Thursday 20251225

BODY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

At-home Holiday Workout #4

As many rounds as possible in 25 minutes of:

31 lunges

35-second plank

25 represents the day in December.

31-degrees N, 35-degrees E are the coordinates of Jesus' birth location.

Lunge any style. Plank must be completed before moving back to the lunges, but you do not have to complete all at once.

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BELLY

A great Christmas Day lunch or side-salad for the big dinner.

Italian Chicken Antipasto Salad

A hearty Italian-inspired salad with grilled chicken, crisp greens, olives, artichokes, and a creamy herb dressing.

Group	Ingredient
The Protein	6 oz rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken strips (sliced)
The Salad Base	2 cups mixed greens (pre-washed bag)
	¼ cup cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup sliced cucumber
	¼ cup marinated artichoke hearts (drained)
	¼ cup Kalamata olives, 2 oz fresh mozzarella (pearls or torn)
	1 Tbsp red onion, sliced (use kitchen shears)
The "Jar-Shake" Dressing	3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
	1 Tbsp mayonnaise, ½ tsp Dijon mustard
	Seasoning: ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp garlic powder, Salt & Pepper

🏃‍♂️ Instant Assembly (5 Minutes Total)

1. Shake the Dressing (1 Minute): Put all the dressing ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, mayo, mustard, and spices) into a small glass jar or a Tupperware container. Screw the lid on tight and shake vigorously for 30 seconds until creamy.

   • Why? This is faster than whisking and you can store the leftovers directly in the jar.

2. Assemble the Base (2 Minutes): Dump the mixed greens into a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, artichokes, olives, mozzarella, and onion.

   • Parent Hack: Use kitchen shears to snip the red onion and cucumber directly into the bowl to save using a cutting board.

3. Add Chicken & Toss (2 Minutes): Add the sliced chicken to the bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss everything together until coated.

4. Serve: Garnish with fresh basil (just tear the leaves with your hands) and serve immediately.

💡 The "Busy Parent" Shortcuts

• The Chicken: A rotisserie chicken is a parent's best friend. Shred the meat while it's warm and it will soak up the Italian dressing even better.

• Artichoke Hack: Buy the marinated artichokes in a jar. The oil they come in is packed with flavor—you can actually use a spoonful of that oil in your dressing for an extra kick.

• Mozzarella Pearls: Buying the "pearl" size mozzarella means you don't even have to slice the cheese; just open the bag and dump it in.

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BRAIN

Semaglutide Fails in Alzheimer’s Trial — A New Direction Emerges

Why GLP-1 drugs fell short and why ketogenic therapy may hold promise.

A major randomized trial from Novo Nordisk found that semaglutide did not slow cognitive decline in early Alzheimer’s disease, contradicting earlier observational studies that hinted at potential benefit. The result underscores that medication-driven metabolic improvements alone may be insufficient once neurodegeneration is underway.

Alzheimer’s is marked by the brain’s reduced ability to use glucose for energy, even decades before symptoms appear. Yet the brain can still use ketones efficiently. Early research on ketogenic diets and therapeutic ketosis shows improvements in brain energy, cognition, and daily functioning, suggesting that providing an alternative fuel source may address a key deficit drugs haven’t solved.

While GLP-1 medications remain useful for metabolic disease, their failure in Alzheimer’s highlights the need to invest in nutritional and metabolic therapies, which may offer meaningful benefits despite limited funding and lack of pharmaceutical backing.