THE GIRL’S GUIDE TO VITAMINS AT EVERY AGE

www.drcal.net

The plethora of vitamins on the market reads like the alphabet- literally from A- Zinc. Do we, as women need to guzzle 50 a day to be healthy? How do we make heads or tails from what the media tell us?  And at what age do we need certain vitamins? Here’s your guide to vitamins at every age according to Dr. Christopher Calapai D.O. an NYC anti-aging physician who has been called, “The Stem Cell Guru.” Dr. Calapai has been testing vitamin levels throughout his career. Each of his patients receives a blood test to find out what they are deficient in.

In a perfect world, all of our nutrient needs would come from the best source: Food. However if your diet isn’t text book perfect then take your “nutritional insurance” a.k.a. a multivitamin, suggests Dr. Calapai.  “Research shows taking a well-balanced multivitamin throughout your lifespan helps fill in nutritional gaps in your diet.”

In your 20s and 30s

• Calcium:These are the decades to bone up, as in, maintain your bone mass. Dr. Calapai recommends adults aged 19-50 years take 1,000 milligrams of calcium, daily. If you don’t receive enough calcium from your diet, you may need to take a supplement containing elemental calcium. Elemental calcium refers to the actual amount of calcium in a supplement that's available for your body to absorb—the rest are compounds making up the supplement. But when supplementing your calcium, read the labels carefully, cautions Dr. Calapai . “For example, if you buy tablets such as calcium carbonate, each tablet contains 1,250 milligrams of calcium,” he says. “Unfortunately, only 500 milligrams is elemental calcium.”

• Vitamin D:The reason we're severely lacking vitamin D nowadays, much more so than even our parents were, is because we're missing out on the number-one source of vitamin D: The sun. "Vitamin D is a pro-hormone made in the skin upon exposure to sunlight, and production of it is rapid and robust," Calapai says. "Within 10 to 20 minutes without wearing sunscreen, people make between 10,000 and 20,000 IU. But because of widespread sunscreen use, total sun avoidance, and our increasingly indoor lifestyles, our vitamin D levels have fallen drastically." Dr. Calapai says, “Take at least 2,000 IU per day year-round. And although you technically don't need to supplement on the days that you know you'll be outside when the sun is high, it's just easier to take it every day than to try to remember when and not to."

• Folic Acid:For women in their childbearing years, folic acid is recommended if you’re planning on conceiving anytime soon. “You should take it before you get pregnant to ensure your levels are high because low rates of folic acid can cause a number of birth defects,” says Dr. Calapai.  “The recommended dosing of folic acid is 400 micrograms per day if you are age 14 or older.”

• Iron:Iron is another key consideration for menstruating women. “Iron deficiency commonly occurs in pregnant women, causing anemia, which can result in fatigue and weakness,” says Dr. Calapai . “Iron enables red blood cells to carry oxygen and deliver it to body cells.” If you’re pregnant and not getting your daily 27 mg. of iron from sources such as iron-fortified cereals and eggs, then look for it in a supplement containing 16 to 20 mg, or speak to your physician about iron supplementation specifically.

In your 40s

• Calcium:Beginning at age 19 and continuing until age 50, women should consume 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily, according to the Institute of Medicine. This is also the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for women above age 19 who are pregnant or breast-feeding. Once you turn 51, the RDA increases to 1,200 milligrams. As long as your daily diet provides enough calcium to meet your RDA, you probably don’t need a supplement unless it’s under the advice of your health care provider. *Note: Never take more of a calcium supplement than is recommended. It could lead to kidney problems or renal failure.

• Vitamin D:Recommendations for vitamin D intake in your 20s and 30s (as explained above) still apply in your 40s. If you are unsure how much vitamin D you actually need, ask your doctor about taking a vitamin D test.

• Folic Acid:Pregnant? Up your daily intake of folic acid to 600 mcg. To meet this need, women should continue taking a multivitamin containing 400 mcg of folic acid throughout their pregnancy.

• Iron:As in your 20s and 30s, be sure to get 27 mg. of iron daily if you are pregnant, whether through your diet or a combination of diet and supplements. Non-pregnant women should aim for 18 mg a day of iron.

