Princeton Longevity News

By Staci O’Connor MS, RD, CLC, CDN

Now that winter has arrived in full-force, spend some time indoors cooking some of your favorite comfort foods!  Here are a few popular foods with tips on how to make them healthier!

Chicken Nuggets

-Pulse a couple of slices of stale whole wheat bread, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and your favorite spices in the food processor. 

-Dip chicken breast tenders in a beaten egg, then breadcrumbs. 

-Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350 F until golden brown.

Mac and Cheese

Cut unhealthy saturated fat out by revamping your cheese sauce. Use reduced-fat cheese and 1% milk and mix it with whole wheat pasta or try putting it over quinoa or brown rice pasta.  But if you are concerned about the creaminess try to replace half of the shredded cheese with low-fat cottage cheese or try using mashed cauliflower. 

Serves 4, Prep:  10 minutes / Cook time:  50 min

Ingredients

2 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1 cauliflower

8 ounces whole-wheat elbow macaroni

½ cup reduced-fat grated cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Salt and pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup whole-grain bread crumbs

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 400 F.  Boil a pot of water.  In a saucepan, warm stock and bay leaves on medium-low heat for 5 minutes; turn off heat.  Cook cauliflower in stock for 25 minutes.  Take out bay leaves and process cauliflower in a food processor.  Cook pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse to cool; put pasta in a greased nine-inch square baking dish.  Add cheese, oil, mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to cauliflower.  Pour sauce over pasta, toss, and spread evenly in dish.  Top with Parmesan and bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes.

Chili

Trim the fat out of this hearty dish by using lean ground beef or lean turkey or skip the meat and use several types of beans and add lots of colorful vegetables. You can add tomatoes, sautéed squash, green beans, peppers, and onions to add fiber. You can also cut the sodium out by rinsing beans and using other seasonings instead of salt. Top off your chili with reduced-fat cheese and low-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

1 large onion, chopped

1 large orange, red, or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ pounds of lean ground turkey breast

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 ounces) no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons chili powder to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup low-fat Greek yogurt

½ cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.  Add olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven, and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic over medium-high heat.  Add the turkey and break up with a wooden spoon, cooking for 5 minutes, or until the turkey turns white and is no longer pink.  Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.

2.  Cover, turn down the heat to medium-low and cook on medium for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

3.  Ladle into bowls and top with 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon of reduced-fat shredded cheese.  Add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce or jalapeno slices if desired.

Burritos and Tacos

Healthy eating on Mexican night can be easy.

-Use whole wheat tortillas.

-Fill with 90% lean meat or fajita-style chicken.

-Add fat-free refried beans or black or pinto beans for fiber.

-Layer in veggies like peppers, tomatoes, squash, and corn kernels.

-Top with ¼ cup (or less) reduced-fat shredded cheese and Greek yogurt or add a few slices of avocado

Some recipes adapted from: Runnersworld & WebMd

Start off on the right foot this New Year and give your kitchen a healthy makeover! 

By Staci O’Connor MS, RD, CLC, CDN

For busy people, a well-stocked pantry and a clean refrigerator is a must.  A kitchen makeover is easy and by following the simple steps below, you can turn your kitchen into one that will help you eat light and right all year long.

Clean and organize your pantry, cupboards, and refrigerator:

• Out with the old and in with the new:  throw out old food and food that has expired. Remember to check the use-by or sell-by dates on food packages.   (Note:  these dates do not apply once the package is actually opened.)
• Move commonly used items towards the front.
• Group canned items together.
• Designate a specific shelf or drawer for the most commonly used items.  Even consider designating a specific shelf in your refrigerator for leftovers (don’t forget to label and date leftovers before you place them in the refrigerator or freezer).
• Create a leftover storage system where you can leave freezer bags, plastic storage containers, labels, and markers.  This way you can label and date everything before you store them.
• Label shelves so that you know where certain ingredients are located and this way when you run out of certain ingredients you can quickly add them to your grocery shopping list.
• Keep a notepad on your refrigerator door to write down any item(s) that need replenishing and so that you can keep your kitchen fully stocked all year round.
• Neaten up your utensil drawer so that you can easily grab the right tool(s).  Even think about hanging frequently used items on the wall or store them in an open container for easy access.
• Neaten up your recipe box and cookbooks so that you have easy access to healthy recipes all year long.
• Replenish salt-free seasoning blends to add flavor when you are trying to cook without adding a lot of added sodium.  Look into Mrs. Dash flavors.  Keep all spices and dried herbs in a cool, dry place to maintain freshness.
• Replace refined food products like:  white rice, white pasta, and white bread with complex carbohydrates like:  brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and barley.
• Have a can of non-stick cooking spray on hand or consider purchasing an oil mister.  
• Load up on fresh and frozen produce.
• Don’t overfill your refrigerator or freezer, without good circulation it is difficult to maintain the proper temperatures to keep things fresh.  Make sure that your refrigerator is <40 degrees and your freezer 0 degrees or less. Place a thermometer in a visible location (not on the door) and check it often since temperatures can fluctuate, if the temperature gets too high be sure to adjust the controls.
• Clean your refrigerator and freezer out and wipe up any spills that occur immediately. Once a week wipe down the interior walls, shelves, and rubber gaskets with a weak cleaning solution to sanitize.

