HEALTHY RECIPIES

Asian Tofu Salad

4 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 14-ounce package extra-firm, water-packed tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1-inch cubes

8 cups mixed salad greens

2 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 large cucumber, chopped

PREPARATION

Whisk canola oil, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and salt in a bowl.

Place tofu and 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes total. Remove from the heat, add 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the pan and stir to coat.

Toss greens, carrots and cucumber with the remaining dressing. Serve immediately, topped with the warm tofu.

TIPS & NOTES

Make Ahead Tip: The dressing (Step 1) will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Whisk just before using.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 236 calories; 16 g fat ( 2 g sat , 8 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 4 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 5 g fiber; 454 mg sodium; 749 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (180% daily value), Folate (41% dv), Vitamin C (38% dv), Calcium (29% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 3 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 2 fat , 1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings

HEALTHY RECIPIES

Alpine Mushroom

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
• 6 cups shredded Savoy cabbage, (about 1 small head)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced smoked cheese, such as smoked mozzarella, Cheddar or gouda
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, or 3/4 teaspoon dried

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PREPARATION

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 4 minutes. Add cabbage and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and cabbage are tender, about 4 minutes more. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta and cabbage.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender and beginning to release their liquid, about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk wine and flour in a small bowl. Add to the pan along with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until just beginning to break down, about 1 minute more.
4. Return the pasta and cabbage to the pot. Add the mushroom sauce, the reserved cooking liquid, cheese and sage; gently toss to combine.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 278 calories; 7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono ); 15 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein;8 g fiber; 536 mg sodium; 633 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (45% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Calcium & Iron (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 medium-fat meat

PREPARATION

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 4 minutes. Add cabbage and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and cabbage are tender, about 4 minutes more. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta and cabbage.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender and beginning to release their liquid, about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk wine and flour in a small bowl. Add to the pan along with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until just beginning to break down, about 1 minute more.
4. Return the pasta and cabbage to the pot. Add the mushroom sauce, the reserved cooking liquid, cheese and sage; gently toss to combine.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 278 calories; 7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono ); 15 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein;8 g fiber; 536 mg sodium; 633 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (45% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Calcium & Iron (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 medium-fat meat

magine that you're exercising. You're working up a sweat, you're breathing hard, your heart is thumping, blood is coursing through your vessels to deliver oxygen to the muscles to keep you moving, and you sustain the activity for more than just a few minutes. That's aerobic exercise(also known as "cardio" in gym lingo); any activity that you can sustain for more than just a few minutes while your heart, lungs, and muscles work overtime. In this article, I'll discuss the mechanisms of aerobic exercise: oxygen transport and consumption, the role of the heart and the muscles, the proven benefits of aerobic exercise, how much you need to do to reap the benefits, and more.

The beginning

It all starts with breathing. The average healthy adult inhales and exhales about 7 to 8 liters of air per minute. Once you fill your lungs, the oxygen in the air (air contains approximately 20% oxygen) is filtered through small branches of tubes (called bronchioles) until it reaches the alveoli. The alveoli are microscopic sacs where oxygen diffuses (enters) into the blood. From there, it's a beeline direct to the heart.

Getting to the heart of it

The heart has four chambers that fill with blood and pump blood (two atria and two ventricles) and some very active coronary arteries. Because of all this action, the heart needs a fresh supply of oxygen, and as you just learned, the lungs provide it. Once the heart uses what it needs, it pumps the blood, the oxygen, and other nutrients out through the large left ventricle and through the circulatory system to all the organs, muscles, and tissues that need it.

A whole lot of pumping going on

Your heart beats approximately 60-80 times per minute at rest, 100,000 times a day, more than 30 million times per year, and about 2.5 billion times in a 70-year lifetime! Every beat of your heart sends a volume of blood (called stroke volume -- more about that later), along with oxygen and many other life-sustaining nutrients, circulating through your body. The average healthy adult heart pumps about 5 liters of blood per minute.

