September – this time of year marks the return of kids to school and parents return to their workout plans or embark on a new fitness regime. This is a busy time of year for most gyms, bootcamps and personal trainers as everyone seeks to return to their healthy lifestyles that sometimes go astray with the summer vacation plans. I have written blog posts in the past about what to look for when hiring a personal trainer or what to watch for when attending bootcamps.

But, with questions arising at the studio this past couple of weeks I thought it prudent to once again touch base regarding group exercise. People as a rule love to workout together. The sense of camaraderie of “sweating it out” beside someone else makes the exercise regime a little more enjoyable. For some, there is also the sense of competition which helps to motivate and spur you through a tough workout.

But along with wanting to work hard, possibly shed a few pounds and improve your “cardio” you must learn to train smart. Physiotherapists are kept busy dealing with injuries associated with bootcamp style training (strained hamstrings, shoulder injuries, low back pain). There are a few very popular exercises that seem to be the backbone of every bootcamp workout regardless of where you go and who teaches it. These are: push ups, lunges, planks, squats, crunches/sit ups and prone superman. Most of these exercises are ok when done correctly and a couple of these (can you spot which ones?) should not be done at all. Let’s take a look at each one individually and assess whether they are appropriate.

Lunges

This along with crunches and situps seems to be the most popular exercise in group fitness classes. And it is also an exercise that is often done incorrectly and with terrible form. Lunges, especially when done stepping forward is an advanced exercise that requires adequate mobility of the ankle and hip. Lunges also require stability through the knee and upper body. And yet in almost all bootcamps you will see lunges done in the first class and quite often as a warm up.

Some of the benefits of performing lunges are: strengthening the glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings, improves posture, develops core strength and stability, improves balance and coordination. The lunge is one of our primal patterns. This is a movement that is stored in our brains from early development.

Unfortunately even though we are born hard wired with this movement pattern, over time we lose the ability to perform it correctly. Some common flaws Seen in a Lunge:

Forward Lean – this can be caused by tight hip flexors or quads. Or it can be a simple as being lazy and not working to keep the upper body posture strong throughout. If you are in a hurry to complete the exercise, you may not be focused on keeping tall and this allows the body to lean. Take your time and reset your posture before each rep.

Knees Adduct (Cave In) – If a person has weak glutes they are not able to stabilize adequately or decelerate the hip motion This leads to the knees caving in That is where glute activation exercises (bridges, tube walking) come in. You see there is a reason to be walking back and forth with those dang tubes around your feet!

Foot Caves In – This often seen along with the knees moving in Typically a muscle imbalance in the lower leg will cause this (tight calf muscles) and weak anterior tibilias muscles. These are the reasons we do the calf stretching, ankle mobility work (specifically the toes up) before and after the workouts

Improper Landing – landing on your toes or pushing off from your toes is usually due to weak muscles around the hip. If you lack the strength in the glutes and posterior chain to get you back to the starting position, then you will push off from your toes utilizing your quad muscles more. Focus on pushing from the heel, not the toes.

Variations and Progressions of the Lunge:

The lunge is an exercise that can be started very basic and progressed to very complex and difficult. As you can see from the list of progressions below the forward or walking lunges typically seen as warmups or exercises in Day 1 is actually 3rd in the list of progressions that I typically follow with clients. Only when I am satisfied that they can control their movements from head to toe do I progress to a more dynamic movement such as as they forward lunges. Typical progressions of the lunge are:

#1 static lunge (or split squat) #2 reverse lunge #3 forward lunge #4 walking lunge #5 rotating lunges.

Squats

Once again squats seem to be the backbone of group fitness or bootcamps. As with lunges, squats require adequate mobility and stability to perform safely and correctly. You often hear people say they can’t do squats because it hurts their knees. In some cases this is true due to various reasons (knee surgeries, arthritis, ligament damage, meniscal injuries). But for healthy individuals knee pain is commonly due to bad form, faulty movement patterns and instability through the core. When care is taken to instruct the squat and prepare the client through proper mobility drills, warm ups, and core training this exercise can be done pain free.

Push Ups:

The push up probably one of the most under rated, misunderstood and often a rarely performed exercise. Let’s take a walk through thru this great body weight exercise.