Many people are looking for the perfect workout…you know the workout that maximizes lean mass gains, improves mobility and stability and burns the most fat. Sometimes we need to keep things simple with our workouts to achieve all three.  I am here to tell you that if you simply train how humans move, you will indeed achieve the 3 goals listed above.  Train with Movements and Not Muscles!!!  Here is a list of the ways humans move with example exercises to accompany each movement. 

1. Vertical Push–Shoulder Press or Push Press
2. Vertical Pull–Pull Ups or Lat Pulldowns
3. Horizontal Push–Chest Press or Medicine Ball Chest Pass
4. Horizontal Pull–Seated Row or Bent Over Row
5. Core Stability–Planks or Side Planks
6. Lower Body Press–Squats or Deadlifts
7. Hip Hinge–Romanian Deadlifts
8. Lunges–Forward, Reverse, 45 degree or Lateral 
9. Walk/Run/Sprint–Kind of self explanatory…
10. Carry–Farmers Walks and Fireman Walks
11. Jumping–Box jumps, Jump Rope or Vertical or Broad Jump

As you can see, there is not much more to how humans move…so why should there be more to your workout.  If you perform your corrective foam rolling exercises and dynamic warm-ups before hand and your foam rolling and static stretching post exercise, you may have just discovered the perfect workout!

Many individuals engaging in high intensity exercise involving jumping, running, cycling and more usually put a high amount of stress on the knee.  A large part of that stress usually targets the front of the knee, the patella.  You do not necessarily need to be a runner to experience this type of pain.

It can be caused by flat feet, muscle imbalances, muscle tightness or weaknesses, injury, dislocation or misalignment of the kneecap.  The pain can also be the result of strained tendons or tender soft tissues around the front of the knee.  Most athletes experience this due to overuse and not enough stretching.

If this condition continues to bother an individual without them taking proper care, they can start to breakdown the cartilage which will result in irritation on the joint.

The pain can be present all the time in a dull aching form, but is usually most prominent when using the stairs, squatting, kneeling or having the knee bent for a long period of time.

Some ways to help prevent and avoid runner’s knee include:

1. Working out.  Although this may seem like the opposite thing to do, working out keeps you in shape and aids in weight loss if needed.  If you are too heavy, you may be putting added stress onto the knee.

2.  Stretching.  Before your workout you should do a dynamic warmup for 5-10 minutes which may include jumping jacks, walking lunges, or leg swings.  This will start to get the joints mobile and blood flowing.  Perform static stretching after your workout which may also include using the foam roller to erase any heavy stiffness or tightness.

3.  Training.  Try not to increase your mileage or exercise all at once.  You want to gradually increase your duration or intensity of activity to avoid any sudden changes or overuse.

4.  Proper Gear.  Find a sneaker or shoe that fits you and your running style.  Be sure to have something with a shock absorption or inserts if you are flat footed (consult your doctor if inserts are needed).

The start of the new year is always a big time for setting new goals, beginning a new workout regimen or making resolutions.  More often than not, those goals and habits do not stick around for too long.  Make the most out of your new year and stick to your health plans using the helpful hints below!

