All Hail the Kale: What's In It For Me?

Tap into some real green energy. Kale! Photo: VitaMix 5200 Power Blender.

Inhale the Kale
If just thinking about getting back in shape after a winter hiatus makes you feel sore, I've got good news. Antioxidant rich smoothies with vegetables like kale can help you prepare AND recover afterwards. Thanks to my mum, I ate a LOT of kale as a child. Same thing for mustard, turnip and collard greens, cabbage and spinach. Just one cup of raw kale contains: 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. Depending on the soil where it's grown, kale also yields appreciable amounts of minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. The magnesium alone in kale is your best friend in replacing lactic acid in your muscles after working out.


Whole Food Juicing

Raw Kale being turned into a delicious smoothie.

The new twist is to enjoy them uncooked to fully retain all of the enzymes and nutrients often lost in the cooking process. Many people are getting into juicing which is great but I've been whole food blending for about 25 years now and that trumps just about anything. Juicing removes many of the plant's lignans and fiber which will give you a clear finished product.  It also wastes a lot of vegetable material that could be doing you and your digestive tract a lot of good. Not only that, the cleanup is going to get pretty messy.

There is another way and that is to get a powerful enough blender that will liquefy, stalks, roots and pithier parts like kale stems.  There are lots of such blenders on the market but the one I've used all these years is the VitaMix.  I simply quarter my apples, throw in some whole baby carrots and LOTS of delicious raw kale.  In about 60 seconds, I have a fully blended, raw food drink that is packed with fresh flavor, enzymes and nutrients. My machine is self cleaning so unlike a juicer, I don't have to take it apart or throw away the separated fiber and skins.  In fact if you are new to juicing of any kind, here is an easy, tasty Kale Juice-Smoothie recipe you can make in your blender.

Super Kale Smoothie
 
3-4 Large Stalks of Kale (stems & all)
4 Baby Carrots
2 Small Apples, quartered
1 Cup Ice Cubes
1 Cup Water
Optional 1 teaspoon Super Blue Green Algae
Optional 1 scoop Re-Body Greens Powder (contains Kale, Spinach, Broccoli & more)

Rinse your raw kale well and cut into small, 3 inch sections. Start with adding your carrots, apples, 1 cup water & ice cubes into the bottom of the blender container. Place the kale in last & add your powders. Cover and blend adding extra water and ice during the processing to keep the juice cold. Blend to desired consistency and serve.  Apples and carrots sweeten this drink up nicely with no added sugars or sweeteners. You can store your Super Kale Smoothie in an airtight container but it is best to drink within 24 hours.

Add a little extra "punch" to your smoothie by adding a green powder.

The Kale Wrap:
Kale’s health benefits come from the high concentration of antioxidants specifically vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. Kale also creates a more alkaline pH in the body which helps with inflammation dependent diseases like arthritis and rheumatism.

Carotenoids (red and orange colored fruits and vegetables) and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with what has been seen to offer specific anti-cancer activity. Kale is likewise rich in lutein and zeaxanthin compounds which have been found to benefit eye health.

Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.
If you suffer from hypothyroidism, raw cruciferous vegetables like kale, cabbage, broccoli, can further impede proper thyroid function so you might want to limit your intake of it in its uncooked form. 

XX2i Optics New France1 Dual Kit

The France1 in Tortoise, XX2i Optics latest in fashionable - functional - interchangeable eye wear. Daphne Scarf in Coral  by Pistil Designs

Sure to become a fixture at the Tour de France, some of the most innovative eye wear is coming from XX2i Optics this season.  Their very cool new France1 Dual Kit gives you excellent optical clarity paired with your choice of interchangeable frames and lenses. This means you can mix and match your eye wear more specifically to your: visibility conditions, cycling kit, running jersey, your helmet, team colors and more.

XX2i Optics NEW France1 Dual Kit

The Dual Kit contains: 2 Sunglasses, 5 Lenses (blue, yellow & clear), 1 Hard Case, 5 Soft Pouches.

The reduction in road glare is incredible with the France1. What's great is that the frames, (Tortoise Shell & Glossy Black) are so light-weight and fitted with a wrap-around configuration that keeps both wind, road debris and sun completely out. I often train on rural roads with lots of dust kicking up so sport-glasses like these are essential.

So far I've been cycling, running, skateboarding and inline skating in the France1 and the fit is perfect. No matter what the activity, the lenses stay in place. The France1 Dual Kit is just as at home for activities like golf, tennis, running and volleyball. Both frames have comfortable, adjustable nose and ear pieces.  Out of the box, I've not had to adjust them at all.  Given us women have smaller faces than the men, you can see these glasses do not over-power me.  Perfect!

Both frames, lenses and soft pouches store securely in this hard shell, padded case.

