but don’t overdo it. Research shows that the body can handle the stress of a marathon. An optimal recovery relies on optimal eating all of the time, not just post marathon. Real food and beverages are the answer. Don’t stress out on finding the perfect supplement or bar, your body wants real food and drinks,” concludes Portnoy.

Marta Montenegro is an exercise physiologist, certified strength and conditioning, coach and master trainer who is an adjunct professor at Florida International University. Marta has developed her own system of exercises used by professional athletes. Her personal website martamontenegro.com, combines fitness, nutrition and health tips, exercise routines, recipes and the latest news to help you change your life but not your lifestyle. She was the founder of nationally awarded SOBeFiT magazine

Shari in the Wall Street Journal 1/3/12 Making Healthy Food Tasty and Attractive

2012-01-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

Making Healthy Food Tasty and Attractive

WSJ 12/13/11 Low Readership of Nutrition Labels

2011-12-16T00:42:00.000-08:00

Wall Street Jouranl Health and Wellness 12/13/11

By ANN LUKITS

A simulated grocery-shopping experiment found that consumers have a limited attention span for nutrition labels on food packaging, and that they read the labels far less frequently than they say they do, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Research.

Researchers recruited 203 people, mostly women, from Minnesota last year to view computer images of 64 foods. A brief description, price, and Nutrition Facts label were also displayed. The participants were unaware of an eye-tracker device that measured how long they viewed each component on the screen. The participants later completed a questionnaire about their normal shopping habits.

A third of the participants reported on questionnaires that they usually look at calorie content on labels. Nearly a third said the same for fat content, 20% for trans fats, 24% for sugar, and 26% for serving size. Eye-tracking data, however, showed that only 9% of the participants looked at calorie content on roughly 80% of items and even fewer

RealNutritionandFitness

Shari published in AMERICAN FITNESS magaine May/Jubne 2013

Shari quoted on Fox News online and Academy of Nutrition

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Shari quoted http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/healthy-living/discover-important-34-food-expiration-dates-34-152100362.html

Shari quoted 5/14/12--Livestrong.com

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