DAY 2 waking up in BK

ummmmm the not so late night turned into 2am.......waking up at 730 was OH SO SWEET

ryan and i stumble to the train

the mission has begun

breakfast and a much needed combo of coffee and WIFI

i leave him on the train in union square to begin my search

arriving in midtown

greek diners of how i've missed you

after my meal i headed to Mid city gym

to meet with Vinny, the owner, about offering them my nutritional services and to work with myself and the DKN-USA(.com) family

this is all part of my plan to become the jet setter that i was born to be!

it turns out

my bud/dad at Gold's Gym Lou Ferrigno is a fan

as well as Monica Brant

who is also a part of the Venice Nutrition family

small world!

The lunch and learn that i have scheduled for 2pm is rapidly approaching.

jump in a cab forgetting i am in NYC traveling from mid town to the lower east side

thinking i will be there in 10 mins it takes 40 NIIICE

i ask the cab driver, "we are pretty close right?"

he says with a snicker,"nnnnao"

what he meant to say was, "you are a dope"

the hostess of my meeting is the lovely Laurel Hunt

owner of LES Dance Academy

www.LESdanceacademy.com

we grew up together and were like batman & robin

so great to see her and giggle like we used to

i think we were crying at one point.......not surprised

we had an interesting sunny afternoon

there is never a dull moment in this city!

I MEAN REALLLLLY

you've got to be kidding me

sitting by the open gated entrance

of a random parking lot on the LES

there may have been a few more tears shed

then again another block up the road i was reminded

there are things more important than

Lamborghini (i think)

maybe just the wheels part

she just so happens to live next to Coat of Arms!

not only did they have a sneaker sale going on

BUT, they had art work that SOMEONE I KNOW could blow out of the water....

another connection made!

LOVE IT

will have to go back to get some info for mr simon lee!

if you havent already seen it check it

web.mac.com/mrsilee/art_by_si/intro..html

here is one.....tito

should be pretty hot at the moment

the evening continued with dinner at SALT

and rinks at St James

FUN FUN FUN....and i got a NEMO out of it!

THANKS LAUREL

leaving shortly after midnight, we had the most difficult time i have EVER experienced to get a damn cab from the LES to BROOKLYN.....we were practically standing on the bridge!

3 cabs stopped that "didnt know brooklyn"

the third one didnt tell us until we were in brooklyn......and then laughed at US for not knowing where we were going!

we stopped for directions after several failed attempts

and pulled up alongside ryan's building

how is it that the cab has a brand new credit card machine in the back

and NO GP friggin S in the front?

people never fail to blow my mind

until next time.....

signing off

-eyes bulging in a coffee shop in manhattan

over and out

if you were legally allowed to tamper with your cab driver that would have been a tremendous opportunity for it

DAY 1 NYC

keepin ya updated on my journey and daily exeriences on the east coast

last night i boarded a plane to jfk

with screaming children in my ear and a smelly smelly teenage boy on my left we were off

during the 4.5 hour flight i was served, drum roll please....FREE salted peanuts

(not so good for blood sugar or water retention)

since i could't sleep because of the operatic child behind me

i decided to dig into my unnecessarily heavy carry on and attempt to get some work done

about and hour into it i started to feel my butt fall asleep which was prefered to the

extreme painful & very consistent pain in my right hamstring that was to follow

only 3 more hours to go!

SOMEHOW

during the flight i became the translator between the Japanese boy & "flight attendant"

thankfully i got a kick out of her frustration (mean i know)

of not understanding the fact that he DIDNT SPEAK ENGLISH

through all of that i got all the work done that i had brought with me!

that NEVER happens

anyway i made it.....and eventually unfolded myself, popped my hips and high fived the smelly japanese boy

I HAVE ARRIVED

found my bags rather quickly (also never happens) and made my way to ground transportation

a lovely gentle man names dmitri brown, of d.brownlimousines presented himself

$60 plus toll and tip to union square SOLD

with my bag in tow we exited the airport

wind blowing and a chill in the air i was ready,

ready for anything

(brass knuckles in hand)

the precoursor to the car was

"i just dropped off a large family upstairs,

so i have the limo tonight"

(also never happens...upgrade?)

dont know if he meant numerous people or never mind

my response....

