Which Salt is Best – Himalayan Pink, Celtic Sea, Iodized?

by DebbieJ MS RDN | Jul 10, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

Hi! I have read various articles about healthy salt. Some say Himalayan Pink Salt and another article talks about Celtic sea salt. I know it’s important to get iodine in our diet. Which salt is best?

– Mary F.

Answer:

Besides the sodium-chloride compound we know as the base of our table salt, natural salts of the earth contain other elements and possibly some contaminants. In the case of Himalayan pink salt which is harvested from mountains in Pakistan and sun-dried, the mineral content varies by mine since the salt range is so expansive. Iron oxide is evident in the characteristic pink color, while potassium, magnesium and calcium are imperceptible. The content of these trace minerals is so low that it would take cups, if not pounds, of Himalayan salt to make a nutritional impact.

Similar to sea salt procured elsewhere around the globe, Celtic sea salt harvested in seaside fields contains minerals, sediment, and algae that affect its color and taste. It is sun-dried in solar evaporation ponds and contains small amounts of magnesium, potassium, calcium, and to a lesser extent, iodine. Contaminants like microplastics and heavy metals are possible, as there is global ocean pollution and open water circulates.

Granulated table salt is refined to remove such impurities, but other trace minerals are lost and chemical traces remain. Ferrocyanide, talc, and silica aluminate are commonly included in its processing. The addition of potassium-iodide to salt in the United States began as a public strategy for treating goiter and continued as a prevention, much like our fortification of folate in cereals for neural tube defects during pregnancy. About 70% of the table salts sold in the US are iodized and contain additional stabilizers.

Other notable food-grade salts include Kosher salt coarse grains usually processed without iodine, fleur del sel flakes collected from the top of seawater salt ponds, sel gris salt crystals from the bottom of those evaporated ponds, rock salt mined through brining, and those mixed with earthen compounds (such as kala namak, Hawaiian ‘alaea’, and black lava salt).

The best salt for you depends on your concern. If you need to limit sodium intake but want to use a naturally sourced salt, then consider a coarse or “rough” granule of any raw type as there is less packing of salt crystals in a measured volume. If your concern is getting enough iodine, then you can choose a Celtic sea salt and eat sea vegetables, potatoes, cranberries, strawberries, yogurt, navy beans, eggs and salmon for additional iodine.

Of course, if you rarely salt your food or only use small amounts like ¼ teaspoon in baking, the health difference is probably negligible and iodized table salt will work.

– Debbie J., MS, RD

This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.

Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Ask our Dietitian

Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!

Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!

Member Spotlight | Healthy Is a Way of Life

by Candice Currie | Jul 9, 2018 | All, Home, Member Stories

Janelle G. of Gresham, OR struggled with weight her entire life. She would make excuses of being big boned or having a poor metabolism as her reason for being overweight, but that was not the case. It wasn’t that Janelle was inactive – in fact, she was athletic for most of her life. Although her weight frustrated her, it never really became an issue until later in life. In 2015, Janelle’s blood pressure was borderline for needing to take medications. She found herself struggling to get an airplane seatbelt on. She recalls a time when a flight attendant offered her a seatbelt extension before she had even tried putting her belt on. It was at that point she knew enough was enough, and she wanted to do something about it.

[Kimberly] inspires me by her knowledge, experience, and her support of my success. I always look forward to our sessions – not just because they benefit my body, but my mind and soul too. She continues to build my confidence and gives me the encouragement I need to keep going, even when life throws a few curveballs at you.

Janelle G.

Pro Results® Client

Like many others, Janelle made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight. In February 2016, she joined a local LA Fitness and began seeing Pro Results® Master Trainer, Kimberly D. One of the main things Janelle learned was that she had to make working out a part of her routine. She began working out 5 to 6 times a week, always in the morning because it helped start her day on the right foot. Aside from working out, Janelle began thinking about food differently. She began to understand that in order to obtain the results she wanted, fitness and nutrition went hand-in-hand.

