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One of the major problems that dieters face is that they get cravings at night and tend to eat lots of junk food before they go to sleep.
These are added calories, which often makes them put on more weight than helping them lose it. The six foods which I have suggested have been scientifically proven to help you lose weight if you eat them as a bedtime snack because they are healthy, nutritious and filling foods which are relatively low in calories. They all have an added advantage is that they help improve sleep quality. 1. Cottage Cheese Cottage cheese is high in protein. It will help to build muscle while you sleep. It is also low in fat and calories. A 1/2 cup of cottage cheese provides you with 13grams of protein which is more than two boiled eggs. 2. Bananas If you have more of a sweet-tooth, bananas are a fantastic late-night snack choice. They are full of important nutrients like potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C and fiber. They are also a good source of tryptophan an amino acid which can make you sleepy. Bananas contain high amounts of fiber. If you choose bananas that are greenish (not fully ripe), then they are also high in resistant starch. Fiber and resistant starch may help you feel full and less hungry, which leads to a reduction in calorie intake. Remember, people who do not sleep enough tend to be much more overweight than those who do. 3. Almonds Almonds encourage restful sleep. You only have to eat a handful or two as a bedtime snack. They are especially high in magnesium which. Studies have shown that a magnesium deficiency greatly affects melatonin levels, circadian cycle and sleep disorders. Consuming 500mg of magnesium per day significantly improved sleep quality, sleep duration and other factors contributing to insomnia. One handful of almonds contains about 150 mg of magnesium, which is a very healthy dose of this mineral… and remember to stick to one to two handfuls of almonds at the most. 4. Turkey Turkey Provides Protein and Helps Regulate Sleep. It is a relatively low calorie meat, high in protein and a good for weight loss as it reduces appetite much more effectively than fat or carbs. Turkey is also high in tryptophan which promotes good sleep. 5. Canned Tuna In the USA 40% of the people are thought to be vitamin D deficient. A vitamin D deficiency is linked to many health problems including sleep disorders. It is also linked to sleep apnea. Tuna is an easy and filling snack before bed, and a wonderful source of vitamin D. A small 85g tin of tuna contains 50% of your daily vitamin D requirements. Tuna also has omega-3 fats, which are important for body and brain function. To be honest, we should all be eating far more omega-3 fatty acids. Optimal body and brain function, as well as restful sleep, are important for weight loss. 6. Cherries Cherries when in season as another quick, juicy and quick bedtime snack choice. A cup of cherries is only 50 calories. A super weight-friendly choice ! In a study, cherries have been shown to improve sleep and even help treat sleep disorders. They reduced the severity of sleeplessness equal to that of the herb valerian. Cherries also increase the body’s secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin which is responsible for good quality sleep. Good nutrition, weight loss and sleep are all inter-related. If you want to lose weight you need to get a good night’s sleep. Eating before bed does not have to be bad for you. You just need to eat small servings of nutritious foods that help to keep you satisfied and some may even help you get a good night’s sleep.
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There is a great deal of misinformation out there especially when it comes to nutrition. The below points are based on scientific research and these facts have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. 1. Eating Too Little Protein When it comes to losing weight, it is important to stick to a clean, healthy eating diet where protein plays a major role. Adding protein to your diet is the easiest and simplest way to lose weight. Studies show that protein both increases your metabolic rate and helps reduce appetite . This is due to the fact that more energy is required to metabolize protein and you can end up burning 80 to 100 calories per day. Protein is also more satiating, people who ate 30% of calories from protein ate 441 fewer less calories a day. Protein also tends to fight cravings and reduced the desire for late-night snacking by 50%. 2. Eating too Many Carbs Reducing the amount of carbohydrates that you eat is a very effective way to lose weight. People who do this tend to notice that their appetite is reduced and they eat fewer calories. Eating a diet low in carbohydrates until you feel full; can make you lose about 2-3 times as much weight as a calorie restricted low-fat diet. Low carbohydrate diets are extremely beneficial for people who are insulin resistant, obese, have type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Some of these health issues can literally be reversed by eating a clean diet which is low- carb based. The types of carbohydrates that you should be eating should be high in fiber and from whole single ingredient foods such as beans. No PROCESSED goods made from refined white flour and sugar. 3. Being on a “Low-Fat” Diet Interesting feedback from the biggest and most expensive diet study in history, The Women’s Health Initiative, randomized 48,835 women into groups… one ate a low-fat diet, the other group continued eating the standard Western diet. After 7.5-8 years, there was only a 0.4 kg (1 pound!) difference in weight and there was no reduction in heart disease or cancer. Many other studies have led to the same conclusion. The truth is, the low-fat diet is a miserable failure. Almost every time it is pitted against another type of diet in a study, it loses. Even diabetics have been advised to follow this type of diet… the “carb up and shoot up” strategy that benefits no one but the drug companies. It is a simple biochemical fact that carbs raise blood sugar. This keeps the diabetic patients dependent on blood sugar lowering drugs. Although low-fat diets may be okay for healthy people, they are a complete disaster for people with obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. In fact, low-fat diets can adversely affect some key risk factors for metabolic syndrome and heart disease. They can raise triglycerides, lower HDL and increase small, dense LDL particles. 4. Did You Think That Fruit Juices Are Healthy ? Most fruit juices are fruit flavoured water with a great deal of added sugars. Even 100% fruit juice should be a rare treat as it still spikes your blood sugar levels as all the fiber has been taken out. Whole fruits do contain some sugar but it is bound within the fibrous cell walls, which slows down the release of the sugar into the bloodstream. Did you know that the sugar content of fruit juice is actually very similar to sugar-sweetened beverages like Coca Cola. In conclusion it is definitely best to eat the whole fruit and to avoid drinking fruit juices, especially when you are trying to lose weight. Fat is a word filled with such emotion. It conjures up images of greasy food or bulging weight. Do you calorie count your foods and buy fat-free, low-fat and lite foods ? Many of these foods may be lower in fat but higher in sugar. These mass-produced products had the fat taken out and sugar, sweeteners and additives put in.
Low-fat yogurts, margarines, spreads, low-fat ready meals, breakfast cereals, cereal bars and juices are all technically low in calories, but that doesn’t mean they won’t make you overweight. We know that excess sugar gets converted to fat in the body, usually around your middle area. If we eat a lot of these types of foods, the mid-section weight gain is always hard to shift if unknowingly eating too much sugar. Research shows that eating too much sugar is behind the huge surge of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, so not only are these low-fat foods making us fat, they are making us sick too ! Which fats should we stay away from ? The chemically derived fats are the ones that should be feared. They come from mainly vegetables oils, such as canola, soya, sunflower, safflower and corn. These oils go through an industrial solvent extraction process, which requires a number of heating treatment and chemical processes (petroleum to mention one) before they are bottled and sold. Unlike butter, coconut butter and olive oils, which do not undergo these processes, vegetable oils, if being used for something like margarine, have to go through a further process called hydrogenation, which makes them solid when cooled. Avoid all products which contain hydrogenated fats like biscuits and other processed packaged foods. Read the labels. Which fats you should eat and why ? Eggs, oily fish such as mackerel and sardines, nuts and seeds, oils and avocado’s contain essential fatty acids which serve multiple important health functions in the body and can only be obtained from food. Every cell in the body has an outer layer that’s made up of fat, so we need to consume good fats to keep these cells strong and healthy, which in turn keeps us strong and healthy. I hope you’ve realized so far that it is not necessary to demonize fats; but let’s keep this in perspective. It isn’t a green flag to eat all the cheese, red meat, sausages and butter that you want. I’m suggesting that you ditch the margarine and bread and use a little butter on some delicious, steamed veggies. Enjoy meat occasionally about once or twice a week and if you can make it organic or free-range. Don’t buy processed red meats like ham, salami, sausages, mince and bacon which are health harming. Enjoy small amounts of good quality goat’s cheeses and eat them alongside vegetables and herbs. These are the fats that I encourage you to include in your diet:
10/5/2016 0 Comments Performance Nutrition: 3 Easy Ways You Can Improve Performance Through NutritionWhen it comes to athletic performance and body composition goals, there is often more focus on training. Yet, an athlete's nutrition is just as important, since it provides the recovery that allows your body to adapt to higher levels of intensity.