To perform the push up correctly, you must maintain a straight body or plank position. This requires that muscles of the back, abdominals, glutes and even leg muscles are working to maintain the plank position. Push ups are not an exercise you would want to do with a “relaxed” attitude. Keep the body tight. Push ups may look easy, but there is technique involved in performing a correct push up and unfortunately it is also an exercise that is commonly done incorrectly. Some common mistakes seen with push ups are: looking up or hyper extending the neck, allowing the head to drop towards the floor, or leading with the chin, allowing the hips to drop or sag, elbows out, shallow range of motion.

With that in mind, the correct way to do a push up is:

Lie face down on the floor with toes pulled under
Keep elbows at about a 45 degree angle
Press up to the starting position and slowly lower yourself toward the floor
Keep a neutral neck – don’t look up and don’t allow head to drop to the floor
Keep chin tucked
Keep your abdominals tight and squeeze your glutes

Two common exercises done in group fitness and bootcamps should not be done by anyone. These two exercises are:

#1: Crunches and/or Sit ups: Although the rectus abdominis has a very limited ROM and is not really the most important core muscle to be working, this old school exercise still seems to be the “ab” exercise or choice. Crunches and situps put the spine under extreme flexion and should be avoided due to high risk of disc injury. If you want to work the core, this is probably the worst choice of exercise.

I did a whole blog post “Say No to Crunches and Sit Ups Forever” that goes into more detail about the anatomy of the Core and why these two exercises should be eliminated from everyones exercise list.

There is however a variation of the crunch movement that does have it’s place in a well designed exercise program. This exercise was recommended by spine research Dr. Stuart McGill and is referred to as the McGill Crunch. This is safe and is the only crunch movement we allow our clients to perform.

#2: Prone Superman

This is another very poor choice of core exercises. This superman is not to be confused with the “birddog” exercise which, when done correctly is an excellent core exercise and is also a staple in our facilities’ core training program. The prone superman is routinely done lying prone or face down. The arms are extended out in front. The arms and legs are then lifted simultaneously off the ground. This once again puts the discs of the spine under tremendous pressure now through lumbar extension.

An alternative to this is the “birddog” sometimes called superman:

As with any exercise program undertaken, homework should be done by the individual prior to joining any gym, group fitness class or bootcamp or hiring a personal trainer for that matter. Credentials should be checked, insurance verified and references should be available if requested. Inquire as to what assessment and orientation is done prior to starting the group class. Be aware of what exercises are to be avoided and be aware of your own limitations or contraindications. Group fitness and bootcamps can be fun and motivating. But, they also need to be done safely with a plan of regressions and progressions for each exercise to accommodate each person’s abilities.

Have fun. Train Hard. Be Safe
Till next time,
Narina

FIT BONES
by Todd Pelan

Interestingly enough, as our muscles increase in strength as well as size, so do our supporting structures. The densities of our bones, ligaments as well as tendons all improve with consistent resistance training. It has been demonstrated that our ligaments and tendons get stronger with increases in the strength of our muscles. Our bones however take a little longer approximately “6-12 months”. These positive adaptations to resistive exercise decrease injury incidences, as well serve as a prehabilitative strategy.

Happy Resistance Training J

Zucchini Pasta with Homemade Orange Pepper Tomato Sauce
by Todd Pelan

Over the past few weeks I have been experimenting with different variations of this pasta dish, which doesn’t even include pasta…Trust me you will not miss it.

Orange Pepper Tomato Sauce:

In a food processor combine:
4 Tomatoes
2-3 cloves of Garlic
Half of an Orange Pepper
6 or more prepared Sun dried Tomatoes
A healthy handful of Fresh Basil Leaves
Large pinch of Fresh Thyme
3 table spoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Cracked Pepper

Mix until desired texture. After you have the texture you like, stir in a can of well-rinsed & drained Chick Peas before adding on top of your Zucchini Pasta. This Pasta Sauce can be served hot or right from the mixer?!

Zucchini pasta:

Simply, decide how many are eating & use Zucchini in place of pasta. Cut into pasta-ish strips, lightly sauté in a little Olive Oil, until desired texture; usually 2-4 minutes “el dente”. Garnish with a Tomato, Avocado, a few mint or Basil leaves; perhaps Fennel. Drizzle some Olive Oil.

As always, enjoy making this your own!

Till next time,
Todd
Monitoring, Mentoring, Motivation

I am happy to announce a new Contributor to our Blog. Danielle Van Schaick, Registered Dietician and owner of Dani Health will be here to answer your nutrition questions and offer some guest posts from time to time. If you have Nutrition questions or are looking to make changes to your eating habits or just looking for new fresh ideas, I highly recommend Danielle and Anneke of Dani Health. Enjoy todays post:

Dietitian’s Kitchen
by Danielle Van Schaick, R.D.