Left: April 2015 | Right: November 2017

Two Years Later

After having first walked through the doors of LA Fitness two years ago, Janelle is down 65 lbs. and she’s keeping it off! She’s happy that now when she puts an airplane seatbelt on, she actually has to cinch it up a bit. While she has had great progress, she knows that her journey continues. Working out and staying healthy is part of her life now.

A Bit of Advice

“You have to make working out part of your daily routine. It truly has to be part of your life and your schedule, and you have to make time for it in order to achieve and maintain long term results.” – Janelle G., Pro Results® Client

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Which Rice is Most Nutritious?

by DebbieJ MS RDN | Jul 5, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

Which rice do you think is the best for all around nutrition, whether you are trying to gain mass or lose weight?

– Allen C.

Answer:

A particular food’s nutritional value can be interpreted many ways. What you consider to be most nutritious might be the most nutrient dense, highest calorie or healthiest (preventing disease) food. With respect to your question regarding weight change, a single food item plays a small part in an overall varied diet.

See our answer to a similar question last year: Brown Rice vs. White Rice – Which is Healthier? | Q+A

There are nearly 40,000 varieties of rice! My top picks for packing a nutrition punch are wild rice, brown rice, red rice and black rice. Their nutrient and phytochemical content varies as does their speed/completeness of digestion. Method of preparation can affect the starch breakdown and glycemic index, which play a role in satiety and therefore caloric intake. The less processed the better – I’d take fresh cooked white rice over a can of wild rice soup any day. Organically grown rice is less likely to have arsenic and would, therefore, be healthier, though it won’t affect weight directly.

Keep in mind the likelihood of cooking & incorporating these rice types into your preferred dishes and your willingness to try new recipes. If you don’t end up eating it, there is zero nutrition.

– Debbie J., MS, RD

Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Ask our Dietitian

Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!

Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!

Italian Eating Made Healthy

by Candice Currie | Jul 4, 2018 | All, Home, Nutrition, Recipes

Photo credit: Katherine Parske

If you think Italian cooking is only carb and calorie loaded, think again. We spoke with Chris Disney, Director of Operations for Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen and learned a thing or two about how healthy eating doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor or enjoyment of your meal. Check out the QA with Chris below and then make Picazzo’s delicious Chocolate Avocado Mousse recipe for dessert tonight!

Q: Italian food is known for being very carb-heavy. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, a lot of our readers are looking for ways to work on their nutrition to become their best healthy (and fit) selves – what makes the food at Picazzo’s so healthy?

Chris Disney: Healthy is such a broad term- for some of our guests, it means a gluten-free diet, while for others it means following a vegan diet or just eating “clean” foods. For us, it is offering something for each specific diet where our guests can be confident knowing that they are not filling their bodies with hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, genetically modified organisms or artificial preservatives. We have many guests that have food allergies, digestive problems, cancers, diabetes and many other struggles or have made conscious decisions to live a vegan lifestyle and we offer these individuals a dining experience with choices that fit their specific needs. For example, we offer 99% of our menu gluten-free, while offering a completely separate vegan menu that has over 40 different menu items available.

Q: What are some of your favorite ingredients to work with? Why those?

CD: I actually like root vegetables a lot. They are so versatile; they can be braised, roasted, grilled or baked. They can be served hot or cold and they hold up very well. Right now our menu has an herb-roasted sweet potato that is great and we are also adding golden beets into the mix very soon. I also really like using fresh herbs- cilantro, rosemary, thyme, basil- they all have such flavor and aroma and bring a freshness to any recipe.

Q: On your website, you define what a “healthitarian” is, would you mind sharing with our readers?