There are three simple nutrition strategies that can seriously improve your performance: 1. Pay Attention to Protein High-quality sources of protein contain all nine essential amino acids, which help repair and rebuild your muscles. Essential amino acids don't occur naturally within our bodies, so we must consume foods or drinks the contain them in order to build muscle and perform other key functions at an optimal level. Consuming a protein meal post-workout can promote muscle protein synthesis, which is important for building muscle. Also, protein has a high thermic effect, meaning it is not as easily digested as other macronutrients, hence more energy is expended to digest it. Because it is not easily digested, protein keeps us full for longer periods of time. This is definitely an important factor with respect to fat loss. Consensus in the sport science field recommends that protein needs are determined by weight, not percentage of calories. As your caloric needs increase, so too, do your carbohydrate needs to provide fuel for the greater physical output. Endurance (Triathletes, long distance runners, cyclists), strength and power, and stop-and-go athletes appear to need between 1.2 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Examples of foods high in protein relative to the carbohydrate and fat content. • A range of lean meat and meat products (e.g. chicken, ham, ostrich) • Fish (e.g. tuna, codfish, trout, redfish) • Low fat dairy products (some may be high in sugar) • Legumes (baked beans, beans, peas, chick-peas, lentils) • Quorn or other meat replacement products • Nuts and seeds • Sports food may assist with timed protein supply 2. Use Carbs as Fuel Another macronutrient that has a huge impact on performance is carbohydrates. Stored as glycogen in muscles, they are the body's preferred fuel source. However, this doesn't mean you can consume all the carbs you want. Choosing the right amount of carbs for the right level of activity is important. If you are only doing a brisk treadmill run for 30 minutes, I suggest putting down that sports drink; you probably don't need the extra carbs. However, if you are participating in a marathon or an intense game or practice spanning several hours, consuming carbs can help improve your performance. Think of carbs as fuel. The higher the intensity of your activity and the effort you expend, the more carbs you probably need. If you plan to compete or train and want to perform at your highest level, consuming carbs prior to the activity can definitely help. Carb consumption is also important after you work out. Aim to consume a meal or drink with at least a ratio of 2:1 carbs to protein after intense exercise. General guidelines for carbohydrate consumption in everyday training: • Minimal physical activity: 2-3g/kg/day • Light physical activity consisting of 3-5 hrs / wk: 4-5g/kg/day is needed • Physical activity 10-19hrs /wk: 5-7g/kg/day is needed • Physical activity 20+ hrs/wk - 7-12g/kg/day is needed. • Physical activity more than 4-6+hrs / day: 10-12+g/kg/day is needed. 3. Food First, Supplements Only If Needed I'm not against the use of supplements. I use them regularly. It’s important to use good quality supplements. Buying the latest hot supplement being advertised on late-night infomercials. A simple pill or powder isn't enough to change your life for the better; in some cases, it might actually harm you. Relying on supplements over quality food to reach a performance or body composition goal is a big mistake. The power of supplements simply cannot compare to the power of a well-balanced diet. Instead of thinking about nutrition in terms of what supplement you need to buy next, start thinking of the foods you can eat to help you reach your goals. Once you look at the macronutrients of the foods you're eating, you'll be able to make adjustments and replacements that will help you. If you make a concerted effort to do this and still come up short on certain nutrients, then and only then should you start looking to supplements to fill the gap. That's why they're called supplements; they're meant to supplement a good diet, not replace it. Some common supplements that athletes use are omega - 3's, creatinine, beta-alanine magnesium and a good quality whey protein (I personally use vegetarian sources from hemp, rice and pea). Quite funny to think that I’m writing this article on peas. As a child I used to hate them and have memories of my mother trying to coax me to eat them. I must admit I started eating them in my 30’s and much prefer them raw than cooked !
Most people may think of peas as plate filler, a bit of ‘green’, which accompanies your main meal. In reality let’s give peas more credit, they are small powerhouses of nutrition that are wonderful for your health. Green peas are one of the most nutritious leguminous vegetables rich in health benefiting phyto-nutrients, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Fresh, tender peas are relatively low in calories in comparison to beans, and cowpeas. Fresh pea pods are an excellent source of folic acid. In addition to folates, peas are also good in many other essential B-complex vitamins and are a rich source of many minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese. Here’s some of the benefits of eating peas: 1. Weight Management: Peas are very low in fat, making them an excellent crunchy, snack. When snacking, they are best eaten raw. A cup of raw peas has 117 calories but lots of protein, fiber, micronutrients and no cholesterol. 2. Folic Acid Fresh pea pods are excellent sources of folic acid. Folates are one of the B-complex vitamins required for DNA synthesis inside the cell. Studies suggest that adequate folate rich foods when given to expectant mothers would help prevent neural tube defects in their newborn babies. 3. Vitamin C Eaten raw, green peas are a great source of Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant ranging in many benefits from the formation and maintenance of collagen, helping wounds to heal, a free radical scavenger, detoxifier and strengthening immune system. 4. Stomach cancer prevention: Peas contain high amounts of a health-protective polyphenol called coumestrol. A study in Mexico City determined you only need 2 milligrams per day of this phytonutrient to prevent stomach cancer. A cup of peas has at least 10 milligrams. 5. Healthy Eyes and Skin: Fresh green peas also carry adequate amounts of anti-oxidants flavonoids such as carotenes, lutein and zea-xanthin as well as vitamin-A (provide 765 IU or 25.5% of RDA per 100 g). Vitamin A is an essential nutrient required for maintaining healthy membranes, skin and eye-sight. Additionally, consumption of natural fruits/vegetables rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. 6. Blood sugar regulation: Blood sugar regulation has been an area of special interest with respect to green peas and its fellow legumes. What we now know is that green peas and other pulses can help us lower our fasting blood sugar as well as our fasting insulin levels. Our long-term control of blood sugar (as measured by lab testing of glycosylated hemoblobin and fructosamine) is also improved by intake of green peas. When combined with an overall high-fiber diet, these benefits are increased. They are also increased when green peas are consumed as part of an overall diet that is low in glycemic index. Peas are both high in fibre and protein which both slow down how fast sugars are digested. 7. Heart disease prevention: The many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds support healthy blood vessels. The formation of plaque along our blood vessel walls starts with chronic, excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. Peas provide us with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. They are a reliable source of omega-3 in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. Peas also contain generous amounts of cardio protective choline, vitamin B1 and folate, B2, B3, and B6 which reduce homocysteine levels which is a risk factor for heart disease. All in all peas get the thumbs up for cardiovascular health. 8. Prevent constipation: The high fiber content in peas improves bowel health and peristalsis. 9. Healthy bones Just one cup of peas contains 40% of your daily needs of Vitamin K, which has been found to play an important role in building bone mass, hence helping to prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin K has established a role in the cure of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage inside the brain. 10. Reduces bad cholesterol: The niacin (Vitamin B3) in peas helps reduce, the production of triglycerides and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein, which results in less bad cholesterol, increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and lowered triglycerides. Peas also contain phytosterols, especially ß-sitosterol. Studies suggest that vegetables like legumes, fruits and cereals rich in plant sterols help lower cholesterol levels inside the human body. 11. Healthy for the environment:
“We lived very simply – but with all the essentials of life well understood and provided for hot baths, cold champagne, new peas and old brandy.” ~ Winston Churchill Researchers from the University of Liverpool and colleagues from Action on Sugar have assessed the sugar content of over 200 fruit drinks marketed at children and have found them to be "unacceptably high."
Almost half the products assessed contained 19g or the equivalent to five teaspoons of sugar which is a child’s entire daily recommended maximum sugar intake. To be honest, even the maximum recommended amount seems to be too much. The researches assessed the sugar content of 200ml UK branded and supermarket own label beverages labeled as - fruit juice drinks, 100% natural juices, and smoothies marketed specifically to children. Maximum sugar intake in one drink 'Free' sugars were measured using the labels on the packaging. The sugars taken into account were the likes of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and table sugar, which are added by the manufacturer, and naturally occurring sugars in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates, but not the naturally occurring sugars found in whole fruits and vegetables, which the body metabolises differently and which act to curb energy intake. The results highlighted wide variations in the amount of free sugars between different types of drink and within the same type of product. Almost half the products assessed contained at least a child's entire daily recommended maximum sugar intake of 19g or five teaspoons, show the findings. These come ahead of the publication of the UK government's childhood obesity strategy. Smoothies are worst offenders… With an increase in public awareness regarding the detrimental effects of sugar sweetened drinks on children’s teeth and waistlines has encouraged many parents to opt for seemingly healthier fruit juice and smoothie alternatives. Unfortunately, according to the research, these parents have been mislead ! The content of sugar in fruit drinks, including natural fruit juices and smoothies tested, is unacceptably high. Surprisingly smoothies are amongst the worst offenders. The product labels contained a reference of the intake which is line with European law, BUT this figure applies to an active average sized grown woman ! So it is absolutely inappropriate for children. Unnecessary amounts of sugar As a result of the findings, the researchers make several recommendations:
Professor Capewell from the researcher’s team stated that: "Manufacturers should stop adding unnecessary amounts of sugars, and therefore calories, to their fruit drink/juice/smoothie products. Our kids are being harmed for the sake of industry profits. If companies can't slash sugar voluntarily, the government should step in with statutory regulations." It’s been a well know fact for nearly 100 years, actually since the 1870 siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, that type 2 diabetes could be reversed by an extreme reduction in food intake. Since then this has been confirmed experimentally; by starving people enough, you can reverse diabetes. Diabetes specialists have long known that the tiny proportion of iron-willed diabetics who can substantially decrease their weight and maintain this can exhibit a return to normal metabolism.