In your 50s

• Multivitamin:It’s time to switch to multivitamins designed for adults 50 years and older, says Dr. Calapai. “These multivitamins have significantly less iron than multivitamins for younger women, he says. “For example Centrum Forte for women up to the age of 49 years has 10 mg of iron per tablet and Centrum Select 50+ designed for those over 50 has only 4 mg of iron per tablet, but has additional vitamin B12 to reflect changing nutrient needs.”

• Calcium:For women over 50 years, Dr. Calapai recommends bumping your calcium intake to 1,500 mg. daily.

• Vitamin B12:“Your vitamin B12 needs increases after 50 because the gastrointestinal tract does not absorb vitamin B12 as well as a younger digestive tract,” says Dr. Calapai.  He advises those older than 50 get 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily, mainly by consuming foods fortified with vitamin B12 or a supplement containing vitamin B12.

In your 60s

While the overall needs are similar to those in your 50s, check your multivitamin again to be sure it’s meeting all your nutrient needs because newer health issues such as eye health and heart disease might be manifesting. “Some multivitamins contain key antioxidants such as lutein which may protect against age-related macular degeneration, and lycopene, which may help prevent heart disease,” says Dr. Calapai.

Dr. Christopher Calapai D.O.

Anti-Aging Physician and "The Stem Cell Guru"

Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, anti-aging medicine and chelation therapy. Proclaimed as the "The Stem Cell Guru" by the New York Daily News, Dr. Calapai is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S.

His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimer's, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinson's.

Dr. Calapai started his practice in New York City in 1986 and for over 25 years he has hosted nationally syndicated radio shows, including his two weekly call-in shows on WABC 770-AM, where he offers health and medical advice. He has a show on Saturday morning 8-9am and Sunday evening from 6-7pm. He has consulted with numerous high-profile individuals including Mike Tyson, Chris Noth, Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Fox series Gotham's, Donal Logue and worked as a medical consultant for the New York Rangers hockey team as well as various modeling agencies.

Dr. Calapai received his medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and he consults in Manhattan with practices on Long Island, in East Meadow and Plainview. He has appeared on News12 and in the pages of 25A Magazine and Social Life Magazine.

He is the author of E-books Heavy Metals and Chronic Disease, Reverse Diabetes Forever! Seven Steps to Healthy Blood Sugar, Top Ten Supplements You Can't Live Without, and Glorious Glutathione. Learn more about Dr. Calapai on his website, www.drcal.net

The Best Tools For Building Muscle At Home

Thanks to hectic work schedules, we can’t always make it to the gym to workout. The good news is that hitting the gym isn’t the only way that you can build muscle. If you’ve got the right tools, you can do so just as effectively at home. Invest in these tools and you’ll no longer need to fork out for your gym pass.

Picture link: Flickr

Dumbbells

Dumbbells may be a little pricey, but the sheer amount of exercises you can do with them makes them more than worth the cost. The best dumbbells to opt for are hexagonal shaped ones that are coated in rubber - these are the easiest and most comfortable to work with. Plus, thanks to the rubber coating, you’ll be less likely to develop blisters. Buy at least three sets of dumbbells, each in a different weight class, so that you can perform a range of exercises with them.

Kettlebell

Photo source

You might have heard that you don’t need dumbbells and kettlebells as you can do most exercises with one of the other. However, there are some exercises that you specifically need kettlebells for. So they’re a worthwhile investment to make. The best kettlebells to get are the ones that have smooth handles and are unpainted, as these are the safest and easiest to work with. For working out what the best muscle-building exercises are to do, have a browse on http://www.bodybuilding.com.

Foam roller

Foam rollers are something that anyone who works out should have; they have so many benefits. From aiding muscle growth to helping to prevent injuries, there are just so many things they can be used for. While a foam roller can’t be used to build muscle alone, what it’s great for is helping with your workout recovery time. Because it can speed up your recovery time, foam rollers help you to build your muscles more quickly, and so, are a useful tool to have. For a range of foam rollers check out https://www.masterofmuscle.com and have a browse.