"i'm not gonna argue with that!?"

THEN we rounded the corner

not ONLY was it a limo

but a WHITE STRETCH LIMO

i think i peed a little

chuckling away i apologized and explained

i am a avid blogger and NEED to document this

he offered to take a picture of me in front of the "situation at hand"

......and i told him i just wasnt that kinda girl.

while my ghetto iphone was cutting in and out i came to the conclusion that i would stop by Comix to see an old friend, WHILE waiting for Ryan, BEFORE we head out for a drink.....

i yelled the address to the front of the limo, and he responded on the loud speaker

so apparently he had been listening to my phone convos

and i just yelled in his ear

ry strolls in after the bar closes

we have an after hours drink

& we are ready to roll

EARLY NIGHT PLEASE

WE BOTH HAVE TO BE UP IN THE MORNING

(its already after 12)

Karibi, my bud and Comix GM

brings us to RDV around the corner

a party in the meat packing district

good scene, great music, fun crowd...we felt right at home

only ONE drunken girl dancing/swaying sans shoes

He introduces us to Silent Dan

kirillwashere.com

took some pics, drank some tequila

called it a night around 2am

AS WE SHARED A CAB OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

I NOTICED AN ADVERT FOR SKIN FRUIT

WHAT EXACTLY DOES SKIN FRUIT ENTAIL......

SOMEONE SHOULD TELL THEM THEY SPELLED IT WRONG

IT'S F*L*U*T*E

AS IT TURNS OUT IT IS A NEW EXHIBIT

Athens-based Dakis Joannou Collection, renowned as one of the leading collections of contemporary art in the world.

MY BAD

MIGHT HAVE TO SCOPE WHILE IN TOWN

AND SO ENDS MY GLORIOUS FIRST 4 HOURS IN NYC

STAY TUNED DAY 2 WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE

AND I AM SURE THIS EVENING WILL BE A HOOT

READ ALL ABOUT IT TOMORROW

it's all about the TIMING

"you live you learn", thanks Alanis

from my experience you have to continue on your journey with open arms and an open heart

even though we have battles tough times, respect those times for making us stronger

making our eyes open a little wider

and creating that much more appreciation for what does fit with ease

TIMING......it is what we are all waiting for

what we have all experienced....perfect TIMING

with each aspect of your life there will be that ah ha moment when things fall into place

if you are lucky, it will reoccur, maybe even regularly

it could be karmic (but that is a whole other blog entry)

be open to change

accept new possibilities

appreciate the good the bad and the indifferent

love when it makes you feel good

and f*$%ing LAUGH......at yourself most importantly

keep that healthy hum flowing throughout your body

peace be with you :)

LIVE MUSIC

Great night, old friends and goood tunage.........

www.dellavallemusic.com/

I grew up with the Della Valle Family

Seeing Jay through a few different types of bands,

music and defiantly girlfriends!

All of that is compiled into his current performance

Great show last night JAY!

Thanks to Main on Main for having us

my new favorite is "SOMETHING JUST AINT RIGHT"

thanks for playing my request of "Montreal"

all his music is available on iTunes

DOWNLOAD DELLA VALLE TODAY!

looking forward to seeing the rest of your family

this weekend on the east coast

xoxox

antioxidents

Defends us from of FREE RADICALS

Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

Natural antioxidant foods are fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, nuts and seeds. The best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidants is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables through a diet consisting of 5 to 8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Best Sources of High Antioxidants Foods

