How to Build Muscle Mass on a Raw Food Diet

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There have long been negative and misleading perceptions about the compatibility of the raw food diet with weightlifting and building muscles: the idea of the skinny, haggard vegans who’ve disbarred themselves from adequate sources of protein. This is a myth, and one that is fortunately being debunked over time by the rising emergence of weightlifters in the bodybuilding community who are advocating the vegan diet, with many of them showing that a ripped, muscular torso and clean eating aren’t mutually exclusive. Here are some tips to make it easier to get the body you want without having to sacrifice the health benefits of your raw food diet.

Go for the Greens

Leafy green vegetables are mostly known for their high nutritional concentration of vitamins and minerals, but they are also rich sources of healthy proteins that will contribute to the development of muscle mass. Kale, broccoli, spinach, and alfalfa are all incredibly good for you and packed with a lot more protein than you’d imagine. In addition to their protein content, they are, of course, packed to the gills with all the vitamins, folic acid, and nutrients they’re already famous for. Eat these in quantity every day to count towards your increased protein intake.

Beans Are Your Friend

Beans and legumes are true super-foods and terrific sources of complex carbohydrates, fibre and protein, as well as numerous nutrients. They have extremely low GI ratings as well, so they will take a long time to digest, keeping you feeling energized and fuller for longer. Garbanzo and mung beans are both excellent examples that you can start with, and from there, try experimenting with other varieties to keep your diet varied and ensure you don’t get bored of any one particular type.

Increase Your Nut and Seed Intake

These are the secret weapon in the raw food muscle building diet. Nuts and seeds are crammed full of healthy fat strings and carry a high protein content. They’re good for you on almost every level and can be easily added to a variety of dishes. The same can be said for seeds, such as flax, chia, and hemp that are all bursting with nutrients and are high in protein. Ordinarily, if you were aiming to work out for a cut, then we’d recommend you exercise strict portion control. However, if you’re looking to simply gain muscle mass, then nuts could make your life a lot easier and are incredibly flexible to cook with.

Eat Your Heart Out

If you’re really looking to gain muscle, you’ll have to eat the aforementioned foods in high quantities, well above your daily calorie maintenance levels. If you’ve been following the raw food diet for any length of time, then you already know that you need to eat raw foods in greater quantities to make up for the processed carbohydrates other diets draw their energy from. However, seeing as you’ll be needing to increase both your protein and carbohydrate intake to build muscle mass, you can eat most of the aforementioned foods as much as you like. Two things to bear in mind. Firstly, eat a large meal around 45 minutes after the conclusion of your workout: this is when your body needs fuel the most, and also when it will have the most benefit to your physical development. Secondly, the only foods you might need to be a little careful about eating are nuts, simply because they have the most fats out of any element of a raw food diet. They’re great as a part rather than the whole of your workout diet plan, but it can be tempting to sit with the spoon in the jar of your favourite peanut or almond butter past the point of indulgence. Consider saving nuts for between meal snacks to ensure that they don’t overwhelm the rest of your food intake.

Stay Hydrated

This is an often overlooked aspect of bodybuilding for both raw food enthusiasts and others. Water is an essential part of an active diet, and its importance grows exponentially when you’re pursuing a regular workout schedule. Water is especially important when weightlifting: you need your muscles to be well hydrated to develop mass and be able to lift at your maximum potential. The popular workout supplement creatine keeps more water in your muscles increasing the amount you can lift. We wouldn’t recommend that on a raw food diet plan, but it is illustrative of just what a key role water plays in your workout regimen.

Author bio

I`m Eva Henderson, writer, traveler and content coordinator at oddsdigger.com . I enjoy outdoor activities, yoga  and mythology. Hope you will enjoy my articles! If you want to learn more about me and my hobby feel free to visit my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

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The 7 Healthiest Cities in the U.S. and Canada

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Choosing to be healthy seems like a no-brainer. But it’s far easier said than done. Dieting or exercising all by yourself can feel miserable or restricting, and it often ends without a ton of success. It’s proven that we’re far less likely to lace up those running shoes or grab the boxing gloves if we’re tackling this fight against obesity and heart disease alone. According a study published in the Journal of Social Sciences, people “gravitate towards the exercise behaviors of those around them.” This means you’ve got a much higher chance of shattering those fitness goals and maintaining a healthy existence if you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals.

