Summer Time is over so that means enough with the BBQ Hot dogs and Hamburgers. Summer Time indulgence tapers off as we settle in for great fall veggies and a fresh look at our Nutritional foundation. If you are not looking at Nutrition as seasonal then now is the time to wake up to this very primal tendency. Here are the top 5 foods you should incorporate into your diet for optimal heart Health this winter.
Physiology changes with the seasons. Mammals, especially our big-ass variety have super high metabolic rates. For a long time there was an assumption that our bodies responded minimally tot he change in seasons but that has been found to be not true. According to the Journal NATURE there has been definitive studies done on bone and metabolic changes as the seasons change. Therefore it is necessary to eat along with the seasons. The benefits are two fold;
1. A diverse menu and Nutritional Foundation ensures the broadest spectrum of Nutrients in your diet .
2. Changing your menu with the seasons avoids more of the 'commercial' food options out in your supermarket. Eating with the seasons allows us to avoid excess GMO, pesticides and otherwise crappy food.
No Muscle is more in need of adaptation and need than the Heart. Heart Muscle cells work their ass off and the seasons change the metabolic rate of these cells especially as we train hard through the colder winter months. Eating for Heart health has been shown to spread the benefits throughout the GUT and brain as well. Weird??... These important systems all working together!! Go figure eh!!
Here are the top 5 Foods that you should be incorporating in your diet this fall for optimal Heart Health;
1. Salmon. Well C'mon.. If you read my stuff regularly you know that I am a HUGE fan of Wild Caught Salmon, Smoked Salmon, and all manner of varieties. Salmon is really a complete food with a high protein content and Omega-3 fatty acid profile. Studies have shown for some time that Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for heart health through a reduction in inflammation throughout your circulatory system, decreasing the chances of heart Disease.
2. Dark Green Leafy Veggies. Swiss chard, Kale, Box Choy, Brussel Sprouts. These powerhouses of Nutrition contain a host of Vitamins including A,C and K. They benefit the heart through the GUT by packing your diet with plenty of Fiber, keeping your digestive system free of harmful crap that might slip past your lips when you are feeling like a cheat day! Most importantly dark Green Veggies pack a lot of Folate (folic acid) which aids in clearing the arteries of plaques and can lower your chances of heart Related illness by a staggering amount.
3. Albacore Tuna. Known also as White Tuna, funny to say.. but this canned fish (usually) has amazing health benefits for the heart. Like Salmon it is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation but the real gem is in the Protein Content. Albacore Tuna has a whopping 40g of protein per serving. Amino Acids that are necessary for heart cell rebuilding and maintenance are very present in this potent fish. Try to minimize too many cans per week because of the assumed BPA in aluminum can construction but otherwise it is a great option for lunges and snacks.
4. Winter Squash is diverse and nutritionally very high and NON-GMO! Butternut Squash, Acorn and my favorite Spaghetti Squash are some great choices. As you may well know, squash come in all different shapes and sizes and COLORS. The colors of squash represent the amount of carotenoids (think beta-carotene in carrots) which are powerful antioxidants. Through the environment we live in and how much we train our body is constantly under stress. These anti-oxidants protect healthy cells and help remove bad ones that can cause inflammatory diseases like cancer.
5. Go Nuts! Pecans, Almonds and Macadamia Nuts are full of good fats that are vital to heart health. A small serving of nuts 2-3 times per day provides a good source of Fiber which I mentioned before helps the GUT and the heart by clearing the system of crap you eat. Along with Fiber you also get good fat. These unsaturated fats will help lower total blood cholesterol and especially LDL (da bad kine) that have been linked to Heart attacks and Heart Disease. Vitamins like Potassium, and Magnesium are also some killer reasons why you should have nuts on hand at all times.
Simply Put, protect your heart and you increase your performance. Changing with the seasons is easier now than ever. With the prevalence of farmers markets and a push for going Non-GMO, we can find really good options to get us through winter. Consciousness is all this is going to take. Take this list of foods and simply put them on your shopping list for the next couple months and watch yourself evolve into something greater and become more enlightened along the way.
Keep pushing to be the best, most positive person you can! I love you all,
E
Programming Notes 11/5-11/9 ***This is Week 2 of the Sprint, Strength Exposure Cycle. This week, we have Pat Tillmans birthday so it works well to test capacity at the heavy deadlift in the workout. Sprints are a repeat from last week to help establish feel and flow of master ing SPEED. Gymnastic Strength on Thursday has more isometric holds and begins exposing you to eccentric training. Mind your recovery. Eccentric training can really necessitate extra attention to recovery or maintenance.
11/5
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Marching High Kicks
Groiners
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Sprint W/ Change of Direction
Sprint Primer:
Run 200 m at 80% and then rest 1:30 before beginning intervals
Sprint Work:
3X 100m Sprint
-Rest 3:00 between efforts-
Condtioning:
AMRAP 10
15 Toes To bar
50 Double Unders
11/6
Baseline:
500m Row
4X
5 Pull Ups
10 Push Ups
15 Air Squats
Hamstring Primer:
3X 8
Romanian Deadlift
Pendlay Row
WOD:
“Tillman”
7 Rounds for time
7 Deadlift 315/205
200m Sprint
15 Pull Ups
Rest:45 Between Rounds
Cool Down:
Pigeon Stretch
Samson Lunge
11/7
Baseline:
10@ Each W/ Light KB
-Halos
-Trunk Rotations
-Bow/ Bend
-Up and Over (from outside of Left foot to Outside Right foot)
-Press
-Goblet Squat
-Overhead Lunge
-Goblet Clean
-Toe Touches
Squat Flow: Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Ankle Roll Out, Bootstraps, PNF Stretch, Squat W/ T Spine Stretch
Every 2 Minutes for 5 Rounds;
2X KB Overhead Lunge Steps
X 22 Reps
-Rest the Remaining time and go heavy
WOD;
5 Rounds For Total Time,
*Sets Must Be Unbroken
*Rest as needed between sets
12 Front Squats 75/55
9 Hang Squat Clean
6 Thrusters
11/8
Baseline:
Roll Out Upper Back and Rhomboids for 5 minutes before class.
400m Run
3X
10 Diamond Push Ups
15 Jumping Pull Ups
20 Air Squats
Shoulder Primer:
W/ Light Dumbbells 5-15#
20 Reverse Flys
20 Bent Scare Crows
20 See-Saw Press
20 Front Raises
20 Lateral Raises
EMOM 15
A- :30 Ring Support Bottom
B- :30 handstand Hold
C- 7 Negative Pull Ups (+:03)
WOD;
200 M D Ball Carry
30 burpees
200m D Ball Carry
30 Hip Extensions
200m D Ball Carry
30 Slam Ball
11/9
Baseline:
500m Row
3X
8 burpee Tuck Jumps
8 KB Windmills (Each Side)
8 KB Sumo Deadlift High Pull
Strength:
Press
3X5
*Building
Push Press
1X5
*Add 10-25# to last set of Strict Press
WOD;
3X
21 Cal Row
15 box Jump 24/20
9 Clean and Jerk 165/115
