Nutrition

Lentils, ladies. They don't get enough street cred. One cup of 'em cooked delivers 16 grams of appetite-curbing fiber and 18 grams of protein, plus adds up to a (measly) 220 calories with virtually no fat. Lentils also cook up quicker than other legumes and easily absorb the flavors of other dishes including soups, veggie burgers, spicy curries and refreshing summer salads. Lentils come in a rainbow of colors, but I'm personally a big fan of the red ones since they cook in about 15 minutes flat -- no soaking necessary! Learn to love lentils with these tasty recipes.

Ready to show a little leg this summer? We sure are. No, really, we've been doing lunges all winter long, people -- it's time for the big pay-off!

The importance of vitamin D for bone health is now well-recognized, and the epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency is thought to contribute to a wide range of medical conditions including cancers, mood disorders, autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease and more.1 As such, vitamin D sufficiency (25(OH)D greater than 30 ng/ml) is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes.2,3 In addition to bone, vitamin D receptors are present in almost all cells of the body, including muscle cells. Vitamin D’s primary function is the regulation of calcium transport and metabolism – since calcium transport is an integral part of muscle contraction and relaxation, vitamin D is extremely important for proper muscle function. There is also evidence that achieving vitamin D sufficiency may help to increase muscle mass. In the early 20th century, observations led athletes and trainers to believe that sunlight exposure could enhance athletic performance. Athletic performance has been reported to vary seasonally, peaking in the summer; positive effects of UVB exposure on athletic performance were reported as early as the 1930s. There is now speculation that improved vitamin D status is the reason for these findings.4,5 Previous studies have shown that vitamin D status correlates with muscle function in the elderly, and that vitamin D supplementation improves muscle strength in elderly and/or deficient populations.6-9 New research is beginning to extend these findings to physical performance in athletes. Since there is a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency overall, and vitamin d is crucial for bone and muscle function, does vitamin D status affect injury rates or performance in athletes? Two recent studies on professional ballet dancers suggest that it does. Indoor athletes are likely to have insufficient vitamin D levels.5,10 The first study showed that this was true of ballet dancers in a UK company; on average, their vitamin D status was insufficient (11 The follow-up study provided vitamin D3 supplements (2000 IU/day) to some of the dancers during the winter, and investigated muscle function and injury rates. In the vitamin D group, there were increases in isometric strength and vertical jump height, plus significantly fewer injuries compared to the control group.12 This is consistent with a previous study of UK athletes, which compared 5000 IU vitamin D for 8 weeks to placebo. The researchers saw increases in sprint times and vertical jump height in the vitamin D group, but not in the placebo group.13 These results suggest that vitamin D’s beneficial effects on bone and muscle physiology can translate into enhanced athletic performance. Achieving sufficient blood vitamin D levels (25(OH)D of 30-45 ng/ml) is crucial for the health of the entire body, not just for preventing osteoporosis. Image credit: Flickr - shannonkringen References: 1. Holick MF, Chen TC: Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87:1080S-1086S. 2. Melamed ML, Michos ED, Post W, et al: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and the Risk of Mortality in the General Population. Arch Intern Med 2008;168:1629-1637. 3. Zittermann A, Iodice S, Pilz S, et al: Vitamin D deficiency and mortality risk in the general population: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:91-100. 4. Hamilton B: Vitamin d and athletic performance: the potential role of muscle. Asian J Sports Med 2011;2:211-219. 5. Cannell JJ, Hollis BW, Sorenson MB, et al: Athletic performance and vitamin D. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009;41:1102-1110. 6. Glerup H, Mikkelsen K, Poulsen L, et al: Hypovitaminosis D myopathy without biochemical signs of osteomalacic bone involvement. Calcif Tissue Int 2000;66:419-424. 7. Sato Y, Iwamoto J, Kanoko T, et al: Low-dose vitamin D prevents muscular atrophy and reduces falls and hip fractures in women after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

It is SO insanely fun to write CELEBSpiration stories for SELF -- especially when I get to talk to the amazing hair and makeup artists who create looks we love on the stars we adore most. (Or, in the July issue's case, the musicians we love the most!) You know what else is super fun? Testing the looks. Duh! And then having my friends test the look! So, I, along with the gorgeous JD and Rachel from SELF's web team, gave each style from this month's Rocker Hair and Makeup story a try so we could give you the behind-the-scenes scoop on each look.

If you don't get as much sleep as you should during the week (and let's face it, many of us don't), here's a tip: Sleeping in on weekends may reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented today at the Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting.

Exhibits, above. You're exposed. So reserve the skin show for evening. Then use our tricks and perfect that over-the-shoulder head sweep. The Look: If you're going strappy, pick a dress length that hits below the knee -- shorter is too much skin. More covered up on top (for instance, long sleeves) lets you pull off a higher hemline. If you have perky B-cups or smaller, you can get away without a bra. If your boobs are bigger, you'll need a boost from a good strapless, backless adhesive bra. (We like NuBra.)

So are you ready to try a tri? These marathon races (no, seriously) involve running, biking and swimming and a lot of guts and glory for the competitors. Sounds pretty friggin' awesome, right?

Nothing's perfect, right? That includes things that are good for you, like superfoods. I've written a few articles (and even a book) on superfoods; mostly glowing accounts of their nutritional ...Read Full Post

A new government report shows that fewer adults in the U.S are smoking. Last year, about 18 percent of adults participating in a national survey described themselves as current smokers. [ABC News] Your official no-excuses-allowed workout: Here's a five-minute couch routine you can perform during the next commercial break. [POPSUGAR Fitness]

  Download Episode Here   Topics: [8:09] Gluten Free Beer From Barley [14:40] Mind Altering Paleo Options [17:43] Lipolysis And Muscle Hypertrophy [21:48] Fats Post Workout [33:21] Catching Up Chest In Workouts [45:26] Cheat Days For Getting Ripped [1:04:48] Detoxification   Questions: 1. Gluten Free Beer Brewed With Barley. Anna Read more...