In athletes, protein needed for recovery

Protein Need for Recovery in Athletes
It is known that carbohydrates are the most efficient source of energy pre-exercise, and for the storage of energy post-exercise. Recent research suggests that protein may also aid in enhancing glycogen replacement after exercise by stimulating the action of insulin, a hormone that transports glucose from the blood into the muscles. In addition, the availability of amino acids from protein may enhance the process of building and repairing muscles. Therefore, there is no need to shy away from a source of protein after a workout!

Sports Nutrition

Athletes who want a winning edge should get the right nutrition. When you drink enough water and eat a balanced diet, your body can make energy efficiently and fuel top performance. You can make the most of your athletic talents and gain more strength, power and endurance when you train. Base your diet on a variety of factors including your age, size and physical condition; and the type of exercise you are doing. See your doctor for individualized nutrition advice.

Hydration
Water is the most important factor in sports nutrition. It makes up about 60 percent of body weight and is involved in almost every bodily process. Your body cannot make or store water, so you must replace what you eliminate (i.e., urine, sweat). Everyone should drink at least two quarts (eight cups) of water each day, and athletes need more. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after sports events to stay hydrated and avoid overheating. When you workout or compete, especially in hot weather, try to closely match the amount of fluid you drink with the amount you lose to sweat.

Cool water is the best fluid to keep you hydrated during workouts or events lasting an hour or less. Sports drinks (i.e., 6-10 percent carbohydrates) are useful for longer events. Most of these types of drinks should be diluted approximately 50 percent with water. Drink even if you are not thirsty. Thirst is not a reliable way to tell if you need water. You won't start feeling thirsty until you have already lost about 2 percent of body weight - enough to hurt performance. And if you stop drinking water once your thirst is satisfied, you will get only about half the amount you need.

Fulfilling Protein Needs

Protein Needs for Athletes

The protein needs are easily fulfilled through diet alone without the use of protein supplementation if energy intake is adequate to maintain body weight. Aim to include a source of protein such as eggs, beef, chicken, turkey, fish, cheese, milk, yogurt, nuts, soy and protein-rich vegetables such as lentils, baked beans, black beans and kidney beans at each meal. The protein in these foods will act as an anchor for your carbohydrate energy so that your meal lasts you longer. Ensuring there is protein at each meal will help stabilize blood sugars and enhance satiety.

Protein needs for athletes

Eating the right foods is essential to athletic performance. Most people know that food provides athletes with the energy and nutrients required to reach their peak performance, but the variety of misinformation on the amount of protein an athlete needs is staggering.
Protein is only part of the power
Traditionally eating a protein rich diet was thought to be synonymous with building muscle. We now know that this is misguided information, and that the best sports diet contains adequate but not excessive protein to build and repair muscle tissue, produce hormones, boost immune system and replace red blood cells. During exercise the muscles use carbohydrates as their primary energy source – not protein. Thus it is important that athletes, including athletes in explosive sports, eat adequate carbohydrates before, during and after exercise. Protein, while vital to a healthy diet, will not bring them to victory on its own.

source-healthcastle.com

The money side of vegetables and fruits

• Looking for an inexpensive, fun family outing? Visit a farm that allows you to "pick your own produce." Vegetables and fruit don't get any cheaper, fresher or more delicious than this!

• Compared to the cost of cookies, chips and cakes - vegetables and fruit are a nutritional and economic advantage!

Keep these tips in mind!

Healthy Eating Tip:
• Most people, including kids, tend to eat what is handy. Keep vegetables and fruit in reach and in sight. Keep cookies, chips and candy out of sight and out of reach (better yet, don't keep them around at all).
• Got a sweet tooth? Snack on baby carrots or dried fruit instead of candy.
• Can't get your kids to eat enough veggies? Serve them raw more often. Most kids prefer them this way.
• Substitute whole fruit – fresh, frozen or canned – for fruit juices more often. While juices have lots of vitamins and minerals, they contain very little fibre.• Try at least one new healthy recipe involving vegetables and fruit each week.