So what places promote wellness most, and how can you join them? We decided to comprise a list of the seven healthiest cities in the US and Canada to make it easier. Note that cities were judged based on nutrition and eating habits, access to exercise and recreational space, and overall health statistics.

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

Minneapolis-St. Paul is, year after year, considered one of the healthiest cities in the country. But to land a spot at the top of the list year-after-year comes through a structural dedication to promoting fitness. With over 230 miles of bikeways in the city, the Twin Cities is ranked as the number two cycling commuting city by the U.S. Census Bureau. Many of these folks bike their way after work to Lyndale Farmers’ Market, a year-round source of fresh, local produce supported by over 200 vendors. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you of how fit our friends in Minnesota are, the city has even installed a skywalk system that connects buildings for over 50 downtown blocks, making it easier to walk to work even in subzero temperatures.

Seattle, WA

The Pacific Northwest is a traditionally healthy area of the country, boasting legendary hiking trails, literally thousands of lakes and rivers fit for outdoor activities, and greenways in every major city. Seattle chooses to promote wellness in other ways by supporting its massive downtown Pike Place Market, a local source for fresh fish, fruits, and vegetables. On top of that, the city recently passed a Sugar Tax which they hope will help to reduce childhood obesity rates and improve the overall health of kids and adults.

Vancouver, B.C.

The largest city in Western Canada is also the country’s healthiest, stemming mostly from its citizens’ devotion to curating healthy habits. Vancouver is proud to report lowest smoking rates amongst large cities as well as the smallest overweight population in the country. Not only do the residents of Vancouver shun the bad, they also promote the good: the city is incredibly friendly to gluten-free, organic, and vegan diets, and make access to these sort of ingredients incredibly affordable.

Calgary, Alberta

Physically, the fit folks of Calgary are a bunch of studs and studettes. The population of the city is expanding rapidly, catering especially to young professionals seeking a high standard of living. While Alberta itself is the least healthy province in Canada, the young adults of Calgary are choosing to prioritize health, as shown by the exceptionally low rates of obesity and high blood pressure. This is likely due Calgary being one of the cleanest cities in the world, offering tons of outdoor parks and very strict anti-smoking laws.

Ottawa, Ontario

The next time you complain that you can’t work out because the weather is awful outside, look to the people of Ottawa. Canada’s capital might have awesome summers with tons of bike trails, outdoor recreational facilities, and a river perfect for kayaking, but the winters there are long and brutal. But it’s citizens find a way to stay healthy by consuming a diet rich with fruits and vegetables and staying active in the winter months. Keep it up!

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

In 2016, Saskatoon scored an “A” in overall health as part of a report evaluating health performance in major Canadian cities. This is no shock to anyone who’s been there and taken a walk or canoed down the South Saskatchewan River. Locals find awesome and creative ways to stay active during the winter months as well, including cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and hockey. All of this activity has contributed to reducing health risks like stroke and heart disease in the majority of the population.

Washington, D.C.

According to Forbes, Washington, D.C. is the second healthiest city in America because of its higher than average number of recreational facilities. Not to beat a dead horse, but it goes to show that routine exercise is one of the biggest factors in leading a healthy life. Atop that, D.C. residents eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day–thanks to the multitude of farmers markets in and around the city.

By Jayson Goetz

Jayson is a recent graduate from Arizona State University who lives in Phoenix.  Being a lover of nutrition and travel, he’s always ready to try new restaurants and visit new places.  He started writing in hope of sharing his experiences with fellow foodies and travel bugs.

