The Great Hike of ’10

It has been an exciting couple of weeks and lots of stuff to share with you. Hopefully you noticed last week’s edition of this newsletter was not published. Kevin and I were camping at Big Bear Lake, in the Southern California Mountains, for all of the days I normally put together the information. So lots to share this week.

Had a great time in Big Bear and not so sure I would have gone 80.1 pounds ago. Our friends we go with are very active and I would have felt badly wanting to do nothing but hang around the camp site. I had been promising my BFF, Susan, I would do a hike with them and I am sure until the moment we were on the trail, she assumed I was going to back out. Kind of have a history of that, from not wanting to participate in things due to being embarrassed about my weight.

We are going camping for a week in late September – early October to June Lake in the Sierras and the memory of me reading in camp while everyone else took a great hike was very clear in my memory. The Big Bear hike was to be the warm up for the hike later this fall in June Lake.

We arrived at our campground on Saturday around noon and it was really hot!!! We decided we would do the hike first thing Sunday morning before it got too hot for us. Susan even set her alarm. By the time we got to the beginning of the Cougar Crest Trail at 9ish it was probably around 80 degrees already. The hike was listed as moderate to difficult and the plan was to hike in for one hour and then back out. Susan and Fritz had done the trail years ago on snowshoes and remembered a great look out point in about an hour with a great view of the lake.

We took our photo at the beginning and we were all smiley with my 2nd hand hiking boots and my new walking sticks which were a birthday present last year. The trail started very gradually and we were taking our time, stopping frequently in shady spots to cool off a bit. I felt great. Off and on I would find I had a rhythm going and I would just keep going when I was in that groove. It was a very good dirt path with patches of rocks to walk over along the way. Everyone kept asking me how I was doing which bugged me and showed how concerned they were about me, which I appreciated.

Everyone kept asking me to let them know when I had enough and we would turn around. At one point, I said “I am tired of being the one who can’t do something, let’s keep going.” I knew the trail was 2 miles and even though; had I mentioned this was my first mountain hike ever, I felt I could do it. About one and a half hours in, we reached the look out point and the view was amazing. Now I am new to all of this nature stuff and it took a minute staring down at the lake to realize we had started at lake level and now looking down, grasped just how far we had gone up in elevation.

We decided to keep going and at about two hours and twenty minutes we sat down to take a rest and I thought I be done. I told Kevin after resting about 10 minutes I would give it one more try and in the next 15 steps Susan popped around the corner and said we were at the top. Woo Hoo.

Next week Part II – What goes up must come down.

Helping Reshape the World,

Judi

P.S. I am looking to rebrand my Beachbody Coaching Business and could use your help. Part of branding is to be congruent with how others see you, rather than how you see yourself. If you would like to send me a short description of how you perceive me, that would be awesome. Everyone who sends me something will get entered into a drawing and the winner will receive a copy of my book Conversations on Success.

Michi’s Ladder – Tier 1: Garlic

Although garlic may not always bring good luck, protect against evil or ward off vampires, it is guaranteed to transform any meal into a bold, aromatic and healthy culinary experience.

Fresh, dried and powdered garlic are available in markets throughout the year, however, fresh varieties from California are in season from June through December.

Garlic is arranged in a head, called the "bulb," averaging about 2 inches in height and diameter consisting of numerous small separate cloves. Both the cloves and the entire bulb are encased in paper-like sheathes that can be white, off-white or pinkish. Although garlic cloves have a firm texture, they can be easily cut or crushed. The taste of garlic is like no other-it hits the palate with a hot pungency that is shadowed by very subtle background sweetness. While elephant garlic has larger cloves, it is more closely related to the leek and therefore does not offer the full health benefits of regular garlic.

Health Benefits

Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately called "the stinking rose" in light of its numerous therapeutic benefits. A member of the lily or Allium family, which also includes onions, garlic is rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds including thiosulfinates (of which the best known compound is allicin), sulfoxides (among which the best known compound is alliin), and dithiins (in which the most researched compound is ajoene). While these compounds are responsible for garlic's characteristically pungent odor, they are also the source of many of its health-promoting effects. In addition, garlic is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C and a good source of selenium.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Numerous studies have demonstrated potential benefits of regular garlic consumption on blood pressure, platelet aggregation, serum triglyceride level, and cholesterol levels. Routine eating of garlic may also help stimulate the production of nitric oxide in the lining of blood vessel walls, which may help to relax them. As a result of these beneficial actions, garlic can be described as a food that may help prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, as well as reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke. However, exactly which individuals are most benefitted from garlic consumption remains a matter of some debate. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that garlic did not help lower LDL cholesterol in adults with moderately high (versus very high) levels when consumed at approximately one clove per day, six days per week, for 6 months. However, these researchers simulateously concluded that garlic might still have cardiovascular benefits for these same individuals, even though it did not help lower their LDL levels. While more large-scale research studies are needed to determine the exact nature of garlic's benefits, this food can definitely be considered a potential ally in heart health.

Promotes Weight Control

The most potent active constituent in garlic, allicin, has been shown to not only lower blood pressure, insulin and triglycerides in laboratory animals fed a fructose (sugar)-rich diet, but also to prevent weight gain, according to a study published in the American Journal of Hypertension. In this study, animals who developed high insulin levels, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides were given either allicin or served as a control. Despite the fact that all of the animals consumed the same amount of food, weight rose in the control group but not in animals who were being supplemented with allicin. In those groups, body weight remained stable or declined slightly when allicin was given. The researchers concluded that allicin may be of practical value for weight control.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Marinate pressed garlic in olive oil and use this flavored oil in dressings and marinades.

Purée fresh garlic, canned garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice to make quick and easy hummus dip.

Healthy sauté steamed spinach, garlic, and fresh lemon juice.

Add garlic to sauces and soups.

Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and olive oil together to make delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.

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The workouts for the Forever Fit Club are every:

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Become a Founding Member (at no cost) for the Forever Fit Club. The Forever Fit Club includes:

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Every Tuesday evening at 6PM PT I am holding a short telephone information call for you to learn more about Beachbody and what we offer. Examples of what we will covering include:

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Garlic & White Bean Dip
From EatingWell: December 2005/January 2006

For this simple-as-can-be dip, rich-tasting poached garlic is pureed with convenient canned beans, a little bit of onion and a dash of lemon juice. Use it as a dip for crudités, a topping for bruschetta or even as a spread for a sandwich.

Recipe makes 2 cups and takes about 20 minutes


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Roasted-Garlic Oil, (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
• 1/2 cup Oil-Poached Garlic Puree, (recipe follows)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

This recipe calls for:
Oil-Poached-Garlic Puree & Roasted-Garlic Oil follow this link

Preparation:

1. Put oil, onion and salt in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened but not browned, 6 to 9 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor. Add garlic puree and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Serve warm or cold.

Tips & Notes:

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dip for up to 3 days.

• Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (Our recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.

Nutrition:

Per 2-tablespoon serving: 123 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 139 mg sodium; 173 mg potassium.

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