More than 450 members of the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) practice group, the nation’s largest professional group of Sports and Cardiovascular Nutritionists (SCANdpg.org), convened in Baltimore in April 2012 to celebrate its 30th birthday and to learn the latest sports nutrition news. Here are a few highlights to help you “eat to win.”

• Beets, like rhubarb and arugula, are rich sources of dietary nitrates, a compound that gets converted into nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide dilates blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and allows a person to exercise using less oxygen. In a study, cyclists consumed pre-ride beets, and then three hours later (when NO peaks), they rode in a time trial. Every cyclist improved (on average by 2.8 percent) as compared to the time trial with no beets. Impressive! The amount of nitrates in 7 ounces (200 grams) beets is an effective dose. How about enjoying beets or a bowl of borscht in your next pre-game meal?

• Fuel up while cooling down is a wise mantra for athletes who exercise intensely. Immediate replenishment of carbs and protein can decrease muscle soreness and inflammation, plus enhance muscle repair. What you eat before you exercise can also effectively reduce post-exercise recovery. In a study, trained athletes consumed two 10.5-oz. bottles per day of tart cherry juice a week before an excruciating exercise test. They recovered faster and lost only 4 percent of their pre-test strength, compared with 22 percent loss in the group without cherry juice.

Tart cherries can help not only athletes but also individuals who suffer from the pain and inflammation associated with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Consuming tart cherry juice (two 10.5-ounce bottles/day for 10 days) reduced the muscle soreness associated with “fibro-flares” and enhanced recovery rate. Similar findings occurred in people suffering from osteoarthritis. Drinking tart cherry juice for three weeks reduced arthritis pain.

Tart cherries (the kind used in baking pies, not the sweet cherries enjoyed as snacks) have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Other foods that have high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity include raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Fruit smoothies, anyone?

Research to date has studied the effects of drinking 21 ounces of tart cherry juice per day for one to three weeks. (That’s the equivalent of eating 90 tart cherries/day). More research will determine the most effective dose and time-course. Because 21 ounces of tart cherry juice adds 260 calories to one’s energy intake, athletes will need to reduce other fruits or foods to make space for this addition to their daily intake.

• Sleeping used to be our most common “activity,” today it is sitting. The average person sits for nine hours a day. Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for heart disease and creates health problems, including deep vein thrombosis (as can happen on planes and during long computer work/games). Athletes who exercise for one or two hours daily still need to do more activity instead of sitting in front of a screen all day. How about a treadmill desk or “desk-ercycle”?

• While we may be sitting more than in past years, we’re sleeping less. 80 percent of teenagers report getting less than the recommended nine hours of sleep; nearly 30 percent of adults report sleeping less than six hours per night. Not good. Sleep is a biological necessity. It is restorative and helps align our circadian rhythms.

Sleep deprivation (less than five hours per night) erodes well-being, has detrimental effects on health and contributes to fat gain. When we become tired, grehlin, a hormone that makes us feel hungry, becomes more active and can easily lead to overeating. Sleep deprivation is also linked with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Sleep deprivation is common among athletes who travel through different time zones. This can impact performance by disrupting their circadian rhythms and causing undue fatigue and reduced motivation. By comparison, extending sleep can enhance performance. A study involving basketball players indicates they shot more baskets and completed more free throws when they were well rested versus sleep deprived. For top performance, make sleep a priority.

• In a few communities in the world, an usually high number of people live to be older than 100 years. What happens in those communities that contributes to the longer life? Some factors include choosing a plant-based diet, rarely overeating, having a life filled with purpose and meaning, connecting with others in the community, moving naturally and/or socially (as in bike commuting and walking with family and friends), enjoying alcohol socially and in moderation, and not smoking. If you want to join the centenarians, take steps to re-create those life-enhancing practices.