Pull up bar

Obviously, pull up bars are amazing for building your upper body strength, but that’s not all they’re good for. If you install a pull-up bar in your home, there are various exercises that you can do with them to help build muscle. The best place to put a pull-up bar is in a doorway or archway - somewhere where the walls are strong. There are plenty of examples online of how you can use pull-up bars to build muscle without doing pull-ups, so make sure to have a look.

Medicine ball  

One of the best tools for core strengthening exercises, a medicine ball, is a must have if you want to build muscle at home. Whether you’re throwing it or carrying it, a medicine ball has so many uses when it comes to muscle building. For the best medicine ball exercises, visit http://greatist.com/. (It’s best to opt for a soft medicine ball so that it’s easier to use and throw).

So there you have it, all the best tools for building muscle at home.

The future of women’s running has arrived with the new adidas PureBOOST X

adidas has teamed up with female athletes from around the world to deliver PureBOOST X, a running shoe created for women, by women.

Based on years of testing and research with women everywhere, adidas has created a sleek, form-fitting running shoe built to meet the relentless energy of their active lifestyle. While most running shoes are adaptations of male shoes, PureBOOST X ($130) was designed with only the female athlete in mind resulting in a high performance meets high fashion running shoe for women.

The petite, adaptive silhouette of PureBOOST X wraps the foot in style and rests it on a full length bed of thousands of energy infused BOOST™ foam capsules. The BOOST midsole provides energy in every step that will make running the best part of keeping fit.

“The most common feedback we received during our years of working with female athletes was the desire for a running shoe with looks to keep up with the energy of its performance,” said Jennifer Thomas, Senior Director for Global Brands, Running. “PureBOOST X is a product of innovation and style working in perfect harmony to meet the demands of today’s versatile female athlete.”

The adidas PureBOOST X in action

PureBOOST X features a new floating arch that provides a completely fresh look and feel. The adaptive stretch mesh of the floating arch wraps underneath the midfoot to make the foot look smaller while delivering a supportive sensation you can feel through every run.

The stretch mesh upper, floating arch and lock down lacing system provides a personalized fit that hugs the foot from heel to toe. The stretch web outsole is designed to allow for flex at any point enabling the foot to maintain its natural motion.

From lacing up through cooling down or making a statement with style, PureBOOST X feels exhilarating and looks amazing the moment you put it on.

adidas PureBOOST X retails for $130 CAD and will be available on adidas.ca and in stores from February 3.

On special occasions like the Super Bowl, many dieters allow themselves to cheat. Don’t be tempted! If you do, your body will revert back to storing rather than burning fat and it will then take up to 3 weeks to reverse the damage!

Dr. Charles Nguyen, Dr. Tu Song Anh Nguyen and health journalist Mary Ann Marshall have co-authored the forthcoming book The Thinsulin Program: The Breakthrough Solution To Help You Lose Weight And Say Thin (Da Capo, February 9. 2016) which reveals the real secret to healthy and sustainable weight loss: a focus on insulin not calories. 

Using this approach, you don't need to cheat. As long as you choose foods that won't spike insulin, you have many options that'll let you wake up Monday morning  feeling good about yourself and what you ate -- even if your team loses!

Below are 5 simple and delicious recipes for:

• Wings
• Ten-Minute Chili
• Kale Chips
• Meatballs
• Diet-Friendly Vegetable Platter (because not all veggies are created equal!)

And remember - for those drinks: Water should always be the first choice. But for those who really want something stronger, go for wine or hard liquor. Avoid beer, which is like eating bread!

Wings

• Boil hot water

• Boil or poach the wings and drumettes for 5 minutes to release excess oil from skin
• Take the wings and air dry for 10 minutes
•  Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper
•  Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F
•  Lay wings and drumettes on baking sheet
•  Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown, then flip
•  Bake for another 20 minutes until other side is golden brown
•  Drizzle hot sauce over wings or serve the hot sauce on the side

Ten Minute Chili

• In a saucepan, add 1 pound of ground turkey, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp ground cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste

• When meat is cooked, add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of chopped green bell peppers, 1 cup of chopped onions
• Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Kale Chips

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
• Cut kale leaves from stems and tear them into bite size pieces
• Wash and thoroughly dry kale with salad spinner
•  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt
•  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until edges are brown but not burnt

