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15 posts tagged Health

PAUSE FOR PREVENTION // Your Body on Thanksgiving

Who hasn’t stuffed themselves silly at Thanksgiving dinner? Overeating is tradition, after all—a 3,000-plus-calorie one! Here’s an article by Women’s Health Magazine explaining how your system deals with the overload.

In the first minute…your taste buds are atwitter and send pleasure signals to the brain. The message: More, please! As you chew, enzymes in your saliva break down the sugars and starches in the stuffing you’ve gobbled.

Within five minutes…your stomach is frantically working to dissolve food and shuttle it to the small intestine, which will ferry nutrients like fat and protein into your bloodstream.

Within 15 minutes…both your stomach and small intestine alert your brain—via hormones such as peptide YY—that they are beyond capacity. But if you hoovered your meal, your brain won’t get the memo until after you’ve helped yourself to seconds.

Within the first hour…post–apple pie, your insulin levels have spiked in an attempt to control the sugar that’s coursing through your bloodstream.

Within 30 minutes of eating a salty meal, your blood vessels may become slightly less supple. If your diet is always packed with salty foods, you may develop stiff blood vessels, a heart-disease risk factor.

After one hour…feeling drowsy? Don’t blame the bird. Yes, turkey contains tryptophan—an amino acid the body converts into sleep-promoting serotonin—but your fatigue is really the result of your stuffed stomach. It sent a “rest and digest” signal to your brain, which, in turn, directed all available energy toward digestion.

Your stomach is stretched like a balloon and is pushing against surrounding organs, possibly leaving you achy or nauseated.

After one to two hours…your liver has converted the food into nutrients that your organs can absorb. If you’re lucky—and your carb reserves aren’t already full—most of the fat and calories you ingested have been converted into short-term energy. (Had you worked out before bingeing, you’d have more room in that storehouse.)

Chances are, though, you’ve shoveled in twice as much as your body needs, which means the excess is converted into layaway triglycerides and may be packed into fat cells around your thighs, butt, and belly.

After two hours…whew—your stomach has emptied and your blood vessels are back to normal.

Source: WomensHealthMag.com, http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/high-calorie-foods

PAUSE FOR PREVENTION // Healthy Behaviors Extend Life After Cancer, Experts Say

Here at B4BC, we are constantly advocating the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle for cancer prevention. Now, recent studies are showing that not only can this help protect you against cancer, but for cancer survivors it can also lessen the risk of recurrence and boost long-term survival odds. 

Read this article at MSN Health for more information about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle to prevent and protect you from cancer.

PAUSE FOR PREVENTION // Yoga Heals

Here at B4BC, we believe that Yoga Heals. We strive to promote well-being inside and out. Exercise, a healthy diet, and a positive mind are all necessary parts of a balanced lifestyle. One fantastic way to help achieve this balance is through yoga.

The power of yoga on overall health has been known since the practice first began 5,000 years ago. It can aid in stress reduction, improved flexibility, balance and strength, weight loss, and chronic health conditions such as cancer, depression, pain, high blood pressure, anxiety and insomnia. Studies have shown that women with breast cancer who participated regularly in yoga classes were more relaxed, experienced less pain and fatigue, had better quality of life, and were half as likely to be depressed than their counterparts (yogaforcancer.com). 

Yoga Heals is a B4BC program that seeks to promote health and wellness through yoga while fundraising for the B4BC Survivorship Fund in local communities. Join us Saturday for Pause for Peaks, a Vinyasa yoga workshop and studio open house, hosted by Sangha Yoga Shala. Owner Alana Kessler understands the healing powers of yoga and will be sharing her practice and insight with us. If you can’t make class, drop by for the studio open house, and enter to win great raffle prizes and have a chance to sample products from our awesome sponsors. Proceeds from Pause for Peaks to benefit the B4BC Survivorship Fund. For more details, check out our flyer below and our event page right here. 

For more information, visit Sangha Yoga NYC  or contact amanda@b4bc.org.

