Making Sense of: Eggs - don’t look at it as white and yellow!

What do you think of first when your doctor tells you that you have a high cholesterol level? Eggs!!
Fortunately, that is no longer necessary. Recent research and findings about both eggs and factors raising blood cholesterol level have exonerated eggs. I also hear often from my patients that they only eat the white of the egg. That recommendation also changed to consuming the whole egg both white and yellow. Unfortunately, eggs have a hard time to shake their bad reputation.

Eggs have 10 advantages and 1 disadvantage:
Advantages:
1) Low calories with 70 calories per medium egg
2) High in protein with 6 grams of protein per egg (3.6 g in white, 2.7 g in yellow)
3) The protein found in egg is a complete protein which contains all of the essential amino acids (the proteins the body must get from the diet);
4) 14 vitamins
5) 11 minerals
6) omega-3 fatty acids
7) Inexpensive
8) Very versatile
9) Easy accessible
10) Very palatable

Disadvantage:
1) 213mg of cholesterol

We know a high blood cholesterol level leads to heart disease. We first assumed that dietary cholesterol leads to high blood cholesterol. This again influenced the recommendation to limit dietary cholesterol to 300mg per day. Eggs with almost the amount of day’s worth of cholesterol were thrown out of every fridge.

Over the years research has shown that there are other factors influencing blood cholesterol level before dietary cholesterol. Those are the total amount of dietary fat, overweight, low activity level, and genetic factors. We also learned that the digestive tract can only absorb about the amount of one egg at a time. Since then the recommendations about the consumption of eggs has been greatly eased. The AHA has amended its guidelines and no longer makes any specific recommendation on the number of eggs a person should eat per week.

Looking at the whole egg and the big picture the benefits of eggs greatly outweigh the risks.

Be creative with eggs and think beyond the morning egg in the pan such as omelets, Spanish frittatas and quiches just to mention a few.

If you know of a great healthy and low fat egg recipe please share it with us.

Farmer’s Market Omelet (from www.incredibleegg.org)
4 EGGS
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. butter
FILLING:
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow summer squash
1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. water

Here’s How

1. COMBINE filling ingredients in 7 to 10-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet. COOK and stir over medium heat until water has evaporated and vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. REMOVE from pan; keep warm. CLEAN pan.
2. BEAT eggs, 1/4 cup water, cheese, basil and garlic powder in medium bowl until blended. HEAT butter in same pan over medium-high heat until hot. TILT pan to coat bottom. POUR IN 1/2 of the egg mixture. Mixture should set immediately at edges.
3. GENTLY PUSH cooked portions from edges toward the center with inverted turner so that uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface. CONTINUE cooking, tilting pan and gently moving cooked portions as needed.
4. When top surface of eggs is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, PLACE 1/2 of the filling on one side of the omelet. FOLD omelet in half with turner and slide onto plate; keep warm. REPEAT with remaining egg mixture and filling to make second omelet. SERVE immediately.

Makes 2-4 servings
206 cal/serving with an excellent source of protein, vitamin A and cholin.

The 7 Principles of Pilates

by Suzanne Diffine

In 1980, Gail Eisen and Philip Friedman enumerated six basic tenets of Joseph Pilates’ system of body conditioning in their seminal book The Pilates Method of Physical and Mental Conditioning. Although these principles were never identified by Pilates himself, they are useful to understanding and deepening the work. The list was expanded in 2009 by Peter Fiasca, who added a seventh principle, cardiovascular conditioning.

1. Concentration: mental focus, short-term and long-term memory. Pilates is a mind/ body workout, developing awareness of the entire body. You must pay attention to what you are doing! No part of your body is unimportant. Concentration even applies to the order of the exercises. As you become more proficient, you will learn the correct sequence in the system. Then you will be a true intermediate Pilates student.

2. Centering: abdominal and spinal stabilization, carriage, power. All movement focuses on the “girdle of strength”, centering on the abdominals, low back muscles, inner and outer thighs, and gluteals. Particular emphasis is placed on the pelvic floor muscles and the transverse abdominals, which wrap around the waist like a corset. All movement comes from the center.

3. Control: muscular stabilization, flexibility, and breathing. Movement is intentional and never uses momentum. Originally called Contrology, the method emphasizes quality of movement, using the right muscles in the proper sequence for that particular movement. Efficiency is also important. Use a minimum of effort for maximum benefits.

4. Precision: placement, articulating shape. Movements are purposeful. Use the right muscles to create the desired shape. Some muscles stabilize to allow others to mobilize, doing so with exactness. Movement frequently stays within the box, the rectangle formed from shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip.

5. Breath: energizing the body and cleansing the bloodstream. Although some exercises have specific breathing patterns, most simply require natural breath. Avoid forced exhalation! Inhalation and exhalation are through the nose and diaphragmatic (lateral) breathing is employed, breathing wide through the ribs.

