Ft Myers Running Club

The Joy of Running

Running is a popular sport that attracts a variety of people of all ages. While everyone has different reasons for running, the health benefits of running are the enjoyed by everyone who participates. Here are the Top 10:

1. Weight Loss
Running is an awesome calorie burning workoutand when combined with good eating habitscan assist with fat loss and weight control. The key is to burn more calories than you consume.
Running also increases lean muscle which increases metabolic rate.

2. Maintain Bone Density
Weight bearing exercises such as running, help to reduce the loss of bone density, aidingin the prevention of osteoporosis.

3. Prevention of Diabetes
Running is a great cardiovascular workout and as such can help to prevent the onset of diabetes and lessen the symptoms of diabetes if you currently have the condition.

4. Strengthens Cardiovascular System
Your heart is a muscle and will receive great benefit from exercise that elevates your heart rate for extended periods Running can help to prevent heart attacks and also benefit your arteries. When you run, your heart pumps harder to keep up with the increase oxygen needs of the body. This increases the pressure flowing through your arteries and clears of the plaquewhich might otherwise block arteries.

5. Stress Reduction / Relief
A good run can help to release stress along with sweat and toxins. The intense physical activity encourages better relaxation and also enhances sleep.

6. Increases Lung Function
Regular running increases the number of capillaries that supply oxygen to your lungs. Whenyour lungs become more efficient your respiratory system improves over time.

7. Promotes a Sense of Well Being
Running promotes a better quality of life in numerous waysways. If you are leaner and more healthy you just naturally feel better. When you are less stressed and more relaxed you feel better. Running also releases endorphins and can produce what is known as a runner's high.

8.
Running is inexpensive and doesn't require any special equipment. Other activities may also require access to specific locations. This is not the case with running. It only requires a good pair of running shoes, comfortable clothing, and a safe environment

9. Spend Time Outdoors
Running is a sport that permits you to spend time enjoying the great outdoors. You can get your daily dose of Vitamin D and enjoychange of scenery at the same time.

10. Meet New People
Running is a good group activity. It's a great way to meet other runners and share in group workouts.

Join A Running Club

If you would like to meet others, share workouts, and socialize then you may want to join a running club. The 3D Running Club is a Fort Myers, FL running club that promotes running among athletes of all abilities and ages, to train and run all the year around with the help and support of others.

The 3D philosophy is one of dedication, discipline, and desire. If you would like to share the benefits of running with others, then 3D Running Club may be the club for you.

Click here to check out the Fort Myers Running Club.

Here's another site worth checking out Top 10 Reasons To Run

Debby Wier is an internet marketing specialist who also blogs and writes articles on a wide variety of topics.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/track-and-field-articles/ft-myers-running-club-1146225.html

Low Carb Menu Day 7

 

This menu would be good for most low carb diets beyond an ultra-low carb phase. It has 45 grams effective carbohydrate and 27 grams of fiber.

Breakfast

• Breakfast Burrito: 2 eggs scrambled in 2 teaspoons oil or butter, 1 oz ham, 1 low carb tortilla (these vary, but one popular brand has 5 grams of usable carbohydrate and 7 grams fiber)
• Cantaloupe Wedge: 1/8 of medium melon

Lunch

• A large salad, with, for example, 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1/3 cup raw mushrooms, ½ cup chopped red pepper, ¼ cup shredded carrot, and ¼ cup chopped broccoli
• 4 oz cooked chicken meat
• 2 Tablespoons sugar-free Italian-type dressing

Snack

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• ½ cup sugar-free canned peaches, such as “Carb Clever” or rinse peaches canned in juice very well.

Dinner

• Unstuffed Cabbage
• Optional low carb dessert, if you have carbs left (some, like the low carb brownies, are just one carb each)

Nutritional Analysis: This menu provides 45 grams effective carbohydrate plus 27 grams fiber, 102 grams protein, and 1500 calories.

Note: Calories can be varied by adding and subtracting protein and fat (if you get hungry, add more calories), or, if your particular carbohydrate needs vary from this, by changing amounts of carbohydrate foods. All menus have essentially all essential vitamins and minerals except for calcium and Vitamin D. “Essentially” means that one particular vitamin might be a bit under one day or another. For the most part, these menus far exceed the minimum requirements. Some menus have a lower carb option. My analysis of the nutrients other than carbs does not include this option.

 

 

By Laura Dolson, About.com

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Low Carb Menu Day 6

 

This menu is designed to be compatible with Phase One of the South Beach Diet, but works on almost any low carb plan. It can be varied easily to accommodate other low carb plans. It is a little lower in calories than most of my menus. If you get hungry, add an extra roast beef wrap at lunch, more oil in preparing the eggs or dinner greens, etc.

