Supporting Immune System Health for Older Athletes

This post has been sponsored by Wellmune® through Kitchen PLAY.

How to support your immune system health is a topic on the minds of most of us these days, myself included – especially as an athlete over 50 years old! Surprisingly, a heavy training load and being older can both have negative effects on your immune response — despite being fit and “healthy.” To give my immune system a fighting chance to do its given job despite the stresses I put it under, I follow an overall clean lifestyle. This encompasses: a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, no smoking or little to no alcohol, adequate quantity and quality of sleep, and the reduction of personal stress.  Also, staying on the defensive against the onslaught of environmental assaults like allergens, viruses and pollutants is an important strategy, too. I’ve also recently learned that incorporating yeast beta glucans into my daily wellness regimen is a specific, proven way to help support immune health. Read on to learn more about immune health, yeast beta glucans, and the natural ingredient, Wellmune®, which is used by various food, beverage and supplement brands to create immune-boosting consumer products. Continue reading

Week of Immunity-Boosting Lunch Recipes for Working at Home

Times are changing and you may find yourself working from home for the time being. My big question as noon approaches, “what’s to eat”?!  Even though many lunch outings have been put on pause and shelves are sparse at the store, doesn’t mean that the mid-day meal needs to be cancelled! Immunity Boosting Lunch Recipes for Work at Home Lunches -- easy and use pantry staples

A satisfying lunch not only provides a break from the work grind and fills your belly, but the right choices can help to boost your immunity, too! Check out the easy, immunity-boosting lunch menu I’m making for myself and my husband (who’s working from the kitchen table all week). Most of the base ingredients immunity boosting recipes are staples you can plan ahead and stock in the pantry, freezer or produce bin. Continue reading

Amazing Watermelon Beet Smoothie for Post Workout Recovery

This post is sponsored by Watermelon.org, however all opinions, content, and enthusiasm remain my own. #WatermelonEveryday

Scenario: You’ve run long or exercised hard, now you’re depleted by every definition of the word. Your body rose to the demands of the workout, but now it’s DONE, every resource is exhausted – physically, nutritionally, even mentally. You’re too tired to track down or make a square meal, but know you need some quality refueling STAT. Sound familiar?!Watermelon Beet Smoothie for Workout Recovery

My Amazing Watermelon Beet Workout Recovery Smoothie saves the day by whipping up in minutes to make the most of your workout gains. This happens courtesy of all the key nutrients that allow your taxed body to recover quickly so that you can perform again tomorrow at your best. Read on to get this easy smoothie recipe that’s a real game changer . . . and tastes amazing too! Continue reading

Cottage Cheese for Lean Muscle & Tasty Topping Ideas

This post is sponsored by Hiland Dairy but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

I take my snacking seriously . . . despite being a big goofball. All my crazy energy spent and the gym, running and just tackling life need replenishment in a quick but healthy way. Hiland Diary 5-oz cottage cheese cups - jennifer fisher - thefitork.com

I’ve long relied on dairy products to fuel me between meals and right now I’m loving the new single-serve cottage cheeses from Hiland Dairy. Hiland Dairy offers these cottage cheese in fruit flavors, savory flavors – and of course, plain and lower-fat curd varieties. Delicious eaten on-the-go and also a great foundation for yummy toppings. Learn more about cottage cheese as a muscle-building, healthy snack, find my creative topping ideas, and enter the Hiland Dairy Giveaway.  Continue reading

Spring Break Detox: Jump Start Summer Health & Fitness Goals

This post is sponsored by adidas, however all opinions, comments and enthusiasm remain my own!

Spring Break has come and gone for most of us, sigh. Whether you were celebrating with no responsibilities on a beach somewhere fabulous or partying down with the kiddos at an amusement park, chances are you probably overindulged on food and drink and short-changed yourself on sleep among countless other possible indiscretions (!) Now worries though, life is about balance and it’s easy to get back on track with your health and fitness goals with my holistic “Jump on Summer” Spring Break Detox.

jennifer thefitfork adidas Spring Break Detox

When most people hear the phrase “detox” in a health and fitness connotation, they immediately think strictly a DIET detox, maybe to the extreme like fasting or just drinking juices. But, I’m not really a fan of such food-restrictive detoxing – while my “Jump on Summer” Spring Break Detox incorporates getting back into a clean-eating routine (but not starvation mode), it also attends to the other parts of our lives that may need a gentle (or hard) reset. In addition to eating nourishing foods, focusing on hydration, sleep, meditation, exercise and optimizing free time are all other areas where you can detox and get a fresh start for the remainder of spring and summer. Continue reading