For years, researchers have told Americans that drinking red wine is actually beneficial–despite what the D.A.R.E program told us in middle school.
It has been held up as some sort of miracle tonic that will keep you spry and your ticker tip-top. Recently, it’s even been touted as a key to weight loss. So, what’s the deal? Is it really healthy and will it aid weight loss?
Yes and no. Unfortunately, it’s one of those subjects where nuance is required.
More than one study has linked red wine to maintaining a healthier long-term body weight. The Archive of Internal Medicine published a study in 2010 that examined the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on 19,000 middle-aged women over the course of eight years.
The study concluded that “normal-weight” women who drank moderately (like a glass of wine each night) were less likely to become overweight or obese compared to women who didn’t drink.
Similarly, a study for the Women’s Health Initiative found that women who drank moderately were more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
That’s great news for wine lovers, but the most important factor seems to be moderation. Two glasses are fine, two bottles are not.
Wine is calorie dense (a 5-ounce glass can contain more than 100 calories) but lacks significant amounts of iron, potassium, B vitamins, and other nutrients. Additionally, when most people drink wine with dinner, they tend not to compensate by eating less food.
It leads to people increasing their daily caloric intake without realizing it. That is decidedly not good for weight loss. If red wine is part of your normal routine, ideally, you should compensate for those calories with diet and exercise. Because, surprise, a bottle of merlot and a package of Hot Pockets isn’t going to do anything for your figure.
As for red wine’s other benefits…
It does contain a number of antioxidants, which are good for the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, antioxidants called polyphenols might help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that regular, moderate consumption of red wine, polyphenols in particular, can alter the types of bacteria found in the digestive system. In other words, red wine can precipitate a shift toward good bacteria, which benefits the immune system.
Resveratrol, another antioxidant, might help prevent damage to blood vessels, prevent blood clots, and reduce “bad” cholesterol. However, the Mayo Clinic notes that most research on the effects of antioxidants has been conducted in experiments with animals, not humans. It also notes that these benefits have been observed with moderate consumption of other alcohols, not just red wine.
Again, the name of the game is moderation when considering these benefits.
No one’s suggesting that drinking two bottles of pinot a night is healthy. In fact, the Mayo Clinic specifically warns that “Drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, [linkbuilder id=”6629″ text=”liver damage”], obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents and other problems.”
Additionally, a study that concluded in 2004 found that increased alcohol consumption among women was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.
So, go ahead and have that glass of wine after work! Just don’t go nuts!
Author: Burk Krohe
Running for several hours seemed impossible to Barry Brokaw a few years ago. At more than 400 pounds, he struggled just to walk around the neighborhood.
He has come a long way, though. Recently, Brokaw led the 1:40 pace group at the Wild Hog Half Marathon in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Brokaw’s fellow contestants had no idea that the newly svelte running enthusiast shed about 260 pounds.
The 43-year-old nurse from Superior, Wisconsin knew he hit a low point in 2008 when he could barely pull his daughter in her toy wagon without getting winded. He thinks he weighed around 420 pounds at the time, but he can’t be sure because his scale kept displaying an “error” message when he used it. That moment motivated to him to start losing weight.
It wasn’t the first time Brokaw flirted with the idea of weight loss or running. He said he’s been successful losing weight in the past but not very successful at keeping it off. In the early ’90s, he was in the military and tried running several times while training for his physical fitness tests.
“Like everybody, I hated it,” Brokaw told the Grand Forks Herald. “When I was in the military, I was never good at it.”
After his decision, Brokaw visited a weight loss clinic, but scheduling conflicts dampened his hopes of weight loss surgery. Instead, he started working out on a StairMaster to build stamina. At first, he could only handle exercising for 10 minutes at a time. But Brokaw worked out on the StairMaster for six months, gradually increasing his endurance.
“I thought I was going to pass out,” Brokaw told Runner’s World. “But I knew the first two or three weeks would hurt really bad and then it would get easier.”