A label is required to allow doctors to recognize and appropriately manage this subgroup who are willing to do anything to get rid of their diabetes. These are the Health-Motivated. At the time of diagnosis, the Health-Motivated individuals will benefit from being advised that they are likely to be able to reverse their diabetes completely by losing up to a fifth of their body weight. And then, only if they’re shown to be not sufficiently strongly motivated, should the routine guidelines for managing type 2 diabetes be rolled out, which include lots of drugs. Unfortunately, the control of blood sugar with medication has proven to be unsustainable and may actually exacerbate obesity, making us put on more weight, and, thus, creating a vicious cycle. There’s got to be a better way. Instead of starving oneself by eating less food or taking a medication, what if there is a better way such as eating better food. Eating a diet that promotes eating unlimited greens, vegetables, beans, some whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and at least 90% plant-based. This may look like at least one big salad every day made of various raw greens, a vegetable bean stew, a handful of nuts and seeds, fruit at every meal, up to 450g of cooked greens, some whole grains, but no refined grains, junk food, or oil, and a restriction on animal products. Thirteen diabetic men and women sticking to this diet for an average of seven months. How’d they do? Hemoglobin A1C is considered the best measure of blood sugar control. Below six is normal, non-diabetic, but the official American Diabetes Association target is to get diabetics at least down to 7. And anything above seven is uncontrolled diabetes. Here’s where they all started out after having diabetes for an average of more than seven years. Then, they started plowing in the plants: months 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. After about seven months, their average A1C dropped from a diabetic 8.2 down to a non-diabetic 5.8. The majority dropped down to normal, and this is after dropping most of their medications. Now, this was a pilot study, just a handful of people, no control group, and included only people who could actually stick to the diet, a retrospective case series, considered one of the weakest forms of published evidence. However, the magnitude of the effect they found indicates that a high nutrient density diet can be very effective for some people. In conclusion, am sure that a diabetic or a person suffering from insulin resistance can immensely improve their condition through diet and exercise alone. They just need a little bit of a Health-Motivation attitude ! Excerpts. Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM 29/2/2016 0 Comments Think Skinny !So how do skinny people do it ? Chances are you know of someone who seems to effortlessly control their weight, while you may struggle with yours. So what healthy eating and healthy lifestyle habits do these individuals have that keeps them slim with seemingly very little effort? Would you like to control your weight for good? These are the common lifestyle habits that these people share: 1) They do not ‘diet’ They are not concerned with the latest diet fad. Evidence suggests that slim people consume a basic healthy and balanced diet. The problem with diets is that they tend to create a feeling of restriction and deprivation. This can lead to an excessive focus on food and eating, fueling binges and an obsession with food which basically negates any benefits associated with the original diet. The bottom line here is that if a diet feels restrictive, it is unlikely to help you with weight control in the long term. It is best to create healthier eating habits for life. Diets don’t work. An authentic Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating. 2) They exercise, a lot Skinny people and individuals who lost weight and kept it off, exercise for at least an hour each day. That may equate to a 2000- plus calorie burn every single week. 3) They eat plenty of fruits and vegetables No surprises here — they eat 7-10 servings or 3 1/2 - 5 cups of fresh fruits and vegetables every single day. The daily recommended intake is a minimum of 2.5 cups of vegetables. The more fresh produce you add into your diet, there is far less room for other high calorie foods. You naturally eat less of them and in smaller quantities. 4) They think quality over quantity This is one to note! Long term weight control is not about focusing on what you should not eat. It is about enjoying good quality food, high calorie or not. It means enjoying a small serving of good quality cake, rather than eating an entire packet of biscuits. Good quality dark chocolate or a glass of red wine. Practice mindful eating … stop and think before you put something into your mouth. Is it worth the calories? It is not just the calories that we should think about. Is it beneficial to our health? 5) They shop smart Inspecting your grocery bill is one of the easiest ways to check the quality of your diet. If processed, high fat snacks in colourful packaging are about 2% of the items then you’re doing well! On the other hand, if you regularly buy these junk foods, then you’ve lost the battle. If you buy them, then you’re eating them. If you know you should not be eating them for either weight loss or health reasons, then you’ve got to get honest with yourself and stop buying them… and don’t use the kids as excuses. They shouldn’t be eating them either! 6) They cook at home Meals prepared at home are healthier and have considerably less calories than take-out meals. Many popular lunches bought in restaurants or take-outs can contain almost double the calories of the same meal you prepare for yourself, while restaurant meals can contain an entire day’s worth of calories. If you simple must buy food, make sure you make healthier choices and get a quinoa or tuna salad. Cooking at home is an easy step towards weight control. 7) They stick to their healthy eating habits It does not matter if it is Christmas, a major birthday, or winter time. Individuals who control their weight maintain diet structure. There is no such thing as taking a day or even a week off their diet, rather there is a one off heavier meal or occasional treat, and the normal diet resumed straight after. 8) They eat healthier snacks Forget packaged snacks, low fat treats and processed foods. Snacking means something light and nutritious for those in control of their weight. Fruit, veggies nuts and goat’s yoghurt or cheese are all great choices for snacks. 9) They don’t do food guilt Forget diet talk and cycles of deprivation and bingeing depending on what you have eaten. Food is not used to soothe emotional states and there is an understanding that at times we will overindulge and consume higher fat, higher calorie foods, but it all evens out eventually. There is no guilt or compensatory behaviours associated with eating. It all comes down to healthier habits, the occasional treats and balance. 10) They watch their weight Skinny people watch their weight. They may weigh themselves or, just simply feel how their clothes fit on them. This means that you notice when you start putting on weight and you do something about it. You can respond quickly and take the steps required to reverse weight gain, before it becomes significant. The benefits of cooking with olive oil made headlines last week after revelations from a recent study in Food Chemistry may have turned more than one version of ‘conventional wisdom’ on its head. The Spanish researchers found that deep-frying and sautéing vegetables in Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) resulted in increased total phenolic compounds within the food. These phenolics are phytonutrients (plant chemicals) that are known to have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. It was also found that cooking in water reduced the phenol content.
This study follows a systematic review, conducted also by Spanish researchers, published in April last year, that showed that consumption of fried vegetables, especially ones cooked in olive oil, did not directly increase cardiovascular disease risk. The review did however show that high rates of consumption of fried vegetables did tend to increase weight gain, which is indirectly correlated with CVD and other chronic diseases. These most recent findings may have heartened those who are well aware of the health benefits of EVOO, some of which are due to the oil’s own high polyphenolic content, but who have been reluctant to use the oil for cooking for fear of heat damage and loss of some benefits. Others may have been somewhat enlightened, especially those who thought that frying of any kind, regardless of the oil used, would always degrade the quality of food. Despite these findings, there is still good evidence to suggest that certain types of frying, such as deep frying, as well as the over-consumption of fried foods, does more harm than good. There are many reasons why over-frying can be bad for foods, this not only being due to the denaturing of food ingredients by heat, but also through the formation of toxic compounds, such as acrylamide, aldehydes and glycation end products. We summarise below, the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ of cooking with oil, olive oil especially. Cooking with olive oil: The key to healthy cooking with olive oil, and minimising damage, lies in keeping the temperature below the smoke point of the oil. That means keeping the heat below 160oC for EVOO, and below around 195oC for virgin olive oil (VOO). The EVOO smoke point is relatively low, but this is less of an issue when cooking vegetables which have a high water content and so help lower the overall cooking temperature. Lightly frying vegetables below the EVOO smoke point enables some nutrients to become more bioavailable, such as beta-carotene in orange or yellow pigmented vegetables, quercetin in onions or green peppers. In practice this means light frying rather than heavy or deep frying, and if you choose to cook with virgin olive oil it’s important to place the vegetables in the oil soon after heat is applied to the oil to ensure its temperature doesn’t rise too high. As the water is drawn out of the vegetables it mixes with the soil forming an emulsion that is maintained at a lower temperature than oil alone. Light frying also curbs the production of large amounts of harmful compounds, such as aldehydes, which are formed when you cook with maize (corn) or sunflower oil (commonly used in deep frying). When looking at the composition of commonly used cooking oils in the western diet, it’s clear that the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content is skewed heavily towards a high ratio of n-6 (Omega 6) to n-3 (Omega 3) oils. This is one of the key drivers of inflammatory conditions associated with Western, chronic diseases. As we have said before, we can all derive considerable benefits by reducing or eliminating our n-6 PUFA intakes, and so olive oil, high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) — heated or not, is one of the healthier choices of oil. Cooking oil pitfalls So as to avoid an excess of these inflammatory n-6 (Omega 6) PUFAs and to avoid damaging chemicals formed during cooking, steer clear of processed and refined oils. Often they are simply labelled ‘vegetable oil’. We strongly suggest you avoid sunflower oil and maize (corn) oil which are widely used, especially as they ahve a tendency to create trans fats on cooking. Soybean oil should also be avoided and in many parts of the world it may also be genetically modified. We strongly advise you avoid regular consumption of commercially-cooked deep fried foods as these are generally cooked in PUFA n-6-rich vegetable oils. This not only skews your n-6:n:3 ratio in the wrong direction, it also results in denaturing of foods and the creation of a variety of compounds that may be both harmful and carcinogenic. The best oils for high temperature cooking Choose from:
The best one here is virgin olive oil, provided it is used as detailed above. The next best is probably non-GMO rapeseed oil, although frying it releases more airborne, cancer-causing polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HAs). It should be noted that stir-frying with maize/corn oil also increases harmful trans fat levels. The best fats for non-cooking purposes These oils are best drizzled over salads and other dishes:
Gently does it In summary, cooking your veggies with olive oil is only a healthy option provided that you don’t heat the oil beyond its smoke point. Equally, the latest Spanish research doesn’t detract from the value of eating plenty of raw foods, as well as ample research to show that frying, and especially deep frying, of meats both denatures protein, but also forms harmful compounds such as PAHs, HAs, advanced glycation end (AGE) products, aldehydes. Once an oil has been heated beyond its smoke point it oxidises, becomes rancid and is then loaded with free radicals. Additionally, the glycerol (oil is made from glycerol and free fatty acids) in the oil is converted to acrolein which has been shown to be a mutagen. Acrolein is widely distributed in the food supply and is responsible for the bitter taste in burnt oil. While it is not as yet classified as a human carcinogen, its mutagenicity is clear and, based on research of acrolein-DNA adducts in cigarette smoke, there is now mounting evidence for acrolein’s role in increasing cancer risk through DNA damage and its inhibition of DNA repair. Finally, of particular concern for those working in commercial kitchens, in and around deep fryers, there is clear evidence of increased cancer risk through the inhalation of toxic fumes from burnt oil. Article Compliments: Alliance for Natural Health International. In a recent study comparing the nutritional and antioxidant values of ten different types of nuts, surprisingly pecan nuts came first, followed by walnuts and pine nuts came last.
