Nutrition

Superfoods You Can Eat Every Day

Superfoods You Can Eat Every Day

Published by on April 15, 2025 | Leave a response

People in Louisville, KY, hear about superfoods every day on television. Whether it’s beet chewies or capsules containing dried fruit and vegetable flakes, the message is always the same. Eat more of these foods via our product to improve your health. You can cut out the middleman and enjoy the whole fruits and vegetables, whether cooked or raw. You’ll get all the phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, whether you eat them in a complete meal or have them as a snack. These superfoods are better than taking a multivitamin since the phytonutrients they contain work in synergy to boost the benefits.

You’ll be strong to the finish when you eat your spinach.

Like many dark leafy greens, spinach is packed with nutritional power. It contains vitamins A, C, and K, folic acid, calcium, and iron. It also has phytonutrients that enhance its superfood status. The phytonutrients include lutein, kaempferol, nitrates, quercetin, and zeaxanthin. Nitrates, like the nitrates in beets, help lower blood pressure. The other nutrients can improve eye health, reduce cancer risk, and help prevent oxidative stress. The extra fiber improves your microbiome. Whether you cook it, eat it raw, or put it in a smoothie, it’s a superfood you should have in your diet.

Just don’t top it with marshmallows!

Of course, everyone has had this superfood that often comes topped with marshmallows or brown sugar, but you don’t need that sweetness to taste delicious. You can bake, grill, or air fry sweet potatoes and have a healthier version. It contains vitamins B6, C, and A, pantothenic acid, niacin, manganese, copper, and fiber. It’s heart-healthy. The fiber helps promote gut health. It supports vision, brain functioning, and the immune system.

Many types of berries are superfoods.

If you’ve noticed recently, many health products now contain elderberries. That’s because their juice has been found as effective as a treatment for the flu as Tamiflu. Elderberry juice, teas, and syrups have been used for thousands of years to treat many maladies. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, called elder trees a medicine chest. Eating uncooked berries or tree parts is not recommended and may cause illness. Another blue-colored berry that’s extremely healthy is the blueberry. This tiny berry can help prevent premature aging, promote mental acuity, and lower cancer risks.

  • Cranberries and cranberry juice can help prevent UTIs and dental carries. They promote digestive and heart health. Be aware that most juices and dried cranberries contain added sugar, so keep that in mind when adding them to your diet.
  • Fermented food like sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi contain probiotics that can improve your gut health. Your gut microbiome acts as a second immune system. It affects digestion and your mood.
  • Superfoods aren’t just fruits and vegetables. Mushrooms are often called superfoods, too. Shiitake, maitake, reishi, and lion’s mane mushrooms improve your immune system and are nutrient-rich.
  • Salmon and fatty fish should be in your diet. They’re high in healthy fat and an excellent source of protein. Increasing omega-3 in your diet helps with mental disorders, mood disorders, and heart disease.

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Best Exercises For A Stronger Core

Best Exercises For A Stronger Core

Published by on April 5, 2025 | Leave a response

One of the reasons people focus on core muscles is for appearance. You’ll have a flatter stomach and posture that makes you look dynamic and more in control. There are other reasons to work these muscles. If you have strong core muscles, you have better balance. Strong core muscles can reduce pain and make everything easier, from walking to doing jumping jacks. Core muscles are those muscles in your trunk. They keep your abdomen flatter and strengthen your back. Doing core muscle exercises consistently helps your entire body.

The plank has been a key exercise for centuries.

The high and low plank both strengthen core muscles. The muscles it works depend on the form you use. To do a high plank, lay on your abdomen with the palms of your hands beneath your shoulders, your body straight, and your toes on the floor. Push your body upward until it forms a straight line from your head to your heels.

Your core is more than just your abs.

Your core muscles are more than your rectus abdominis, the abs. They’re all the muscles in the front, back, and sides of your trunk. They even include the back muscles and the diaphragm. For a strong core, you must work more than just the abs. You must work the core in all directions. To work the obliques at the sides, hold a weight in one hand with the other placed behind your head. Then, lean to the side that isn’t holding the weight. The twisting actions of the Russian Twist also target the obliques.

Make a bridge to build abs and back muscles.

Start a bridge lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your arms should be at your sides with your palms down. Using your glutes, lift your midsection off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold, then lower your body. If you want to modify it to make it more difficult, lift one foot and straighten your leg, then return it to the original position before lowering your body back to the floor. Bridge exercises help relieve back pain.