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Workout Exercises at Home

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Let’s face it. We’ve all been there – those painful days when it’s difficult to go outside especially when it snows. So what would you do to exercise? For those who don’t have a gym membership to rely on, your best shot at staying healthy is to exercise at home on a budget.

In this article, we would be looking at some workout exercises that you can do indoors at home without spending too much.

1. Jump Rope

One of the problems you could face when you work out a lot is that your body might get sore after a workout which leaves your body needing a post-exercise recovery equipment which would provide you with a deep tissue massage which could speed up your recovery. Jump rope is great for a good cardio at home without burning out. It would make you run out of breath but it won’t make your calves feel sore. For a good cardio in a matter of minutes, jump ropes are quite good to get you there.

2. Stair Stepping

As simple as this sounds, it works well and is quite effective. This is a great exercise that you can try at home even if your home doesn’t have a set of stairs. You can get the biggest book you own and place it in front of a TV and step up and down while you watch the network news. You may not work out much sweat as you would with other equipment in your home, but it’s a great way to keep your body active and blood pumping. If you have the budget for it, you can also purchase a stair stepper to increase your workout from home.

3. The Plank

This home workout exercise is for those who don’t have a lot of time but still desire to build up their core muscles. The first thing you want to do is to get into a push-up mode with a little twist. Instead of bending your arms as you would, moving down to the floor, hold that position with your arms extended far. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then 20 seconds and 30 seconds. It looks easy at first but when you hold that position for 40 seconds to 2 minutes, you’ll realize how hard it is. The Plank is one of the most challenging exercises that you can ever engage in.

4. Lunges

Doing lunges at home is a bit different from what you’re used to in the gym. Rather than exercising with lunges and stepping back into place, step forward and continue to go forward till you make it to the farthest room from you. You can try this when you go down the hall or from one room to another. When this gets routine or too easy for you, you can add weights in your hands to make them more challenging. Another form of workout that you can do at home is to workout while cleaning. You can perform lunges while mopping the floor and vacuuming. This allows you to workout on your body during chores.

5. Weights

Lifting weights and cardio are the building blocks of an effective workout. If you have a goal to strengthen your arms and shoulder, you can water bottles in your home with other forms of containers as a makeshift weight. If the water bottles are not giving you the desired results, you can switch to milk jugs as well as to tailor your exercise to the exact weight level that you need. Another substitute for weights is a small bag of rice. These substitutes work well for endurance butt work like the glute presses for women. Set yourself down on all fours and squeeze one of the items below in the crease of your knee. Take a step and drop to your forearm to engage your butt as you flex your foot. Repeat this on the opposite side as well. You will feel the burn in the muscles of your upper arms. You can also go through high knees to get that heart pumping – but only if you do double time. March down to the hall and lift your knees as high as possible.

6. YouTube Workout

Planning for workout exercises at home? There is no better way to do it than with YouTube. A simple search for “workout” on YouTube will reveal a list of workouts that you can use for your home workout training. If you want to learn how to perfect traditional strength training workouts like push-ups and crunches, YouTube is a great resource for this as well.

By: Emmanuel Domingo

Few things are more important to Emmanuel than staying active and fit. In addition to regularly hiking and dancing, he also loves focusing on nutrition by cooking healthy, but flavourful and exciting meals for himself and his girlfriend.

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Massage Alternatives to Soothe Painful Muscles

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Muscle pain, also known as myalgia, is not new to fitness buffs. Spending long hours training at the gym can lead to microtrauma to the muscles as a result of overuse. Although the pain means that you have pumped your muscles hard enough, it can also render you incapable of doing daily tasks for a brief period of time.

Massaging your painful and sore muscles can help soothe the achiness. However, it’s encouraging to know that there are alternative remedies you can try as well if you suffer from painful muscles. These alternative remedies go beyond the usual administration of analgesics like paracetamol, mefenamic acid, naproxen, or ibuprofen to alleviate muscle pain. Some examples of these are:

Compression Machine

A compression machine is a handy tool to ease muscle soreness and fatigue after an intense physical activity. It comes in various lengths and cuff sizes. The machine generates an adjustable cuff pressure via a wearable cuff that inflates and deflates to provide muscle relaxation, improve blood circulation, and release lactic acid from the muscles.