CD: We have so many guests with different dietary needs from eating gluten-free to vegan to organic. The one thing they all have in common is that they all focus on their health in one way or another, so we decided to define what that meant and become ambassadors of the movement to live, eat and be healthy. Our definition of what a Healthitarian is, is:

HEALTH • I • TAR • I • AN

/helth-ə-ˈter-ē-ən/

[noun]

A person that enjoys a healthy lifestyle of nourishing the body with health-centric foods and supporting healthy habits.
An advocate for positive health, mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

Q: What are the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15”?

CD: The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 is a produce list that outlines the 12 most pesticide-heavy fruits and vegetables as well as the fruits and vegetables that are considered to be the cleanest. Generally, the items that are more porous and exposed will absorb the most pesticides, while items that have rinds or natural barriers give the flesh protection from absorbing large amounts of pesticides. This guideline is helpful to those who want to avoid conventional produce but may not want to pay a higher premium or cannot obtain 100% organic items.

Q: How does balancing a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle impact your way of life?

CD: Balancing a healthy diet and lifestyle is important for me since I am always on the go. I oversee 5 restaurants and my wife and I have three young kids that are 5, 3 and 8 months old so it becomes difficult to sit down and eat a healthy prepared meal, especially on a regular schedule, for all meal periods. In the restaurants, you are constantly taste-testing your product and don’t realize how much grazing you do in just quality checks. I have to be conscious and plan ahead about my choices to avoid the “auto-pilot” of eating whatever is convenient and instead, plan on having healthier snacks available like a banana, granola, yogurt or simply grape tomatoes. It is the same way with physical activity- it has to be planned and prioritized for it to happen.

Photography by: Katherine Parske

Picazzo’s is located at the following locations:

Picazzo's

Picazzo's - Location #2

Picazzo's - Location #3

Picazzo's - Location #4

Picazzo's - Location #5

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Photo credit: Grace Stufkosky

Ingredients

2 Very Ripe Avocados, Peeled & Pitted
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup Agave
1/2 Tbs Vanilla Extract
1/8 Tsp Salt
3 Tbs Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Tbs Water

Method

Step 1: Blend all ingredients in a food processor (or traditional/immersion blenders will work too) until a smooth and creamy texture is present.

Step 2: Enjoy.

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Train for a Triathlon at LA Fitness

by Candice Currie | Jul 3, 2018 | All, Fitness, Home

The Basics of Triathlon Training

A triathlon is an athletic contest that challenges its competitors in three different events: swimming, cycling, and long-distance running.

There are typically four to five different levels of triathlons that you can choose to compete in.

Level 1: Super Sprint Triathlon (Beginners)

Swim: 500m
Bike: 10km
Run: 2.5km

Level 2: Sprint Triathlon (Beginners)

Swim: 750m
Bike: 20km
Run: 5km

Level 3: Standard Triathlon – Olympic Distance (Intermediate)

Swim: 1.5km
Bike: 40km
Run: 10km

Level 4: Half-Ironman Triathlon (Advanced)

Swim: 1.9km
Bike: 90km
Run: 21.9km

Level 5: Ironman Triathlon (Advanced)

Swim: 3.9km
Bike: 180km
Run: 42km (marathon)

Source: Cycling Weekly

What to Bring to a Triathlon

Tri suit*
Triathlon designed wetsuit for anything Olympic length and longer. Sprints are usually reverse so swimming is last and short so no wetsuit needed. Tri suits are nice because you don’t have to change clothes from swim to run but Tri shorts and a tank top works great too. Wetsuits are for warmth but more so for buoyancy to keep your legs on the surface of the water. It really helps a lot, especially in ocean swims. Surf wetsuits are not preferred since they are cut differently and it’s hard to swim in them. (Suggestion provided by Tom G., competitive triathlete and LA Fitness member.)
*If you’re not competing in a tri suit, make sure to bring proper clothing for each event (i.e. wetsuit, cycling shorts, and top.)
Swim Cap
Swim goggles
Bike helmet
Bike (road bike preferred but any bike with street tires)
Tire repair kit
Cycling shoes
Socks
Hat (optional)
Sunglasses (optional)
Bag(s) for dry/wet clothing
Fitness tracking device (optional)
Water bottle
Pre/post-race nutrition
Towel(s)
Confidence ?