In the past, it had been hard to stay motivated. However, he found inspiration watching season three of “The Biggest Loser.” Erik Chopin, one of the contestants, was similar to Brokaw in many ways.
“If he can do it, why not me?” Brokaw said.
After six months of working out inside, Brokaw started running outside.
Over the course of two years, he started to lose weight and improve his running times. He also cut fast food and red meat from his diet, opting for leaner proteins like turkey and chicken. Running was also beneficial for his mind. It was meditative, allowing his mind to wander.
Once Brokaw was down to 205 pounds, he took a major step in his fitness journey. He ran the Grandma’s Marathon, finishing in 3:57. He got a taste for races after that and increased his training. His marathon times started to improve little by little. In 2014, he ran the Twin Cities Maraton in 3:23. It improved to 3:18 this year.
His time in the 2015 Twin Cities Marathon was incredibly close to qualifying Brokaw for the Boston Marathon. It was within reach if he could shave three minutes off his time. With a newly found incentive, Brokaw hired a coach and buckled down. He achieved his goal, finishing the BQ2 Marathon in Chicago in 3:05. It qualified him for the Boston Marathon.
“That first 10-minute workout on the StairMaster was way, way harder than running 3:05,” Brokaw told Runner’s World. “When I look at pictures of myself when I weighed 400-plus pounds, I was so miserable. Back then, I knew about running, and I knew about Boston. I used to think, am I really going to be this big the rest of my life. To think about where I started, getting into Boston is one of the most exciting moments of my life.”
As for the Wild Hog Half Marathon, Brokaw finished 30 seconds ahead of his 1:40 pace and finished second in his age group.
Not bad for someone who couldn’t walk around the block a few years ago.
Categories
MS Sufferer Turned Long-Distance Runner
Running can be a taxing, painful endeavor for the average person. It’s not always an easy task for seasoned runners, either. Kayla Montgomery knows that all too well.
Montgomery was a bonafide star in cross country and track and field at Mount Tabor High School in North Carolina. Her credentials are impressive. As a senior, she won the North Carolina Class 4A cross country championship. She also took home a championship in track and field in the 3200m. Additionally, the young runner finished the 2013 Foot Locker South regional 5K in 17:22, missing nationals by a few footsteps.
She’s also afflicted with multiple sclerosis.
Every race ends the same way. Montgomery collapses into her coach’s arms at the finish line, succumbing to numb legs and stressed nerves. The painful ritual is an inevitability that has remained constant since her diagnosis freshman year.
“Every day that I run, it might be my last day–I could easily wake up tomorrow and not be able to move,” Montgomery told CNN.
Yet, she still runs.
Montgomery’s diagnosis came after an accident playing soccer. It was a long, burdensome process that took her to a dark place. She was angry and closed off, refusing to discuss the issue.
“I tried to pretend I wasn’t sick or anything–I wanted to go on with life as normal as possible,” Montgomery told CNN.
Running saved her from the turmoil, though. She was determined to use her legs while she still could.
“I wasn’t amazing by any means, but I was eighth on the team, so if somebody got hurt then I was there! And I wanted to be there if they needed me, so I trained so hard all the time and that definitely helped to deal with the things I wouldn’t talk about,” she said.
Eventually, her determination would pay off.
Despite an impeccable record and being ranked a top college prospect, college coaches were hesitant to recruit a runner with MS. Montgomery’s medication keeps the degenerative nervous system disorder in check for the most part. And her performance didn’t suffer, but, still, it was a difficult sell to most college programs. Well, except for one.
Bill Taylor, of Lipscomb University in Nashville, decided to take a chance on her.
“Before Kayla’s official visit, I talked with my athletic training department and team doctors, to try to understand what we’d be looking at,” Taylor said to Runner’s World. “And what I learned is that symptoms are different in each person and they change, so there really wasn’t a clear sense of how things might go once she got here. But we felt very comfortable with her character and personality and fit with our program and school. And later I also talked with her high school coach [Patrick Cromwell] to learn what we could do to prepare and if she’d need any modifications to workouts.”