Acupuncture

This treatment stems from the belief of 16th-century Chinese doctors that pain is caused by the imbalance of energy in a person’s body. Stainless steel needles are used to stimulate your body’s energy-carrying channels, all 14 of them, to correct imbalances. Aside from balancing energy flow throughout the body, it also increases blood flow and enhances the production of natural painkillers known as endorphins.

Yoga

Stress can make myalgia symptoms worse and yoga happens to be a great antidote to stress. It also involves a lot of stretching, which can improve circulation and decrease inflammation.

Alternative Treatments for Muscle Pain

Aside from the methods mentioned above, proper diet is likewise suggested if you want to manage muscle pain. At the same time, there are certain natural remedies you can try to soothe your aching muscles. These include:

Chamomile

Chamomile doesn’t only contain high quantities of zinc, selenium, and other minerals that work together to enhance the immune system. It also has soothing and calming properties that can greatly relieve muscle pain.

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a natural pain reliever, and is being used as an active ingredient in most ointments and lotions. A body chemical called substance P is present in capsaicin and when the amount of substance P decreases (provided cayenne pepper/capsaicin was applied to the affected area), the pain subsides together with it. The pain-reducing property of cayenne pepper makes it a very useful herb in treating myalgia.

Calendula

Calendula is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent with active compounds known to relieve inflammation and pain by bringing down the swelling of the nerves. That’s why calendula is recommended as an herbal remedy for myalgia. Take calendula tea two to three times a day to relieve the symptoms.

Ginger

Ginger is considered one of the top healing herbs produced by nature. Aside from serving its purpose as one of the spices in most Asian cuisines, ginger root is a great medicinal herb as well since it contains natural anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it can naturally reduce and soothe muscle pain.

Relieve Symptoms of Muscle Pain at Home

They say prevention is better than cure. Hence, to prevent muscle pain from getting worse, do these tried and tested home treatments:

Soak up the sun

Vitamin D, known to everyone as the sunshine vitamin, actually has some effect on muscle and nerve functions. So make sure to soak up the sun if you want to relieve yourself of muscle pain.

Sweat it out

Experiencing muscle pains doesn’t mean that you have to lay off exercise completely. Instead of doing high-impact routines, opt for low-impact ones such as yoga, swimming, and tai chi.

Get better sleep

Muscle pain might disturb your sleep pattern. In order to achieve better sleep quality, you should adopt good sleeping habits. Avoid foods, beverages, and activities that can keep you up until late at night, and instead, try going to bed early and waking up at the same time every day. Make sure that your room is comfortable. Keep the room temperature moderated, dim the lights down, and reduce sources of noise.

Diet

If your muscle pain is caused by overuse, you need to do something to help your body heal the microtrauma in your soft tissues faster. It helps to incorporate protein-rich foods into your diet such as beans, seafood, lean meat, soy, and eggs as protein is known to aid tissue building and repair. Omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory property that can help in relieving muscle inflammation so you might want to eat a healthy dose of salmon, sardines, and walnuts as well.

Hydrate

Your muscles are composed of 70% water. Keep them well hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of fluids during and after your workouts to enhance your recovery. Keep in mind that dehydrated muscles are more prone to injuries which can lead to muscle pain.

Massage isn’t the end-all and be-all of muscle pain relief. There are other ways to soothe painful muscles and none of which are too complicated to follow through. Keep these list of remedies in mind if you want an alternative way to manage painful muscles.

By: Joe Fleming

Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. Interested in all things related to living a healthy lifestyle, he enjoys sharing and expressing his passion through writing. Working to motivate others and defeat aging stereotypes, Joe uses his writing to help all people overcome the obstacles of life. Covering topics that range from physical health, wellness, and aging all the way to social, news, and inspirational pieces…the goal is help others “rebel against age”.

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