Minimalist Running – is it for you?
October 28, 2011
A reminder about the Natural Running Mechanics seminar on October 29th organized by Solefit Orthotics, all proceedes to impossible2Possible, the gang at Solefit are looking to give i2P as big of a cheque as possible! It’s such a fantastic cause!
Here is some info Ryan from Solefit posted a few days ago “We are offering a great giveaway: if they can get over 150 people signed up between now and Saturday, i2P will donate another pair of Oakley sunglasses to give away (yep, the cool ones that Lance Armstrong wears). That would bring our prize total to nine pairs of shoes, technical clothing and TWO pairs of Oakley sunglasses!
Along with supporting i2P, our goal for the evening is to present some of the current research (pros and cons) around running technique and barefoot running and explain what it means for us (runners). We have Neil Rosenthal and Ryan Grant speaking from SoleFit Orthotics, Ray Zahab (a really fantastic speaker!) from i2P, and Francine Eastwood speaking from PSI Runners Clinic. Should be a fun afternoon!”
Tell your friends, family, coworkers, and running buddies! We hope to see you there! For more information check out the facebook page Click Here , to registrater with Events Online Click Here
To give you a bit more information on Barefoot and Minimalist running (all of which will be covered at the Saturday seminar, here is a guest post by Melinda Neufeld, Elation Centre member who loves her minimalist shoes – even in the winter! She wrote this for us last winter as we trained for the National Capital Race Weekend, I’ve been holding onto the info and now seems a perfect time to post it, thanks Melinda
“Ah, winter. The bittersweet, love-hate relationship that I have with winter precedes my running career and has only intensified over the past blistery months of snowy winter runs. As a relatively new (about a year now) minimalist footwear runner, I have come to embrace the hardship of running nearly barefoot in my Vibram FiveFinger Flows in the snow and cold. In general, running in FiveFingers is great fun. Let’s be honest, I definitely prefer running on clear, dry roads in my favorite FiveFingers model, FiveFinger Sprints. The Sprints bring me as close as I can get to running barefoot with the added benefit of some sole protection. The feeling of the road or path beneath my feet is amazing; I’d even go as far as to say that it feels like I’m running naked—or at least what I imagine that would feel like. But let’s come back to reality and back to winter running in my Flows. This model features less of a barefoot feel than the Sprints because the upper part of the toe shoe is made from Neoprene, a material commonly used to make wetsuits. This material helps keep my feet relatively warm, but it also gives a stiffer feel to the toe shoe. The Flows are not waterproof, and after a run in slush and snow, my feet are definitely wet. You would think that my toes would freeze right off, but as long as I keep moving, my feet stay warm. Usually, it takes the first five minutes of a run for my toes to warm up. After that, I don’t even notice the cold or wetness. According to the official FiveFingers Web site the sole on the Flow model is made with Idrogrip performance rubber for added slip resistance. As of yet, I have managed to remain vertical during all of my winter runs!
Running in FiveFingers throughout the winter might seems a bit crazy, but I didn’t want to counteract all of the progress that I made over the summer learning to run nearly barefoot. Running in minimalist footwear or barefoot requires a change of running form. Typically, runners to tend to forefoot strike as opposed to heel strike. Daniel Lieberman, Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, has conducted research on barefoot running and theorizes that a heel strike may be the cause of various common injuries suffered by runners, and that a forefoot strike naturally strengthens feet and leg muscles. This can prevent common injuries and eliminates the need for a shoe that compensates for weak feet and leg muscles. Personally, as a runner who was used to running with a heel strike, adjusting to a forefoot strike took time and patience. It was a slow, gradual learning process. But I am happy to say that I have avoided all injuries to date. I am an avid runner and a strong believer in the benefits of minimalist footwear.
The minimalist footwear trend continues to grow and many different shoes brands are coming out with their own minimalist shoe line. While not quite as odd-looking as Vibram FiveFingers, other models are appearing in stores (e.g., Merrell Barefoot shoe line), and my goal is to eventually switch all of my footwear to shoes with a “zero drop”, a.k.a. no drop from heel to toe. So, here’s to natural running! “
Chocolate Power Snacks on CTV!
October 19, 2011
Here are two amazing recipes that I will be whipping up on CTV Morning Live, Thursday Oct 20, 9:25AM and 9:30AM. You can check out the video here - fun and easy!
