Super Foods for a Super You, Part I of V

My visit to the Ashram last year taught me one important lesson, consciously eat nutrient dense foods (have a look at my old blog post about me and my whole grains: http://mycasall.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html). Food should count and provide you the maximum nutrients with the minimum amount of calories. When your body has received the nutrients it needs, you are less hungry. I’m going to do a series of blogs on this subject. Here’s my outline so you know what to expect and I would suggest following this blog so you don’t miss these posts!

Part I: Super Grains
Part II: Super Berries
Part III: Natural Appetite Suppressants
Part IV: Good bacteria
Part V: Algea

Part I: Super Grains

I decided to investigate and compare and contrast my top three favourite super grains:

- Quinoa
- Ezekiel
- Salba

Why eat Super Grains? Rich in protein and fiber, low in fat, and an excellent source of energy – super grains can really change a lifestyle! They are a great source of the B complex vitamins which promotes a more efficient release of energy in the cells, also the high fiber content helps to slow down the release of glucose into the blood which stabilizes the energy level and makes you less exposed to booms and busts. Making a long story much shorter, super grains are undoubtedly a terrific treasury of nutrients and unbeatable substances that are just screaming for your attention!

Quinoa

Correctly pronounced, “keenwa”, this super grain type is a very good vegetarian source of protein, also rich in minerals, vitamin E and several of the B vitamins, and the essential fatty acids which are particularly crucial for a good-looking, healthy skin and hormone production. The preparation instructions are simple: cook the quinoa like ordinary rice, for approximately 15 minutes, and the small disk shaped seeds turn into a fluffy consistency with a delicious nut-like taste. Before cooking, the seeds should be rinsed thoroughly to eliminate the bitter taste of the saponin (a natural insect repellent usually found in the seed coat). Quinoa makes a lovely presentation, especially in combination with a variety of vegetables and seasonings to make terrific dishes, and they also make a good substitute to almost any other grain in any recipe. Vegetable or chicken stock can be used instead of water when boiling, adding flavour. Quinoa can in fact also be found and purchased as a dry product, like corn flakes, and hence serve as a high-protein, exceptional breakfast food when you mix it with almonds, berries, and honey.

A quick look into my refrigerator and I just run down to the supermarket to complement with a couple of ingredients: try this simple but oh-so-fresh quinoa salad!

2 dl quinoa

1 vegetable stock cube

Olive oil

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cucumber

3 tomatoes

1 small red onion

1 teaspoon mineral salt

black pepper
a bundle of parsley

2 cans of crayfish tails

Ezekial

I find it particularly interesting that the name of this super grain originates from the Bible, verse Ezekiel 4:9: “Take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it…” The Holy Scripture gives us the recipe straight out!

Ezekiel whole grain products are organic and flourless with complete protein content. Sprouting the whole grains ensures that all the vital nutrients stored in the whole grains are released. With the right amount of water added to the organically grown grains crucial enzymes are activated causing the grain to sprout and become a living food. This sprouting process increases valuable nutrients including vitamin A, B, and C, iron, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Furthermore, the sprouting treatment results in a lower carbohydrate and calorie content than what was originally in the grains.

There are several products of Ezekiel that might attract your taste. Have a look at http://www.foodforlife.com/our-products.html. For instance, there is this wonderful Ezekiel whole Grain cereal in Cinnamon Raisin – perfect with yoghurt and a great start of your day! Breads made from Ezekiel are also delicious, naturally flavourful and bursting with nutrients! It’s hard to imagine these products are so healthy to me and tastes so lovely at the same time. After you tried them you will definitely realize it’s possible to eat the stuff you love and still keep onto a lifestyle that promotes your well-being. The rich nutty flavour adds to a quicker feeling of satisfaction. Terrific- try it!

Salba

This odourless and flavourless seed belongs to one of the most nutritional packed foods in the world. Also, it happens to be the only food that holds a medical patent. Of course there are reasons for this, just have a quick look at its unbeatable characteristics:

The Salba seed carries...
- 6x the calcium of milk
- 3x more iron than spinach
- 2x the potassium of bananas
- 3x the antioxidant strength of blueberries
- 8x the omega 3 fatty acids of salmon
- 2.5x the vegetable protein of kidney beans
- 15x the magnesium of broccoli

Honestly, this is an explosion of nutrients. Could anything you put on your tongue do you any better? Fantastic. I hate the feeling of getting tired immediately after lunch – my energy level just drops like that. It’s the carbs’ fault. What makes the Salba seed so healthy is the fact that in combination with water, the seed gels up in your stomach and can be processed at a slower rate, and this eliminates the enervating effect after your meal. Try it out for a period of time and you’ll see that you have more energy to finish your running loop. So basically there are huge energy benefits from eating this super grain. In 2007, the Salba seed was awarded the alive award of excellence for its nutritional benefits. What’s more, the anti-ageing/beauty industry also seems to have acknowledged the positive effects of ingesting this little seed; Salba promotes your energy and vitality and in this sense “keeps you younger” so-to-say.

