Pilates

Ever since I moved back to Illinois temporarily, I decided what better way to pass the time then to sign up for the gym? I've had a few gym memberships but I always cancel them usually because I rarely went. Last time I cancelled it, I was moving to Germany but I actually did go a lot. I missed that gym...but woohoo I'm back!

I signed up again and decided to try out some classes. I wont lie, me and cardio don't get along. I tried a step class and nearly died. Yeah I'm definitely out of shape, but at least I tried. So after that bad experience, I stuck to the eliptical and treadmill for cardio. I've done yoga plenty of times before, so this time I decided why not try pilates? I heard nothing but great things about pilates so I gave it a go.

Well after my first class, my entire core was throbbing. I couldn't even cough without my abs feeling sore. It was AWESOME. Obviously this class works. I now go 2 times a week, every week! It's actually a very relaxing class and I feel totally better after I leave. I will for sure keep up with this when I move back to Germany.

If you're not sure what pilates really is, check out this video. It shows pretty much what we do in class when it comes to our core. And GIVE IT A TRY!

Happy Birthday to meeeeeeeeeee!

I made an awesome wish, by the way!
Well, Happy Birthday to me last Monday :P I turned 22 last Monday, September 13! WOOT WOOT!

Of course the traditional birthday dessert is the wonderful birthday cake. My parents bought me a delicious vegan cookies and cream cake from Whole Foods. It was so worth it! Just marvel on the beauty of this baby...



Doesn't it just look delish? I wont lie, at first I thought it was way too sweet. But I've noticed lately my sense of sweet has been a lot more exaggerated then before. I am a bit proud of this since that means I am doing well with not eating so much sugary crap. All in all, it was a very good cake though and I plan to go to Whole Foods any time I don't want to make my own cake and need one for any occasion. Go Whole Foods!!!

Diabetes

"Diabetes is least common in the population groups whose diets emphasize carbohydrates. Take Japan, where rice is a traditional staple. Prior to 1980, fewer than 5 percent of the adult population there had diabetes. But once fast food and meat started to displace rice, diabetes became much more prevalent. By 1990 the prevalence of diabetes in Japan had doubled.

In the U.S., the risk for type 2 diabetes is highest among frequent meat-eaters. Vegans have the lowest risk, and other groups (semi-vegetarians, fish-eaters, and lacto-ovo-vegetarians) are in between. The real problem seems to be not carbohydrates, but fatty foods.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by antibodies - tiny biological "torpedoes" that under normal circumstances are produced by the body to fight invading bacteria and viruses. Diabetes results when, in the body's version of "friendly fire," antibodies attack the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

What turns antibodies against the pancreas? One theory is that certain viral infections are to blame. But another possible culprit is cow's milk. Researchers are now exploring whether avoiding cow's milk early in life can help prevent diabetes. Human milk is no problem. Studies have shown that breast-fed children are much less likely to develop diabetes than children fed milk-based formula.

At one time, type 2 diabetes was called "adult-onset" diabetes. But more and more cases are showing up in children, likely the result of poor dietary habits and the childhood obesity epidemic.

Conventional wisdom long held that once someone developed diabetes, he/she would have it forever. But with the advent of gastric bypass surgery, it became clear that extreme weight loss could reverse some cases of type 2 diabetes.

In 2009, the American Diabetes Association endorsed a new dietary approach to treating diabetes - one that focuses on low-fat, vegan (pure vegetarian) eating. Many people have found that this approach leads to significant weight loss and sometimes to the disappearance of signs of diabetes. Of course, going back to poor eating habits is likely to cause diabetes to come roaring back."

I quoted this from an article I saw online. I see things like this more and more that makes me believe that the vegan lifestyle in the best, most healthy and awesome lifestyle there is! Screw diabetes, go veg!