Pre-Natal Yoga

The studio has an opportunity to offer pre-natal yoga and I would like to know if you or anyone you know is interested.  Please contact me here or via email to let me know the interest level.

Fitness Classes for Kids!

Keep your kids active this summer!  We are offering two classes just for kids.

Zumba for Kids!
Zumba fitness dance is the fastest growing cardio class across the nation. Easy to follow steps set to high energy music makes this class a blast! This class is appropriate for 6 to 12 year olds. Older teens will probably enjoy the regular Zumba class that follows at 10 a.m.

Starts June 15th, 9-10 a.m. every Mon. & Weds.

$40 for 10 classes (punch pass)* or $5 drop-in

Taught by Mikaela Bordeman

Rope Jumping
Learn rope jumping and then progress to jumping routines. Beth has many years of experience teaching and coaching competitive jumping teams. The 2:00 class is geared towards beginners and the 3:00 class will be for those who want to advance more quickly. Parents you are welcome to sign up and join your kids!

Starts July 5th

2-3 p.m. or 3-4 p.m. every Tues. & Thurs.

$40 for 10 classes (punch pass)* or $5 drop-in

Taught by Beth Domenichini (Mrs. “D”)

Registration forms are available in the studio.  Class size will be limited to 15.

Yoga Circle - June Schedule

Here's the line up for June.  The yoga classes are on Saturday 9 to 10:30 a.m. and cost $8.  Those of you with accounts set-up, have the choice of using that method of payment.

June 5th - Tracye (Inspired by Anusara Yoga)

June 12th Wendy (Hatha yoga)

June 19th - Tomoe (Kundalini)

June 26th - Krystyn

Questions? Contact Tracey Lederer at tracyelederer@hotmail.com or Wendy Henderson at wendy@mysticsagemassage.com.

Your Turn

It's your turn to submit healthy recipes.  Do you have a quick and healthy dish that you prepare for your family?  If so, please post it here.  If you have trouble posting the recipe, you can also email it to me and I'll add it the blog.

Thanks for your input!

Mango-Pineapple Salsa

This is one of my favorite salsas so I made it for Mother's Day.  I served it on top of grilled shrimp & veggie kabobs along with some tilapia.on a bed of brown rice.  The salsa also tastes great with black beans or chicken.

Mango Pineapple Salsa

1/2 pineapple, cut into small pieces

1 mango, cut into similar-sized pieces*

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

Handful of cilantro, finely chopped.

1/4 large red onion, finely chopped

1 tbl seasoned rice vinegar (or use white vinegar with a little sugar added to taste)

1/2 lime, juiced.

Mix all ingredients and enjoy!

*  Here's an easy way to cut up a mango.  First make sure it's ripe or it won't taste like much.  Hold the mango upright on a cutting board.  With a large knife, slice the mango as close to the pit as possible.  Repeat on the other side.  Take one of the halves and using a smaller knife, cut a criss-cross pattern into the mango flesh being careful not to cut all the way through to the skin.  Turn the skin inside out so that now the mango half looks kinda like a porcupine.  Slice the mango squares away from the skin and there you have it - nice square pieces of mango.  Repeat with the other half.  For the mango remaining around the pit, slice the skin away and cut the rest of the mango away from the pit.

Is BMI the best predictor of heart disease?

Here’s some interesting new research just published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2010 Apr;95(4):1777-85). The authors examined common measurements of “body size” and investigated which were most predictive of cardiovascular incidents and mortality. The winner was the waist size to height ratio (WHtR), whereas the more commonly used BMI was not always predictive of cardiovascular risk. The authors’ of this study discourage the use of BMI as a measure of health risk and encourages the use of WHtR instead.



BMI Flaws
BMI or body mass index is a relationship between a person’s height and weight. However, it doesn’t take into account where the weight is carried. Excess weight around the mid-section is a greater risk factor for chronic diseases than is excess weight around the hips. Moreover, muscle-bound athletes are often classified as “overweight” using the BMI scale even if they carry very little fat.


