One of the very important body parts we tend to forget about are eyes. We cannot really affect the prescription of glasses or contact lenses, however we can protect the health of our eyes. One of the most devastating diseases that can affect us is macular degeneration, which can destroy your central vision.  It is not seen in the young, but bad habits throughout your life can help cause it or accelerate it’s development.

Here are tips to help prevent macular degeneration.

1. Avoid smoking, excessive weight gain, trans fats, excessive saturated fats, high fructose syrup, and artificial sweeteners.
2. Eat foods containing omega-3 or take supplements.
3. Protect the eye from UV light by wearing good quality sunglasses.
4. Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, unsalted nuts and seeds, whole grains, white meat turkey, olive oil, green tea , and spices.
5. Maintain adequate vitamin D intake.
6. Maintain B-complex vitamin intake.
7. Make sure your multi-vitamin has lutein and zeaxanthin and your foods also have them.
8. Schedule a yearly eye examination to check for macular problems, since there are treatments available now.

At CrossFit Bloomfield we emphasize your total health, not just exercise. By  balancing all the vital components, we can improve your life on all levels.

The high from beginning a new year is beginning to wear off. Many people have already begun to slip into old habits about exercise and eating. Don’t slack off. Convince yourself you are important to yourself. Make sure you are aware of some of CrossFit Bloomfield’s eating tips.

The first twenty are on previous blogs.

21. Dine at a table (Don’t eat driving, sitting on the couch or standing in front of the fridge.)
22. Don’t pig out while at a restaurant ( When eating salads, get dressing on the side and dip your fork into the dressing and then into the salad.)
23. Get plenty of sleep (Scientists have found that lack of sleep may increase the levels of a hunger hormone and decrease the hormone that makes you feel full.)
24. When you reach an incremental goal such as a 5 pounds loss, buy yourself a treat- but not food. Perhaps buy a CD you have wanted.)
25. Weigh yourself regularly ( People who have the best success with weight loss, weigh themselves often.)

By: Douglas Cale
Chocolatier, Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Birmingham, Michigan.

I always knew how I felt after eating chocolate – in a pleasant mood, satisfied and happy. Little
did I know that chocolate was a source of natural “feel good” endorphins or that chocolate has been
esteemed as a healthy food for over 3000 years. Indeed the Mayans and Incas were the first to savor
the fruits of the cacao tree – Theobroma cacao, the “food of the gods.”

How then did we get to the notion of chocolate as a guilty pleasure for which one must consume
enough “good” food to offset this delectable treat? Chocolate is by far the most craved food in
existence. Is there some psychological baggage that causes us to deny this sinful indulgence? The
evils once associated with chocolate have been completely disproved – it does not cause migraines,
allergies, hyperactivity or even teenage acne. In fact the tannins in chocolate fight tooth decay by
preventing bacteria from sticking to teeth – it may even help prevent cavities!

The early conquistadors took the New World’s natural health food back to the Europeans. The Spanish
laced it with sugar and eventually the Swiss married chocolate and milk. A luxury drink revered for
its sophisticated pleasures became a daily snack filled with so much cream and sugar that wellness
benefits were overwhelmed and the flavor of great chocolate was lost.

Chocolate is a complex food of over 400 nutrients. It derives from the seeds of the cacao fruit and is
absolutely loaded with antioxidants. That’s why chocolate left at room temperature never spoils. The
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of dark chocolate is five times that of blueberries and
seventeen times that of red grapes. Red wine is wonderful with dark chocolate – but if you are drinking
it for the flavenoids, then eat dark chocolate instead.

Dietary science studies are finding that dark chocolate (reduced sugar and no dairy) has a wide range of
health benefits including reduced levels of inflammatory markers associated with heart disease, lower
levels of stress hormones, decreased blood pressure and increased production of the good cholesterol
HDL. Dark chocolate improves the body’s ability to use insulin and may help limit dementia and
improve memory. Heart health, skin health, brain health – and the Mayans just knew they felt better!

Great chocolate is delicious without a doubt. But, chocolate is not a vitamin supplement. The right
reason to eat dark chocolate is not to feel good about eating it; but to feel good when eating it. The
wellness benefits are bonuses of savoring it, not the reasons for consuming it. Enjoy – guilt free!