Montgomery immediately bonded with her new teammates at Lipscomb, who admired her perseverance. She admitted, though, that it was a tough adjustment moving from the high school to a D1 college program. The learning curve was steep, but Montgomery managed to run as No. 6 or 7 on the team for most of the season.
“There’s just been a lot of changes and I had to get used to the higher level of competition. And the team knows we can do better. I guess we’re tired of taking small steps and hopefully next season we’ll take a few big strides, to get where we want to go,” She told Runner’s World.
Lipscomb won its fourth straight Atlantic Sun Conference title and just missed a nationals bid–due in no small part to Montgomery’s contribution as a freshman. She said she’s been heartened by Taylor and the rest of the of the team and will continue to push herself.
It’s uncertain how much longer Montgomery will be able to compete. For now, she’s making the most out of running.
“I keep running because it makes me happy,” Montgomery said. “It makes me feel whole and safe, just because I know as long as I am running and still moving, I am still OK.”
Jeff Carlson wanted to see the view from the top of a mountain, and he wasn’t going to let anything stop him.
Carlson was born with spina bifida, which is an incomplete closing of the of the backbone and spinal cord membranes, and has been in a wheelchair his entire life. He’s never let that stop him from living life to the fullest, though.
When Carlson said he wanted to climb a mountain, his friend Damien Gilbert knew he had to make it happen somehow. Gilbert quickly organized a hike with 12 friends.
“Jeff and I talked about doing the adventure after a picture he’d seen of me on the edge of a cliff,” Gilbert said. “I told him ‘I’m going to carry you up there,’ so I did the next month.”
He said it was difficult to organize, but it was more than worth it.
Carlson was able to make it up the first part of Mount McKay near Thunder Bay, Canada in his wheelchair. He powered up the walking path with impressive agility until the path became too steep. At that point, Carlson got onto a wood board that his friends carried up the mountain. Eventually, the team made it to the top of the mountain where Carlson soaked in the amazing view.
“I am an adventurous guy,” Carlson said. “I have seen pictures of friends climbing the mountain and I thought it needed to be done.”
He also joked that he would like to get to the top of a taller mountain sometime. He’s a true testament to the human spirit.
“I figure just because you have a disability, it doesn’t limit what you can achieve,” he said. “I have always felt that my disability doesn’t limit me to what I can do, so this just kind of reaffirmed that.”
There might be a stigma attached to pole dancing, but it helped Eda Marbury, of St. Louis, lose 65 pounds recently. She plans to lose more, too!
When she was younger, Eda struggled with anorexia for eight years. She would rarely eat and consumed numerous energy drinks that were high in caffeine, a natural appetite suppressant. Eventually, she only weighed 135 pounds.
During this period, Eda met her husband, Terrik. He helped her overcome her eating disorder. Unfortunately, she traded one problem for another. Able to eat again, she started binging on food.
Her weight started to balloon.
After years filled with junk food and absent of exercise, Eda tipped the scales at 330 pounds. Terrik reassured her that she was beautiful, but she was having image issues again. She went around a year without looking in the mirror.
“I was in denial about how much weight I had put on and how I looked,” she told the Mirror.
Eda knew she needed a change, but she wasn’t sure where to start. There are numerous gyms in the St. Louis, but she didn’t want to deal with strange equipment she had never used. She wasn’t thrilled about testosterone-fueled weight lifters either.
Pink Lemon Studio was her answer.
The local studio is women only and teaches classes in pole dancing. It was challenging at first. The studio is filled with mirrors, and Eda is afraid of heights. Initially, she was scared to even take her feet off the ground.
“It took me a year and three months to climb the pole because I’m afraid of heights,” she said.
Despite her fear of heights, Eda was hooked on the classes. Now she can climb to the top of the 11-foot pole and twirl with incredible grace. She even had a pole installed at home to practice whenever she pleases.
As Eda has progressed as a pole dancer, her weight has been steadily decreasing. She’s lost 65 pounds and hopes to lose 35 more. The long-term goal is to weigh less than 200 pounds.
