By: Michelle Kruse

As a runner and biker, I try my best to watch out for pedestrians when driving my car. As a runner and biker, I try to dress in bright colors and stick to safe paths. I follow all the rules and know that I can’t expect everyone else to do the same. I’m always on the lookout. Last month, my aunt was hit by a car and injured pretty severely. She was following the rules, too. She was crossing a street in a crosswalk, with a walk signal and a green light. A driver didn’t see her and turned right into her. Her shattered pelvis and leg prevented her from attending her father’s funeral a week after her accident.

It scares the heck out of me. I haven’t been on my road bike since and am scared to death to run anywhere but the park by my house or the nearby trails. I used to meet friends for a road run or long bike ride, but I’ve been too scared to do so lately. How does one get over the fear and get back on the bike or even the sidewalk for a run?

By: Michelle Kruse

My training partner and I like to joke that we should be “certified” for running outdoors on the days we do. Neither rain nor wind nor snow nor ice, you get the picture. It’s not that we’re really that crazy, but more that we’ve both find the fresh air and open spaces exhilarating. And I credit my at least weekly winter outdoor workouts with keeping me upbeat all winter long. I have not experienced any of the cabin fever and depression that some of my friends are experiencing because I haven’t been cooped up indoors for months. Here are a few of my tips (and some from my much more experienced workout buddy):

1. Dress appropriately. When I first started working out in the bitter cold, I was dressed all wrong and I paid for it. Invest in some lined workout pants that are made to wick away sweat. I love the pair I bought from Road Runner Sports. Also well worth the money is a thermal half-zip. Buy one made for outdoor workouts. I’ve literally had sweat freeze into icicles on fleece, etc. The thin material on mine by CW-X keeps me dry and unbelievably warm. Plus it’s got thumb holes that prevent your shirt from riding up your arms and leaving a gap between shirt and gloves. In fact, sometimes I get almost too warm in this.

2. Get the right accessories. The right ear wrap or beanie can make all the difference in the world. So can the right gloves. Now is a great time to buy this stuff too – it’s all on sale! Wear sunglasses even if it’s not sunny. They shield your eyes from the wind.

3. Vaseline. We may look goofy, but we rarely meet anyone on the trails on the worst weather days anyway. Rub a layer of Vaseline all over your face when you work out in cold wind and snow. It will save you from any chapping, chaffing, or wind burn.

By: Michelle Kruse

If you haven’t checked out the recipes on the O’Keefe’s blog, make sure you do so. As the self-appointed head of the tasting committee, I must say the results were fabulous. Joan O’Keefe brainstormed some color and protein combinations and came up with some unique ideas. Disclosure – I am NOT a picky person. I like almost all foods, even the healthy ones. So, to make the tasting fair, we asked some of the world’s pickiest eaters (a couple of them are right here in our office) to give our recipes a try.

Remember the old Life Cereal commercials? Let’s see if Mikey likes it? Well, we’ve got a few Mikey’s on staff. But, even the pickiest eaters in our office enjoyed our recipes – especially those that included blueberries. The mandarin oranges were also a big hit. After some tweaks, the pumpkin recipe received a lot of favorite votes. It smells delicious, too. It’s comfort food that’s really, really healthy. It’s like pumpkin pie with huge health benefits, not huge guilt. I’m going to test that one on the kids tomorrow – I’ll let you know how it goes.

The goal of providing these recipes is to get people to enjoy whey protein. It’s one of the best things you can give your body. It’s one of the cleanest, purest proteins available and the benefits are astounding. In fact, I’m off to have my mid-day whey protein and some berries right now… I’ll be full until dinner time!

By: Michelle Kruse

Green Eggs and “Ham”

Here’s a fun recipe to try at home with young kids. My kids LOVE the book “Green Eggs and Ham” so this is a fun, easy way to get them to eat color and protein in the morning. Put a cup of spinach in a blender with 2 eggs and liquefy – all spinach texture should be gone. Scramble with cooking spray. Your “ham” can be almost anything. We sliced apples flat and called them “ham.” We’ve used whole grain toast for the ham before – anything goes. This is so easy and takes very little time out of our hurried mornings.

By: Michelle Kruse

Did anyone see Good Morning America yesterday? The segment’s focus was on new body type research. It seems that pear shapes have it good. I have always gained weight in my hips, thighs and rear. Fortunately for me, researchers say that fat stored in these areas is actually good for you. Researchers were not, however, talking about excess amounts of fat and were cognizant of the fine line between healthy and unhealthy amounts of weight.

