Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Nutrition

Fall Prevention in Autumn

As the leaves begin to change, Team Peak dedicates its time and resources to Fall Prevention Awareness month. There are a number of Fall Prevention Programs available, including the ones here at Peak Fitness and Physical Therapy! Before you ask about or programs, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

  • Research shows that fall risk is increased by things such as age, weakness, confusion and unsteady movement. Luckily, that same research also shows that if we pay particular attention to these risk factors, our fall risk decreases. A consistent exercise program will not only help keep you on your feet, it will help keep you healthy and strong (Rubenstein, 2006).
  • Wear the appropriate footwear. Consider the changing weather as a cue to ditch the unstable sandals and opt for some better fitting sneakers. This is especially important if you are going to be doing activities like raking leaves, picking pumpkins, etc.
  • Get a balance assessment. Ideally, we can start an intervention before a fall incident Get your eyes, ears, strength, mobility and gait assessed by a qualified professional to help set you up for success (Moylan, Binder, 2007).

 

By Matt Rhodes

 

References:
Moylan and Binder, 2007. Falls in older adults: risk assessment, management and prevention. American Journal of Medicine 120(6).

Rubenstein, EF, 2006. Falls in older people: epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for prevention. Journal of Aging 35.

 

 

 

Cholesterol: The Good & The Bad

Increased exercise and a healthy diet can create positive changes within your body other than just losing weight. Cholesterol levels are just one of many indicators for cardiovascular disease. While those who are overweight have a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease, those people are not the only ones at risk. Nutrition and exercise play a large part in one’s cholesterol levels. High cholesterol means that there is an imbalance of fats circulating in the blood stream. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that your body uses to make hormones and metabolize food. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is referred to as the “bad cholesterol.” A high LDL level may put you at risk for cardiovascular disease. This type of cholesterol is linked to a buildup of plaque within the arteries, which can eventually obstruct proper blood flow to the heart and other organs. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good cholesterol” which carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver and it will remove the bad cholesterol from your body. Higher HDL levels have proven to protect against heart disease. Triglycerides refer to fat content in the blood. This is the kind of fat that people eat, which found mostly in vegetable oil and animal fats.

High cholesterol, however, is not always associated with your weight. Several factors play a role in your cholesterol levels including exercise, nutrition, and genetics. These factors combine to form a baseline for one’s risk of developing high cholesterol. Consuming a diet that is high in fat, such as high-fat meats, fried foods and high-fat cheeses, will increase your risk of developing both high cholesterol and obesity.

Making small changes to your nutritional habits and exercise routine may help to reduce your cholesterol. Instead of focusing on changing your caloric intake, be mindful about the types of foods you eat which will help contribute to healthier cholesterol levels. Regular exercise may also contribute to increasing your good cholesterol levels. However, if weight loss is also a concern, research studies suggest that weight loss may help reduce your LDL and triglyceride levels, while increasing HDL.

 

By Louise Mills-Strasser

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Acorn Squash

Makes 2 servings!

Ingredients:

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 pound grass-fed, organic ground beef (ground turkey would work, too)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 finely-chopped apple
  • ½ cup chopped cranberries (fresh, not dried)
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp sage
  • unrefined coconut oil
  • salt, pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to ~400 degrees.
  2. Cut the acorn squash in half, and scoop out the seeds and strings.
  3. Place the squash cut side up in a large baking pan, and put a tablespoon of water into each “cup”, and pour ¼ cup of water into the bottom of the pan.
  4. Loosely “tent” the pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 30-35 minutes.
  5. While squash is baking, chop the onion, apple, pecans and cranberries.
  6. Saute the beef and onion in a little coconut oil for 2-3 minutes, then add pecans, cranberries, and herbs. Add salt and pepper. Do not completely cook this mixture.
  7. Pull squash out of the oven, spoon the mixture into the “cups” (heaped to overflowing is okay).
  8. Bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.

 

Original recipe from Whole 30 can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Egg & Veggie Bake

PREP TIME: 10 mins
COOK TIME: 40 mins
TOTAL TIME: 50 mins

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 large eggs
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups roughly chopped kale
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup milk
  • salt + pepper, to taste
  • olive oil or butter

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Grease a large casserole pan with oil or butter.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. Add oil to a pan and stir in onion. Cook until translucent (about 3 mins)
  4. Add in bell pepper and cook for one more minute.
  5. Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl. Whisk well.
  6. Add in milk and stir.
  7. Add in cooked onion and bell peppers, tomatoes, kale, cheese and salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  8. Add mixture to casserole pan and bake for 30 mins or until cooked all the way through.
  9. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting in.

 

Original recipe from the Healthy Maven can be found here!

Recipe of the Week: Confetti Corn

Total:30 min
Prep:15 min
Cook:15 min
Yield:6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 small orange bell pepper, 1/2-inch diced
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Kernels cut from 5 ears yellow or white corn (4 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil, minced fresh chives, and/or minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir in the bell pepper and saute for 2 more minutes.
  2. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Over medium heat, add the corn, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the corn just loses its starchiness. Season to taste, gently stir in the basil or other green herbs, and serve hot.