These chocolate power snacks are dairy-free and free of processed fats and sugar making them heart healthy, and to keep muscles strong and your brain focused, I’ve loaded them with protein and good fats from almonds and hemp seeds! They also use raw cacao powder and cacao beans, which contain anti-oxidants to fight off disease and raw cacao is sugar-free natural source of chocolate which will keep your motor running, be careful not to overindulge remember chocolate contains caffeine!
Both the cookies and chocolate shake can be whipped up in under 5 minutes. Enjoy
Shake Tips: using a frozen banana and using almond, rice or soy milk will make the shake nice and creamy. Using water and a fresh banana makes it more like chocolate ‘milk’. Make sure to blend well to get a smooth texture.
This is just a sampling of the yummy food that Deb Gleason of Wellness Warrior Coaching and I will be making at Credible Edibles, Oct 27 at our Eating for Energy cooking class. Hope to see you there!
Chocolate Almond Smoothie
- 1 banana, fresh or frozen
- 1-2 soft dates (soak for a few minutes if they are hard)
- 1 ½ – 2 cups cold water
- 2 tbsp raw almond butter
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
Blend and enjoy, makes 1-2 servings
Almond-Cranberry Cacao Chip Cookies
adapted from Annie’s Raw Food Desserts
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 3 tbsp agave syrup
- 2 tbsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ cups almond meal (ground almonds)
- ¼ cup organic dried cranberries, chopped up into small pieces
- ¼ cup cacao nibs
- Stir together all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Roll into small balls and place on a serving tray. Use a fork to press balls into a flattened cookie, so they look like peanut butter cookies. Serve right away or freeze for an hour or so
- Will keep for a few weeks in the fridge or freezer; thaw for 5 minutes before eating
Guest Post by Deb Gleason – Thanksgiving and Cleansing
October 6, 2011
Deb Gleason leads the Elation 12-Day Cleanse with Donna Davis and she is co-founder of Wellness Warrior Coaching, creating programs that help people transition to a whole foods, plant-based diet so they can easily achieve their health and fitness goals.
Our 12 day cleanse is wrapping up and I want to take a second to congratulate everyone who participated this time. It has been an absolute pleasure for me to assist in coaching you on your journey to better health. For some this was their second or third cleanse and a really good way to get back on track. For others it was the first time you gave your body a chance to let go of what was not serving you. From the feedback I have received whether it was your first or third cleanse everyone is feeling great.
Our world has changed dramatically since the rise of fast and processed foods and we are now starting to pay the price. I think initially we thought these food choices were making life easier but we are starting to wake up to the idea that instead they have made life more difficult. Chronic diseases like Diabetes and Heart Disease are on the rise and obesity, especially in children has become an epidemic. Scientists who study these changes say it is not that people are suddenly lazier, it is that the food they are consuming is so void of nutrients they don’t get the signals from the body to stop eating. We are an overfed and undernourished society.
During the cleanse we focused on consuming only highly nourishing foods that left our bodies feeling satisfied. We focused on eating whole, plant-based foods for 12 days. We eliminated meat, eggs, dairy, gluten and processed sugar, all of the things that the body has a really hard time digesting. Doing this really gives the body a chance to stop wasting valuable energy on digestion and instead use that energy to let go of toxins and heal.
Cleanses not only help the body eliminate toxins, they also help to increase awareness and establish new habits. We can get quite comfortable with habits that don’t serve us and they become part of our routine. I truly believe that life begins at the end of your comfort zone and there is not doubt that cleansing takes you out of your comfort zone.
For those of you that cleansed, keep up the good work. For those that did not join us this time incorporating one positive change at a time can do wonders for you energy and health. Moving toward a whole foods, plant-based diet is the biggest gift you can do for you body. I like to say that it is process and not an event and adding in the good foods and lots of them often makes dropping the bad ones painless. Here are a few tips and places to start.
1. Drink more water. We are made of mostly water, water nourishes our cells and helps to remove toxins. Try to drink at least 2 glasses of water every morning before you have anything else and watch the changes happen quickly.
