The Wanted and me, Lori Rischer

As part of a healthy lifestyle, it is important to give back. We all have causes that we are passionate about. Getting involved, to help make a difference, makes you feel good. In the words of Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." 

I have volunteered at several charities over the years. One of my favorites is, A Place Called Home, a community center for at-risk youth in South LA. I started volunteering there ten years ago with my good friend and KIIS-FM APD/MD, Julie Pilat. We have been mentoring teenage girls from the center and serve on the Leadership Council, (Julie is now on the Board of Directors.) Every year, we have our annual fundraiser for APCH, a celebrity bowling event called, "Stars and Strikes." This year was another massive success and we raised a lot of money for the center. 

Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump

Numerous celebrities came out to bowl, play poker, eat, drink, dance, walk the red carpet and hang out with the kids. Included were: Will I Am (from the Black Eyed Peas), Akon, The Wanted, Chris Brown (yes, this is where he had the altercation with the valet), Jason DeRulo (one of my favorite yoga students!), Fall Out Boy and Austin Brown. We had a great night laughing and bowling and it is all for a great cause.

The best yoga poses for bowling:

• Plank pose
  
• Tree pose
  
• Cow face pose (Gomukhasana)
  
• Head to knee forward bend (Janu Sirsasana)

My mentee of 10 years Fernanda Gomez and Will I Am from the Black Eyed Peas

Celebrities seen bowling around town:

Justin Timberlake, Lil Wayne, Kanye, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilara and Drake.

I'm a big fan of  Alicia Silverstone.  I think she is a funny actress, and I love that she is an outspoken advocate of animal rights. She is also well known for her healthy lifestyle and vegan diet. 

When you eat fresh foods, instead of processed food, it improves the health of your body AND your mind.  According to Alicia, “Eating more cleanly was a life choice. I honestly feel more in the present and clear-minded by eating fresh food.”  She is known to grow her own organic fruits and vegetables including: kale, tomatoes, cucumbers and squash.  

“I have a cup of whole grains at every meal,” Silverstone says. “My favorite is brown rice, often topped with homemade tahini sauce."  You can use the sauce on so many dishes to add incredible flavor.  

Here is a quick and easy recipe:

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup water
1 lemon, juiced
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Combine ingredients in a blender to make a smooth, creamy sauce.

Here are some fun facts I learned about Tahini on Wikipedia:

Tahini is an excellent source of copper, manganese and the amino acid, methionine. Tahini is a source of the healthy fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6.

Tahini made from raw sesame seeds is lower in fat than tahini made from roasted seeds

Tahini's relatively high levels of calcium and protein make it a useful addition to vegetarian and vegan diets, as well as to raw food diets, when eaten in its unroasted form. Compared to peanut butter, tahini has higher levels of fiber and calcium and lower levels of sugar and saturated fats.

Our latest guest on Rockstar Health & Fitness is the lead singer of a band that has 4 multi platinum albums, 12 consecutive #1 videos and is one of the biggest touring bands in Canada. The band, Hedley, continues to sell out in arenas and stadiums.  Their lead singer, Jake Hoggard, is one of the funniest people I know.  I spent last summer traveling with them, promoting their latest #1 single Kiss You Inside Out.  Needless to say, we had a blast,not only working our tails off, but with non stop laughter and adventure.  I also had an up close and personal look into their world of health & fitness.  Everywhere we went Jake did push ups and handstands for a quick burst of energy, plus he usually finds time to run.  He was a hysterical guest on Season 1, and his first episode has a classic surprise ending.  There's never a dull moment with Jake and no question that he is truly an incredible talent!  Be sure to catch this weeks' RHF episode....and get an inside look into his favorite smoothie recipe, and how we take his push ups to the next level.