Waist to Height Ratio (WHtR)
WHtR in contrast to the BMI, takes into account a person’s body shape as well as gender. WHtR is measured by dividing waist size by height. For example, a 5’5” woman with a 31” waist would have a ratio of .47 (31 divided by 65 = .47), which is in the “healthy and attractive” range. (I’m not sure why they included “attractive” since that’s not a health predictor…)


The bottom line is what we’ve heard before that it’s better to have a pear shape than an apple shape. Only now they’ve given us numbers to work with. The following chart will help you determine if you’re in your “best shape”.
WOMEN
• Ratio less than .35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight
• Ratio .35 to .42: Extremely Slim
• Ratio .42 to .46: Slender and Healthy
• Ratio .46 to .49: Healthy and Attractive
• Ratio .49 to .54: Overweight
• Ratio .54 to .58: Seriously Overweight
• Ratio over .58: Highly Obese.

MEN
• Ratio less than .35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight
• Ratio .35 to .43: Extremely slim
• Ratio .43 to .46: Slender and Healthy
• Ratio .46 to .53: Healthy, Normal, Attractive Weight
• Ratio .53 to .58: Overweight
• Ratio .58 to .63: Extremely Overweight/Obese
• Ratio over .63: Highly Obese

Too Much Sugar and Heart Disease

Although we know that eating too much sugar is not good for our waistline, did you know that it also increases your risk for cardiovascular disease?

A new study published in the April 21, 2010 online issue of JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, says these added sugars could be a contributing factor in the development of cardiovascular disease.  Sugars/sweeteners are added to food during manufacturing to increase palatability -- yet have no nutritional value. There’s been a 50% jump in added sugar consumption in past 30 years.

This study shows that reducing added sugar consumption equates to 23% higher HDL-C levels (good cholesterol), 8%-10% lower triglyceride levels and 6% lower LDL-C levels (bad cholesterol).

Check out this link to find out more:  http://cenegenics.com/pdf_files/semi_newsletter_may10.pdf

Organic Tomato, Spinach and Pinto Bean Salad

Here's a recipe sent to me from Sue.  Thanks Sue!

Organic Tomato, Spinach and Pinto Bean Salad


Ingredients

1/2 pound dried pinto beans

2 quarts of chicken stock

2 cups diced yellow onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 large carrot, diced

3 ribs celery, diced

5 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 pound baby spinach

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Olive oil



Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoonss red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste



Directions

Rinse and pick through beans. Soak overnight.



Rinse soaked beans and put into a 3-quart pot. Add one quart of

water and one quart of chicken stock, simmer beans until tender,

but not breaking apart. About one hour.



In another 3-quart pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add

onion, garlic, carrot, celery and saute over high heat until

softened, about 5 minutes. Pour cooked beans with cooking liquid

into the pot with the vegetables. Add cumin and simmer for 30

minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed. Drain beans, reserving the

liquid for another use, if desired.



Meanwhile, wash and dry spinach. Place half of the spinach on a

large serving platter.



Put remaining spinach in a large bowl and fold hot beans into it,

to wilt. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons red wine

vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and toss with tomatoes.



Serve immediately.

"Rata-nesca"

The following recipe is a combination of ratatouille and pasta puttanesca.  Basically it's a puttanesca using roasted vegetables. 

When roasting vegetables, I make a double batch.  So the first night we have our BBQ hamburgers/chicken/steak with roasted veggies.  The second night, I use the leftover veggies in the following dish.  It's a quick and delicious pasta dish.  If you've never tried eggplant, give it a try.  It's great grilled!

Roasted Veggies:  Use what you like.  Here's what I used.
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into rounds
2 zucchini, sliced
Mushrooms
Red onion, sliced into rounds
Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Toss with olive oil and salt.  Place eggplant directly on grill,  Use a grill basket for everything else.  Grill until the vegetables are soft. 

Take leftover veggies and roughly chop.  Use in the following dish "Rata-nesca".

1 box Barrilla Plus penne pasta (high fiber but no one will know), cooked al dente
2/3 jar Marinara sauce
Leftover roasted vegetables
Handful Kalamata olives, chopped (make sure you buy the pitted ones)
1 heaping Tbl capers
Handful of roughly chopped fresh basil, or use the basil found in a tube in the produce section (which is what I always keep in the refrigerator and use instead of dried basil), or 1 tsp dried basil
dried red pepper flakes, to taste

Mix all ingredients together,  Use enough sauce so that the mixture is well coated.  Place in a pyrex or casserole dish.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and cover with foil.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking for about 5 more minutes.

* This dish freezes well.