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It’s officially grilling season, right? While I’m sure that many of you have been using your grill year round, I’m talking about the official season, when you don’t have to put on gloves and a beanie just to take a peek at your dinner. A few years ago, when my oven died, I (mostly by necessity) mastered the grill. Once only my husband’s domain, I can now long-tong flip things with the best of them. I’m ready. And, you know what they say, “Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish (or how to go to the grocery store, pick out a fish, and then grill it) and I eat for a lifetime.” Which leads me to:

Recipe of the week: Cedar-Planked Salmon

Ingredients:

• 3 (12 inch) untreated cedar planks
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 (2 pound) salmon fillets, skin removed

Directions:

1. Soak the cedar planks for at least 1 hour in warm water. Soak longer if you have time.

2. In a shallow dish, stir together the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, and garlic. Place the salmon fillets in the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to one hour.

3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. Place the planks on the grate. The boards are ready when they start to smoke and crackle just a little.

4. Place the salmon fillets onto the planks and discard the marinade. Cover, and grill for about 20 minutes. Fish is done when you can flake it with a fork. It will continue to cook after you remove it from the grill.

Comments:

So, I chose an easy one this week. It’s easy to go on and on about the benefits of salmon. Except for the fact that our polluted planet has made this otherwise almost-perfect food slightly tainted with small amounts of mercury (it’s a low-mercury fish relative to others, but not completely mercury-free), it’s a no-brainer. Here’s why I love Salmon:

First, the omega-3s found in salmon, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are extremely heart healthy. They are well researched and have repeatedly been proven to reduce triglycerides (the type of fat found in your blood that has huge impact on plagues that form in arteries) and reduce risk of stroke. Next, these fats are anti-inflammatory. This means that they reduce risk of chronic diseases that are promoted by inflammation, such as heart disease and diabetes. Then, they help us maintain healthy blood sugars. How? They make our cells more sensitive to insulin. Insulin is the hormone that moves sugar from our blood stream into our cells. When our cells are resistant to insulin, the sugar stays in the blood, where it can do a lot of damage, such as making our arteries hard instead of elastic. And fourth, DHA is a type of fat that is stored in, and used by our brains. Most of the storage does in fact take place when babies are in the womb and up to 2 years after birth, but it never hurts to keep trying to pack it in, right?

But, I bet you already knew all of this.

On the other hand, you may not have realized that the DHA and EPA from salmon actually increases the amount of calories and fat your body burns while decreasing your fat storage!!! Sound like a fishy story too good to be true? It’s not. Recent studies show an increase in calorie output with approximately 2000 mg DHA/EPA per day (you’ll average 1000 mg per day by eating 12 oz. salmon per week, so consider supplementing another 1000 mg per day). Furthermore, since the fats make your cells more sensitive to insulin, they reduce fat storage. You see, the more your cells resist insulin, the more your body has to pump it out. The more insulin pumped out, the more fat stored. The more insulin sent out, the less fat metabolized and burned. The more insulin sent out over and over, the less sensitive cells become to insulin, so they begin to require more and more insulin sent out, and you’ve guessed it, more fat is stored. This is a vicious, ugly cycle, especially for an athlete who has to pull his or her weight up a hill. But, thankfully, it’s no match for salmon.

As if that weren’t enough, salmon packs a lot of other nutrients beside healthy fats. The B-vitamins may have as much to do with the heart-healthy effects as the fats. And, the protein found in salmon, ~7 grams per ounce, helps you stay full longer, again burn more calories, and enjoy long-lasting steady energy.

I promised to feed you for a lifetime… So, when you go to the store, make sure to pick Wild-Caught salmon – this way it has less agriculture pesticide run-off and no artificial colorings. Then, make sure there is no fishy smell to it. It should be a bright orangy-pinkish color, no graying. Take it from someone who is land-locked in Colorado, you have to be picky when picking your fish.

Now you know everything needed for buying and enjoying salmon. What athlete couldn’t use a great dinner, more energy, and better fat burn?!?

Fuel your Adventure. Nourish your Body.

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements. If you would like Kelli’s help with it, she offers comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20. And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code: password-frblog username-reader. Kelli would love to work with you!

