PowerBar_Fitness_Community

DebbyK!'s First Day Of TRX With Ed Le Cara

HI Your Fit Day Fans! Last update I mentioned putting together a team of experts who could help me get prepared for my upcoming hip surgery. I needed to start thinking outside of the box regarding my current routine, and putting in other methods of training that would still keep me in peak physical shape.  And Since I didn't want to compromise my current level of strength and fitness, the workouts would still have to be challenging enough to work my entire body and keep me fit. In May I visited with Ed Le Cara at Sports Plus in Pleasanton, CA  where he assessed my body for weaknesses. After an hour of all sorts of tests where I lunged, squatted,  and walked over knee high barriers like I was in the Westminster Dog Show, Ed had enough information to put together a program for me to work on for a few weeks. Here is quick video of Ed's TRX training studio. I wish I had a studio like Ed's!
video
What is a TRX? I had a lot of people ask me: what is this TRX you speak of?  Well, I'll let this guy tell you all about it... and I betcha your fingers will skip on over to that link below to get your own. And if you're not convinced by then, well...just keep re looping the video, and at least you'll get a good ab workout from laughing so much!

You can  also check them out here; and yes, I'm an affiliate because I love them so much!!
In the next few months you will learn more exercises as I progress through my pre hab program with ED.  And since TRX is the future of  fitness NOW, I intend to get certified in the TRX system. The Power Of The TRX System The beauty of using the TRX is that it can help strengthen muscle weaknesses as well as build upon the strength and muscle you already have, creating a fit, stronger and better balanced body.  So for my Prehab it is challenging enough for all my needs. With the TRX you can perform 100's of exercises that enable you to build strength, power, agility, balance, mobility (definitely something I will be working on pre and post hip surgery); as well as lose weight and get that lean green machine you always dreamed of. You can work at the intensity you choose simply by shifting your body position. It's that simple. Fitness In A Bag The TRX is easy to set up, and packed in it's own small mesh bag it's no larger than one of The SAK bags I hauled my junk around in the 90's! Remember those little bags? And it only takes a few minutes to set up, using the door anchor, wall mount or slinging it over a tree, for instance. You can have your own gym in your home, office, at the park, or even at the gym. A gym at the gym? Trust me, it's not like taking sand to the beach!  Because when it's cold and wet outside simply stow this in your backpack, take it to the gym, loop it over a high bar, and never wait for equipment again! Let's get into shape! The TRX will be the one of the main pieces of equipment that I'll be implementing into my current exercise program. And not to worry because all of the equipment that I use and the exercises that I do, whether for Pre-hab or for my daily workout, are exercises and routines that you can do too. So don't just think that you have to be injured to do these exercises in my videos coming in the next posts. Because believe you me, they can be very challenging. And if you work on weaving these into your routine, or even if you're just starting a fitness program, these exercises will be more than enough to get you going. Remember, all of the equipment that I use and the exercises that I do will get you into the best shape of your life. So follow me on my blog so we can get into and stay in the best shape of our lives. I can't wait to learn more exercises with the TRX and pass them along to all of you.  In fact, I plan to become a TRXher! Get it?!! Ha! Ha! So stay tuned and keep following... Have you had some TRX yet? Leave a comment... Your Trainer, DebbyK!

Key To Pain Free

Hello Your Fit Day Friends! I have to admit, this warrior woman had been suffering pain for the past 3 months or so. It started back in June 2010 when I pulled my inner thigh muscles (called adductors in fitness speak) most likely doing dead lifts. After  rolling it out using the foam roller, and taking it easy on the lifting for a couple weeks, I was  soon back to running, as well as training hard for a figure competition I had penciled into my schedule for the June of 2011. The show must go on you know! But by the time August 2010 rolled around I was starting to feel tightness in my glutes (called the butt in plain speak) and I noticed that running stairs (a great plyometric and fat burning workout by the way) were becoming a little painful with the high - knee lifts. So, in September I decided to lay off the stair-running for a few weeks. Trail running, however, didn't seem to bother me. Thank the universe, since I live for those East Bay trails! Then, when even long strides started to be uncomfortable, and my butt muscles and Tensor Fasciae Latae ( no, this is not a cup of coffee) were burning when I walked, and Mr. Sandman wasn't coming at night, I decided that it was time for a visit to my Muscle Activation Technique guru, Paul Ciske to relieve the pain. Who Is Paul ?
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Paul Ciske

