Our webinar with Ask Dr Bride was great.

We finished up in about 30 minutes, and covered important information.  If you missed our webinar, I have attached the PDF file (with links to video) on The Healthy Bride website. We will be doing more webinars!  Check out our facebook events page for details!

New study shows that the 220 – age  Max Heart Rate.   A new study shows this is not accurate for women. The female formula is 206 – 88% of age.

For a 30 year old bride, this means your predicted maximum heart rate is 206-26.4 = 179.6 or rounded 180. (the old formula would put you at 190).

Read more about the study in this NYTimes article.

Good news that women get their own research!

I went to dictionary.com to look up a word (inaugural) for an email I was writing to my friend Ian, and here was this really cool dictionary.com history lesson on the word honeymoon. I had to share!

The most talked-about wedding of the summer is almost here (July 31st.) But where will Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mevzinsky take their honeymoon? And why is the post-wedding holiday called by that name?

The word derives from the Old English hony moone. Hony refers to the new marriage’s sweetness, as well a reference to the European custom of giving newlyweds enough mead, “an alcoholic liquor made by fermenting honey and water,” to last a month.  That would keep many a couple happy.

Moon refers to how long that sweetness might probably last, or from the changing aspect of the moon — from full to waning. In French the equivalent word is lune de miel. The German version is flitterwhochen, from flitter, which means “tinsel.” Not exactly the type of positive thinking a couples counselor would recommend, is it?

We can only imagine the celebrity line-up that will toast the new couple. But does toast, as in cooked bread, have anything to do with clinking glasses together? It actually does. Originally, a toast was raised to the health of a beautiful or popular woman. The notion was that her name would figuratively flavor or strengthen the drink. And drinks, way back, were actually flavored with spiced toast.

As for the ceremonious clinking of glasses, the custom is said to have evolved from fears of poisoning. The idea was that the liquid would spill from glass to glass. It is also believed that the roots of the custom are related to the offering of sacrificial libations to the gods.

Rumors are also flying in regards to the bride and groom’s wedding cake, a word that dates back to 1648. Wedding cake is also used to describe a style of architecture in which buildings have distinct tiers. The bride and groom figurines on top? Wedding cake toppers.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Clinton-Mevzinsky nuptials will be whether or not the couple has an interfaith wedding. If so, expect a post on the slew of terms that describe the mix of Jewish and Christian customs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Christi Masi Named to Wedding Industry Survey Network Advisory Board

New York – Tucson: July 23, 2010 – In their ongoing efforts to fill the need for timely and accurate information in the wedding business, the Wedding Industry Survey Network (WISN) names Christi Masi to its advisory board.

Masi is the founder of The Healthy Bride® training women to successfully meet life challenges. An avid, international mountain climber, her professional background includes 11 years of sales and marketing at Starbucks Coffee. Christi’s outstanding leadership ability and natural enthusiasm has motivated women to complete triathlons, 10K races, and summit climbs of Mt. Rainier. Not to mention health and fitness goals for pivotal life moments like class reunions-and weddings!

“I am thrilled to be considered for the position and look forward to working with other business owners in the wedding industry,” said Masi today. Masi added that besides an entrepreneur knowing their product they must also be aware of the changing social and business advancements that are happening. “This is why I believe in what the people at WISN are doing; proving timely, accurate and pertinent information to small business owners at a time when we need it most,” says Masi.

“We feel we’ve made a good choice in Christi; she is totally focused on the changes and challenges but more important, she is contributing to solutions that are so needed at this time, we welcome her,” said Shane McMurray, creator and head of the group.

For more information please contact:

Paul Pannone at 516-312-0090

Paul@ewednews.com

###

Posted on 07/23/2010

Join us for a Webinar on July 28

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/581837650

Is your wedding getting close? Are you counting in days instead of weeks? Do you want to give your body that final “edge” that will leave your guests in awe?

Then you want to attend this webinar. We will cover top tips for putting the final touches on your bridal fitness body and discuss how to flawlessly handle that mounting pre-wedding stress.

Join Christi Masi of The Healthy Bride and Kristina Smith of AskDrBride for expert advice for your final countdown to the wedding.

Title: Refining, Defining and Finishing touches – Wedding Fitness Count Down

Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

I heard a great tip yesterday from Ask Dr. Bride. We will be hosting a webinar together on July 28 at noon. We will be giving our top “last minute tips to shape up and feel fantastic on your wedding day”.
for those of you who are nearing your wedding day.

