Fruit and vegetable month is an excellent time to remind ourselves of the great variety of plant foods that we can include in our diets, not only to add taste and flavor but also to aid in disease prevention. While scientists try to isolate one or more food compounds that may be responsible for decreasing risk of disease, consumers can make the simple choice by eating many fresh, whole foods that provide our bodies with a wide range of nutrients. Although we seek answers to help us feel better while decreasing our risk of disease, we occasionally even hope for the quick and easy solution to better health by trying various “magic bullet” foods, supplements, or pills to meet our goals of a healthy, longer life.

One fruit that has received attention recently for the phytochemicals that it contains is the blueberry. These phytochemicals may help fight aging, cancer, and heart disease. While blueberries certainly do not qualify as a “magic” food, adding this fruit to your diet can assist you in getting nutrients that your body needs every day.

READ MORE ABOUT BLUEBERRIES

Pilates is based in Eastern and Western mind body philosophies and exercise science. Yoga practitioners can think of the Pilates’ Method as a Yoga core class. Being thoughtfully centered in the Pilates practices requires concentration and learning to appreciate the physical body in a continuum of efficient motion, which in turn benefits all other daily activities. Continued refinement of exercises builds the mental and physical focus of strengthening and lengthening the muscles into a deepening and empowering practice that balances body, mind, and breath. The capacity of a student acknowledging the bodies natural desire to be fit, poised, and wholly centered is rewarded in the physical and mindful results that come from the Joseph Pilates’ method. End results are better posture, circulation, better oxygenation to the whole body, and greater ease with form and thought.

PILATES EXERCISE SPOTLIGHT: "CRISS-CROSS"

The 5th annual Tour de SAC came to an end on Sunday, July 27th. Things were done a bit differently this year with a little competition added to the mix. Each minute of cycling was worth one point during the Tour de SAC (which ran from July 5th – 27th). Tallies were kept and tabulated at the end of each day to rank each rider. The club challenged it's members to cycle at least 600 minutes; just 10 classes during this period, with the option to cycle up to 3,060 minutes! Each cycler that accomplished this goal received a Tour de SAC t-shirt.

“Once again SAC has created a great event aimed at putting some fun into our summer. The competition was awesome and everyone who took part deserves a yellow jersey”, Instructor Whyle McConnell.

It was exciting to watch our participants get involved and for some, double the amount of cycling that they normally did. Our winner, Cate Oyama, cycled a total of 2,220 minutes, that’s 37 classes out of 51 offered during the competition! “The Tour de SAC was a perfect way for me to safely challenge myself and see how far I could go and still walk. I'm still surprised by what I could accomplish. My sprints got slower, but my climbs got stronger, and I had a chance to ride with each instructor and find something to enjoy in every class”, Cate Oyama.

We had 40 participants this year in the Tour de SAC with half of them stepping up to the challenge. Congratulations to everyone that participated -- we look forward to another great race next year!

Fall is approaching and if you haven't been involved in the Australian Challenge Ladder this summer, it's time to swing into action for the upcoming Squash Season. Soon it will be time to kick things off with the Fall In-House Tournament and we'll be into another fun and exciting year of Squash at Seattle Athletic Club. The Thursday evening Round Robins or a lesson with Squash Pro Bruce Vinsonhaler are great ways to get things rolling.

We look forward to seeing you on the Courts. If you haven't yet tried Squash, contact Bruce and get a FREE Introductory Mini-Lesson. You'll love it!

Are your children looking for good swimming workouts during the school year? Do they need to improve their technique and endurance? If you answered YES to either of these, take advantage of the best coaching in the region right here at the club. Many competitive swimmers from our program have had great success qualifying for the areas metro championships, and one former swimmer is currently ranked 16th nationally in the 11 & 12 year old age group.

Join us for Swim Team Prep on Monday or Wednesday evenings from 7:00 - 8:00pm, beginning September 22nd. We will also offer a Saturday class from 11:30am -12:30pm, beginning September 6th.

Registration begins September 8th and fills quickly – be sure to reserve your spot!

Join us for our next film night on Tuesday, September 9th at 7:00pm in the cafe. This month's film pick is Planet of the Apes, a 1968 film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.

An astronaut crew crash lands on a planet in the distant future where intelligent talking apes are the dominant species, and humans are the oppressed and enslaved.

We are bringing to light an item we have in our café that few of you may know about. Barlean’s Organic Oil is a green food concentrate with a great source of protein. It is a plant based vitamin and mineral with a full spectrum of enzymes, herbal antioxidants, tonics, and flax lignans. Barlean’s has a sweet taste and you can mix it with water or your favorite juice to nurture and nourish your body.