I had known Paul back in the 90's where he worked as a fitness trainer at the now defunct Courthouse Athletic Club, in Oakland CA. Even back then he was very innovative in the fitness movement, designing and teaching fitness classes and certifications. What makes Paul different from most other practitioners and fitness trainers is that he knows body mechanics down to a 'T'. Something I find that most fitness trainers and other 'healers' in our industry don't have a good grasp of. Paul applies his in-depth knowledge of joint and exercise mechanics - which, in a nutshell, is how the system of joints and muscles responds to both internal and external forces- as viewed through the lenses of Resistance Training Specialist (RST) and Muscle Activation Technique (MAT). How I Discovered 'Magic' MAT My first visit to Paul for some MAT work was in 2007. It was through a suggestion of a mutual friend of ours, the great Ultra Running Man Mike Palmer, who I literally ran into one day on Strawberry Canyon trail in Berkeley, CA. We trotted along for a while, catching up. <<** class="mceTemp" draggable="">

Strawberry Canyon Trail

I told Mike of a weird foot ache I was having.  He told me about Paul and this MAT 'magic' that got him back to running after a major knee injury. Now, Mike is an anomaly of his own. I don't know how old Mike is, and I don't want to 'insert running shoe in mouth', but if I had to guess I'd say that Mike is in his late fifties. And what's not so normal about Mike is that a normal week of running for Mike is around 100 miles. Did I already mention Mike is an ultra marathon runner?! Now, I love running as much as Mike. I live for the trails. And for a long time I have been fantasizing about completing an ultra (Note: it is still just a fantasy!). But to be felled by pain and unable to run can be a hard knock to a runner. However, with MAT, Paul had literally saved Mikes career as an Ultra Runner. Check out his incredible testimonial here. (Scroll down to bottom). I knew MAT existed as a certification for trainers, and I knew Paul was highly respected in the industry among other trainers and wellness practitioners, so I finally decided to give Paul, and MAT, a try. What Does MAT Do?

"MAT gets to the root of pain or injury by addressing muscle weakness rather than muscle tightness. This helps to restore normal body alignment, thereby, decreasing pain and reducing the risk of injury."

I Do Believe... In Magic Wow! All I can say is that first visit back in 2007 for MAT work with Paul blew my mind. <<** class="mceTemp" draggable="">

Deb falling asleep while Paul works his magic_Elton Lobas Photo

One of the best parts about visiting Paul is that you get to lie on this really comfortable, cushioned, heated massage table. In fact, one whiff of the sheets made me nuzzle right into them. (Make note to ask him what he uses on them!) I felt like asking for a down comforter to pull up over my shoulders, and going to bed instead of the session. But I digress... Doing His Craft
On that visit Paul identified weaknesses in specific muscles by positioning my legs and feet in all the different planes of the body. In each position he would apply a force, have me resist, and see if that muscle could hold that position. <<** class="mceTemp" draggable="">

