Spaghetti Squash Pasta Recipe: A delicious and nutrient-rich alternative to traditional pasta!

Looking to cut down on carbs without sacrificing flavor? Try this spaghetti squash pasta with ground turkey bolognese sauce recipe. This dish tastes just as good as regular pasta but with far less calories and substantially more nutrients. A healthy alternative to traditional pasta! (Makes about 5 servings)

• Heat olive oil up in a skillet and add one chopped shallot. Then add in 1lb lean ground turkey meat and cook meat fully.

• Pour one jar of Newman’s Own Cabernet Marinara sauce into a pot (heat stovetop to medium heat), then stir in one large can of tomato puree. Also chop up 1 to 2 whole, fresh tomatoes and add into the sauce.

• Finely chop 2 garlic gloves and add to sauce. Chop up 4 large, whole mushrooms and add to sauce.

• Also add: 1 tablespoon of organic sugar, 1 teaspoon of rosemary, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper.

• If you like things spicy, you may add one habanero pepper (finely chopped).

Let this simmer for at least 2 hours.

• 45 minutes before you are ready to eat, cut a whole spaghetti squash in half (lengthwise) and scrape out the seeds and pulp. You will get an arm workout cutting the squash! Be careful with the knife here!

• Place the pieces rind up onto a baking sheet with a touch of water on the bottom of the pan (you may also add in a little olive oil or Pam spray to the pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and section out the strands of “pasta” from the squash and into your bowls.

• Top with your sauce. Add freshly chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese on top.

ENJOY!

Cure a headache with running?

We all occasionally get headaches. Some are worse than others, where it’s hard to focus on anything besides the throbbing feeling in your head. I have found that when I have a headache strike, I lace up my sneaks and go for a run and my headache begins to subside. Exercise releases endorphines, which can dull pain. It doesn’t need to be a run to help your headache; any form of exercise can help.
If you are getting frequent headaches, try to determine what is triggering your headache. Headaches are often a result of dehydration, so drink plenty of fluids. I have experienced dehydration-induced headaches after doing hot yoga and from long runs in summer heat, and it is not pretty! Consume sports drinks and water before, during, and after exercises where you are losing large amounts of sweat. ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) experts recommend water losses due to sweating during exercise be replaced at a rate close to or equal to the sweating rate. This can be accomplished by weighing yourself before and after the exercise bout. On average, athletes typically lose anywhere between 17 to 67 fluid ounces of sweat per hour. That equates to roughly 1 to 4 pounds worth of sweat. You should try not to lose anymore than 2% of your body weight due to fluid loss during exercise.

Headaches are also often caused by tension, and are the most common type among adults, sometimes referred to as “stress” headaches. Exercise serves as a highly effective stress management tool and is a great treatment (and preventative) for that pounding headache.

Glucosamine and chondroitin: Do something good for your joints

You may have heard some buzz about glucosamine and chondroitin and how they are beneficial to your joints.  I have been taking glucosamine and chondroitin for over three years now and have been very pleased with it.  It is especially helpful to runners and other high-impact athletes.  All that wear and tear on the joints respond exceedingly well to glucosamine and chondroitin.  Here’s a little background on this supplement duo:

• Glucosamine and chondroitin are part of normal cartilage within your body.
• Cartilage acts as a cushion between the bones in a joint.
• Studies have shown that these supplements may have a protective effect to the cartilage surface and also help to decrease joint pain and swelling; helping to heal damage to the joints and help to prevent worsening of osteoarthritis.
• Thoroughbred racing horses that were given diets supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate had less problems with their joints.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are available in tablet, capsule, powder, or liquid form and are often taken in combination with each other or in combination with other dietary supplements. I am a fan of the triple strength tablets because you only need to take two a day versus the single or double strength versions of three to four tablets daily.  Osteo Bi-Flex is a brand that I use, but have also used CVS’ brand and it’s just as good.

So get back out there and hit the pavement running; the Boston Marathon is right around the corner!

One arm push ups on a medicine ball pack a powerful punch!

This is a variation on your traditional push up that we are a HUGE fan of. There are so many ways to utilize medicine balls in your workouts and the one-armed push up is another great method.

Push ups with one hand on a medicine ball work your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s also a great core exercise.

• Get into a pushup position, but place one hand on a medicine ball instead of the floor.
• Keep your core tight and controlled.
• Your body should form a straight line (think plank here).
• Lower your body as close to the floor as you can.
• Pause at the bottom, and then push yourself back to the starting position quickly (press your hand into the ball)
• Do 10-12 push ups with your right hand on the ball then switch the ball to your left hand and do 10-12 on that side. Complete 3 sets.

*A modification for this exercise is to lower to the knees.

Feel the burn!