  • If you have a stability ball, you can modify many exercises to help build abs. Kettlebell workouts are also good. They both have a changing center of gravity to make core muscles work harder.
  • When doing chores at home, work your core muscles by doing walking lunges as you work. Take a long stride forward, bending the knee of your back leg, then pushing upward to step that leg forward.
  • Have fun with the kids and build core muscles. You can do hula hoop challenges. You’re moving core muscles to keep the hula hoop spinning and up around your waist. You can also use jump ropes and do high knee jumps.
  • Riding a bike works core muscles. You can stay off the streets and do bicycling crunches at home. Lay on your back with your hands behind your head and legs slightly off the floor. Twist your body, bringing one elbow forward as you bend the knee on the opposite side and touch it to the elbow.

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Benefits Of Wheat Germ Oil

Benefits Of Wheat Germ Oil

Published by on February 25, 2025 | Leave a response

Should you take wheat germ oil or include it in your supplements? It all depends on your personal needs and goals. Wheat germ oil is packed with nutrients. It provides a generous supply of omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains omega-6 and omega-9. It is packed with vitamins K and E. It also contains choline, which is neither vitamin nor mineral but is frequently grouped with B vitamins, as well as vitamin A and other B vitamins. Wheat germ oil comes from cold-pressing wheat germ.

Wheat germ oil can improve energy and reduce the potential for infection.

Taking wheat germ oil can provide an energy boost. It’s the omega-3 fatty acids in it that convert to energy for muscles to use. It helps increase circulation, which translates into more energy as well. After a demanding workout, some athletes are susceptible to respiratory infections due to the reduction of immune functioning. Including vitamins C and E in your diet can help prevent the problem. Since wheat germ oil is high in vitamin E, it’s one option to use.

You may lower your blood pressure when you take wheat germ.

Taking wheat germ won’t replace medication. Don’t use it in conjunction with blood pressure-lowering medication since it might cause too low of a drop. It also has other heart-healthy benefits due to the omega-3 fatty acids. It helps lower the harmful LDL levels and increase the beneficial HDL. It can reduce the risk of plaque building on the interior of arteries. It does contain an imbalance of omega-6 6o omega-3, so moderating your use is suggested.

Wheat germ oil may have side effects.

If you have a wheat allergy, you may have side effects from wheat germ oil, such as nasal congestion, headache, digestive issues, or difficulty breathing if taking it internally. While it’s considered safe for most other people, take precautions if someone in your family has a wheat allergy. Don’t give it to babies. They could develop wheat allergies.

  • Your brain requires healthy fat. Wheat germ oil contains healthy fat that can improve your nervous system. It’s the omega-3 fatty acids that support the brain and nervous system. It also is an antioxidant that protects the brain.
  • Wheat germ oil may help regulate your blood sugar. If you’re already on a medication for high blood sugar, consult your healthcare professional before taking it. It can cause blood sugar levels to drop dramatically.
  • Wheat germ oil can keep you looking younger. It’s been used on the skin for centuries. It helps avoid oxidative stress and can minimize scars and wrinkles. It also boosts collagen production.
  • Wheat germ oil may help prevent obesity by boosting your metabolism to burn more calories. As with any supplement, use it cautiously and always consult your healthcare professional if you take medications or have a health condition.

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Is There A Good Time Of Day To Take Vitamins?

Is There A Good Time Of Day To Take Vitamins?

Published by on February 15, 2025 | Leave a response

Not everyone needs supplements if they eat right, but some still do. Each person’s body and needs are different. Once you find you have a deficit, other questions arise. Is an imbalanced diet the cause? Is there a health issue responsible for the problem? Once you answer those questions, you move to the type and dosage of the vitamins and the time of day you take them. There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins include eight B vitamins and C. Fat-soluble vitamins include D, K, A, and E.

You should take some vitamins with food.

There are several reasons to take vitamins with food. Some work better on an empty stomach. Some require the consumption of food to avoid digestive issues. Fat-soluble vitamins need fat for absorption. Taking them with a small amount of fat ensures they are available for the body. The fat should come from healthy choices like avocados or salmon. Studies show that when a person takes vitamin D after a meal, absorption increases by 32% compared to vitamin D taken with water. When taken after a meal with more than 5 grams of fat, the absorption increased by as much as 57%.

Can food interfere with the absorption of water-soluble vitamins?

Water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C dissolve easily in water, so drinking a glass of water is the only thing necessary. The water should be tepid. If it’s too hot or cold, it can interfere with the process. Water-soluble vitamins should be taken on an empty stomach, according to some authorities. Vitamin C may cause stomach issues in some people when taken on an empty stomach. Vitamin B12 tends to boost your energy. Take it in the morning to avoid insomnia.

Multivitamins diminish the absorption of one vitamin type.