Vegetables Platter

• Use celery, broccoli, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers
• Don’t add root vegetables such as radishes or carrots!
• Serve with a healthy dip of yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper and spices such as curry or dill on the side

Meatballs

•  Preheat oven to 375 degree F
•  Using a skillet, over high heat, heat 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
•  Sautee ½ large chopped onion in the skillet for 5 minutes, until softened
•  Add 1 ½ tsp minced garlic and cook 1 minute more, remembering to stir frequently
• Transfer garlic and onion to a bowl;  mix in the ½ lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground turkey        with 4 egg whites, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp of black pepper
• Roll into golf ball-sized meatballs
• Place on jelly roll pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until brown

Charles Nguyen, M.D., is the medical director of the Lorphen Medical Weight Loss Clinic in Riverside, CA. Charles earned his M.D. from the University of California at Irvine, where he completed his psychiatry residency training and, as a faculty member, won excellence in teaching awards for seven consecutive years. He also won the Thomas F. Riley Community Service Award, the NAMI Bridge Builder Award, and the 2010 Orange County Physicians of Excellence Award. The same year, Orange Coast Magazine recognized him as best physician.

Tu Song-Anh Nguyen, M.D., is the medical director of N.N. Medical in Orange County, CA, which provides medical management of weight loss with an emphasis on behavior modification. Tu graduated with top honors from the University of California at Riverside and from Loma Linda Medical School. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at U.C.L.A./VA Wadsworth, received the diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1995, and has practiced in the field of bariatric medicine ever since.

Editor and magazine journalist Mary Ann Marshall was a former staff writer and fiction editor at Sassy Magazine and penned the book Now Hiring: Music (Crestwood House). As a cover story writer and features reporter for Glamour, she covered investigative health and social issues, and interviewed celebrities including Halle Berry, Ashley Judd, Britney Spears and Faith Hill. She has contributed to numerous magazines including Cosmopolitan, Spin, Seventeen, and Health. She lives in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Greens+ Energy By Genuine Health - Train It Right

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend an event at Studio Lagree in downtown Toronto. The beautiful King St. West location was set up by Greens+ with a smoothie bar and a taste station. Not only did they give us a taste of their pilates class on the reformer but sat us down to discuss their product (which I might add is delicious in all flavours). I thought that the info session that they provided us was a unique touch to an event. Not only was the founder there but so was Joy McCarthy or Dr. Jason Marr who were so knowledgeable, friendly and happy to answer any of our questions. I definitely would recommend this product if you are looking for a healthy boost in your meal plans, looking for a pick me up outside of caffeine or are simplest missing some key nutrients in your diet.

For a cool Infographic about extra energy click here: Extra Energy Infographic

Ancient dance form meets trending workout

New beginners guide teaches fundamentals of bellydance

TORONTO – The exotic world of bellydance is a fun way to stay fit with gentle and fluid movements. Growing in popularity as a low-impact exercise, it helps build stamina, enhance flexibility, improve cardiovascular health and strengthen core muscles.

Evyenia Karmi, bellydance instructor, performer and choreographer of 22 years, is sharing her expertise beyond the dance floor with a new beginners guide titled “Quintessential Bellydance.” Readers will learn basic beginner movements with this easy-to-read, dictionary-formatted book that includes pictures throughout for reference.

Karmi provides readers with weekly routine combinations that work core muscles and guide readers towards grace and elegance. Her compact, easy-to-use guide features a warm-up routine, basic arm movements, techniques for the upper and lower body, traveling steps, and an introduction to veil work.

“These basic steps are used by enthusiasts and professionals alike,” Karmi said. “This is the starting point that will provide the fundamental dance steps needed to advance to the next stage.”

For more information, visit www.evyeniakarmi.com.

“Quintessential Bellydance: Beginner Class Companion”

By Evyenia Karmi

ISBN: 978-1475947878

Available in softcover, hardcover, e-book

Available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iUniverse and Chapters Indigo

About the author

Evyenia Karmi resides in Toronto, Canada where she also teaches bellydance. She has performed for the Greek, Turkish, East Indian and Arabic communities. As a member of the International Dance Council, Karmi continues to perform in theatres and festivals. This is her first book.