More fun ways to eat fruits and veggies

• Keep a bowl filled with fruit on your kitchen counter and on your desk at work. When travelling order up a fruit basket to your room.
• Make a nutritious trail mix with pretzels, nuts, whole grain cereal and plenty of dried fruits like raisins, apricots, figs or prunes.
• Cut your favorite vegetables into snack size pieces. Splash them with a low fat vinaigrette salad dressing and keep them handy in the fridge. Store them in clear, plastic containers. Make sure they are the first thing you see when you open the fridge.
• Pop a pierced potato in the microwave for about ten minutes. Top it with salsa and low fat sour cream or a creamy, low fat salad dressing. Snacking at it's best!
• Refresh yourself with a glass of spicy tomato juice on the rocks.

Great Tips to Include Veggies in Your Day

• Don't leave home without them! Make it a habit to carry vegetables and fruit with you at all times. Pack them in your briefcase, purse, knapsack, or glove compartment. Easy-to-carry options include apples, pears, bananas, clementines, canned fruit cups, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, dried fruit, grapes and juice paks.
• Everyone loves veggies and dip - including kids. Dip away with carrot sticks, red or green pepper strips, florets of broccoli or cauliflower, mushroom caps and more. Use a low fat creamy salad dressing for dipping.
• Fruits like sliced bananas, apples, pears and berries are also great for dipping. For a fast and tasty dip use a low fat fruit-flavoured yogurt or cream cheese.

High Carb Diets

Researchers found women following a diet low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and grains actually lost weight, not gained weight. Published in the Journal of American Medical Association in January 2006, the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial followed close to 50,000 post-menopausal women for more than 7 years. Results showed that, in the first year, the women trained to eat a healthy low-fat diet lost about 5 pounds. After 7 1/2 years, they still maintained a modest weight loss compared to the women who did not receive education on healthy eating.
Editor's Note - Finally: hooray for a low-fat high-carb diet!
Many diet books blamed high-carb diets as the reason for the obesity epidemics. Healthcare professionals, for years, have been explaining to the public that it's not the carbs - it's actually the total calories that contributes to weight gain. This long-term randomized trial with a large population is a perfect study to prove these diet books wrong. Indeed, it is important to note about this study - these women actually lost weight despite the fact that they were not intending to lose weight at all. Weight loss results would be even more dramatic if they were trying to do so. As the author Dr. Howard noted, the results of this study demonstrated that "long-term recommendations to achieve a diet lower in total and saturated fat with increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and without focus on weight loss, do not cause weight gain."

source- healthcastle.com

Red meat- bad for health?

Red meat is bad for health
Some people say that they do not eat red meat. When asked why they don't and what do they consider to be red meat, the answers vary dramatically. It is true that some studies linked red meat with increased risk of heart disease partly due to the saturated fat content. In fact, even chicken can contain as much saturated fat as lean cuts of beef or pork. For instance, a serving of sirloin beef or pork tenderloin has less saturated fats than a same serving size of chicken thigh with skin. It is true that poultry such as chicken and turkey is naturally lower in saturated fats - it is only true IF you do not eat the skin. It is a nutrition myth, however, that red meat is altogether bad for your health. Instead of excluding red meats, choose leaner cuts of beef and pork. For beef, choose eye of round, top round roast, top sirloin and flank; for pork, choose tenderloin and loin chops.

Is this really a myth?

Skipping meals can help lose weight
Many people think that by skipping a meal, they eat less food and therefore lose weight. As we now know, this is a nutrition myth. People who think skipping meals means weight loss fail to recognize that our bodies do not operate this way. If we skip a meal, our body will think that we are in starvation mode and therefore slow down the metabolism to compensate. We then tend to overeat at the next meal. Often times, skipping a meal results in an increase in total caloric intake than if we just ate more frequently throughout the day. A better approach is to eat smaller frequent healthy meals and snacks to keep our blood sugar balanced.

While you may have seen her picture blown across a Center City billboard, on May 20, you'll get the chance to meet her in person. In addition to being seen on the back of SEPTA buses promoting her latest fitness event, Southampton magazine publisher Jami Appenzeller's mug has been seen by I-95 commuters, just north of downtown Philadelphia. The giant display ad was there for months promoting PhillyFit magazine--a bi-monthly periodical launched by
Appenzeller in September 2004 that is currently making waves in the world of fitness publishing.

