Princeton Longevity News

The chicken in this recipe is poached, a low fat, low sodium cooking method for lean proteins that tend to become dry. No oil or fat is used, and the result is moist tender chicken. The recipe includes a clementine-pomegranate relish which is a great way to get more fruit into your diet. The clementines are a good source of vitamin C and the avocado in the relish contributes some healthy fats. The pomegranate seeds boost nutrient density by contributing vitamin C & K as well as potassium, folate and copper.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 seedless clementines (4 to 5 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
• 2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup minced shallot
• Flesh from 1/2 ripe avocado, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (arils; from 1/2 large or 1 medium pomegranate; may substitute fresh red currants)
• 1 tablespoon 100 percent pomegranate juice
• 1 teaspoon light agave nectar

• Juice from 4 to 5 tangerines (1 1/2 cups), plus 1 tablespoon finely grated tangerine zest
• 1 tablespoon light agave nectar
• 1/3 cup minced shallot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins

DIRECTIONS:

For the relish: Peel the clementines and separate their segments. Cut each segment into 3 equal pieces, transferring them to a mixing bowl as you work. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, scallions, shallot, avocado, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate juice and agave nectar; mix well.

For the chicken: Combine the juice and zest in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the agave nectar, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper until well blended, then pour into a large sauté pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the chicken and turn to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low; cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Check one of the tenderloins for doneness by cutting it in half to make sure it’s cooked all the way through. If it isn’t, remove the sauté pan from the heat and cover to rest for 5 minutes.

Divide the chicken among individual plates. Spoon relish over each portion. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts per serving: 270 calories; 3g total fat; 1g saturated fat; 100mg cholesterol; 250mg sodium; 21g carbohydrates; 3g dietary fiber; 41g protein

Make Ahead Note: The relish can be assembled several hours in advance and refrigerated; add the avocado just before serving. The chicken can be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days; reheat in the microwave on low or serve cold atop a salad.

1. Take the stairs.
2. Stretch in bed when you wake up.
3. Do squats while brushing your teeth
4. Perform push-ups waiting for the shower to warm up.
5. Block time off in your calendar.
6. Walk/bike/run to work if possible.
7. Park far from the entrance.
8. Stretch at your desk.
9. Walk to send messages instead of emails and the phone.
10. Clean the house.
11. Walk the dog.
12. Buy a pedometer, set a goal and track your steps.
13. Break your workout up.. 3 ten minute intervals throughout the day.
14. Get a quick workout in during lunch–think Tabata!
15. Perform triceps dips on your chair.

Strength training is extremely important for both men and women and can aid in weight loss, bone health, energy and disease prevention.  Whether you are already following a program or you are just beginning, check out these common mistakes and how to fix them so you can avoid injury and receive the maximum benefits of your workout!

1. Skipping a warm up.  Your muscles are stiff and cold which can lead to injury or bad form.  Instead, warm up with a lighter weight or some dynamic movements to increase circulation and range of motion in the joint.
2. Avoiding exercises you cannot do.  Many people struggle with pushups or pull ups so they skip them.  Instead practice at least one a day and try different forms of the exercise such as using assistance.
3. Isolating muscle groups.  Doing bicep curls are great, but they do not mimic everyday movements.  Functional training will give your body bigger benefits and aid in daily activities.  Try a squat and shoulder press instead.
4. Performing heavy cardio before.  You can definitely warm up with some cardio or incorporate it into your weight training but running a few miles before may exhaust your muscles which can lead to poor form and injury.  Try to seperate heavier cardio days.
5. Sticking to the Machines.  Although machines are a great way to start a program and gain strength and form, they also do not allow you to go through different ranges of motion and limit your exercises.  Instead try cables, body weight or free weights and ask a trainer to make sure you have the correct form.

We all know that exercise is good for us. It helps to increase aerobic capacity, reduces body fat, has a positive impact on bone density and muscle mass, and the list goes on. However, many of the patients that I work with for the first time at the Princeton Longevity Center have a long history of exercise with little to show for it. Which begs the question, why?

First, many of these people haven’t set any sort of goal before they begin their journey (see this week’s earlier blog post on goal setting). They have no idea what they want to accomplish through exercise. For some it is strictly about weight loss, others find relief from the days stress and use it as a release of tension. While others simply use it as a way to socialize. All of these are great reasons to exercise but they may not help you to accomplish your goals.

And secondly, many of these exercisers fail to make a plan. The plan is what differentiates exercise from training. Training, to me, is an organized plan outlining your goals, and putting in actionable steps that are progressive in nature towards the goal. The plan is essentially your guide or road map from point A to point B. Without this plan, many exercisers become lost along the way. They have no direction and therefore see little in return.  You may have heard the saying, “there’s a difference between being busy and being productive”.  In my opinion, exercise is being busy and training is being productive.

As a former Professional and Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coach I can say without any doubt that planning is absolutely critical in one’s success when it comes to achieving results. Without a plan, whether it be short-term or long-term, exercise becomes less productive and ultimately is doomed for failure. Ask yourself this, is your current plan working towards your goals (again, be sure to set SMART goals). If not, develop a new plan and put it into action.