Creating that life-extending culture has been done, to a certain extent, in Albert Lea, Minnesota. The “Blue Zone” project included improving sidewalks and building walking paths around a lake. Restaurants supported the program by not bringing a bread basket automatically to customers, and not serving French fries (unless requested) with meals. These and many other environmental changes contributed to a healthier lifestyle that resulted in an impressive 40 percent drop in city employees’ healthcare costs over two years.

• Many athletes, as well as obese people, commonly struggle with the belief that their body is not “good enough.” This struggle gets too little attention from health care providers who focus more on the medical concerns of heart disease, cancer and hypertension. Yet, whether you are lean or obese, having a poor body image often coincides with having low self-esteem. This combination generates poor self-care.

In a five-year study with teenagers, low body satisfaction stimulated extreme and destructive dieting behaviors that led to weight gain, not weight loss. The same pattern is typical among many seemingly “healthy” athletes. If you want help finding peace with your body, please seek it from a sports dietitian. Use SCAN’s referral network, www.SCANdpg.org, to help you find someone local. What are you waiting for?

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her “Sports Nutrition Guidebook” and food guides for new runners, marathoners and soccer players offer additional information. They are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com and sportsnutritionworkshop.com.

The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.

Related articles:

1. 2011 Sports Nutrition News from the American College of Sports Medicine
2. Winter Nutrition: Fueling for Cold Weather Exercise
3. The Kids’ Table: Better Nutrition at the End of the Rainbow

Early risers may find it easier to exercise at home or go to a gym before their day starts. But even serious fitness enthusiasts are not always inclined to get their heart rate up just after coming out of a slumber. Waiting until evening can be tricky, too. After a long day, most people are too exhausted or still too busy for a swift walk on the treadmill or a round of lifting weights. Being able to fit in a short but intense workout in the middle of the day would seem ideal, however, this may not always be possible depending on your line of work or your employer.

Maintaining an Exercise Regimen
Includes Smart Scheduling

In a best-case scenario, you would be able to exercise without leaving the office. Many larger corporations have well-equipped gyms on campus. Google, for instance, offers its employees on-site fitness centers in almost all of its office complexes. But also smaller businesses all over the country are beginning to recognize the importance of investing in the health and fitness of their work force. So, if you can count yourself among the lucky ones who have a health-conscious employer, you should make the most of it.

If no such opportunities are available at your work place, you may have to become a little more creative. Perhaps, you can find a gym, a public park or a sports facility nearby. Try to talk some of your colleagues into joining you for a run, a fast walk or a game of volleyball on the front lawn during lunch hour. If all else fails, you can take the stairs in your office building as a substitute stair master. Your imagination is the limit.

The benefits of a mid-day workout are multiple. Exercising at noon (or thereabouts) increases your metabolism for the rest of your workday instead of just the evening hours. It also invigorates you, getting you more easily through the usual afternoon slump. You are also less likely to skip your session due to tiredness or the need to tend to more urgent matters before you go home.

It is also important that you develop a regular schedule and deviate as little as possible. If you are neither an early bird nor a night owl, mid-day may be your best slot. If you exercise consistently around the same time of the day, your body will adapt to your schedule and be ready for peak performance.

Remember that not only your body needs a boost. Stretching your legs and flexing your muscles can also help you clear your mind and reduce stress. It will make you more alert, focused and productive during your remaining work hours. A study by the Leeds Metropolitan University in the U.K. found that workers who exercised during lunch break got more work done, used up fewer sick days and had lower medical expenses than their non-exercising colleagues.

So, if your boss considers mid-day exercising as a way of slacking off, show him or her those statistics. Maybe you’ll have company next time.

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2. A Call for Regulating Energy Drinks
3. Taking Vitamins May Boost Your Memory

Chocolate, is it a bad food, an addictive drug, an instigator of dietary disasters? Or is it a health food, dieter’s weight loss aid, and effective recovery food when you’re tired or hungry?