Tasty Tuesday // Kombucha

There might not yet exist a magical elixir of youth (let us know if you find one) but we do have something that seems to come pretty close. Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that has been consumed for over 2000 years. Originating in Russia, this naturally effervescent beverage touts a multitude of health benefits, and is known for its detoxifying, immune system enhancing and energizing properties. Kombucha is said to aid in cancer prevention, boost liver health and improve the look and feel of skin and hair. Full of probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants, B vitamins and more, Kombucha is worth trying out. While it is available in most health food stores, Kombucha can also be home brewed if you’re feeling adventurous. There are extensive resources online for Kombucha brewing, and all it takes is water, tea, sugar, and a Kombucha starter culture which can be easily found on the Internet. Whether you buy it bottled or brew it yourself, discover the secret of the ancients and reap the results of Kombucha!

Pause for Prevention: Get Moving!

We hope that wherever you are, the weather is as beautiful as it is here in sunny L.A. Spring has brought on some lovely weather, and we are loving every minute of it! Take advantage of the sunshine and move your workouts outdoors. Being active and exercising regularly is a crucial way to help prevent breast cancer. Physical activity builds muscle and reduces body fat, and reduces your exposure to certain ovarian hormones. Plus, it’ll make you feel and look great for bathing suit season! Bored with jogging around your neighborhood? Try something new! Here are a few fun ways to stay fit:

1. Take a hike. A two hour hike can burn up to 900 calories! It can also give you a chance to take in some beautiful views instead of staring down at a treadmill screen.

2. Kayak. Are you close to water? Rent a kayak and burn 375 calories per hour of steady paddling. 

3. Surf or stand up paddle. Speaking of water sports, surfing burns about 200 calories per hour, and stand up paddling can burn about 500 per hour of intense paddling. Both also require a lot of balance, which is great for your core!

4. Skate. Bust out your retro roller skates or pick up a skateboard and burn 370 calories in an hour, and have way more fun than you would on that elliptical machine. 

What are you waiting for? Get off of your computer, go outside, and get moving!  

Tasty Tuesday: Crunchy Kale and Coconut Bowl with Farro

Kale has made an appearance on more than one Tasty Tuesday, but we just love it so much! It’s so versatile, and today we’re sharing yet another delicious way to enjoy it. This bowl is hearty but not heavy, and it will make your body feel very happy.

To recap on the health benefits of kale, it has breast cancer risk-lowering benefits, can lower cholesterol, helps with detoxification processes, has both antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits, and tons of fiber and vitamins. 

Coconut, aside from being super yummy, has more benefits than we can list. Just trust us and eat it.

Farro is a grain similar to barley. It is high in fiber, protein, vitamins, and magnesium. If you are unable to find farro, brown rice would be a great substitute in this dish.

Here’s how you put it all together:

Crunchy Kale and Coconut Bowl with Farro:


1 tsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. Sriracha 

1/3 cup olive oil

5 cups dino kale, ribs removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

1 cup unsweetened large flake coconut

1 cup uncooked farro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To cook the farro, bring several cups of water to boil in a medium pot. Salt the water, and add the farro. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook the farro, uncovered, for 17-20 minutes. The farro should be soft but still have a bit of a chewy bite. Drain the farro and set aside. 

In a small bowl, mix together the sesame oil, soy sauce, and sriracha. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, constantly whisking. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the kale and coconut on the baking sheet, drizzle with about half of the dressing, and toss around to coat all the pieces. 

Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until browned and crispy. Scoop some farro and kale into a bowl, and drizzle with a little more dressing. 

Enjoy : )

Recipe credit to Joy The Baker. 

It’s Personal for Amanda Greene

We would like to introduce Amanda Greene, our newest member and Director of Development! This week, we are sharing her story. Read on to learn how Amanda became involved with B4BC and why It’s Personsal. 

I’ll never forget the day breast cancer became personal to me. I came home to my husband, Josh, sitting in the ugly, hand-me-down recliner his grandma gave him. He was as white as a ghost, staring straight ahead- and I could tell something was wrong. I dropped my bags and asked him if he was okay. He paused for a moment and looked at me with tears in his eyes; “my mom” he choked, “my mom has breast cancer.” I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. I froze, and then I felt nauseous; questions of what to say ran through my head. I was just finishing up college and at 22, never really thought much about breast cancer; how would I comfort him? I didn’t know anything about this disease. 