Save the date of July 28 at noon PDT. The webinar will be 30 minutes of our advice covering fitness, health and sanity then 15 minutes for your questions. Hope you can join us!

Ask Dr. Bride suggested that to feel great in the days leading up to your wedding, it will help reduce your stress to do something for someone other than yourself. You’ve been the bride for nearly a year by now and you have been thinking about you, you, you (as you should). For one day or even a few hours, go do something for someone else. It will ground you, refresh you, and take some pressure off of being a bride….for just a short while.

The brides wanted to bring their grooms to class, so Stephanie created a special workout for the couples. I think the brides showed their grooms how super tough they are! One groom had to leave class and all were impressed with the level of workout the brides were doing. It was great fun for the brides and a great workout for the grooms.

Do you workout with your groom or husband? If so, what do you do together and how do you keep it friendly and not competitive.

Here is the workout the couples did together:
Warmup: 5 mins stairs
Partner shuttle races:
a) shuttle run/burpees
b) lunges/sit-ups
c) side squats/superplanks
Wheelbarrow race
Crab walk race
Alphabet planks
Partner abs
Partner tricep dips
Partner squats w/ pushups
Partner plank w/ hamstring lift
3 sets 20 jump squats, 20 jump lunges, 15 pushups
Piggyback race

Erica is heading to Vegas for her bachelorette party.  Fun!  She mentioned, yesterday, that she was not sure if she would be “up” for class on Monday.  She plans to still be in “recovery”. This is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime event, so what are some steps you can take to keep yourself somewhat healthy over your bachelorette weekend?

What are some “truths” and “lies” about hangover relief:

Hair of the Dog

Contrary to popular belief, more of the “hair of the dog that bit you” only delays the inevitable. One of the reasons hangovers are so unpleasant is the liver is still processing the toxins left over from alcohol metabolism. Drinking more alcohol can make the symptoms seem to lessen at first but will only make the situation worse once the liver breaks the alcohol down, because it will have even more toxins to deal with.

Conclusion:

• FICTION – Remedy

Burnt Toast

At first, the burnt toast remedy may seem that it’s actually based on scientific fact. The culprit behind this fictional cure is the carbon in the charred bread. Carbon can act like a filter in the body. While it’s true that activated charcoal (which is a treated form of carbon) is used to treat some types of poisonings, it’s not currently used to treat alcohol poisoning (something that is vastly different from a regular hangover).

The carbon/charcoal found on burnt toast is not the same as activated charcoal.

Conclusion:

• FICTION – Prevention and Remedy

Black Coffee

Coffee contains a high amount of caffeine, which is a stimulant and therefore helps fight fatigue. But when the caffeine wears off, a drinker may be even more tired than before. Coffee can help alleviate a pounding head because caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it reduces the size of blood vessels. This counteracts the effect of the alcohol, which makes them swell, making the head hurt in the first place. Unfortunately, caffeine is also a diuretic like alcohol and can make a drinker even more dehydrated than before, thereby increasing the severity of the hangover. Overall, coffee isn’t a good hangover cure.

Conclusion:

• FICTION – Remedy

Fried or Fatty Foods

Although eating fried or fatty foods the morning after will probably only irritate a drinker’s stomach further, eating them before drinking can actually be helpful. Putting anything in the stomach prior to indulging in alcohol helps prevent a hangover, but fatty foods in particular stick to the stomach lining longer and therefore slow down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. While that might make it take longer to feel the alcohol’s effects, it also gives the body more time to process the byproducts and will increase a drinker’s chances of feeling decent in the morning. So much so, in fact, that a Mediterranean folk tactic is to take a spoonful of olive oil before drinking alcohol. Eating lighter food such as a fruit smoothie will provide energy and alleviate some symptoms by replenishing the electrolytes the body lost from dehydration.

Conclusion:

• FACT – Prevention
• FICTION – Remedy

Eggs

Eating eggs the morning after provides energy like any other food, which is the primary benefit. But eggs do also contain large amounts of cysteine, the substance that breaks down the hangover-causing toxin acetaldehyde in the liver’s easily depleted glutathione. Therefore, eggs can potentially help mop up the left-over toxins.