Triathlon Training Requirements

A triathlon training schedule is going to vary based on current fitness level, age, gender, and the level of triathlon you plan on competing in.

Taken from the Triathlon Training for Dummies Cheat Sheet, they recommend:

Sprint/Super Sprint

2 to 4 hrs./week
12 weeks before event

Olympic

4 to 6 hrs./week
16 weeks before event

Half Ironman

4 to 10 hrs./week
24 weeks before event

Ironman

5 to 15 hrs./week
30 weeks before event

Of course, this is only a suggested guide. Everyone may need to adjust their fitness routine accordingly.

Triathlon Training with a Certified Personal Trainer

If you find yourself struggling with swimming, biking or running, consider investing in a certified personal trainer who can help create a personalized training schedule for you to successfully reach your goals.

It’s an additional way to help you stay accountable during your training, further establish your goals, and measure and track your progress leading up to the big day!

Tip: Know the terrain well before race day and share this information with your trainer. It can greatly impact the intensity and style of training you’ll need for optimal success.

Triathlon Training at LA Fitness

Any time is a good time to start training at LA Fitness, but it’s a great time if you’re training for a big event. With state-of-the-art equipment, a Junior Olympic size pool*, and plenty of cycle bikes, it’s a great place to put in the work needed leading up to the big day.

If you’re looking for an upcoming triathlon to try, consider the Time to Tri Indoor triathlon series at www.mytimetotri.com/indoorseries.

The Time to Tri Indoor Triathlon Series features a 10-minute pool swim, 30-minute stationary bike, and 20-minute treadmill run. Choose from one of five LA Fitness locations in the Tempe/Tucson area July 15 or July 22.

Triathlon Training Nutrition and Diet

The basic concept is to eat for training as you would an actual competition. This enables you to test out which foods, beverages and meals work best with your body for your specific race distance. Competing on a full stomach is uncomfortable, doesn’t allow the best digestion, and can impair performance so you’ll want to be sure and have a higher carbohydrate meal 3-4 hours prior to a full training session with all three sports. This meal should contain a moderate amount of protein (~30 grams) and a low amount of fat, followed by about 2 cups of water. Races are usually first thing in the morning making this timing impractical, so load up on carbohydrates the night before and practice early mornings while following the below.

About an hour prior to the event, eat a snack with around 30-60 grams of carbohydrates and about 10 grams of protein, again lower fat and with a cup of water. Consumption of this snack is critical as there is no intake during the first swim leg and fueling during the bike and run legs will likely be limited to sports drinks. The goal is to create a constant supply of blood glucose throughout the triathlon. Hydration for thermoregulation is critical, so drink ½ – 1 cup of a lightly salted solution of 5-8% carbohydrate (10-20 g CHO and ~110 mg Na⁺ per cup) every 15 – 20 minutes during competition and training. Everyone’s body is unique and gut tolerance varies, so find your ideal foods and volume to ensure peak performance.

Response above provided by LA Fitness registered dietitian, Debbie James, RDN.

Events

Sunday, July 15 at 7:30 a.m.:

Tempe
Queen Creek
Tucson North

Sunday, July 22 at 7:30 a.m.:

Camelback @ I-51 (Phoenix)
Oro Valley

It’s your time to try a triathlon! For more information and to register, visit mytimetotri.com/indoorseries. LA Fitness members save $10 on registration.

For a more comprehensive look into everything you’ll need to know before your big day, check out this all-inclusive article published by the New York Times on triathlons.

All guests using club facilities must be 18 years of age or older, show I.D., and sign a waiver of liability prior to admission. Advertised events are subject to change. ©2018 Fitness International, LLC. All rights reserved.

* Amenities may vary by location and some may require an additional fee. Access based on membership type.

References:

Question:

Answer:

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