Proper hydration is key to good health, but why? And what's the best way to get what our bodies really need? Our experts debunk a few myths.

By Experience Life Staff, as featured in the June 2010 issue of Experience Life

Water is the body’s most non-negotiable nutrient. Withhold any other vitamin or mineral for a week or more and the body will plug along. But deny it water for a mere three days and systems start to crash. Without water, the blood thickens and the body’s enzymatic processes — normally zipping along — get bogged down. Hold back another few days and the blood gets so gummy that the body’s inner workings grind to a halt. After that, odds of survival are grim.

Why is there so little wiggle room when it comes to water? Because water plays an integral role in nearly every biological process in the body. Everything from controlling the body’s thermostat to regulating blood pressure to taking out the trash relies on water to get the job done. Yet, for such a life-and-death nutrient, most of us take water for granted. Sure, we know we should imbibe, but how much? Does the water in caffeinated drinks, like coffee and soda, count for or against us? And should you drink before you’re thirsty or wait for your thirst signal to kick in?

“A lot of what we think about water is sheer guesswork,” says Elson Haas, MD, an integrated-medicine physician in San Rafael, Calif., and the author, most recently, of Staying Healthy with Nutrition (Celestial Arts, 2006). “A lack of research has led to a lack of knowledge. In fact, most of what people think they know about water isn’t even true.”

To get beyond confusing water myths and delve into some commonsense wisdom, we tapped several experts on water intake and human health. Here are the ins and outs of keeping your body well watered.

Myth No. 1: Dehydration is relatively rare and occurs only when the body is deprived of water for days.
Reality: Low-grade dehydration (versus acute and clinical dehydration) is a chronic, widespread problem that has major impacts on well-being, energy, appearance and resiliency. Christopher Vasey, ND, a Swiss naturopath and author of The Water Prescription (Healing Arts Press, 2006), believes that most people suffer regularly from this type of chronic dehydration because of poor eating and drinking habits.

While chronic dehydration does not directly result in death, “the lack of water results in a general weakening of the body’s internal cellular environment,” says Vasey, which can give rise to a number of health problems. For example, chronic dehydration can cause digestive disorders because our bodies need water to produce the digestive juices that aid the digestive process. If we don’t get that water, we don’t secrete enough digestive juices, and a variety of problems — such as gas, bloating, nausea, poor digestion and loss of appetite — can ensue. (For more health problems that can result from chronic dehydration, including energy loss, respiratory troubles, skin problems and obesity, see “Why Water Matters,” below.)

Bottom Line: If you’re not actively focusing on hydrating throughout the day, there’s a good chance you could be at least somewhat dehydrated, which could be negatively affecting your energy, vitality and immunity — as well as your appearance. Experiment with drinking more water throughout the day. You may observe an almost immediate difference in your well-being, and even if you don’t, establishing good hydration habits now will do many good things for your cellular health over the long haul.

Myth No. 2: Your body needs eight, 8-ounce glasses of water daily.
Reality: Your body does need a steady supply of water to operate efficiently and perform the many routine housekeeping tasks that keep you healthy and energetic. So it’s probably a very good idea to consume moderate quantities of water at regular intervals.

That said, there is no scientific evidence to back up the very specific and well-worn advice that you need to drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day (a.k.a. the 8 x 8 rule). In 2002, Heinz Valtin, MD, a retired physiology professor from Dartmouth Medical School and author of two textbooks on kidney function, published the definitive paper on the subject in the American Journal of Physiology. He spent 10 months searching medical literature for scientific evidence of the 8 x 8 rule only to come up empty-handed.

In 2004, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a division of the National Academy of Sciences, actually set the adequate total-daily-water intake at higher than 64 ounces — 3.7 liters (125 fluid ounces) for men and 2.7 liters (91 fluid ounces) for women. But those numbers refer to total water intake, meaning all beverages and water-containing foods count toward your daily quota. Fruits and veggies, for example, pack the most watery punch, with watermelon and cucumbers topping the list.

But the “it all counts” dynamic cuts both ways. Vasey believes that many people suffer from low-grade, chronic dehydration because of what they are eating as well as what they are drinking. The “I don’t like water” crowd could probably make up their water deficits by eating the right kinds of foods, he asserts, “but most don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. Instead they eat meat, cereals and breads, which don’t have much water and contain a lot of salt.”

Animal proteins require a great deal more moisture than they contain to break down, assimilate and then flush from the body. And many processed foods, such as chips and crackers, for example, are nearly devoid of moisture, so — like dry sponges — they soak up water as they proceed through the digestive system.

A second strike against refined foods is the salt factor. Most processed foods, especially cheese and cold cuts, are packed with sodium. The body requires only 3 to 5 grams of salt a day to stay healthy, but most people gobble up 12 to 15 grams of the stuff daily. To rid itself of the overload, the body requires copious amounts of liquid. So you have to weigh your personal intake thoughtfully.

“Some people drink plenty of water, but the majority don’t,” Vasey says. To counteract anything resembling a standard American diet, says Vasey, “you must drink more.”

Bottom Line: If you want to stay optimally healthy, hydrated and energetic, it’s a good idea to eat plenty of water-containing foods and drink water throughout the day. And when in doubt, it’s probably not a bad idea to make a point of drinking a little more water, rather than a little less. But that doesn’t mean you need to down eight glasses exactly, or that if you run a little shy of 64 ounces, then something awful is going to happen. Just be aware that the fewer vegetables, fruits and legumes you are eating, and the more dried, processed or chemical-laced foods you include in your diet, the more water you’ll need to consume to compensate.

Myth No. 3: When it comes to hydrating, all beverages are created equal.
Reality: Not so. In principle, the 90 to 125 (or so) ounces recommended by the Institute of Medicine would include your morning coffee, the soda you drink with lunch and even a glass of wine at dinner. Practically speaking, however, caffeinated, sweetened and alcoholic drinks pack chemical cargoes (or trigger chemical reactions) that demand significant amounts of fluid to properly process and filter. As a result, nonwater beverages can actually set you back, water-wise, many experts suggest. “They can actually dehydrate the body,” says Haas.

For example, says Vasey, drinks like coffee, black tea and cocoa are very high in purines, toxins that must be diluted in large quantities of water to be flushed from the body. “The consumption of these drinks might bring a large quantity of water into the body, but a large portion of this water is used to eliminate the toxins in these drinks,” he says.

Artificially sweetened drinks add to the body’s toxic burden. Sugar and coffee also create an acidic environment in the body, impeding enzyme function and taxing the kidneys, which must rid the body of excess acid.

Moreover, says Vasey, caffeine found in coffee, black tea and soft drinks adversely affects your body’s water stores because it is a diuretic that elevates blood pressure, increasing the rate of both the production and elimination of urine. “The water in these drinks travels through the body too quickly,” says Vasey. “Hardly has the water entered the bloodstream than the kidneys remove a portion of the liquid and eliminate it, before the water has time to make its way into the intracellular environment.” (For more on the importance of intracellular hydration, see “Myth No. 5.”)

Bottom Line: Don’t think you can toss back a few cans of Red Bull and call it a day. Moderate consumption of beverages like coffee and tea is fine, but be aware that while some of the fluids in nonwater beverages may be helping you, certain ingredients may be siphoning away your body’s water stores. So, when you’re drinking to hydrate, stick primarily with water. And, if you’re looking for a pick-me-up, try sparkling water with a squeeze of citrus.

Myth No. 4: By the time you get thirsty, you're already dehydrated.
Reality: Again, it depends on what you mean by “dehydrated.” Experts like Vasey posit that while those walking around in a state of subclinical dehydration may not feel thirst, their bodies are sending other signals of inadequate hydration — from headaches and stomachaches to low energy to dry skin.

But when it comes to avoiding the more widely accepted definition of clinical dehydration, thirst is a good indicator of when you need to swig. Here’s the deal: As water levels in the body drop, the blood gets thicker. When the concentration of solids in the blood rises by 2 percent, the thirst mechanism is triggered. A 1 percent rise in blood solids could be called “mild dehydration,” but it could also be considered a normal fluctuation in bodily fluids.

Either way, feeling thirsty is a good indicator that you need to get some water into your body, and soon. Serious symptoms of dehydration don’t arise until blood solids rise by 5 percent — long after you feel thirsty. But, obviously, you don’t want to wait that long. Even mild, subclinical levels of dehydration come with sacrifices in optimal vitality, metabolism and appearance. ➺ Like an underwatered plant, the body can survive on less water than it wants, but it’s unlikely to thrive.

It’s important to recognize, though, that drinking too much of the wrong thing can pose its own problems. Americans now drink nearly 21 percent of their daily calories, and those who glug down the most sugar-laden beverages are more likely to be overweight and obese than those who drink the least.

In a study published last year in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers found that people drank in response to thirst only 2 percent of the time. Obviously, a lot of the drinking we do, we do for pleasure or entertainment, not hydration.

“It’s easy to drink without thirst,” says Richard Mattes, PhD, MPH, RD, a professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and one of the study’s authors. “There is a large array of palatable beverages available to us much of the time and only weak internal signals inhibiting drinking. This facilitates drinking whether we’re thirsty or not.”

Bottom Line: Drinking water only when you’re thirsty may relegate you to being less than optimally hydrated much of the time, and it may undermine your energy and vitality. On the other hand, constantly sipping or gulping calorie- or chemical-laden beverages for entertainment is a bad idea. So if you tend to keep a bottle of soda on your desk all day, or if you’re never seen without your coffee cup in hand, rethink your approach. Get in the habit of drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning, and a few more glasses of water throughout the day. You may want to keep a glass or bottle of water nearby so you are prompted to notice thirst when it arises, or better yet, to drink proactively (especially important during strenuous exercise, long airplane flights and in hot weather).