1.  Make small goals that lead up to a large one.  Instead of making an unreasonable or unattainable goal that will discourage you if not met, set up weekly or monthly goals instead.  Maybe instead of saying “Lose 50 pounds”, you set a goal to lose 1-2 pounds a week.
2. Look out for excuses.  Know where your weaknesses are and know how to overcome them.  If you don’t have time in the morning to pack a gym bag, then pack it the night before and put it in your car so it is already done.
3. Tell your friends or family about your goals.  This will hold you accountable for results and action.  Even better, enlist some friends to try a class with you or meet you at the gym.  This way, you cannot cancel as easily.
4. Try new things.  Going to the treadmill for 30 minutes each time you walk into the gym and leaving without even looking at the other pieces of equipment will get boring.  Try out a class, some machine weights or ask a trainer for help if you feel intimidated or do not know what you are doing.
5. Make an outline of your day.  Find the time to fit in fitness somewhere.  If you can see you have a busy day ahead and cannot get to the gym at all, make it a point to take the stairs, do some body weight exercises in your office or stretch throughout your day.
6. Track your progress and reward yourself.  If you have no baseline to go off of, it may be difficult to see how well, or not well you are progressing.  When you start to see major changes, choose certain points in which you reward yourself.  Do not reward yourself with food, but maybe a new gym outfit or massage!
7. Lastly, don’t get discouraged if you have a bad day and throw everything you have already done away.  There will be days you are tired, you can’t make it to the gym or you do not reach the goal you wanted.  Don’t let it all go because of one time.  Stay positive and work harder the next time!

Good luck and stick with it for 2014.

It is hard to fit the gym or a long workout in around the holidays with everything else on your To-Do list.  Here are 25 exercises you can do at home with no equipment—just your body weight!

1. Squats
2. Pushups
3. Triceps Dips
4. Lunges
5. Bridges
6. Planks
7. Step Ups
8. Jumping Jacks
9. Jogging in Place
10. Mountain Climbers
11. Burpees
12. Wall Sits
13. Pull ups
14. Calf Raises
15. Supermans
16. Flutter Kicks
17. Bicycles
18. Squat Jumps
19. Leg Lifts
20. Lateral Lunges
21. Body Weight Row
22. Run the Stairs
23. Sit Ups
24. 1 Legged Squats
25. Super Planks

Ballet inspired classes and studios are popping up everywhere promising a workout to tone and lift, but not add bulk.  Getting lean, sculpted muscles like a ballerina and a strong core are major selling points for these workouts.  Celebrities swear by the workouts, so should you try it?

These classes are built on high repetitions to fatigue followed by stretching the fatigued muscle immediately after.   It is a combination of floor, light weights and barre work utilizing principles from ballet, Pilates and yoga.  Each movement is executed with tiny pulses to fatigue that muscle and can ultimately leave you shaky, which is a good sign!

Although this is a great workout and builds strength, balance and flexibility, it is not a cardio workout.  Your heart rate will increase with the work you do, but will not get your heart pumping like a run or spin class.

There are many modifications that can be given for all the exercises, so don’t be afraid to try it!

It’s amazing to me how many people experience low back or knee pain on a daily basis, yet do nothing to actually correct the problem.  You see, many people are under the assumption that the area of pain is also the problem area.  However, when we look at the body from a biomechanical view, we realize that pain is often the result of dysfunction either above or below the area of pain, and sometimes both.  

A common theme we see here at The Princeton Longevity Center is dysfunction in the Glutes resulting in either low back pain, knee pain, or both.  As we screen patients during their fitness component of their comprehensive exam it becomes apparent to them that something is not working the way it is supposed to.  Either certain muscles are not firing correctly, mobility is limited in a segment designed to be mobile, and more often than not both.  These deficiencies can create altered movement patterns and cause the body to recruit the wrong muscles for the task at hand.  For example, the hips are designed to be mobile, however when they lose mobility our body creates mobility at the segment either above (lumbar region) or below (at the knee) in order to perform a task, like lifting something from the floor.  Since our bodies are smarter than we are, it allows us to perform the task, but the mobility is transfered to the low back region and the lumbar spine.

Additionally we can see dysfunction manifest as weakness, and again the hip region or more specifically the Glutes are usually the culprit.  The glutes can have a profound effect on both the low back and the knee.  I often tell patients that the glutes are similar to the root system of a tree.  No matter how strong the trunk is (i.e. abdominal and erector spinae muscle groups), if the roots go bad the tree will eventually die and fall over.  And because the glutes also control the femur, they by default also control the knee.  Glutes that are weak allow the knees to fall inward during functional activities like squatting, running, or even walking down a flight of stairs.  This falling inward, also known as knee valgus causes additional torque at the knee and eventually knee pain.

Once these dysfunctions are identified, we can they develop a plan of action to correct the mobility issues and to strengthen the glutes.  The goal is restore proper movement and muscle firing patterns that will ultimately lead to pain free activity.  Later this week I will be posting some additional articles on this topic and exercises used to get your Glutes fired up!