It has been good for her self-esteem and confidence, too.
“I felt more confident, and I have friends. The way I dressed changed, I started to care a little bit more about what I was wearing and how I would do my hair,” Eda said. “Before I started pole dancing I wouldn’t wear make-up, I didn’t like to take the time to look after myself.”
Terrik has noticed a change, too.
“It makes her feel sexy, it makes her feel happy and that’s what I like about it,” he said.
Eda started a Facebook page, Eda Marbury’s Climb to the Top, to document her progress. After a video of a pole dancing routine went viral, she was inundated with positive messages. Now, thousands of people follow the page and her journey. She’s taken the positivity to heart.
“I’ve come so far in the past two years. I feel way more confident, way more sexy, way more beautiful,” she said. “I feel like I’m worth it. I never thought I would be capable of the things I have achieved.”
Deborah Cavanagh is 58, but she hasn’t slowed down. She recently completed her 1000th Insanity workout session. It’s a feat that people half her age would be hard pressed to accomplish.
Cavanagh isn’t new to working out, though. She’s a former synchronized swimmer and triathlete who happened to see a commercial for Insanity one night. The DVD workouts were created by celebrity trainer Shaun T and provide a variety of intense fitness programs.
“The idea of trying to do something very challenging really appealed to me,” she told Women’s Health.
She wasn’t disappointed either. The workouts were just as challenging as advertised. Cavanagh said the first couple weeks were so tough that she wanted to throw up. However, the workouts gradually became more manageable.
She was hooked.
The results of the hard training started to become more noticeable. Her core and upper body were stronger and the “little bit of flab” in her midsection had been toned.
“I thought, ‘I’ve accomplished so much, why would I ever stop?'” she said.
Cavanagh actually recorded each workout on a chart. It was only meant to track 60 days, but she kept going. Starting every weekday with a workout provided her with a goal that she could accomplish and feel good about. It was instrumental in helping her roll out of bed at 4:30 a.m. Fortunately, she’s a morning person anyway.
“No matter how difficult my day is at work, it’s nice to know that it will never be as hard as my morning workout,” she says.
For the last three years, Cavanagh has worked out pretty much everywhere with Insanity: on business trips, vacations, and in her driveway after Hurricane Sandy. Finishing 1,000 workouts is impressive, but Cavanagh said the most rewarding thing is the sense of confidence she has gained.
“After this, I feel like there’s nothing that can scare me in work or in life,” she said. “By doing this workout routine, I’ve learned that you can break down a really big challenge and just do it. “
Matt L. Stephens, a journalist for the Coloradoan in Fort Collins, Colorado, can’t believe the transformation Justin Hansen has made.
Seven years ago, Stephens went to a Colorado State football camp for high schoolers and talked (well, tried to talk) to the 16-year-old. It was a favor to his parents Thomas and Kara Hansen. They hoped he might help their son earn a college scholarship.
Justin wouldn’t look Stephens in the eyes and getting him to talk was agony. He’s a big guy at six-foot-five, not out of the ordinary for a defensive lineman. But he also has Asperger’s, a condition on the autism spectrum that hampers empathy and communication skills.
It accounted for his uncomfortable behavior that day.
Now, talking to Stephens for the first time in years, Justin (who did get that scholarship to Colorado State) shook his hand and looked him directly in the eye. Stephens even had to cut off the young athlete’s chatter at one point. The change has been remarkable, and Justin and his parents attribute it to football and the supportive program at Colorado State.
It’s a far cry from his younger years.
Justin was always a big kid, but his size didn’t stop others from noticing his behavior. It didn’t stop bullying. His fashion choices (basketball shorts, t-shirt, and high tops worn every day), unkempt hair, and withdrawn personality made him a target for other kids.
Justin had a few close friends–but not many. He would have been perfectly content to pass his days in the basement with his best friend Cole. However, Thomas made him play football. At first, he hated it. He hated practice and his coaches, and he thought Thomas was being unfair. It turns out that his father knew what he was doing, though.