As a Nutrition Professional, I continually search for food products that I can recommend to my clients. These products must meet my strict nutrition criteria however, it doesn’t end there. No matter how healthy a product, we simply won’t eat it (nor get it’s nutritional benefits) if it doesn’t taste good. Here are a few of the products that you’ll find in my kitchen!

1. Olympic Probiotic Organic Yogurt

• 100% natural and certified organic, guaranteed free from pesticides, herbicides and other chemical substances
• Naturally high in calcium. Milk and milk products provide a source of calcium that is easy for the body to absorb
• Contain probiotics, active bacterial cultures that have many proven health benefits such as strengthening the immune system and improving digestion
• Naturally low in lactose, making it easily digestible and acceptable for those people with a lactose intolerance

2. Catelli Smart Pasta

• Contains inulin, a prebiotic fibre that stimulates the growth of ‘good bacteria’ in our intestines
• Only contains 1.5 calories per gram, versus 4 calories per gram typically found in other carbohydrates
• Has minimal impact on blood sugar levels, and may be suitable for people with diabetes
• May increase the absorption of calcium
• 9 grams of fibre per 85 gram serving (3 x the fibre of traditional white pasta)
• 0 mg of sodium per 85 gram serving.

3. Kashi Chewy Granola Bars

• High fibre (4g fibre per bar)
• Nutritionally balanced with 5-7 g protein per bar
• Minimally processed, and contain only natural ingredients
• No partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial anything
• Taste great!

4. So Nice Unsweetened Soy Milk

• Low calorie – only 60 calories per cup
• Nutritionally balanced: 6 grams protein and only 3 grams carbohydrates per cup
• Good source of poly & monounsaturated fats (the good ones!)
• Lactose free source of calcium – provides the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk
• Use only organic, non-GMO soybeans grown in Canada and the US
• Contains more isoflavones than other soy milks

5. Silver Hills Squirelly Bread

• Made with organic sprouted grains
• Low GI, so they are digested more slowly by the body, keeping the blood sugar levels stable for longer and making you feel more satisfied.
• High fibre – 5 grams per slice
• Nutritionally balanced: 5 grams of protein per slice – something other breads can’t say!
• Tastes great toasted (a little dry if not toasted)

A Registered Dietitian (RD) is a health professional who can provide advice on nutrition, food and healthy eating choices to help you look good and feel great. Registered Dietitians take complex medical and nutrition research and make it easier for you to make daily food choices and plan healthy meals. They can show you how healthy eating can be fun, enjoyable and delicious! Registered Dietitians are your trusted experts in nutrition.

Dani Health: www.danihealth.com
#405-1095 McKenzie Ave.
Victoria, B.C. Canada
(also servicing Duncan/Nanaimo)
Phone: 250-590-6382
Fax: 250-590-6422
info@danihealth.co

As the summer holidays wind down, a lot of people will be thinking of renewing or starting anew with a fitness program. Having spent over 30 years weight training I have seen my share of people coming and going from public gyms. In most public gyms there is always a flurry of activity just after the Labour Day weekend as daily routines return to normal from summer.

One of the saddest things to witness is people starting a fitness program with great enthusiasm but unfortunately the enthusiasm wears off and a large majority quit exercising. I believe there are a host of factors that contribute to the attrition (poorly run facilities, no teaching or support from facility staff), but what it really takes to stick to an exercise program or anything for that matter is commitment and dedication to the task.

Dictonary.com defines commitment as:

“the act of committing, pledging or engaging oneself”
“a pledge or a promise”

Similar words: duty, engagment, guarantee, must, need, pledge, promise, responsibility, undertaking, vow

Dictionary.com defines dedication as:

“complete and wholehearted devotion, especially to a career, ideal”

Similar words: adherence allegiance, devotedness, devotion, single-mindedness, wholeheartedness

Whether it is an exercise program, a wish to lose weight, a desire to learn a language, bolster your computer skills or whatever “task” you take on, one thing is necessary to see the task through to the end – commitment. Without committing yourself to that task you are giving yourself permission to give up.

