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IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
Strong Women, Strong Hearts released May 5th
Nelson on the Today Show
Upcoming Talks
Stonyfield Farm StrongWomen Summit
StrongWomen in the French Alps
Nelson receives awards
Reader Questions and Answers
-- When will I see results?
-- Can I strength train with high blood pressure?
From the Mailbox – Success Story
Recipe – Chunky Vegetable Paella
STRONG WOMEN, STRONG HEARTS For years I have been telling women the world over that the way to maintain health and vigor is to keep their muscles strong. The one muscle I haven’t addressed directly in a book is the heart muscle. Yet every single year, more women die of heart disease in the U.S. than men. There are also eight million women living with heart disease, and therefore living a compromised life. To help reverse the trend, I have teamed up with world- renowned heart disease researcher Dr. Alice Lichtenstein to write “Strong Women, Strong Hearts.” A colleague of mine at Tufts, she heads the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory there and has also been the principal investigator on numerous heart disease studies funded by the National Institutes of Heath and the American Heart Association. A woman dies from heart disease every single minute in the U.S. alone. “Strong Women, Strong Hearts” was written so that you do not end up contributing to that grim statistic. The book has sections on how to assess your heart disease risk, how to eat right and exercise to keep your heart in the best shape possible, how to lose weight, if necessary, and how to navigate the medical world so you get proper treatment. Women’s heart-related complaints are often downplayed or ignored by the medical community – until it’s too late. Alice and I also explain how to tend to your emotional health, which has a significant impact on heart health. I am thrilled to have written this book with Alice and know that it will help women around the world to take charge of their heart health. Lifting women to better health, Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D. Strong Women, Strong Hearts” will be available in bookstores on May 5th. You can also order from this link.
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NATIONAL BOOK TOUR INCLUDING THE TODAY SHOW Starting May 5th I will be going on a national book tour to promote “Strong Women, Strong Hearts.” One of my first interviews is tentatively set for Friday morning, May 13th on the Today Show (NBC).
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UPCOMING TALKS WITH THE BOOK TOUR Conference: Informed Women, Healthy Women,
UMass Medical Women's Center
Title of Talk: Strong Women Stay Young
Date: Saturday, May 7, 2005
Location: Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, Marlborough, MA Contact: 508-334-5165
Conference: Friends’ Health Connection
Title of talk: Strong Women, Strong Hearts
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Location: Holiday Inn of Cherry Hill, NJ Contact: 800-483-7436
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STONYFIELD FARM STRONGWOMEN SUMMIT Please join me and many other wonderful women at the June Stonyfield Farm “StrongWomen Have Heart” Summit. The summit has an outstanding cast of speakers. Dr. Nancy Snyderman, Loretta LaRoche, Dr. Christine Economos and many more national experts will be speaking at the event. Our mission is to celebrate, educate and motivate women to believe that positive thinking and activism begins with health, good nutrition, exercise and attitude. Seminars will explore new ways to create balance and reduce stress, while juggling all aspects of a modern woman’s life. This is the third year that we have held these Summits, and they continue to get better and better. This Summit is being presented by Stonyfield Farm, country's largest manufacturer of organic yogurt, in partnership with LLuminari. Please come with your sister, mother, or best friend. I hope to see you there! Date: June 24 – 26, 2005 Location: Doral Forrestal Conference Center & Spa Princeton, NJ How to register: http://www.strongwomen.com/summit/ Or call: 800-947-1103
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STRONGWOMEN MOUNTAIN GETAWAY IN FRANCE Yes you read that correctly! Each year my colleague, Dr. Christina Economos, and I lead a very small group of women for a week in the French alps. This is a once in a lifetime trip that we organize with the able support of the Tufts European Center. We go rock-climbing, glacier walking, paragliding, cycling, and swimming around the stunning Lake Annecy and Chamonix areas of France. Our hikes feature fabulous picnics of market fresh fruits and vegetables, oven baked bread and local cheeses, as well as plenty of French chocolate! In the evenings we dine at delicious local restaurants. Women last year called this week “life altering!” Date: August 6 through 13 Location: Tufts European Center, Talloires, France For more information visit our website: www.go.tufts.edu/alps Or email us at: strongwomen@tufts.edu Space is very limited; moderate fitness level or above us suggested
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DR. NELSON RECEIVES TWO AWARDS The American Diabetes Association will award Dr. Nelson as a “Woman of Valor” on May 5th for her pioneering work to empower women through good nutrition and physical activity. Dr. Nelson will be among three outstanding women to receive this award. The other two women are Eileen Naughton, President of Time Magazine, and Dr. Christina Economos, also from Tufts University. On May 17th Dr. Nelson will be receiving an award from Women’s eNews. She will be honored as one of the “21 Leaders for the21st Century.” Tickets are still available for this event at: www.womensenews.com.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Be sure to check out the other questions posed to Miriam Nelson, PhD and Rebecca Seguin, MS, CSCS at: http://strongwomen.com/faqs/faqs_001.stm
Q: I would like to know how long it takes before you see an increase in bone density and muscle mass when doing the StrongWomen program? Also, when does the 15% increase in metabolism occur?