The top five healthiest nuts are pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios and almonds, followed by peanuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts and pine nuts. Nuts are underrated as nutritious snacks . They have been linked to lower cholesterol, improve heart health, great for weight loss, and even lower cancer risk. Most people are afraid of consuming nuts due to their fat and calorie content. It’s a shame as a small handful of nuts can pack your diet with satiating protein, fiber, unsaturated fats and important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Nuts are so packed with antioxidants they’re adding nut powders to meat to keep it from spoiling longer. Here’s how you benefit your health every time you snack on a handful of nuts: #1 Pecans Pecans improve your heart health and are among the most antioxidant-rich nuts. They may help prevent plaque formation in your arteries. In the a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, it stated that consuming pecans can help lower LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 33 per cent. Pecans also protect your brain. The vitamin E found in the nuts could delay progression of degenerative neurological diseases like amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. #2 Walnuts Walnuts contain the most antioxidants of all nuts which help protect your body from the cellular damage that contributes to heart disease, cancer, and premature aging. They also have the highest amounts in omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation.. Walnuts are a wonderful alternative to eating fish. The manganese content in walnuts may also reduce PMS (premenstrual symptoms). #3 Hazelnuts Hazelnuts are notable for their high levels of monounsaturated fats, which can improve cardiovascular health and help to manage type 2 diabetes. They’re also high in the antioxidant vitamin E, which may prevent cataracts and macular degeneration, maintain healthy skin, and reduce risk of dementia. #4 Pistachios Pistachios are the skinny nut, with less than four calories each. Eating them from the shell slows down the pace that you eat them and hence the snack lasts longer and you eat less overall. The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers found that eating two ounces of pistachios daily may reduce lung cancer risk.Pistachios are rich in the antioxidant gamma-tocopherol, a form of cancer-fighting vitamin E. They are packed with potassium, a mineral essential for a healthy nervous system and muscles, and are a good source of vitamin B6, which can lift your mood, fortify your immune system, and more. #5 Almonds Almonds are good for your gut as they contain the most fiber compared to the other nuts. They are also a very rich source of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Almonds assist weight loss. In one International Journal of Obesity study, when two groups of obese adults followed low-calorie diets for six months, those who included almonds in their weight loss plans lost more weight than those who ate more complex carbohydrates. Other research shows that almonds are especially healthy for people worried about their blood sugar: Those who ate about 20 percent of their calories from almonds for four months saw their bad LDL cholesterol drop and their insulin resistance decrease compared to a control group who didn’t eat them. Almonds also raise levels of good bacteria in the gut which then improves the body’s immune system. #6 Peanuts Peanuts actually grow underground and, despite their name, are actually legume. Peanuts are abundant in the vitamins niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, choline, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E and rich in minerals like magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese and selenium., making them a great energy food for athletes. Studies have found eating peanuts five times a week decreased heart disease and reduced the risk of diabetes, gallbladder disease and colorectal cancer. They also help to lower blood pressure. Peanuts contain the potent antioxidant reservatol which has anti-aging properties. Peanuts have also been shown to reduce cholesterol and have heart-protective effects. It is best to find a source of peanuts which are free from the mold aflatoxin which may cause liver cancer. A healthfood store may be your best bet. #7 Cashews Cashews are particularly rich in iron and zinc. Iron helps deliver oxygen to all of your cells, which can prevent anemia, and zinc is critical to immune health and healthy vision. Cashews are also a good source of magnesium: One ounce provides almost 25 percent of your daily need. Magnesium may help improve memory and protect against age-related memory loss, according to a study in the journal Neuron. Also a handful or two of cashews keeps depression at bay as it boosts tryptophan levels. #8 Macadamia Nuts Macadamia nuts are the most calorie dense nuts yet they contain the largest amount of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (MUFA) per serving. This ‘good fat’ lowers LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol levels and blood pressure. A Pennsylvania State University study (funded partly by the Hershey Company, which owns the Mauna Loa Macademia company) found that people who added macadamia nuts to their diets reduced their triglyceride levels, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol by nearly 10 percent. #9 Brazil Nuts Brazil nuts are potent cancer protectors ! Just one Brazil nut packs more than 100 percent of the daily value for the mineral selenium, which may help prevent certain cancers, including bone, prostate, and breast cancer. A recent study in the Journal of Medicinal Food suggests that the selenium found in Brazil nuts, along with soy, may help fight prostate cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancerous cells. However, don’t overdo it on Brazil nuts: High levels of selenium can be harmful, so eat no more than 3-6 nuts a day. #10 Pine Nuts Pine nuts may help with weight loss because they contain pinolenic acid, which triggers the release of an appetite-suppressing hormone. They are also a good source of magnesium, which may help boost energy and fight fatigue. Pine nuts contain anti-aging antioxidants and nutrients that support heart and vision health How much should you eat per day ? Not more than a couple of handfuls a day. Nuts are always best eaten raw and on an occasional treat to be eaten roasted. Roasting has been found to damage nutrients in nuts, including decreasing the availability of beneficial fatty acids and amino acids. A better option would be nuts that are hot-air dried at temperatures of 82C or less, which should help to minimize any potential heat-related damage. An even better option is to consume nuts raw, and soak them first for 8-12 hours. Phytic acid, which is found in the coatings of nuts and seeds, is an "anti-nutrient" responsible for leeching vital nutrients from your body. Soaking nuts will help to get rid of the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, which can interfere with the function of your own digestive and metabolic enzymes, in the nuts. To make them more palatable, you can use a dehydrator to improve the texture. Enzyme inhibitors in nuts (and seeds) help protect the nut as it grows, helping to decrease enzyme activity and prevent premature sprouting. When nuts are soaked, the germination process begins, allowing the enzyme inhibitors to be deactivated and increasing the nutrition of the nut significantly, as well as making them much easier to digest. One exception is with macadamia nuts (and other white nuts), which have only negligible amounts of enzyme inhibitors, so soaking is not as necessary. If you prefer to eat nuts and seeds roasted, do so yourself so you can control the roasting temperature and time. 15/2/2016 0 Comments Nutrition for Endurance Cyclists / Triathlon: Before, During and After the Ride.As far back as Ancient Greece nutrition has been linked to performance and health. It was Hippocrates (400BC - ca. 370BC) who said “If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.”
It is believed that the first documented information about a special diet of a Greek athlete was Charmis of Sparta. He is said to have trained on dried figs. I’m not surprised as figs are a Mediterranean powerfood loaded with minerals such as potassium, calcium and iron as well as high in carbohydrates making it an excellent energy source. What, how much and when you eat and drink can affect your energy, your training, your immune function, and even your risk of injury. Muscles burn glucose for fuel and the body stores glucose in the form of glycogen which can be broken down into useable glucose when working muscles need an increased fuel supply. The body can store enough glycogen to support approximately 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise. More than 90 minutes, or if you are going to experience periods of high intensity riding, such as strenuous hill climbing, on a ride of less than 90 minutes, you are going to need to get glucose to fuel your muscles from food you ingest during the ride. What kind of food should you eat? Supported by decades of research into endurance sports, the answer is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates (carbs) can be broken down quickly and efficiently into useable glucose. Glucose can be derived from fats and proteins as well as carbs. The problem with both fats and proteins is that the process of breaking them down to extract useable glucose takes a long time and is inefficient. Truth be told you have to burn more energy to extract glucose from fats than you do to extract it from carbs. In fact, fat metabolism (the process of breaking the fat down) requires carbohydrate that could have been more efficiently burned for glucose if wasn’t used to break down the fat. Carbs, on the other hand, can be broken down quickly and efficiently to provide the glucose needed to keep going on the bike. They are absolutely essential for the long-distance cyclist. Before the Ride Glycogen replacement before the ride involves replenishing the liver glycogen lost during sleep along with any muscle glycogen burned while you move around during the day before your ride begins. Carbohydrates are the primary source for replacing lost glycogen. Complex and simple carbohydrate meals are recommended. It is best to consume them on a regular basis and especially more so the night before your long ride. Examples of such foods are whole wheat pasta, brown rice, white rice, quinoa, buckwheat, bulgur wheat, beans, lentils, chick-peas, oats, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Great meal combinations are: Chicken stir-fry with lots of vegetables served with brown rice or noodles, whole meal pasta with either a veg or meat sauce, baked potato with a topping (cheese, bean, chilli, tuna, sweetcorn, kidney beans), mushroom & spinach risotto etc. How long do I wait before I cycle after a meal ? General recommendations are to plan on waiting 3 to 4 hours to ride after eating a large meal, 2 to 3 hours to ride after a small meal, and an hour to ride after eating a snack such as fresh fruit, yoghurt, or small bowl of oats. One way to approach snacking is to eat your last snack an hour or so before the ride and nibble small amounts of carbohydrate every 30 minutes or so from the time you finish your snack to the end of your ride. During the Ride Good on-the-bike foods include bananas, dried fruit like raisins, dates or figs, oat based cookies, or low fat bite-sized cookies. Energy bars are a terrific source of carbs. For example, a single powerbar may have 45 grams of carbohydrate and only 2 grams of fat. There are also energy gels made specifically for endurance athletes which have very high doses of carbs. If you eat high density carb supplements like energy bars or gel, make sure to drink plenty of water with them or they will sit like sludge in your stomach and you won’t get the quick transfer of carbs into blood glucose you need. Some sport drinks can be an excellent source of carbs, yet in the case of sports drinks it may be best to choose a brand that isn’t loaded with artificial colourings, additives and refined sugars. These drinks may also be the main cause of accelerated tooth decay in cyclists. When do you eat? A well known cycling saying is “Eat before you’re hungry and drink before you’re thirsty”. This is excellent advice. By the time the body reacts to low levels of fuel or fluid and sends hunger and thirst signals it’s too late ! It is best to eat high carb foods frequently throughout the ride. Rather than stopping and eating a large amount of food (such as lunch) mid ride, nibble high carb foods frequently throughout the ride. This not only provides immediate glucose, it can help protect the body’s glycogen stores; if the muscles are burning glucose from the low-fat oat bar you just ate, they’re not burning your stored glycogen. Try to ingest some carbohydrates every 30 minutes or so. Start eating during your first hour on the bike. The sooner you begin drawing needed energy from food intake the longer you can keep a reserve of stored glycogen. How do you carry the food? Eating on the bike isn’t easy, especially in the first hour when you probably won’t feel hungry. Stopping to eat makes eating even more of a hassle which makes it more likely you’ll skip it. Not such a good idea ! Carry nibble foods in your rear jersey pockets and learn to eat while you ride. Prepare it before you ride and make it hassle free. That means unwrap foods in wrappers, cut all foods in bite sized pieces and put it all in a baggie. Roll it up but do not seal it. When it’s time for food, simply unroll the baggie, reach in and pull