Not all of us are quite that lucky. “Apple shapes,” or body types that store fat around the midsection of the body, have more to worry about. You’ve heard from us at Forever Young Diet about the dangers of abdominal or belly fat for a long time now. You know the rules about waist circumference (keep it less than half of your height). I’m about 5’8,” which is equivalent to 68” tall, so my waist circumference should be below 34.” The warnings about belly fat haven’t changed. It’s still dangerous. It still puts you at serious risk for a host of diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. Read these tips from Dr. James O’Keefe for losing belly fat. click here

By Michelle Kruse

I love outdoor exercise. The scenery is better, the hills, the freedom, the fresh air, everything. But, I require a temperature at least in the double digits before I head out for a run. The current temperatures and wind chills in Kansas City make outdoor exercise dangerous and I mean I’m stuck indoors. While walking and running outdoors are the perfect form of exercise, you can’t expect to start walking for exercise in January unless you have a back-up plan.

The key is having something to do that works for you. If you have convenient access to a gym, consider joining in January when rates are low. Just make sure it’s easy for you to get there and not out of your way (that way you can’t make excuses). Most gyms offer free consultations with trainers to show you how to use equipment and how to get started. Take advantage of all the free services you can and take notes on the exercises they show you.

Don’t limit your indoor exercise to the traditional “gym.” Community centers often offer great workout equipment at an affordable price. There are indoor pools to join, aerobics studios, dance classes and even mall-walking clubs (FREE!) to join. Simply find an activity you enjoy, check out the atmosphere (you’ll be more inclined to stick with it if you like the people there) and make a commitment.

As a working mom of two young kids, exercise is all about convenience. There is not a gym conveniently located to us, so we turned part of our basement into a workout area. We spent the money we would have paid for gym memberships on a treadmill, bike trainers (set your outdoor road bike up on one of these inexpensive pieces of equipment), free weights and some yoga/aerobics videos. Having different equipment helps annihilate boredom and cross training is key to getting in great shape.

Be creative. Some days I just don’t feel like yet another treadmill workout. When I feel the need for a change, I often borrow exercise DVD’s from the local library or trade with friends. I scour through fitness magazines for new weight lifting and circuit training routines to break the monotony. I also have an addiction to Redbox movies and books on CD (free at the public library) to get me through treadmill and stationary bike workouts.

Have a goal. Your exercise goal shouldn’t be about pounds lost. It should be an achievable fitness goal. A great goal is to train for a 5K – local charity walk/runs abound and are a great motivating force. Start small with your goals. Maybe you can only make it through five minutes of an exercise video now. Make your goal to make it a little further every time. Before you know it, you’ll be moving on to more advanced videos.

Be realistic. Some days it’s nearly impossible to squeeze it all in. On those days, I’ll spend about 15 minutes before I get in the shower jumping rope, doing jumping jacks or just stretching – anything to get my body moving.

By Michelle Kruse

Redbox Junkie,

I don’t watch much TV, with the exception of Go Diego Go and Hannah Montana.  If it weren’t for The Office, I wouldn’t watch it at all.  I haven’t seen many movies since having kids – no time and I can’t stay awake long enough!  However, the constant rain and dark mornings are leaving me no choice but to hit the basement treadmill.  BORING!  I would rather run in sub freezing temperatures outdoors than have to do even 10 minutes on a treadmill.  During the winter, I have to have major motivation to stay on the treadmill.

Last year, it was Sex and the City.  It was a lot more fun starting my morning with that show on DVD instead of the morning news.  I could run through the entire episode without boredom, and I couldn’t wait to get downstairs to run again so I could watch the next episode.  This year:  Redbox.  For only a buck this self-proclaimed cheapskate can make it through an hour plus run on the treadmill without dying of boredom!  Plus, I can’t wait to get home and watch my movie.  My only rule:  I must not watch without motion – I have to run, walk, bike, or lift the entire time I’m watching the movie.  It may sound silly, but the reward of actually watching a movie in its entirety is enough to keep me in the basement working out.  Another bonus, I can choose any girly romantic comedy I want because I’m the only one watching it!

By Michelle Kruse

And the Winner is…..
A recent study was performed to discover which states were the top 10 “brainiest” states in the nation. Unfortunately, it looks like my home state of Missouri has a way to go. (I’m originally from Nebraska and they didn’t fare much better.) So who were the winners? The study determined that the following ten states have the healthiest brains:

1. Washington, D.C.
2. Maryland
3. Washington state
4. Vermont
5. Connecticut
6. Colorado
7. Massachusetts
8. New Jersey
9. Maine
10. New Hampshire

Researchers reached their conclusion by devising a score based on over 21 factors, and looking at data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The major factors included diet, which made up 36% of the score, physical activity 25%, mental health 24%, and social well-being 15%.
These experts suggest that the key to maintaining brain health is eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, exercising (30 minutes a day), playing games, learning new things like languages, taking up new hobbies, and of course eating omega-3 fatty acids from fish and nuts.

