Body and Soul Fitness File - Winter 2011

Contents:
Eat Local! Fitness Tip Nutrition Tip

Eat Local - Better for the Environment, Better for You

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The next time you're at the grocery store, take a look at the stickers on your fruits and vegetables. They tell you where in the world your produce comes from. Chances are if it's not from Canada, it was picked long before it was ripe and mass transported thousands of miles to get to your grocery store. During the long journey, the fruits/veggies were most likely exposed to damage from handling and heat and gassed to induce artificial ripening.

By now most of us have learned that choosing local produce diminishes our impact on the environment. But did you know that buying local can also be beneficial to your health? As even well stored fruits and vegetables lose much of their nutrient value within a few days of picking, you can guess that the well-travelled versions do not provide as much nutrition as their local counterparts. In fact, produce that is frozen quickly after picking often retains more of its super nutritional value than that which is imported and sold as "fresh".

Unfortunately, our climate doesn't provide us with fresh blueberries all year round - it can be a challenge to eat local! You can stick to what is seasonally available - at this time of year hearty foods like artichokes, brussels sprouts, garlic, squash, potatoes, kale, cranberries, apples, and many other delightful foods grow naturally in BC and are available at the winter farmers market at Nat Bailey stadium (visit every Saturday from 10am to 2pm). Or, if completely switching your diet to what's seasonally available isn't an option, consider preservation methods like freezing, drying and canning to make your favourite seasonal foods last all year long.

Fitness Tip: Improve Workout Qulity with Mind-Body Exercise

Mind-body exercise involves engaging your mind and keeping it focused while performing physical exercise. Mind-body techniques improve body awareness, increase motivation, and enhance your overall workout and fitness. Try the following mind-body techniques to add quality to your workouts:
Focus on your body - concentrate on each muscular movement and how your body is feeling during the movement. Synchronize movements with breathing patterns. Ensure you are taking full inhalations and exhalations while lifting weights and performing cardio. Pay attention to proper form and alignment, performing each movement with precision and control.

Being mindful of your body while exercising improves whole-body health and body control and instills balance both physically and mentally.

Nutrition Tip: Beath Cold Symptoms with Oil of Oragano

Although it doesn't taste as good as the oregano used in your pizza sauce, oil of oregano can be a powerful tool in helping ward off colds. This natural herb extract works like a powerful antibiotic, has antifungal and antiviral properties, and is packed with immune-boosting active ingredients like carvacrol (a powerful antimicrobial agent). It is relatively inexpensive and good quality brands can be found at natural health pharmacies and health food stores.

Body and Soul Fitness File - Winter 2011