Health and beauty

Tea Please!

April 14, 2014 By Carol Carpenter

Sure we live in the coffee capital of the world, we love our caffeine and who can blame us? But did you know that tea is the second most popular drink next to water? Tea (other than herbal) contains caffeine, just like our beloved coffee, but has way more health benefits. Just drinking one cup of tea can mean 5% higher bone mineral density and lowers the risk of high blood pressure by 46%, two cups and the benefits include 26% lower risk of mental decline that comes with getting older as well as lowering your risk of skin cancer by 35%, three cups can lower your chance of heart attack by 11% and will give you added benefit of 37% lower risk of breast cancer. Tea is not only hydrating, but is brimming with up to five times more antioxidants than any fruit or vegetable, has disease fighting compounds (lil ninja fighters) that prevent certain cancers, keeps your heart healthy, burns fat, keeps weight off, sharpens your mind and keeps father time at bay while helping stress. That is an amazing resume for a tiny leaf don’t you agree? Not only is tea calorie free, but it has been shown that tea drinkers can multi-task easily which may explain this wonder leaf’s ability to fend off Parkinson’s and possibly slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. It’s also been shown to protect you from bone loss, heart disease, lower your LDL cholesterol and help prevent the development of skin tumors. If you want to boost tea’s benefits, squeeze some lemon or add some orange juice to help you absorb up to three times as much of those polyphenol antioxidants. With all these benefits we would be crazy not to brew a few cups a day and toast our health!

Generally speaking there are 5 types of tea: White, Green, Oolong, Black and Herbal. Herbal tea is usually made from dried fruits, flowers, herbs and spices and while the are known for their pleasant perfume and relaxing properties, they do not contain any caffeine. White tea is picked when the leaves are young giving it a mild flavor, while delivering anticancer benefits and 10 to 15 mg of caffeine per cup. Green tea (traditionally from Japan or China) is heat treated right after harvesting keeping the leaves from oxidizing which helps it retain high amounts of healthy antioxidants and has 25 to 30 mg of caffeine per cup. Oolong tea is withered and rolled by hand, the leaves are partially oxidized before being fired in a pan or basket. Oolong tea is the best of both worlds, having the complexity of black tea while tasting like green, it has been shown in studies to boost metabolism and this leaf has 30 to 50 mg of caffeine per cup. Black tea is fully oxidized leaves that are full bodied and strong as well as slightly bitter in flavor. Black tea has been shown to decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and pack 40 to 60 mg of caffeine per cup. Just for comparison, an 8 oz. cup of brewed coffee has between 95-200 mg of caffeine and 1 oz. of expresso has anywhere from 40-75 mg without all the health benefits. Loose tea leaves has the most potency when it comes to delivering antioxidants, but tea bags will do in a pinch. If you are brewing your own just remember the lighter the leaves the cooler the water…White tea should be steeped in 155 degree water (take boiling water and let rest for three minutes before your pour), Green at 165 degrees (let boiling water rest 2 minutes before pouring), Oolong at 200 degrees (let boiling water rest one minute before pouring) and Black tea at 212 degrees (no resting time). Steeping time is usually 3-5 minutes, but stay closer to 3 with tea bags which steep more quickly than loose leaves. Don’t worry if you overstep, just add more water to dilute it for taste.

Always finding something interesting to post and this caught my eye. Caffeine, that won’t give us the jitters, revs up metabolism, wards off disease, sharpens your mind (not a bad thing when on bike), keeps us young(er) and helps stress. We all like twofers, but this is way more than that…I call that a major win win! Keep two wheels on the road gals and I look forward to seeing you out there this year on the road and on the track! Vixens Ride!

Kudos to us Vixens

February 14, 2013 By Carol Carpenter

Vixens, as riders we tend to start out at a disadvantage, but being female riders I think shows we have “balls” and we definitely do get major credit for that. I believe it takes a certain type of woman to ride, she has to be confident, outgoing and let’s face it the majority of us have quite the personality to boot. Come on, think about it…getting off your bike with helmet in hand, you can start conversations with anyone and they have a huge amount of respect for you, women because they see how strong and independent you are (yes they want to be you) and men because they think it’s sexy (yeah, they can’t help that, it’s the way they are wired). I only state we are at a disadvantage mostly due to the machines we ride, they were developed without us in mind and I mean this in every way. It limits what kind of bikes some of choose to ride because as beginners it is intimidating to climb onto a machine which may weigh up to 300+ pounds more than us, the seat height is too high and we are unable to touch the ground or feel secure in touching it even 3/4 of the way, the handlebars are too far away, the suspension is too stiff for our body weight, etc. The truth is that many of us don’t want a bike we can’t flat foot at a stop and that ends up limiting what types of bikes we choose to ride as our starter bikes. Don’t get me wrong, starting out with a bike you are completely comfortable with to learn the in’s and out’s of motorcycling is incredibly important, but I find that the fear ends up dictating our choices and before we know it we have outgrown the bike we started with and aren’t fully enjoying the ride.

