Do you rarely get ill or need prescription medicines? If not, then you might not be getting all the vitamins and minerals you need.  Sometimes it’s hard to know which foods will make us fit as a fiddle, and that’s especially true since a lot of opinions are conflicting. 

Also, eating “nutritious” foods doesn’t guarantee that you’re getting all of the necessary vitamins and minerals.  

Victoria Boutenko, penned a fascinating book entitled “Green for Life.” Boutenko searched for the perfect human diet, and made some intriguing discoveries.   

She discovered the “Chimpanzee Connection.” Chimpanzees are genetically the closest relatives of humans, and have DNA that is 99% similar!

So what? Consider that chimpanzees are physically healthier than homo sapiens are. The former also have an extremely robust natural resistance to various diseases that are fatal to humans, such as cancer.

Ms. Boutenko’s studies revealed that the key to the chimps’  fantastic health was their diet. Specifically, there are major variances between the diets of humans and chimps. 

Victoria’s research revealed that the key to the chimpanzees’ excellent health was their diet. In fact, the eating habits of homo sapiens and chimps is extraordinary different.  

In a word, the answer is: greens! While humans eat many unhealthy foods, the diet of chimpanzees is very high in leafy green vegetables. Meanwhile, too many humans don’t eat enough of them. 

Afterwards, Ms. Boutenko shifted gears and focused her study on greens that are dark and leafy. She discovered that it’s a “super food” that’s packed with very high amounts of vitamins and minerals. Here are five fascinating facts about dark green veggies:

 1. Greens are packed with both amino acids (and AKA protein).  
 

Were you aware that dark leafy green vegetables are an excellent source of protein?

Molecules of protein contain a chain of amino acids. When you eat protein that’s included in foods such as meat, you’re consuming chains of amino acids that have already amassed into a “complex” protein.  

Meanwhile, when you eat greens that are dark and leafy, you consume a high amount of amino acids. Your body then uses those amino acids to construct complex protein chains.

 2. Greens contain a high amount of insoluble fiber

You likely already know that human diets should contain fiber. But fiber can help to expel harmful toxins from your body. Insoluble fiber is especially important, since its structure resembles miniscule sponges. Each of these “sponges” takes in an amount of toxins that is several times higher than the volume of the fiber. Here are some major advantages of fiber: 

It decreases your cholesterol level

It burns unwanted weight and prevents overeating

It prevents and lowers the risk of getting cancer

It prevents and treats diabetes

 3. Greens encourage your body’s homeostasis

What is homeostasis? It’s the physiological process that causes all of the substances in your body to function at levels that promote excellent health.

For your body to reach homeostasis, it requires a large quantity of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and amino acids. Greens are a wonderful way to consume these substances.

 4. Greens are alkaline, and thus promote healthy cells in your body  
 
Otto Warburg won a 1931 Nobel Prize. Warburg discovered what causes cancer. Specifically, a lack of oxygen in the body’s cells resulted in weaker cell respiration. The result was fermentation, which itself resulted in acidity (a low pH level).

There’s a connection between the foods that you eat, and the pH balance in your body. For instance, consider Parmesan cheese (-34) and spinach (+14).

Daily eating enough dark green vegetables will make you better equipped to maintain a pH balance that is healthy.

 5. Greens contain chlorophyll (a “liquid” form of sun energy).  
 
You may find this interesting: a single molecule of chlorophyll is extremely similar to a single molecule of human blood. Chlorophyll cleans and heals your organs, while simultaneously removing substances that are harmful.

Here are some of the benefits of chlorophyll:

Chlorophyll promotes an alkaline body  
Chlorophyll aids in preventing cancer  
Chlorophyll promotes a high blood count  
Chlorophyll battles toxins  
Chlorophyll benefits vision

Chlorophyll helps to heal sores faster  
Chlorophyll helps varicose veins  

Have you had a Green Smoothie? We know that greens are healthy, but eating them daily can be challenging. The solution is to try an easy-to-prepare green smoothie.  
 
Victoria discovered that mixing greens, fruit, and water, created a mouth-watering smoothie that the body can absorb easily. To enjoy the greatest benefits from green smoothies try one right after your workout when your body has the greatest ability to absorb these vital nutrients.

*See the recipe below*

These green smoothies have three primary ingredients: greens, fruits and water. Try using various types of greens and fruits, to maximize the health benefits. You might surprised to learn how delicious a green smoothie can be! 

Servings: 1  
 
First, gather these ingredients:   
 
2 cups of a dark, green vegetable  
1 cup of strawberries  
1 whole banana  
1-2 cups of filtered water  

Mix the ingredients by using a high-speed blender, until the consistency is smooth.

