Learn to Love

When I taught Pilates, women of a certain age were really only interested in working on their backsides. With three pieces of spring-loaded equipment and the Pilates mat repertoire at my disposal, it was easy to fill a 55-minute session with ass-kicking moves, but I didn't understand the rear obsession . . . until now. Like my former clients, I am approaching that certain age when gravity start to pull tricks on once-resilient flesh. And I do mean pull! At times, I have felt at war with my booty; walking lunges to pick up the just-delivered mail on the other side of the house was a daily tactical maneuver in this ongoing battle.

Waging war on a body part is tiring and just plain mean. I don't recommend it. These days, I am coming to appreciate the size and shape of my backside, and I have Zumba to thank for my newfound derriere detente. The Latin-dance-inspired cardio class is full of rump shaking moves. Your hips lead in almost every step as you salsa and merengue to the syncopated beats. Sixty minutes of dancing to upbeat music is bound to make you feel happy anyway, but the bonus is loving your bum; it's central to almost every dance move and having a little extra flesh back there means you have a little more weight to throw around. If the soundtrack is full of Shakira tunes, your booty will be leading the way.

Leading up to Valentine's Day, show yourself a little love and be kind to your backside. Take it out for a dancing night on the town or a sweaty Zumba workout that feels almost like a party. Let us know what helped you declare a truce with your tush.

Chinese parsley, the crop of coriander, or plain old cilantro — no matter what you call it, the small, green leafed plant is not only delicious, but also chock-full of nutritional value. While some see it as a simple garnish, I look for nearly every chance to incorporate the tasty herb into my meals. After reading up on these benefits, you may, too.

• It appears that once a month, the ladies should eat a healthy dose of cilantro as it may ease monthly hormonal mood swings and may reduce menstrual cramping.
• It has bacteria-killing agents! While I wouldn't trust it to rid my kitchen of salmonella, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on my cutting board.
• Cilantro is said to have anti-inflammatory powers that can help arthritis sufferers.

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Last week, YumSugar had a box of kiwis up for grabs, but she was having trouble finding any takers. Kiwis are a polarizing fruit, but they're definitely a healthy food worth trying.

This fuzzy-skinned fruit is packed with vitamin C: one medium kiwi contains about 70.5 mg of C, just slightly less than one medium orange. Better yet, buy organic, and vitamin C and polyphenol levels are even higher.

With just 50 calories per kiwi, the green flesh is also high in vitamin E, potassium, and dietary fiber. You can peel them or add a bit of texture by leaving the skin on (vigorously washed of course). They're good in fruit salads and green salads. Can't convince your friends to eat kiwi? Perhaps you'd have more luck serving up a kiwi cocktail.

I am in produce heaven right now. Since it's Summer, the farmers markets in my area are full of fruits and veggies in every color you can imagine. For good reason everyone is going sort of crazy for strawberries and cherries. But what about the oft-neglected blackberry? Despite it being a pretty yummy fruit, blackberries are usually the last of the baskets to be picked up whenever I hit the market. Here are a few reasons to buy a basket the next time you're in the produce aisle.

• They're full of fiber. It's important that you eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber every day. Besides helping with digestion, fiber may reduce your risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, help lower your cholesterol, prevent heart disease, and flatten your belly. Blackberries are an easy (and tasty!) way to get more fiber into your diet — one cup of blackberries equals about 11 grams of fiber.
• They're high in vitamins C and K. Eating just half a cup of blackberries gives you 35 percent of your RDA of vitamin C and 25 percent of your RDA of vitamin K.
• They're high in antioxidants. It might sound like the name of a dinosaur, but proanthocyanidins are a type of antioxidant that may prevent cancer and heart disease. Lucky for us, blackberries are full of proanthocyanidins.
• They're low in calories. Blackberries are about one calorie per berry. That means you can eat a whopping 100 berries for a nutritious and filling 100-calorie snack.

Join the ranks of Katy Perry and get your heart rate up with a little jump rope. Common in elementary schools and boxing gyms, jumping rope is a great cardio workout that also challenges your coordination, balance, and agility. Also a great calorie burner — you're moving your own body weight against gravity — jumping rope tones your calves, thighs, back, abs, shoulders, arms, and bum. It'll strengthen your bones.