One trait you often see in successful people is a single-mindedness and a sense of responsibility. When it comes to sticking to an exercise program or choosing a healthier lifestyle you must develop this sense of single-mindedness. You must choose to make your exercise program or healthy eating plan a priority and commit wholeheartedly to it. No one else can do this for you. Yes, it is necessary and great to have support from family and friends, but their support will not carry you through if you, yourself are not committed or don’t have a sense of engagment.

With our clients at VWP, and some of them have been attending their workouts here for over 8 years, we know they are committed to their exercise programs and they have a sense of responsibility to their health.

If you are having problems sticking to an exercise program or healthy eating plan, ask yourself if you are fully engaged in this task. Are you committed with a single-mindedness to succeed? If you are constantly missing workouts or straying off the nutrition path then it is time to look at your pledge or promise you have made to yourself. Seek help if needed, and re-engage yourself down the road to success.

Till next time,
Narina
“Monitoring, Mentoring, Motivation”

Getting Started with an Exercise Program – How, When and Where?

You know you need to be exercising. You know you will feel better and look better. So what is holding you back from starting? You probably have many questions and few answers. How do I fit this in my already busy life? Where do I go? Is there one form of exercise that is better than another? How do I learn what to do? The questions are endless. With this newsletter I will give you as much information as I can to help you make the decision that will get you started in the right direction. Let’s take these questions one at a time.

How do I fit this in my already busy life? This is a challenge for most people today. Between full time jobs, committments from the workplace even on your days off; spousal needs and children, there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. It would seem between getting to work in the morning and getting home in time to shuttle kids off to their various activities, there doesn’t seem to be much time to look after you. But, you know it is essential that you take care of your health.

There are many options available to those whose life already seems demanding. You can work out at home. This works especially well if you have small children that you are staying home with. It is not necessary to have a variety of equipment or tools. Body weight circuit training can be just as demanding as a gym workout when properly designed and executed. If your chilren have naps during the day, this is a perfect time to grab a quick 20 minute workout that will revive and energize you for the rest or the day. If old enough, you can even involve your children with your program – which will help to counter the effects of computer games and television. Start your children off early in life with a healthy habit of exercise.

If you work outside of the home, before work exercise programs can work well. We have found at our facility that clients who train before work often comment how good they feel starting their day off with a workout. This is definitely not a time for everyone, but for those individuals who like the early mornings, this can prove to be an excellent opportunity to get that exercise class in and done for the day! If you are not an early riser, there are other opportunities throughout the day and after work.

Lunch hours are an excellent time to get in a workout and relieve the physical and mental stress from the workplace. If you job involves sitting at a desk and computer then lunch hour workouts will help to alleviate “upper crossed syndrome” (round shoulders, tight and stiff neck musles, poor posture) that it is so common in our society today. Follow your workout with a well balance lunch and you have done well.

And, for some people, after work is their first choice. I find that, if possible, try to book your workout right after work before you go home. Going home first and getting too settled, or involved in activties at the house can mean disaster to the workout plans. If you have children involved in after school activities, take advantage of this and look for opportunities for your own exercise program. In our facility, we are located next door to a dance studio and a karate school. A parent will drop their child off for their activity and come in and work with one of our personal trainers. Some rec centers that have an ice rink or swimming pool, may have an exercise room as well. This is the perfect time to work out yourself.

So, I have given you a few ideas to toss around and hopefully you will take a closer look at your day and see where you can fit in a little “me” time. Remember an exercise regime doesn’t have to take 2 hours. You can make noticeable improvements to your physical and mental well being with as little as 20 minutes a day. Start today, no right now! Make a list of the demands on your time as they are right now and look for gaps where you may be able to fit in as little as 10 minutes and get started. I will help you with exercise regimes to fit that busy schedule.

Are you ready? I am, let’s get together…..

Narina
“Mentoring, Monitoring, Motivation”

Holy Cow, I think my partners over at Prograde have lost their grip on reality.

Not only are they offering you a chance to save 5% on ALL your Prograde purchases, but they’re also throwing in over $700 worth of FREE stuff!

By becoming a Prograde VIP before this Thursday at 11:59pm EST you get as part of your membership a 90 day meal plan from Nutrition Expert Jayson Hunter.

So yes, he’ll show you exactly what to eat and when to help you get in the best shape of your life! It even comes with weekly shopping lists so all of the thinking has been done FOR you.

But again, you have to become a Prograde VIP before this Thursday at 11:59pm EST to qualify for the 90 Day Meal Plan Bonus.