 

Original recipe from The Food Network can be found here!

Keeping BBQ Season Alive

One of the best parts about summer is having the leisure of walking outside and easily throwing some meat and vegetables on the grill. The perfect way to meal prep ahead of time and have yourself food for the next week. BBQ-ing is a very healthy way to prepare your food and it requires minimal effort. When you are cooking for the family, it is a great way to have a big variety of food and make everyone happy.

September means it’s back to school time and we often tend to fall off the nutritional wagon. As our schedules become busy with activities, stress levels start to get higher and nutrition becomes a second priority. We want to avoid falling into take out and fast food trap in order to maintain the progress you made over the summer. Unfortunately, the last thing you want to do when you come home from work or school is cook a full meal and follow that up with a sink full of dishes. Look no further than your BBQ for the answer! One great way to give yourself food for the week is to BBQ in bulk, throw a couple packages of chicken breast on the grill and your family will have food for the next four days. Tired of chicken breast? Shrimp, burgers, steak, salmon, etc. are all great options to serve as lean protein with each meal. Try also grilling vegetables as a nice alternative to steaming, boiling, or sautéing. Having these ready to go will alleviate stress by not having to worry about cooking and help to avoid grabbing something “quick & easy.” Preparation is key when it comes to weight loss and if you have the tools already at your disposal then it only makes sense to use it for as long as possible. Keep BBQ season alive and utilize it until it’s too cold to step outside…then throw on a jacket and BBQ some more!

 

By Tyler Palmquist

Recipe of the Week: Mediterranean Pizza *GF

Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and broken into small florets
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large regular lemon
  • 6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
  • ? cup green or black olives, pitted and sliced
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup slivered fresh basil

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a pizza pan or rimless baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until reduced to rice-size crumbles. Transfer to a large nonstick skillet and add 1 tablespoon oil and salt. Heat over medium-high, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower begins to soften slightly (but don’t let it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, remove the skin and white pith from the lemon and discard. Working over a small bowl, cut the segments from the membranes, letting the segments drop into the bowl (remove seeds). Drain the juice from the segments (save for another use). Add tomatoes and olives to the lemon segments; toss to combine.
  4. Add egg, cheese and oregano to the cooled cauliflower; stir to combine. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, shaping into an even 10-inch round. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon oil over the top.
  5. Bake the pizza until the top begins to brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Scatter the lemon- olive mixture over the top, season with pepper, and continue to bake until nicely browned all over, 8 to 14 minutes more. Scatter basil over the top. Cut into wedges and serve.

 

Original recipe from Eating Well. You can find it here along with a quick how-to video of this recipe!

 

Lowering Your Blood Pressure

The word “cardio” refers to the heart, a muscle that pumps blood to our entire body. When you are doing any cardiovascular exercise the goal is to strengthen your heart and make it work more efficiently. Cardiorespiratory exercise is often associated with running and weight loss. Yes, running is one form of “cardio,” but there are many options like the elliptical, biking, swimming, walking, and basically anything that keeps your heart rate elevated. Cardiovascular exercise can help with weight loss, but it also helps the body in other ways, especially by decreasing high blood pressure (BP).

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels. High BP is when the pressure is consistently too high; BP can be classified as “too high” when either your resting Systolic (top) or Diastolic (bottom) numbers are 140/90 mmHG or higher. High BP is often referred to as the silent killer because of not regularly checking you pressure. High BP typically cannot be felt, but over time the pressure causes damage to the walls of your arteries and can damage some of the organs in the body as well. If cardiovascular exercise, as well as, a better diet is introduced slowly to someone with high BP, they have the ability to lower it. Normal blood pressure is considered 120/80 mmHG at rest. BP and heart rate (HR) don’t coincide; because your HR is low does not mean your BP is low.

To manually take a blood pressure reading, you need a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) and stethoscope for a trained individual to obtain your BP. There are also automated devices which can be used to take a BP reading. If you already have high BP it is not recommended to do intense cardiovascular exercise, because BP increases with increased intensity. If you have high BP, be sure you speak to your doctor before starting an exercise program. When you are cleared to exercise then low-moderate intensity cardio to start and slowly increasing the intensity of the exercise program can help lower your BP over time.

During exercise it is normal to have the systolic number increase and see a reading of 160/80 mmHG and this is not considered high BP. Even in healthy individuals the systolic reading can exceed 200 mmHG; however diastolic BP changes very little during exercise. This increase will only occur during exercise; when you stop exercising, BP will decrease maybe even lower than pre-exercise levels. Cardiorespiratory exercise is good for individuals with high blood pressure because it will help to lower it over time.

Cardiovascular exercise has great benefit on the heart and in turn makes your body more efficient. When your body works more efficiently your heart doesn’t need to pump as heard during rest thus you will have a lower BP. Another benefit to having a more efficient heart is that the same mile you walked on the first day will become easier over time; it won’t feel as challenging to obtain the same goals. As your body becomes more efficient, you have to make your exercise a little more challenging to keep thosenseeing results.

 

By: Corynne Duprey