You might not love jumping rope yet, but maybe you're ready to give it a try. So check out some moves to try, when you read more

Growing up in Hawaii, I was sort of spoiled. In my backyard we had papaya, avocado, coconut, and passion fruit trees. The best part? They were there when we moved in! And in a tropical climate like Hawaii, these trees need little in the way of cultivation — they just kind of hang out and take care of themselves.

Even though I've moved away from Hawaii, my favorite fruit is still passion fruit, except now it's more of a delicacy than a mainstay. If you've never experienced this sweet, fleshy fruit, now is the time to try it. It grows in abundance this time of year and can easily be found at most grocery stores. (I was able to pick one up from Safeway just the other day.) The purple fruit is antioxidant-rich and full of vitamin A, iron, and vitamin C.

Look for ones that are about the size of a lemon with slight indentations in the skin — this means they're ready to eat. I usually just slice one open and eat the pulp — seeds and all — with a spoon. The fruit has a really sweet, floral scent and a sweet-tart flavor. What will probably be unusual to most people is the texture. On top of being really juicy, the pulp has an almost jelly-like texture and consistency.

If you're not into the texture, passion fruit is great for juicing or as an ingredient in a cocktail, dessert, salad dressing, or a sauce. I also love making jam out of it too. Have any of you tried passion fruit?

Source: Flickr User geishaboy500

Depending on where you live, finding good Winter produce can be difficult — this is especially true on the East Coast. Around this time of year, farmers markets lose a bit of lushness and start resembling outdoor root cellars. However, hidden amongst the piles of potatoes, carrots, and turnips is one of my most favorite vegetables ever: broccoli rabe, aka rapini.

I first came across this bitter leafy green while traveling in Italy and quickly learned that it does not taste like regular ol' broccoli. They're similar in color and texture, and even though broccoli rabe sprouts small florets, it's closer in relation to the turnip family. Being a big fan of turnip greens, kale, and chard, I was immediately attracted to its bold, pungent flavor. In Italian cuisine, it's common to saute broccoli rabe with a little bit of olive oil, chili flake, lemon juice, garlic, and sea salt. My favorite way to enjoy it is in the classic Italian pasta dish, orecchiette with broccoli rabe and spicy sausage — turkey sausage works great in this dish too, by the way. I love the versatility of this veggie because it can be roasted, braised, boiled, steamed, or sautéed.

Of course anything this dark, leafy, and green has gotta be good for you too. Broccoli rabe is low in calories, an excellent source of vitamin C, and has even more beta-carotene than the standard US broccoli; it's also packed with vitamin K and isothiocyanates, which help in the process of detoxifying cancer-causing substances before they cause harm.

Source: Flickr User cbertel

Regardless of what gym I've belonged to, it feels like I am the only person that ever uses the sauna. Since I've been working out, there's only been one other time that I haven't been in there alone. I'm not sure if I'm hitting the gym at odd times or if folks are just not feeling the sauna as much as I do. It could be that they are afraid of their bits and pieces showing, a la Charlotte from Sex in the City.

If you are one of those who has an aversion to the sauna, give it a try the next time you're there. Because I've been bumping up my strength training sessions lately, I've been loving the sauna even more. The heat helps relax the muscles I've just worked and also helps alleviate some of the stiffness in my joints. I've even done a sauna before yoga because it helps my body get warm, loose, and flexible. It also feels marvelous after a hard swimming session.

Besides helping my body relax, saunas are a great way to open up the pores and sweat. Sounds gross, but sweating is the body's way of eliminating toxins and other impurities — taking regular saunas may even cut back on the number of colds and flu viruses you have.

If you do try the sauna and find that yours is more crowded than mine, remember to practice sauna etiquette: rinse off before entering to reduce odor and the spread of germs, have quiet conversations, and always sit on a towel. Most importantly, stay hydrated! Since the heat can be quite dehydrating, I always drink water before and after the sauna.

Do you love the sauna?

Source: Flickr User MiikaS