Here is a great article in Triathlete Magazine about endurance training. Congrats to CrossFit LA for their athletes as well as an awesome photo shoot

For those of you who are thinking of working out while being pregnant. Here is a great blog that follows one woman during her pregnancy. Pictures included.

Reflections: CrossFit Pregnancy (blog)

CrosFit Journal Article (working out for two)-PDF

Begin teaching your kids good eating habits. Don’t make food a reward for success in school or sports. Make a deal to take them to a movie or a sporting event. Good grades get a trip to the mall for clothes or sporting goods. It is impossible these days to totally have your kids eliminate fast food, but show them the chart available at all fast food restaurants listing fat and calories.

Help them make better choices if they are at fast food places. Explain to them what a calorie is, and how hard it is to burn up a bad fast food meal. Teach them about the consequences of having a poor lifestyle as a child.

At CrossFit Bloomfield we teach kids the importance of taking care of themselves beginning at a young age.

Here are food tips for today. Previous tips available on earlier blogs.
16. Hydrate before meals ( drink a glass or two of water before a meal)
17. Get smaller plates and glasses ( using smaller serving ware makes for smaller portions)
18. Don’t snack after 8pm
19. Buy a pedometer (Try to take 10, 000 steps daily)
20. Have a little treat ( Keep bite size pieces of chocolate in the freezer for a quick treat)

Here are some tips to improve your eating habits. Tips 1-10 can be seen on previous blogs.

11. Stock up on impulse fruits (keep on hand small apples, pears, grapes and bananas available. These are easy to eat without cutting)
12. Make some important changes (buy only 1% or skim milk products and use them in recipes also)
13. Cut out liquid calories (Eliminate sweet and sugary drinks. Add lemon or lime to water or soda or add even a couple ounces of orange juice)
14. Practice the rule of 1( Allow a min-snack once a day. Ex. 1 cookie)
15. Pace your meals ( Eat more slowly and enjoy each bite)

Read the article at the Detroit News

According to the American Heart Association, regular exercise as a child will help reduce the chance of cardiovascular disease as an adult. By beginning exercise as a child, it can help promote a life long healthy life style.

The attitudes of children towards exercise are largely influenced by their parents. Parents have to be positive role models for their children, by making sure they have good diets and are active physically. Children cannot be expected to be physically active if they don’t see their parents involved in keeping fit. As parents we need to provide an environment that promotes healthy life styles.

At CrossFit Bloomfield we have exciting programs designed for both kids and adults. The new year is already here, and there is no better time to get involved with your children. Make a commitment now to guarantee the health of you and your children.

What people don’t realize is that being overweight and lack of activity isn’t just for how you look or how it affects the length of your life. It is about quality of life today. If you poop out after walking up the stairs in your house or are exhausted walking from your car in the parking lot to a meeting, your life is affected NOW!

These changes don’t happen overnight, but are very gradual and and most people don’t realize how much their lives change overtime. Everyone who loses weight and begins exercise programs always says how much better they feel doing minimal tasks that had become difficult.
At CrossFit Bloomfield we help get weight under control, and get you fit both physically and mentally. We are a family and help provide you with the support that is needed to change your lives. We are not a quick fix, but a permanent life changing experience.
Here are 5 more tips: The first 5 are available on yesterday’s blog.

6. Pay attention to portions (A 3 ounce portion of meat, poultry or fish is about the size of a deck of cards.)
7. Clean out your pantry and refrigerator (Get rid of foods that sabotage your weight loss)
8. Create a dinner deck (List 10 favorite quick and healthy dinners on index cards. List the ingredients on one side of a card and the recipe on the other) Lack of time should not be an excuse for
eating poorly.
9. Avoid hunger (Eat many regular small meals. Make sure you eat a protein, vegetable and carb with each snack. ex: Zone Diet. Protein helps you feel full longer)
10. Keep produce on hand ( Place a bowl of vegetables in the fridge and eat them while preparing meals to take the edge off of being hungry)

COME SEE US AT CROSSFIT BLOOMFIELD TODAY, NOT TOMORROW