Myth No. 5: Hydrating is all about water.
Reality: Nope. It takes a delicate balance of minerals, electrolytes and essential fatty acids to get and keep water where it needs to be — properly hydrating your bloodstream, your tissues and your cells.

“You can drink lots of water and still be dehydrated on a cellular level,” says Haas. Water you drink is absorbed from the digestive tract into the bloodstream by small blood vessels (capillaries). Of the water contained in food and beverages, 95 percent ends up in the blood. From the blood, water moves into the fluid surrounding the cells, called extracellular fluid. That’s important, but it’s not the end of the line. Water needs to get inside cells for you to maintain optimal health.

A person’s vitality is affected by how well his or her body gets water into and out of cells, says Haas. A variety of unhealthy lifestyle habits and health conditions can inhibit this cellular capacity, he notes. But naturally, too, as the body ages, the water inside cells (intracellular) tends to diminish, and water outside cells (extracellular or interstitial fluid) tends to accumulate. Haas calls this gradual drying out of cells a “biomarker of aging.”

Minerals, especially electrolytes and trace minerals, are essential to maintaining cellular equilibrium. Minerals help transport water into the cells, where they also activate enzymes. And enzymes are the basis of every biological process in the body, from digestion to hormone secretion to cognition. Without minerals, says Haas, enzymes get sluggish and the body suffers.

Without essential fatty acids — which form the basis for cellular membranes — cells can’t properly absorb, hold and stabilize the water and other nutrients they’re supposed to contain.

Bottom Line: Take in plenty of minerals by eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds — ideally from produce grown according to biodynamic farming practices, meaning the farmer is supporting (rather than depleting) nutrients in the soil. Another way to boost minerals in the diet is cooking with a high-quality sea salt. A natural, unrefined sea salt will deliver up to 60 trace minerals your body needs to manage water flow. Also, try to include whole foods that are high in essential fatty acids, which are critical to maintaining healthy cell membranes that can hold in moisture. And consider a multimineral supplement that includes an ample supply of trace minerals in its formulation.

Myth No. 6: Healthy urine is always clear.
Reality: Urine color is directly linked to hydration status because the yellow tint is a measure of how many solid particles, such as sodium, chloride, nitrogen and potassium, are excreted. The color’s intensity depends on how much water the kidneys mix with the solids. Less water equals darker urine. More water equals lighter urine. Dark or rank-smelling urine are signs your body may need more water. But light-to-medium yellow urine is fine. Very clear urine may actually be a signal that your kidneys are taxed by the amount of fluid moving through them and the minerals in your body are being too diluted.

Also note that some vitamins, such as riboflavin, or B2, can turn urine bright yellow, so don’t be alarmed if your urine is a funny color after either swallowing a multivitamin or eating certain foods, like nutritional yeast, which is high in B vitamins.

Bottom Line: Drink enough water to make light yellow (lemonade-colored) urine. The volume depends on your activity level and metabolism. If your urine is cloudy or dark or foul smelling, increase your water intake and monitor changes. If you don’t see a positive change, consult a health professional.

Myth No. 7: Drinking too much water leads to water retention.
Reality: The body retains water in response to biochemical and hormonal imbalances, toxicity, poor cardiovascular and cellular health — and, interestingly, dehydration. “If you’re not drinking enough liquid, your body may actually retain water to compensate,” says Vasey, adding that a general lack of energy is the most common symptom of this type of water retention. “Paradoxically, you can sometimes eliminate fluid retention by drinking more water, not less, because if you ingest enough water, the kidneys do not try and retain water by cutting back on elimination,” he explains.

Bottom Line: No good comes of drinking less water than you need. If you have water-retention problems, seek professional counsel to help you identify the root cause (food intolerances, for example, are a common culprit in otherwise healthy people). Do not depend on diuretics or water avoidance to solve your problems, since both strategies will tend to make the underlying healthy challenges worse, not better.

Myth No. 8: You can't drink too much water.
Reality: Under normal conditions, the body flushes the water it doesn’t need. But it is possible — generally under extreme conditions when you are drinking more than 12 liters in 24 hours or exercising heavily — to disrupt the body’s osmotic balance by diluting and flushing too much sodium, an electrolyte that helps balance the pressure of fluids inside and outside of cells. That means cells bloat from the influx and may even burst.

While the condition, called hyponatremia, is rare, it happens. Long-distance runners are at highest risk for acute hyponatremia (meaning the imbalance happens in less than 48 hours), but anyone can get in trouble if they drink water to excess without replacing essential electrolytes and minerals. Extreme overconsumption of water can also strain the kidneys and, if drunk with meals, interfere with proper digestion.

Chronic hyponatremia, meaning sodium levels gradually taper off over days or weeks, is less dangerous because the brain can gradually adjust to the deficit, but the condition should still be treated by a doctor. Chronic hyponatremia is often seen in adults with illnesses ➺ that leach sodium from the body, such as kidney disease and congestive heart failure. But even a bad case of diarrhea, especially in children, can set the stage for hyponatremia. Be on the lookout for symptoms such as headache, confusion, lethargy and appetite loss.

Bottom Line: Never force yourself to drink past a feeling of fullness. If you are drinking copious amounts of water and still experiencing frequent thirst, seek help from a health professional. If you’re drinking lots of fluids to fuel an exercise regimen that lasts longer than one hour, be sure to accompany your water with adequate salts and electrolytes. For information on wise fitness-hydration strategies, read “How to Hydrate” in our December 2007 archives at experiencelifemag.com.

Although medical researchers will continue to duke it out over the finer points of exactly what we should be drinking when, most integrative health professionals agree that the vast majority of Americans would benefit from making proper hydration a higher priority. The good news is that the key components of that endeavor — drinking pure water, eating whole foods, and emphasizing a full array of minerals and fatty acids — support not just proper hydration, but virtually every other aspect of health and wellness.

Vasey hopes that health-motivated people will return to the simple pleasures of water in much the same way they’ve recently rediscovered the myriad benefits of whole foods over heavily processed and aggressively marketed industrial fare. “Nature gave us water, not soft drinks,” he says. “It’s time to get back to basics.”

WHY WATER MATERS
Even healthy eaters often underestimate the importance of their water intake and wind up suffering from chronic, low-grade dehydration. Here are just a few reasons good hydration is essential to good health:

Energy: Suboptimal hydration slows the activity of enzymes, including those responsible for producing energy, leading to feelings of fatigue. Even a slight reduction in hydration can lower metabolism and reduce your ability to exercise efficiently.

Digestion: Our bodies produce an average of 7 liters of digestive juices daily. When we don’t drink enough liquid, our secretions are more limited and the digestive process is inhibited. (Note that drinking too much water all at once, particularly with food, can also dilute digestive juices, reducing their efficacy and leading to indigestion.)

Regularity: As partially digested food passes through the colon, the colon absorbs excess liquid and transfers it to the bloodstream so that a stool of normal consistency is formed. When the body is low on water, it extracts too much liquid from the stool, which then becomes hard, dry and difficult to eliminate. Slowed elimination contributes to bodywide toxicity and inflammation.

Blood Pressure: When we are chronically dehydrated, our blood becomes thicker and more viscous. Additionally, in response to reduced overall blood volume, the blood vessels contract. To compensate for the increased vein-wall tension and increased blood viscosity, the body must work harder to push blood through the veins, resulting in elevated blood pressure.

Stomach Health: Under normal circumstances, the stomach secretes a layer of mucus (which is composed of 98 percent water) to prevent its mucus membranes from being destroyed by the highly acidic digestive fluid it produces. Chronic dehydration, though, impedes mucus production and may irritate and produce ulcers in the stomach lining.

Respiration: The moist mucus membranes in the respiratory region are protective; however, in a state of chronic dehydration, they dry out and become vulnerable to attack from substances that might exist in inhaled air, such as dust and pollen.

Acid-Alkaline Balance: Dehydration causes enzymatic slowdown, interrupting important biochemical transformations, with acidifying results at the cellular level. The acidification of the body’s internal cellular environment can be further worsened when excretory organs responsible for eliminating acids (e.g., the skin and kidneys) don’t have enough liquid to do their jobs properly. An overly acidic biochemical environment can give rise to a host of inflammatory health conditions, as well as yeast and fungus growth.

Weight Management: Feelings of thirst can be confused with hunger, both because eating can soothe thirst and also because dehydration-induced fatigue is often misinterpreted as a lack of fuel (e.g., sugar). Both dynamics can lead to false sensations of hunger, triggering overeating and weight gain. Inadequate hydration can also promote the storage of inflammatory toxins, which can also promote weight gain.

Skin Health: Dehydrated skin loses elasticity and has a dry, flaky appearance and texture. But dehydration can also lead to skin irritation and rashes, including conditions like eczema. We need to sweat about 24 ounces a day to properly dilute and transport the toxins being eliminated through our skin. When we are chronically dehydrated, the sweat becomes more concentrated and toxins aren’t removed from our systems as readily, which can lead to skin irritation and inflammation.

Cholesterol: Cholesterol is an essential element in cell membrane construction. When we are in a state of chronic dehydration and too much liquid is removed from within the cell walls, the body tries to stop the loss by producing more cholesterol to shore up the cell membrane. Although the cholesterol protects the cell membrane from being so permeable, the overproduction introduces too much cholesterol into the bloodstream.