It was all very surreal, and sometimes I feel like it was all a bad dream. Fortunately for Donna, it was caught very early, during her regular mammogram. She endured a lumpectomy and radiation like a champ; the only time I ever heard her mention any pain was when directly asked. She handled the situation with such bravery and kept positive about her treatment, reminding us that there are others out there who have it far worse. I’m sure she was terrified, but she didn’t let on. I am very happy to report that she remains cancer free, with her fantastic attitude intact!

Inspired by his mom’s experience with the disease, Josh became involved with Boarding For Breast Cancer. At the time, he ran a snowboard shop in Rochester, NY, called the Lounge. He reached out to B4BC about holding a video premier and board-a-thon to benefit the organization, and so began our friendship with the wonderful ladies of B4BC. I first met B4BC’s Outreach Director Blair Young, at Josh’s inaugural event; she was actually a volunteer at the time, flying all the way from Los Angeles to be on site at the outreach booth. She glowed with such positivity and passion for the cause, that I was moved to volunteer with B4BC as well. I even took it a step further and went back to school to receive a Master’s degree in nonprofit management. If a volunteer was willing to head cross-country for this cause, then I was determined to be a part of it too! Over time, I was asked to become the regional ambassador for the north east and have enjoyed becoming further involved with their mission to increase awareness about breast cancer, the importance of early detection and the value of an active lifestyle.

 

Over the past seven years as a B4BC volunteer, I learned just how personal it was for others in my life. A dear friend of ours lost his wife after a long, courageous battle with the disease. Another dear friend, who lost her mother to breast cancer at a young age, recently had a scare of her own. Barely in her 30’s, she already knows what it’s like to have a mammogram and a biopsy. She pays careful attention to her health, embodying the spirit of living a healthy, active lifestyle as the best means of prevention, because she refuses to let breast cancer find her without putting up a good fight. And I adore her for that.

 

I wish I could say there was one big lesson to take away from all of this. The hard part about cancer is that the outcome can be dramatically different for each person; I’ve mourned those we’ve lost to the disease, and I’ve celebrated with those who have overcome it. What I know for sure is this; I am going to do my darndest to help others stack the deck against breast cancer by educating them about methods for prevention and teaching positive health practices. We can’t win ‘em all, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try!

Pause for Prevention: Choose Cruciferous

Mom always said to eat your veggies, but she probably didn’t say anything about cruciferous veggies specifically. Cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and especially broccoli, contain high amounts of sulforaphane, which has major benefits for fighting breast cancer. 

Here’s a quote from our friend Vivekan at Bodhisattva Yoga:

More and more, science is pointing to diet as either, the culprit of disease, or, the source of good health. A recent study furthers the growing knowledge that broccoli – and other cruciferous vegetables – is excellent in preventing cancer. These veggies, especially broccoli, are packed with a compound called sulforaphane. It is this very compound, sulforaphane, that is proving over and over again to fight cancer. These cancer-fighting benefits are optimized by not overcooking the veggies. So, join me in ordering that side of broccoli.

So listen to mom, because there are way more benefits in broccoli than even she knew! 

Tasty Tuesday: Celebrate National Nutrition Month!

March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. We are very excited that there is a whole entire month dedicated to our favorite Tuesday topic—eating right! This year’s NNM theme is “Get Your Plate In Shape”. We’ve all heard the ideal dinner plate breakdown over and over again, but it can never hurt to have a little reminder. A low fat, high fiber diet with lean protein and whole grains is a key way to lower your risk of breast cancer and other diseases. We can’t stress it enough! Eating properly in conjunction with regular exercise will keep you feeling and looking your best. 

Here are a few tips to “Get Your Plate In Shape”:

  • Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.
  • Choose whole grains.
  • Drink fat free or low fat milk, or try substituting soy milk, which has been shown to reduce cancer risk.
  • Protein portions should be small and lean. Try making fish your protein of choice at least twice a week!
  • Watch your portion sizes! Despite what Mom always said, you don’t need to clean your plate. Eat Consciously!

Check out some of our past Tasty Tuesday ideas for some delicious, healthy recipes to help you celebrate National Nutrition Month!

No Bake Energy Bites

Zucchini & Kale Chips

Chicken and Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

Orzo Salad with Chickpeas & Artichoke Hearts

Blueberry-Banana Green Monster Smoothie


We hope you enjoy these recipes and are inspired to eat healthy not only this month, but every day!