There are many, many, many, many sports drinks out there these days.  Do you remember just 15-20 years back?  There was Gatorade and Powerade.  Now, there are “boutique-style” drinks, customizable drinks, drinks that are lower in carbs, high in carbs, protein added, only low-glycemic carbs, and more.  I think it’s great.  It’s great to have options and it’s great to find the right one for you.  However, wading through all the information, advice, and claims is not so great.  I hope I can help you out a bit today.  Click here to download my Apex Nutrition Podcast on the 5 Biggest Sports Drink Myths/Mistakes.

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements.  If you would like Kelli’s help with it, she offers comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  Kelli would love to work with you!

I’m on a mission this week.  A pantry purge.  When I shop for foods that are not completely whole food (for whatever reason), I generally try to avoid: high omega-6 oils like soybean oil and corn oil, artificial sweeteners with the exception of occasional stevia, colorings and fake flavorings, monosodium glutamate, high fructose corn syrup, and partially hydrogenated oils (transfats).  Pretty long list.  Pretty dismal shopping experience, huh?

Actually, since even within “processed foods” I’m looking for minimal ingredients, and I only buy a few of these, it’s not that hard.  And, luckily, more and more food manufacturers are accommodating picky patrons like me.  Now, I can find dressings without soybean oil, ketchup and jelly without high fructose corn syrup, and an ever-growing list of foods with natural, minimal ingredients.  And as you know, if I can’t find, I’m heading to the kitchen and making it.

But, I love my coffee.  And (gasp), I l-o-v-e my flavored coffee creamer.  I know that many of you do, too.  If you don’t already realize it, most commercial flavored creamers are loaded with junk chemicals and partially hydrogenated oils.  In fact, some brands include almost every one of the junk chemical ingredients I try to avoid.  I’m happy that there’s a brand or two now made up of milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla.    Still, to add to the food pickiness that is me, I want organic dairy.  Or, maybe no dairy in this one.  I’ve found a good answer in this week’s Healthy Fuel Recipe, and it’s the perfect opportunity to discuss partially hydrogenated oils.  I hope all you proud coffee drinkers, and even closet Coffeemate adders, find the same satisfaction.

Recipe of the Week: Easy Maple Coffee Creamer

Ingredients:

• 1 can organic coconut milk OR 14 oz. organic half and half
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup, organic honey, or raw agave
• 2 Tbsp real vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

Mix well and store in refrigerator.

Nutrition info: 18 servings (1 Tbsp each).  Approximately 45 calories, 5 grams carbs, 5 grams sugar, 0 grams fiber, 0 grams protein per serving.

Comments:

Yes, like other creamers, this one is still high calories, and it’s still sweetened.  And for some, this makes it a no-go, especially if trying to lose a considerable amount of weight.  However, for others, a small portion or this minimal-ingredient, all-natural delicious creamer is a delightful treat within a healthy diet.  And to me, as long as these clients are meeting their overall goals, this is fine.

Partially-hydrogenated-creamer?  Not fine.  Why do I try to avoid partially hydrogenated oils like the plague?  For the most part, they are manipulated, processed chemical fats with correlations to more and more chronic disease.  And, while it seems that most food manufacturers, fast food chains, and even legislators are identifying them and omitting them, there’s more to this story than meets the eye.  Here’s what partially hydrogenated oils are and how to give them the ax:

Partially hydrogenated oils are liquid fats (such as vegetable oils) that have been chemically altered to become solid at room temperature (such as margarine).  This alteration actually changes the “shape” of the bonds (from cis to trans) in the fat.  They are primarily found in man-made processed foods such as shortening, margarine, baked goods, boxed foods, candies, snack foods, fried foods, and salad dressings.  Basically, if a food is not in the form in which it was grown, it’s suspect.  These oils have become more common with the increase of processed foods, and are now becoming less common with consumer demand for less, or so it seems.

They have been strongly linked to increased LDL (bad) cholesterol and heart disease.  They are positively correlated to systematic inflammation in our bodies, which increases our risk for all many of chronic disease.  What’s more, some animal studies have linked them to  (non-alcoholic) fatty liver disease and scarring on the liver, especially in diets that also contain high amounts simple sugars.  While most natural fats are becoming more and more exonerated, these processed ones need to be dropped.