Kidney and Urinary Health: When we don’t drink enough liquid, our kidneys struggle to flush water-soluble toxins from our system. When we don’t adequately dilute the toxins in our urine, the toxins irritate the urinary mucus membranes and create a germ- and infection-friendly environment.

Joint Health: Dehydrated cartilage and ligaments are more brittle and prone to damage. Joints can also become painfully inflamed when irritants, usually toxins produced by the body and concentrated in our blood and cellular fluids, attack them, setting the stage for arthritis.

Aging: The normal aging process involves a gradual loss of cell volume and an imbalance of the extracellular and intracellular fluids. This loss of cellular water can be accelerated when we don’t ingest enough liquids, or when our cell membranes aren’t capable of maintaining a proper fluid balance.

6 HYDRATION TIPS
1. Start each day with a glass of water (no ice). Drink it down before you have coffee, tea or juice. It will help replace fluids lost overnight and get your hydration efforts off to a good start. Also fill a water bottle you can take with you in the car, or keep with you and refill during the workday.

2. Eat two or three servings of fruits and vegetables at every meal. They are brimming with water and include the minerals that help your body absorb and use it properly. Keep in mind that most processed foods (including sugars, flours, salty snacks and processed meats) result in a lowering of the body’s water table. Eating a lot of meat puts pressure on your kidneys and tends to increase your body’s need for water.

3. Establish regular water breaks, if possible. Tailor your drinking to meet your needs. For instance, drink an extra glass of water if you worked out or didn’t squeeze enough fruits and vegetables into your day.

4. Substitute sparkling water and low-sodium vegetable juice for soda and fruit juice. While it’s true that all beverages count toward your daily tally, the sugar in regular soda and fruit juice, as well as the chemicals in diet versions, can trigger a host of unwanted reactions in the body, including blood-sugar spikes.

5. Install water filters in your home and use a pitcher-type filter at the office. Resort to bottled water when you must, but beware of the drawbacks: It’s expensive and environmentally wasteful, the plastic contains harmful chemicals that can leach into the water, and there are no guarantees that bottled water is any better for you than the water flowing from the tap.

6. Cook with high-quality sea salt. A good, unrefined sea salt is rich in trace minerals, which are key to cell health and hydration. Bonus: Sea salt is also lower in sodium than table salt.

Sports chiropractic is great when you’ve got a hitch in your giddyup. But it can also improve performance, prevent injuries and support your general fitness program.

By Milo F. Bryant, CSCS, as featured in the May 2010 issue of Experience Life

Several years ago, Anthony Napoli, a 63-year-old real-estate broker in San Diego, rented a house to an endurance athlete. The fellow always seemed to be training, yet apparently avoided the aches and pains that normally accompany the rigors of such an intense regimen.

Napoli inquired about his constant — and injury-free — training. The secret, the athlete explained, was quite simple: sports chiropractic. The regular adjustments and treatments his sports chiropractor provided kept his body not just injury-free, but healthy and thriving.

All forms of chiropractic care are based on the idea that the musculoskeletal system — with an emphasis on the spine — and the body’s overall health and function are closely related. Chiropractors perform noninvasive manipulations of the spine, joints and soft tissues with the goal of reducing or eliminating pain, maintaining or improving function, and addressing nervous-system dysfunction.

Although it has its detractors and skeptics, chiropractic care is the nation’s most popular — and most regulated — form of complementary and alternative medicine. A number of studies published in peer-reviewed journals have shown chiropractic to be an effective pain-management strategy; increasingly, health practitioners specializing in other methodologies are working with chiropractors to develop holistic treatment plans.

Sports chiropractic, as the name implies, differentiates itself from traditional chiropractic through its emphasis on human performance. Chiropractors who specialize in this area have specific formal training and field experience in the sports setting.

INSIDE SPORTS CHIRO

“Every cell, tissue and organ in the body is run by the nervous system,” says Jason Kolber, DC, a sports chiropractor in Phoenix, Ariz. “So if you can boost the coordinating system of the body function to a greater level of efficiency, you effectively increase the expression of the body’s intelligence.”

Kolber, who has worked with more than 50 professional teams and over 500 pro athletes, is referring to the way the brain interprets joint reflexes. By adjusting an ankle joint, for example, a sports chiropractor can improve the proprioceptive input sent back to the brain so the body has a better sense of where the ankle is and what it is doing.

This proprioceptive input is key to getting athletes functioning safely and efficiently, notes Peter Mackay, a sports chiropractor with clinics in San Diego and Carlsbad, Calif. Picture a knot in a calf muscle, for instance. It shoots a noxious stimulus to the brain, alerting it that something is wrong. Combine that signal with an ankle joint that has been altered because of one or more sprains, and the body’s mechanoreceptors start sending false signals to the brain, diminishing movement and restricting affected parts of the musculoskeletal system.

“The brain interprets those messages and reacts accordingly,” Mackay explains. “But if you remove negative input and get everything firing again, the brain will reestablish efficient, explosive motor patterns.”

You don’t have to suffer a sports injury, though, to benefit from seeing a sports chiropractor, says John Downes, DC, former executive director of Life University Sports Science Institute in Marietta, Ga., and a pioneer in the field of sports chiropractic. “Most sports chiropractors are focused on injury prevention,” Downes says, “though some of them focus on rehabilitation and injury management, and a small portion focus on event-only care."

BACK ON THE FIELD

Napoli had his reasons for quizzing his tenants about their workout routines. He’s a shortstop for Berry’s Athletic Supply, a team in a local men’s over-60 baseball league. While no one will mistake Napoli for Derek Jeter, he takes his sport and his training seriously. “I still play hard; I still slide and dive for balls,” he says.

Napoli had nagging aches and pains, though, and a knee injury threatened to slow him down. Treatment from a physical therapist didn’t offer much relief, so he decided to give a sports chiropractor a try. The results were surprising: “I went in there barely able to walk and came out upright and ready to play.”

For a growing number of the nation’s physically active and competitive population — the kind who suffer from performance-limiting injuries, back pains, foot sprains, and shoulder and knee strains — sports chiropractic offers an additional way to get them back on the playing field or just keep their athletic progress moving in the right direction.

“Whether it is a CEO, a stay-at-home mom of five or somebody who is going to PGA Tour Qualifying School for the first time, if we can help them achieve a greater level of resiliency, that’s a huge advantage,” says Kolber.

Both athletes and the everyday-active set would prefer to work, play and pursue their fitness activities without unnecessary pain, he notes. When a noninvasive intervention can free us from limiting discomforts and leave us empowered to pursue our full physical potential, everybody wins.

Milo F. Bryant is a trainer and freelance writer.

MAJOR LEAGUE HELP

For many professional athletic teams, sports chiropractors are a vital addition to their support staff. Chiropractors typically work from a structural, skeletal basis, complementing the work of physical therapists, who more often approach treatment from a soft-tissue rehabilitative basis.

“Practically every NFL team has a chiropractor on their team,” says San Diego–based sports chiropractor Peter Mackay. “Pretty much every NBA team and every Major League Baseball team does, too.”

Sports chiropractors address issues ranging from injury management, recovery and rehabilitation to enhancing sports performance, including baseline testing, strategies to monitor performance in the absence of injury, and performance optimization. They typically work with athletes and fitness enthusiasts of all kinds. For help finding one near you, see Resources, below.

RESOURCES

www.acasc.org — To find a sports chiropractor in your area, click on the logo for the American Chiropractic Association Sports Council to be directed to the “Find an ACASC Chiropractor” page that has a list broken down by state.

www.acbsp.com — At the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians Web site, click on “Certificant Directory” in the top navigation bar to be directed to a search engine of sports chiropractors.

www.fics-online.org — The International Federation of Sports Chiropractic unifies and mobilizes sports chiropractors around the world.

www.prosport.com — ProSport Chiropractic is a nationwide network of sports chiropractors who provide athletes with on-site treatment and support.

Tired of doing the same old lifts? Hungry for variety - or just looking for some exciting new results? Try these six innovative, underutilized moves.

By Andrew Heffernan, as featured in the May 2010 issue of Experience Life

The health club can be a confusing place. Acres of shiny machinery, weights of all shapes and sizes, people doing advanced Olympic lifts in one corner and wobble-board cable curls in another. You figure that unless you know what you’re doing, you’re better off sticking to time-tested, multijoint exercises and steering away from the trendiest equipment. And you’re right.

Still, now and then, you see someone doing a fun-looking exercise and think, “Maybe I should try that, too.”

Well — when should you?

When it’s worth the tradeoff, says Alwyn Cosgrove, MS, CSCS, co-owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, Calif. “People have limited time to train,” Cosgrove says. “That often means any exercise you add to your program probably replaces something else.” So you have to be careful not to just latch onto the latest thing and toss out important movements. “There’s always going to be a hierarchy of exercises,” he adds.

Topping that hierarchy are the multijoint, multi-muscle-group exercises many regular exercisers know by heart: pushups, lunges, squats, presses, rows and plank variations, to name a few. But are there other equally effective exercises you could sub in from time to time to challenge your body in new ways?

The answer is a resounding yes! There are plenty of often-overlooked but highly effective exercises worth a place in your rotation, and following are six of the best  options. They were recommended by four of the most innovative trainers in the industry and have been road-tested on pro athletes and average gym-goers alike.

Our experts explain how to execute these movements, what they’re good for and which conventional exercise each one most closely replicates (you don’t want to replace your squats with sit-ups, after all).

There are options here for your lower body, your upper body and your core, so no matter what’s on the docket for today, you’ll have a testing ground for some alternatives. Work these exercises into your routine and the trainers at your health club just might start hitting you up for advice.