The France1 Dual Kit is fully Rx-able so you can plug in your own eyeglass prescription as needed.  There are also optional Polarized lenses and Polarized readers available to fit these frames. Custom optics that come in at a very comfortable price point. The list price is only $259.00.  We will be testing out these XX2i frames even more in preparation for the Rapha Women's 100 coming up in July.  However the first glance tells me these are sport-worthy with no compromise in style or quality. In other words, these shades are HOT!

XX2i Optics NEW France1 eye wear and Dual Kit Case

Rapha Women's 100

This year many women will make a dream their reality. Join us in the Rapha Women's 100K going on worldwide, this July 7th!

I am VERY excited about this upcoming ride event for women.  Really, it's not just a one-day thing. It is a 3 month journey of preparation, training and practice. Better still is that you can do it wherever you are in the world. Yes, you can do this.

If you look at my Ride Video below via my CatEye INOU Cam, my regular route has low traffic and winds past scenic horse farms and estates. My plans are to draft a longer route along the course of this ride for the Rapha Women's 100.   
If you are in the NY/NJ area and would like to join me on my route through Monmouth County, NJ please contact me by May 10th, 2013. I have extra sets of padded shorts, cycling jerseys and other gear that I'm willing to share with the "team". Just let me know your size!
 

  

Rapha Women's 100

On Sunday 7th July 2013 join thousands of women around the world to ride 100km. The aim is to create a global event, with thousands of women taking to the road to complete a 100km journey. The 7th July is the date of the Etape du Tour, the amateur cyclist's chance to ride a major mountain stage of the 100th edition of the Tour de France. Rapha are sending 100 women to ride the sportive, which will form part of the day's festival of riding. The Rapha Women’s 100 is not a competition to see who is the fastest, it is about gathering a global community of women around the world to take part in this shared adventure.

In the build up to the 7th of July, we will feature tales from the women riding the 100 and chart their training, experiences and thoughts leading up to the big day. From seasoned racers to brand new roadies, the riders will discuss their cycling and the goal of riding 100km this summer. Sign up online at Rapha Women's 100

My Milan San Remo Kit and Gore Bike Wear Signature Cap

So Chill: The Benefits of Ice Cold Water

Sipping just 16 oz of icy cold water can boost your metabolism 24% - Polar Bottle's NEW Thermaluxe Stainless Steel Thermal Bottle

 

Last year, I started a Heat & Sun Awareness Project and launched it on Pinterest.

Cool Cups!  Klean Kanteen's Steel Pints go hiking.

Why? Well, because one of the areas where many of us athletes still struggle is in hydration and sun protection. Dehydration, sun and heat stroke are still deadly killers that needn't be. Your body really can't work at full capacity when it's swimming in concentrated toxins and salts.  Yeech! Signs of dehydration are scant, dark urine, decreased sweating and sallow skin that's lost it's elasticity.  Really, who needs that?

With a few inexpensive precautions, you can maximize your workout while helping your body to stay cool under fire. The new watchword is "stainless steel".  Single use plastic bottles are out.  What's going on now is refill and reuse which is great eco-wise and for the economy. I can't tell you how disgusting it is to see plastic water bottles littering my bicycle route in the morning.  What a waste!  It mars the landscape and costs millions of dollars for municipalities to clean up. Stainless steel drink containers and cups are clean, reusable and a much better choice over disposable plastics.
 

Polar Bottle's NEW Thermaluxe
One of the new tools to combat heat exhaustion and dehydration is Polar Bottle's NEW Thermaluxe Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle.  This is a double walled thermal bottle that keeps drinks hot for 4-5 hours, chilly for 20+ hours. (Tip: Fill your thermal bottle with 1/2 crushed ice on hot days and it will stay icy cold for hours).  What I like about stainless steel is that you can actually boil water in them if you have to. However, where they shine is how they don't hold odors from previous drink contents.

This new Polar Bottle Thermaluxe goes one better by having their Half Twist Lid included. The Half Twist and Go situation means that you don't have to change to a cafe lid for sipping and a loop cap for traveling like the SS Klean Kanteens (which I am also crazy about). There are pros and cons on both sides but just having one lid seems like it would make your life simpler.

So really now is the time to make your upgrades in sports hydration. A water bottle is essential to your workout arsenal and now you can have your cold water and drink it too.

Use a Purificup to refill your Polar Bottle on the fly.

Pure Water
Another essential item I would pair with your thermal drink container is a Purificup.  A Purificup is a completely portable traveling water filtration system. You can take it to the park or outback with you and filter water on the fly.  I've used it to filter water for a whole week of camping in the wilderness as it removes chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria and water borne pathogens like Giardia. 

If you are running, hiking or cycling in your local park, take a Purificup to filter water on the fly at a public water fountain. Heck, you can even filter water from your local lake!  Whatever you choose, be sure to plan ahead so that dehydration and heat stroke does not claim you as its next victim this season. Below are 5 Advantages of Drinking ICY COLD Water in the Morning.  So Chill to get the best results.