Necessary Habits for Healthy Living - by Megan Daic

Necessary habits for healthy living

1. Try reading more as opposed to watching television. Not only does reading keep your mind intellectually stimulated, but it can help you sleep better at nighttime.

2. Floss daily. I know that we have all heard this a million times, but I implore you to take this challenge. Flossing regularly not only prevents the buildup of plaque and germs that cause bad breath and gingivitis, but it can help prevent heart disease as well. If I can floss, so can you.

3. Eat plain yogurt instead of flavored yogurt. Most flavored yogurts have either sugar or artificial sweeteners which inherently diminish the benefits of eating yogurt. The beneficial cultures that yogurt has are negated when sugar is added to it. I would suggest eating Fage Greek yogurt with honey and granola – it makes for a wonderful treat!

4. Exercise more. If you usually avoid walking, riding your bike, or any activity that necessitates muscle involvement, you should attempt to substitute your regular routine with a healthy alternative, such as walking to the market.

5. Drink A LOT of water. When we wake up, our bodies are naturally dehydrated so it is important to drink at least 16 oz. of water when we first wake up. Drinking water helps to flush out toxins and impurities from the body, so even if you tend to forget to drink water while at work, make a conscious effort to carry around a water bottle or reusable cup so that you can refill throughout the day.

6. Substitute juice for carbonated beverages (i.e., soda). Believe me, soda is never a healthy choice for the body. Plus, juicing is really great for your health, because it is an easy way to get in the recommended amount of raw vegetables and fruits in your diet.

7. Write down your meals. If you observe that you snack way too often on ‘vending machine food’ and you practically live at all of the fast food restaurants within a quarter-mile of your home or work, I would suggest that you write down what you eat. This way, you can keep track of the foods that you eat and figure out what type of foods work well for your body. The body varies from person to person, so it is important to examine any trends or pitfalls that the foods that we eat may cause.

8. If you are a dessert-junkie, then try tricking yourself by substituting chocolate-turtle cheesecake for a healthier alternative. For me personally, healthier alternatives include: dark chocolate (between 65% and 80% pure cacao); raspberries and blueberries in 2% milk with a sprinkle of sugar on top; Skinny Cow ice cream (one chocolate bar has only 50 calories); and dark-chocolate covered raisins. Dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol, and it even contains mood-enhancing qualities.

9. Refrain from eating fried foods.

10. Do NOT eat fast food! Pre-prepare meals at the beginning of the week and keep a list of easy-to-prepare/quickly made meals.

11. Substitute your typical serving of beef or pork for healthier, less fatty alternatives (i.e., chicken, turkey, fish or tofu).

12. In addition to exercising, also try to take several deep breaths every day. Deep breathing can help reduce stress and is advantageous for the body. Tip: According to a study done by John Hopkins, cancer cells cannot thrive in a highly oxygenated environment. Daily exercise and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level.

13. Listen to melodious music. Music truly does feed the soul.

14. NEVER put plastic in the microwave.

15. Substitute sugary breakfast cereals for healthier options. Fruits, grains, nuts, plain yogurt, oats and naturally sweetened cereals (i.e., cereals with honey) are a great way to start off the morning.Try substituting unhealthy snacks for veggies and fruits.

16. Consume less alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. Obvious!

17. Snack on nutritional foods - fruits, veggies, nuts and grains – instead of chips, candy bars, buttery popcorn and soda.

18. Laugh. Laughing, smiling and socializing are good for the mind, body and soul.

19. Keep a positive outlook. There are no advantages to negativity.

20. Relax. Whether you are calmed by a good book, wine, scented candles and a nice, hot bath, or you relax more when you are out in nature, try and find time to decompress and unwind.

9 Mile Marker

Last week was a HUGE week for our Team Challenge Summer 2010 Participants! Not only did the Houston Team Recommit 25 participants (meaning that 25 will be joining us at the Napa to Sonoma Half-Marathon in July!), but we increased our mileage to 9 miles!

After beginning our run at 6 am at Terry Hershey Park, our participants did an excellent job at keeping a great pace, staying hydrated, and maintaining a positive attitude in the hot weather.

