|
urban fit fuel
[beat the heat with
nature’s fuel]
It’s way too hot outside. I’ll start going for more
walks when it gets a little cooler. Sound familiar? Then what
happens? Time flies and suddenly it’s winter and way too cold to
be out exercising. Right now, the damp blanket of humidity we are
engulfed in as soon as we step outside makes it easy to retreat
inside to the glorious air conditioner. Driving in the car you
might see people jogging, biking, walking or playing in the park
and wonder how they do it. Some might not last long, while
others, who know how to listen to their bodies in hot weather,
can sustain a longer workout and enjoy a sunny day without being
completely miserable.
There are many factors to keeping the body moving
in any weather, but during extreme temperatures (hot or cold)
it’s important to know just what your body needs before
undertaking an ambitious workout routine. Without the proper
body fuel, you might, in the middle of a workout, resort to
buying a bus ticket or hailing a cab home, or worse, swearing
off exercise all together.Start building stamina now with the proper energy
foods and you will be able to walk more, garden longer and bike
farther.
- Drink lots of water…duh! It seems
so obvious, but it’s astounding how many people get
dehydrated during the summer. And beer, doesn’t an
ice cold beer always sound like a good idea on a hot
summer day? Well’s it’s not a good idea if you plan
to spend a lot of time outside. According to the
American Red Cross, alcohol makes the heat’s effects
on your body worse by dehydrating the body. Caffeine
works the same way.
- Think color!
Red, yellow, orange, green and blue fruits and
vegetables contain phytochemicals,
non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective
or disease preventive properties.
- Eat light...Don’t weigh yourself
down with heavy meals. Eat smaller meals and snack
in between. Foods high in protein increase your
body’s metabolic heat, so put meat and potatoes on
the back burner and add more greens.
[fresh, frozen or canned?] The obvious place to get essential
nutrients is from fresh fruits and vegetables. And now is the
perfect time to find many of your favorites in season at area
Farmers’ Markets. But, because it is essential to use fresh
produce almost immediately to get the full nutritional value,
it’s not always convenient. If going for the optimum healthy
lifestyle, don’t feel guilty for buying frozen fruits or canned
veggies. If you know what to look for you can still benefit from
their nutrients.
- fresh...if you take the fresh route,
organic is best. Organic produce is void of
pesticides and unnecessary antibiotics. And
remember, fresh produce loses nutrients the longer
it sits around unused.
- frozen...organic fruits and vegetables
are transformed into frozen products. And because
frozen foods get processed right away, nutrients are
locked it so no rush.
- canned...when properly prepared,
vegetables in cans retain a high percentage of their
original vitamins and minerals. According to a study
co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the National Food Processors Association
(NFPA), canned vegetables contain fiber amounts
similar to fresh and frozen vegetables.
[try it out] Home grown tomatoes are in season.
Unlike other vegetables that lose nutrients when cooked,
tomatoes gain them. Lycopenes, a cancer fighting property of
tomatoes, become more concentrated as a tomato is cooked. This
is because, as it is cooked, tomatoes water evaporates making
the nutrients (vitamin C and lycopenes) more concentrated.
[three tomato salsa]ingredients
- 2tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ½ small red onion peeled and diced
- 2tbsp. white wine
- Dice 8 tomatillos cored, husked in
¼” pieces
- Dice 4 tomatoes seeded in ¼” pieces
- Dice 1 pt. yellow cherry tomatoes
seeded in ¼” pieces
- Salt to taste
- Coarsely ground white pepper
- 6 sprigs of fresh basil
directions
- Heat oil in medium skillet over
medium high heat. Add the onion and cook
1-2 minutes. Stir in wine and tomatillos.
- Remove from heat. Add the red and
yellow tomatoes to the skillet while the
mixture is still warm but do not heat or
cook.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper
and stir in basil. Let mixture stand
15-20 minutes so the flavors combine and
refrigerate up to two hours before
using.
[where to find it]
| we need your help!! think-urban.com is looking for some of the
issues that you come across when looking for an urban community
to live in. what can't you find? what would you like to know
more about? who would you like to meet or have us interview?
What restaurant reviews would you like to see? anything else?
CONTACT US HERE. |
[close window] |
