Quinoa

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthful choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source.^[4] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.

Quinoa can be prepared just like rice. I like to cook mine in a rice cooker... so if you are sick of brown rice, give it a try...I just purchased some from Costco!

Prenatal Heaven

Premium prenatal multivitamin for pregnant & nursing women in a delicious chocolate!

* Recommended nutritional support for Mother and Infant in a delectable chocolate bite
* 800 mcg folic acid essential for the expecting mother and her developing baby
* 200 mg of bone-strengthening calcium
* 400 IU of vitamin D-3 to enhance calcium absorption
* 125 mg of Ginger (root) powder helps decrease the effects of “Morning Sickness.”
* 150 mg of Biotin for strengthening hair, nails, and skin during pregnancy
* Choose from two delicious flavors: Caramel and Mint Chocolate

Pregnancy is a special time in a woman’s life. Not only do you need to meet your individual nutritional needs, but you must also meet the requirements of your developing baby. Maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy affects both the mother’s well-being and the infant’s growth. As the baby develops through the early phases of life, your nutritional needs will also increase. A balanced diet focusing extra attention to nutrients like calcium, iron and folic acid is recommended. After delivery, an adequate diet is needed to support nursing and to replace depleted nutrient stores; Top Form Women’s Prenatal Chocolate is a delicious and delicately blended multivitamin that provides you and your baby with supplemental levels of essential nutrients.
Nutritional support

* Top Form Prenatal Chocolates supply balanced nutrition with emphasis on antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to supplement a healthy diet during pregnancy.

Folic acid

* Provides 800 mcg of folic acid – critical during the earliest weeks of pregnancy when a baby’s organs are forming. Adequate intake of folic acid in a healthy diet before and in early preg nancy may reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.
* Required for cell growth and DNA formation.*

Calcium & bone health

* Top Form Prenatal Chocolates feature 200 mg of bone-strengthening calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D-3 to enhance calcium absorption.* Additional calcium during pregnancy is vital, particularly during the third trimester when fetal bones begin to calcify.

Iron

* Necessary to support placental and fetal needs and a mother’s increased blood volume.*

Biotin

* Essential for cell production and helps maintain healthy hair, nails, and skin during pregnancy.*

A complete nutritional program should be followed prior to conception through pregnancy and maintained when breastfeeding.

A complete list of the multivitamin actives is listed below per two (2) chocolate bites:
Vitamin A (Acetate) 1700 IU
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 60 mg
Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) 1,300 IU
Vitamin E (D-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate) 15 IU
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) 400 IU
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride) 1 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) mg
Vitamin B5 (D-Calcium Pantothenate) 3 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) 2.5 mg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 2 mcg
Folic Acid 800 mcg
Biotin 150 mcg

Calcium (TCP) 200 mg
Magnesium (Magnesium Carbonate) 25 mg

Potassium (Potassium Citrate) 50 mg
Zinc (Zinc Gluconate) 7.5 mg
Selenium (L-Selenomethionine) 25 mcg

Iron (Phosphate) 13.5 mg

Ginger (Root) Powder 125 mg

The actives follow the RDA guidelines for women’s prenatal multivitamins.

In addition to the Good Energy Chocolates and Prenatal Chocolates, Top Form is currently developing active formulations for Sugar-Free Good Energy Chocolates, Women’s multivitamin chocolates, and children’s multivitamin chocolates. Additional information on these upcoming products is available upon request.

Benefits of Fiber

We all know the benefits of fiber. Fiber not only promotes health, it also help reduce the risk for some chronic diseases. For instance, fiber prevents constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. Fiber is also linked to prevent some cancers especially colon and breast cancer. In addition, fiber may help lower the LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) and the total cholesterol therefore reducing the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, fiber can help lower blood sugar therefore help better manage diabetes.
Types of Fiber: Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber

Both soluble and insoluble fiber are undigested. They are therefore not absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead of being used for energy, fiber is excreted from our bodies. Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid, while insoluble fiber does not. Insoluble fiber passes through our intestines largely intact.

Insoluble Fiber

Functions of Insoluble Fiber

- move bulk through the intestines
- control and balance the pH (acidity) in the intestines

Benefits of Insoluble Fiber


- promote regular bowel movement and prevent constipation
- remove toxic waste through colon in less time
- help prevent colon cancer by keeping an optimal pH in intestines to prevent microbes from producing cancerous substances

Food Sources of Insoluble Fiber

- Vegetables such as green beans and dark green leafy vegetables
- Fruit skins and root vegetable skins
- Whole-wheat products
- Wheat oat
- Corn bran
- Seeds & Nuts



Soluble Fiber

Functions of Soluble Fiber

- bind with fatty acids
- prolong stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly

Benefits of Soluble Fiber


- lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) therefore reducing the risk of heart disease
- regulate blood sugar for people with diabetes

Food Sources of Soluble Fiber

- Oat/Oat bran
- Dried beans and peas
- Nuts
- Barley
- Flax seed
- Fruits such as oranges and apples
- Vegetables such as carrots
- Psyllium husk

Introducing Team Running Lean! at THF

The Orem Franchise headed by Dan Wilcox is RUNNIN LEAN. Team Runnin Lean is a group of recreational runners that support each other with ideas, tips, and motivation for someone looking to do recreational runs, their first marathon or half marathon, or any other event. To learn more about this group, you can contact Dan at the Orem THF by email... dan.wilcox@thfonline.com
Or you can click here to learn more and view pictures of their last race!