Here’s some strategies to get rid of them:

• Choose fresh, whole foods for snacks and meals.  Snack foods like fruits, veggies, raw or dry roasted nuts, seeds, and yogurt instead of boxed and processed foods such as crackers, cookies, and chips.  And even with “healthy snacks,” check out the label and ingredients lists.
• Make your own condiments, sauces, and products like creamers if you’re not willing to use a purely whole food.
• Make baked goods & dinners from scratch using olive oil, coconut oil, nut & seed oils, nut butters, applesauce, pureed fruits or small amounts of butter instead of margarine or boxed mixes.
• Pack your lunch instead of eating Fast Foods, and make quick, easy and delicious dinners at home instead of eating Fast Foods.
• Avoid “convenience dinners” such as Hamburger Helper, Rice-o-Roni, and frozen meals that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
• Double check “sports nutrition” foods and bars to make sure they do not contain “partially hydrogenated fats.”
• Within the “Total Fat” section of a nutrition label, you’ll usually find the amount of saturated fats and transfats.  Although it may be confusing, even when a type of fat is listed as “0,” it may actually be anywhere from 0-0.4 grams (they are allowed to round down).  Of course, once a food manufacturer has the amount low enough to label it as zero, you bet your spandex it will claim (in big letters) on the packaging that it is free of transfats.  This small labeling situation is a big problem because even small amounts are potentially harmful.  So, go beyond the nutrition label to the ingredients list.  Anytime you see partially hydrogenated oil, the product has trans-fats – avoid these products as much as possible!
• With this knowledge, read labels/ingredients lists and choose foods that do not contain trans-fats.  The use of these fats may even vary between food brands.  For instance, some brands of microwave popcorn have transfats whiles others do not.

Buyer Beware:  Anytime you buy food in a package or box, look for partially hydrogenated oils.  Yes, even in “healthy foods.” Many yogurts, cereals, breads, energy bars, whey proteins, and more are guilty.

A healthy athlete is a strong athlete.  Protect your heart, liver, and overall health by using natural, healthy fats, from real, whole foods, rather than processed ones.  If you need a food “product,” consider making it yourself or being extra picky in the grocery aisle.  Maybe even spend more time picking your creamer than your bike lube – okay, at least equal time.

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements.  If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  I’d love to work with you!

Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body.

Alcohol.  Love it, hate it, or abstain from it, it’s a confusing subject when it comes to health, fat loss, and metabolism.  To figure out if and how much alcohol can be included in your meal plan, you have to take a look at your overall goals.  Are you trying to lose fat?  What types of alcohol do you usually drink, and how much at once?  Are you in control when you drink and able to make good decisions regarding other foods and drinks, your health and safety?

While alcohol is not a bad choice health-wise, and it does provide some health benefits (it can raise good cholesterol, and some types, such as red wines, have antioxidants and health-promoting components), too much at once is an absolute drag to your metabolism.  Binge drinking must be avoided for any athlete who’s serious about losing fat.  And, while many might think binges only happen in frat-house parties, I’ve found that many athletes clients unwind with 5, 6, or 12 drinks on a weekend night after a hard workout or race.  Here’s why it’s a metabolism and fat loss saboteur:

1) First, there’s the issue of the calories.  Hard liquor contains ~100 calories per shot.  Wine has ~150 calories per 6 oz.  And beer is variable depending on its alcohol content, but usually spans between 80  and 250 calories per 12 oz. (many times, the darker the more caloric).  That’s just for the alcohol.  Then, add any flavoring or mixes with it (I talking to us margarita-lovers) and you can easily top 600 calories per drink.  During a real binge, 5+ of these drinks can completely wipe away any efforts at the calorie or carbohydrate deficit you’ve created over the week.

2) Next, it relaxes any inhibitions about overeating food.  Sure, if you’re eating broccoli while drinking beer, there’s little chance of a food calorie overload or issues (besides maybe a lot of gas:)).  But, most alcohol-food combos involve rich, high-calorie party foods, desserts, salty snacks, etc.  Not only is the calorie/carb deficit wiped out, there’s a good chance of being in the red and causing a gain in weight/fat post-binge.

