>Life.is.good

>Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was spectacular. Sorry for the break in blogging, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nice to leave the laptop at home and spend some quality time with the family.

Therefore, a bit of a rewind is in order…

Tuesday before work, my hip was feeling good so I headed out for a brisk 6-mile run around the National Mall.

Still looks like fall in the District

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Wednesday morning we left before the sun came up and set out for an 8-hour roadtrip to The Granite State (New Hampsha). It wasn’t a bad drive at all – considering I slept over 6 hours 🙂

I was extremely happy to see the new Starbucks decorations when I eventually woke

Roadtrip breakfast of champions:

Oatmeal + diced banana + mixed in protein (I brought some SunWarrior along for the ride)

And a gigantic coffee (Venti coffee + 1 inch steamed soy) <—Picky?? haha

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Thanksgiving morning I ran a 5K in the FREEZING (25F) weather with my entire family. I love our new tradition. I was happy with my time – I ran a 7:45 pace and it was hilly!

I didn’t take any pictures of our Thanksgiving meal because I really wanted to focus on spending quality time with my family that I rarely get to see (because I live in DC). I hope you understand 🙂

I did however, get a picture with the Manfriend’s new nephew.

I’m in love.

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Friday morning I convinced my Dad to take a Bikram Yoga class with me (90 mins in 106F heat) and guess what? He LOVED it.

But first I fueled with a favorite fall classic:

Pumpkin Oats

In the mix:

1/4 cup oats (soaked in 1 cup almond milk overnight)

1/4 cup pumpkin (Note: use 100% pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup egg whites (optional, for extra protein)

stevia, 2 servings

1/4 t cinnamon

1/8 t nutmeg

teeeny pinch sea salt

Directions:

Microwave ~3 mins or until oats rise

Stir in 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder

Top with 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (sweetened with stevia)

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Both my parents run half marathons (Note: They started running in their 50’s) so I really think incorporating yoga into his training will help tremendously. It’s helped me for sure!

After an intense sweat sesh, I introduced him to a love in my life:

The Protein Cupcake!

These were fantastic. I think the peanut butter addition made all the difference.

In a bowl, combine and mix:

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I prefer chocolate SunWarrior)

1 T Greek yogurt

1T chunky peanut butter (can use smooth but the nuts were a nice addition)

1 T egg whites

1/8 t baking powder

stevia (1 serving)

teeeeny pinch sea salt

H20 to moisten

Directions:

Spray mug with cooking spray

Spoon in mixture

Microwave for ~1 min, 30 seconds

Topping:

Greek yogurt + stevia, cocoa nibs to garnish

After workout #1 was over, I headed out for an even longer workout #2…..

All I have to say was EVERYTHING at Banana Republic was 50% off….

——————-

All in all, it was a lovely weekend spent with family I love and miss. Sunday morning we had brunch with my parents then hit the road for a long trip back to the Nation’s Capital.

Check out those colors along the way. Not bad for a Blackberry camera!

—————–

Today after work I headed straight to Trader Joe’s as we’re completely out of food. I won’t comment on the ridiculously massive size of the bill, but I will say dinner was pretty great…

Taco Salad!

Ground lean turkey (cooked on the stove top over medium heat)

Turkey seasoning:

1/2 cup salsa

1 T chili powder

1 t cumin

1/2 tsp sea salt

pinch cayenne pepper (to spice it up)

juice from 2 lime wedges

Toppings:

And the BEST dressing….

1:1 Greek yogurt/Chipotle salsa + chili powder, cumin

Served with Trader Joe’s Spicy Veggie & Flax Chips

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To top off a great night, we have Holiday music blasting and….

The Manfriend is painting the kitchen

My sister is painting a BEAUTIFUL new painting for our wall

And I’m sitting here relaxing…

With some red wine + dark chocolate.

Life.is.good.

See you tomorrow,

Lauren

>Ah, to be a kid again.

>

You know you’ve had a rough few days at work when:

You sleep <6 hours/night

You are at work before 7am more days of the week than not

Working single digit hours no longer exist

Your Garmin clocks you at >8 miles per shift

Your feet and ankles are swollen twice their size

Would I trade it? No way. 

Last year I posted about my decision to leave my PhD program to pursue a clinical career. Since leaving, I am much happier and truly love my job (I am working as a nursing assistant on a transplant unit to gain clinical experience). The ability to make a difference in another’s life (physically and emotionally) on a daily basis genuinely fulfills me.

Is it nice to have a great support system at home? You bet.

