| Healthy Eating |
What we eat fuels our day and our run. So much of what we put in our body is a balance of convenience and energy. Sometimes it is more convenience. As athletes who strive to keep our bodies going strong, that is when we get into trouble. The convenience can lead to everything from poor performance to injuries and long term disabilities. You have probably experienced an occasional lag in your energy from diet; but it is so much more. You may say this candy bar or pop tart isn’t going to cause an injury. It used to be said that a person only has so many marathons in them. It also used to be said that the 4 minute mile couldn’t be broken. Well it has also been said this candy bar won’t make a difference. I beg to differ. Things like Pop tarts and candy bars provide quick energy but at a price. The refined carbohydrates and sugars are not the best for muscles, digestion and sugar handling. With heart disease and diabetes being two top concerns in the United States it behooves us as athletes to consider the long term outcome. Yes runners get heart disease and diabetes too. Every day all people need a balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is not only the intake of these that is important; it is the quality and timing of them. These refined foods although quick to convert to energy leave toxins in the blood that not only need to be cleared by the liver and kidney, but the whole system. Too many of these toxins create dirty blood, long chains of blood cells that scratch the inside of the arteries. This is where cholesterol deposits begin. Also, these simple sugars burden the pancreas, liver and adrenals by causing huge needs to flux between, usage and storage, insulin and glycogen. These fluxes can weaken the pancreas and other organs leading to diabetes and other health issues. Fats are essential for energy. Good fats are a part of every cells membrane and essential to healthy heart function So what do you eat? You need the energy and you don’t have the time. After all you care about your body or you wouldn’t be running. Whether you are a casual jogger or a competitive long distance runner you need to create balance and consider long term nutrient usage as well as the quick fix. Taking the time to take care of what you have doesn’t have to be a burden. There are a number of healthy foods that you can keep around to replenish your body. I keep a small supply in my sports bag next to my water at all times. Here are some great food resources to provide energy. Remember to allow for you personal body needs, the season, the distance and pace you plan to run. For quick healthy energy sugars try dried fruits like apricots, raisins or figs or dates. Carrot sticks are another good source. Just as carbohydrates give quick bursts of energy, fats are your long burning energy. Proteins provide for maintenance of glucose levels, muscle tone and repair. If you are in need of proteins and fats, go with string cheese or cottage cheese, a spoonful of almond butter or nuts especially walnuts and almonds are all good sources. If your body is craving proteins and fats honor that. Just choose healthy ones. What about protein bars or drinks? They are not all created equal. See future articles for what to avoid and look for. For now be aware of sugar alcohols and those that taste like candy bars. They are often no better than one. If you have planned time before you run you can eat you can go a little heavier but be careful of eating and running. It is better to prepare ahead of time or go with something light. As always it is important to consult with your health professional before making changes to your routine. If you have health concerns seek professional support. Little things add up; protect your body for the long run. Katherine Branigan is a Certified Nutritional Therapist in private practice in N. Seattle, WA. She has been in practice for 4 years and teaches the NTA certification course. As an athlete she understands the importance of eating to support your lifestyle. She also addresses the emotional and energetic components of health and healing. If you want more information call her at (206) 781-7167. Sports Drinks , Energy drinks and water each has a purpose. Defining what you are looking for can help you choose what you want in your drink. All drinks are not equal and choosing what you need is a thoughtful process that I hope to shed some light on. Energy drinks became the fad after sports drinks. Some people blithely thought that one was just the improvement of the other and that is not the case. Energy drinks can be very damaging in some situations. In fact, Dr. Mercola and some French and Danish studies claim that energy drinks can become lethal when abused or used in conjunction with alcohol. ( www. mercola.com/2005/feb/26/energy_drinks.htm ) In most of these cases the issue was with mixing alcohol or other drugs and energy drinks. When doing activities that increase heart rate remember caffeine can raise blood pressure and intensify other heart issues. If there is an existing condition or you are pushing your own peaks these two changes can be devastating to your health. This temporarily induced rush to the