Oxygen consumption and muscles

All that oxygen being pumped by the blood is important. You may be familiar with the term "oxygen consumption." In science, it's labeled VO₂, or volume of oxygen consumed. It's the amount of oxygen the muscles extract, or consume from the blood, and it's expressed as ml/kg/minute (milliliters per kilogram of body weight). Muscles are like engines that run on fuel (just like an automobile that runs on fuel); only our muscles use fat and carbohydrates instead of gasoline. Oxygen is a key player because, once inside the muscle, it's used to burn fat and carbohydrate for fuel to keep our engines running. The more efficient our muscles are at consuming oxygen, the more fuel we can burn, the more fit we are, and the longer we can exercise

Asanas Yoga - Yoga Exercises & Postures

The practice of Yoga Exercises means practicing both your body and your mind. It takes willpower and perseverance to accomplish each Yoga Pose and to practice it daily. But the prize for your perseverance is really worth all the hard work. The practice of Yoga Exercises or Yoga Asanas with your yoga blockscan improve your health, increase your resistance, and develop your mental awareness. Doing the Yoga Poses requires you to have your own yoga kit and to study each pose and execute it slowly as you control your body and your mind. Read on and follow our free Yoga Posture animations to discover more about the different Poses in the following sections:

 

Yoga Exercises - Warm-Up Poses

In general, warming up depends on the Yoga Style that you practice. This section covers some Warm-Up exercises that you can do prior to a Yoga class or session.

Standing Poses

Learn how to practice the different Standing Poses - Triangle Pose, Hands to Feet, Standing Side Stretch Pose, Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold, Warrior Pose, Tree Pose, and Sun Salutation.

Seated Poses

There are poses which can be done while sitting on yoga mats. In this section, know how to do the various Seated Poses such as Spread Leg Forward Fold, Hero Pose, Seated Forward Bend, and Child Pose.

Twist Yoga Poses

Aside from strengthening the back, the Half-Spinal Twist and Sage Twist are Yoga Poses which tone and massage the abdominal area and improve digestion.

Supine Poses

This section covers several Yoga Poses which are done in supine (lying face up) position - Leg Reclining Lunge, Locust Pose, Leg Pulls, Leg Raises, and Wind Relieving Pose.

Inverted Postures and Balance Poses

Shoulderstand, Headstand, and Plough can help increase circulation, stimulate the brain, enhance glandular system functioning, and relieve pressure on the abdominal organs.

Backbends

Backbends are Yoga Poses which promote flexibility in the spine and strengthen the arms, legs, and abdomen. In this section, know how to practice Backbends.

Finishing Poses

The Corpse Pose or Savasana and the Final Corpse are Yoga Poses which are usually practiced as final relaxation at the end of a Yoga Session.

Bikram Yoga Poses

This section will be discussing the various Bikram yoga poses.

Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness (a state of health and well-being), and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations). Physical fitness is generally achieved through correct nutrition, exercise, and enough rest.

In previous years[when?], fitness was commonly defined as the capacity to carry out the day’s activities without undue fatigue. However, as automation increased leisure time, changes in lifestyles following the industrial revolution rendered this definition insufficient. In current contexts, physical fitness is considered a measure of the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situa

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports—a study group sponsored by the government of the United States—declines to offer a simple definition of physical fitness. Instead, it developed the following chart:[1]

Health related Skill related Sports

Metabolic

Morphological

Bone integrity

Other

Body composition

Cardiovascular fitness

Flexibility

Muscular endurance

Muscle strength

Agility

Balance

Coordination

Power

Speed

Reaction time

Other

Team sport

Individual sport

Lifetime

Other

A comprehensive fitness program tailored to an individual will probably focus on one or more specific skills,[2] and on age-[3] or health-related needs such as bone health.[4] Many sources[citation needed] also cite mental, social and emotional health as an important part of overall fitness. This is often presented in textbooks as a triangle made up of three points, which represent physical, emotional, and mental fitness. Physical fitness can also prevent or treat many chronic health conditions brought on by unhealthy lifestyle or aging.[5] Working out can also help people sleep better. To stay healthy it is important to engage in physical activity.[6]

Training

Specific or task-oriented fitness is a person's ability to perform in a specific activity with a reasonable efficiency: for example, sports or military service. Specific training prepares athletes to perform well in their sports.

Examples are:

400 m sprint: in a sprint the athlete must be trained to work anaerobically throughout the race.

Marathon: in this case the athlete must be trained to work aerobically and their endurance must be built-up to a maximum.

Many fire fighters and police officers undergo regular fitness testing to determine if they are capable of the physically demanding tasks required of the job.[7]

Soldiers of the United States Army must be able to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT)

tions