This guy greeted me at the door

Last night after my 3rd consecutive 12-hour shift, I came home to quite the surprise courteous of my sister (a nurse), Kelsey.

My favorite oversized T-shirt, pj’s, and robe were perfectly laid out 

I was welcomed to a home filled with my childhood favorites. Not the healthiest of meals I’ve had in a while but it definitely brought me back to childhood ❤

Bagel Bites and Pizza Rolls

Celeste individual pizzas

 Kraft Mac N’ Cheese

 Reeces’s Pieces

And a [current] favorite

BV Costal Estates Cabernet Sauvignon

How do you unwind after a long day? 

What were your favorite foods as a kid?

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What are your Thanksgiving plans? I’m heading out for a run, working tonight, then packing and heading home to New Hampshire tomorrow!

Something to read: Check out my last post for an interesting new plan to cut back on smoking in the US and quite the debate among readers! 

>Shocking

>

Smoking levels are not on the decline. Each DAY in the United States:

The tobacco industry spends >$34 million marketing products

Almost 4,000 adolescents start smoking
~1,200 current and former smokers die prematurely
The nation spends >$260 million in direct medical costs related to smoking
The US alone spends >$270 million in lost productivity

Source: CDC’s Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs

Are you shocked by this? I sure am. Last week the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) passed a new comprehensive tobacco control strategy aimed to encourage more smokers to quit and prevent non-smokers from starting. The initiative described as “the most significant change to health warnings on cigarettes and in cigarette advertisements in more than 25 years” will force tobacco companies to display warning labels covering >20% of the total packaging. source

“We want to make sure that every person who picks up a pack of cigarettes knows exactly what the risk is they are taking,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. source

What do you think? Do you think it will make a difference?

On one hand, I’d argue that most current smokers (and those about to start) already do know the harmful effects. Yes many current smokers didn’t have the knowledge we have today when they started, but I think it’s safe to say that today the general population agrees smoking is harmful to your health and can kill you.

I’d be interested to know what percentage of smokers subconsciously keep the warning labels out of view from others. For example, if fur coats contained a small tag that said “this fur came from a live animal”, I’d bet most fur lovers would tuck the tag away from public viewing. However, if the tag was written over 20% of the coat, would they still wear it?

What about forcing tobacco companies to make the actual cigarettes (not just packaging, as they’re more visible) share a common feature representing some type of warning? For instance, consider a “Black stripes, Black lungs” campaign (as an example) where all cigarette paper was required to be black and white striped.

What do you think?

Do you propose increasing tobacco taxes, costs of cigarettes, etc?

Do you think the new packaging will help?

What do you think would work?

>Be thankful

>TGIF! I’m laying on the couch a little sore after a long trip to the dentist’s office. I recently cracked my tooth eating a wasabi pea (ouch!) and had a temporary crown put on. Don’t you just love trips to the dentist?? Joking aside, I have a fantastic dentist if anyone in the DC area is looking.

—————-

Here are some recent foods I’ve been enjoying over the last few days:

Veggie burger pizzas

Morningstar pizza burgers (grilled) on top of a grilled whole grain wrap, with organic marinara, laughing cow cheese, oregano, basil, garlic powder

Coffee soy milk

The first two ingredients are coffee and water (for you caffeine lovers)! I scored this from the Foodbuzz Festival tasting pavilion.

My beloved SunWarrior arrived!

Protein pasta

Carba nada protein pasta topped with “meat” sauce (quorn, marinara, nutritional yeast, oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes)

—————-

I’ve also been enjoying spending time with this handsome young man..

Not sure why but he’s been extra cuddly lately. I’ll take it ❤

—————-

On the workout front, my hip is still hurting. My PT gave me the a-ok to run 5-6 miles a few times per week but I’m being even more cautious than that. From my experience, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’ve been doing lots more spinning classes, BodyPump and even tried out some new exercise classes (lots of circuit training, which I’m LOVING). As much as I miss running, I’m trying my best to stay positive. Sometimes you have to just be thankful that you still can exercise at all. Sometimes I take that for granted.

Stay tuned around Thanksgiving, when my brother (studying to be a strength and conditioning coach for pro athletes) is going to put me through a 4-day workout series. Think women + heavy lifting!

—————

Have a great weekend!

Questions:

Have you tried any new workouts?

DVDs? Classes?

Any suggestions for someone with two left feet??