While Coach Kelly led one of our fastest runners, Kelly Cervenka, up to the 7 mile marker, Mary Jean Slazer, Jennifer Bell, Tish Felts and Jacqueline Garrett & her niece persevered through the hilly Terry Hershey trail on their own - at least on their own until Coach Kelly ran back to join them all!

With 9 miles down, they are more than ready to tackle the 13.1 in Napa! Considering the optimum weather conditions in Napa, our participants will be all-stars on the Napa course!

Next week, Team Houston will be tackling 6 to 7 miles at Hermann Park, located near the Medical Center. A 6 to 7 mile run/walk will be a 'piece of cake' for these participants!

Recipe Of the Week: Salad - Butternut Squash, Walnut

Salad - Butternut Squash, Walnut

5 cups peeled seeded butternut squash (should be around 5 pounds)

2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Pinch of cayenne pepper

½ cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat the squash with the olive oil and then sprinkle with cayenne pepper and coarse salt. Place on a cookie sheet and roast about 20 to 30 minutes until the edges are browned and squash tender. Turn squash at least once during the cooking process. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Toast walnuts, chop and set aside.

2 tablespoons fresh squeeze orange juice

1 ½ tablespoons walnut oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

8 cups lightly packed salad greens

Whisk orange juice, walnut oil, and lemon juice in large shallow bowl. Add greens, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds, toss to coat. Spoon warm temperature squash over salad and drizzle with pomegranate molasses

½ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (optional)

Enjoy!

Team Houston's first training!

As you can tell, Team Houston's Team Challenge participants were ready to go and hit the track at their first practice!

Their first practice consisted of a 1-mile time trial at the Memorial Park track. Both Coach Kelly and Coach Nick provided them with helpful tips about running/walking and they even led them in stretching!

Over 20 participants were in attendance, and they had a great time following along with Coach Nick's 'Dynamic Stretches'.

After the time trial, everyone headed over to The Fruit Palette for breakfast, and then to Fleet Feet in Rice Village for a shoe clinic.

Team Houston had a blast!

Now, we are happy to say that after 8 weeks of training, approximately 25 participants Recommitted and will be heading out with Team Challenge to Napa in July! Yea for Team Houston!

Dallas Team's Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon Participants

Team Dallas is doing an awesome job preparing for the Napa to Sonoma Half-Marathon that will be held in July!

Recently, one of Team Dallas's participants held a Cinco de Mayo fundraiser. She was handing out beads in exchange for donations when a man approached her and asked if he could help her sell a few. He left with a handful of beads and returned a few minutes later with a handful of cash. She thanked him and he told her that he appreciated her effort in trying to raise funds for Crohn’s and Colitis research and thought CCFA was a great foundation to support.

Turns out, he was a former participant on the reality show, The Apprentice and used his celebrity to help sell the beads! Not only did he help us raise money but he also helped create awareness in a unique way.

Great job, Team Dallas!

10 Tips for Running a Half-Marathon

Our Team Challenge participants have been doing a fabulous job with both training and fundraising, and with the Napa to Sonoma Half-Marathon approximately 2 months away, their training schedules have intensified...but they are still loving it!

Here are a few tips for anyone interested in training for a half-marathon:
(Note: These tips focus on the days just before the half-marathon, as well as race day)

1> KEEP HYDRATED:
Not just during the race, but drink a least eight (8oz) cups of pure water each day for the entire week before the marathon. This way your body gets used to the extra fluid.

2> CHECK YOUR SHOES:
Your shoes should be in good condition. Don’t try and use new shoes for running the marathon. You should have broken them in with at least one long run, but preferably more.

3> EAT YOUR BIG PASTA MEAL ONE TO TWO DAYS BEFORE THE RACE:
Don’t try and overload on a ton of carbs the night before the race, because you could end up with an upset stomach the next morning. Do not do anything too much out of the normal for the whole week before the race.

4> RELAX THE DAY BEFORE:
Take things really easy. Don’t spend hours on your feet, because you’ll feel it the next day. A warm bath with Epsom salts can be very relaxing!