out something to eat. No fuss, no mess and no garbage like food wrappers to put away ! Note the time your ride starts and make yourself nibble some food every 30 minutes. Can I have too many carbs? If you’re going to be ingesting large amounts of carbohydrate during the course of a ride, you should be aware that high concentrations of carbohydrate in the stomach can cause gastrointestinal distress such as nausea. The more you rely on dense carb sources like gels and energy bars, the more you’re likely to run into this problem. Individuals vary widely in their sensitivity to carbohydrate concentration so you will have to experiment to find your limits. If you’re feeling nauseous, drink water to reduce the concentration of carbohydrate in your stomach and lengthen your feed time until you feel better. What happens if I don’t eat? Ingesting carbs while you’re cycling isn’t always easy and it it isn’t always fun but it’s absolutely necessary if you want to have the energy you need to finish your ride. Failing to take in the carbs you need can lead to pronounced losses of energy and strength, reduced awareness of what’s going on around you, and increased irritability and hostility, all combined with the feeling that finishing the ride is an unbearable and impossible task. In other words, you could bonk ! Not eating can turn a pleasant ride into an unpleasant one or a challenging ride into a nightmare. Eat before you’re hungry and continue eating throughout the ride. Post Ride / Recovery Most of it comes down to what you eat in the first 30 to 40 minutes after you get off the bike. When you finish a long ride your glycogen stores are exhausted and you are very likely to have low blood glucose. Your body responds to the glycogen debt by going into overdrive to replace the missing glycogen. Excess glucose in the bloodstream is converted to glycogen and stored in the muscles and the liver. Under normal circumstances insulin is used in this conversion process. However, after an extended period of exercise when the muscle glycogen stores are exhausted an abbreviated and accelerated glycogen-storage process kicks into gear that converts glucose into glycogen and stores it in the muscles without the need for insulin. This period of intense glycogen production and storage lasts for 30 to 60 minutes. In order to take advantage of this brief period of accelerated glycogen storage the system must have blood glucose that can be converted to glycogen. And there’s the problem. When you finish a long or intense ride you are almost certainly low on blood glucose. Your system is ready to rapidly and efficiently replenish your empty glycogen stores but it doesn’t have the glucose it needs to make the glycogen. The solution is to flood your system with carbohydrates that can be quickly converted to blood glucose which will in turn supply the accelerated glycogen production and storage mechanism with the glucose it needs. Although the enhanced glycogen production mechanism will operate for roughly 60 minutes after exercise has stopped, keep in mind that it takes time for carbohydrates in the stomach to be broken down into useable blood glucose. Food you eat during the second half of that 60 minute window may still be in the stomach being digested when the enhanced glycogen-storage process ends. The first 30 minutes after you get off the bike are critical. If you are going to fully replenish your glycogen stores for the next day’s ride, you must ingest enough carbs during those 30 minutes to flood your system with glucose. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter what you eat for the rest of the day; you will be building on a weak foundation and you won’t have the glycogen reserves you need to ride with strength day after day. This cannot be stressed enough; you have to reload your system with carbs during the first 30 minutes after you get off the bike. How many carbs do you need to eat during the critical 30 minutes? Current thinking holds that you should aim to ingest 1 - 1.5g/ kilogram of body weight as soon as possible after exercise A rough estimate is to eat or drink 60 grams of carbohydrate (if you’re an average-sized woman) or 80 to 100 grams if you’re an average male. Eating enough food to provide this much carbohydrate in the first 30 minutes after you get off the bike can be very difficult. The 30 minute part is much more important than the specific amount of carbs and protein part. If you can’t manage to choke down the full recommended amount, eat as much as you can, but make absolutely certain you do it in the first 30 minutes after you get off the bike. You can eat any kind of food you like as long as it’s high in carbs. Simple carbohydrates that can be more quickly broken down into blood glucose are better than complex carbohydrates that take a longer time because you need to get the glucose in the blood stream within a short window of time. A recovery drink or smoothie is a good option. Just try and make sure that it contains carbs and proteins in the recommended 4 to 1 ratio. You may find it is much easier to drink a large number of carbs than to eat them immediately after a long ride. After the critical 30 minute window, try to continue to ingest carbohydrate at regular intervals throughout the remainder of the day. Eat small amounts steadily rather than eating nothing and then pigging out at dinner. Avoid alcohol because it will interfere with the uptake of glycogen and will also dehydrate you. Avoiding alcohol is especially important immediately after the ride when the body is in the critical glycogen restocking period. What you eat during the 30 minutes after you get off the bike is probably the single most important factor affecting how you will fare if you’re riding more than 90 minutes a day for more than 2 days. If you get the carbs you need during this 30 minute window, you can ride for days and days without problems; if you don’t, you’re most likely going to be tired and out of energy by the third or fourth day. Good Hydration Strategies ! Just as is the case with eating on the bike, it’s a good idea to train yourself to habitually drink on the bike at regular intervals. You’re likely to want to drink after you eat so that if you’re following the recommendation to eat every 30 - 45 minutes, you can finish each of these small feeds with a couple of mouthfuls of water. No matter how much you drink on a long ride you’ll finish dehydrated. Weigh yourself before and after. For every 0.5kg lost, drink 475- 710ml of fluid. Be aware that products marketed as recovery shakes or beverages are designed to replace carbohydrate and supply protein but will not provide enough fluid to re-hydrate fully. If you sweat heavily, be sure to include ample sodium / electrolytes as well as fluid after the ride. Since your body absorbs fluid best in small amounts rather than a lot at once, get in the habit of taking in fluid at regular intervals during waking hours to best enhance re-hydration. How do you know you’ve caught up? Your urine will be pale and plentiful, and your weight will be back to normal. Re-hydrating is especially vital during multi-day rides. If you get a little behind each day, by the end of the week you’ll be severely dehydrated, feeling lousy, and riding poorly. During endurance training and competition what are the top challenges that athletes face ?
1. Not Enough Liquids While there is some concern about overhydrating and hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels) that have received attention from the media for events such as Ironman triathlon or ultra distance running events, failing to take in enough fluid is a much more common and widespread problem. It is common for many athletes to not drink enough as exercise dulls the thirst mechanism. One of the top reasons for poor performance is dehydration, since it not only increases your heart rate, it can make exercise seem harder (what sport scientists call an increase in perceived exertion). It can lead to stomach upset and contribute to heat stroke since the body struggles to cool off effectively. Dehydration also reduces mental functioning, hence making you more prone to accidents. To make sure that you are properly hydrated, begin exercise well hydrated and practice a good hydration plan to match sweat losses. Liquid needs vary based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions, clothing, intensity and individual sweat rates. Drink at regular intervals before, during training and racing rather than all at once. Common general guidelines suggests that approximately 400-800ml per hour of exercise or approximately one half cup to one cup of fluid every 15-20minutes would be a good place to start. It is important to include some sodium rich foods, electrolyte supplements and drinks in your diet especially for events over two and a half hours, although they may also provide some benefit for shorter events as well. 2. Not Enough Carbs Carbohydrates (carbs) are arguably the most misunderstood nutrient for athletes. Consuming the right type of carbs at the right time … they can become your secret weapon ! Carbs are stored in the body as glycogen which is the energy fuel for your muscles. Failing to take in enough carbs overall in your training diet along with improper carb supplementation during endurance exercise leads to varied symptoms such as fatigue, heavy weak muscles, increased perceived exertion and nausea. After one and a half hours to two hours of continuous activity at a moderate intensity without carbohydrates, physical and mental performance will decline as a result of glycogen depletion which is commonly known as bonking or hitting the wall. Start carb intake repletion early during endurance exercise. Since it takes time for the carbohydrate to be digested and enter the bloodstream, begin supplementing within the first hour and stick to a timed schedule throughout your workout so you don’t fall short. Current carbohydrate guidelines suggest the following during exercise: Brief exercise <45 minutes: not required Sustained high-intensity exercise 45-75 minutes: small amounts of carbohydrate including a mouth rinse of a carbohydrate containing sport drink (even if not swallowed) has shown to be performance enhancing. Endurance exercise 1-2.5 hours: 30-60 grams per hour . Ultra-endurance exercise >2.5-3 hours: up to 90 grams per hour . 3. Not enough Variety Combining the correct type of carbohydrate found in foods and beverages during endurance sport has also proven to be important. Sports nutrition research shows that products providing multiple transportable carbohydrates (glucose-fructose mixtures) will achieve higher rates of carbohydrate absorption and breakdown during exercise. It is important for events which last longer than 2.5 hours, to use different types of carbohydrates rather than the same carbohydrates. This can help to improve endurance performance. Learning to mix up your choices may also be better tolerated in the gut and lead to less digestion issues for endurance athletes. Practically speaking if you only train and compete with one or two food or drink choices instead of a range you may also experience taste fatigue. It can be detriment to performance if you have only ever used one type of sport drink or bar and suddenly find yourself unable to choke down a particular food or beverage flavour. Carb Fueling During Endurance Sport Everyone has different taste preferences and sport specific portability needs. Be sure to test out your individual tolerance during training and don’t try anything new when competing. Here are some options: Dried fruit (such as apricots, dates, raisins) Homemade energy bar Sports drinks Sports gels High-carb sport bar Pretzels or crackers or Graham Wafers or Fig Biscuits or Oat cakes / Oat biscuits Bread/wrap with honey or jam Fresh/frozen grapes Fruit smoothie - I love making my own fruit smoothie with spirulina powder before a competition. Cut up pieces of bagels or English muffins Fresh fruit - preferably bananas Sweet potato or white potato Cypriot athletes - a piece of Soutzoukos is perfect ! Eating when we are not hungry is bad for our health
A new research done by the Cornell Food & Brand Lab has shown that eating when we are not hungry is ultimately bad for our health. Today’s consumers tend to eat when they are not hungry. This is mostly due to the wide availability of convenient fast foods engineered for maximum tastiness-- such as potato chips, chocolates, and bacon double cheeseburgers. In today’s world the modern consumer is constantly bombarded with the temptation to eat. Contemporary societies often eat not because of hunger but because tasty food is available and beckoning at all hours of the day. The study discovered that individuals who were moderately hungry before a meal tended to have lower blood glucose levels after consuming the meal than individuals who were not particularly hungry consuming the meal. These findings suggest that it might be healthier for individuals to eat when they are moderately hungry than when they are not hungry. In addition it is important to have stable blood glucose levels by also eating complex carbohydrates as when they are not stable by eating too many simple carbs and sugars then you may go into a vicious cycle of cravings, exhaustion and putting on weight as excess glucose is stored as fat if it is not burnt through exercise. Cornell Food & Brand Lab. "Let hunger be your guide: Eating when we are not hungry is bad for our health." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 December 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151230043603.htm>. An electrolyte is any substance that contains free ions that behaves as an electrically conductive medium (conducts electricity). Humans cannot live without electrolytes.