I will make myself an example in this, I bought a Ducati Monster 696 ABS as a starter bike. I wish I would’ve just bought the 796 (the seat height was also a determining factor, it was slightly higher) instead, but because I was being told that the 696 was more power than I would need, I chose my current bike. In the line of Ducati’s it was the one where I could get the most leverage for my feet to touch, but no one mentioned to me that it could be lowered by shaving the seat down, adjusting the suspension, etc. The truth is that dealerships are meant to sell you a bike, they aren’t there to help you enjoy it or get the most out of it, they are there to turn a profit. It is solely up to us to help educate each other and give each other advice that otherwise could not be learned through them. The first week out while on my tiptoes at a stop, I dropped the bike, it was so embarrassing and it really pissed me off. I went back to the dealership and discussed my issue, but the fact that they were guys, they had little (useful) advice to offer or maybe coming from a guy I just tuned them out. At the time, there was a gal named Rachel, that worked once a week at the dealership and she was way shorter than me and also rode. I asked her the same questions I had asked the guys and she was a plethora of information, the first was to have my seat shaved to gain leverage, lowering the bike using lowering links (which I still have a hard time getting behind unless you are only using the bike for pleasure riding and not leaning your bike in any way), suspension (which is still my go to) and just plain old seat time. I shaved the seat and got my suspension done and guess what? I could’ve gotten that 796 I wanted had someone just been a resource for me and told me what I needed to do to get my bike to fit me. Leverage is a huge factor for a beginner, but as you progress and get more seat time, experience and confidence, fully touching the ground doesn’t become a factor (while it is nice) and you can manage with one foot touching. Don’t be afraid to ask other women riders for advice, especially ones who fit your body type, they understand your struggles and will jump right on board to help you get more out of your ride. Sad to say, but we are the minority when it comes to riding so manufacturers concentrate of the major population of riders which happen to be men, so it is that much more imperative that we band together and show the industry that we do matter. I would love to see the day when a woman can walk into a dealership and be greeted by a knowledgable saleswoman, dealerships that offer free setup for women riders, offer workshops on how to maintain your bike, offer discounts to various businesses that can help us customize our bikes to fit, etc…Yeah it’s a pipe dream, but it isn’t impossible. Until that day arrives though, it is up to all of us to help educate and give each other advice on how to absolutely love our rides.

Tell other women riders about us and have them register on the website and like us on Facebook, we are here to help and make this the best online resource there is. If we can improve in any way let us know. We want to provide you with interesting information for riding and for women’s issues as the two go hand in hand. If there is an event you want posted, an issue you want discussed, etc. let us know via email and we will do it. MotoVixens is a community of women riders that are passionate about riding and their health, as riders we must maintain a certain energy level to focus and ride and it is all about being healthy and fit. Here’s to looking at all us fabulous Vixens! Now go out and Ride C.H.I.C!

Chocolate Boosts Your Metabolism!

November 27, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

What girl doesn’t love chocolate? And with the holidays in full gear, there is a lot of it around. So when I was perusing my November/December Fitness magazine and came across “Six Fat-Fighting Superfoods” that stated CHOCOLATE BOOSTS YOUR METABOLISM in the first sentence, I was intrigued.

As we get older, our metabolism slows down significantly and while calories can determine the success or failure of your diet, some foods can aid in helping to speed up your metabolism and help you see quicker results. Johnny Bowden, Ph.D., and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth states, “Foods stimulate the body to produce hormones. Some of those hormones coax your metabolism into fat-furning mode and others make it sluggish and more apt to store fat.” I’m going to give you the brief lowdown of the article, but the gist is this, eat healthy and splurge in moderation then you’ll not be in that self-loathing mode after the holidays are over.

Eggs: According to Bowden, eggs are the best protein source on the planet as they contain all nine essential amino acids that your body needs to build muscle tissue. The more muscle you have, the greater your fat-burning potential since it takes more calories to maintain muscle than fat.

Dark Chocolate: A recent study found that eating 1.5 oz of dark chocolate (about the amount in a Hershey’s bar) reduced cortisol levels (a stress hormone found to slow down metabolism) in the body. Researchers suspect that caffeine and theobromine may be responsible, look for chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa-the darker the more beneficial.

Sesame Seeds: OK this one surprised me…Lignans (a plant chemical found in sesame seeds) enhances fat burning by increasing liver enzymes that break down fat. These tiny seeds are loaded with both protein and essential fatty acids which increase the metabolic rate, they are also a rich source of minerals and fiber. Going to ask for extra on my next sushi roll!