LOWER BODY

Bulgarian Dead Lift

How to do it:

• Stand with your back 2 to 3 feet from a bench or an aerobic step no taller than knee height.
• Extend your left leg behind you and place your foot on the step.
• Bend your knees slightly, square your hips and shoulders, and balance your weight between your feet.    
• Keeping your back neutral throughout the movement, bend forward at the hips and extend your hands toward the floor, stopping the movement when you start to lose the natural arch in your lower back.
• Return to the starting position by pushing through the heel of your front foot.
• Perform eight to 15 repetitions, switch legs, and repeat for a total of two or three sets. Make it harder by holding dumbbells. 

Why it’s worthwhile:
Single-leg exercises are popular among coaches because they are easier on the lower back than barbell squats and dead lifts. But many single-leg movements — like lunges and step-ups — primarily work the quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the thigh), while minimally stressing the glutes and hamstrings. “If you’re looking for a single-leg exercise for the glutes and hamstrings, your only real option is the single-leg Romanian dead lift, which for many people challenges balance more than strength. As a result, the target muscles never really get a good workout,” says Cosgrove. Bulgarian dead lifts solve this problem: The forward hip-hinge maximally fires up your glutes and hamstrings, and with your back foot stabilized on the bench behind you, you’ll be able to use a substantial weight without losing your balance.

Substitute for: Other variations of the dead lift

Pull-Through

How to do it:

• Connect a two-handled rope attachment to a cable column machine and set the pulley at its lowest position.
• Face away from the machine, straddling the cable, and reach through your legs to take hold of the rope with both hands, using an overhand, neutral grip (the knobbed ends of the rope should be on the thumb-sides of your hands). 
• Assume a shoulder-width-and-a-half stance with your toes pointed slightly outward, and step forward a foot or so (rather, hobble forward — it won't be easy to walk in this position) until the weight you’ve selected lifts several inches off the stack.
• Keeping your back straight, your chin neutral, and your shoulder blades pulled back and down, push your hips back and lean forward as far as you can without losing the natural arch in your lower back. Your arms should reach back toward the machine.
• Allow your knees to bend slightly, and the hamstrings and adductors — the muscles on the insides of your thighs — to stretch comfortably.
• Return to the standing position by thrusting the hips forward, squeezing your glutes together and pulling the rope handles through your legs. “I don’t worry too much about big weights on this exercise,” says Tony Gentilcore, CPT, CSCS, cofounder of Cressey Performance in Hudson, Mass. “The important thing is getting quality reps: Pull from your hips, not your arms or lower back, and shoot for three sets of 10 to 15 reps.” 

Why it’s worthwhile:
“This is one of the most underrated exercises of all time,” says Gentilcore. The reason? Safe and effective posterior-chain activation. The posterior chain — all your rear-view muscles from your knees to your midback — is a physiological jack-of-all-trades: Developing these muscles can make you a faster runner, ease lower-back pain and improve your posture. Many gym-goers, however, find traditional posterior-chain movements (think conventional dead lifts) tough on their lower backs. Pull-throughs circumvent this problem, targeting the posterior chain without over-stressing the lower back, and also promoting hip mobility — a proven key to back and knee health. “It’s a unique-looking exercise,” he admits, “but it’s incredibly versatile.”

Substitute for: Romanian dead lifts, kettlebell swings

UPPER BODY

Angled Shoulder Press

How to do it:

• Attach one end of a barbell bar into a ground-based rotational device (often called a landmine).
• Facing the bar, lift the opposite end of the bar to shoulder height and assume a neutral grip on the bar with your right hand near the end of the bar. Your right forearm should be perpendicular to the bar, feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees slightly, tighten your core, and press the bar up and forward until your elbow is locked. 
• Lower the bar to shoulder height and perform six to 12 repetitions.
• Switch arms and repeat for a total of two or three sets. Make the movement harder by loading the raised end of the bar.

Why it’s worthwhile:
Many people find traditional overhead presses uncomfortable because they can wreak havoc on inflexible shoulder joints. “The angled press allows the shoulder to follow its natural arc, making it a very comfortable exercise, even for people who have shoulder problems,” says Nick Tumminello, NSCA-CPT, a performance coach in Baltimore. As with the overhead press, the focus of the exercise is your “pushing” muscles — the shoulders, chest and triceps — but pressing with just one hand presents an additional challenge: “Since the weight is off-center, your core has to work extra hard to keep you upright,” says Tumminello.

Substitute for: Incline bench press, overhead press

Equipment Option: A landmine can be a tough piece of equipment to locate, so talk to your health club about acquiring one; or, just wrap the end of the barbell in a towel and wedge the end into a corner instead.

Face Pull

How to do it:

• Set the pulley on an adjustable cable machine a few inches to a foot above your head, and connect a two-handled rope attachment (often used for triceps pushdowns) to the cable.
• Grip the ends of the rope so your thumbs are against its knobbed ends and, facing the machine, step back until your arms are fully extended and the weight you’ve selected lifts a few inches off the stack.
• Lean back slightly and assume a staggered, athletic stance: one foot forward, the other slightly back, chin neutral, back straight, shoulder blades pulled down and together.
• Maintaining this upright posture, draw your elbows back as far as possible, keeping them slightly above shoulder height throughout the movement. The middle of the rope attachment — where it connects to the cable — should come directly toward your nose (if you’re flexible, your nose might even graze it).
• Lower the weight under control, allowing the shoulder blades to abduct (wing slightly away from the middle of your back) when your arms are extended. Gentilcore suggests keeping the weight low to moderate for two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps per set, focusing on excellent form throughout. 

Why it’s worthwhile:

All the hours we spend commuting, desk jockeying and TV watching conspire to pull even the most posture-conscious among us into a habitual slouch. “We’re a flexion-dominant society,” says Gentilcore. And what we do in the gym often compounds the problem: “Most people do nothing but bench presses, lat pulldowns, curls and crunches in the gym,” he explains — all exercises that further force us into that curled-forward, semi-fetal position.

Face pulls are posture savers: By targeting the upward rotators — the muscles that pull the shoulder blades down and back — they help counterbalance chronic rounding in the back and shoulders, thus reinforcing healthier postural habits.

Substitute for: Overhead presses, rows

CORE

Pallof Press

How to do it:

• Set the pulley on a cable machine to chest height and attach a D-handle (the steel attachment with a rotating handle typically used for one-handed cable exercises) to the cable.
• Interlock the fingers of both hands around the handle, walk back several feet to create tension on the cable, and turn your body so that your left shoulder points toward the machine.
• Assume an athletic stance (knees slightly bent, chin neutral, back upright, shoulder blades back and down, feet shoulder-width apart) and hold the D-handle against your torso at sternum height, its handle vertical. 
• Slowly extend your arms, keeping your hands directly in the middle of your chest, maintaining an upright posture and keeping the D-handle vertical throughout the movement. Pause in the fully extended position for a moment, then slowly bring the handle back to the starting position.
• Repeat for two or three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on each side. 

Why it’s worthwhile:
“This move teaches people to resist rotation in the core musculature,” says Gentilcore. Since the core’s main function is to brace the spine for stability, anti-rotation exercises like this one are essential in preventing injury to the lower back.

Substitute for: Side plank, bus drivers (also good to work into your current core routine)

Equipment Option: If your health club doesn’t have an adjustable-height cable machine, just loop a resistance band around a sturdy pole, as pictured here.

Tight Rotations

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, back straight.
• Extend your arms in front of your chest and press the palms of your hands firmly together. “Imagine you are standing between two walls that almost touch your shoulders,” says Tumminello.
• Keeping your palms pressed together and your hips facing forward, rapidly rotate your upper torso left and right so that your hands oscillate as fast as possible between the two imaginary walls at your sides.
• Work up to multiple sets of 10 seconds or so, shooting for around 30 quick repetitions per side in each 10-second interval. Make it harder by holding a light medicine ball or body bar, but don’t use so much weight that it slows you down significantly: “Moving quickly is important,” says Tumminello.

Why it’s worthwhile:
Almost all sports, and many everyday activities — walking and running, for instance — require you to stabilize the core in the transverse (rotational) plane as your upper body turns rapidly back and forth over a short range of motion. “Only the tight rotation exercise accurately mimics the fast, tight turning motion that you see over and over again in life and in athletics,” says Tumminello.

Substitute for: Cable chop

THE CASE FOR CHANGE

From the lay-up to the topspin forehand, every athletic endeavor has its fundamentals, and that’s as true in strength training as it is in basketball or tennis. The basics are the basics, after all, because they work.

But if you’re looking to change things up — and variety in a strength-training routine is essential to optimal progress — these six exercises are a great place to start.

Andrew Heffernan, CSCS, is a Los Angeles–area fitness coach and writer. He blogs at www.malepatternfitness.com. 

THE MARK OF A GOOD EXERCISE

How can you tell a smart resistance move from a fussy waste of time? According to experts, the best exercises share a handful of traits: 

Scalable: The best exercises can be adjusted to accommodate any level of fitness. Take the sled push, says Sara Wiley, MS, CSCS, associate director of strength and conditioning for athletics at the University of Minnesota. “A beginner might push slowly, whereas a high-level athlete might do an all-out sprint.”

Versatile: It’s a good sign when you can make an exercise harder or easier without racking and reracking weights. For instance, you can modify the humble pushup in almost unlimited ways: Elevate the feet to make it harder, or raise the hands to make it easier. Explode off the floor and make it a power exercise.

Understandable: “Even novices can often feel if the body moves and grooves well during a given exercise,” says Baltimore-area strength coach Nick Tumminello, NSCA-CPT.