system stresses the nervous system and adrenals so in the long run reduces sustained performance. Most energy drinks have caffeine in them and caffeine is a diuretic, causing dehydration this is the second concern, as low hydration creates fatigue. A second ingredient, sugar, in the form of glucose and sucrose adds to the negative affects as much as it does the short energy burst. The few good amino acids or herbs in some of these drinks do not out weigh the negatives of the caffeine and sugar. So what about sports drinks and water? Both have their time and place. So how you can make the best decision for you and your lifestyle? I think we are all aware of the importance of liquid intake yet as a society we remain chronically dehydrated. Our bodies should be a minimum of 50 % water. As a physically active person we should aim for 60%. Water helps with detoxifying the body, cleaning the blood, muscle flexibility and much more. Even mild dehydration of 1 or 2 % can create fatigue, muscle weakness and light headedness or headaches. Water can be obtained from fresh foods, a sports drink or plain water. Fresh foods although high in water content usually only make up about 20% of our daily water intake needs. Getting liquids into the body and getting them absorbed by the body are two different things. Some people will not drink water because of the “taste.” Other people feel that way about sports drinks. Either way if you don’t drink liquids they can’t be absorbed. The question then becomes how much to drink and what is the key to absorption. Experts disagree on the quantity of liquids needed. There are many variables. Some of the considerations are climate, overall health, lifestyle and diet. A good starting point is half your weight in ounces daily. Add liquids to account for hot climates, workouts and poor diet. You know you are drinking enough is your urine is clear or straw colored and you urinate through out the day. Supplements can affect urine color so keep this in mind. Also urinating after drinking water like one might after beer or coffee is a sign of it not being absorbed and you should discuss this with your health care support person. Athletes use a lot of water to sustain the ongoing muscle contractions and keep the body temperature constant. You lose a pound for every 2 cups of sweat which is approximately 300 calories. For peak performance it is best to drink 8-16 ounces, 20 minutes before any activity and only a small amount during the activity, 4-6 ounces for every 15-30 minutes of activity. These are general numbers, adjust for the climate and intensity. So now how do you get liquids to absorb in the system. There are two factors that profoundly affect your absorption rate: electrolytes and carbohydrates. The carbohydrates in sports drinks are what slow the liquid down enough in the stomach to aide in their absorption. The irony is too many carbohydrates can hinder absorption. So if you are eating an energy bar and drinking a sports drink you are keeping the liquids from being absorbed. That is the time to drink water, When in taking on an empty stomach choose a sports drink that has less than 70 calories for every 8 ounces so it does not inhibit liquid absorption. Many of the lower carbohydrate sports drinks have corn sweeteners in them. The corn syrup and other chemicals becomes a whole other issue. http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/5/fructose.htm Choosing a sport drink where the carbohydrate source is glucose is essential for maximum benefit. Corn syrup has other elements like dextrin and is a hyper concentrated form of glucose with about twice the sweetness factor. Electrolytes enhance the absorption greatly. We use up electrolytes while working out so it is important to replenish. If you have a healthy diet this can easily be done by adding some sodium to your water. Salts that contain minerals are the best like Celtic sea salt. For other electrolytes, fruits such as oranges and bananas an hour before or after working out can help. As you can see the electrolyte and carbohydrate needs are especially important to an active person. However, many sports drinks combine chemicals and sugar syrups which can throw off your body. Reading labels and judiciously using these beverages can be a support in an otherwise busy world. Making your own sports drink is another option. http://www.brianmac. demon.co.uk/drinks.htm This to me is by far the best solution to the commercial sports drinks. As always talk with your health care professional about your specific needs before making changes to your routine. Katherine Branigan is a Certified Nutritional Therapist in private practice in N. Seattle, WA. She has been in practice for 4 years and teaches the NTA certification course. As an athlete she understands the importance of eating to support your lifestyle. She also addresses the emotional and energetic components of health and healing. If you want more information call her at (206) 781-7167. |
| Seattle Balanced Body |
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| Drink Energy for Stamina: by Katherine Branigan, NTP, MSA Specialist |
| Eating on the Run by Katherine Branigan, NTP , MSA Specialist |