In our bodies, electrolytes include sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), bicarbonate (HCO3-, magnesium (Mg2+), chloride (C1-), hydrogen phosphate (HPO42-), and hydrogen carbonate (HCO3-). They are important for electrical signaling—and of course your brain, heart, muscles, and nervous system are all bioelectrical systems. Your cells use electrolytes to maintain voltage across their membranes and carry electrical impulses to other cells. Things like water balance and blood pH depend on your body's proper electrolyte balance, and you can suffer severe medical problems if your electrolytes fall out of balance. Fresh coconut water is one of the richest natural sources of electrolytes and can be used to prevent dehydration from strenuous exercise, vomiting, or diarrhea. You lose electrolytes (especially sodium and potassium) when you sweat, which must be replenished with food and water intake. Because coconut water naturally contains so many electrolytes, it's been called "Nature's Gatorade." Coconut water has five electrolytes your body needs:
Most Sports Drinks are a Waste of Money For most athletes and people with active lifestyles, sports drinks are a waste of money and in addition to that they actually worsen the health of those that use them. Less than one percent of the people that use sports drinks actually benefit from them. Most sports drinks are full of unhealthy ingredients like refined sugars, artificial colors, and chemicals, none of which are found in natural coconut water. If you exercise for 30 minutes a day at a moderate to high intensity, fresh, mineral water is the best thing to help you stay hydrated. When you exercise for more than 60 minutes or in the heat, or at extreme intensity levels, where you are sweating profusely, then that is when you need something more than water to replenish your body. Apart from drinking water, coconut water is one of the best and safest options to re-hydrate yourself after a strenuous workout. If you need the electrolytes, it will provide them. If you don't need them, then it certainly won't hurt you. Coconut water has a mountain of other health benefits in addition to re-hydration, which no commercial sports drink in the world can provide. Depending on how much salt you've lost through sweating, you might even add a tiny pinch of pink Himalayan salt to your glass of coconut water. One study in 20074 found sodium-enriched coconut water to be as effective as commercial sports drinks for whole body re-hydration after exercise, with less stomach upset. Coconut water is sterile when it comes out of the coconut, and extremely similar in composition to human blood plasma. These unique properties make it so completely compatible with the human body that it can be infused intravenously into your bloodstream. For more than 60 years doctors in remote regions of the world where medical supplies are limited, have saved many lives using coconut water as an IV fluid. Keeping this in mind you can appreciate how safe and beneficial this natural beverage is, if it can be used intravenously! 16/10/2015 0 Comments Ways to Reduce Sugar in Your DietAlthough sugar addiction is quite common, sugar withdrawal is usually physically mild, with occasional strong cravings.
People who are sensitive to refined sugar or sweeteners, or who consume them in large amounts, genuine symptoms include fatigue, anxiety and irritability, depression and detachment, rapid heart rate and palpitations and poor sleep. Most symptoms if they do occur last only a few days. We can decide to cut down on or eliminate sugar quite easily by simply avoiding many of the sweet foods. Sugar is found in almost all processed foods like soft drinks, fruit drinks, frozen dinners, breads, cereals, canned foods, sauces like ketchup, HP and mayonnaise. High fructose corn sweetener is the most popular with food processors because it is inexpensive. Learn to read labels and be familiar with the different names for sugar to know how much you are really consuming. To diminish cravings for sugar, consume more whole grains, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, and frozen bananas. Make desserts sweetened with barley malt or rice syrup or powdered barley concentrate. Dried fruit, apricots, dates, figs, and raisins make good sweeteners for whole grain cereals. Also good foods to replace sugar treats are: Fruit, Dried, sugar free mango, Popcorn Raisins Mixed raw nuts Edamame Vegetable stick Salads Almonds, raw Almond butter Sunflower seeds Pumpkin seeds Muesli/Granola sugar free Plain goat’s / sheep’s yoghurt Peanuts Peanut butter Protein smoothies Note: Plain yoghurt without sweeteners is a healthy snack. Fresh fruit can be added along with sprinkles such as sunflower seeds, crushed walnuts, cinnamon, mixed spices, ground cloves and a drizzle of raw unprocessed honey ! By Dr hc Harald Gaier ND DO DHomM DBotM and Robert Verkerk PhD
A recently published study from Tufts University in the US has found that sugary beverages have been estimated to kill around 200,000 people every year. That’s the equivalent of over 330 Jumbo jets going down annually, courtesy of ‘soda pops’. The authors found that 72% of these deaths were attributable to type 2 diabetes, 24% from heart disease and the remaining 4% from cancer. Coca-Cola, the originator of the ‘soda pop’ has, it seems, been doing all it can to refuse any responsibility….echoing Big Tobacco’s thirty year cover-up. But in the wake of the scandal over VW’s emission-cheating chip, Coca-Cola finds itself under the spotlight following a detailed investigation by The Times newspaper of London. Courtesy of Alexi Mostrous’s journalism, murky dealings of how the company has tried to manipulate both research findings and public opinion were littered across the UK’s number one broadsheet newspaper. The birth of the ‘soda pop’In 1886, twenty-0ne years after the American Civil War, the Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, USA was by founded by Confederate Colonel John Pemberton, a pharmacist who suffered injuries in the war that led him to become a morphine addict. As the name suggests, for the first 17 years, the leaves of the Coca plant (Erythroxylum coca) were used in the preparation of Coca-Cola. The naturally-occurring cocaine in the beverage gave the drinker an addictive “buzz”. The company claimed a wide range of medicinal properties and health benefits for their drink, including treatment of impotence, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headaches, nausea, and morphine addiction, as well as being a general stimulant and health booster. It proved especially popular among war veterans dealing with their morphine addiction. Today, despite the ensuing formulation changes, people still use flat Coca-Cola as a hangover cure (there are of course many foods and nutrients that can do a much better a job at supporting detoxification from excessive alcohol exposure). Unsurprisingly, consumption as well as sales during the early period increased exponentially. According to Coca-Cola’s own published records, the company removed cocaine from the drink’s formula in 1903, substituting caffeine as the stimulating ingredient, but that was done without much fanfare. That was its first chameleon-like change. The so-called ‘hobble skirt’ bottle of Coca-Cola, over the years, also underwent some minor changes, but it still retains its original iconic, unmistakable design of the cacao pod and not the fictional ‘hobble skirt’ with which myth the company likes to hoodwink the public. That was perhaps the first sign of Coca-Cola’s impious, chameleon-like behaviour. Busted! By the Times of LondonLast Friday and Saturday, on the 9th & 10th October 2015 respectively, The Times published two consecutive, highly revealing articles by its special correspondent, Alexi Mostrous. In the Saturday piece, Alexi Mostrous exposed Sense About Science’s association with Coca-Cola. Sense About Science is the charity with which anti-alternative medicine skeptics like Simon Singh and Ben Goldacre are associated, that claims to be independent yet often acts as a voice for Big Food, Pharma and Biotech. Simon Singh faces his comeuppance (courtesy What Doctors Don’t Tell You, www.wddty.com)Below, I’ve attempted to capture some of the salient findings of the Mr Mostrous’ investigative reports. These are linked specifically to the UK, so one has to consider just how far the company’s tentacles stretch globally. Recently Coca-Cola has poured millions of pounds into British scientific research and healthy-eating initiatives to counter claims that their sugary drink does, indeed, help to cause obesity. Coca-Cola has financial links to more than a dozen high profile, influential British scientists and government advisors. It would seem the main game plan has been to ensure they cast doubt on the commonly-accepted link, one supported by none other than the Harvard School of Public Health, between sugary drinks and the growing obesity crisis. It is common knowledge that many scientists blame increased sugar consumption for Britain’s obesity epidemic, which kills up to 53,000 people a year and costs the NHS £5.1 billion annually. A report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine argued that poor diet was the cause of more disease than physical inactivity, alcohol and smoking combined. The British Government rejected recent calls for a sugar tax on consumers despite support from the UK’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies DBE FRS (born 1949), the British Medical Association and some celebrities such as Chef James Trevor Oliver (born 1975). Coca-Cola spent millions of pounds setting up the European Hydration Institute (EHI) — an apparently independent research foundation to promote hydration, which has recommended that people consume sports and soft drinks of the sort the Company sells, which far from slaking any thirst may often arouse one. The chairman of the body’s scientific advisory board is a respected professor whose university received nearly £1 million from Coca-Cola during the period he provided nutritional advice to leading sports bodies. Coca-Cola have provided financial support, sponsorship or research funding to British organisations including UKActive, the British Nutrition Foundation, the University of Hull, Homerton University Hospital, the National Obesity Forum, the British Dietetic Association, Obesity Week 2013 and the UK Association for the Study of Obesity. Coca-Cola spent €6.6 million (£4.86 million) setting up the European Institute between 2010 and 2015. Guidance and studies it funded often recommend that the public, including children, consume sports and soft drinks of the sort sold by Coca-Cola. Two of the company’s most senior scientists are vice-chairwomen of the EHI, whose public pages on social networks make no mention of Coca-Cola, although its website reveals on a back-page that the company is a founding partner. Ron Maughan, chairman of the EHI’s scientific advisory board, is an emeritus professor of sport science at Loughborough University, which has received £817,292 from Coca-Cola in research funding since 2007. Professor Maughan, who has advised UK Athletics and the Football Association, has acted as a consultant for Coca-Cola and other drinks companies since the Nineties. Through its trade organisations, Coca-Cola representatives have met government officials and ministers more than 100 times over a period of 36 months between 2011 and 2014, that is nearly three times each month. Coca-Cola hosts an annual parliamentary dinner. Organisations it funds often promote a message that physical activity is more important to public health than an “obsession” with obesity. In 2013, Fred Turok, chairman of UKActive, an organisation set up to promote physical activity that lists Coca-Cola as a sponsor, criticised Britain for being “fixated” by obesity at a Coca-Cola-organised event. Mr Turok quoted Steven Blair, a US academic whose university has received more than $3 million from Coca-Cola, by telling delegates: “You can be fat and fit.” UKActive’s board includes Baroness Grey-Thompson, the Paralympian, Dame Carol Black, the Prime Minister David Cameron’s health adviser, and Liz Lowe, Coca-Cola GB’s director of corporate responsibility. Coca-Cola Company has also given money to government advisers including Dr Carrie Ruxton, a board member of Food Standards