1. Fruits
   Berries (Cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, crowberry, blueberry, bilberry/wild blueberry, black currant), pomegranate, grape, orange, plum, pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapefruit.
2. Vegetables
   Kale, chili pepper, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lemon, ginger, red beets.
3. Dry Fruits high in antioxidants
   Apricots, prunes, dates.
4. Legumes
   Broad beans, pinto beans, soybeans.
5. Nuts and seeds
   Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, ground nut, sunflower seeds.
6. Cereals
   Barley, millet, oats, corn.
7. Spices
   cloves, cinnamon, oregano

Top 20

Rank	Type	Food item	Serving size	Total antioxidant capacity per serving size
1	Beans/Legumes	Red Beans (dried)	Half cup	13727
2	Fruit, Berry	Wild blueberry	1 cup	13427
3	Beans/Legumes	Red kidney beans (dried)	Half cup	13259
4	Beans/Legumes	Pinto beans	Half cup	11864
5	Fruit, Berry	Blueberry	1 cup	9019
6	Fruit, Berry	Cranberry	1 cup (whole)	8983
7	Vegetable	Artichoke (cooked)	1 cup (hearts)	7904
8	Fruit, Berry	Blackberry	1 cup	7701
9	Fruit	Prune	Half cup	7291
10	Fruit, Berry	Raspberry	1 cup	6058
11	Fruit, Bery	Strawberry	1 cup	5938
12	Fruit	Red Delicious apple	One	5900
13	Fruit	Granny Smith apple	One	5381
14	Nut	Pecan	1 ounce	5095
15	Fruit, Bery	Sweet cherry	1 cup	4873
16	Fruit	Black plum	One	4844
17	Vegetable	Russet potato (cooked)	One	4649
18	Beans/Legumes	Black beans (dried)	Half cup	4181
19	Fruit	Plum	One	4118
20	Fruit	Gala apple	One	3903

FREE RADICALS

The nucleus of an atom is surrounded by a cloud of electrons. These electrons surround the nucleus in pairs, but occasionally an atom loses an electron, leaving the atom with an "unpaired" electron. The atom is then called a "free radical", and it is very reactive. When cells in the body encounter a free radical, the reactive radical may cause destruction in the cell. According to the free radical theory of aging, cells continuously produce free radicals, and constant free radical damage eventually kills the cell. When free radicals kill or damage enough cells in an organism, the organism ages. WE DONT WANT TO AGE BEFORE OUR TIME

GET THOSE ANTIOXIDANTS!

song of the day ANIMAL by NEON TREES

http://fameisdead.com/

xenobiotics

xenobiotics:

foreign chemicals found in the body;

when the body absorbs chemicals that are not nutrients;

when normally occurring substances are modified from there naturally molecular structures

Example: drugs such as antibiotics - the body does not produce them, nor are they part of a normal diet.

GOAL IS TO PREVENT xenobiotics form entering our systems

they come from phytoestrogen, pesticides & believe it or not things we willingly ingest

the effects or xenobiotics can be minimized or exacerbated by things such as lectins

lectins:

proteins in foods that are capable of binding to antigens on blood cells

which causes agglutinate or clumping of red blood cells

they can interfere with digestion, cause inflammation

block digestive hormones, impair absorption

and interfere with protein break down

they disrupt your intestinal flora

and NK cells

NK: natural killer cells

those deficient in NK cells prove to be highly susceptible to infection

they have a higher chance of having autoimmune disorders

they defend our bodies when harmful things enter & pose threat

To summarize do your homework, this is something i too am learning about

The importance of organic foods, homeopathic medicine and CLEAN WATER

help it happen

work with your body to create a state of well being

Super FOODS - Eat and be Merry

how many super foods do you eat daily?

let's make a list:

blueberries

strawberries - ALPHASWEETS (last night)

grapes

bananas - ALPHASWEETS (in most of my baking)

mangoes - sometimes ALPHASWEETS

pineapples - sometimes ALPHASWEETS

raisins

mushrooms

avocados - ALPHASWEETS

tomatoes

pumpkin - sometimes ALPHASWEETS

carrots

sweet potatoes

beets

artichokes

spinach

asparagus

brown rice

buckwheat - Santa Monica Farmer's Market PANCAKES!!!!!!