Test for Glute_Elton Lobas Photo

Applying a force in each position allows Paul to identify a muscle, or group of muscles, that may not be firing (working to stabilize, in plain speak). Once he finds a weakness he stimulates those muscles fibers to fire again by applying pressure with his fingertips along the muscle fibers. (That part felt kind of like massage!) Then came the retests; he would apply force in same positions; have me walk around; then retest once again. It was like this crazy giant loop of testing! YUP! Paul is very thorough. And he has even created a system which basically double checks his work, making sure the correct muscles are doing their designated job. And what was amazing is that Paul also found weaknesses in other parts of my body that had everything to do with the ache in my foot. He corrected for those, and I was back on the trail, even faster than before, lighter on my feet, with more pep in my step. After about an hour and a quarter I left Paul's office with a few isometrics to do on my own. Sidebar: I was so impressed with MAT that I signed up for the Jump Start program for fitness trainers and completed the Lower Body portion (which by the way, was instructed by Paul). Oh! Did I forget to mention that Paul is a Master Trainer for MAT? Back To The Future So now it's September 2010 and I'm having a hard time walking without some pain and tightness in my front thigh, hip flexors and my butt. My thoughts are that it's got to be from the pulled groin muscles.  My intuition tells me that it's time for a visit to Paul. So I hopped to it- almost quite literally on my good leg! - and after 1 1/2 hours of working his 'magic'  I walked out of his office, again pain free, and feeling much better. Pain free... that was in September. In fact I was feeling so great that I was able to lift heavier and really get into my training for a figure competition. So after about 6 weeks I backed off from doing my MAT isometrics... And then they dwindled... To a stop. I was feeling great, so why continue the exercises? Wasn't I healed? Well, sometimes maintenance is the key. MAT helps keep the muscles around your joints stable. So, without continuing with the isometrics, by November the discomfort was getting to the point where I could not sleep. I was getting weaker in the gym, and I was feeling more discomfort within a day or two after my Sunday trail runs. Physical Therapy: Beyond My Better Judgment ? Apparently so in this instance.  After three visits to PT at Kaiser in October, November, and December, I was actually worse.  He couldn't figure it out. But he did think the MAT exercises, which I had brought with me from September's session with Paul, were helping. Yes they were! So. since PT didn't help I decided a visit to an Orthopedic surgeon was in order, to rule out anything more serious.  However, with Kaiser I had to continue to suffer a few more weeks before I could get in to see the first doc in January. Ouch! But by late December the pain was getting so I couldn't walk or sleep. My range of motion in my right hip had decreased considerably and I was having a hard time with squatting down evenly, so I decided to see Paul again to see if he could work his ninja magic. Check out Debby in wide squat. NOTE: Videos are sideways, sorry!! When I revisited Paul that first time in January-the 18th to be exact- I strategically parked my car very close to Paul's door so I wouldn't have to walk very far. But even walking across the street was more akin to a hobble. He spent almost 2 hours with me. I walked out 80% pain free. Six days later, to work more on my hip mobility and to address any lingering pain, I saw him again. I made sure to capture what Paul does on video so you can see there is no sleight of hand! Really, check out these videos NOTE: They are sideways, sorry! The Takeaway After Paul is all done (and it's not about the clock, but more about when you are out of pain) the isometric exercises he gives you for the first time seem a bit strange. You will find yourself lying on the floor, rotating your feet and legs in or out; sometimes raised; pulling or pushing, using straps and bolsters; lightly pushing against a barriers for 6 seconds, resting a few, pushing for 6, and repeating 6 times with each exercise he gives you. Like I said before, it seems crazy but it works. The Economies of MAT One of the great benefits of using MAT is that you only have to go once or twice to get to the root of the problem. And typically you should perform the isometrics to keep your body in check. Some people back off from continuing the isometrics-like I did- once they are feeling less, or no pain at all.  But if you do find yourself feeling tweaks of pain creeping back you can sometimes 'Jump Start' your muscles into a pain free state by going back to the isometric exercises. But you know what? MAT works. I mean I train hard; and I've been known to be called the 'Super-Human Woman' at the gym! So I'm bound to get out of whack once in a while. Yet every time I have visited Paul for pain or tightness in my muscles or joints I have walked away just about pain free. My first orthopedic doctor's solution was to pump me full of anti inflammatory drugs and stretch, stretch, stretch.  Based on the principles of MAT both were the wrong approach. Why? Drugs cost money; are a band-aid approach; and don't get to the root of the pain. Not to mention the countless times back and forth to PT that can drain your pocket book. MAT...The New Motrin MAT is great news for anyone who doesn't like to take pain killers or spend their hard earned money on prescriptions and insurance co-pays month after month, or give in to the pharmaceutical companies and Western medicine. With Paul's help and with some new exercises I now have the pain in my hip at bay. I make sure to do them before I go to bed and sometimes before and even during my workouts. With less pain in my hip, I also sleep much better. And if I've been remiss in my isometric duties my body will tell me that I need to get down on the floor again! The Key To Pain Free
I really urge anyone who is feeling tightness or pain to go see Paul Ciske; or seek out a MAT specialist in your area.  Generally you're given less than 10 minutes of exercises to do 2-3 X's a day. Not too much to ask of if you want to be pain free. What About You?
Is pain cramping your lifestyle? (No pun intended) Tell me your story... Maybe MAT can help you, too. Oh Ya, Forgot... BTW: Did I mention I saw a second orthopedic surgeon? Stay tuned...the story isn't over just yet. Make it Your Fit Day with DebbyK!