Nutritional Analysis: A single serving of a green smoothie contains:  

199 calories

1 gram of fat

6 grams of protein

10 grams of fiber

47 grams of carbohydrates

E-mail or phone today, to start enjoying a personal training fitness program with one of our personal trainers here in NYC that will rapidly give you a healthy start to your summer.

Contributed by Nicole Cutler

Sitting on your bum in front of a steering wheel, desk, computer or television can render it jiggly and saggy. Four great ways to firm up your rear are described below:

The Chair Squat helps tone hips, butt and thighs. Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat, keeping back straight, abs in and knees behind your toes. Let your butt lightly touch a chair, and then squeeze your butt to stand up.

Bike Riding is great aerobic exercise while strengthening the lower body. Whether on a stationary bike, in a spinning class or cycling outdoors, lower gears put the most demand on your butt muscles.

Step-Ups help tone your entire rear. Step up onto a step with one foot, and then bring your other foot up so that you are fully standing on the step. Next, lower the original foot you stepped up with, and then step down fully onto the ground.

Kickboxing burns a lot of calories. The aerobic kicking and boxing motions work the hips, thighs, abs and butt.

To learn more about our Private Personal Training Services in New York City and our Fitness Boot Camps please click on our contact form or call us at 212-255-5842 and receive your first personal training session at 50% off the regular price.

Private Personal Training in Manhattan NYC. Our certified personal trainers in New York City always recommend stretching before a workout. Begin slowly and warm up a little, and put emphasis on the muscles that will be most heavily involved in your workout.

Although our certified private personal trainers in Manhattan NYC know the benefits of yoga have enormous benefits on the aging body to keep it in balance, strengthened, and flexible, we also know that stretching before an intense workout has benefits too.

There are many ways to stretch muscles. Stretching can be either dynamic (aka: active or ballistic) or static (aka: isometric or passive). Here is a clarification of different ways in which to identify and categorize stretching:

• Ballistic stretching is an active or dynamic form of stretching, but because it involves bouncing (which causes the muscles to tighten up by repeatedly activating the stretch reflex), it is not considered useful. This kind can lead to injury. So don’t bounce! Ballistic stretching should only be used when preparing for certain kinds of exercise like martial arts.

• Dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg or arm swings and torso twists. This kind improves flexibility and can be quite useful. Don’t stretch cold muscles! Warm up the body prior to stretching with jumping jacks, running in place or jumping rope as this increases blood flow around muscles. Rotating the wrists, bending your arms, rolling your shoulders, swinging your limbs or twisting your torso is stretching that allows the body’s natural lubrication to protect joints.

• Active stretching is one in which you assume a position and hold it with no assistance except the strength of your agonist muscles (the cooperating muscles). The tension in the agonist muscles helps to relax the muscle being stretched. Many yoga positions are examples of active stretching. This increases flexibility and strengthens the muscles.

The benefits include mental and physical relaxation and increased agility and balance.

• Passive (aka: relaxed or static-passive) stretching uses another force to hold the stretch (the floor, your hand, a wall). Doing a split (using the floor as resistance) is an example of passive stretching. Placing your ankle on a dance bar is also an example of using an apparatus for resistance. This kind of stretching is helpful in healing injured muscles or stretching after a workout. It helps avoid soreness.

After exercise, slowly bring your heart rate down before you begin stretching in order to avoid blood pooling within your muscles, which can lead to cramps and dizzy spells. If you’re wet and sweaty, take a bath or shower then stretch, as the hot water will help relax the muscles, and prevent you from catching a chill.

• Another kind of passive or static stretching is isometric stretching (does not use motion). Isometric stretching involves using resistance (through contractions) of the stretched muscles. It greatly increases flexibility and strength in the tensed muscles. One should assume a position, tense the desired muscle (for 7-15 seconds); then relax for 20 seconds.

Hold the stretch until you feel the muscle loosen off, then repeat for a further 15 seconds. After exercise, slowly bring your heart rate down before you begin stretching in order to avoid blood pooling within your muscles, which can lead to cramps and dizzy spells.

Always stop if you feel any pain. And remember to breathe regularly and rhythmically: never hold your breath.

Our certified private personal trainers in Manhattan – New York City also recommend stretching after your workout when your muscles are warm and you’re ready for a cool down. Finally, remember to stretch before a workout after the warm up. Stretching cold muscles can cause injury.

For private personal training or yoga in Manhattan NYC, contact us at 212-255-5842 and receive your first personal training session at 50% off the regular price.