Keep it simple – just add a tablespoon of the Salba seed to your yoghurt in the morning. There are plenty of possibilities for the Sweet Tooth as well: the thickening effect of the Salba seed is similar to that of eggs so just replace the eggs for the Salba when baking your delicious brownies! Life’s too short to stay away from lovely sweet desserts, there’s no doubt about this, but why not make a smart choice when you’ve got the chance? There are almost no limits to how you may incorporate the Salba seed into your diet; just add it to soups, cereals, wraps, fruit dishes, pan cakes or salads and you will easily get access to this invaluable source of nutrients without making life more complex than it is.

From Heavy Finance to Passion for Fitness

After a nostalgic chat with one of my dear friends from MIT the other day I thought I wanted to devote this week’s blog post to her. Meet Tingting Peng – a fascinating and lovely person who decided to start her own business after a few years in the intense finance industry. Iron Lotus is the name of her training concept and fitness philosophy, you can read more about it at www.ironlotusfitness.com. This is part of her story:

What were you doing before starting Iron Lotus?

I was working as a financial analyst with a US-based hedge fund, researching trade ideas for a Hong Kong-based portfolio manager. Prior to that, I spent half a year at a start-up hedge fund and two years as an investment banking analyst with Morgan Stanley.

What inspired you to start Iron Lotus? What’s your fitness philosophy?

The concept of Iron Lotus came from several directions. My fitness philosophy is that the most effective exercise program is one that consists of a balance between building strength, endurance and flexibility while doing something that you enjoy. I picked up yoga practice to destress from work and to complement my stretching regimen post running competitions and immediately felt an improvement in my overall health, endurance and was able to breathe easier especially during longer runs. From this experience, I saw a disconnection between the muscle building weight-based resistance training and machine-based cardio exercise at the gyms and the grace, agility, and mental clarity offered by a strong yoga practice. Iron Lotus Fitness aims to integrate all of these aspects of exercise on a strong foundation of body awareness introduced through yoga postures. Also, I am a huge fan of the outdoors and Hong Kong is actually a great place for people who enjoy being in nature, though most people I know rarely ever venture outside the city center, which is why I hold some of my classes outdoors. My ultimate inspiration is to be able to share my experiences and hope to offer anyone, who is looking for a change in his or her lifestyle, the tools and knowledge to live better, healthier and happier lives!

Goddess pose. "My fitness philosophy is that the most effective exercise program is one that consists of a balance between building strength, endurance, and flexibility while doing something that you enjoy."

So how does your MIT education help you with your new life?

Looking back on my MIT education, I think all of the late nights I spent studying really taught me the importance of staying motivated through difficult situations (all those exams, projects, deadlines, and papers...). The Management Science classes I took also taught me creative thinking in addition to strong quantitative skills. Starting Iron Lotus Fitness has thrown a variety of challenges my way daily, but I feel I am more than prepared to handle them because MIT's "fire hose" trained me to be a creative problem solver who's able to succeed under pressure. Those tough classes at MIT taught me not to be scared of failure, so I am really approaching growing the Iron Lotus business with the same energy and passion that got me through the Institute.

"Those tough classes at MIT really taught me not to be scared of failure"

What about food? From what I recall, you used to eat lots of junk food when we were in college. How do you eat now?

Yes, I definitely went through my Freshmen 15 phase. But these days, after working in finance the last few years, I have learned the importance of a balanced diet to my overall health and energy levels. I eat three regular meals everyday, starting with a power breakfast (fibrous cereals, multigrain breads, with yogurt, and fruit smoothies infused with whey protein), followed by a satisfying lunch (fish or a little meat, vegetables and some carbs), then a light dinner (usually vegetables and some soup). I also snack throughout the day, carry healthy nuts (walnuts/almonds) with me when I'm on the go, eat apples or bananas between workouts and meals for energy, and stick to one coffee per day.

Do you have a favorite superfood?

I love bananas for a quick energy pick-me-up and also walnuts for muscle recovery after working out.

Did you recently do a triathlon? How was it? What advice do you have for someone who’s thinking of doing it?

I did a triathlon last November; it was an amazing experience and so much fun! Not only was it a physical challenge, having to train all three disciplines (swimming, cycling and running), but it was also a huge mental challenge, pacing myself, believing in myself to maintain stamina and endurance, and getting over the hump of wanting to give up when there was some pain. I trained and competed with a few girl friends, which I would recommend to anyone who's thinking of doing a triathlon, because having the constant motivation from your friends, even though you are all competing separately really keeps you going! Also, my motto for training for endurance events is "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional". This is where the mental hurdle comes in. Just remember to take one step at a time, eat right, sleep well, listen to your body, rest as necessary and have faith in your own ability to achieve.

"My motto for training for endurance events is 'pain is inevitable, suffering is optional'"

Do you want to learn more about Tingting and Iron Lotus Fitness? See Tingting in action, showing some of her training recommendations on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9qkCNYS7Gc