oats - ALPHA SWEETS

soybeans

almonds

cashews

sesames seeds - aids progesterone production

sprouted seeds

sunflower seeds - aids progesterone production

walnuts

peanuts

eggs

yogurt

chicken

oily fish

oils

honey

chocolate

red wine

tea

coffee - sometimes

most of these are eaten daily, though it is good to switch it up I try to get in as many as i can

favs: mushrooms, garlic, avocados, grapes (WINE), beets and artichokes

MUSHROOMS: contain the most protein of any other vegetable. full of B12 (newly researched)

B12: important for maintaining a healthy nervous system and DNA production. Vitamin B12 helps to regulate the formation of red blood cells in the body. Other benefits of vitamin B12 include its role in maintaining and increasing energy levels in the human body.

they support the immune system (why i love them)

the reishi (ray-shee) mushrooms are also known as Ling-Zhi, or plant of immortality.

these little guys pack a lot of punch....it is better not to wash them, just remove the grit and wipe clean with a damp cloth. otherwise you spoil there delicate flesh

GARLIC: bronchitius, asthma, indigestion, gout and even athletes foot. roman used to place garlic between there toes! it has antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. great for heart health and circulation. it will thin your blood so be careful if taking blood thinners such as plavix (simon) and coumadin (dad). i wouldnt recommend eating whole cloves you two. it can also reduce your blood cholesterol levels.

EAT HEALTHY SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE

AVOCADOS: heart, circulation and anti-aging. good for stress or sexual problems (OOH that i did not know), skin protective antioxidants. contain heart protective monoUNsaturated oil neutralizing free radical damage.

GRAPES: ease symptoms of anemia, fatigue, arthritis, gout and rheumatism

Mahatma Gandhi drank grape juice during his marathon fasts

RED WINE: protects against heart disease due to natural antioxidants - phenolic compounds

BEETS: blood builder, anti carcinogens, while increasing cellular uptake of oxygen

i love 'em in a salad with spinach walnuts and a lil bit o'mozzarella cheese, EVO, some fresh ground black pepper and we're rockin and rollin

ARTICHOKES: a NEW addition to my diet. great detoxifier, as a friend of the liver they promote flow of bile & stimulation liver cell regeneration. not bad. i have also heard that they help to treat high blood pressure and ward off heart attacks.....HEAR THAT DAD, GET CHO FILL BOY!

I just came across this picture as i am looking

though shots for my website

while doing a jump squat

how does my form look to you?

i have been having trouble with my right knee for about 6 weeks now

my toes are slightly turned out in this position

this tells me that that my calves are tight

which puts more pressure on my joint

due to the fact the the proper muscles arent firing during this exercise

because of that there are other parts that are working over time

IMBALANCE	WEAK MUSCLES	TIGHT MUSCLES
Feet turned out	Gluteus medius	Soleus
		Hamstring
		Piriformis

repetitive jumping with turned out feet.....

NOT SO GOOD

foam rolling exercises will open up the tighter muscles

and then you can concentrate on the weak muscles to make sure they fire

once this problem is corrected THEN go back to jump squats

and magically your knee wont hurt! (my knee, who evers knee)

take a pic or a video of yourself working out

you will be surprised what you miss when you are looking at yourself in the mirror

bring it to me, we can look it over together

come up with a plan create proper movement patterns

and get rid of those aches and pains

through diet and functional movement

xoxox

head sHOulDeRS kNees & ToEs

head - Skin & Hair Care Products that use KAKADU PLUM - the highest contense of Vit C in a plant

The Kakadu Plum contains phytochemicals such as gallic and ellagic acids. Gallic acid has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activities and also shows anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, anti-mutagenic and anti- bronchodilatory activities. Ellagic acid has anti-carcinogenic effects against a wide range of carcinogens in many human tissues.

shoulders - MANGOSTEEN - super food

Mangosteen contains Xanthone, a powerful, life-enhancing substance.