After a while, he started to like football. He was good at it, and it provided a way for him to unleash his frustration.
“From the initial parts, my dad believed in me a lot more than I did,” Justin told the Coloradoan. “There have been a lot of people who didn’t believe in me. That problem is not unique to me. There are a lot of people with my condition who are told they can’t do something. But with the help of my supporting family, I’ve been able to reach great heights, almost the highest a football player can go. I’m still surprised to this day how far I’ve come.”
Even though his parents were excited about the opportunity at Colorado State, Kara worried about her son. She wouldn’t be there to take care of him. She also worried about how he would deal with his teammates and the coaching staff.
Admittedly, there were some rough patches in the beginning. Justin’s grades weren’t fantastic, and he had trouble managing money. That could be said of many college freshmen, though. After that year, he got things under control.
As for interacting with the team, Kara really didn’t have much to worry about. His teammates were exceptionally supportive. By junior year, they convinced him to go out with them on the weekends and socialize. Jim McElwain, one of his coaches, always had an open door and would invite Justin to stop by and talk. These seemingly small actions meant a great deal.
Justin benefitted from the supportive environment, and it helped him make some positive changes.
“CSU gave him a purpose and built up his confidence with what he’s been able to accomplish,” Kara said.
Justin hopes to accomplish much more, too. He wants to play in the NFL, even if it’s just on a practice squad. Stephens asked what he would do if that didn’t happen. The answer was a bit surprising for someone with Asperger’s.
“I know this is going to sound cliché,” he said. “But I would like to go somewhere and meet people. I’m not sure what kind of job that would be. Socializing took time to develop. Talking to people could be very difficult. Like all things, social skills take practice. After sharpening my skills as an athlete, I’d like to sharpen my skills as a person.”
As Justin continues his journey, he has message for young people:
“People face great challenges in work, love, leisure. I want people to remember to never give up, to keep an open mind. Don’t get discouraged, because you never know what the future may hold for you. There are always new possibilities. Please don’t give up.”
While many companies are simply cashing in on the all-natural trend, others, such as arcBARKS Dog Treat Company in Greensboro, South Carolina, are the real deal. The company’s dog treats include only peanut butter, oats, oil, flour, and one special ingredient: love.
Pat Clapp started arcBARKS in partnership with the Arc of Greensboro, an organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to help her son David. arcBARKS employs adults with developmental disabilities from the community and distributes its treats to more than 100 locations throughout the state.
“When customers buy arcBARKS treats, every box that you buy, no CEO is getting rich and no shareholders are benefitting,” Pat told local news station WFMY. “That’s the amazing thing about us.”
David has Down syndrome, and Pat realized as he got older that his options in Greensboro were becoming limited. arcBARKS has been a boon to the 18 treat chefs, who have a sense of purpose (and a sense of humor) crafting the locally sourced dog biscuits. The experience also gives employees the skills necessary to go beyond arcBARKS.
“These treats aren’t made on an assembly line somewhere, they’re not made by a machine,” Pat said. “The people that are making these are putting a little bit of themselves into it.”
Dogs seem to be quite fond of the treats, too.
“I’m not sure what it is…maybe’s it the no preservatives, maybe it’s that love I was talking about,” Pat said. “But these pickiest of picky dogs are eating our treats, and it’s the only treats they eat.”
Pat is thrilled with the happiness and confidence arcBARKS has brought to her son and his fellow workers. They’ve inspired her too.
“A lot of times you’re missing out if you don’t have someone in your life who has special needs,” she said. “They’re incredible, incredible people, and I learn from them every day.”
To learn more about the company or to order some dog treats visit this website.
Trevor Pedersen is only 8 years old, but he knows what he wants to be: a soldier. Now, thanks to the generosity of his uncle’s U.S. Army regiment, he’s living his dream.
The young boy from Heber, Utah, has been obsessed with the Army as long as his family can remember. Unfortunately, Trevor also suffers from a very rare medical condition called primary familial brain calcification (PFBC). The Pedersens spent three years trying to figure out why Trevor was growing weaker, until a doctor finally diagnosed him with PFBC.