Less than a year later, Jami hosted her very first PhillyFit Bash. Primarily informational, the first event was an intimate gathering of 500 or so like-minded people attending with an interest in getting healthy and staying that way. Since that first gathering, Appenzeller has hosted four others. Each one different in it's own way, they were all bigger and much better too, she says. The folks at PhillyFit are hosting the sixth annual PhillyFit Bash right here in Bucks County. Slated for May 20 in Warminster, the Bash is a event where folks can learn a lot about sports and fitness organizations in the Delaware Valley.

The first Bash was held in Jenkintown, as was the second. The third Bash was held close to home--at Spring Mill Country Club in Ivyland. While less than 1,000 folks attended the first event in Motgomery County, here in Bucks, more than 10,000 people attended. Needing bigger digs, Appenzeller, a Southampton resident who publishes the magazine and hosts the annual fitness event, had to move the third event out to Ivyland Country Club. With so many attending that one, Appenzeller needed an even bigger spot so she moved the Bash to an office complex in Oaks.

The last Bash was held September 24 on the campus of Villanova University way out there on the main line. This time, Appenzeller wanted to move the Bash back to Bucks County so Velocity Sports Performance, located in Warminster, will host the event this time around. Many times, it's the host that decides where an event will be held, said Appenzeller. Still, Jami needs to keep the Bash mobilized. Since its inception, the size of her magazine has doubled and circulation has increased dramatically--from 40,000 to more than 250,000 readers.

They're the ones scanning the pages of her periodical on everything health, fitness, sports, nutrition and beauty. The fact that the event has been held in so many different types of venues [a golf course, an office complex] has meant that the PhillyFit Bash has taken on different personalities as it moves to different areas of the Delaware Valley. The Bash held in Oaks was an outdoor event, sponsored by such vendors as the Soccer Post, Philly Rock Climbing and Gold's Gym. At Oaks, Appenzeller thought a fitness competition was in order. So, she and her group organized a Fitness Challenge whereby contestants could try their skill in soccer shooting drills and rock-climbing exhibitions. Held September 2005, Villanova was held indoors. It offered a chance for participants to show off their fitness skills in a different way--dance.

Yes, dancers can be fitness freaks, too. "We had Hula dancers; we had belly dancers. It was wild," exclaimed Appenzeller. Published bi-monthly, Appenzeller's magazine has touched on fitness topics that span the gamut of the sports and nutrition world, from Tae Bo to dancing, runner's world to weightlifters. But, Bash-goers don't have to be fitness nuts to attend PhillyFit. Visitors can find information on holistic healing methods and other types of medical solutions to health problems that plague varying sectors of society. A visit to the Bash is worth the trip, says Appenzeller, simply for the informational value alone. "It's amazing how much support is out there, when it comes to fitness," she says. "Hospitals have programs that involve the community in fitness. Business chains are involved. There's so much out there for people to stay healthy. "PhillyFit wraps it all into a nice little package and delivers it right to your doorstep." *** Animals Included

WHAT?! I always thought this was true!

Eating for 2 is necessary during pregnancy-myth!

Energy requirement varies among individuals. Unfortunately, the idea that pregnancy is an ice-cream-free-for-all is a nutrition myth. It is generally recommended that pregnant women increase their daily intake by 100 kcal in the first trimester and 300 kcal in the second and third trimester. For instance, an extra snack before bedtime consisting of a fruit, a serving of milk or yogurt and a few biscuits is often enough. In addition, a daily prenatal multivitamin supplement is often recommended during pregnancy.

Are nuts bad?

Avoid nuts as they are fattening-myth!

Yes, it's true that nuts are quite calorically dense; 15 cashews, for instance, deliver 180 kilocaleries! On top of that, it is very tough not to overeat these tasty snacks. If you can restrain yourself from overeating them, nuts can be a part of a healthy diet. It's a nutrition myth that nuts should be avoided. In fact, nuts are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (the good fats) as well as plant sterols which have all been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. In 2003, the FDA approved a health claim for seven kinds of nuts stating that "scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces (45 grams) per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." Instead of simply adding nuts to your diet, the best approach is to eat them in replacement of foods high in saturated fats.