——————

* An interesting article: Why teens are more susceptible to long-term drug and alcohol induced brain damage compared to adults

>Easy peasy breakfasts and whole foods giveaway winner

>Good morning afternoon. Today is my day off so it’s morning for me 🙂

Lately I have been working a lot, and leaving for work very early (we’re talking 6:30am). I’m a huge advocate for nutritious, filling, and quick breakfasts on-the-go. The most important factor for me is limited cooking time in the morning. Therefore, I spend a few mins prepping them the night before and happily enjoy a scrumptious breakfast early in the morning.

Here are some favorites:

1. Creative Oats

Night before: Combine 1/3 oats, 1/4 egg whites, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1 t chia seeds, 1/2 t flax seeds, stevia, apple pie spice, pinch sea salt. Stir and throw in fridge overnight.

Morning of: Microwave ~2.5 mins, add 1/2 cup protein powder. Drizzle with organic maple syrup.

2. Protein Smoothies

Night before: Combine 1 scoop protein powder, 1 t xanthan gum (optional, to thicken), stevia, maca powder (optional, for energy/high in vitamin C), pinch sea salt

Morning of: Add frozen fruit, ice, almond milk & blend

For more smoothie recipes, click here!

3. Protein Cupcakes

Night before, combine and mix: 1 scoop protein powder, 1 T egg whites, 1/4 t baking powder, stevia, dash sea salt (optional: nuts, 1/2 banana). Spray mug with cooking spray and spoon in mixture. Store in fridge over night. Frosting: 1/4 cup Green yogurt, 1 T peanut flour, stevia.

Morning of: Microwave ~1min, 30 seconds & frost cupcake.

4. Breakfast cookies (source)

Night before, mix: 1/3 cup oats, 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder, 1/8 cup almond milk, 1 T PB/almond butter, cinnamon, raisins, stevia, dash sea salt. Spoon onto small plate.

Morning: Eat!

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*I’ve said it before, but I highly recommend you trying out SunWarrior protein. It’s all-natural, raw, gluten-free and has some pretty amazing nutrition stats. It’s the best for baking and amazing in smoothies. It costs about $46 for 47 servings (less than $1 per scoop)!

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And now for the $30 Whole Foods Gift Certificate winner announcement!

By random number generator the winner is Lisa from 110 Pounds and Counting! Lisa, send me your mailing address (to Biochemista@gmail.com) and I’ll mail your gift certificate!

——————-

Question: What’s your favorite breakfast on the run??

>Well that was a bust

>Happy Tuesday! Yesterday I had the day off and it was glorious. I woke to yet another bowl of Blueberry Muffin Oats (I can’t get enough! Side note: 1/4 cup Greek yogurt stirred into oatmeal is fantastic).

I caught up on the news with a good friend..

Sir Keurig. How I love you ❤

Oh, and I have another love around me. My sister (his primary owner, even though I like to claim he’s all mine) is in NYC for a few days so I have this little man all to myself:

Michael gazing at the TV

—————–

It’s been a while (err 2.5 weeks) since I took a BodyPump class and so I finally returned and it felt good! After class I had time to kill and some more energy so I decided to take a 45 min cardio kickbox class.

However, something happened that had never happened before: The class was terrible and I left 10 mins. The instructor had no microphone, terrible/scratchy music, and a horribly choreographed routine. I’m not one to complain about classes, but this one was just terrible. So during a water break I inconspicuously slipped out the door and spent my time in the steam room/sauna instead 🙂

*Have you ever walked out of a class???*

—————

For lunch I made a fall favorite…

Boiled then broiled sweet potato topped with 1/2 cup Trader Joe’s Turkey chili (I mixed in black beans, salsa, chili powder, and cumin) plus a dollop of Greek yogurt

And in a few hours followed up with a Chocolate Protein Cupcake inspired by Julie’s recipe:

In a bowl, whisk:

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (In my opinion, SunWarrior is by far the best)

1 T egg whites

1/4 t baking powder

stevia, 1-2 servings

1 T Greek yogurt

*Optional: nuts, dark choc chips

Directions:

Spoon into a microwave-safe mug sprayed with cooking spray

Microwave ~ 1 min 20 seconds

In a separate bowl, whisk:

2 T Greek Yogurt

stevia, 1 serving

1 T peanut flour (or 1 T PB/almond butter)

Top with raw cacao nibs

*Note: SunWarrior is the BEST protein I’ve ever tried. It’s absolutely 100% worth the investment. I believe it runs for $46 for 47 servings (<$1/serving isn't bad!). Chocolate and vanilla are my favorite flavors.

And check out the nutritional stats:

source

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I spent the evening playing with the pup at the dog park, reading, and whipping up an Indian-inspired dinner.