A: You can expect to see increases in muscle by the end of the first twelve weeks of a progressive strength-training program (the key is progressive -- you must be gradually increasing the amount of weight). Bone is a little more stubborn and therefore slower to respond. While some research suggests less time, one year is a reasonable expectation for bone response, but it is important to remember this is highly variable from one person to the next. The metabolic increase is directly related to the increase in muscle mass, so it is dependent on the program's intensity and each individual’s response. It is reasonable to expect a metabolic boost around the same time as the increase in muscle (around the twelve week mark), but keep in mind that the actual increase in metabolism is quite variable.
Q: I am concerned about doing exercises with the arms above the head, as in the overhead press, because of high blood pressure, as well as bending over to do the hamstring and calf stretch. What would you advise?
A: This is a great question, and one that many people have asked. First, it is important to know that no one with an unstable medical condition should be participating in strength training -- or any new physical activity. Second, it is essential that you have your physician’s approval to begin strength training or any new physical activity program. Provided your blood pressure is under control and you have physician approval, there is no problem with you strength training. The most important thing to remember is to never hold your breath. Remember to breath continually throughout all activity, and especially with strength training because some people have a tendency to hold their breath when lifting weights. Keep in mind that something like shoveling snow will cause the heart to work just as hard - if not harder than traditional exercise (i.e. jogging or strength training). If your blood pressure is stabilized with medication and/or diet, you do not need to modify your strength training program. There is no evidence that lifting weights above your head or doing these stretches will influence blood pressure negatively.
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FROM THE MAILBOX: SUCCESS STORIES FROM INSPIRING WOMEN
One StrongWomen Program Leader writes from Kansas:
“We are still lifting weights here. We continue to have about 20 in two classes and about 10 in the after school one. We have added some new people and those that are coming are pleased with the results. One of our regulars is wife to a county commissioner. When we made a presentation to them last week he mentioned that she is stronger than him, can get up and down off the couch better then he and he thinks he needs to start coming. I have toyed with the idea of starting one for senior men. I wanted to tell you about one of our staff members, Jodi, and her 8-month-old darling baby girl, Madeline. Jodi usually leads the 5:30pm class and Maddie comes with her. Maddie is crawling now and is the entertainment for the class. It is like Maddie has 20 other grandmothers. They love Maddie and Jodi both. One of the ladies made lavender leg weights for Maddie. They are made out of fabric and fleece and attach with Velcro. What a lot of fun we have had with this!” -- Jean (for more information about our StrongWomen Programs around the country, go to: www.go.tufts.edu/strongwomen)
“As spring arrives and winter is fast melting away I feel compelled to write to you to say thank you for the inspiration you gave to me to start a workout program. Last fall I signed up with a personal trainer to do weights, aerobics, and stretching three times a week, for an hour each session. It was instant gratification! I started the ski season with a bang. I am seventy-seven years old, I bushwack every day on my outback cross-country skis, making my own trails up and down the mountain behind my house and I have had the best winter of skiing yet! I could not have done it without the workouts, which I am doing now in my own home! Thank you. Bring on Spring! I will dust off my old bike!” -- Sally
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Chunky Vegetable Paella Serves 6
This paella recipe will please vegetarians and meat-eaters alike! It can be served as a vegetarian main course with a mixed green salad and crusty bread. Or serve as a side dish with grilled, skewered shrimp or chicken.
(For other deliciously nutritious recipes, be sure to go to http://strongwomen.com/recipes/recipes.htm)
8-10 strands Saffron
1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 tsp. salt
6 T. olive oil
1 large onion sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium yellow pepper, sliced in 1” pieces
1 medium red pepper, sliced in 1” pieces
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/4 c. Arborio rice
3 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb. tomatoes, fresh, chopped
pinch ground black pepper
6 oz. mushrooms, fresh, cut into chunks
15 oz. garbanzo beans (chickpeas), with liquid
Steep saffron in 3 T. hot water. Sprinkle eggplant with salt, leave to drain in colander for 30 minutes, then rinse and dry.
In a large pan, heat olive oil and sauté garlic, onions, peppers and eggplant for about 5 minutes. Add paprika and stir.
Mix in rice then add stock, tomatoes, saffron and black pepper. Bring to a boil; simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in mushrooms and garbanzo beans. Simmer 15 minutes more until liquid is absorbed. Stir as needed.
Nutrition information per serving (1 ½ cup): 360 calories, 11.8 g total fat (1.8 g saturated fat), 55 g carbohydrate, 7.7 g protein, 7.2 g fiber Portions: 2 Grain, 1 Protein, 2 Vegetable, 1 Extra
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