Soy is Not a Health Food

Contributed by Carol Kline (referenced from Mercola.com) There is much debate about the health properties of soy. One thing is certain — soy products contain phytic acid, which has anti-nutritive properties. Phytic acid binds with certain nutrients, such as iron, to inhibit their absorption. This is a direct, physical effect that takes place in your …

Supplement Use in High School Athletes

Contributed by Amanda Albiar High school athletic programs, especially football, are bigger than ever and athletes are looking to gain any potential edge to win a state championship or earn a college scholarship. Research from the Taylor Hooton Foundation indicates 35% of middle school and high school athletes are using protein supplements. What’s more alarming …

2015 Fitness Trends

Contributed by Julia Karlstad, M.Ed., CSCS, SFN-ISSA The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) had identified the top fitness trends for 2015.  You can go to this link to see the top 20: http://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2014/11000/WORLDWIDE_SURVEY_OF_FITNESS_TRENDS_FOR_2015_.5.aspx. This survey has been conducted for 9 consecutive years and of the 3,403 responses, over half were given by people who …

Honey – A Good Alternative Sweetener?

Contributed by Carol Kline Is Honey a Healthy Sweetener? Eating high-quality honey is beneficial because it contains natural antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Unfortunately, most of the honey eaten today has been heavily processed. Like most foods that have been chemically refined, many of the healthful benefits have been reduced or eliminated. Commercial …

The Healthier Option to Gatorade: Coconut Water

10 Things you didn’t know about coconut water Contributed by: Carol Kline 1. Coconut water consists of 95% water and is clear, light, and refreshing. It is extracted from young, green coconuts that have not reached maturity. 2. It is packed with natural electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. It …