Get all the details right here: http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

Till next time,
Narina

PS – Seriously, you know Prograde is the only supplement company out there that I trust. And Jayson Hunter is a world-class nutrition expert so the Meal Plan bonus alone is more than worth the tiny investment in the Prograde VIP membership.

http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

Strawberry Summer Tarts
by Todd Pelan

Mmmm summer never tasted so good. I found this recipe to share for all from an Icelandic band “Sigur Ros”. The lead singer actually created his own raw food recipes! Following is a well-deserved summer treat to be enjoyed in moderation.J

To make the crust gather the following ingredients and combine in a food processor:

*  1/2 cup almonds
*  1/2 cup of dates
*  1/2 cup of dried coconut
*  1 tbs. of coconut oil
*  pinch of salt

From here find a small baking pan used not for full sized muffins, but for mini muffins (2-3 inches in diameter).

For the creamy filling blend the following:

*  1 cup of dried coconut
*  1 cup frozen strawberries
*  Stevia to taste, “use sparingly this stuff is very sweet”J
*  1 tbs. Coconut oil
*  pinch of salt

Once completed, garnish with strawberry.   Place in the fridge for 2 hours and enjoy.
The above photo is of a strawberry pie,  but I like mini tarts as they ensure proper portion size.

8 Ingredients to Avoid on Food Labels
by Todd Pelan

If you can’t pronounce it, it will have no problem being left on the shelf. After all that’s what it was designed for…

“If it’s not Fresh, it’s not Food”.

Artificial Colourings: Making there way into most beverages, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, and Yellow 6 have been linked to cancer. Also showing up in candy, baked goods and many other pre-packaged products.

Artificial Sweeteners: Acesulfame-K, aspartame, and saccharine, Sucralose “a.k.a.” Splenda. Artificial Sweeteners just haven’t been around long enough consider them safe, although being told otherwise.

(MSG) Monosodium Glutamate: A flavour enhancer, MSG is otherwise known as hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate. disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, which are nucleic acids. May be linked to neurological disorders.

(Trans Fat) Partially Hydrogenated Oil: Commonly found in frozen foods, bakery, as well as pre-packaged items, trans fats are absolutely more harmful to your heart and blood vessels than saturated fats.

Propyl Galate: A preservative added to meat products, chicken soups, and chewing gums. Studies suggest it may be linked to cancer.

Sodium Nitrate, Sodium Nitrite: Nitrites: Serve also to enhance colour and flavour, acting as preservatives in many prepared meat products. They are potentially cancer causing.

Sugar: This familiar ingredient can appear on the label as natural sweetner, cane sugar, fructose, corn syrup, glucose, and high-fructose corn syrup.

Salt: Added in generous amounts to foods such as potato chips, soups, and crackers, salt adds flavour and acts as a preservative. High salt diets have been linked to high blood pressure and a greater risk of a heart attack.

Get in the habit of reading food labels and try to stick to the “cleanest” foods possible. If you don’t know what it is or can’t pronounce it, better leave it behind.

For those of you who will not be working out at a rec centre or public gym during the gym closure, it is possible to carry on with most of your workout at home. If you can perform a workout at least twice per week you will prevent muscle soreness from starting back after the gym closure. Make sure you perform each exercise, especially the squats and lunges in good form.

Ensure that you get some form of aerobic exercise at least three times per week. This can be either a walk, jog or cycling. Your session should be at least 20 minutes in length and you should be working hard for that time. If you do this separate from your weight workout, ensure that you stretch afterwards.

The workouts below can be done each one on its own for the entire workout. Or, you can combine and perform 1 run thru of each circuit for a complete workout.

Warm Up: Leg Swings (side and front), lateral lunges (to side), forward or walking lunges

WORKOUT #1:

Mountain Climbers 10
Squats 15
Pushups 10
Deadlift with Reach 8
St Arm Sit Ups 15 Rest 10 seconds. Repeat 2-3x thru

WORKOUT #2:

Burpees 10
Lunges 8
Pushups 10
Squats 15
Bridges 10 Rest 10 seconds. Repeat 2-3x thru.

WORKOUT #3

Squat>Rotating Lunge 6
Floor Bridges 10
Pushups 10
Jumping Jacks 30
Superman 8 Rest 10 seconds. Repeat 2-3x thru.

Unstable surface training. What is it? What does it mean and what are the pros and cons?