3) Alcohol, once converted to acetate in your bloodstream, becomes your body’s fuel source.  Sounds great, right?  Surely, you’ll burn it off.  Well, the issue is that you’re not burning fat.  In fact, fat breakdown becomes completely halted as your body and your liver deal with burning through the acetate.  A big binge can affect fat oxidation (breakdown) for as many as 3 days.  Now, not only have you wiped out the calorie deficit for last week, you’ve annihilated any chance of fat breakdown for half of next week.

4) Then, binge drinking reduces testosterone. For both men and women, lower levels of testosterone means reduced muscle mass and higher fat mass.   It means less daily calorie/fat burn and more fat accumulation as hormones are imbalanced.  Testosterone is your metabolism’s friend.  We lose it slowly as we age – don’t expedite the process!

5) Lastly, while you may feel extra-relaxed after a binge, binge drinking can screw up your natural circadian rhythms, which messes up your blood sugars and glucose metabolism (with or without carb intake, this can increase fat storage and reduce oxidation), cortisol balance (this stress hormone leads to fat accumulation) and sleep patterns.  All of these spell trouble for metabolism and fat breakdown.

If you’re one of the many who looks forward to a drink with dinner every night, and you’re at your goal weight, cheers!  Even if you’re actively trying to lose fat, a portion-controlled evening drink, or even a couple on the weekends in place of a nightly treat can still work.  You’ve got to enjoy life, right?  But, if you look forward to 10 drinks on the weekend and you’re frustrated because you’re not meeting your fat-loss goals, stop the party-bus.  Enjoy the company, the event, and the conversation rather than the drinks.  If you can handle keeping your drinks to only a couple, that’s a start.  If this ball rolls out of control the minute the first drip hits your lips, it’s time to set your goals and take a break from this habit.

The difference of 5 lbs. can make or break a competitive endurance athlete.  Your body is a machine.  Enjoy life, but don’t spend your time being frustrated with fat loss while sabotaging yourself each weekend.  Make up your mind, determine your goals, and work on daily habits to meet them.  You can do it!

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements.  If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  I’d love to work with you!

Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body.

Wednesday Over the Hump: The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”. ~Charles Swindoll

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements.  If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  I’d love to work with you!

Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body.

When you look at food, do you see what it has to offer?  The nutrients, antioxidants, detoxifying components, fibers, energy-producers, and taste?  Or, do you mostly watch out for what you should avoid?  The foods that drag down your energy, promote disease, and harm your cells?  For years, there seems to be a mind-set of what to avoid.

Hopefully, you’re past that, and look for both what to avoid, and what to seek out to promote health.  This week, to encourage healthy cells, tissues, muscles, and systems, so we can train and feel better, we’ll replace one food (that doesn’t necessarily harm you, but doesn’t offer the best of nutrition), with an absolute nutrition all-star.

Recipe of the Week: Lime Cilantro Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium cauliflower head
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (typically juice from 1 lime)
• 2 Tbsp cilantro
• salt/pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut florets in small pieces and place in food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower is reduced to the size of couscous or rice grains. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do this in multiple stages.
2. Place in microwavable bowl with glass lid like Pyrex.  Do not close tightly.
3. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil.
4. Microwave 5-6 minutes.  Then, remove from the microwave and allow to steam for 1-3 additional minutes.
5. Fluff rice, add cilantro, lime juice, and season to salt/pepper, to taste.

Comments:

There’s more to healthy eating than just avoiding what’s “bad” for you.  It seems like the fat-free era of the 80s and 90s instilled a sense of “good dieting” in which you just avoided what you thought was bad.  “I don’t fry things, I don’t eat egg yolks, and of course, I only use fat-free dressing.”  First of all, as most readers know, I don’t subscribe, in any way, to fat-free eating.  Healthy fats are necessary and very important to your health, hormone balance, and obtaining a healthy weight.  In addition, I generally see healthy eating as what healthy whole foods and nutrients you’re actively consuming, not just what you’re avoiding.

Which brings me to our topic today.

Cauliflower rice.  Why in the world would you want to take a head of cauliflower and substitute if for rice?  Good question.

Obviously, rice is not a horrible food for you.  As an “intact” grain, rather than a ground and processed one, it is actually one of the better grain choices (along with oats).  But, it does lack in nutrients and health benefit when compared to a vegetable.  And cauliflower is not just any vegetable, but a powerhouse of detoxifying super awesomeness.