Tired of your usual fitness grind? Try this energizing Hyperfit workout from record-setting adventure athlete Sean Burch.

By Andrew Heffernan, CSCS, as featured in the April 2010 issue of Experience Life

No matter how dedicated you are, there are days when your regular workout sounds about as appealing as cleaning moldy stuff out of the fridge. Maybe you’re bored, maybe you’ve hit a plateau, or maybe you’re just fresh out of inspiration. Whatever the reason, the last thing you want is a long, laborious session that systematically saps your energy, one muscle group at a time.

Sean Burch, record-setting adventure athlete, fitness expert and author of Hyperfitness (Avery, 2007), knows a thing or two about muscling through workouts — he had to do just that as he was preparing to climb Everest, Shishapangma and dozens of other frozen peaks.

Burch says boredom inevitably descended upon him when he did the same thing for too long. The solution, he found, was to construct a creative regimen he could throw into the mix — one that effectively worked all major muscle groups, emphasized core stability and endurance, and struck a balance between athletic strength and power.

GET HYPERFIT

In the following 45-minute hybrid workout, Burch has paired inventive strength exercises with heart-pumping treadmill intervals. Substitute it for your regular workout whenever you feel the need to shake things up, or make it a scheduled part of your program every two to three weeks to alleviate boredom and avoid overtraining.

A word of warning: This workout is pretty intense, and isn’t for the untrained or faint of heart. If it feels too daunting from the get-go, be prepared to scale it back, or just work elements of the routine into a more moderate regimen until you’re ready to take on the whole beast.

SEAN BURCH'S 45-MINUTE HYPERFIT WORKOUT

In keeping with Burch’s no-frills approach, you won’t need a lot of equipment for this workout. Just grab a medium-weight medicine ball, a BOSU ball (they look like halved Swiss balls) and two pairs of dumbbells — one moderately weighted, the other slightly heavier — and set them up near a treadmill.

Once you’re set up, perform the following sequence of exercises. Be mindful of your form, since many of these movements will be unfamiliar, even to longtime gym vets.

1. 5 Percent Incline Treadmill Walk:
Raises your core temperature and lubricates joints, muscles and connective tissue. “It shouldn’t be an easy walk,” Burch says. “Keep the pace brisk and don’t hold on to the railings. At the end of the warm-up, you might feel a little uncomfortable, but not depleted or exhausted.” Go for five minutes.

2. Dumbbell Hammer Curls to Overhead Presses to Full Circle (watch video demonstration):

Stand, holding the heavier pair of dumbbells by your sides (a). Keeping the handles parallel, curl them up to shoulder level (b). Next, smoothly press the dumbbells overhead until your elbows are almost locked, allowing your wrists to rotate forward (c). Holding the weights overhead, and taking small steps, turn in a controlled 360-degree circle, stabilizing through your shoulders and core (d–f). Lower the dumbbells back down to your sides. That’s one rep. Alternate the direction you turn with each repetition, performing five reps in each direction for a total of 10 reps.

3. 15 Percent Incline Treadmill Run-Walk:
During this round and in subsequent turns on the treadmill, says Burch, you want to be breathing heavily but not gasping. Go for
five minutes.

4. BOSU Pushups With Leg Lift to Single-Leg Squats (watch video demonstration):

Place the BOSU ball on the floor, flat side down. Assume a pushup position with your hands near the outer edge of the soft side, fingers pointing out. Keeping your core tight, lower yourself until your chest touches the ball (a). As you press yourself back up (b), lift your right leg, keeping it straight (c). Then lower your leg and begin again. Do four reps, two with each leg. Next, stand in front of the ball and balance on your right foot with your left foot resting on the BOSU behind you (d), and perform a single-leg squat (e). Alternate feet on each rep, performing two reps per leg. Alternate between the two exercises without rest during these four-rep mini-sets, a total of eight times.

5. 10 Percent Incline Treadmill Run:
This round, the incline is less steep, but you’ll be bumping up your speed. Concentrate on keeping your breathing even and relaxed. Maintain a running pace for six minutes.

6. Dumbbell “X” Explosion (watch video demonstration):

Hold the lighter pair of dumbbells by your sides (a). Squat as deeply as you can while keeping your chest high and your lower back in a neutral arch. If you’re really flexible, you may even be able to touch the dumbbells to the floor (b). In one fluid, powerful movement, stand up, jump your feet out wide, and push the dumbbells up and out, finishing the movement in a standing “X” position (c). “The movement should be explosive but controlled,” says Burch. Lower the dumbbells and return to the starting position. Repeat for 15 reps.

7. 8 Percent Incline Treadmill Run:
Back off a couple of degrees of incline and jog for six minutes.

8. Dumbbell-Assisted Inverted V Pushup With Alternate Leg Curls (watch video demonstration):

Place the heavier dumbbells on the floor in front of you about shoulder-width apart. Bending from the waist, use the dumbbell handles to support your weight and assume a “downward dog” position: hips elevated, head down, arms and legs as straight as possible (a). From your tiptoes, slowly bend your arms, lowering the top of your head between the dumbbells (b). As you press yourself back to the start position, lift your right foot high off the floor, extending the hip and bending the knee as much as possible (c). That’s one rep. Alternate legs after each pushup, doing a total of 12 reps.

9. 12 Percent Incline Treadmill Run:
Here’s your toughest ascent of the workout! Push hard for six minutes.

10. Medicine Ball Squat-Kick-Press (watch video demonstration):

Hold the medicine ball at chest height (a). Squat until your thighs reach parallel (b), then rise up in one explosive movement, kicking your right leg forward and pressing the ball overhead (c). Return to the squat position. That’s one rep. Alternate legs for a total of 10 repetitions.

If you’re still brimming with energy (ha!), Burch recommends going through the strength-training movements again, back-to-back (leaving out the treadmill drills). If, on the other hand, the workout feels like way too much, cut the duration of your intervals and your reps of each exercise in half. The point, says Burch, is to finish feeling invigorated.

Andrew Heffernan is a regular contributor to Experience Life. He blogs at www.malepatternfitness.com. 

For more about Sean Burch, including videos of some of his extreme adventures, his philosophy on exercise and life, plus information on his new Hyperfitness Organic Superfood Products, visit www.seanburch.com and www.kamentalfitness.com.

For tips on establishing a solid fitness foundation, see the Web Extra! at experiencelifemag.com.

For all the videos from our photo shoot with Sean Burch, visit our media center at experiencelifemag.com/videos.

Bounce back more quickly between workouts with these all-natural recovery strategies.

By Gina DeMillo Wagner, as featured in the April 2010 issue of Experience Life

It can be tough to rally for another bout of exercise when you’re still stiff and sore from your last all-out effort. There’s a reason you’re hurting: Exercise creates inflammation and swelling from microscopic tears in your musculoskeletal tissues. Add to that a biochemical buildup of muscle-borne acids and enzymes, and it’s no wonder we need a little recovery time.

But we need to start healing as soon as possible after our workouts, says Mark Klion, MD, orthopedic surgeon and medical codirector of the New York City Triathlon. “Recovery requires immediate attention to reduce the bleeding and injury from damaged cells,” Klion says.

So what can you do to minimize (or even prevent) those nagging aches so you can resume your routine faster? To find out, we polled pro athletes and trainers, who shared their favorite all-natural recovery tools. Some are backed by science, while others are supported by overwhelming anecdotal evidence from the field and the gym. All are options to consider for your own recovery toolbox.

ARNICA

Why: This European and Central Asian flower, first used in the 16th century to treat soreness, is dried and used in tinctures, homeopathic remedies, topical creams and capsules. It’s believed that natural flavonoids in the plant decrease permeability of the blood vessels, thus reducing bleeding and bruising. Polysaccharides in the plant stimulate the process by which helper cells clean the tissue of unwanted toxins and speed healing.

Says Who: Although widely studied and considered safe by the Western medical community, arnica’s benefits are also backed by years of anecdotal evidence. Several athletes we spoke with swear by Traumeel ointment, a homeopathic rub that includes arnica as its main active ingredient (along with other healing and soothing herbs such as echinacea and chamomile).

How-To: You’ll find arnica at just about any drugstore. Following the package instructions, apply the cream, gel, compress or tincture (arnica comes in many forms) where you feel any soreness. You can also use it immediately after a fall or collision to prevent bruising and swelling. Just don’t apply it to broken skin or open wounds.

ICE THERAPY

Why: Ice is a strong vasoconstrictor, stopping blood vessels from bleeding in the event of an injury. “Soreness can be helped with local application of ice because it reduces inflammation,” says Klion.

Says Who: Doctors and professional athletes. “In multiday races, the key to success is quick recovery,” notes Adam Chase, ultramarathoner, adventure racer and coauthor of the The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running (Globe Pequot Press, 2010). “After each day’s stage, we’d soak in a very cold mountain stream, trying to keep our legs submerged for at least five minutes.”

How-To: Andrea Metcalf, CPT, Today show fitness contributor and celebrity trainer, advocates icing sore muscles as soon as possible postworkout. Soak (if you can stand it) in an ice bath for 15 minutes — just keep in mind that some experts recommend not submerging your heart. Or, apply an ice pack to the affected muscles for 15 to 20 minutes. Ice therapy is less effective the longer you wait, so put it toward the top of your postworkout to-do list.

HEAT RUBS

Why: Heat gets the blood flowing in your muscles, ligaments and joints, which helps flush out toxins and speed recovery. Most rubs generate heat with ingredients like menthol, eucalyptus or cayenne pepper (which contains a chemical called capsaicin that is thought to flush toxins). A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that applying menthol externally raises the core body temperature, just as applying physical heat would.