If the above link doesn't work, go to www.thfresults.com click on the groups link and then the THF Runnin Lean Link

Eggs...The Health Benefit

Eggs used to have the reputation as a major contributor to heart disease...however current research is stating that "this is just not true!" Here are a few myths that the research pointed out is not true....
Myth number 1: Making egggs a regular part of your diet leads to heart disease.
Fact: Eating one egg per day barely effects your risk of heart disease, while factors such as physical inactivity and obesity increase it as much as 40%, according to a recent study. The American Heart Association, however, does recommend keeping cholesterol to less than 300 mg a day-- so limit yourself to one whole egg daily(the yolk contains approximately 213mg).

Myth number 2: Egg yolks aren't healthy.
Fact: The yellow center is a rare source of vitamin D; just one has 20iu as well as vitamin B12 and choline, among other nutrients. To keep cholesterol intake down, make your omelet with one whole egg and two whites, and watch the cholesterol at the rest of your meals.

With these myths and facts, I think it is safe to assume that eating eggs in moderation is not only healthy, but safe.

Protein shake or Meal Replacement

Any assumption about a protein shake
before sleep is correct.

As for post-workout, this is not entirely true. There is no sudden burst of muscle-making after a workout. Building muscle tissue is a 24-hour process, so getting adequate protein throughout the day is far more critical than the window after a workout
. You simply need a few grams of protein to replace what was burned as energy and you're good to go. The most important nutrient after a workout is carbohydrate. While muscle rebuilding takes place over 24 - 72 hours following a workout, there is a window of a few hours where your muscles are "primed" to take in carbohydrates that were depleted during training. For this reason, you'll find the more superior-formulated post-workout shakes (i.e. Top Form Meal Replacement) contain about a 2:1 carb-protein ratio to supply just enough protein but plenty of carbohydrate to refuel your muscles.

Aside from perhaps extra protein (and again, getting it from whole food sources is superior, but if you are having trouble consuming adequate protein from whole foods, then supplementing is certainly fine) a quality multi is beneficial, not a topic for this thread, if you search, you'll see tons of conversations about this (Men's and Woman's Mutlivitamin).

For your protein before bed, I do Top Form Only Whey combined with some sort of fiber or high quality fat. You want something slower-relasing, like a whole food protein or if you get a shake, a blend that contains some casein, perhaps hydrolyzed beef plasma, etc. We use a brand from Top Form Nutrition Supplements, a top quality blend that tastes incredible.

What Is Spot Reduction?

The question often arises with clients about losing fat in a specific part of their body. They want to know if they do crunches will they lose belly fat? The answer is maybe but unlikely. You see spot reduction is not real. Working certain muscles will not burn fat around those muscles. Your body burns fat where it is going to burn fat...meaning genetics will determine where on your body you burn the fat from. We know however that large muscle groups like your legs, chest, and back will burn a lot of overall calories which in turn means burning fat. This is why it is important to use large muscle groups in a fat loss program. Working small individual muscles is fine, but you need to make sure your foundation to your weight training is the large muscle groups!

Total Health & Fitness and Brick House Retreat Salon and Day Spa

Total Health & Fitness and Brick House Retreat Salon and Day Spa are now working together to create the best you. We are combining the amazing feeling of a day at the spa, along with a complete lifestyle change to feel amazing all the time. Our nutrition and fitness consultants will now be on location at Brickhouse to answer any specific questions you may have. Act now for a limited time only the first session will be free of charge. Come and renew yourself at Brick House Retreat Salon and Day Spa.

Brick House Retreat
Salon and Day Spa
(801)545-0445
10965 S. State Street
Sandy, UT 84070

Why is drinking water important for losing fat?

Oxidation of fat creates waste products. You need water to help flush them. The reaction that uses fat for fuel also involves water, so if you are dehydrated, there is a chance you won't burn as much fat. When you train, you deplete your muscles of glycogen.

The only way for glycogen to get back into the muscle is through glucose bound to water, so without enough water, you won't get the fuel to your muscles that need it. Water is what the body uses to manipulate the charge inside and outside of the cell to drive nutrients and and waste products out.

Without water, you are potentially not delivering the nutrients your body needs to burn fat
.