Health Beat NW: Berry Good! 07/08

   Hiking the Dickerman Mountain Trail in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest last fall, I stumbled across a meadow filled with oval–leaved blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium). Having taken field botany courses, I felt confident I could identify toxic berries from edible berries and popped a few of these sun-baked mountain blueberries in my mouth. Delicious!  

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Health Beat NW: Trail mix. Healthy or not?05/08

   Do you really know what’s in that handful of trail mix you just popped in your mouth?

    Generally, the average serving of trail mix (about a quarter cup) has 700 calories with nearly 50 percent of its calories coming from fat (including saturated fats and trans-fats) and it is high in sodium.  

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Recovery Nutrition: Getting the Job Done

   You may have heard of the benefits of refueling shortly after exercise, during the so-called “carbohydrate window.” Contrary to popular belief, however, this refueling window is not the drive-thru at your local Burger King or Taco Bell. In fact, filling up on high-fat foods is almost as ineffective as gulping down some water and waiting a few hours for your appetite to return. No matter your age, activity or ability level, you can speed your recovery and reduce your risk of injury by wisely using the time immediately after you exercise to refuel on carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages.   

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Say goodbye to Aches and Pains
   Many athletes do not realize the importance of maintaining healthy joints. You may have arthritis, a moderate-to-severe sprain (including a past car accident) or problems with your knee caps: if so, supplements might be the answer you’ve been waiting for.   

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