PUMPKIN SEEDS

Halloween is approaching and so I after carving a pumpkin, I decided to roast the pumpkin seeds (something I haven't eaten since I was a kid when my Dad had roasted pumpkin seeds once after carving).  So, I thought... what is nutritional about pumpkin seeds?

Did you know they are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and numerous health promoting antioxidants?  Their caloric content comes from protein and fat.  Rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids helps lower bad LDL cholesterol and increases good HDL cholesterol in the blood stream.

The seeds contain good-quality protein. 100 g seeds provide 30 g or 54% of recommended daily allowance. The seeds are an excellent source of amino acid tryptophan and glutamate. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin and niacin. Serotonin is a beneficial neuro-chemical often labeled as nature's sleeping pill. Further, tryptophan is a precursor of B-complex vitamin.

Glutamate is required in the synthesis of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA, an anti-stress neurochemical in the brain, helps reducing anxiety, nervous irritability, and other neurotic conditions.

Pumpkin seeds are a very good source of anti-oxidant vitamin E; a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant. It prevents tissue cells from the free radical mediated oxidant injury. Thus, it helps maintain the integrity of mucus membranes and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals.

Pumpkin kernels are an also excellent source of B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and folates. These vitamins work as co-factors for various enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism in the human body. In addition, niacin helps to reduce LDL-cholesterol levels in the blood. Along with glutamate, it enhances GABA activity inside the brain, which in turn reduces anxiety and neurosis.

And finally, pumpkin seeds contain very good levels of essential minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Just as in pine nuts, pumpkin seeds too are very rich in manganese. Manganese is an all-important co-factor for antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. It is therefore, consumption of pumpkin kernels helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.

So, don't throw them away!  Roast 'em for about 40 minutes in the oven at 300 degrees and enjoy!

Happy Halloween.

NO XQSZ

 



The Color Run



THE COLOR RUN | OCTOBER 6 | SATURDAY | 8 AM

 My sister, Angela, called me and asked if Meg and I were running The Color Run in Cincinnati on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6.  After reviewing... I said.  Most definitely.  Looks like fun.  So, now we are up to five family members running (My wife, 2 sisters and a family friend)!  I am writing this because, I am encouraged by so many people, both who classify themselves as fit and those who classify themselves as unfit.  Either way, there are many ways to have fun and enjoy community with friends and family.  I believe events like these are one of the best.  It's fun, creates memories, builds camaraderie.... So, I would like to open it up to anyone who would like to join us, The NO XQSZ LIFESTYLE team for a morning of run, fun and dun (or done).

You can:

Run it
Walk it
Crawl it

As long as we have fun.

Save $5 by joining our team or creating your own.
Here is the link below to join ours:

https://cui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=2593601&pse=2593801&tid=5427701&tname=NO%20XQSZ%20Lifestyle

Any questions, call me at 317-260-7092

We will be hosting a dinner the night before at our house and making XS Smoothies the morning of the run!  We will post details of dinner time and morning meet at the end of September for those that register for the Color Run.

COME JOIN US!

NO XQSZ

Optimal Health - Inflammation

I have read a wonderful book, The Optimal Health Revolution.  I just wanted to share some of my notes and personal thoughts without getting too scientific:

Inflammation: The consistent underlying theme for all chronic diseases.

Chronic inflammation underlies essentially every chronic disease that has increased rapidly in the last several decades.  So wouldn't it make sense that if we can reduce inflammation, we can reduce the odds of chronic disease?

Read for yourself:

http://books.google.com/books?id=6fme4NjkH7cC&pg=PA164&lpg=PA164&dq=Dr.+Duke+Johnson+C+reactive+protein&source=bl&ots=jPvBLFAPsI&sig=NpR2nDZ3nJ9w5CEw1a22nSPMxIY&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Dr.%20Duke%20Johnson%20C%20reactive%20protein&f=false

BY DEFINITION:
Inflammation is a nonspecific protective immune system response to cell injury or irritation that is characterized by capillary enlargement, attraction of white blood cells to the area, redness, local swelling and partial reduction of normal cell function.

We all understand inflammation when visible, such as warm, red, swollen, tenderness you get around an injury like a cut, scrape or burn.  An infection in the body may result in a fever, etc.

What about the inflammation you can't see?  How our body responds to stressors (environment, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, etc.) could vary inflammation response levels.  Longterm stressors = longterm inflammation resulting in increased risk of chronic disease.

Bottom line:  we are so focused on "finding a cure" for diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, etc., when we need to focus on a lifestyle that would reduce the risk factors by taking preventative measures against ALL chronic diseases.

I will go further by saying we spend a lot of money on charities (don't get me wrong, I am all for some of these charities) raising awareness or finding a cure when we could actually impact our future and others by changing our lifestyle.

Simple Example:  A person smokes cigarettes (I am a former-smoker) is diagnosed with cancer and then wants to have a fundraiser to help offset medical expenses and joins the "club" of raising awareness and attempting to find a cure.

Stay tuned as I will share more notes and thoughts in upcoming posts.

NO XQSZ

Hydration

Summer is coming to an end and fall sports are upon us.  My son will have his second soccer game of the season tonight.  With that in mind, we need not to forget the importance of hydration.  It is the foundation for optimal health - fluids keeps our metabolism high, cushions joints, enhances mental readiness, and cleanses our body. 

General guideline is to consume half your body weight in ounces per day, so 100 lbs would equal 50 ounces of fluid (roughly 4 16 ounce bottles of water).  This is for the sedentary individual.  Athletes will need much more depending on the sport.

Tips:

-If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
-For many people, dehydration is mistaken as a hunger signal
-A glass of water before bed will shut down hunger pains for many people
-Dehydration is the foremost trigger of daytime fatigue

Drink up.

NO XQSZ

From START to FINISH

Happy New Year to All!  First of all, I am new to this blogging thing... so bare with me as I fumble through this process. 

My hope is to share information that will encourage others to accomplish that goal, hit that target, aim for a new level.  Yes our focus is optimal health, but it can be anything.  So here we are in 2012, only 17 days old... that's it!  Still very young and how was the START?  If it is good so far, great!  Count your blessings.  If it has been a little shakey or not as you expected, don't worry about it, we have the rest of the year to go.  One thing that I have learned is:  It's not how you start something that counts, it's how you finish.  I know I have experienced this statement when on long runs.  

If you have set goals for yourself in regards to your nutrition, physical activity or overall health and wellness and your not excited about the routine or your not accomplishing what you set out to do, having trouble staying on task.  Readjust, reevaluate, reset, restart,  but don't refrain from moving forward!  You can do it!

For those that are seeing a successful start, feel free to share...

Just remember to Finish Strong!

NOXQSZ

You Are The Product

Have you ever considered that you are a walking advertisement of you.  The way you dress, the way you act, the way you talk.  It is easy to change the way you dress, the way you act and the way you talk; but have you ever considered the way you EAT and the way you EXERCISE.  Not an easy change like the other previously mentioned, but if you are ready to MAKE A CHANGE, then here is what you need to do.

1.  Make a decision (set a goal) on what you will CHANGE.
2.  Develop a plan of action to CHANGE.
3.  What are you willing to give up (sacrifice, delay) in order to CHANGE.
4.  Find someone to be accountable to in order to succeed and maintain the CHANGE you are making or have made.

At No XQSZ Lifestyle our focus is helping you achieve optimal health through CHANGE of Lifestyle, not a diet or workout program. 

Lifestyle change is the key to long-term optimal health.

Live your life with No XQSZ today!