The disease causes calcium deposits to grow on the brain, disrupting signals to the body. It keeps parts of his body from functioning properly, meaning Trevor won’t be able to enlist in the military.
“It’s hard to describe because it is so rare,” Jackie Pedersen, Trevor’s mom, told local news station KSL. “There’s so little known about it. There are only 70 families in the world that are documented right now having it.”
When Trevor’s Uncle Erik found out about the diagnosis, he knew he had to do something for the little soldier. He offered to fly Trevor and his father to Germany, where he was stationed with the U.S. Army. Talk about going above and beyond!
“He couldn’t believe it,” Trevor’s father, Jason Pedersen, told KSL. “He was so happy. It was a moment of pride I’ve never felt before.”
Trevor got to spend three days as a soldier with the 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. During his time in Germany, Trevor flew in a helicopter, stood in formation with the regiment, and took part in the Cavalry Spur Ride.
The Spur Ride is an arduous 12-mile training exercise, and it’s no small task for even the most elite soldiers. However, Trevor was undaunted by the hike.
“As we got going, mile one, mile two, his body started to react. His leg started cramping. You could see his footprints dragging into the sand where he was forcing himself to walk,” Jason said.
With 400 yards to go, Trevor started to cry and broke down.
“The soldiers behind him would not stop encouraging him,” Jason said. “Right when he was about to give up, he looked over to the hill and at the finish line saw soldiers standing up and cheering Trevor on and chanting his name.”
Thanks to the encouragement of the soldiers, Trevor finished the Spur Ride. For his effort, the regiment awarded Trevor a pair of silver spurs and made him an honorary member of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. His parents noted that he really learned a lesson in perseverance.
“I was a soldier for the past three days,” Trevor said. “That was cool, probably cooler than anything I’ve done.”
Trevor and the soldiers taught each other what it truly means to be “Army Strong.”
“I got to see something I would never get to see, and I got to do some things I never thought I would get to do,” Trevor said.
Categories
Pumpkin Seeds: A Wealth of Health Benefits
During this time of year, pumpkin spiced products are everywhere. There are pumpkin spice lattes, cupcakes, and even Oreos. It gets all the attention, but there’s another pumpkin product you should be paying attention to.
The seeds.
Most people are sure to come across more than a handful of pumpkin seeds while carving Jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween. Your initial instinct might be to throw the seeds out with the rest of the pumpkin guts, but you should really save them.
Pumpkin seeds are a tasty snack with a variety of nutritional and health benefits.
Pumpkin seeds are packed full of plant-based protein. 1 cup contains about 11.87 grams of protein. Additionally, they’re rich in a plant-based from of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Normally, that sort of “good fat” is found in certain types of fish and is essential for improving heart health, fighting cholesterol, and improving brain function.
That makes pumpkin seeds a perfect alternative to meat for vegetarians and vegans.
But that’s not all! The seeds are also high in fiber and several minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Magnesium is instrumental in regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. It also plays a role in the synthesis of RNA and DNA. It’s pretty important, yet most Americans aren’t getting enough of the vital mineral.
Pumpkins seeds are a good source of potassium, too. The banana is the best-known source of the mineral, but a cup of pumpkin seeds actually contains more potassium than a medium sized banana. It’s important for regulating fluids, contracting muscles, and maintaining blood pressure. A healthy intake of potassium can also reduce the risk of kidney stones.
You’re immune system will thank you for snacking on some pumpkin seeds, too. They’re full of zinc, which stimulates immune function.
Turkey’s not the only thing that will make you sleepy this thanksgiving, either. Pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan, an amino acid, which your body turns into serotonin and then into melatonin. Eating some seeds before bed will make for a pleasant mood and restful sleep.
Some research also suggests that pumpkin seed oil could have anti-inflammatory properties.
Can you believe you’ve just been throwing them out this entire time? So remember to save a few during your next pumpkin carving session!