It doesn’t matter whether you take a multivitamin at mealtime or take it earlier with only water it will affect the absorption of either fat-soluble or water-soluble vitamins. There’s no best time to take them unless you’re susceptible to stomach issues from vitamin C. In that case, taking them with food protects from gastrointestinal issues and provides the fat necessary for absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins. The trade-off is diminished absorption of water-soluble vitamins.

  • Always take fat-soluble vitamins after you’ve eaten food with fat. You don’t have to eat an entire meal. You can eat toast with mashed avocado instead of butter or a cup of yogurt.
  • B-complex vitamins boost energy. Taking them before a workout may be beneficial. Vitamin D is necessary for strong muscles and bones. Use them before strength-building sessions.
  • If you’re building muscle, taking vitamin D before a workout with a snack helps increase testosterone levels and makes muscle-building easier.
  • If you’re taking any medication, always check with your healthcare professional or pharmacist before taking any supplements. Some vitamins interact with or boost the medicine. One example is vitamin E. When it’s taken with warfarin it can cause excessive bleeding.

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How Athletes Can Manage Stress Through Nutrition

How Athletes Can Manage Stress Through Nutrition

Published by on February 5, 2025 | Leave a response

Athletes often are nervous right before an event. Sometimes, it continues throughout the endeavor. Being a little tense is good. It’s part of some athletes’ preparation, but once the race, fight, or race begins, it’s time to get down to business. If an athlete can’t manage stress, it can negatively affect their performance. During the competition, additional physical stress comes from pushing the body to the limit. There are multiple strategies available to help. One of those uses nutrition. It can help reduce both mental and physical stress.

Stress can be beneficial and provide a boost in energy for competition.

Getting the jitters before a competition is normal for everyone, whether they play professional football or compete in a chess tournament. The fight-or-flight response is a preservation instinct. There is an optimal point where stress helps the athlete function at their best. It’s rare to see an athlete have too little stress, especially right before their performance. If they do, it can impede the driving force to excellence. A little stress can be helpful to push the athlete toward their best by providing a boost of energy and improved focus. Overstressed athletes don’t function at their best. It impairs their ability to make decisions and decreases their performance.

Dietary advice can help the athlete perform their best and reduce stress to controllable levels.

Athletes can use various dietary strategies for stress management. Maintaining maximum glycogen stores, increasing protein intake throughout the day, and ensuring adequate hydration to prevent excess fluid loss are three. Timing food intake and the balance of macronutrients, which includes pre and post-workout snacks consisting of protein and carbohydrates, is another approach. Newer methods include the supplementation of micronutrients. The most critical factor is using a nutritional combination that addresses the athletes’ needs and keeps them mentally and physically healthy.

Stress can occur due to lack of energy.

Stress isn’t all mental. Physical stress is part of the problem. Ensuring the body has adequate energy can reduce the amount of stress. That assurance comes from timing food intake and choosing the food combinations that provide energy at varying times. Consuming snacks before and after exercise can boost recovery and reduce the physical stress exercise places on the body.

  • It takes a delicate balance of protein intake. It’s necessary for recovery, but too much can cause calcium loss and increase the risk of dehydration.
  • It takes the perfect balance of calorie intake to calorie output to ensure athletes maintain weight classes. Athletes should focus on nutrition and avoid diets that put undue stress on their bodies.
  • Introduce food into the diet that contains natural stress relievers, such as leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and eggs. Eggs contain multiple nutrients, including choline, that help reduce stress. Sweet potatoes reduce cortisol, a stress hormone.
  • The diet that fills your nutritional needs and addresses excess stress may contain food like broccoli. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, which has a calming effect and contains multiple vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

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Why Diet Is Just As Important As Fitness

Why Diet Is Just As Important As Fitness

Published by on January 15, 2025 | Leave a response

It’s that time of year. It’s a resolution-keeping or resolution-breaking system, depending on how well you’re doing. People often vow to improve their health by improving their diet or exercise regimen. Both are vital for good health. Which is more important? They should both be priorities. A healthy diet improves your physical well-being, and so does exercise. Each plays a vital role in good health.

If you want to lose weight, both diet and exercise provide benefits.

Remember this saying. You can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Eating healthy is a priority if you want to lose weight or build muscles. If you eat ten thousand calories daily, unless you’re an Olympic swimmer, it’s almost impossible to burn them off in a day. Even if you exercise, you’ll still gain weight. A poor diet doesn’t contain all the nutrients necessary to keep your body functioning at its best. Eating foods high in fiber feeds the gut microbiome. It acts like a secondary immune system and creates enzymes to control bodily functions.

Exercise can keep you looking and feeling younger.