I vote for the latter! Personally and professionally, I like to think of chocolate (in moderation, of course) as one of life’s pleasures. Here is some research that might be of interest to people who love chocolate.

A Treat With More Health Benefits
Than You Might Have Thought

Chocolate cake for breakfast enhances weight loss. Really? Yes, according to researcher Prof. Daniela Jacubowicz (1). The subjects were 193 obese, non-diabetic adults who ate either a 300-calorie low carbohydrate breakfast or a 600-calorie breakfast that included protein plus chocolate cake (or another sweet dessert).

Both groups were instructed to eat the same amount of total calories: 1,400 for the women and 1,600 for the men. In the first 16 weeks, both groups lost an average of 33 pounds per person. But in the second half of the study, the no-cake group had poor compliance and regained an average of 22 pounds per person while the cake-eaters continued to lose another 15 pounds each. By week 32, the cake eaters had lost about 40 pounds more than their peers.

Prof. Jacubowicz noticed that those who had cake for breakfast had fewer cravings for carbohydrates and sweets later in the day. By frontloading their calories, they were less hungry and less likely to stray from their food plans. They had curbed their cravings for sweets and treats, in comparison to the group that ate the smaller breakfast.

So what does this research mean for you?
• Eat a satisfying breakfast that leaves you content. Do not stop eating breakfast just because you think you should.

• If you want a treat, such as chocolate cake, enjoy it earlier in the day, as opposed to indulging at 9 pm when you are tired, too hungry, and lack the mental energy needed to stop yourself from overeating. Think of having dessert after breakfast instead of after dinner.

• Even on a weight reduction diet, you should eat what you truly want to eat, without deprivation of your favorite foods. Otherwise, you’ll end up doing “last chance” eating. (You know, “I just blew my diet by eating cake, so I might as well keep eating it because this is my last chance before my diet starts again.”).

Note: Even people with diabetes can substitute chocolate cake for grains at a meal without creating blood glucose problems. Just eat the cake instead of – not in addition to – the grains! (2)

It’s not a secret: A candy bar contains primarily nutrient-poor calories from sugar and fat. For example, a Hershey’s Bar (43 g) contains 210 calories, of which 46 percent are from sugar and 55 percent are from fat. Hence, you want to enjoy milk chocolate in moderation, not in binges.

However, less-processed dark chocolate can be considered a healthier choice. Chocolate is made from cocoa, a plant that is a rich source of health-protective phytochemicals (just like you’d get from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains). Two tablespoons natural cocoa power (the kind used in baking) offers the antioxidant power of 3/4 cup blueberries or 1.5 glasses red wine. Unfortunately, dark chocolate has a slightly bitter taste and most people prefer the sweeter milk chocolate, a poorer source of phytochemicals. (We need to raise our children on dark chocolate, so they will they learn to prefer it.)

Dark chocolate also contains flavonoids, health-protective compounds found in many plant foods including tea, apples, and onions. Epidemiological surveys of large groups of people indicate those who regularly enjoy chocolate consume more of these health-protective flavonoids than non-chocolate eaters. This reduces their risk of heart disease. For example in the Netherlands, elderly men who routinely ate chocolate-containing products reduced their risk of heart disease by 50 percent and their risk of dying from other causes by 47 percent (3). Maybe a daily (preferably dark) chocolate fix can be a good idea?

If you’ve just had a killer workout and want to rapidly refuel and repair your muscles, boost your blood sugar, and replace sweat loss as well as reward yourself with a tasty treat, reach for some low fat chocolate milk. Research indicates refueling with chocolate (or any flavored) milk enhances recovery of both fluids and muscles better than the standard carb-only, sugar-based sports drink (4).

Anyone responsible for stocking the recovery food table for tired, thirsty athletes who want to rapidly refuel after a hard workout will tell you that chocolate milk is an all-time favorite. Weight-conscious females, in particular, can enjoy this treat “guilt-free” and boost their intake of nutrients commonly missing in their diet, such as high quality protein, riboflavin, calcium, and vitamin D. What a positive change from their embattled relationship with chocolate! This is good.