Fitness Trainer Out there Spreading 'the Powerbar Word'

I can't believe fall is here already. Summer went by so quickly. I had a great time training one of my fellow Temescal Masters Swim Team members to make great times in his races, while using Powerbar gels and blasts to fuel him through.

 
In October I presented at our Intra-sqaud meet, which was a great success. It's great fun getting the word out there that Powebar has so much more to offer now than just the tried and true Performance bar. I love all the new products and innovation and knowledge that I can pass on to athletes. The Gel Blasts and Protein Nuggets didn't last long on the table, that's for sure.


Due to a nagging groin pull and glute instability I have had to back off on my running, so my Friday at the Strawberry Trailhead is now on Sunday, where I make it a point to wear my Powerbar gear and give out samples before and after my run to anyone who looks like they are in need of some pre and post fueling. It's great fun and everyone is so appreciative. I love being able to represent Powebar and give all these goodies away in the name of fitness.
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Sundays at the pool, weather permitting, I hold an informal Quick Core on the Floor session for anyone who wants to join me. Mostly people just watch me, I think too afraid to jump in, even though I beckon them with open arms. However,  I always  try to have Powerbars to hand out in the locker rooms or on deck, to entice them into joining me and  to s***** the word.

I'm in the process of building a new website and hope to have the Powerbar link up soon. So stay tuned.

You Tube videos are on on there way and will be up at fit4theday soon. Let's see if I can find a way to put the Powerbar logo up there as sponsor!

Working on setting up my Bootcamps at the Oakland MMA Karate in Oakland where I look forward to handing out Powerbar samples and doing a clinic. So keep checking my website for those of you who are in Oakland/Berkeley and want a great Metobolic Training style bootcamp.

And I recently got into Ultimate Sandbag Training. I'll keep you posted on how that's going. But I'm sure my Bootcampers will love it.

I've been writing more at my blog www.fit4theday.com so check it out. I just did a great post on Body Transformation Makeover and Law of Attraction.

Enjoy and stay 'fit4theday' with DebbyK!

My Masters Swimmer Client update

I'm so proud of my Masters swimmer client who entered the Santa Cruz, CA Long Course and placed top 3 in all his events. I really tweaked his diet, he's dropped more weight and was feeling strong and great. I loaded  him with gel blasts to keep him going for the day. I just gave him some lower body and core exercises to work on.

I'll keep you posted.

As for me, I'm feeling NO pain in my shoulder. It's taken almost 2 yrs to recover from my bicep tendon rupture on my left. Now the right side is feeling good and I can do butterfly again. Hurrah!
My  times have come down another 6 seconds on a well rested day.
Need more of these days!!

Working on my new website and brand. Stay tuned for more blogs, and some ebooks to surface on great ways to get into and stay in great shape, whatever age.

Happy Trails
Stay 'fit4theday' with debbyk
www.fit4theday.com

If it falls too far from the tree...

Hi Fitness fans,
If your reading my blog you most likely are here to get the most up to date information of health and fitness, which of course includes nutrition. Now, although I don't claim to be a doctor or nutritionist, I do have a background in exercise physiology and a certificate in sports nutrition so I feel comfortable talking about healthy alternatives to what most of you are choosing to put in your mouths on a daily basis.

As some of you know I send out a bi monthly fitness newsletter.(Send me an email to subscribe) My last issue, June 15, had a recipe for grilled salmon that used Agave nectar as a sweetener for the glaze, along with the alternative, honey. I hemmed and hawed whether or not to include the recipe. However as it was coming down to the wire to hit 'send' I didn't have the time to research an alternative for the syrup while also including the nutritional values, so I left the recipe as it was. As it turns out I made a huge mistake. I received an email from a subscriber, who happens to be my cousin, who just happens to live in that beautiful healthy paradise, Sedona AZ, reminding me why fructose is poison to our bodies. Cousin Dan sent me a video on the research done by Dr.Robert H. Lustig, Professor at UCSF, Division of Endocrinology. I felt it was my duty to get this information out to you ASAP. I have based much of this blog on his video so make sure you watch it.

So why should most of us we steer clear of fructose?

Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver and the liver is used to process poisons, which then wreak havoc on our bodies causing disease. Don't get me wrong. A highly trained athlete like a marathon runner is able to use the fructose and replete their glycogen stores faster than with glucose alone, eg. Powerbar drinks and bars. But if you are using it other that consuming it for athletic training then you are most likely doing damage to your body. Without getting too technical when you take in fructose you generate certain enzymes that are bad for your body. And when you take a compound into your body and in the process it generates various problems, you are basically left with poison.