Scotland. In 2010 she co-wrote a study sponsored by the UK Sugar Bureau, the lobbying group for sugar manufacturers that found no proven association between sugar intake and obesity. On her website she states separately: “When I correlated sugar consumption with obesity levels, there didn’t appear to be any relationship.” Dr Ruxton said that the UK Sugar Bureau had no control over her study and that she highlighted a “potential concern” over sugary drinks and obesity in the report. She said that her later comments were consistent with a recent government report and that she had not undertaken work for Coca-Cola since joining Food Standards Scotland. She denies writing favourable reports for Coca-Cola. Other government advisers who have received funding from Coca-Cola include Ian MacDonald, chairman of the state-funded scientific advisory committee on carbohydrates, who stepped down from the Coca-Cola advisory board last year. His university has since received a payment from EHI after he gave a talk at a hydration “workshop”. “I do not regard links with both industry and the government as being in conflict,” he said. “Both the public and industry are entitled to access the best advice available.” The Coca-Cola Company is also ceaselessly advertising. It seems that the art world is a favourite backdrop. For example, at the third, bigger-than-ever contemporary African art fair (over 150 artists are exhibiting) in Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA, the prominent back-drop is a very large (±3×5 metre) red Coca-Cola placard [depicted: TimeOut London, No.2350, 13-19 October 2015, column 3 on p 103]. On 31 December 2013, Spanish researchers found that scientific papers on sugary drinks that were sponsored by or had potential conflicts of interest with the food and drink industry, including Coca-Cola, were five times more likely to find no link with obesity than similar papers that were independently funded. They recommended “special efforts to preclude funding by parties with vested interests at all levels”. Killer coke for anyone trying to lose weight, drinking soft drinks may be one of the worst things you can do – and that includes “diet’ or low calorie versions. The high sugar versions are by no means the only offenders. Nature magazine published research findings that show that artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame and saccharin cause changes in the beneficial bacteria that live in the human gut and contribute in regulating our metabolism. These artificial sweeteners also reduce our body’s ability to process glucose. The side-effects conspire to play a significant role in raising the overall risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For those feeling they’d rather go back to real sugar, think again: a Harvard study suggests one can expect a 26% elevated risk of type 2 diabetes from just consuming between 1 to 2 drinks a day. If diabetes doesn’t get you, a heart attack might. A further study that followed 40,000 men for two decades found that those who averaged one can of a sugary beverage per day had a 20% higher risk of having a heart attack or dying from a heart attack than men who rarely consumed sugary drinks. The fight-backCoca-Cola, in its characteristic chameleon-like manner, has been busy adapting itself to the variety of different consumers out there, from the ones who want the full sugar, original offering, to the groups who still feel that calorie reduction is key but will do it at the cost of synthetic sweeteners (and addiction), while the latest offering caters for those who like it ‘natural’. To get to this place, Coca-Cola has ‘chameleonised’ its famous drink by making four versions of it available, with colour-coded labels, leaving the choice of whether or not to consume sugar, or artificial sweeteners, or a natural non-sugar sweetener with some sugar to the individual consumer. Here are the choices:
Helping to burst the sugary bubblesThe fact that consumption of sugary drinks is on the decline is testament to the fact that public awareness of the risks associated with sugary drinks is on the increase, despite the efforts of Coca-Cola and others. Sales of the low calorie versions are also on the decline. The bottom line is we all need to adapt to lower levels of sweetness intensity in beverages, whether this sweetness comes from sugar or sugar replacements, natural or otherwise. This is because the non-nutritive sugar replacements appear to trip the same opioid receptors in the brain as sugars, causing both addiction and an insulin response as the body is ‘tricked’ into thinking it’s been exposed to sugar. Yes, we could do with more research, but it needs to be honest, solidly founded and truly independent. And that’s easier said than done in a world — as Alexi Mostrous points out— in which the corporations exert so much control over research institutions, especially as they relate to the food industry. The big move has to be one in which we — the grassroots — say no to an ever greater degree to highly sweetened foods and beverages, whether this sweetness comes from sugar or a non-nutritive sweetener. Adjusting the palate of children is right up there as a paramount concern. That typically means trying to help kids to abstain from eating regularly highly sweetened foods. The trend has already begun, with soft drinks now hitting their 10th year in decline. Two facets of public education will continue to drive the trend. One relates to the damage the products do to teeth, guts and brains, leading to premature disease and death. The other relates to the distorted science and twisted corporate ethos that now means it is no longer plausible for any health authority to claim that ‘soda pops’ might be an acceptable component of any healthy diet and lifestyle. This notion, one to which Coca-Cola continues to try to cling to, is rotten to its core. Please play your part in educating those around you, especially if they are ‘soda pop’ or fizzy drink addicts. 25/9/2015 0 Comments 5 Ways to Burn Extra Calories Metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns up calories. A body that consumes 3,000 calories a day and burns 3,000 calories a day will stay at the same weight. A body consuming 3,000 calories daily but burning only 2,500 will gain weight at the rate of about one pound a week. You burn calories to provide energy for three main functions:
Basil Metabolic Rate: This is the amount of calories you burn just by being alive, even when you’re doing nothing. It accounts for approximately 60 percent of calories you burn. Burning Calories For Activity: This is the energy used during movement- from lifting your arm to button your shirt to cleaning house. This accounts for approximately 30 percent of the calories you burn. Dietary Thermogenesis: The calories burned in the process of eating, digesting, absorbing and using food. You can influence all these factors, and speed up your rate of burning calories, using the following tactics: • Build muscle: increase the amount of muscle in your body. For every extra pound of muscle you put on, your body uses around 50 extra calories a day. • Be active: the average person burns about 30 percent of calories through daily activity; sedentary people only use about 15 percent. Taking every opportunity to move can make quite a difference to the amount of calories you burn. • Eat spicy foods: spices, especially chili, can raise the metabolic rate by up to 50 percent for up to 3 hours after you’ve eaten a spicy meal. • Aerobic exercise: high-intensity exercise makes you burn more calories during exercise and for several hours afterwards. • Eat little often: eating healthy small regular meals will keep your metabolism going faster than larger, less frequent meals and often helps control hunger, making you less likely to binge. Quick Tips: Doing just 10 minutes a week of jumping drills Plyometrics (jumping drills) can make a difference in your fitness by making you faster and more agile. Mention avocado and the first thing that comes to mind is guacamole ! However, avocados are more than just guacamole… Athletes pay close attention – this rich green fruit can help enhance your athletic performance. Avocados are a healthy source of mono-unsaturated fat, which is known as the heart healthy fat. These fats help absorb vitamins from foods including vitamins A, D, E, and K which enables the body to utilize them. Avocado’s Benefits for Athletes:
Athletes, the take home message is clear: avocados are an all-purpose fruit. Toss some slices onto your salad, smoothie to get the most vitamins and minerals or add a few slices to your sandwich to give it an extra boost of nutrition. Next time avocados are in season, enjoy them for their taste and their health benefits: nutrient absorption, electrolyte balance and post-workout recovery !! Tip # 1:
Don't Starve yourself ! Plenty of diets allow you to eat all you want. There is no need to go hungry. If you like to eat, find a plan that lets you do it with plenty of fruits and vegetables ! Tip # 2: Drink Water. It fills you up, flushes toxins from your body, and decreases appetite. Drink at least 6 glasses every day. Even a better option drink lemon water as it helps you lose weight. Tip #3: Drink Sage Tea: Sage tea may help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol. When I need to kickstart my weight loss and get rid of an extra kilo or two this is what I drink and it works very well for me ! Tip # 4: Exercise: Exercise burns calories, suppresses appetite, raises your metabolism, firms and tones your body. And it is difficult to eat while doing sit-ups ! J Tip # 5: Think Green ! You would have to eat 3.5kg of mixed leafy greens (lettuce, raw spinach, sprouts, endive, lambs lettuce, corriander) to consume the equivalent in calories of a large order of French Fries (500 calories). If you like salad dressing, put it on the edge of your plate and dip the prongs of the fork into it, rather than smothering the whole salad. Tip # 6: Mindful Eating …. And enjoy Your Food ! Eat slowly and pay attention to eating. Never eat while reading, watching television, on the telephone, or engaged in an activity - you won't notice you are eating, and you won't feel full. Tip # 7: Fool Your Stomach: with a before-meal snack. It takes twenty minutes for your body to realise it is being fed, and respond by feeling full. A couple of celery sticks, a carrot or a cup of broth before a meal should do the trick. Tip # 8: Plan Ahead, Be Prepared: Keep a variety of foods that fit your diet plan to hand, and healthy, low-calorie snack food available for sudden moments of hunger. Throw an apple or two in the car. Keep a small Tupperware of almonds in your bag for nibbly moments. Tip # 9: Alcohol: is the downfall of many dieters - empty calories that go straight into the system as sugar. Alcohol also suppresses the body's ability to burn fat. If you must have a drink, opt for a glass of dry wine diluted with some sparkling water and sip it slowly. An occasional Gin and Tonic is also a great low calorie option. Tip # 10: Read Labels: Know the glucose, fat, protein and carbohydrate count per packet (not just per serving) of the food you are buying. Don't be fooled by 'serving' sizes - some 'servings' are impossibly small. (How many of us eat only three crisps out of a packet !?) Tip # 11: Eat a small snack before grocery shopping: (a piece of fruit, vegetable crudites e.g. celery and carrot sticks, wholemeal crackers with a tablespoon of humus or guacamole, goat's / sheep's yoghurt or a handful of nuts and seeds) before you go shopping for food. You will be surprised how sensibly you shop as a result. Tip #12: Carob Powder: When you feel like a sweet pick me up beverage in the afternoon. Instead of a reaching out for a sugary chocolate make yourself a cuppa of carob drink either hot or cold. Add a tsp to hot water then let cool or put in the fridge for a cool summer version. Carob also has excellent nutritional value. It contains magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, manganese, barium, copper, nickel and the vitamins A, B, B2, B3, and D. In a recent study evidence shows that highly-caffeinated, often sugar-laden energy drinks can harm children and adolescents. Their consumption by youths under 18 can be harmful and may lead to negative health, social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes.