Says Who: Athletes and fitness pros. Native Americans have used cayenne rubs for centuries to promote blood flow and healing.

How-To: Although ice is most effective immediately following a workout or injury, heat applications can also help in the hours and days that follow. When the bleeding in the injured capillaries has stopped, heat helps the extra blood to be reabsorbed by the body. It also relieves constriction in the muscles and prevents further injury by helping to relax them. (Note: Heat rubs should never be used in place of a proper warm-up  — see “The Art of the Warm-Up” in the October 2009 archives.)

TART CHERRY JUICE

Why: Tart cherries contain compounds called anthocyanins, which have been shown to reduce inflammation; they also have flavonoids, which improve blood flow to muscles and speed recovery.

Says Who: Declan Connolly, PhD, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Vermont, studied the effects of tart cherry juice on muscle recovery and published the results in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. His team of researchers found that cherry juice minimizes inflammation and significantly speeds up muscle recovery: “It’s very high in antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatories, and for those reasons it seems to work.” Other studies conducted at the University of California at Davis and Johns Hopkins Hospital support Connolly’s findings.

How-To: For the most benefit, Connolly recommends downing a glass or two of tart cherry juice the day before and the day of a big workout. One company, Cherrypharm (www.cherrypharm.com) offers a highly concentrated tart cherry sports drink, which Connolly recommends over powders or capsules.

COMPRESSION GARMENTS

Why: Sore muscles are caused by microtears and bleeding, so the theory is compression acts like a tourniquet to slow the bleeding, Klion says. Some manufacturers of compression garments claim they keep your joints better aligned, improving performance and preventing injury, while others focus on preventing postexercise soreness.

Says Who: Some researchers and professional athletes. Mike Decker, PhD, a biomechanist in Vail, Colo., has been studying the effects of compression tights with knee support for a garment company called Opedix (www.opedix.com). His research suggests that using tights that resist lateral motion of the lower leg and knee may prevent soreness and injury. But even if you don’t want to wear compression garments during exercise, says Klion, you can still use compression to speed your recovery afterward.

How-To: Compression garments are gaining popularity — both during and after exertion — because they’re easy to use (just wear the compression garments as you would any others). Make sure they fit snugly without being too constricting — you should feel like your legs are being gently squeezed, yet still have the freedom to move comfortably. An Ace bandage can do the trick in a pinch, says Klion. Wear it during exercise to mitigate soreness in a previously injured area or apply it immediately after your workout. “Just be careful not to cut off your circulation — that could cause more problems,” he advises.

MASSAGE

Why: Kneading taxed muscles prevents further injury by increasing mobility and lubricating soft tissue, and may also speed muscle recovery by flushing away the toxic byproducts of exercise and increasing blood flow to the muscles. “Massage therapy helps to bring balance back to tight, shortened muscles after exercise,” says Joe Sweeney, a certified therapeutic massage and bodywork practitioner in Boulder, Colo. It helps realign muscle fibers and relieve tension in tendons, too.

Says Who: Experts debate whether massage actually clears toxins from your blood, but there’s no question that it’s beneficial, helping reduce the knots and muscle spasms that lead to soreness. Plus, it reduces stress. “Massage engages the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to promote recovery and repair,” says Jaymie Garner, massage therapist and owner of Smiling Lotus Massage in Los Angeles, Calif.

How-To: Get a gentle massage to increase circulation, but wait at least a few hours to a day to get deep-tissue massage, which can exacerbate microtears and microbleeding. No budget for a pro? Self-massage implements and foam rollers work fine.

Colorado-based contributor Gina DeMillo Wagner’s favorite recovery trick is soaking in mineral hot springs.

GIVE IT A REST

We all know that sleep is important in proper recovery. But why? And how much sleep do you need? “Our bodies’ greatest production of human growth hormone, which rebuilds taxed muscles, occurs while we’re asleep,” explains Mark Klion, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, nine-time Ironman triathlete, and medical codirector of the New York City Triathlon. Ideally, you should aim for a full eight hours of sleep per night, especially while you’re training for an event. But if that’s not feasible, take naps whenever possible, say experts. Even 30 minutes of shuteye midday can lower stress hormones and support your recovery.

For information on how nutrition affects recovery, see the Web Extra! at experiencelifemag.com.

Still crunching to strengthen your core? Try Vertical Core Training, which recruits more muscles for a more effective workout.

By Gina DeMillo Wagner, as featured in the March 2010 issue of Experience Life

From talk shows to infomercials to muscle magazines, everyone’s buzzing about the importance of core training. Strong core muscles not only look sexy, but they’re essential for transferring power from the lower to the upper body and boosting our performance in sports and everyday tasks. Plus, they keep us upright, help guard against hip and back pain, and improve our posture.

Most of us know we should regularly train our core, but we get mixed messages about how. Today, many trainers, exercise scientists and doctors are suggesting that we take less of our core-training advice lying down. Standing often works better, they say.

“Floor exercises like crunches don’t translate well to real-life situations,” explains William Gibbs, MD, medical director of the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at The New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens. “Imagine moving a heavy box or hitting a tennis ball. You need to stand to recruit your core muscles most effectively.” Gibbs, a former bodybuilder, has his patients perform weight-bearing moves in the standing position so all of the muscles attached to the hips and pelvis get involved.

“Because we live, work and play upright, our nervous system understands that position best,” adds Todd Wright, CSCS, strength and conditioning coach for the University of Texas men’s basketball program.

That’s not to say all floor exercises are bad or that vertical core exercises are a brand-new concept. There are plenty of core exercises — planks and stability ball moves, especially — that recruit more muscles and translate better to real life than a simple crunch does. (For more on these, see “Core Essentials” in the May 2009 archives.) And there are plenty of coaches and trainers who incorporate standing medicine-ball moves or borrow standing core exercises from dance training, for example, to help their athletes improve performance and reduce injuries.

What is new, Wright argues, is the concept of doing an entire core workout vertically in order to train every element of the core and give the feet, ankles, pelvis, ribs and thoracic spine as much play as possible.

With those goals in mind, Wright developed Vertical Core Training (VCT) for his basketball players and now teaches it to personal trainers, doctors and fitness buffs nationwide. “The key is to achieve tri-plane motion,” he says. Because we operate in 3D, we want our core to also move with strength through three planes of motion: frontal, sagittal and transverse, which encompass all the dipping, tilting and twisting our bodies do.

Since introducing VCT, Wright has noticed significantly fewer cases of lower-back pain, hernias and other core dysfunctions among his athletes, while seeing dramatic improvements in their overall power and performance. Best of all, he says, it’s something that will benefit any fitness enthusiast — beginner or pro.

CORE SCIENCE

Before you launch into VCT, it helps to break down the concepts behind it. “When you understand why it works,” Wright says, “you’ll be more motivated to do the exercises.” Here are the basic tenets:

Everything’s attached. Wright’s initial inspiration in developing VCT was a desire to help athletes overcome lower-back pain. “I was having them do everything I could think of to help them strengthen the part of the body that was hurt — the lower back,” he recalls. But it wasn’t until he learned how the body works together as one unit that he realized that freezing parts of that unit to the floor — such as the pelvis or feet — can create imbalances in the entire chain.

It’s a simple anatomy lesson: The core muscles attach to the pelvis and under the rib cage. “I started to understand that if the foot isn’t mobile, the hip isn’t mobile, and then the pelvis, ribs and thoracic spine aren’t mobile,” he explains. Vertical Core Training involves the whole chain.

You need to move loads. In addition to the body’s anatomy, you have to consider the forces, or loads, we place on our body when we move. “There are three primary loaders, and the most important, in my mind, is the ground reaction,” says Wright. You have to push through the ground to create energy to move the body. Another loader is gravity. Any time you crouch or jump, you feel gravity acting on your trunk, pulling your body down like an invisible weight. The third primary loader is momentum. “Consider how you walk: Your arms swing, and that momentum creates a diagonal pull through your trunk.” Vertical Core Training incorporates these loaders for maximum benefits to the core.

Feet are important. There are 52 bones in the feet and only 206 bones in the entire body. “There are also 33 different joints and many muscles that attach there, making feet incredibly complex,” says Wright. “Every time your foot hits the ground, all those bones and muscles react, causing movement of the lower leg and then the femur, which connects to the pelvis, where all the core muscles attach.” Vertical Core Training, unlike other methods, keeps the feet directly involved by loading and unloading them through constant movement of the body.

The thoracic (middle) spine is key, too. “Thoracic mobility is unbelievably important in loading the core correctly,” Wright explains. Being active means moving your arms, and the arms drive the rib cage. “Every rib is attached to the thoracic spine,” he adds. Traditional “floor core” moves don’t allow for adequate movement of the thoracic spine, and that’s a big problem. (For more on thoracic spine mobility, see “Back in Trouble” in the January/February 2009 archives.)

“As you perform some basic vertical core exercises (see “Stand Up for Your Midsection” below), you’ll become even more aware of how these elements all work together,” says Wright. You’ll develop a greater awareness of your body and how it moves in space, he adds, and prevent more injuries, too.

STAND UP FOR YOUR MIDSECTION

Vertical Core Training is a series of exercises developed by Todd Wright, CSCS, strength and conditioning coach for the University of Texas men’s basketball program. Wright notes that lumbar mobility is not the goal. Rather, you want to get your pelvis, ribs and thoracic spine moving in three planes of motion while incorporating all the major body loaders — ground reaction, gravity and momentum. (Consult your doctor first if you’re suffering from a back injury, hernia or other injury.)