Conclusion:

• FACT – Remedy

Bananas

Eating bananas the morning after a night of heavy drinking provides lost electrolytes like any food would, but it also specifically replenishes the potassium lost to alcohol’s diuretic effect. Other potassium-rich foods such as kiwi fruit or sports drinks work just as well.

Conclusion:

• FACT – Remedy

Water

Replenishing the body’s water supply after a night of drinking combats dehydration, and it also helps dilute the leftover byproducts in the stomach. Adding salt and sugar to water helps replace the sodium and glycogen lost the night before. Non-caffeinated, non-carbonated sports drinks can achieve the same effect.

As a prevention method, drinking a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage slows down drinking, providing more time for the body to deal with the alcohol (the body can only process about three-quarters of an ounce of alcohol in an hour). Drinking a few glasses of water before going to bed helps fight dehydration after the body finishes breaking down the alcohol.

Conclusion:

• FACT – Prevention and Remedy

Fruit Juice

­The fructose — fruit sugar — in fruit juice helps to naturally increase the body’s energy. Studies have proven that it also increases the rate at which the body gets rid of toxins such as those left over from alcohol metabolism. Fruit juice is also a good idea the morning after because it’s high in vitamins and nutrients that were depleted the night before because of alcohol’s diuretic effect. Vitamin supplements high in vitamins C and B are also effective.

Conclusion:

• FACT – Remedy

Other Remedies – Fact or Fiction?

Painkillers

Certain painkillers are more effective at combating a hangover than others. For instance, Excedrin can be helpful for a headache because it combines acetaminophen for the pain and caffeine to reduce the size of the pounding blood vessels; however, prolonged combination of alcohol and acetaminophen has been shown to cause liver damage, and caffeine is a diuretic.

Aspirin is a non-caffeinated pain reliever and is also in a class of anti-inflammatory drugs known as prostaglandin inhibitors. High levels of prostaglandin have been associated with increased hangover severity. In one study, participants who took a prostaglandin inhibitor before bed reported less of a headache and less nausea and thirst than those who had drank the same amount of alcohol but did not take the prostaglandin inhibitor before bed. If you have a sensitive stomach, though, beware — taking aspirin after drinking can make your stomach hurt even worse.

Conclusion:

• FACT – Prevention and Remedy if non-caffeinated and acetaminophen-free

Over-the-counter Remedies

Hangover remedies such as Chaser, Sob’r-K Hangover Stopper, RU-21, Berocca and Rebound are highly varied both in price and ingredients, so their effectiveness varies accordingly. They’re classified as dietary supplements, meaning:

• They contain vitamins and minerals.
• They don’t require a prescription.
• They’re usually taken in pill form.

The manufacturers claim these products work because they make use of the effective filtering qualities of carbon to reduce the number of impurities the body has to process (see “Burnt Toast” in the last section for the science on that one). As for RU-21, marketed as a secret KGB pill, the manufacturer says specifically that it is not an anti-hangover pill but a supplement for detoxification. (By the way, its main ingredients — dextrose, L-Glutamine and vitamin C — can be found in high amounts in everyday foods). Rebound has the same ingredients as RU-21 plus a few other vitamins and oddities such as “young barley grass juice powder,” but it’s still basically a multivitamin. Berocca, again, is not a hangover cure — it’s simply a multivitamin that claims to increase energy naturally (through vitamins).

The secret to most of these purported “miracle cures” may in fact be the amount of water a drinker ingests when taking them. Many require taking a pill (or two) with a glass (or two) of water before drinking alcohol, and then continuing to take the pills over the course of the evening with full glasses of water, before bed with a full glass of water, and upon waking with a full glass of water. The hydration alone greatly improves the chances of having little-to-no hangover, and the vitamins in the pills just give it a little, albeit expensive, boost.

Conclusion:

• FICTION – Prevention and Remedy

Time

The only complete cure for a hangover is time. No matter what a drinker does, the body still has to clean up all the toxic byproducts left over from the evening before. But the above factual remedies can help speed up the process.

Conclusion:

• FACT – Remedy

­

We are starting a new session of Bridal Bootcamp this week.  Many of the brides set healthy eating (or healthier eating) as one of their goals.  I often ask them to define what healthy eating means to them, and often it means eating at home more, and eating out less.