Breakfast

• Broccoli-Cheese Frittata, made with ½ cup cooked broccoli and 1/3 c low fat cheese per serving – or make and omelet with the ingredients, or just scramble them all together. If doing it as part of a frittata, I counted 1 teaspoon olive oil – you would probably add more oil and calories if cooking the ingredients separately (which is fine, it just affects my analysis of the menu).
• 2 slices Canadian bacon – can be chopped up as part of the egg dish if you want

Lunch

• Rainbow Bean Soup – make Rainbow Soup, adding a can of black soy beans
• 2 Roast Beef Wraps, made with 2 slices lean roast beef, 2 lettuce leaves, 1 T mayo, and ½ cup roasted red peppers (not packed in sugar, or rinsed). Can substitute low carb ketchup for the peppers, for 1 less gram carb and less nutrients.

Snack

• 15 whole almonds

Dinner

• Chicken Marsala
• 1 cup cooked greens, such as spinach, made by sautéing with 1 clove garlic and 1 T olive oil
• Optional Dessert: Sugar-free gelatin

Nutritional Analysis: 30 grams effective carbohydrate, plus 22 grams fiber, 110 grams protein, and 1400 calories. Note:Calories can be varied by adding and subtracting protein and fat (if you get hungry, add calories), or, if your particular carbohydrate needs vary from this, by changing amounts of carbohydrate foods. All menus have essentially all essential vitamins and minerals except for calcium and Vitamin D. “Essentially” means that one particular vitamin might be a bit under one day or another. For the most part, these menus far exceed the minimum requirements. Some menus have a lower carb option. My analysis of the nutrients other than carbs does not include this option.

 

 

By Laura Dolson, About.com

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Low Carb Menu Day 5

 

Breakfast

• 2 (or 3) eggs cooked as you like them
• 2 slices Canadian bacon
• 6 medium asparagus spears
• 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen

Lunch

2 cups Low Carb Cole Slaw mixed with
• 1 cup cooked chicken
• 1/3 cup chopped apple
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Snack (morning, afternoon, or evening)

• 1/2 cup plain, strained yogurt with cultures (see Yogurt Info), flavored with sugar-free syrup such as Da Vinci’s
• 1 ½ Tablespoon flax seed meal

Dinner

• 4 oz lean beef such as London Broil
• 1 cup mushrooms, sautéed in olive oil
• Simply Scrumptious Spinach, OR spinach salad made with 3 cups spinach and olive oil dressing OR another cup of cole slaw

Nutritional Analysis 40 grams effective carbohydrate, plus 20 grams fiber, 127 grams protein, and about 1700 calories. To lower carb count for very low carb diet phases, or make appropriate for South Beach Phase One, eliminate fruit, which subtracts 13 grams effective carbohydrate and 4 grams fiber.

Note:Calories can be varied by adding and subtracting protein and fat, or, if your particular carbohydrate needs vary from this, by changing amounts of carbohydrate foods. All menus have essentially all essential vitamins and minerals except for calcium and Vitamin D. “Essentially” means that one particular vitamin might be a bit under one day or another. For the most part, these menus far exceed the minimum requirements. Some menus have a lower carb option. My analysis of the nutrients other than carbs does not include this option.

 

 

By Laura Dolson, About.com

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Low Carb Menu Day 4 – No Cooking Required

 

I’ve had requests for menus that don’t require cooking. You don’t need to go near a stove, or even a microwave for this one, and you can even have a “drive-through lunch”. Of course, that means it’s a cold menu – good for when you’re on the run.

Breakfast

• 1/2cup All Bran Cereal with Extra Fiber with
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup strawberries
• 3 T sliced almonds

Lunch

• ”Paul’s Lunch at Wendy’s”: “Drive to Wendy’s. Order 2 Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwiches and a Caesar’s Salad. Throw away the buns and croutons. (Feed them to the birds).”*

Most fast food places now have similar options.

Snack

• 3 large mushrooms, each with 1 T of cream cheese-based cheese spread

Dinner

• Chicken Club Wraps: Wrap the following divided between 3 large lettuce leaves. You can use low carb tortillas, but adjust the carb and fiber counts.
• 4 oz cooked chicken from deli (I get the whole roasted chickens)
• 1/2 cup sliced red pepper
• 1 plum tomato, sliced
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
• It’s even better with bacon added, but you’d either have to cook it or get the already-cooked kind, so I left it out
• Dessert: Raspberry Vanilla Cream – don’t worry, you can blend it up in 5 minutes

*Lunch idea courtesy of Paul Lagasse’, creator of Kathleen’s Diet Planner

Nutritional Analysis: Total carb count is 33 grams effective carbohydrate plus 25 grams fiber, 120 grams protein, and 1567 calories.