1. Splint Stance Overhead Press (watch video demonstration)

How-To:

• Stand in a split position with your right foot back and your left foot forward, legs slightly bent. Next, grip a lightweight dumbbell (3 to 5 pounds) in each hand, bringing them up to chest height, and then press them overhead one arm at a time — almost as if you’re punching the sky.
• Keep your feet in the same position, make sure you don’t lock out your elbows, and breathe deeply as you extend each arm and bring it back down (sagittal plane). Complete five reps per arm, then switch your feet so that the left foot is back, right foot forward, and complete another five reps.
• To add a little challenge, you can do a side bend during each overhead press, reaching one arm over the top of your head, and then the other (frontal plane). Next, reach each overhead press across your body (transverse plane) in an alternating fashion while still pressing the dumbbell overhead.

Core Benefit:
The motion of the overhead press drives the core to move in three dimensions, Wright explains. “You’re in the upright position, overcoming gravity. Your feet are on the ground, so you’re using ground reaction, and you’re using the momentum of the dumbbells above the head to extend the thoracic spine,” Wright says. By driving the dumbbells side to side, you also create a top-down force that causes the rib cage and pelvis to move, switching on all the muscles that connect your pelvis, rib cage and thoracic spine.

2. Lunge and Throw (watch video demonstration)

How-To:

• Holding a basketball, soccer ball or medicine ball, stand 5 or 6 feet away from a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise the ball over your head and lift your left foot.
• Lunge forward onto your left foot, throwing the ball forcefully against the wall so it comes back to you. Catch the ball as you push off your front foot and return to the starting position.
• Repeat, lunging forward with the right foot this time. Do 10 reps.

Core Benefit:
By lunging forward and back, you’re using ground reaction through your feet to drive energy through your body. The momentum of the lunge and the throw creates another load diagonally through the core. You’re also activating all the core muscles in your hips, ribs and pelvis.

3. The Posterior Lunge and Press (watch video demonstration)

How-To:

• Begin with feet side-by-side, shoulder-width apart. Hold lightweight dumbbells (3 to 5 pounds) in each hand. Step backward with your right foot and complete an overhead press with your right arm at the same time.
• As you step forward to the starting position, press overhead with the left arm. Repeat for 10 reps, alternating feet and arms with each lunge. The next progression is to add a side bend (frontal plane) in the direction of your front leg as you step backward into the posterior lunge.
• The last progression is to reach each arm diagonally up and across your body (transverse plane) toward your front leg during the posterior lunge.

Core Benefit:
“The reaction of the pelvis is much different when you step backward rather than forward,” Wright says. “It spares the lumbar spine from stress, while also working the core.” Most people don’t extend through the hip very well, and this move can help, he explains. It creates more hip extension while working the core muscles through three planes, which translates to more flexibility and power.

Gina DeMillo Wagner writes about fitness, health and travel for national magazines and Web sites.

Here's what to eat when your day is rushed, and why skipping breakfast is not an option.

By Catherine Guthrie, as featured in the March 2010 issue of Experience Life.

For as much as we Americans are fabled to eat, there is one meal we are surprisingly likely to skimp on: breakfast. In many households, mornings are so frenzied that we may struggle just to gulp down a few bites of cold cereal on the way out the door. And that’s not the worst of it — when researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) surveyed Americans on their breakfast choices, roughly 20 percent told them they skip the meal altogether.

Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, professor of health and rehabilitation sciences at Boston University, calls breakfast “the forgotten meal,” and she asserts that it’s an oversight we make at our peril. Skipping breakfast results in a brain that’s slow to fire and a body that clings to calories, grudgingly lowering its energy output because it’s unsure when it might see its next meal.

Forgoing a morning nutrient infusion also gives carb and sugar cravings a head start, which is why, by midmorning, many people who forgo breakfast end up circling the office vending machines like great white sharks.

Some people say they don’t feel hungry enough to eat in the morning, while others say they don’t like breakfast foods. A vast number claim they forget, or simply don’t have time. None of these breakfast-skippers, says Salge Blake, is taking stock of the true costs of their decision, or what they could stand to gain from getting in a decent morning meal. “You will be more productive all day long,” she promises, “if you just invest a few minutes in eating a healthy breakfast.”

But not all breakfasts are created equal, Salge Blake is eager to point out. In the fiery furnace of the belly, foods burn at different speeds. A bowl of sugary cereal goes up fast and hot, like tinder. A food that packs a little fat and protein, such as an egg, acts more like a solid oak log that keeps the furnace stoked until lunch. So instead of shoveling in whatever’s handy, it’s wise to give your body high-quality fuel — the kind that jump-starts the brain, fires up the metabolism and gives your body an energy infusion that lasts well into midday.

So what are some quick and healthy breakfasts both you and your body will like? We asked Salge Blake and other nutritional experts for their recommendations, and also asked some of the most energetic, health-conscious folks we know to share the real-life morning meals that keep them going strong.

Fast and Easy Eggs

No dish evokes a leisurely weekend morning like a fluffy omelet or poached eggs, but eggs can easily be a no-fuss weekday affair, too. “The beauty of the egg is that it makes you feel satisfied for hours,” says Salge Blake.

Her favorite way to shoehorn eggs into busy mornings is to hard-boil a half-dozen eggs on Sunday, peel them and stash them in the fridge. Then, on Monday morning, when she’s tight on time, she grabs one on her way out the door, along with a whole-wheat English muffin. As she says, “Breakfast just doesn’t get any easier than that.”

You can also bake a batch of mini-frittatas over the weekend for a ready-to-go, protein-rich breakfast. Just beat several eggs in a bowl, add a mixture of sautéed veggies, like onions, broccoli, spinach or mushrooms, pour the mixture into a greased muffin tin, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until the frittatas start to brown on top. Cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, just toss one or two in a toaster oven. If you’re in a rush, you can even eat them cold.

Cooking eggs in the morning is easy, too. It takes only five minutes to scramble a couple of eggs, says Gary Miller, PhD, professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University. While they are cooking, grate a little hard cheese on top for extra flavor, calcium and protein. And don’t forget the veggies. Quickly sauté leftover veggies, such as chopped onion, tomato, even greens or squash, and add them to the eggs.

For extra portability, Miller folds his scramble into a whole-wheat tortilla and calls it a wrap. “That way you’re getting a serving of whole grains along with your protein and veggies.”

Or take the fried-egg route. “My favorite way to eat an egg is to fry it quickly, sunny-side up,” says Sara Snow, green lifestyle expert and author of Sara Snow’s Fresh Living (Bantam, 2009). She’ll also toss on a handful of spinach and let it wilt. “That way you get some green, living food, too. Paired with a side of whole-grain toast or oat bran, it’s the perfect breakfast.”

Dressing Up Cold Cereal

If breakfast foods held a popularity contest, cereal would win hands down. According to the USDA’s survey, 33 percent of breakfast eaters choose cereal — more than any other food. The next-most-popular choice (eaten by 27 percent of the population) was bread in the form of toast, bagels, rolls or English muffins.

Both categories share an obvious appeal — they are fast and easy — but they also share a fleet of drawbacks: They deliver a surplus of sugars and simple carbs, a relatively small amount of available nutrition, and a near-total absence of the healthy proteins and fats that give a good breakfast its staying power.

If you are going to choose one option or the other, most experts would recommend you choose cereal, but they offer some guidelines. First, nix the sugar-coated stuff. Look for a cereal (cold or hot) that contains less than 8 grams of sugar per serving, says Miller.

Second, choose a whole-grain option over a refined one, but keep in mind that very few cereals sporting a  “contains whole grains” label are actually composed primarily of whole grains, and even most of those include finely processed flours that are digested very quickly. Don’t be fooled by promises that a cereal contains “100 percent of the RDA” of various nutrients if the ingredient label suggests most of them have been added to “enrich” an otherwise lackluster product. Also, beware of misleading seals and stamps of approval, such as the industry-backed (and recently suspended) “Smart Choices” food-labeling campaign, which counted sugar-loaded cereals like Froot Loops and Cocoa Krispies as healthy choices.

What about granola? If it contains primarily nuts, seeds and minimally processed grains, and if the dried fruits are unsweetened, it will probably deliver a good, steady supply of energy. But sweetened fruit or added sugars, including honey, molasses and rice syrups, can ratchet up the cereal’s blood-sugar-spiking potential. Plus, many granolas are made with less-than-desirable vegetable oils to help keep them shelf-stable. And the combination of all those sugars and fats can create a surprisingly calorie-dense result. That’s why recommended serving sizes for granola tend to be small — as little as a quarter cup.

You’ll want to gauge your personal serving size to your projected energy needs and activity level, but Miller’s advice is to go easy: “If you want to eat granola for breakfast, sprinkle it, don’t pour it,” he advises. Granola can be the ideal topping for a bowl of berries or sliced fruit and plain yogurt. You can even slice and dice fruit the night before — just mix in a little lemon juice to thwart browning.

Experiment with mixing and matching cereals for the flavor, texture and nutritional profile you prefer, advises Barbara Rolls, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan (Harper, 2007). She combines a high-fiber cereal with her favorite (but less fiber-rich) brand: “Since most of us are not eating anything near our recommended daily fiber levels,” she figures, “why not sneak some in at breakfast?”

Rather than settling for straight-up cereal and milk, look for opportunities to mix in other more nutritionally advantageous ingredients: berries or half a chopped fruit, ground flaxseed, shelled hemp seed, crumbled nuts, dried coconut, and perhaps a teaspoon of a bottled, light-tasting essential fatty-acid oil supplement.

