Champagne Fitness Blog

Ladies: You are Invited to an Evening of Indulgence

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:04:10 -0600

Champagne Fitness and Nourish Retreats are pleased to collaborate with Natural Way Chiropractic for a fun filled night. We cordially invite you to a complimentary evening of pampering and indulgence for women only! Bring your girlfriends on Friday, April 29th from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Fitness Table Calgary 1130 12th Street SW. Come and enjoy mini massages, manicures, wine tasting, food and more! Space is limited, so RSVP today to reserve your spot. Please contact Natural Way Chiropractic 403-246-0334 or info@naturalwaychiro.ca.

Why an Apple a Day Really Can Keep the Doctor Away

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:54:24 -0600

Last year I had the pleasure of hearing Matt O’Neill speak at the FitPro Convention in England. He is a Dietician with an incredible amount of information to share. Today I came across this video, where he talks about apples and how important it is to include them in your diet. Full of anti-oxidants, they can also help you to manage your weight. Great video!

'Morning Glory' Wheat & Dairy-Free Muffins

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 21:12:28 -0700

It is always a challenge to find great baking recipes that are wheat and dairy-free. This recipe has been adapted from the orginal, which can be found on the Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes box.
Quinoa is a super healthy ancient grain; the Incans called it “the Mother grain” in their launguage. Quinoa is a great source of balanced protein and contains important minerals like calcium and iron, and its easy digestibility is also an added bonus for those on restricted diets. These muffins, with all the amazing add-ins, make a fantastic breakfast or snack on the go!
Ingredients
1 cup organic quinoa flour
1 cup organic quinoa flakes
1/2 cup organic ground flax seeds
1/4 cup organic hemp seeds
1/4 cup organic coconut
4 tbsp organic honey
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 large organic carrot, grated
1/4 pecans (can substitute any nuts you like)
1 tsp sea salt
4 very ripe organic bananas
4 organic eggs

Exercise is Actually Good for Knees, Study Shows

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:14:40 -0700

INDIANAPOLIS – For years, studies have offered conflicting opinions on whether exercise is good for knees. A new report released today by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) provides strong evidence that exercise is, in fact, good for the knees.
The report, titled “What is the Effect of Physical Activity on the Knee Joint? A Systematic Review,” was published this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, ACSM’s official scientific journal. A research study led by Donna Urquhart, Ph.D., and Flavia Cicuttini, Ph.D., examined the effects of physical activity on individual parts of the knee.
“Several studies have already examined the impact of physical activity on the knee as a whole, but none have looked at the effect of physical activity on individual parts of the knee,” said Dr. Cicuttini, head of the musculoskeletal unit in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University in Australia. “As it turns out, exercise affects each part of the knee differently, which helps explain why there have been conflicting reports for so long.”
According to the team’s findings, while exercise was linked to osteophytes, or bony spurs, there were no detrimental changes to joint space, the place where cartilage is housed. There were beneficial effects on cartilage integrity, with evidence of greater volumes and fewer defects.
“These findings are significant, as they suggest that osteophytes, in the absence of cartilage damage, may just be a functional adaptation to mechanical stimuli,” said Dr. Urquhart.
The report comprised data from 28 studies, representing 9,737 participants from all parts of the world. All included studies examined the relationship between physical activity and knee osteoarthritis and also included MRI evidence of osteoarthritic knees when investigating disease progression or healthy knees when investigating disease incidence.
Osteoarthritis – a degenerative joint disease that attacks cartilage and underlying bone and often preys on knees, hips and hands – affects nearly 27 million Americans and is the leading cause of disability in noninstitutionalized adults.

Link to original article as found on www.fitnet.ca: http://fitnet.ca/comm/index.php/2011/3/news_ascmknees

The Dirty Dozen

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:56:55 -0700

There is a lot of hype out there about organic food. For the most part, organic produce can be pricey and hard to find, especially in a country with harsh winters. The Dirty Dozen is a list of foods that has the highest pesticide residues—and which do not— so if you are on a budget and need to prioritize your organic purchases, or you would simply like to know which type of produce you should buy organic, here’s the lowdown:

12 Most Contaminated
■ Peaches
■ Apples
■ Sweet Bell Peppers
■ Celery
■ Nectarines
■ Strawberries
■ Cherries
■ Pears
■ Grapes (Imported)
■ Spinach
■ Lettuce
■ Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated
■ Onions
■ Avocado
■ Sweet Corn (Frozen)
■ Pineapples
■ Mango
■ Asparagus
■ Sweet Peas (Frozen)
■ Kiwi Fruit
■ Bananas
■ Cabbage
■ Broccoli
■ Papaya

Source: Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org and Food News, www.foodnews.org.