That’s a big claim, I know.  In the past, I’ve called it a Wellness 1-2-3 punch:

Punch #1, Anti-inflammation: Who knew? Cauliflower provides both vitamin K and alpha-linoleic acid (the same omega-3 found in flaxseeds) to combat and prevent inflammation in our bodies.  What’s more, one of its detox components, glucobrassicin, can be converted to another anti-inflammatory compound that works at a genetic level to promote a reduction in bodily inflammation!

Punch #2, Antioxidants:  Next, to combat the free radicals that have built up in our bodies, cauliflower provides 2 excellent antioxidants, vitamin C and manganese.  Additionally, it contains many phytochemicals (remember, phytochemicals fight-o disease and damage) that work against oxidative stress, such as beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, rutin, and kaempferol.

Punch #3, Increased Cellular Detoxification & Gastrointestinal Immune Support: Lastly, cauliflower’s phytochemicals also include a group that works directly on cellular detoxification – both Phase 1 and Phase 2 cellular detox.   These phytochemicals belong to the glucosinolates group, and include glucobrassicin, glucoraphanin, and gluconasturtiian.  Add to it cauliflower’s high content of fiber, which directly promotes gut health and therefore indirectly promotes improved immune function, and you’ve got yourself a serious health promoting vegetable.  If you want to include more detox vegetables along with your cauliflower, add Brussels sprouts, Savoy cabbage, Broccoli, and Kale.  All fine cool-weather foods.

And, taste?  Cauliflower rice is delicious. Imagine my dietitian delight when I look across the table to see my kids eating a stir-fry that includes both cauliflower rice and stir-fried broccoli.  Double the cellular detox. Oh yeah!

So how might this affect your ride, run, or climb?  While trainig absolutely makes us healthier is most every aspect, athletes’ cells deal with a lot of junk, too.  Extra oxygen and nutrient turnover, more free radicals, more cellular damage, likely more time out in the sun, and a lot of physical stress.  You can give yourself a helping hand by pouring on the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying nutrients found in many vegetables…like cauliflower (and not like white rice).  Go ahead and eat grains at dinner a couple times per week if you’d like, but consider subbing in some extra vegetables on the other evenings.  Cauliflower rice for healthy, detoxifed cells.

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements.  If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  I’d love to work with you!

Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body.

For all the athletes out there who like to make their own fuel at home, you’re not alone.  I have long made most all of our fuel.  For 12 years, many miles on the bike, and many mountains climbed, we’ve chosen my homebrew drinks, bars, and whole food options.  Here’s my top 5, and when/why I use each:

Fresh Lemon Energy Bars

Lemon  is simply a favorite flavor in my house, and I use these bars for during-training nutrition hour to hour.  They make up the carbs I need, in addition to a sports drink, to meet hourly nutrition goals.  The break apart easily, are easy on the stomach, and travel well.

PB-Chia-Honey Balls

PB2-Chia-Honey Balls are a newer favorite of mine.  And, thanks to the a current client, I’ve perfected and re-edited this recipe to make them race-ready, and good-in-the-jersey-pocket (see recipe at the end of the post). I use these for pre-ride fuel (about 15 minutes out), hourly fuel, or even my “solid” every 3 hours.  They have a good taste and are easy to chew.

Sweet Potatoes

Among these optoins, my personal favorite is the Sweet Potato Mash.  You simply squeeze it out of the corner of a baggie and enjoy a not-too sweet, whole-food option for long-lasting fuel.  I use these as a real food option every 3 hours or so of a long ride.

On-the-Ride Bacon Rice Burrito

These are the ultimate in real-food, long-ride treats.  Just think, after sucking down a sports drink and carb option hour after hour, you get to feist on a (small portion) BACON rice burrito.  These are salty, satisfying, but not so big that they will slow you down or cause many issues with digestion.  They are packed with savory carbs and give you something to look forward to.  After many a mile, these have saved me.

Simple Homebrew Sports Drinks

If you haven’t heard me say it before, I’ll say it again here: I tend to be cheap.  Or, as I would call it, clever and frugal.  Yes, when we really got into endurance training in climbing big peaks and mountain biking, even Gatorade was too rich for our blood (we were young, married, and in college).  Many years later and I still prefer to save my money for new components when I find my homebrew works well, settles well, and is always available in my pantry.  And yes, it has adequate sodium.  See what you think…

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements.  If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  I’d love to work with you!

Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body.

Does just thinking about Spring have your sneezing, wheezing, rubbing your eyes, and feeling an itch in your throat?  With all its beauty, all its excitement, and all its opportunities to ride, climb, and run, Spring also brings along a lot of pollen and seasonal allergies.  And although seasonal allergies aren’t exactly within my expertise, they significantly affect my clients, their training, and their wellbeing.  So, although I have no cure, here’s a recipe that may just help, even if only treating the symptoms – especially sinus symptoms.  And, each ingredient provides antioxidants, anti-inflammatory components, and many health benefits.

Recipe of the Week: Anti-Allergy Black Elderberry-Honey-Vinegar Syrup

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup dry black elderberries (can be found at most health food stores, often in bulk)
• 3 1/2 cups of water
• 2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger or 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup raw organic honey (we get from our farmer’s market)
• ¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to simmer, and simmer for 45 minutes.  Then remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Once cool enough to hand, pour contents through a strainer into a bowl.  Allow to cool until lukewarm.
3. Stir in honey and vinegar and mix well.  Store in tightly covered jars in refrigerator.
4. For daily consumption, take 1 Tbsp per day.  If experiencing allergy symptoms, take 1 Tbsp up to 3 times per day.  If experience flu or cold symptoms, take 1 Tbsp every 3 hours until symptoms are relieved.

Comments:

Anyone who reads our Loving the Bite posts knows I love organic honey.  And organic apple cider vinegar.  I believe these 2 foods are very useful in health and wellness, even if we don’t completely understand the mechanisms by which they work.  And, now, I present black elderberries.

Studied largely for their ability to reduce the length and severity of flus (good research supports their effectiveness) by reducing virus activity, black elderberries also offer immune-boosting, sinus-relieving, and antioxidant components.  For the allergy sufferer, this may mean lessened symptoms, and better sinus function.  Also, since many allergy sufferers seem to be susceptible to colds and flus more often, it can reduce risk and occurrence of these illnesses even throughout the allergy season.

Five more nutrition tips for seasonal allergies:

1)  If you don’t feel like taking the time to make this wonderful (and tasty!) syrup, you can still enjoy the benefits of it’s ingredients.  First, add organic raw honey, up to 2 Tbsp per day to your snacks/meals (or take like a supplement).  Make sure to choose local, raw honey if possible, that still retains its pollens.

2)  Take a daily dose of organic Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in water.  Here’s a great recipes and all the reasons why: Super Health Tonic.

3)  Take probiotics or eat a good source of healthy bacteria, like yogurt, daily.  Allergies and asthma may in fact start, or worsen, due to poor gut bacteria health.  With the high use of antibiotics, or with diets too low in healthy bacteria and fibers, yeast can overtake healthy bacteria in the gut.  Mice studies have shown a correlation with asthma and allergy symptoms and overgrown yeast in the intestines.

4)  Take fish oil every day.  If you’re able to eat 12 oz. of fatty fish per week, take 1000 mg DHA/EPA through fish oil supplements per day.  If you eat less fish, increase your dose to 2000 mg DHA/EPA per day.  If you are “aspirin-sensitive” or on blood thinners, always talk to your doctor before starting or increasing fish oil.  These anti-inflammatory fats can decrease allergy symptoms by decreasing the production of immune factors that cause them.

5)  Increase specific vitamins: Take at least 1000 mg Vitamin C, and 800 IU vitamin D, per day as these vitamins may specifically reduce symptoms.

As an athlete with seasonal allergies, you put yourself right out there, in the pollen danger-zone, every time you go out.  This week, we have some options that may reduce your symptoms.  And, thereby, improve your training.

Give your body what it needs everyday with the right Foods and Supplements.  If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  I’d love to work with you!

Fuel Your Adventure.  Nourish Your Body.

As if you didn’t already know, I tend to love all things coconut…especially organic coconut oil.  I use it for fuel, especially in recovery, for Daily Nutrition, for my kids’ nutrition, and in various ways around the house.  So last year, Casey Zaugg, the owner of Coconutz Fuel, contacted me after reading one of my posts on Coconut Milk Ice-Cream.  He simply asked if I’d like to sample Coconutz Fuel Energy Balls as an athlete and sports nutritionist.  He didn’t ask for a post or even a mention on my blog.