Along with milk, Rolls also adds a dollop of plain yogurt to her cereal bowl, which makes the meal seem more substantial. She says her recipe choice is supported by a number of studies showing that the thicker the food, the more sensory satisfaction it delivers. “Cognitively, the calories feel more satisfying,” she explains, “and, in the end, how much you eat all boils down to how satisfied you feel.”

Hot Cereal Gets Heartier

In cold weather, nothing is cozier than a bowl of hot oatmeal. And the best nutritional bang for your bowl is steel-cut oats. This old-style oatmeal gets a bad rap for its 20-minute cooking time, but don’t be deterred — there are several shortcuts. One is to buy quicker-cooking versions of steel-cut oats that cook in five minutes or so. The results are still far superior, both nutritionally and in terms of taste, texture and satisfaction, to those finely milled instant-oatmeal products that produce a pastelike result and rapidly turn to sugar in your bloodstream.

To conserve costs and packaging, buy steel-cut oats in the bulk section of your local natural grocery or food co-op. To save time, make a big batch over the weekend that you can reheat on the stove, serving by serving, all week long. As your oats warm in a saucepan (add extra water as needed), toss in some raisins or currants, or add sliced apples or pears (in summer, try peaches and apricots). Don’t forget warming spices, like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cardamom, to pump up the final dish’s flavor and micronutrients. Adding a dab of butter or splash of milk or cream provides satisfaction and helps deliver a steady supply of energy.

You can also premake quick-cooking oatmeal or other types of hot cereal and then store it, prestudded with chopped fruit, in single-serving microwavable containers. Pour a little milk, soymilk or rice milk over the top of one, pop it in the microwave, and — voilà! — breakfast in 30 seconds. Reheating your precooked hot cereal in a small pan on the stovetop will give you more even heat and help spare the fruit’s antioxidants, but if it’s microwaving or nothing, choose microwaving. And if it’s instant or bust, go for instant. Just watch out for added sugar (a popular brand of apple and cinnamon oatmeal contains 12 grams).

Either way, when the warming or cooking is done, add heat-sensitive flourishes, such as a teaspoon of nutty-tasting flaxseed oil, nut butter, or a scattering of crunchy walnuts. Snow likes to dress up her hot cereal with a drizzle of honey and a handful of goji berries, an antioxidant-rich fruit that’s native to Asia.

No matter how you ornament your oatmeal, though, it’s still oatmeal. So if boredom ensues at the breakfast table (or if gluten is a concern), consider experimenting with other hot multigrain cereals. Flaxseed, brown rice and amaranth are nutritional powerhouses, and their texture and taste can offer a pleasing change of pace.

Breakfast in a Blender

Given the proliferation of smoothie joints, it’s clear that folks love drinking their fruit. The good news is that smoothies are push-button fast and can be a nutrient bonanza. The bad news is that some store-bought smoothies can be chock-full of excess calories and sugars, devoid of protein, and may even contain unhealthy flavorings and additives. So make your own smoothies whenever possible, and ask for a complete ingredient rundown on any blended drinks you buy.

Smoothies are one of Snow’s favorite fast breakfasts. She starts with a banana, adds a handful of berries, a scoop or two of protein powder, a drizzle of flaxseed oil, and a little supergreen powder, like spirulina, for good  measure. Then she thins the mixture with a little rice milk or water. “Start to finish in 30 seconds,” she says.

The easiest way to speed up smoothies is to use frozen fruit, especially when your favorite fruits are out of season. “Frozen berries are a phenomenal choice for quick and easy smoothies,” says Salge Blake. “You don’t have to clean them or cook them; just take them out of the freezer and you’re ready to go.”

Adding a handful of dried fruit, such as currants or chopped apricots or figs, can deliver chewy texture and can stand in for fresh fruit when none is available. But if your smoothie is mostly fruit of one kind or another, you’ll want to take steps to avoid a blood-sugar surge: Add a source of protein and some healthy fats to it. For lasting power and nutritional balance, a handful of nuts, shelled hemp seeds, ground flaxseeds, a chunk of tofu, half an avocado, or a scoop of a supergreens or protein powder are all great ways to go.

You might also consider throwing in a handful of spinach, mixed greens, a small cucumber or half a zucchini. While they may sound like odd smoothie prospects, these additions offer lots of phytonutrients and fiber without throwing off flavor or texture, and they give you an easy way to front-load a serving or two of veggies before your day gets started.

Nontraditional Breakfasts

In other countries, you might confuse breakfast with lunch or dinner. For instance, in China, the day may start with a tofu and cellophane noodle soup. In India, breakfast may look like curried vegetables. And in Japan, miso soup, rice and grilled fish are regulars on the morning menu. Thinking outside typical American cuisine can catapult you out of a breakfast rut.

For a speedy and different take on breakfast, Snow likes either sushi or brown rice nori rolls. “I buy the prepackaged rolls at the store the night before, and in the morning they are a quick and portable breakfast.”

But breakfast doesn’t need to be exotic to rekindle your excitement for the meal. Indeed, you may just need to broaden your horizons and look to lunch or dinner for inspiration. Miller likes to eat dinner leftovers for breakfast. Specifically, beans and rice reheated in the microwave or even leftover veggies sautéed in a frying pan with a few cubes of tofu. A bowl of hot soup, either leftovers from the night before or a high-quality canned version, can also make a nourishing and filling morning meal. Snow is the first to admit that cold pizza is her favorite nontraditional breakfast pick, especially if it has a whole-grain crust, light cheese and some veggies.

And, of course, there is always the sandwich. Choose your favorite delicious and healthy ingredients, and make two sandwiches — one for a quick breakfast and one for lunch later in the day.

“It’s a delusion that breakfast takes a lot of time,” says Salge Blake. “You know what takes time? Hunting for food midmorning when you’re starving.” Because healthy options can be hard to find on the fly, your nutritional chances suffer with this approach.

Salge Blake is convinced that if everyone just spent a little more time thinking about breakfast, we’d all be better off — more energized and clear headed, less moody, and less likely to get depleted or reactive as the day wears on. “A healthy breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day,” she says. So if you want your days to be less harried, more consistently productive and rewarding, launching them with a nourishing meal is the right thing to do.

Catherine Guthrie is a Bloomington, Ind.–based writer.

What's your favorite quick and healthy breakfast trick? Tell us about it here! To learn about the creative breakfast strategies that past Experience Life cover subjects employ, visit ExperienceLifemag.com.

Cauliflower is a richly flavored, tasty treat that detoxifies the body, discourages cancer and offers a big immunity boost

By Cary Neff, as featured in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of Experience Life

Cauliflower is often relegated to the veggies-and-dip tray, but this nutritional powerhouse deserves a place of honor at every dinner table. Raw or roasted, steamed or sautéed, it can be incorporated into delicious dishes that please the palate while promoting vibrant health.

Food Basics
Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable with a mild, slightly nutty flavor. White cauliflower is the most readily available in grocery stores, but there are also green, orange and purple varieties. Green cauliflower — a cross between cauliflower and broccoli — is slightly sweeter than white cauliflower when raw and tastes more like broccoli when steamed. The orange variety is also slightly sweeter than white cauliflower, and the purple variety has a milder flavor. Purple cauliflower cooks a little faster than its white cousin and turns green when heated. When purchasing, look for firm cauliflower with compact florets. The leaves should be green and crisp.

Nutritional Know-How
Cauliflower contains glucosinolates and thiocyanates — both sulfur-containing phytonutrients — that cleanse the body of damaging free radicals. These phytonutrients encourage the body to ramp up its production of enzymes that aid in detoxification and even kill some tumors and cancer cells. Studies have shown that eating three to five servings of cruciferous vegetables each week can significantly lower the risk of several types of cancer. Researchers believe that, when combined with turmeric, cauliflower may help prevent (or stop the spread of) prostate cancer. Orange cauliflower has slightly higher levels of beta-carotene, and purple cauliflower contains the flavonoid anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant. A 1-cup serving of boiled cauliflower contains a whopping 91.5 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C.

Eat Up!
Cauliflower can be eaten raw, and steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, fried, boiled or roasted. You can cook the cauliflower as a whole head or cut into florets.

• Cauliflower is uncommonly delicious when roasted. Cut one head into small, even florets. Toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried red pepper to taste; or toss with olive oil, 1/4-cup soy sauce and a dash of pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking tray and cook at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden around the edges.
• Chop raw cauliflower into different sizes and add it to salads. Add small florets to your favorite bean salad for extra crunch
• To add texture to your next stir-fry dish, cut the whole cauliflower into 1/2-inch slices, break into florets and stir-fry according to your favorite recipe. Flat slices of cauliflower cook quickly and have more surface area for the sauce to cling to.

Kitchen Tricks

• Fix quick, healthy snacks by preparing cauliflower as soon as you bring it home from the store. Clean and cut into florets, then store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to four days.
• To clean, remove the leaves and gently scrape off any brown spots with a knife. Place the cauliflower upside down on a cutting board and carefully cut around and remove the core that keeps the florets intact.
• Avoid cooking cauliflower in aluminum or iron pots. When chemical compounds in cauliflower come in contact with aluminum, the vegetable will yellow. When they come in contact with iron, cauliflower turns brown or blue-green.

Chef Cary Neff is the president of the consulting firm Culinary Innovations and the author of the New York Times bestseller Conscious Cuisine (Sourcebooks, 2002).

For details on how to prepare Cauliflower Soup, Curried Cauliflower Salad, Pickled Cauliflower and Cauliflower Purée, visit experiencelifemag.com.