Myth aboout Carbs

Avoid carbohydrate to lose weight
The key message that many low carb diets convey is that carbohydrates promote insulin production, which in turn results in weight gain. Therefore by reducing carbohydrate intake, we will lose weight. This is a nutrition myth, however. Many low-carb diets actually do not provide sufficient carbohydrates to your body for daily maintenance. Therefore your body will begin to burn stored carbohydrates (glycogen) for energy. When your body starts burning glycogen, water is released. Therefore the drastic initial drop of weight at the beginning is mostly the water that you lose as a result of burning glycogen. The truth is that, in addition to losing water drastically at the beginning, these low-carb diets are often calorie-restricted! Followers only eat an average of 1000 - 1400 calories daily; compared to an average intake of 1800 - 2200 calories. To lose 1 pound a week, you only need to eat 500 less calories per day in your normal diet. Therefore, it doesn't matter if you eat a high or low carb diet, you will lose weight if you decrease your caloric intake to less than that is needed to maintain your weight.

2 Common nutrition myths

Brown Eggs are more nutritious than White Eggs
Contrary to a widely believed nutrition myth, eggshell color can vary but it has nothing to do with the quality, flavor, nutritive value, cooking characteristics or shell thickness of an egg. The eggshell color only depends upon the breed of the hen. According to the Egg Nutrition Council, "white shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes and brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. There is no difference in taste or nutrition content between white and brown colored eggs".


Avoid seafood to lower blood cholesterol
I can't believe that I heard this nutrition myth from my own doctor when he told his patient newly diagnosed with high blood cholesterol to avoid seafood. In fact, cholesterol found in seafood and other meats has little effect on blood cholesterol in most people. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the most important factors that raise blood cholesterol, not dietary cholesterol! Saturated fats are usually found in meat products and packaged foods. Trans fatty acids, on the other hand, are also found in packaged snack foods, deep-fried foods or firm margarine containing hydrogenated oil.

Nutrition Myths

According to healthcastle.com, these are the top 3 nutrition myths.

Sugar Causes Diabetes
The most common nutrition myth is probably the misconception that sugar causes diabetes. If you have diabetes, you do need to watch your sugar and carbohydrate intake, with the help of your Registered Dietitian, to properly manage your blood sugar level. However, if you do not have diabetes, sugar intake will not cause diabetes. So far, a diet high in calories, being overweight and an inactive lifestyle are the main risk factors for Type 2 diabetes.

All Fats are bad
The fact is we all need fats. Fats help nutrient absorption, nerve transmission and maintain cell membrane integrity just to name a few functions. However, when consumed in excessive amounts, fats contribute to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of cancers. Not all fats are created equal. Some fats promote our health positively while some increase our risk for heart disease. It is a long-held nutrition myth that all fats are bad. The key is to replace bad fats (saturated fats and trans fats) with good fats (monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats) in our diet.

Brown Sugar is better than White Sugar
The brown sugar sold at the stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. Yes, brown sugar contains minute amounts of minerals. But unless you eat a gigantic portion of brown sugar everyday - the mineral content difference between brown sugar and white sugar is absolutely insignificant. The idea that brown and white sugar have big differences is another common nutrition myth

Fun Facts for Athletes

Did you know?
Salt is needed for athletes in the heat.
Sweat is saltier during the early stages of training and heat acclimation than after an athlete is fit and fully acclimated to exercise in the heat.

Sweat contains more salt when you are starting to become acclimatized, and should decrease as you spend more time training and racing in the heat.

Depending on your sodium losses, you can replace your sodium sweat losses with the salt or sodium in your daily diet and by consuming a sports drink with adequate sodium.

Preventing low sodium in athletes

Preventing Low Sodium in Athletes
During ultra endurance events such as adventure racing and Ironman triathlons, inadequate repletion of sodium can lead to a dangerous condition known as hyponatremia. For most athletes engaged in prolonged exercise, however, the danger of this condition is relatively low if they remain well fuelled and hydrated. Here are some tips on how you can prevent this condition from happening:

Consume saltier foods such as pretzels, broth, sauces, salt bagels, V-8 juice leading up to race day or a long training session.
Hydrate during exercise with a sports drink that contains sodium.
If you are a salty sweater and you are involved in long distance events such as ultra marathons or triathlons, aim to consume 100-250 milligrams of sodium for every 8 ounces of water ingested during endurance training and racing. by- Leah Perrier R.D

Sodium in your diet

Having some salty foods and salting your food replaces some of the sodium lost in sweat. Besides having enough sodium in your diet, you can also consume a sports drink that contains adequate sodium. Check the sodium content of your favorite carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage. Pay attention to how many ounces you consume per hour and estimate your sodium intake per hour. You do not need to replace all of your sodium losses. You only need to consume enough sodium to prevent sodium levels from dropping too low. Sports drinks typically contain 20-60 milligrams of sodium per 100 milliliters.