Xanthones have a remarkable effect on cardiovascular health;

are naturally antibiotic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory;

and are some of the most powerful antioxidants to be found in nature.

in a list of benefits i found.......

17. Anti-atherosclerotic (prevents hardening of arteries)

18. Cardioprotective (protects the heart)

34. Pansystemic - has a synergistic effect on the whole body

........which is why it is found under our "shoulders" category today

knees - Cat's Claw: Peruvian herb Uncaria tomentosa, for arthritis, and pre mature aging

beneficial in the treatment of arthritis, bursitis, allergies, diabetes, lupus,

chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, herpes, organic depression, menstrual irregularities

and disorders of the stomach and intestines. these illnesses are known to be

associated with defects in intestinal permeability

Cat's Claw's has the ability to cleanse the digestive tract and aid in removing toxins from the body

toes - LET EM BREATHE, BE RUBBER FREE!

i lost/misplaced my flip flops (meaning left them in Kristie's car)

so i was walking around outside barefoot before i ventured into the shower

IT FELT SOOO GOOD

it reminded me of a point that was made during the longevity conference i just participated in

the extreme benefits of removing the rubber between ourselves and nature

TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF

how much time to you spend daily with your feet in shoes?

for grounding purposes, put your feet on the earth

your body will make an instant connection

now i for one am the girl that likes having clean, non hobbit feet

but for as much time as you can daily...remove your shoes

believe me i am prob one of the biggest sneaker heads you will meet

but trust me

TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF

walk in the sand

walk on the grass

it will make you smile

and your body will thank you

expose those toes

EMBRACE YOUR GNARLED TOOTIES, MY SISTER SURE DOES

LOVE YOU LEE XOXOXO

F.A. once told me.......

"go outside

lay down

stare at the sky

and wait for the earth to move"

CONNECT

ALLOW YOURSELF TO OPEN UP

CLASSES

i want to concentrate on the origin of dysfunctional movement

the positioning of the feet & knees speak volumes

for current problems & possible future injuries

if we can correct the way we operate on a regular basis:

walking, running, sitting and standing

we can prevent this issues from arising

CLASS SCHEDULE

(subject to change)

TRX: mon & fri 7am-730am

tues & thurs 530pm

YOGA: thurs 8pm class with leaha

WHOLE BODY VIBRATION: tues & thurs 12 pm

FOAM ROLLING: tues & thurs 1230 pm

jos@alphasportla.com to reserve your spot

Whole Body Vibration

"As a Physical Therapist, I often encounter individuals who suffer from more complex and often painful conditions.

These individuals, whether it is their joints (Rheumatoid Arthritis), their tendons or bursae (Connective Tissue Rheumatism), their muscles (Regional Myofascial Pain Syndrome) or their whole entire body (Fibromyalgia), struggle day in and day out with nowhere to turn.

Since I have utilized Vibration Therapy to treat these patients, one thing has been clear; the ability they have to push their bodies physically while reducing their pain is unlike any other intervention.

Vibration Therapy as well as Vibration Training, when done correctly and safely, is a highly beneficial exercise program with little to no negative musculoskeletal stress."

http://www.vibrationtraining.net/2009/07/whole-body-vibration-therapy-benign-joint-hypermobility-syndrome-bjhs

Foam Rolling

"self myofascial release"

Foam rollers are the poor mans massage therapist, soft tissue work for the masses.

The simple act of sitting at a desk all day can compel certain muscle groups to become short and tight while underutilized muscles grow weak. Effects of this bodily disparity range from piriformis syndrome to exercise-related injury---a high likelihood if you perform movement with the poor form that results from such muscle imbalances.

Rolling can provide great benefit both before and after a workout. Foam rolling prior to a workout can help to allow for better warm-up. Rolling after a workout may help to aid in recovery from strenuous exercise.

Let me show you how it's done!