THE IMPORTANCE OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS

Why Is Fat Important?
Fats (aka lipids) are used for structural and metabolic functions; fat is necessary for the transportation of hormones within the body. Vitamins A,D,E, & K are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be digested, absorbed, and transported when combined with fats. Fats allow for the maintenance of healthy skin and hair. Fat protects our organs, regulates our body temperature, maintains healthy cell function, and supports brain function.

What Are Fatty Acids?
There are two types of Fatty Acids: Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) and NON-Essential Fatty Acids. Essential Fatty acids are necessary for human health, but the body cannot make them. Therefore, in order to maintain good health, we must consume Essential Fatty Acids.

How Do You Get Essential Fatty Acids?
There are 2 types of EFAs: alpha-linolenic acid (an Omega-3 Fatty Acid) and linoleic acid (an Omega-6 fatty acid).

It is important that we have a healthy balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6. The ratio should be 2:1-4:1, Omega-6 to Omega-3.

Omega-3
Flaxseeds
Walnuts
Salmon
Sardines
Soybeans
Halibut
Shrimp
Tofu
Snapper
Scallops

Omega-6
Various Seeds & Nuts
Refined vegetable oils, like soy oil (which is in almost every packaged food)

Keep This in Mind:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids reduce inflammation where as some Omega-6 Fatty Acids tend to promote inflammation.

The average diet provides plenty of Omega-6, so supplements are not usually necessary. Omega- 6 is found in almost every kind of processed food out there. Overload of Omega-6 can be dangerous, leading to inflammation, asthma, coronary artery disease, and Cancer.

RECIPE: BARBEQUED CARIBBEAN SHRIMP

Source: Fast Enteres by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison































Ingredients
1 ½ lb raw large shrimp
8 (6-inch) bamboo skewers
½ cup pureed fresh pineapple
½ cup pineapple juice
½ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup thin soy sauce (I use TAMARI Gluten-free, low-sodium from Whole Foods)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-4 serrano chilles, finely minced including seeds (I use 4)
¼ cup chopped cilantro sprigs or mint (I use cilantro)

Method

Advance Preparation:

• Shell and devein the shrimp (I purchased them this way). Fresh-water shrimp have better flavor
• Place 4-5 shrimp on skewers:
• Line up the shrimp so they are curved around each other. Insert two parallel skewers into the shrimp (on both ends). When barbequing, protect the exposed skewer ends with a double layer of aluminum foil.
• In a bowl, combine the pureed pineapple, pineapple juice, marmalade, soy sauce, garlic, chiles, and cilantro and mix well. (All of the ingredients can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours before grilling)

Last-Minute Cooking:

• Within 15 minutes of cooking, coat the shrimp with half of the pineapple mixture, reserving the remainder for serving.
  
• Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium.
  
• When hot, brush the grill rack with oil and place a double layer of aluminum foil on the rack to protect the exposed ends of the skewers.
  
• Place the skewers on the rack and grill, turning once, for every 2 minutes on each side, until the shrimp are white in the center (cut into one to check).
  
• Transfer the skewers to warmed dinner plates.
  
• Spoon the reserved pineapple mixture over the shrimp and serve at once.

Menu Suggestions: deli-bought rice dish; fresh asparagus grilled alongside the shrimp.

RECIPE: ITALIAN POT ROAST

Source: Cuisine Slow Cooker MENUS

Ingredients

1 Cup sliced carrots

6 New potatoes, cut into thirds

1 Medium onion, sliced

3 Lb. boneless beef rump roast, trimmed

4 Tbsp. minced fresh basil, divided

4 Tbsp. minced fresh oregeno, divded

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

½ tsp. rep pepper flakes

1 can tomato sauce (8oz.)

1 can tomato paste (6 oz.)

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 can cannelloni beans, drained (19oz.)

Method

• Layer carrots, potatoes, and most of the onion slices in a 4-6-qt. slow cooker; top with roast.
• Mash 2 tbsp. basil, 2 tbsp. oregano, garlic, 1tsp. salt, and pepper flakes in a small bowl; spread on roast.
• Combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, remaining basin and oregano, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
• Pour tomato mixture over roast; top with remaining onion slices. Cover; cook until meat is fork-tender, on high-heat setting for 5-6 hours or on low-heat setting for 8-9 hours.
• Stir Beans into sauce; cook on high-heat setting for 10-15 minutes. Remove roast from cooker. Let roast rest for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing mean against the grain. Skim grease from sauce. Spoon beans, vegetables, and sauce over roast.

Per Serving: 365 cal; 10g total fat (3g saturated); 107mg chol; 601mg sodium, 24g carbs; 5g fiber; 42g protein.

RECIPE: CLASSIC POT ROAST

Source: Cuisine Slow Cooker MENUS

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed seasoned with salt and pepper.
¼ Cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour works too)
2 Tbsp. Tomato paste
½ Cup dry white wine
1&1/2 Cups low-sodium beef broth
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Cups sliced onions
6 Medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3-inch pieces
3 large celery ribs, cut into 2-3-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 springs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves

Method

• Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown roast on all sides, 10 minutes total. Transfer roast to a 4-6-qt. slow cooker.
• Stir flour into pan; cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
• Deglaze sauté pan with wine, cooking until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth and Worcestershire; bring mixture to a simmer, scrapping up any browned bits.
• Transfer brother mixture to the slow cooker; add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and cook until meat is fork tender, on high-hrat setting for 4-5 hours OR on low heat setting for 8-9 hours. Discard thyme springs and bay leaves before serving.