6. Flow: flowing movement, rhythm, and dynamics. Focus is on creating a flow between and within exercises. Movements are smooth and continuous, not jerky. Transitions between exercises should be seamless, maintaining control.

7. Cardiovascular Conditioning: endurance, stamina. For a normal, healthy individual without any issues, the workout should be vigorous enough to achieve cardiovascular benefits. Transitions between exercises keep the workout moving and there is no wasted effort.

The Health Connexion YOGA

As variety is the spice of life, yoga is the spice of exercise.

At Pilates Health Connexion we are proud to be able to offer a variety of exercises to give the body a balanced wholesome workout.

Yoga, a thousand year old exercise and meditation method has many benefits. It can improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. In addition, many people who practice yoga say that it reduces anxiety and stress, improves mental clarity, and even helps them sleep better.

Although yoga includes physical exercise, it is also a lifestyle practice for which exercise is just one component. Training your mind, body, and breath, as well as connecting with your spirituality, are the main goals of the yoga lifestyle.

Sandee Versace offers the following classes:

Hatha Yoga Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:30pm-1:30pmHatha yoga focuses on asanas, or poses. A person who practices yoga goes through a series of specific poses while controlling his or her breathing. You will learn the sun-salutations, the warrior poses and balancing poses among others.

Gentle Yoga Tuesays and Thursday at 2:30pm-3:30pm
This is a good beginner yoga class. It also good for athletes who need to stretch. Slow with concentrating on breathing and holding poses this yoga hour leaves you relaxed and rejuvenated.

Vinyasa Yoga on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30pm-6:30pm
This type of yoga will give you more of a vigorous workout that leaves you sweating. Combining the hatha poses with more advanced movements this class attracts the athlete.

Namaste

Foundations of Pilates

by Suzanne Diffine
What makes Pure Classical Pilates so distinctive? Joseph Pilates’ unique method of physical fitness is a whole body workout. Mastery of The Method will improve posture, mental acuity, proprioception, core strength, and coordination. It is designed to prepare the body for daily life.
The classical system is comprised of a specific sequence of exercises, providing a wide variety of modifications for a variety of physical issues. Exercises are sequenced for a reason. They are not just randomly selected. Renowned trainer Peter Fiasca notes that, “Each exercise – and each set of exercises – must build upon the proper placement, articulation, energy, flow, and shape of the preceding exercise or set of exercises” (Fiasca, Discovering Pure Classical Pilates). Certain muscles act as stabilizers, enabling other muscles to mobilize. As the body constantly moves through the repertoire, tremendous mental concentration is required to maintain proper alignment.
The repertoire and the complexity of The Method “is sufficiently complex to study for a lifetime…” (Fiasca, Discovering Pure Classical Pilates). Pilates “Elder” Jay Grimes agrees. Grimes studied directly under Joseph Pilates and has taught for forty years. He confesses that it takes at least 3-5 years to master Pilates. But don’t let that discourage you. You will feel and look better within a few sessons.

My Pilates Story from Anna

I started Pilates about 5 years ago. I had a major inflammation in BOTH elbows from doing websites (switched hands once I could not use the right anymore) and sitting on the computer for hours. After 3 cortison shots, 20 sessions with a chiropractor, 10 sessions of acupunture, numerous massages and days where I could not dress myself or wash my hair, my friend Arlene told me about Pilates. Never having heard of it and having tried everything else I took classes with Linda at Bally's on the allegro reformers. Linda kept telling me to try sessions on the Gratz cadillac.. what a difference. Now 5 years later I am pain free and own a Pilates studio :)

My Pilates Story from Elizabeth

I started doing Pilates at age 13 to supplement my ballet training. It had been recommended to me by a few of my other pre-professional ballet friends as a great way to cross-train without risking injury. Over the years, through two moves—from south Florida to New York City and then to Philadelphia (and also two summer studies in Seattle and Boston) I have always made sure to find a studio to keep up my Pilates exercises. This summer was the first one I have spent almost exclusively at home in four years, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find a great studio. So I am so happy to have found Pilates Health Connexion! As a young professional dancer, I find that Pilates greatly helps to strengthen all the muscles necessary to perform well, and most importantly: it never ceases to challenge me. I’m looking forward to going back to work this fall already back in shape and ready to dance!
Elizabeth Mateer

My Pilates Story from Linda

I recently returned to Pilates training at Pilates Health Connexion after about a 7 year absence from practicing Pilates. I was really enjoying it along with the spinning I do at another facility. About 5 weeks ago, I fe...ll on my stairs and fractured my left instep. OMG. What was I going to do to maintain my health and my figure?!! Since I was off from work for the summer, I started to take classes about 5 - 6 times per week at Pilates Connexion; always being nervous that my lack of cardio would adversely affect my figure. In fact, just the opposite happened! I'm in better shape than I was when I was spinning several times per week. I'm so happy that I've made this "Pilates Connection".
Linda Weiss Rose