I love Bela Olhão canned sardines -- and not just because they're actually kind of delicious. (Really.) Here's why:
They're portable, and you can eat 'em straight out of the can, so they're fantastic for long hikes or when you just need an emergency snack. I keep a couple of tins in my office desk drawer; when I'm hungry but too busy to go grab a bite across the street, I'll just break open some smoked sardines.
They fit like nobody's business into my Paleo diet.
You can eat a tin of sardines instead of slurping down your daily dose of fish oil. Sardines are super-rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, "good fats" that decrease "the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain skin ailments. Some research has even shown that omega-3s can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer's disease."
In sum, sardines are awesome for you, and Bela Olhão is one of the tastier brands I've tried. You can find them at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, so give 'em a shot.
Mark Sisson’s about to unveil his Primal Blueprint Fitness program, which will center around Workouts of the Week (WOWs) posted every Monday on his site. From the description, WOWs sound a lot like CrossFit Workouts of the Day (WODs), which led one reader to ask Sisson to distinguish between the two. In the comments section of his blog post, Sisson responded:
There will be some similarities between WOWs and WODs, but some distinct differences, too. Most notably, we’re working on constructing WOWs that:
a) occasionally use specialized equipment, but with a focus on workouts where you can use ANY kind of weight (where a dumbbell, kettlebell, weight vest, heavy rock, etc. will do equally well)
b) occasionally use specialized equipment but with weightless (i.e. bodyweight) variations also provided
In other words, Sisson's WOWs are going to be very similar to WODs, but updated less frequently, and with less equipment to buy.
Lastly, it appears that I may be an addict. (And if you’re reading this, you’re probably one, too.)
Gwyneth Paltrow announced recently that she's been diagnosed with osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis. Her bone mineral density is lower than normal, and her Vitamin D levels are "the lowest [her doctors] had ever seen."
The inter-tubes are already abuzz with speculation as to how she could have developed such a condition at the ripe old age of 37. After all, hasn't she been proselytizing about her strict macrobiotic diet and her celebrity trainer, Tracy Anderson?
My unsolicited opinion: Her nutrition and fitness regimen are, ironically, the culprits.
First of all, macrobiotic diets call for lots of whole grains (brown rice is BIG), legumes, vegetables, and fruit. And a little fish. What's missing? Vitamin D. Gwyneth is a kale junkie, so she clearly ate her share of dark, green, leafy vegetables -- a decent source of calcium.
But without Vitamin D, you can’t sufficiently absorb dietary calcium. When this happens, your body's forced to draw calcium from your bones, which weakens your existing skeleton and prevents you from forming strong, new bone.
I'm sure that Tracy Anderson's insanely stupid workouts contributed to Gwyneth's increasingly brittle frame. Case in point: Anderson claims that no woman should ever lift more than three pounds, which is just plain dumb. Check out this video from Oprah:
Not only is it really inefficient advice -- Anderson has clients do hundreds of reps -- it’s also downright dangerous. Lifting weights prevents bone loss, and may even help build new bone. And using real weights produces real results. “Women burned nearly twice as many calories in the two hours after their workout when they lifted 85 percent of their max load for eight reps than when they did more reps (15) at a lower weight (45 percent of their max),” according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. And guess what? They didn’t bulk up.
[T]he notion [that lifting heavy weights makes you big and bulky] is not supported by science. Producing bulky muscles requires not just heavy weights but heavy calorie consumption as well, typically far above the 2,000 daily calories recommended for many adults.
For people who lift weights to tone up and slim down, experts say, a regimen that includes a combination of challenging weights and fewer repetitions can help significantly.
Wake up, Gwyneth. Lift something heavier than a carton of orange juice once in a while. Strength training improves bone density, and it's great for women. Besides, most women (and men) have to pick up and move things that are heavier than three pounds (e.g., books, casseroles, small children, briefcases, chairs, carry-on luggage, big boxes of stuff from Costco). Doing "hundreds of reps" of super-light weights for 10 hours a week has no real-world application at all, unless you're a factory worker with an incipient case of repetitive strain injury. And you're not.
And that's not all: Null sells a line of supplements called "Gary Null's Ultimate Power Meal," a powder which -- after it's mixed with water -- is supposed to be ingested twice daily.
The problem? According to Null, after downing two "Ultimate Power Meals" a day for a month, it almost killed him. His body became overloaded with Vitamin D, causing kidney damage, extreme fatigue, and intense pain. He's now filed a $10 million suit against Triarco Industries, the company that manufactured the supplement, claiming that Triarco put a thousand times the amount of Vitamin D in each serving of "Ultimate Power Meals" than Null intended.
To treat his Vitamin D overdose, I wonder if Null went to a medical doctor or an alternative/homeopathic therapist.