Makes 6 Servings. Per Serving: 427 cal; 15g total fat (4g sat); 100 mg chol; 252 mg spdium, 15g carbs; 2g fiber; 53g protein

Jennifer Stano's Quad/Glute & Abs Workout

http://jenniferstano.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-workout-routine-glutesquadsabs-1.html#comments

Strength-Training Decreases Risks of Developing Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis occurs when bone mass and bone mineral density are reduced to critically low levels. Bone fractures often result when the skeleton is no longer able to absorb normal forces because of bone weakness. The spine and hip are the bone structures that are most often affected.

Fortunately, strength training has shown to be an effective means of increasing bone mineral density, and therefore, decreasing one’s risk of developing osteoporosis. By maximizing peak bone mineral density in early adulthood, the risk of developing osteoporosis in later adulthood is minimized.

There are three important Factors to consider when strength-training to increase bone mineral density.

1) Exercise Selection
The most effective exercises will:

• Involve many muscle groups
• Load the spine and hip (Squats are a great example. Barbell Rear-loaded squats create compressive forces along the spine and forces the process of stabilization throughout surrounding musculature).
• Allow greater absolute loads to be lifted. These exercises are also called structural exercises. Here are some examples:
• Squats, cleans, dead-lifts, snatches, jerks, bench presses, and overhead presses
• barbells are better than dumb-bells as they allow more weight to be lifted

2) Progressive Overload
Bone Tissue develops in response to mechanical forces that challenge the supporting muscular structures. Muscles must continually and repeatedly have greater-than-normal stress placed upon them in order to build strength and increase bone mineral density.

Overloading should be done progressively, so that tissues can adapt to the increased stimulus. Sudden overload will increase risks of stress fractures. This is what often occurs when previously sedentary or overweight individuals engage in exercise that is too intense or too different from their previous habits.

3) Training Variation
Within the skeleton, there is a mechanism that senses differentiation in strenuous forces. Therefore, changing the direction of forces by continually altering movement patterns will signal new bone formation within the stimulated region of bone.

Overview

• To increase bone mineral density, I recommend strength-training a minimum of 2-3 times per week.
• Use at least 2 structural exercises per workout (maybe do barbell squats and bench press on day 1 and switch to dead-lifts and bent-over barbell rows on day 2). Change these movements, or change the smaller auxiliary movements, every 3-4 weeks to provide variation throughout the stimulated areas.
• Make sure to increase your weights on these exercises every week for a given number of weeks and change your sets and reps respectively; I suggest 3x15 on week 1, 3x12 on week 2, 3x10 on week 3, 4x8 on week 4, 5x6 on week 6, 5x5 on week 7, and 5x4 on week 8. That’s 2 months of programming!

My Current Leg Experiment

Over the past 4 years, I have been determined to gain muscle mass in my thighs. My efforts to constantly lift heavy have definitely proved to be worthwhile. However, my legs have been slow to respond to my consistently increasing loads, and still are not as developed as much as I desire. Over the next 12 weeks, I will be implementing German Volume Training to my leg program.

This is how the system works:

• Aim for 10 sets of 10 reps, using the most efficient exercises; choose exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass
• Superset between synergist (primary mover) and antagonist
• Use a tempo of 40x0; lower the weight for 4 seconds (eccentric action) and immediately change direction and lift explosively (concentric action)
• Rest 90 seconds in between exercises. Use a stopwatch
  
• When all ten sets of 10 reps are completed, the weight can be increased on either or both exercises by 2.5-5% the following week. Remember; the goal is NOT to max out during each set. The last few sets should be the most difficult.
• After completing 10x10, superset 2 other “bang for your buck” exercises. Do 3 sets of 8 reps with 90-second-long rest intervals.

I began this program last week. I will be doing legs 2 days/week. My program for the next 10.5 weeks will look like this:

Legs-Day 1
Barbell Squats 10x10 Week 1: 65 lb (too light) Week 2: 75 lb
*Superset with*
Prone Hamstring Curls 10x10 Week 1: 50 lb (too light) Week 2: 65 lb
90 seconds of rest in between exercises

Hack Squat 3x8 Week 1: 50 lb (too light) Week 2: 60 lb
*Superset with*
1 Leg Romanian Dead-lifts 3x8 Week 1: 30 lb (too light) Week 2: 35 lb
90 seconds of rest in between exercises

TAKE 3 DAYS OFF FROM LEGS

Legs-Day 2
Romanian Dead-lifts 10x10 Week 1: 85 lb (too light) Week 2: 95 lb
*Superset with*
Seated Leg Extensions 10x10 Week 1: 85 lb (perfect) Week 2: 85 lb
90 seconds of rest in between exercises

Seated Hamstring Curls 3x8 Week 1: 110 lb (too light) Week 2: 120 lb
*Superset with*
Barbell Front Lunge 3x8 Week 1: 65 lb (too light) Week 2: 75 lb
90 seconds of rest in between exercises

TAKE 2 DAYS OFF FROM LEGS