Note: Calories can be varied by adding and subtracting protein and fat, or, if your particular carbohydrate needs vary from this, by changing amounts of carbohydrate foods. All menus have essentially all essential vitamins and minerals except for calcium and Vitamin D. “Essentially” means that one particular vitamin might be a bit under one day or another. For the most part, these menus far exceed the minimum requirements. Some menus have an ultra-low carb option (such as would be appropriate for Atkins Induction phase. My analysis of the nutrients other than carbs does not include this option.

 

 

By Laura Dolson, About.com

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Low Carb Menu Day 3

 

Breakfast

• 1 cup plain, strained yogurt with cultures (see Yogurt Info)
• 1/2 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 3 T sliced almonds

Lunch

• Turkey Sandwich using 1 serving Flax Meal Focaccia Bread or other low carb bread, 3 oz turkey, 1 T mayonnaise, 1 large lettuce leaf, and ¼ cup alfalfa sprouts. If substituting other bread, note differences in carbs and fiber.
• 8 spears cooked asparagus marinated in sugar-free Italian dressing

Snack

• 1 large celery stalk
• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter

Dinner

• Creamy Southwest Chicken
• Refried Beans (made with black soy beans)
• One cup (or more) of salad greens with low carb dressing

Nutritional Analysis: This menu contains 30 grams effective carbohydrate, plus 25 grams fiber, 113 grams protein, and 1650 calories.

Note: Calories can be varied by adding and subtracting protein and fat, or, if your particular carbohydrate needs vary from this, by changing amounts of carbohydrate foods. All menus have essentially all essential vitamins and minerals except for calcium and Vitamin D. “Essentially” means that one particular vitamin might be a bit under one day or another. For the most part, these menus far exceed the minimum requirements. Some menus have an ultra-low carb option (such as would be appropriate for Atkins Induction phase). My analysis of the nutrients other than carbs does not include this option.

 

 

By Laura Dolson, About.com

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Low Carb Menu Day 2

 

Breakfast

• 3 eggs with ½ cup cooked spinach and 1 cup sliced raw mushrooms, sautéed (in omelet or scrambled together)
• 1 small slice cantaloupe (about 1/8 small melon)
• 1 Apple Flax Muffin (or could save muffin for lunch)

Lunch

• 3 cups chopped romaine or other dark green lettuce
• Tuna Walnut Salad

Snack

• Another Apple Flax Muffin with a nice cup of tea

Dinner

• Lasagna in a Bowl
• Green salad with low carb dressing

Nutritional Analysis Total 35 grams effective carbohydrate plus 23 grams fiber. To lower carbs, swap spaghetti squash (8 grams carb) out for a different pasta alternative at dinner. Menu also contains 98 grams of protein and about 1500-1600 calories depending on salad dressing and extra fat used in cooking eggs.

Note:Calories can be varied by adding and subtracting protein and fat, or, if your particular carbohydrate needs vary from this, by changing amounts of carbohydrate foods. All menus have essentially all essential vitamins and minerals except for calcium and Vitamin D. “Essentially” means that one particular vitamin might be a bit under one day or another. For the most part, these menus far exceed the minimum requirements. In menus where lower carb options are presented, my analysis of the nutrients other than carbs does not include this option.

 

By Laura Dolson, About.com

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Low Carb Menu Day 1

 

Breakfast

• Hot Peanut Butter Flax Cereal
• 1/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries on cereal

Lunch

• Salad made with 4 cups chopped romaine or other dark green lettuce (i.e. not iceberg), half an avocado, and 4 oz cooked chicken meat, with Vinaigrette dressing such as Sweet and Sour Lime Dressing

Snack

• 1/4 cup whole almonds

Dinner

• Grilled or Pan-fried Steak (5 oz raw)
• 1 cup green beans, prepared as you like them
• 1 cup Mushroom and Peppers with Wine and Herbs

Nutritional Analysis: Total 26 grams effective carbohydrate plus 32 grams fiber. For Atkins Induction, leave off the Mushrooms and Pepper dish at dinner, and the total carb is slightly less than 20 grams of carb plus 29 grams fiber. Menu also contains 95 grams of protein and about 1500 calories.