Unstable surface training has become very popular in the gyms and with personal trainers everywhere. Everywhere you look you see people performing balancing acts worthy of Cirque de Soleil.

Unstable surface training may involve equipment such as wobble or balance boards, bosu balls, stability balls and 1/2 foam rollers. I am sure that you can pick up any magazine on fitness or even sport training and come across a picture of someone squatting on a stability ball or standing on a bosu doing shoulder presses, or bicep curls.

However, you need to ask is it safe, beneficial or getting you closer to your goals.

There are certain times during rehabilitation when using unstable surface training is necessary and recommended. This should be for individuals who have suffered an ankle or knee injury. Working on an unstable surface such as a wobble board has been shown to help restore proprioceptive and nervous system reaction deficits. In other words, it helps re connect the nervous system and the muscular system to regain proper movement patterns.

Using unstable surface training in the hopes of increasing strength is not the most productive method. In a study done by Anderson and Behm, maximal isometric force output with the unstable chest press was significantly lower (59.6%) than in the stable condition. (1) What this means is that if you are going for strength gains, keep the exercise on a stable surface such as a bench.

Chest Press on a stability ball may be used to incorporate core stability work, but the weights used should be submaximal or higher rep range loads. Stability ball presses should never be used with maximum weights.

What about core muscles and their activity during unstable surface training? A study by Nuzzo, McCaulley et all concluded that activity of the trunk muscles during squats and deadlifts is greater or equal to that which is produced during stability ball exercises. It would appear that stability ball exercises may not produce a sufficient stimulus for increasing muscular strength. (2)

Everywhere you look in gyms and personal training studios, you will see a variety of equipment designed for unstable surface training. There are numerous tools in a trainers “toolbox”. All of them may be appropriate for certain clients at certain times. But, the question must be raised first – is it applicable to this situation? Is it beneficial to the clients’ needs or is the latest youtube creation.

You must ask what the purpose is of standing on a stability ball or bosu ball performing a weight exercise?

The goal of the bicep curl for example is to build strength or mass or both. Standing on an unstable surface will limit the amount of weight that is able to be utilized without losing one’s balance. If you are attempting to solicit a neuromuscular response with balance and stability, there are more appropriate ways to do that. Single leg training for example.

Unstable surface training may have some merit with untrained individuals and in some rehabilitative situations, but as with any training tool their application must be carefully considered and applied.

Till next time,
Narina

(1) Anderson K. G. and Behm, D.G. Maintenance of EMG Activity and Loss of Force Output with instability. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2004 (18) 637-640

(2) Nuzzo, J.L., McCaulley, G.O., et al Trunk Muscle Activity During Stability Ball and Free Weight Exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, January 2008. Volume 22, Issue 1, pp 95-102

Happy Feet
by Todd Pelan

Our first point of contact plays a foundational role in how the rest of our body is liable to function. Dysfunction at the foot/ankle can initiate a ripple effect upon our other joints, forcing these joints to pick up the slack by moving beyond the norm. compromising these joints in the process.

Happy Foot Facts

· Encompasses 30 joints, 23 muscles, 100 ligaments, 26 irregular bones
· Absorbs shock
· Supports and distributes our weight all while providing balance
· Conforms to varying terrain
· Inspiring ankle mobility via “mobility drills/exercises” helps preserve potentially each major joint in the body

Gazpacho
by Todd Pelan

Traditionally Gazpacho was eaten by Spanish farmers and originally consisted of perhaps no more than day old bread, olive oil, and water, finally pulverized into cold soup. Today Gazpacho has taken many forms, where the only limits to this dish are of course, ingredients and most importantly a bit of creativity.

Rustically chop all ingredients into a large mixing bowl:
· ¼ lb Tomatillos
· ¼ lb seasonal Tomatoes
· 1 large Cucumber
· 1 Green Pepper
· 1-2 Small Shallots
· 3 Garlic Cloves
· 1 Jalapeño
· 1/2 cup Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· A splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
· Optionally a splash of white wine
· 28 grams chopped Basil, Parsley and Cilantro
· 3 Squeezed Limes
· Large Pinch of Salt
· Fresh cracked black pepper

Simply toss and cover before placing in the refrigerator. The following evening blend into a smooth texture. Add Avocado into blender or food processor to provide creaminess. Season with salt and Pepper if needed. flavour with a Either Crème Fresh or a few bits of Blue Cheese never hurt.