Just like a healthy diet, exercise plays a role in weight loss. It burns calories to create a deficit that helps you lose weight. It plays a role in aging by increasing the length of telomeres. They act like aglets on the end of shoelaces and prevent the chromosomes from unraveling, which can cause cell damage and, ultimately, death. It also increases the number of stem cells in the body. They replace damaged cells and help you look more youthful. Exercise increases the beneficial microbes in the gut to improve digestion and bodily functions.

Improve both.

A healthy diet and regular exercise can help you reach any fitness goal. If weight loss is your goal, exercise burns calories, builds muscle tissue, and changes your body composition. The more muscle tissue you have, the easier it is to lose weight. Muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain than fat tissue does. You’ll be boosting your metabolism to make weight loss easier.

  • Both a healthy diet and regular exercise can help you burn belly fat. Obesity is the leading cause of preventable deaths, especially if most of it is around the waist. Diet and exercise can burn that fat, reduce insulin resistance, and prevent conditions like diabetes.
  • You’ll live longer and better when you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Staying fit allows you to live independently for longer and enjoy what life offers.
  • Making small changes to your diet can bring many benefits. Cutting out highly processed food and food with added sugar improves your diet dramatically. Choose food closest to its natural state.
  • If you aren’t sure how to make the dietary changes necessary or how to create your workout program, we have registered dietitians and personal trainers to help. Always check with your healthcare provider before starting any diet or exercise program.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Nutrition Tips For Seniors

Nutrition Tips For Seniors

Published by on August 25, 2023 | Leave a response

One of the leading causes of poor health is inadequate nutrition. It can occur no matter what your age, but for seniors is more prevalent. There are many reasons for that. Digestive and dental health issues are two of the problems. Physical limitations that impede cooking are another. Even if the senior has a healthy diet available, absorption of nutrients usually isn’t as efficient as it was when they were younger. Less active seniors often don’t have a good appetite, so they eat less, also limiting the nutrients ingested.

Obvious fixes include changing the things that can be changed.

If the senior has poor dental health, seeing a dentist and taking care of the problem is the fix. Addressing digestive issues is another. If the senior has a physical limitation that impedes cooking, services can deliver healthy meals. Education is the best tool for seniors to help improve their diet. Often knowing what to cook and how to balance a diet is the biggest drawback that affects overall nutrition.

Seniors can benefit from meal planning.

Meal planning can take many forms. You can plan healthy meals one day, make a grocery list the next, shop the next day, and cook a week’s worth of meals on another day. It sounds like a lot of trouble, especially creating the meal plans and shopping list. It doesn’t have to be. Our Fit Meal Formula can create a personalized plan for you to follow. It even contains a shopping list. All you have to do is buy the groceries listed and cook. Most people find they save money by meal planning. If you’re cooking for one, simply freeze the other meals and use them for another week later. It’s a lot healthier than using prepackaged foods from the grocery since it provides more nutrients and no preservatives.

Don’t forget your vitamin D.

While it’s cold in the winter and there’s not enough sun to get the vitamin D you need, during the summer months you can make sure you have an adequate supply. Do safe sunning three times a week to boost your vitamin D. Safe sunning means spending 10-15 minutes in the sun. It should be at noon. Not only is the sun at its highest point, but your body is also most efficient at making vitamin D. People with lighter skin should start with less time in the sun. The older you are, the less able your body is to convert sunlight to vitamin D, so taking supplements, eating egg yolks, salmon, or beef liver helps.

  • If dental issues or a waning appetite is a problem, make a smoothie. You can add protein supplements, fresh fruit and vegetables, and nuts. It’s easier to drink several helpings of fruits and vegetables and less filling.
  • Create a rainbow of bright colors on your dinner plate by choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Frozen fruits and vegetables are less expensive and keep longer but have the same nutritional value as fresh.
  • Make sure to carry water with you at all times and sip it throughout the day. Seniors dehydrate quicker than younger counterparts. and the signs of dehydration vary. Confusion that resembles dementia is one symptom, rapid heartbeat, weakness, cramps, and exhaustion are others.
  • Always discuss any changes to your diet with your healthcare professional. Some food can interfere with medication. Food sensitivity and medical issues can also be affected by certain foods.

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Reasons Why People Shouldn't Go Vegan

Reasons Why People Shouldn’t Go Vegan

Published by on July 25, 2023 | Leave a response

There’s nothing wrong with being vegan if you know how to create a well-balanced diet and have the will to get past the restrictions. Those people consuming a strict vegan diet often have studied the nutritional requirements or use an app to help them create their daily diet. While a vegan diet can be healthy, some people shouldn’t go vegan. A vegetarian, pescatarian, or flexitarian diet works better for most people.