Using my favorite curry simmer sauce to start:

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425F

Line baking pan with tinfoil and lightly coat with cooking spray

In a large bowl, combine and gently mix:

1/2 eggplant, chopped

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

Broccoli spears, fresh

Brussel sprouts, steamed

Cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup curry simmer sauce

1 T EVOO

Turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, curry powder (pinch each)

dash sea salt, black pepper

Roast:

~30 mins, mixing 1-2 times throughout until veggies are roasted

And viola!

I also roasted some additional veggies for tomorrow’s dinner since I’m working 3-11pm.

Steamed, sliced Brussel sprouts then broiled for ~5 mins. Seasoned with EVOO spray, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, drizzle balsamic vinegar.

And more veggies for later!

Roasted acorn squash, brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes, and tofu (not pictured) seasoned with organic maple syrup (squash) and EVOO, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder (brussels, tomatoes, tofu)

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Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!

Fitness tip of the day: Next time you’re lifting weights, focus 100% of your mental energy solely on that muscle group. Picture that muscle, and only that muscle feeling “the burn”. This great tip can increase your productivity/results drastically considering muscle wear/tear yeilds increased muscle tone. Give it a try!

Don’t forget to enter my Whole Foods $30 Gift Certificate Giveaway! If you can’t think of a name, just link the giveaway to tomorrow’s blog post/tweet/Facebook post (let me know you did) and each will count as a separate entry! You have until Tuesday (16th) evening!

>We will never "cure" cancer

>

I constantly hear one joke/comment all the time: “So have you found a cure to cancer yet?” I’d laugh and say something like “Not yet, but I’m close”. The truth is, as most scientists will agree there will never be a cure to cancer.

I’m not saying this to scare you, but in reality the disease was described before we really knew a lot about it. In reality the word cancer is a word to describe hundred separate diseases caused by thousands of factors.

We will (hopefully sooner than later) find a treatment for each different kind of cancer. But the more we learn about them the more we learn how different they are.

Below is a schematic of a cancer cell (one type of cancer) showing what scientists know about how that cell functions:

Look confusing? Keep in mind this is only an image of what’s going on in that cell. It doesn’t take into consideration how that cell interacts/signals other adjacent cells (cancer and normal) and it doesn’t account for another widely studied area of cancer research called angiogenesis. Angiogenesis means the growth/distribution of new blood vessels. Tumors are certainly living and therefore need a blood supply so researchers are also target the blood vessels supplying these tumors.

So when researchers develop a drug that selectively targets a cancer type, that is HUGE. As you can see from the one (of thousands of diagrams out there), we have learned a lot but there is still so much more to learn. That is why supporting research is more important than ever.

Below is a table listing the estimated new cases and deaths for each common cancer type. Please note this does not include cancers with < 40,000.

As you can see, for several cancer types the % survival is good. But there is still a lot of work to be done.

Cancer Type	Estimated New Cases	Estimated Deaths
Bladder	70,530	14,680
Breast (Female – Male)	207,090 – 1,970	39,840 – 390
Colon and Rectal (Combined)	142,570	51,370
Endometrial	43,470	7,950
Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer	53,581	11,997
Leukemia	43,050	21,840
Lung (Including Bronchus)	222,520	157,300
Melanoma	68,130	8,700
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma	65,540	20,210
Pancreatic	43,140	36,800
Prostate	217,730	32,050
Thyroid	44,670	1,690

source

Still interested?? There’s a great reader-friendly monthly bulletin by the National Cancer Institute that will keep you update on month-to-month research progress. Also, please don’t hesistate to contact me with any questions you might have translating any science lingo.

>Sunday randomness: My life in pictures

>Want to know me a little better? Here are some weird/interesting/fun facts about yours truly..

My hair is naturally curly

Seth (aka Manfriend) and I have dated since 8th grade

I went to college at Northeastern University (Boston) before attending Georgetown for grad school

I went skydiving on my 21st birthday. My mom was not too pleased.

The day after Thanksgiving I go bowling with the Manfriend’s family every year. It’s intense. We even have matching shirts.

Attending President Obama’s inauguration was one of the best experiences of my life

 Seth is a great photographer. If you look closely in my eye you can see him taking the pic.

I have a beautiful niece named Morgan

I want to own a husky when I “grow up”

I bruise easily

In June I was the Maid of Honor for my best friend’s Brandy’s wedding in York, Maine

I wore a two-piece teal prom dress my junior year of high school AND tanned until I was orange

I look just like my mama.