Note: Calories can be varied by adding and subtracting protein and fat, or, if your particular carbohydrate needs vary from this, by changing amounts of carbohydrate foods. All menus have essentially all essential vitamins and minerals except for calcium and Vitamin D. “Essentially” means that one particular vitamin might be a bit under one day or another. For the most part, these menus far exceed the minimum requirements. In menus where lower carb options are presented, my analysis of the nutrients other than carbs does not include this option.

 

By Laura Dolson, About.com

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Ten Surprising Nutrition Facts

 

The American diet circa 2007 is a disaster – but positive change has begun. Those were the twin themes of the "Fourth Annual Nutrition and Health Conference" held in San Diego, Calif., May 14-16, 2007. The conference was sponsored by the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in conjunction with the Program in Integrative Medicine (PIM); PIM was founded and is co-directed by Dr. Weil. 

The three-day event brought together leading nutrition researchers from around the world, bearing plenty of both bad and good news. Some highlights:

 

Bad News:

 

1. Hunter-gatherers in the Australian outback today live on 800 varieties of plant foods. Modern Americans live principally on three: corn, soy and wheat.

   From the presentation, "Phytonutrients: Nature’s Bonus from Plant Foods" by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

2. One third of Americans get 47 percent of their calories from junk foods.

   USDA" Trends in the United States – Consumer Attitudes and the Supermarket, 2000. From the presentation, "Phytonutrients: Nature’s Bonus from Plant Foods" by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

3. The average American is eating 300 more calories each day than he or she did in 1985. Added sweeteners account for 23 percent of those additional calories; added fats, 24 percent.

   Putnam et al. USDA. From the presentation, "Cultivating the Common Ground of Food, Nutrition and Ecological Health," by David Wallinga, M.D., Director, Food & Health Program, Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy, Minneapolis, Minn.

4. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread. The following health problems have been linked to vitamin D deficiency: type 1 and 2 diabetes; multiple sclerosis; rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, periodontal disease, increased susceptibility to infection; osteoporosis, low birth weight infants; low seizure threshold; cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, pancreas and ovary; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure; wheezing in childhood, and compromised muscle strength and falls in the elderly.

   From the presentation, "Vitamin D Deficiency: The Cause of Everything?" by Louise Gagne, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

5. In real dollars, the price of fresh fruits and vegetables has risen nearly 40 percent since 1985. In real dollars, the price of soft drinks has dropped 23 percent. The reason unhealthy foods tend to be less expensive on average than foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables has much to do with American farm policy.

   Condensed from "Food without Thought: How U.S. Farm Policy Contributes to Obesity" Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Environment and Agriculture Program, from the presentation, "The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Searching for the Perfect Meal in a Fast-Food World," by Michael Pollan, Knight Professor of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

           Hopeful News

6. Ten cups per day of green tea delayed cancer onset 8.7 years in Japanese women and three years in Japanese men.

   From the presentation, "Beef or Broccoli? Nutrition and Breast Cancer" by Victoria Maizes, M.D., Executive Director, Program in Integrative Medicine, Assoc. Professor, Clinical Medicine/Family & Community Medicine, the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Ariz.

7. Three meta-analyses of randomized, placebo-controlled trials found a 5-12 percent decrease in cholesterol levels in hyperlipidemic patients after at least 30 days’ treatment with 600-900 mg of garlic extract.

   Warshafsky S., et al Ann Int Med 1993; 19;599-605; Silagy C, et al. JR Coll Phys Longdon 1994; 28:2-8; Ackermann RT, et al. Arch Intern Med 2001: 161: 813-24. From the presentation, "The Medicinal Spices" by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., Education Director, Program in Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.

8. Maternal limitation of seafood consumption to less than 340 grams per week during pregnancy did not protect children from adverse outcomes. In contrast, this observational study [Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children] showed beneficial effects on child development when maternal seafood consumption exceeded 340 grams per week, with no upper limit of benefit…

   Hibbeln et al., The Lancet, 17 Feb., 2007. From the presentation of Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., Senior Clinical Investigator, Sectional of Nutritional Neurosciences, Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Md.

9. "I see a lot of hopeful trends, including the rise of alternative agriculture: organic, local, biodynamic…There are now over 4,000 farmers’ markets in the U.S. The number has doubled in 10 years."

   From the presentation, "The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Searching for the Perfect Meal in a Fast-Food World," by Michael Pollan, Knight Professor of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

10. Chocolate…may have a mild hypotensive [blood-pressure lowering] effect.

    From the presentation, "The Medicinal Spices" by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., Education Director, Program in Integrative Medicine, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson. Ariz.