But shouldn’t we be staying away from sugary foods? The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a limit of 10 percent of calories from refined sugar per day. That’s about 200 to 300 sugar-calories. Getting sugar from chocolate milk is nutritionally preferable than from sports drinks. Milk’s high quality protein, calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin and a host of other important nutrients is far better than sugar water with a dash of salt.

For those of you who happen to read the Boston Globe (3/13/12), you might have caught my answer to a healthwriter’s criticism of USA Swimming for choosing chocolate milk as a sponsor. My response: “Kudos to USA Swimming for choosing to be sponsored by the maker of a whole food as opposed to an engineered sports food. To have role-model athletes touting low fat chocolate milk is preferable to the alternative of them touting sports drinks. I only wish more “real food” companies would do the research needed to counter the influential engineered sports food industry.”

By no means is chocolate the key to a healthy diet, nor is eating lots of dark chocolate preferable to snacking on apples and bananas. Eat chocolate in moderation so it does not crowd out other nutrient-dense foods. But chocolate can be balanced into an overall wholesome diet and add pleasure to the day – even if you are dieting to lose weight. For chocolate lovers, deprivation of chocolate may create more problems than it solves.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook and food guides for new runners, marathoners, and soccer players offer additional information. They are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com and www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.

References
1. Jakubowicz D, O Froy, J Wainstein, M Boaz. Meal timing and composition influence ghrelin levels, appetite scores and weight loss maintenance in overweight and obese adults. Steroids 77(4): 323-331, 2012.

2. Peters, AL, MB Davidson, K Eisneberg. Effect of isocaloric substitution of chocolate cake for potato in type I diabetic patients. Diabetes Care 13(8): 888-92, 1990.

3. Buijsse B, Feskens EJ, Kok FJ, Kromhout D. Cocoa intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular mortality: The Zutphen Elderly Study. Arch Intern Med. 27; 166(4): 411-7, 2006.

4. Lunn WR, Pasiakos SM, Colletto MR, Karfonta KE, Carbone JW, Anderson JM, Rodriguez NR. Chocolate milk and endurance exercise recovery: Protein balance, glycogen and performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 44(4): 682-91,2012.

The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.

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Active video games offer virtual tennis, track and field or dancing experiences, which are meant to encourage consumers to get off the couch and move their bodies. In areas where opportunities for outdoor activities are sorely missing, where going to the gym requires a long drive, or where schools don’t offer physical education (PE), health advocates had hoped for an alternative tool to fill the gap. That expectation has so far been frustrated.

When It Comes to Exercise and Fitness,
Active Video Games May Not Do the Trick

For the study, a research team from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, distributed free active as well as inactive video games among a group of 9 to 12 year olds who were all above average weight. As it turned out, the children who played the active games lost no more weight than those who stuck to the inactive versions, like sing-alongs.

“We expected that playing the [active] video games would in fact lead to a substantial increase in physical activity in the children,” said Dr. Tom Baranowski, one of the researchers at Baylor in an interview with Reuters Health. “Frankly, we were shocked by the complete lack of difference.”

Over a time period of roughly 3 months, the children were tracked and monitored for their physical activity levels through a motion-measuring device called an accelerometer. The results showed an average of 25 to 28 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity among the kids who played active videos and 26 to 29 minutes for those who only played inactive ones.

Active video games “might increase caloric expenditure a bit more than a traditional sedentary video game, and if you do that on a daily basis that could have a cumulative effect that might be beneficial,” said Dr. Jacob Barkley, an exercise scientist from Kent State University who was not involved in the study. [But it] isn’t going to increase physical activity a whole heck of a lot,” he added.

In the meantime, sales of traditional workout DVDs remain strong, and not just among the Jane Fonda fans from decades ago. According to Reuters, 18 to 34 year olds account for 35 percent of fitness DVD buyers, followed by 35 to 50 year olds at 33 percent and people 55 and older at 20 percent.