Seth recently moved to DC from LA to be with me 🙂

Alyson, my best friend and college roommate also just moved to DC. Pretty soon I’ll recruit you too!

My siblings, cousins, and I attend Countryfest every summer in MA

I am the oldest of three (L to R: Me, Kelsey, Matt)

I am obsessed with the Manfriend’s niece, Portia. Look at those legs!

Running is my passion. Can ya spot me?

When I have a good race/PR I treat myself to a new piece of workout clothing.

We have a puppy named Michael.

Tell me a few facts about you!

Also, don’t forget to enter my Whole Foods Gift Card Giveaway!

>[Healthified] Mexican & margaritas…. and a klutz.

>Happy Saturday! Did you check out my Whole Foods Giveaway??! Well I’m off until from work until Tuesday and it feels good. I’ve been working so much lately that this nice little break is definitely welcomed with open arms. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but being on your feet for 12+ hours per shift is tiring!

———————

Yesterday was also a lovely day off. I woke to a hearty bowl of Blueberry Muffin Oats, caffeinated then headed to the gym for a solo spinning sesh. Not feeling cardio-happy, I opted for a BodyPump-inspired total body weights sesh. I’ve been neglecting the weights lately so it felt good to squeeze it in.

For lunch I made an oldie (for some) but a goodie. Faux Mac N Cheese, or savory oats as it’s called.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked oats

1 light Laughing Cow cheese wedge

1/4 cup frozen spinach, warmed

3 T nutritional yeast (to read health benefits click here)

1/2 cup egg whites (cooked separately on stove top)

pinch sea salt, black pepper

Directions:

Combine + stir well

Optional: Drizzle with hot sauce

Great comfort food AND it’s healthy!

——————

Later in the day the Manfriend surprised me with a picnic-ish date to watch the sunset sun go down over the river.

He packed vino (Petite Syrah, my favorite)

His and Hers chocolate (dark for me)

And we sipped, chatted, laughed until the sun set

All was perfect until I spilled my perfect glass of wine

Whoops!

It was still a perfect date ❤ 

——————

After wine & chocolate we headed to my friend Alyson’s apartment for a Mexican and margarita dinner party. I made a healthy (yogurt based) chipotle dip and the (skinny/all natural) margaritas. Although there were already several people over before we arrived Alyson waited for me to make the drinks. How nice! haha

Silver tequila, tiny splash triple sec, fresh lime juice, tiiiny splash OJ, agave.

Somehow I ended up cooking the majority of the meal as well! It didn’t bother me though, I love dinner parties!

I cooked the meat and sauteed veggies.

Organic lean ground turkey

Organic chicken breasts

Meat seasoning:

EVOO (2 T)

Salsa (1/4 cup)

Chili powder (2 T)

Cumin (1/2 t)

sea salt/pepper

squeeze lime juice

My plate! Chicken, turkey, tomatoes, guac, Spanish rice, veggies, & dressing

It was a great night 🙂

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Have a great day! Don’t forget to enter my Whole Foods Gift Certificate Giveaway! 

>Help me help you [eat]

>I woke craving a huge thick bowl of oats – aaagain. Guess I’m on quite the oatmeal kick. I blame it on the weather.

This morning I imagined the flavor of a blueberry muffin. Behold the thickest most creamy oats I ever did have:

Night before, combine:

1/3 cup oats

3 T egg whites

Stevia (2 servings)

1/4 t apple pie spice

dash sea salt (to bring out sweetness)

Next morning:

Microwave ~3 mins or until oats rise/boil

Add 1/4 cup fresh blueberries, 1 thawed banana, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

*Tip: Peel bananas then freeze them in freezer bags or Tupperware. They’ll last for months!

The blueberry oats paired nicely with this goblet…

Coffee (a la Keurig) + organic soy milk

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It’s GIVEAWAY TIME!

1) Are you in the market for a Whole Foods gift card? ($30 value)
2) Great, cause I’m in the market for a new blog name!

This is where I need your creative help. I love Biochemista.com but want a name that reflects more than just my career. Please help me think of a new one! It can incorporate Biochemista into the new name but doesn’t have to. If you can’t think of a name just link the giveaway in your next blog/twitter/facebook post (leave a comment to tell me you did) and that will count as an entry.

Some words/phrases/ideas to consider:

health

fitness

well being

running

food

career

Washington, DC

balance

Each suggestion counts for a separate entry so keep the names coming! I will close the giveaway on Tuesday, November 16th!

Good luck and thank you!!!