What’s the difference in the diets?

There are all types of diets, but the most prominent ones in the plant-based world are pescatarian, vegetarian, flexitarian, and vegan. Flexitarian diets are the most liberal. This type of diet includes all types of food but limits the consumption of poultry, meat, fish, and seafood to the occasional meal. Pescatarians eliminate poultry and meat, while vegetarians eliminate meat, poultry, fish, and seafood. The strictest diet is the vegan diet. Only plant-based food is allowed and all animal products are eliminated.

A vegan diet provides many nutrients, but getting certain ones is difficult.

There are two major drawbacks to a vegan diet. Getting adequate vitamin B12 is one of those. Vitamin B12 is vital for nerve, heart, and muscle health. It boosts your metabolism and helps keep your body functioning properly. Supplementing with a B12 vitamin is often necessary unless the vegan focuses on consuming food fortified with B12. Zinc is another nutrient that’s difficult to get from a plant-based source. Many of the plant-based sources also contain phytates that bind to the zinc and make it unavailable.

Balancing your diet can be a challenge.

The body can create many amino acids, but there are nine essential ones it can’t create. You have to get the essential amino acids from your diet. Animal products contain all nine, but only some plant-based products do. You can combine food with incomplete proteins to achieve a complete protein profile. Combining beans and rice is an example. It takes planning to ensure you get all essential amino acids throughout the day, but some healthy people prove it’s possible.

  • Collagen is a building block for skin, muscle, bones, hair, ligaments, and tendons. It’s missing from a vegan diet. Plants don’t contain collagen but do contain the building blocks of collagen, so the body has to create it.
  • Studies show that people who are vegans often are low in vitamins K and B12, collagen, DHA, and EPA. Deficits in those nutrients create a potential for premature aging. A vegan diet can also cause an imbalance of Omega 3 and Omega 6.
  • Plant-based diets aren’t for everyone. People with IBS, soy, nut, or gluten allergies or intolerance aren’t candidates for a vegan diet. If you’re on a low carb diet, it’s not for you.
  • It’s simply more difficult to eat when you’re on a strict vegan diet, especially if you like to eat in restaurants. Few offer many vegan options. If you’re not good with planning or details we can help make it easier with personalized meal plans.

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Can Intermittent Fasting Lead To The Development Of An Eating Disorder?

Can Intermittent Fasting Lead To The Development Of An Eating Disorder?

Published by on July 15, 2023 | Leave a response

What is intermittent fasting—IF—and can it lead to an eating disorder? IF is not a specific diet, but a way of scheduling meals. It can be as strict as fasting two days a week and eating normally the other five to eating within a 16-hour window and fasting the other 8 hours. Creating rules around eating is one definition of an eating disorder and altering regular eating routines is another. IF fits both. Does it lead to disaster or is it beneficial?

Some smaller studies indicate IF isn’t a problem.

Studies indicate that IF may not be a problem, but the few studies existing are small. Professionals who work with those with eating disorders remain concerned. IF, like other diets, provides rules that indicate when to consume food and when not to eat. It ignores hunger patterns and could lead to binging. Another study found that IF was associated with other eating disorder behaviors like binge eating, laxative use, vomiting, and compulsive exercising.

IF is not just a way to lose weight, but also a way to help improve glucose tolerance.

Studies are still investigating whether IF has benefits. Many find that it does help reduce inflammation. Inflammation is associated with several diseases. It could help people with Alzheimer’s, asthma, arthritis, MS, and stroke due to or exacerbated by inflammation. It can cause insulin levels to drop, leading to decreased insulin resistance and improved levels of HGH—human growth hormone. It boosts cell repair and may extend life span.

It’s all about the why.

One factor separates IF from eating disorders and that’s your intentions. If it’s for the health benefits, such as reducing insulin resistance, or want the other health benefits it offers, then it probably won’t cause eating disorders. Following an IF regimen under a doctor’s care also reduces the potential for eating disorders. If it’s accompanied by other symptoms of an eating disorder, such as compulsive exercising or vomiting, it’s also a slippery slope.

  • One way to judge whether IF may be an eating disorder is to ask yourself how you would feel if you ate during fasting time. Would you feel like a failure or accept it and continue the next day?
  • In addition to those mentioned, other signs of eating disorders include weighing yourself several times a day, skipping meals, eating in isolation, fear of weight gain, and skipping meals.
  • Some side effects of IF include hunger, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and nausea. It’s not for everyone. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid it.
  • If you have acid reflux, diabetes, kidney stones, or other medical conditions, you should always talk to your doctor before starting an intermittent fasting program.

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