Only lately has the weight loss and fitness industry begun focusing on children due to the ever-growing childhood obesity rates in the U.S. and much of the world. Workout DVDs can be cheaply produced and are easy to use, which makes them a viable alternative to more sophisticated and more expensive formats.

Still, health experts warn that we should not expect too much from the low-impact exercises you can do in front of your TV screen. All this virtual jumping, throwing and dancing or even the pushups people do on the living room floor do not compare to the impact you get from running in the park, swimming laps in an Olympic-size pool or working out in a well-equipped gym. But, I agree, it’s better than nothing.

Related articles:

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3. No Healthy Lifestyle Can Do Without…

What’s best to eat for recovery after a hard workout? That’s what marathoners, body builders, and fitness exercisers alike repeatedly ask. They read ads for commercial recovery foods that demand a 3 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein, tout the benefits of a proprietary formula, or emphasize immediate consumption the minute you stop exercising. While these ads offer an element of truth, consumers beware: Engineered recovery foods are not more effective than standard foods. The purpose of this article is to educate you, a hungry athlete, about how to choose an optimal recovery diet.

Too many athletes are obsessed with rapidly refueling the minute they stop exercising. They are afraid they will miss the one-hour “window of opportunity” when glycogen replacement is fastest. They fail to understand refueling still occurs for several hours, just at a slowing rate.

Engineered Recovery Foods Are
Not More Effective Than Standard Foods

Given a steady influx of adequate carb-based meals and snacks, muscles can refuel within 24 hours. If you have a full day to recover before your next training session, or if you have done an easy (non-depleting) workout, you need not obsess about refueling immediately afterwards.

Refueling as soon as tolerable is most important for serious athletes doing a second bout of intense, depleting exercise within six hours of the first workout, including triathletes doing double workouts, soccer players in tournaments and people who ski hard in the morning and again in the afternoon.

The sooner you consume carbs to replace depleted muscle glycogen and protein to repair damaged muscle, the sooner you’ll be able to exercise hard again.

Over the course of the next 24 hours your muscles will have lots of time to replenish glycogen stores. Just be sure to repeatedly consume a foundation of carbohydrates with each meal/snack, along with some protein to build and repair the muscles. For example, chocolate milk or a fruit smoothie are excellent choices.

How many carbs do you need? According to the International Olympic Committee’s Nutrition Recommendations, adequate carbs means:

For moderate exercise:
About 1 hour/day = 2.5 to 3 grams carb/lb or 5 to 7 grams carb/kg
For endurance exercise:
1 to 3 hours/day = 2.5 to 4.5 grams carb/lb or 6 to 10 grams carb/kg
For extreme exercise:
Greater than 4 to 5 hours/day = 3.5 to 5.5 grams carb/lb or 8 to 12 grams carb/kg

Example: a 150-lb triathlete doing extreme exercise should target about 500 to 800 grams carb/day (2,000-3,200 carb-calories).

Your recovery meals and snacks should include a foundation of carbohydrate-rich breads, cereals, grains, fruits, and vegetables plus a smaller amount of protein (at least 10-20 grams per recovery snack or meal). You can enjoy fruit smoothies (Greek yogurt + banana + berries), cereal + milk, bagel + latté (decaf), pretzels + hummus, baked potato + cottage cheese, turkey sub, or pasta + meatballs.

Do NOT consume only protein, as in a protein shake or protein bar. Protein fills your stomach and helps build and repair muscles, but it does not refuel your muscles. Your muscles want three or four times more calories from carbs than from protein. If you like the convenience of protein shakes, at least add some carbs to them. That is, blend in some banana, frozen berries, and graham crackers.