Make sure you check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM (cut and paste into your browser)


One of my objectives as a fitness trainer and wellness professional is to help fight obesity. Everyone always asks me what they should eat and how much. My answer is: if it falls too far from the tree then don't eat it. Have you ever seen a bottle of juice hanging from your apple tree in the back yard? How about a carton of fortified orange juice? Have you ever seen an ITZ clinging onto a package of real cheese? I don't know about you but in my yard their are no glass shards beneath my plum tree, only plums. Nor are their ITZ clinging onto my cheese(Well,I don't eat cheese, since I don't consume dairy products, other than whey protein powder as a supplement. Which is another blog all together. But I do gift a nice bleu!). You get the point. So if it's processed it is most likely not in my house and never on my plate. But one of our problems today is that we as a nation...hmmm, let me rephrase that...a world population, are consuming way too much processed foods, including sweeteners. And if you start reading your labels fructose is in almost everything. And Agave nectar is just that, processed fructose.

Is Agave good for you?

Well, after doing a little research, listening to the above video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM , as well as the research done by the sought out raw foods specialist John Kohler, http://www.living-foods.com/articles/agave.html, I'll let you make that decision. Although I am not a raw foods only gal, whole, raw foods are the building blocks of a healthy vital body, free from disease (notice the word, dis-ease) and including them as the bulk of your diet will allow your body to function at its optimal.

Here is why you want to stay away from Agave nectar as well as honey. This is an excerpt from an article by John Kohler, raw foods specialist( email me if you would like his sitings):

'1. Agave Syrup is not a “whole” food. It is a fractionated and processed food. Manufacturers take the liquid portion of the agave plant and “boil” it down, thus concentrating the sugar to make it sweet. This is similar to how maple “sap” that comes directly from a tree is heated and concentrated to make maple “syrup.” Agave Syrup is missing many of the nutrients that the original plant had to begin with.

2. Agave Syrup was originally used to make tequila. When Agave Syrup ferments, it literally turns into tequila. The enzymatic activity therefore MUST be stopped so that the syrup will not turn into tequila in your cupboard. Raw or not, if there is no enzymatic activity, it is certainly not a “live” food. As Raw Foodists, we want the enzymes intact.

3. According to my research, there are three major producers of agave syrup. Some of these companies also have other divisions that make Tequila. For the most part, agave syrup is produced in the Guadalajara region in Mexico. There are those within the industry who I have spoken to at various trade shows who say that some of the agave syrup is “watered down” with corn syrup in Mexico before it is exported to the USA. Why is this done? Most likely because Agave Syrup is expensive, and corn syrup is cheap.

4. Agave Syrup is advertised as “low glycemic” and marketed towards diabetics. It is true, that agave itself is low glycemic. We have to consider why agave syrup is “low glycemic.” It is due to the unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small amount of glucose (10%). Nowhere in nature does this ratio of fructose to glucose occur naturally. One of the next closest foods that contain almost this concentration of glucose to fructose is high fructose corn syrup used in making soda(HFCS 55), which only contains 55% fructose. Even though fructose is low on the glycemic index, there are numerous problems associated with the consumption of fructose in such high concentrations as found in concentrated sweeteners:

A. Fructose appears to interfere with copper metabolism. This causes collagen and elastin being unable to form. Collagen and elastin are connective tissue which essentially hold the body together.1 A deficiency in copper can also lead to bone fragility, anemia, defects of the arteries and bone, infertility, high cholesterol levels, heart attacks and ironically enough an inability to control blood sugar levels.2

B. Research suggests that fructose actually promotes disease more readily than glucose. This is because glucose is metabolized by every cell in the body, and fructose must be metabolized by the liver. 3 Tests on animals show that the livers of animals fed large amounts of fructose develop fatty deposits and cirrohosis of the liver. This is similar to the livers of alcoholics.