2. Eat your greens. Challenge yourself to get green leafy vegetables into your diet every single day. They have tremendous health benefits and will have you running faster, looking younger and sleeping better. Try adding a handful of kale to your smoothie, add baby spinach leaves to your soups and stews just before they are finished cooking, eat a big salad every day.
3. Cut back on dairy products. Dairy is high in animal protein and saturated fat, both of which cause tremendous problems in the human body. Too much animal protein puts our body into an acidic state and to buffer that acid the body pulls calcium from the bones. We work hard to fill the bones with calcium, we need to be just as diligent at leaving it there. Saturated fat leads to heart disease and strokes which are the second leading cause of death in Canada. Dairy also clogs up the digestive tract which is never a good thing. We have little finger like nutrient receptors in the small intestine. Their job is to grab nutrients from the food we’ve consumed as it passes by. Dairy products actually coat those little fingers and make if very difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. You are what you eat but more accurately, you are what you absorb and constantly clogging up your absorption avenues leads to big problems. Give your bones, digestive system and heart a break and choose plant-based alternatives.
When it comes to dropping dairy, eliminating cheese is the hardest one to swallow for most people. Cheese is easy, tasty and somewhat addictive. It is easier today than it ever has been to ditch the cheese and reach for alternatives. If you want a really nice replacement for cow’s cheese, try Daiya cheese, it is a new tapioca based vegan cheese that melts, stretches and tastes great. I would lead not you astray on this one, I have tried some of the worst vegan cheeses out there and this product is heavenly. Try it on pizza, pasta, and to top off you bowl of chilli.
4. Swap meat with legumes. Meatless Monday is a great way to start. It does not have to be Monday but it helps to know that hundreds of thousands of people are doing the same thing as you on Mondays. Really you can pick any day to drop the meat and then a second day, then a third etc. Add in tofu, tempeh, beans of any sort, and lentils. Burritos, stew, chilli, stir-fry’s are all great places to leave the meat out and add the legumes. You will benefit tremendously and you won’t be lacking protein. Some of the bonuses that come with switching to legumes are they are packed with the fibre, vitamins, and minerals that are missing from meat.
Looking for a plant-based alternative to a roasted turkey this weekend? Check out one of my most asked for recipes at Wellness Warrior Coaching.
5. Need more inspiration? Here are some amazing Elation Centre harvest recipes to create a Thanksgiving dinner to remember. Here’s a taste:
- Porcini Mushroom Soup
- Thanksgiving Tart
- Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Winter Veggies
- Baby Spinach Salad with Bosc Pear and Pecans
- Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Hazelnuts
- Maria’s Sweet Potato Scones
- Chocolate Truffle Mini-Tarts
- Pumpkin Pie
Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
Guest Post by Jane Brown – Why Meditate?
October 4, 2011
This blog post was written by Jane Brown, Elation yoga and meditation teacher. To get more information on the Meditation Workshop starting October 23rd, click here.
Although I’ve had a meditation practice for more than 25 years, I always find it difficult to explain why I think a meditation practice is important.
I know I can tell people about the many benefits of meditation; the simple fact is that meditation is good for our health and well being. Brain scans and research show increases in happiness, optimism, and resilience, improved mood and concentration, lower blood pressure, improved immune response, and decreased stress hormones. Meditation is being used in the medical community to help those with depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder and for pain and stress management.
But I know that theses benefits are not what meditation is about.
In fact we need to set aside our desire for the benefits when we start a meditation practice. It is the setting aside of wanting and the acceptance of this moment as it is, that is the essence of meditation practice. And it is by letting go of wanting things to be different that we experience the benefits of meditation.
As Pema Chodron says in “The Wisdom of No Escape” “Meditation is the process of lightening up, of trusting the basic goodness of what we have and who we are…. instead of trying to improve or change or get rid of…..”
This session of meditation classes starts on Oct 23 and goes for 4 weeks on Sundays from 9:30-10:30. It is for those new to meditation and for those who have taken previous instruction. We’ll focus on a simple mindfulness based practice including sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful movement and stretching, breathing exercises (pranayama), and simple chants and mantras to build focus. You’ll be invited to experiment with ways to bring mindfulness into your everyday life while doing dishes or waiting in line at the grocery store.
If you want to know a little more about my experience with meditating, check my previous blog entry “ I Just Want to be Sure”.