"Energy drink consumption has increased rapidly over the past five years, despite increasing evidence of negative immediate and long-term health effects, especially when consumed by youth under 18," says Jennifer Harris, a study author, associate professor-in-residence at UConn, and director of marketing initiatives for the Rudd Center. "Companies say these products are safe to market and sell to children as young as 12, but the evidence says otherwise." According to the study, there is considerable evidence that energy drinks present a public health threat:
The rapid rise in popularity of energy drinks (EDs), particularly, among adolescents (aged 10 - 19 years) and young adults, has serious implications for heart health. In an article published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, researchers focus on the pharmacology of EDs, adverse reactions to them, and how the marketing of these drinks as a means to relieve fatigue and improve physical and cognitive performance may be ignoring real dangers. An international research team noted that EDs can trigger sudden cardiac deaths in young, apparently healthy individuals. For persons with underlying heart diseases, the risk of triggering sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) or other arrhythmias can be significant. Even atrial fibrillation (AF), normally uncommon in children without structural heart disease, has been observed in a 13-year-old adolescent boy during a soccer training session after ingesting EDs. It is estimated that 31% of 12- to 19-year old adolescents regularly consume EDs. These beverages often contain high amounts of labeled caffeine. However, they can contain "masked" caffeine, in the form of guarana, for example, which comes from a Brazilian plant and is identical to caffeine found in coffee beans, but at twice the concentration. The addition of guarana and other substances such as ginseng and taurine in variable quantities may generate uncertain interactions. 20 Unbelievable Reasons To Start Your Day With Water and Lemon
Beetroot has amazing cleansing and detoxifying properties, they aid digestion and are rich in potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins, A, B & C, beta-carotene, beta-cyanine and folic acid.
But do you know what makes beetroots so worthy of an athlete’s attention. It’s their nitrates. They are an excellent source of nitrates that the body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps with a wide range of functions that will have athletes ditching their sub-par sports drinks, including:
When athletes train, the reason they get better is the improved oxygen delivery to their muscles. Changes in their lungs allow them to take bigger breaths, for example. Strengthening of the heart boosts cardiac output and blood flow. Your body may even start making more red blood cells to boost the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. But the energy ultimately derived from that oxygen remains the same. X amount of oxygen gets you X amount of work, period, no matter who you are. As an analogy, on the same gasoline, a Lamborghini goes faster than some lemon, but not because the chemistry of gasoline combustion is different in the sports car. It's just a more powerful engine. Similarly, we may have bigger muscles. We may be able to get more oxygen to those muscles quicker. But the fundamental energy that can be extracted from oxygen remains the same. Or so we thought ! Researchers put eight guys on bikes and measured their oxygen consumption before and after a few days sipping two cups of beetroot juice. Before this series of experiments, there was no known drug, substance, steroid, intervention, nothing that could actually increase energy extraction from oxygen. Yet this is what they found. How big a difference does it make? Cyclists on the mix were able ride at a set intensity between 12 to 14 percent longer than those who went without the drink. The findings aren’t an anomaly, either. Prior research shows that cyclists who drank half a liter of the juice for six days clocked in 45 seconds faster over a 10-mile course, a huge gain in a sport where the difference between winning and losing is often just a tire’s width. How Much ? Until now nobody knew exactly how many beets you needed to drink to see a boost. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggests that drinking between about 280 ml—about one glass—of the juice is enough to yield considerable performance gains. It is recommended that you mix the beetroot juice with an equal-parts mixture of orange, carrot, and pineapple to cut through the taste. You may even dilute it further by adding half to one glass of water to it. To begin with start with a quarter glass and work up gradually to a full glass. Try it in training by loading up with a glass a day, for one week. Some research also suggests that beetroot juice can lower blood pressure, so avoid this elixir if you’re prone to getting lightheaded or start noticing those symptoms while loading. With all that blood and oxygen pumping throughout your body and that burst of natural and sustainable energy, you will be running at optimal levels and will never skip a beet ! :)) I’m seeing more and more people of varying age groups from 12 right the way up to 70 who struggle with their body image or weight spend hours worrying about their food choices and beating themselves up over what they ate, or didn’t eat at their previous meal.
The truth is, for most of us, it’s actually not about the food at all. The foods we’re consuming come in second compared to the way we actually feel about ourselves. Now don’t misunderstand me, of course what you eat matters. Eating healthy meals loaded with fruits and veggies are very important …but to truly get to the root of your relationship with food, you can’t just look at what you’re eating; you’ve got to look at why you’re eating and how you’re treating yourself and your body. What we create outside of us is a reflection of our internal state. It’s not all so dreary as it may first seem. What may immediately come to mind is that you’re saying “ It’s your fault you feel *^%$#$” . The thing is it can be wonderfully empowering. Creating the life that you want or the body and health that you yearn for is all about taking Self-Responsibility and investing the time and effort to achieve your health goals. If you get to work on your inner stuff, getting rid of the 99% useless excuses, then all the external stuff will naturally start to sort itself out. Take a moment and ask yourself these questions: Did you reach for junk food, a sugar hit or a caffeine fix this past week? Are you turning to processed, fast or ready to eat ‘foods’ because you’re ‘too busy’? Did you skip a meal or ‘forget to eat’? Do you tend to snack a lot or crave dessert after every meal? Do you use food as a reward mechanism? When you ate dinner last night, were you watching TV, sitting on Facebook or surfing the net? Now ask yourself — what’s really going on here? Open up and be brutally honest with yourself. This isn’t the time to play games and sugar coat what’s really going on. The first things to notice are any emotions or feelings coming up to the surface. Are you judging yourself, or scolding yourself, are you telling yourself you have failed? Are feelings of anger and guilt surfacing? Your internal dialogue can get really nasty! It’s time to give yourself a break… take a minute or two and take three deep breaths and let it all go. Consciously choose to turn that internal nasty talk to positive empowering talk. A strong, worthy impression of yourself goes hand in hand with a strong, worthy mind and body. Your health and wellness depends upon your self-perception. Right now, in this moment you can heal your relationship with food. You don’t have to carry on eating to numb emotions and block out sadness, anger and frustration. It’s as easy as getting rid of fearful based thinking and substituting it with love based thoughts. If you are eating out of fear, it’s time to stop. And if you’ve quit junk food out of fear, please stop. Quit junk food because you love yourself and your body unconditionally, not because you are scared it will give you health problems. Eat to nourish that beautiful body of yours, to keep it healthy and strong. Our bodies put up with a lot of rubbish; it’s time to give them back some love. When you are not at war with food or make it all about losing weight, then you come to peace with food and start loving yourself and it all starts to shift in a positive way. You start making deliberate and conscious choices from a place of love instead of fear. Eggs can become a confusing subject. Should we eat them ? Some studies have shown that there is no evidence of any association between egg consumption (up to two a day) and the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke in healthy men or women. Then there are other studies which claim that eating even an egg a week increases your chances of having a heart attack.
I think that it all boils down to the quality of eggs that we eat and of course in moderation, about 4 a week. So here goes... what really matters when it comes to buying healthy, nutritious eggs ? They do say that first came the grass, then the chicken and then the egg. When it comes to eggs, it turns out that the grass holds significant importance as it has more to do with both the health of the chicken which lays the eggs and the nutrients we receive from those eggs. In order to help you make more informed choices when it comes to buying eggs, here’s some information that explains the differences between "organic," "free-range," or "cage-free," and "pastured eggs" in hopes of clearing up any confusion you might have when looking at labels. In Cyprus we don’t get “pastured eggs” unless you have access to someone who lives in a village and has hen’s running around their plot of land or you have your own hens. CONVENTIONAL EGGS Conventionally produced eggs are usually from hens in cages or in large houses. The caged layer houses are highly mechanized, and the eggs gently roll out of the cages and are carried by conveyor belts to a central area where they are washed, graded, candled and packaged. Many people are concerned about the crowding of the hens in this type system as well as waste management. FREE-RANGE OR CAGE-FREE EGGS Hens that are considered "free-range" are generally raised in a permanent shelter where they sleep at night and lay their eggs, but are allowed to freely go in and out at will. USDA definitions allow 'free range' hens to be raised in large houses, with access to a small (20x20) concrete outdoor area. These free-range hens do not have access to grass and only a few actually use this outdoor area due to their social restrictions. ORGANIC EGGS Organic eggs are from hens fed a diet of organic grains. However, they may or may not be cage-free or pastured, so read labels carefully. PASTURED EGGS Pastured eggs are those eggs from hens raised out on green pasture. Eggs from pastured hens have been shown to be two to 10 times more nutritious than the eggs from caged layers. In a study published by Mother Earth News in November 2007 that showed that pastured eggs contain the following when compared to conventional eggs: • 1/3 less cholesterol • 1/4 less saturated fat • 2/3 more vitamin A • 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids • 3 times more vitamin E • 7 times more beta carotene |
AuthorBarbara is a qualified nutritionist offering Health, Nutrition & Lifestyle Counseling. She gives Healthy weight loss advice and promotes the Mediterranean diet. She is the author of the Med Life Diet - creating healthy lifestyle habits and attitudes for life ! Archives
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