When it comes to seeing results and defining your fitness goals, it pays to be SMART. All too often I ask someone what their goals are and they respond with a long pause followed by a generic goal of “I want to lose weight”. I usually fire back and ask how much weight. Again, the response is a pause followed by some magic number.

In order for someone to accomplish anything, they must first know where they are (we take care of this with comprehensive testing at the Princeton Longevity Center), where they want to go, and how to get their. Educating patients on setting SMART goals becomes a priority.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant/Realistic, and Time-bound.
1. Specific – goals need to be as specific as possible, such as I want to decrease my body fat from 20% to 18%
2. Measurable – goals need to measurable. Saying I want to be more fit is too generic vs. I want to increase my aerobic capacity from a VO2 score of 42 to 45.
3. Attainable – are the goals we set actually attainable
4. Relevant – is it actually relevant to increase our overall health, fitness, etc.
5. Time-bound – what is the time frame in which we want to accomplish our goal? Is it 3 month or 3 years.

Through this process patients gain an understanding of what they really want and how to ultimately get there. We provide very specific feed back on the patient’s current status (overall health and fitness level) and road map to change what needs to be changed.  So the next time you are setting goals (this holds true for most worthwhile endeavors) be sure to set SMART goals.

By Karen McPartland, RD

Then, minimize telomere shortening!  Now, you are probably wondering what a telomere is…Telomeres are sections of DNA at the end of each chromosome that serve as a “cap” to our genetic material.  Every time a cell replicates, its telomere will become shorter; eventually causing cell death (once the telomere has reached a critical length).  Shorter telomeres have been associated with metabolic abnormalities, obesity, cardiovascular disease, dementia and cancer.  Therefore, slowing the loss of telomere length may slow aging and age-related disease. 

So, how can you “lengthen” your telomeres?  Studies are ongoing, but a recent study in The Lancet Oncology reported that men with early stage prostate cancer who improved their lifestyle by exercising daily, eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains and who worked on stress reduction through mediation and yoga, were able to lengthen their telomeres by 10% in five years.  So, find ways to be active every day, manage your stress and eat minimally processed foods! 

If you want to know your telomere length, Princeton Longevity Center can help! Click here for more information and click here to schedule an appointment.

by John A. Rumberger, PhD, MD, FACC – Director of Cardiac Imaging, The PrincetonLongevityCenter

The classic tale about the past, present, and future redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ teaches lessons to all.  One of the most poignant moments at the end comes from Scrooge when he asks the Ghost of Christmas Future: “Are these the shadows of thing to come or of things that will come…” – Essentially, can I learn from lessons of the past and present to change my future or do the natural consequences of my past and present make my future inevitable?

The same questions can be asked about your current and future health.  But it is important that you understand the past, accept the present, and are willing to change the future.  Broad-based population data clearly demonstrate that, when it comes to health, avoiding, minimizing and changing past and present habits and lifestyle patterns now can indeed have profound beneficial effects on future health.  The problem is, as I see it, population goals do not translate well to personal goals unless you comprehend how the past and present affect your future as an individual.

The ‘yearly physical’ by your doctor or even the University type ‘Executive Physicals’ only go a short way to allowing you to comprehend your health future.  Many of these are merely 30 minute discussions, punctuated by some tests, which are relayed in some fashion in the days to weeks to come.  Spa-type Executive Examinations allow you to relax, get a message, golf, and discuss your health with a health care professional.  Again, in my opinion, these only scratch the surface and often miss what we say in Medicine as the ‘teachable moment’.

At the Princeton Longevity Center we do what we call a ‘Comprehensive Examination’ – done throughout one day that avoids the ‘glitz’ and concentrates ‘on the facts’.

The PLC brand of the Comprehensive Examination takes into account the past and present via in depth historical and lifestyle discussion and a physical examination by a physician to provide a thorough understanding of your past and present health.  This information is then refined, culled, analyzed, and appended through in house imaging of the heart and body using 64-slice CT, analysis of body composition and bone density, pulmonary function testing, hearing/vision, and a comprehensive blood panel.  Discussions with the physician are also augmented and refined by a stress/fitness evaluation and outline of an individualized fitness program provided by a certified exercise physiologist.  Additionally a review of current diet and related issues and an individualized dietary/lifestyle program are provided by a certified dietician.  Additional testing can also be accomplished such a virtual colonoscopy, CT cardiac/carotid angiography, women’s health issues [including mammography], and additional advanced blood testing performed at the request of the client or suggested at the discretion of the attending physician after review of past and current tests.

The ‘teachable moment’ is thus enhanced by interactions with associated healthcare professionals and staff and ‘brought home’ during a thorough debrief of the results and tests done in the AM by again meeting with the attending physician in the PM; the goal is to define and discuss how the past and present have affected current health status and most importantly how changes in lifestyle, diet, exercise and [if necessary] appropriate natural and pharmaceutical medications can improve future health.  If circumstances arise that further testing is required or further outside consultations are needed – then these plans are also outlined as necessary on an individual basis.

The question to the ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ is thus asked and answered.