Sodium and athletes

Salt, or sodium, is a required nutrient in the diet. It helps regulate fluid balance and promotes proper muscle function. Unfortunately, most North Americans have developed an appetite for at least three times the sodium they need. The actual sodium need varies slightly from person to person, but a range of 1,800 to 2,400 milligrams, or one teaspoon of salt, is considered to be a healthy daily dose.

Like fluid requirements, daily sodium needs can also vary greatly among athletes. Some athletes have a greater sodium need because they lose more sodium in sweat. The sodium needs amount that is recommended during exercise is dependent on the amount of sweat produced.

For example, let say that you sweat about 1.5 liters per hour, and your sodium losses per liter may be about 750 milligrams. This means that in one hour, you lose 1125 milligrams of sodium. If you train for three hours, your total sodium sweat losses are 3,375 milligrams of sodium. Clearly, on days when you put in even more hours of training, you will increase your total sodium sweat losses further. -Leah Perrier

Snacks during training

What are snacks I can pack for long (3-4 hour) training sessions?
Pack high carbohydrate, low fiber snacks to keep you fueled during long training sessions. Choose a combination of solid foods and fluids to meet both hydration and carbohydrate needs. Aim for 30-60 grams of carbohydrate every hour and replenish fluids at the rate of 5-10 ounces every 15-20 minutes. A combination of sports drinks, carbohydrate gels, energy bars, bagels or gingersnaps help meet your needs. Set your watch to beep every 15 minutes as a fluid and fuel reminder!
-- Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD, Chair, Department of Nutrition, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia

Determining Nutrition Requirements for Athletes

Janet Walberg Rankin, Ph.D., R.D.Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Nutrition can assist an athlete in attaining his performance potential. Although many athletes are convinced of the overall value of nutrition, many specific misunderstandings exist. Athletes look for nutrition information and assistance from coaches, athletic trainers and nutritionists. These individuals need to have a breadth of knowledge from an understanding of the basics of energy metabolism through the interpretation of the food guide pyramid.
The role of nutrition for any person is to maintain optimal health. Athletes look for additional benefits from their foods, including: fuel to delay fatigue, a tool to change body weight and composition, acceleration of recovery, reduction of illness, and prevention of decline in motor skills. Prediction of the limiting fuel for an activity is dependent on knowledge of energy metabolism and fuel utilization for exercise of different intensities and durations. An evaluation of the actual exercise workouts and competitions will help the counselor make decisions regarding fuel requirements for the athlete. Rapid loss of body weight can cause hazards to health as well as performance. Thus, reasonable recommendations regarding appropriate diets for weight gain or loss are critical. Total energy balance is the primary issue, but adequate carbohydrate and protein can also influence results. Athletes who participate in repeated events want to recover as quickly as possible between competitions. Consumption of fluid, carbohydrate and electrolytes provided in specific amounts and times can accelerate recovery. An increase in muscle protein balance is desirable for those participating in resistance exercise. Nutrition surrounding the workout may influence the lean tissue gains obtained from this training. An ill athlete should not compete; thus, every effort should be made to maintain a strong immune system. Nutritional strategies to reduce illness include avoiding rapid weight loss and maintaining body carbohydrate status. Motor skills deteriorate as athletes fatigue during a game or competition. Some evidence suggests that maintenance of carbohydrate intake and blood glucose will delay the fall in motor skill.
Challenges to good nutrition for active individuals include lack of time to attend to food preparation and selection, travel schedules, and performance pressure that may encourage athletes to attempt fad approaches or to take unproven or dangerous dietary supplements. It is the role of the diet counselor to assess the health and diet of the individual, develop a specific dietary plan, and educate the athlete on the value of these changes.