It's no longer a secret that Chia seeds (yes, the same ones from your Homer Simpson Chia pet) have multiple health benefits.
Chia seeds are actually a more concentrated source of ω-3's (omega-3) fatty acids than flax seed. Chia seeds can be ground and used similar to flax seed (added to smoothies, cereal, yogurt, etc.) or soaked in water or fruit juice to make chia fresca (mix with an 8:1 liquid:chia ratio). These soaked seeds are gelatinous in texture and can be used as a substitute for butter or cream cheese in recipes and a nutrient-dense additive to salad dressings, sauces, jams, cereals, dips, puddings, soups, or smoothies. It will not affect flavor and will absolutely increase the nutritional value.
Look for Chia seeds in the bulk section of health foods stores (next to the teas and/or spices).
Justin Robinson, MA,RD,CSSD,FAFS,CSCS
Registered Sports Dietitian
Director of Strength & Conditioning - RU Sports Performance Center
www.RehabUnited.com
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Training The Pelvic Floor
Jena Walther, MS, CSCS
While there is no shortage in media discussion about the core, we seldom discuss the importance of its neighbor, the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that line the bottom of the pelvic (hip) bone; they serve as structural support for lower abdominal organs, such as the bladder, bowel, and uterus (in women).
In function, a weakening of these muscles can cause incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse (dropping of the lower abdominal organs), as well as child delivery complications. Additionally, a weak pelvic floor can lead to hip instability, causing a person to feel unbalanced and more likely to sustain injury during normal daily activity, or during sport.
Kegel exercises are a typical prescription for strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor; however, these exercises do not relate to how we truly function. Kegels are what we call “concentric,” or muscle shortening exercises, whereas movements we perform every day are both eccentric and concentric (muscle lengthening and shortening). Thus, it makes more sense to strengthen the pelvic floor by engaging those muscles in ways that mimic how our bodies actually move:
a) Dynamically (shortening and lengthening)
b) In multiple planes (3-Dimensional)
c) Involving multiple joints at once (e.g. ankles, knees, hips, torso)
Please follow the link below to view some of the exercises we recommend for strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor: http://bit.ly/ABdWwv
While there is no shortage in media discussion about the core, we seldom discuss the importance of its neighbor, the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that line the bottom of the pelvic (hip) bone; they serve as structural support for lower abdominal organs, such as the bladder, bowel, and uterus (in women).
In function, a weakening of these muscles can cause incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse (dropping of the lower abdominal organs), as well as child delivery complications. Additionally, a weak pelvic floor can lead to hip instability, causing a person to feel unbalanced and more likely to sustain injury during normal daily activity, or during sport.
Kegel exercises are a typical prescription for strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor; however, these exercises do not relate to how we truly function. Kegels are what we call “concentric,” or muscle shortening exercises, whereas movements we perform every day are both eccentric and concentric (muscle lengthening and shortening). Thus, it makes more sense to strengthen the pelvic floor by engaging those muscles in ways that mimic how our bodies actually move:
a) Dynamically (shortening and lengthening)
b) In multiple planes (3-Dimensional)
c) Involving multiple joints at once (e.g. ankles, knees, hips, torso)
Please follow the link below to view some of the exercises we recommend for strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor: http://bit.ly/ABdWwv
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