After just getting back from Peru and hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, it's interesting to come back into our fast-paced lives here in the U.S., especially coming from a place so remote and far away from civilization.  We trekked over 3 mountain passes, hiked through dense cloud forests and camped in campsites at what felt like the "top of the world" with the stars and the Southern Cross as our guardians.  No cell phones, no email, and best of all, no television to infect our consciousness with the "bad" news of the world.

Instead, it was just about listening to the quiet at night and the songs of the birds and streams during the day.  With altitude periodically over 13,000 feet, all of sudden it didn't matter how fit one was; we soon find out why altitude is considered the "great equalizer."  The only pace possible was slow in contrast to the quickened rhythm of our heart rate and breathing.  We weren't rushing to get to our destination because it was physically impossible.   We went to bed just after dark - 8pm - and got up with the rising sun at 5:30am.  What peace of mind and heart comes when living in sync with nature.  It leaves one feeling completely rested and rejuvenated. 

Welcome to living in the present... and as it indicates, what a gift it is to us all!  

Summer is here...  breathe in the air and simply BE in the solitude of nature! 

Lisa Brisse & the State of the Heart Staff

If interested in reading more of Lisa's thoughts and pictures of Peru, click on her blog at: www.stateoftheheartfitness.com/blog

Summer is the perfect time to go outside and have fun as there are so many activities to choose from, but the summer heat can be a problem if you're not careful, particularly in areas with extreme heat and humidity.

The biggest problems while exercising in heat are staying hydrated and maintaining the body's electrolytes and salt. When you sweat, your body loses not only water, but electrolytes and salt, too. This delicate balance of water and electrolytes is crucial to keep your body functioning properly.

If you don't drink enough water, you can get dehydrated and suffer from light-headedness and nausea. If not recognized, dehydration can even result in kidney failure and or, in extreme cases, death. However, if you drink too much water without replenishing your electrolytes, you can experience hyponatremia. This can lead to confusion, nausea, muscle cramps, seizures or even death in extreme cases.  Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to exercising in the heat:

• The time of day is important.  Avoid exercising from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's the hottest part of day. Generally, the early morning is the best time to workout, especially if it's going to be scorcher that day.
• Wear loose, light-colored clothing. The lighter color will help reflect heat, and cotton material will help the evaporation of sweat. You may also want to try specially designed, "hi-tech" running shirts and shorts. They are often made from material meant to keep you cool.
• Sunscreen is a must. I use SPF 45 just to be safe. It's important to protect your skin. You can get burned and suffer sun damage to your skin even on cloudy days.
• Stay hydrated. Before you go out, drink a glass or two of water. Carry a bottle of water or even a hydration pack such as the CamelBak. Take a drink every 15 minutes, even when you're not thirsty. When you're done with your workout, have a few more glasses of water.
• Replenish your electrolyte and salt intake while exercising such as SUCCEED capsules--small, simple packs of sodium and electrolytes that keep my system in check.
• Most importantly, listen to your body. Stop immediately if you're feeling dizzy, faint or nauseous.

Adapted from an article by Joe Decker for Active.com.
Visit his website at www.joe-decker.com .

The flavors of Latin culture and the tastes of a spicy city (Miami!) inspired this dish, which takes boring baked chicken to an entirely different - and definitely delicious - level.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles)
• 2 limes
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
• 1 large mango, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 4 white-corn tortillas

Preparation:   Mix Worcestershire, soy and adobo sauces with juice from 1 of the limes in a bowl. Place chicken in a sealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine mango, avocado, cilantro, onion, salt and juice from remaining lime in a bowl, then refrigerate. Transfer chicken and marinade to a baking dish and cook until tender and no longer pink, approximately 20 minutes. Remove chicken from oven, place each breast on a plate and top with 1/4 of salsa. Serve with 1 tortilla each.  The skinny:  385 calories per serving , 9.6 g fat (1.4 g saturated), 44 g carbs, 6.5 g fiber , 31 g protein

Mike Shillinger

Mike Shillinger is a special person to me.  I have known him and his wife for 20 years and they have given me one of the most generous gifts of my life - a loving home for my beloved horse in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley.  So in February when Mike heard that my friends and I were going to hike the Inca trail in May, he asked if he could go along.   Of course I loved his desire to do this with us, but I admit I also was concerned knowing the strenuousness of the trail coupled with his de-conditioned health and fitness level. 

Therefore, I made it clear that he would have to make some major changes in his life to even make it a possibility.

His commitment was there.  Mike quit smoking, stopped his wine consumption and got a treadmill to train 2-3 times a week/week progressively increasing the level of difficulty, and also went for 5 mile hikes with Gigi and I on the weekends.  He looked at this trip as a powerful motivator to make a huge and healthy lifestyle change for himself.  He said he believes we all can make healthy changes for ourselves - including quitting smoking or other unhealthy habits - if it's really in our heart to do so.  With humor he said the biggest motivator was, "I didn't want to die in the Andes but I also really wanted to do this for myself!"

On our 3rd day of trekking, we all climbed higher and higher, while feeling extremely winded and slow due to lack of oxygen.  There simply was no way to move any faster and why would that be necessary anyway?  Going slow taught us all to truly take in the journey... look around... feel our footsteps and hear our breathing and heartbeat; it was like a walking meditation for hours - a very peaceful state of being.  However, the 4th day of trekking would be our most difficult.  We'd have to cover about 12 miles while summiting 3 mountain passes.  Our guide wasn't certain that Mike would be able to make it in the amount of time required to get to our next camp.  It was in this moment that Mike realized his limitations and opted to head back down the mountain with a porter, while the rest of us went on. Needless to say, it was an emotional moment for all of us to see our directions separate, though only temporarily.  We would meet Mike again 2 days later in Machu Picchu... us via the hike, and him via the train. 

Though Mike didn't complete the whole Inca Trail - this time - his efforts and his dedication to make the major changes in his life were a total inspiration to all of us and we are all so proud of him!   Mike plans to continue to keep us his healthy ways for his bright future that lies ahead!  Way to go, Mike! 

Gigi, Lisa, Mike, Jean, Jen, Michael & Tracy
at Machu Picchu! 

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