5> PACE YOURSELF CORRECTLY:
This is probably the most important factor that will determine your performance. Please speak with professional coaches or trainers about pacing yourself correctly.

6> IF THE WEATHER IS BAD – ADJUST YOUR FINISH TIME:
Bad weather is one of the main things that can really impact your run. It’s better to accept this fact and aim for a slightly slower time rather than run out of energy and hit the wall early. You may actually have a great run in spite of the weather, in which case you can pick up the pace in the latter stages of the race.

7> BE CAREFUL WITH POWER GELS AND ENERGY REPLACEMENT PRODUCTS:
Don’t take energy gels or even Gatorade if you haven’t done so during training. Your stomach can become upset very easily as you get into the later miles. Hopefully you will have experimented with different energy drinks, and so forth, during your training runs. Simply try some orange slices if you prefer.

8> MENTALLY DIVIDE THE RACE INTO SECTIONS:
Divide the race up into different segments in your mind. Then as you reach one goal, you aim for the next. This gives you something to focus on besides the finish line.

9> TRY WALKING:
Brief walking breaks periodically will give your legs a change from the constant running stride. This will help the muscles avoid tightening up too much in the later stages. You won’t add a whole lot to your finish time either.

10> WALK AROUND AFTER THE RACE IS OVER:
Walking around after the race will help you cool down. As a result you’ll recover faster in the days following the race.

Upcoming Events

INFORMATION MEETINGS -Team Challenge Rock 'N Roll Vegas Half-Marathon Training Program


North Texas Chapter

10:00a.m. Saturday, August, 7, 2010 - Market Street Colleyville (5605 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, TX 76034)

7:00p.m. Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - REI of Dallas (4515 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, TX 75244)

7:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 17, 2010 - Half Price Books (5803 E. Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75231)

7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 19, 2010 - Central Market Plano (320 Coit Road, Plano, TX 75075)

5:00 p.m. Saturday, August 21, 2010 - Sullivan's Steakhouse (17795 North Dallas Parkway, Dallas, TX 75287)



Houston Gulf Coast Chapter

9:00 am Saturday, August 7 - Fleet Feet Sports (2408 Rice Blvd., Houston TX 77005)

7:00 pm Thursday, August 12 - Luke's Locker - The Woodlands (9595 Six Pines, Suite 1060, The Woodlands, TX 77380)

7:00 pm Tuesday, August 17 - Luke's Locker - West Gray (1953 West Gray Street, Houston, TX 77019)

7:00 pm Thursday, August 19 - REI (7538 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77063)

6:15 pm Tuesday, August 24 - United Way of Greater Houston (50 Waugh Drive, Houston, TX 77007)

Welcome to the Team Challenge Blogosphere!

Welcome to the Team Challenge Crohn's and Colitis Texas blog! This is a place where participants of both the North Texas and Houston Gulf Coast Chapter teams can post their Team Challenge experiences!

For those of you who don't know, Team Challenge is the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation's half-marathon training program. Participants train to run or walk a half-marathon while raising funds to find a cure for Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis, two painful, unpredictable and devastating digestive diseases that affect 1.4 million Americans.

Team Challenge participants train for approximately 16-weeks with a professional Walk Coach and Run Coach in order to prepare for a half-marathon at a pre-selected event in a cool locale! If the participant meets their fundraising minimum, Team Challenge covers the cost of travel, lodging, race registration, ground transportation, etc. to the event. Currently, the North Texas & Houston Gulf Coast Chapters are training for the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half-Marathon that will take place over the course of the weekend of July 18th in Napa Valley.

All of the Team Challenge participants are making a huge difference in the lives of individuals suffering with IBD by not only raising awareness, but also by raising crucial funding in order to help find a cure for IBD.

Beginning in August, Team Challenge will begin recruiting and training for its Winter Season. This Winter, we will be heading to Las Vegas to participate in the Rock 'N Roll Vegas Half-Marathon on December 5, 2010! Viva Las Vegas!

For more information about our upcoming events, please go to www.ccteamchallenge.org and click on either the North Texas chapter (if you are located closer to the Dallas/Forth Worth outlying region) or Houston Gulf Coast/South Texas Chapter.

We hope to see you in Vegas!