Smoothies: The caveat being that it must contain whey protein powder, which contains leucine, a muscle building amino acid. I am lactose intolerant, so this one is a no go for me, but if you aren’t there are studies that state eating whey protein can help reduce the loss of lean muscle mass which keeps your metabolism revved. Whey protein can also be mixed into yogurt, pudding and added into the dry ingredients when you are baking muffins or cookies.

Yellow Bell Peppers: Did you know one third of Americans are vitamin C deficient? Our bodies need vitamin C to produce carnitine, which helps our muscles use fat for energy, which in turn boosts our metabolism. One yellow pepper has 341 milligrmas of vitamin C, nearly 3 and a half times the amount in an orange (talk about packing a punch)! It isn’t a surprise then that people with higher levels of vitamin C in their blood had lower BMIs and less body fat. Slice some into a sandwich, salad or even dice and sprinkle in a soup.

Peanuts: Obviously not going to happen if you have an allergy, but for those of you who don’t, read on. Peanuts are rich in fiber and the process of digesting them actually burns calories too. Peanuts, like all nuts, are high in calories so keep it to an ounce (2 tablespoons) for a snack during the day and you’ll get all the benefits it has to offer. Also a good reason to revisit good ole PB & J!

I know we all hear that water is important in keeping us lean, but did you know that H2O boosts your metabolism because your body has to work to raise the temperature of the ingested water to match that of your core? If you want to lost an extra 6-7 pounds a year, there is a study that was conducted at Virginia Tech, where people drank 2 glasses of water before breakfast and on average consumed 75 calories less that those who didn’t. Consider it your calorie free appetizer!

Being in the midst of the holiday season, sharing time with family and friends and just the stresses of everyday life we can forget to take care of ourselves. Take some time daily to just relax and tune everything out (your “me” time), it will go a long way in keeping you sane. It is getting colder out there and riding in this type of weather poses its own challenges, but stay warm, take frequent breaks (in warm coffeeshops), carry healthy snacks to stay alert and hydrate…Vixens ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

Maintaining Weight

November 11, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

The winter months are here, the holiday season is ramping up, it’s cold, we’re with family and friends and it’s just the perfect recipe for us to gain a few pounds. I’ve been writing a lot about moto stuff lately so I thought now would be a great time to discuss a woman’s issue: Weight. BTW- This doesn’t mean you should eat fat free, your body needs fat to function, just the right kinds of fat.

As riders, those of us who have had our suspension setup, should be careful about too much weight gain as it will require some adjusting for our ride (later), the feel of our ride, fit of our gear, never mind the self loathing alone should deter us. The key to enjoying this season is plain and simple, portion control and moderation. This in fact should be year round for all of us as we do have the potential of more fluctuation then men do. There was an article in the Marie Claire magazine in October 2012 that basically spoke about this and broke it down by age group.

For women in their 20’s (you lucky dogs) have a higher metabolic rate, but it can drop 5-10% by your early 20’s because of a rise in your reproductive hormones. This means that as your body gets ready to have kids, estrogen level rise and increases your body fat. The table they suggest is 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. The suggested exercise routine is at least 30 minutes of cardio 3 – 4 times a week.

For women in their 30’s, the hormones responsible for muscle and bone growth have either leveled or fallen off and the growth hormones that used to help with burning off fat, decrease significantly making it that much more difficult to lose weight (thank you mother nature). The table suggested is 30% carbs, 35% protein, 35% fat. The recommended exercise routine is full body conditioning, like cardio with weights, which will burn calories and build muscle at the same time.

For women in their 40’s (I am one of them), for us lucky ones, our metabolism drops more and so should our calorie requirements. We are also approaching the M (I just can’t say or write this) word and have less estrogen which means that fat goes right to our tummy, not the hips or thighs (yippee!). The table suggested is 25% carbs, 40% protein, 35% fat. The recommended exercise routine is the same as in your 30’s complimented with resistance training to help with the age-related loss of muscle mass. I will give you an example of my own routine: 3mi run with my dog every morning, 2-3 times a week power yoga (more if time permits), CMS (Body Evo) once a week and if my boys are busy with sports, another 3 mi with the dog in the afternoons on those days. My routine isn’t complicated and it works for me, find out what works for you and stick with it, do it daily, you’ll end up looking great and feeling better.

The basic reason for this blog is just to keep in mind it is easier to be vigilant than try to work it all off later. We can enjoy the holiday season completely, we just have to be more mindful of our choices and key words: Portion Control. Indulge, but in little portions, that way you can have your cake, eat a bite or two and still look and feel fabulous! I hope this has been helpful in some way, please let me know, I would love to hear from you.

Vixens Ride (although a little less since it’s gotten so damn cold)!

Carol T. Carpenter