Shiny, healthy hair if you eat this

This morning I was emailing with a writer about nutrients and foods for healthy hair.

My pet peeve with nutrition articles (not the one I’m contributing to of course) is if they lead readers to believe adding 1 random food will produce a major effect. When I’m devising plans for Foodtrainees, if we’re looking to say boost omega 3’s I’ll suggest multiple sources. So if you’re like me with meh hair after a harsh winter (for me it’s likely just as much bleach as winter). Here’s the answer.

HH Salad (Hair salad sounds nasty)

Ingredients:

Brussels Sprouts (great if you can buy shredded, Trader Joes has) if not slice thin for salad base.

Red or yellow bell pepper

Hard boiled omega 3 eggs or salmon or both

Pumpkin Seeds

Walnut Oil

Apple Vinegar

Rationale:

• Brussels sprouts and peppers are high in Vitamin C that boosts collagen that surrounds hair and keeps it strong.
• Eggs and salmon are high in biotin. Biotin creases hair growth and overall scalp health. They’re also good sources of omega 3’s  the natural oils that keep your scalp and hair hydrated. The walnut oil is another omega 3 source.
• Pumpkin seeds have zinc, which regulates hormones in the body that affect hair growth and helps maintain production of oil-secreting glands on the scalp that help your hair grow.
• Eggs and Brussels also have iron. There’s a connection between iron levels and hair loss among women.

• And for a bonus? Wash the salad down with a shot of Sibu sea buckthorn

What do you do to keep your hair healthy? Do you notice a difference between your diet and hair health?

Are you mindful of magnesium?

Vitamin D, omega 3’s are the nutrients du jour but these usurped calcium and Vitamin E. You know how it goes and many of you have the old supplement bottles demonstrating these shifts. Few things bug me more than the nutrition pendulum and often the pendulum completely misses the food, vitamin or mineral I feel we should focus on (clearly I don’t write the headlines). In this case, I’m wondering why we’re not mindful of magnesium?

Magnesium is a mineral present in food and the body. Magnesium is required for muscle contraction (a reminder the heart is a muscle), nerve function and magnesium plays a role in blood pressure and bone health. So it’s important. The key issue though is that under mental or physical stress cells release magnesium and it is excreted, bye bye precious magnesium. If stress is chronic or extreme you may be deficient in magnesium.

 Low magnesium can affect GI function ("going"), exercise recovery and PMS-related mood changes. In one study, after a month of magnesium supplementation participants were found to have decreased PMS and improved mood as shown via their  “Menstrual Distress Questionnaire scores”. Oh my goodness, my family would give me such poor menstrual distress scores. Magnesium is also required for metabolic reactions such as the metabolism of carbs and fats to produce energy. Magnesium is  important for athletes as low magnesium levels result in higher heart rates during exertion. 

Most people don’t consume enough magnesium. Once again, seeds are significant pumpkin, hemp (pictured above) and sesame top the list. Spinach, cacao and lentils and black beans are also good. I also love a powdered magnesium supplement called Natural Calm I take at bedtime.

         

Unfortunately, testing to see if magnesium is low isn’t all that helpful. A low percentage of magnesium is found in blood. I think the better bet is to put magnesium-rich foods front and center (1 seed a day) during your day and consider a modest amount of supplementation. That is if your bones, blood pressure, mood or bowel function matters to you.

Is magnesium on your radar? Do you supplement magnesium? If so why did you start taking it? Any “menstrual distress”? 

Not Just Jack O Laterns

When I say pumpkin, what do you think of? Jack O Laterns and Halloween? Perhaps pumpkin pie? Yet, before there were Jack-o-laterns (the Irish are responsible for this tradition) or pumpkin pie the colonists filled this Native American fruit with milk, spices and honey. Turns out they were onto something; pumpkins are great in many recipes. If you do plan to use your pumpkin for cooking or baking look for Sugar Pie and Sweet Pumpkin, these are the best edible varieties. Pumpkins labeled sweet or sugar can be easily baked, roasted, mashed, and puréed like other varieties of winter squash.


I really like canned pureed pumpkin. I use an organic brand called Farmer’s Market. Pumpkin is very high in Vitamin A, a source of both iron and calcium and has 4 grams of fiber in half a cup (vets often suggest it to help canines “go”). Try a little pumpkin in your Greek yogurt. You can layer it like a parfait and use a little honey (ala the colonists) or agave and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Pumpkin also works nicely in oatmeal. I add a little of the pumpkin to cooking water for the grains such as quinoa or brown rice. Pumpkin is also great in soups, chili and in smoothies.

And don’t forget about the pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas. Pumpkin seeds are a great immune booster and a fantastic alternative to nuts as an afternoon snack. Stick to a ¼ cup or less. This Halloween Party Mix from Vegetarian Times is a more festive way to eat pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Smoothie


½ cup pumpkin

1 scoop Organic Whey or plain or vanilla protein powder

½ cup milk of your choice

½ cup ice

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

1 tsp agave nectar
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

What's your favorite pumpkin purpose?

Olympian Nutrition

With the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics less than 12 hours away, I have sports on my brain. I’ll admit it, I’m a little bit of an Olympics junkie. And I don’t stick to the mainstream sports, I will watch anything and everything and even like curling and the sport where they ski and then shoot though clearly the name of this sport didn’t stick with me. As a nutritionist, it amazes me that many athletes train a good part of their lives fine-tuning their training, clothing and nutrition only to board a plane and stay in an Olympic village where Mc Donald’s and Coco Cola are strongly represented. A place where the main catering is done by Sodexho, one of the companies Michelle Obama is working with as their unhealthy offerings in schools are contributing to childhood obesity. The Olympians do have a password which allows them to view the nutritionals (amount of carbs, fat, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals) in various food items but it still makes me nervous.

So for Lindsey and Shaun in Vancouver and all the rest of you, here are my top 5 training foods for winter sports:
1. Quinoa- chances are, you’ve been hearing a lot about quinoa lately with good reason. Quinoa is a good carb and the type of carb athletes need. The Incas considered quinoa like gold because of the stamina it provided their warriors. Quinoa and fruit makes a great breakfast or stir quinoa into soups. Quinoa cooks in 15 minutes and is high in fiber and protein.
2. Chard is a great source of iron. Iron transports oxygen through your body and helps prevent anemia. Chard is also rich in calcium for bone health and a respectable source of Vitamin C, important for winter immunity. Try to have one leafy green (kale, chard, bok choy, spinach) daily.
3. Turmeric is a wonder spice. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory and athletes should use it more. Turmeric is found in prepared yellow mustards and many Indian dishes. Turmeric also works well with cauliflower, on eggs and in dips. Lindsey, I know you have a muscle injury, turmeric may help! I recently posted a great recipe using turmeric.
4. Goji Berries are also known as wolfberries. Goji berries are a fantastic antioxidant. Antioxidants help to repair some of the wear and tear on your body from exercise. In Chinese medicine gojis are known to promote lung health, useful for winter training. Eat gojis as a snack, steep in teas and add to oatmeal water. Gogis also have an added “Valentine’s" bonus.
5. Pumpkin Seeds- seeds are often overlooked and important for your training diet. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, another crucial immune-system helper. Try my Training trail mix.
TRAINING TRAIL MIX: combine 1 cup goji berries, ½ cup dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs, 1 cup pumpkin seeds, 1 cup walnuts and ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut. Mix well and store in an air-tight container. Serving= a small handful or ¼ cup.

What are your favorite winter training foods? Any pre or post-workout staples you want to share?