C. “Pure” isolated fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and may rob the body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself for physiological use.4

D. Fructose may contribute to diabetic conditions. It reduces the sensitivity of insulin receptors. Insulin receptors are the way glucose enters a cell to be metabolized. As a result, the body needs to make more insulin to handle the same amount of glucose.5

E. Consumption of fructose has been shown to cause a significant increase in uric acid. An increase in uric acid can be an indicator of heart diease.6

F. Fructose consumption has been shown to increase blood lactic acid, especially for people with conditions such as diabetes. Extreme elevations may cause metabolic acidosis.7

G. Consumption of fructose leads to mineral losses, especially excretions of iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc compared to subjects fed sucrose.8

H. Fructose may cause accelerated aging through oxidative damage. Scientists found that rats given fructose had more cross-linking changes in the collagen of their skin than other groups fed glucose. These changes are thought to be markers for aging.9

I. Fructose can make you fat! It is metabolized by the liver and converts to fat more easily than any other sugar. Fructose also raises serum triglycerides (blood fats) significantly.10

5. Agave Syrup and other concentrated sweeteners are addictive, so you end up trading a cooked addiction (eating candy bars or cookies) for a “raw” addiction which is not much better. Eating concentrated sweeteners makes it harder to enjoy the sweet foods we should be eating – whole fresh fruit since they don’t seem as sweet by comparison.
6. Long-time raw foodist and Medical Doctor, Dr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D. says that agave nectar raises blood sugar just like any other sugar. Dr. Cousens wrote a book, "There Is a Cure for Diabetes".

Whole fruits generally contain a much smaller amount of fructose compared to sucrose and glucose. In addition, fruits contain vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and other nutrients. Our bodies are designed to digest a complete “package” of nutrition that appears in whole, fresh, ripe fruits. Could nature be wrong? For example, it’s always better to eat fruits whole or blend them rather than juice them. When you juice fruits you remove the fiber which helps to slow down the absorption of the sugars. Concentrated sweeteners also contain no fiber and have much greater concentrations of simple sugars than are found in fresh fruit or even juices.

Now that you have a better understanding about Agave Syrup, hopefully the companies selling “raw” agave won’t dupe you. They are out to make a buck, which in this case is unfortunately at the expense of your health. If you are making a “raw” recipe and it does require a concentrated sweetener, I have some recommendations for some better options to use instead of agave: (Listed in order of preference.)

1. Use ripe fresh fruits. Ripe fruits contain nutrients, fiber and water, a complete package, as nature intended. I find that ripe and organic fruits are usually sweetest.

2. Use fresh whole stevia leaves. Stevia is an herb that actually tastes sweet but contains no sugar. This herb can be very hard to find fresh, so I personally grow my own. If fresh leaves are not available, get the whole dried leaves or the whole leaf powder. Avoid the white stevia powder and the stevia liquid drops as they have been highly processed.

3. Use dried fruits. If you need a “syrup” consistency, just soak the dried fruits in some water and blend them up with the same soak water. Dates, figs, and prunes are some of the sweetest dried fruits that tend to work well in recipes. Try wet Barhi dates blended with a little water for an amazing maple syrup substitute. Please note: Since there are no raw labeling standards, some dried fruit may be dried at higher than 118 degrees, and thus, not really raw. If you want to ensure you are eating really raw dried fruit, it is best do dehydrate it yourself.

4. Raw Honey is a concentrated sweetener, and although not recommended, in my opinion it is better than agave syrup because it is a whole food and occurs naturally in nature. Of course, honey is not vegan and that may be a concern for some. I recommend purchasing local honey from a beekeeper.

Other “concentrated sweeteners” that are often seen in raw food recipes include:

1) Maple Syrup which is not raw and heat processed. If it is not organic, it may also contain formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals.

2) Sucanat or evaporated cane juice is pure dried sugar cane juice. Unfortunetly this is processed at a temperature above 118 degrees and therefore can’t be considered raw.

3) Yacon Syrup is a syrup from the root of the yacon plant in South America. It is once again, a concentrated sweetener processed at a temperature of up to 140 degrees farenheight.

The moral of this article: Eat whole fresh fruits and vegetables, they are always best. Always question processed and concentrated foods that are not found in nature, even if “raw”.'

And instead of reaching for the processed sweeteners try using instead organic fruits and vegetables to make delicious syrups and glazes for your meals and treats!


If you'd like more on this topic or recipes without processed sweeteners please send me an email.

Stay 'Fit4TheDay' with debbyK www.fit4theday.com www.bodyflexfit.com