In his email, he described his fuel option as a “raw, all-natural energy ball with a fruit-based shell (dates, various other dried fruits) and a savory internal nut butter to be eaten during exercise. Most importantly, though, is the use of coconut oil infused throughout the product, providing quick energy for athletes as well as the host of other benefits found in coconut products.”  Although this sounded great to me as a sports nutritionist, the athlete is me was a little skeptical – sometimes both too much fat, and too much fiber in pre-training and during-training can cause an “unsettled stomach.”  But, I’m always up for new (and free) fuel, so I thought I’d give it a shot on a trip to Crested Butte, CO last summer for a weekend of mountain biking.

I used the Coconutz Fuel Energy Balls on the Reno-Flag-Bear-Deadman Gulch Trail, riding from Crested Butte South.  With a name like that, you know it’s got to be good, and long.  And it is.  Three challenging climbs, and even more importantly, three fantastic descents culminating in 32 fun switchbacks down to the parking lot before riding back on Cement Creek Road (~34 mile lollipop loop from CB South, ~3500 ft. elevation gain, ~4.5 hours total).  And, although I wouldn’t consider it “race-pace,” we rode it steady and never allowed extra time for foods to digest…the perfect challenge for a new fuel option.

Product: Coconutz Fuel Energy Balls

Pros:

• Ingredients promote long lasting energy – dried fruits, agave, oats, chia seeds, organic coconut oil, nut butters…yet, still not hard on the stomach.
• High-quality ingredients: All natural, all pronounceable, non-GMO.  That’s nice.
• Vegan and gluten-free.  I don’t require this within my diet personally, but I coach many clients who do.
• Taste & Texture: Great!  Not too sweet.  Not sticky.  Easy to get down and really appetizing during the ride.
• Packaging: I appreciate the reusable tube packaging and refills.  Cuts down on waste and keeps your fuel from getting smashed in your pack.
• Organic coconut oil: Has the advantage of easy digestion, quick energy, and steady blood sugars.  And, unlike straight coconut oil, no stomach upset for me!

Cons (or more accurately, my personal and professional preferences/critique):

• I would like to see more sodium.  I know, in an age of anti-salt, it’s weird to say or hear from a dietitian.  But, when sweating buckets on a summer ride, athletes need upwards of 400-700 mg sodium per hour.  Some can come from a good electrolyte drink.  But, most athletes depend on their food sources as well, and Coconutz only provides ~50 mg (at most) per entire package.
• I think agave is a good choice for a sweetener, but with its natural enzymes, antioxidants, and steady energy provisions, my first choice would be organic honey (has provided steady energy similar to maltodextrin in research).  Although, it’s not vegan; and, may be why it was excluded.

Overall, I felt great on the ride and feel that Coconutz definitely contributed to good, steady energy throughout it.  I encourage any reader to give these a try!  They definitely have my stamp of approval and I look forward to using them in the future.  I’d love to see how they perform in sub-freezing temps…since they are bite-size, they may be perfect for cold-winter sports (back country and Nordic skiers deal with frozen, inedible fuel too often).

Thanks Casey for taking a chance, having confidence in your product, and sending them my way.  You’ve got at least one new customer!

Post-Script:  Since writing this review, Casey has provided this feedback:

• Agave was chosen as the sweetener due to the desire to have a vegan product (as you assumed)
• Regarding how the CocoNutz Fuel balls work in sub-freezing temperatures, they work great! We sponsored a frozen bike race and the balls performed wonderfully in 16 degree (Fahrenheit) temps. Additionally, we had an ice climber review the product and she loved them (http://www.examiner.com/review/coconutz-fuel-bite-size-superfood-energy-balls-review). They worked great for her in the cold temps as well.

Give your body what it needs for great energy and health every day and during training with the right Foods, Drinks and Supplements.  If you would like my help with it, I offer comprehensive plans as Instant Downloads and as Custom Clients starting at just $20.  And, as a FuelRightBlog reader, get a further discount with coupon code:  password-frblog  username-reader.  I’d love to work with you!

Fuel Your Adventure. Nourish Your Body