Eating more salad is a great way to eat healthier. That’s easy for us to say. But what do you put on the table every night? Here’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
White Bean Salad
It looks too easy to be so good. If you use jarred roasted peppers, blot them with a paper towel before chopping.

15 oz. can no-salt-added white beans, drained and rinsed
1 roasted red peppers, chopped
2 extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbs.kosher salt
½ tsp.Freshly ground black pepper
8 cups mixed salad greens

Toss the beans and red peppers with the oil and vinegar. Season with up to ½ tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Put the greens in a large serving bowl or on a platter and top with the bean mixture. Serves 4.

PER SERVING (2½ cups)

* Calories: 240
* Total Fat: 15 g
* Sat Fat: 2 g
* Protein: 6 g
* Sodium: 280 mg
* Cholesterol: 0 mg
* Carbohydrates: 20 g
* Fiber: 6 g

Sesame Shrimp Salad

Crunchy sesame-coated shrimp on a crisp, tasty salad make this the perfect summer meal.
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbs. rice wine or cider vinegar
1 tsp.toasted sesame oil
3 Tbs. canola oil, divided
1 Tbs.lower-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs.sesame seeds
1 lb.shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 cups salad greens
1½ cups edamame, thawed from frozen
1 carrot, shredded or thingly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, vinegar, sesame oil, 2 Tbs. of the canola oil, and the soy sauce.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. of canola oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium heat. Put the sesame seeds on a plate and press the shrimp into them. Sauté the shrimp until the seeds are lightly browned and the shrimp is cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate. Allow the oil and any seeds in the pan to cool, then whisk them into the dressing.

Toss the salad greens, edamame, carrot, and scallions in the dressing. Divide the salad onto four plates and top with the shrimp. Serves 4.

PER SERVING (3 cups)

* Calories: 340
* Total Fat: 19 g
* Sat Fat: 2 g
* Protein: 31 g
* Sodium: 370 mg
* Cholesterol: 170 mg
* Carbohydrates: 13 g
* Fiber: 6 g

Herbed Chicken Salad

You can use leftover grilled or roasted chicken, or try crab or shrimp instead. If you use jarred roasted peppers, blot them with a paper towel before chopping.

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup basil leaves
½ cup fresh dill sprigs
2 oil-packed anchovies, drained
1 small garlic clove
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
2 Tbs.lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
3 inner celery ribs with leaves, thinly sliced
8 cups mixed salad greens
½ lb. tomatoes, chopped
Make the herbed mayonnaise: In a food processor, pulse the herbs, anchovies, and garlic until coarsely chopped. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, and lemon juice and process until smooth. Season to taste with the pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the herbed mayonnaise with the chicken, peppers, and celery. Serve on the salad greens and garnish with the tomatoes. Serves 4.

PER SERVING (3 ½ cups)
* Calories: 380
* Total Fat: 21 g
* Sat Fat: 3.5 g
* Protein: 36 g
* Sodium: 420 mg
* Cholesterol: 110 mg
* Carbohydrates: 11 g
* Fiber: 4 g

Spicy Black Bean Salad

It’s fabulous solo, but also makes a great side dish for grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
1 cupcilantro
¼ cup orange juice
1 Tbs.lime juice
¼ cup.low-fat sour cream
1 15 oz. can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ red onion, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1½ avocados, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
½ tsp.kosher salt
Make the dressing: In a food processor, combine the jalapeño, cilantro, orange and lime juices, and sour cream. In a large bowl, toss the dressing with the beans, onion, pepper, avocado, and tomato. Season with up to ½ tsp. salt. Serves 4.

PER SERVING (2 cups)
* Calories: 250
* Total Fat: 12 g
* Sat Fat: 2 g
* Protein: 9 g
* Sodium: 280 mg
* Cholesterol: 5 mg
* Carbohydrates: 30 g
* Fiber: 12 g

Fat is a source of energy and helps your body absorb certain vitamins. But not all fats are the same. Some are better for your health than others. To help prevent heart disease and stroke, most of the fats you eat should be monounsaturated (mon-oh-uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) and polyunsaturated (pol-ee-uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) fats.  The Women’s Health website has great, detailed information on fats if you would like to learn more!

f

Although monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are better for your health than saturated and trans fats, eating large amounts of any fat can cause weight gain. Between 20 percent and 35 percent of your total calories should come from fat. Try eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains instead.

Take a quiz to see how much you know about healthy (bride) fats.