It is interesting to note, that almost half of the diet score was based on fish sales and the consumption of the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA. With our brains made up of almost 60% DHA, it is no wonder that this omega-3 fatty acid impacted the results. (Are you getting enough?) Most experts recommend 500-1,000mg DHA + EPA per day. However, individual needs vary. Personally, I take a little more (4 CardioTabs Omega-3 fish oil softgels daily), because it really helps my dry eyes. Wearing my contacts is a lot more comfortable when I’m taking that amount. I’ve experimented a lot to come up with my “magic number.” During both of my pregnancies, I made sure I took at least three CardioTabs fish oil softgels daily to help ensure I received enough DHA to support myself and my developing babies. I also breast fed both of my children their entire first year because of all of research on the benefits of breast milk (side bonus: it helps melt away the baby weight). During this time, I continued to take fish oil because I knew that this was the most important time of my children’s lives for brain and eye development and the only way that they were going to receive the benefits of omega-3 was if I consumed it. Another mom-perk – consuming DHA from omega-3 fish oil may also ward off post partum depression – the theory is that baby takes so much of mom’s DHA that there isn’t much left over for mom’s brain. For me, CardioTabs Omega-3 was the perfect choice during pregnancy and nursing and also now because it is higher in DHA than most omega-3 fish oils available.

So remember the advice of the experts and tell your friends and family – you may catapult your state to the top 10.

By Michelle Kruse

I can honestly say that I read a new article or study everyday about the benefits of vitamin D and the health risks of low levels of Vitamin D. Today it’s a news release from the Canadian Cancer Society recommending supplementation with at least 1,000 IU Vitamin D for all adults as a preventive measure against all cancers. Yesterday it was high blood pressure in women being linked to insufficient Vitamin D and a couple of days before it was the link between age-related memory loss and low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is often linked to immune support including protection against colds and flu. Many researchers link low D levels with fibromyalgia, breast cancer risk, and other diseases. Even aches and pains and winter “blahs” can be linked to Vitamin D levels. There are so many reasons to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin for a reason. It’s actually a hormone that our bodies produce as a result of sun exposure. In a perfect world, we’d all get 15-20 minutes unprotected sun exposure (bare arms and legs, no sunscreen) daily. During the summer months, this is usually enough to keep our Vitamin D levels in an adequate range. As runners, we spend a lot of time outdoors. During the summer months, we might be getting enough vitamin D. But did you know that during the fall/winter/spring months it is physically impossible to make sufficient vitamin D from sun exposure alone? The angle of the sun makes it physically impossible above around 37 degrees latitude (about Atlanta, GA). Even during the summer, I wear sunscreen which inhibits vitamin D absorption. Those with dark skin, the elderly, even overweight individuals may never be able to make enough Vitamin D from the sun. The cardiologists that I work with have long recommended daily Vitamin D doses of 2,000 IU, especially during the winter months just to keep our levels sufficient. Even if we’re logging long hours outdoors training, we will not make enough vitamin D to keep ourselves healthy from now until late spring 2010. The current RDA for vitamin D is only 400 IU, a number that many health advocacy groups and research bodies are lobbying to raise. Most researchers agree that the RDA should be at least 800 IU with many calling for 1-2,000 IU ranges. Daily intake of 2,000 IU Vitamin D3 should keep your levels adequate all winter long, which may mean less time off and interruptions in winter running!

[I take one CardioDaily everyday for 2,000 IU Vitamin D. I also take supplemental calcium, omega-3 fish oil (great as an anti-inflammatory!) and, as a menstruating woman, I make sure I have sufficient iron in my diet.]

By Michelle Kruse

Soon, the beautiful fall color will give way to winter and sometimes, the winter blues. Just as the lack of direct sunlight in fall and winter causes the leaves to stop producing chlorophyll, change color and fall from the trees, the sun’s absence has a direct effect on you. In autumn and winter, when the sun’s rays are weak and days are short, our bodies can’t synthesize enough vitamin D. In fact, if you live north of 37 degrees latitude (around Atlanta, GA), it is impossible for you to get enough vitamin D from the sun. Nearly half of all Americans are Vitamin D deficient, and not surprisingly, those numbers increase significantly during the fall and winter. Those with darker skin and those who are obese are even more likely to be Vitamin D deficient. Inadequate vitamin D levels can severely impact not only your mood (giving you the winter blahs), but also increase your risk for a variety of serious health conditions.

The latest studies show that most Americans need at least 1,000 IU per day of Vitamin D to get their blood levels of this crucially important nutrient into the adequate range, and the cardiologists at CardioTabs recommend 2,000 IU per day. According to Dr. James O’Keefe, Preventive Cardiologist and unpaid Medical Director of CardioTabs, “Restoring Vitamin D levels to normal will improve blood pressure and glucose levels, and may reduce risks for heart failure and heart attacks.”