Keep in mind that recovery calories count. I hear many frustrated dieters complain they are not losing weight despite hard workouts. Perhaps that’s because they gobble 300 or so “recovery calories” and then go home and enjoy a hefty dinner. By organizing your training to end at mealtime, you can avoid over-indulging in recovery-calories.

What about recovery electrolytes? After a hard workout, many athletes reach for a sports drink, thinking Gatorade or PowerAde is “loaded” with sodium (an electrically charged particle). Think again! Milk and other “real foods” are actually better sources of electrolytes than most commercial sports products. These electrolytes (also known as sodium and potassium) help enhance fluid retention and the restoration of normal fluid balance. Here’s how some common recovery fluids compare:

Beverage (8 oz):
Water = 0 Sodium (mg), 0 Potassium (mg), 0 Protein (g), 0 Carbs (g)
PowerAde = 55 Sodium (mg), 45 Potassium (mg), 0 Protein (g), 19 Carbs (g)
Gatorade = 110 Sodium (mg), 30 Potassium (mg), 0 Protein (g), 14 Carbs (g)
Low-fat milk = 100 Sodium (mg), 400 Potassium (mg), 8 Protein (g), 12 Carbs (g)
Chocolate milk = 150 Sodium (mg), 425 Potassium (mg), 8 Protein (g), 26 Carbs
Orange juice = 0 Sodium (mg), 450 Potassium (mg), 2 Protein (g), 26 Carbs (g)

After a hard workout, recovery fluids such as chocolate milk, orange juice, or a latte offer far more “good stuff” than you’d get in a sports drink. Sports drinks are dilute and designed for during extended exercise.

To assess how much sodium you lose in sweat, weigh yourself naked pre-post an hour of exercise, accounting for any fluid consumed. Loss of one pound equates to loss of about 700 to 1,000 mg sodium. If you sweat heavily and lose a significant amount of sodium, you can easily replace those losses with pretzels (300 mg sodium/10 twists), a bagel (500 mg) with peanut butter (200 mg/2 tbsp), Wheaties and milk (300 mg), or a spaghetti dinner with tomato sauce (1000 mg/cup Ragu sauce). Most athletes consume plenty of sodium!

Your recovery can start before you exercise. What you eat before you exercise impacts your recovery. According to research presented at the 2011 annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, consuming protein before lifting weights enhances recovery better than consuming a protein drink afterwards. That’s because your body digests pre-exercise protein into amino acids (yes, your body can digest food during exercise) and puts those amino acids right into action repairing damaged muscles.

What if you feel like you never really recover well? If you have to drag yourself through workouts, a number of questions arise: Are you overtraining? Rest is an essential part of a training program; muscles need time to refuel and repair. Take at least one if not two days off from exercise per week.

Are you anemic? Anemia is common, so have your MD monitor your serum ferritin (stored iron). If your iron stores are depleted, you’ll feel needlessly tired during exercise. An estimated half of female athletes are iron-deficient, as indicated by low serum ferritin stores. (About 14 percent of all women are iron deficient.) A survey with collegiate male runners suggested about 20 percent had low serum ferritin. Iron supplements can help resolve the problem, alongside a good recovery diet. Eat wisely, recover well, and feel great!

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook and food guides for new runners, marathoners, and soccer players offer additional information. They are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com. See also www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.

References:
Nutrition for Athletes: A practical guide to eating for health and performance. Prepared by the Nutrition Working Group of the International Olympic Committee, Feb. 2010; http://www.thecgf.com/media/games/2010/CGF_Nutrition.pdf

Campos, Manuel, S. Gervais, J. Walker, A. Olson. Iron deficiency in Division III male cross country and track runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010; 42(5 Supplement): Abstract 2821

Lee, Choi Hyun, J. Kim, K. Hoon Park, J. Lee. Effect of the timing of protein supplement on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010; 42(5 Supplement): Abstract 2862.

Nicewonger, Christine, J. Flohr, M. Todd, C. Womack. The effect of iron supplementation on iron markers and performance in female athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010; 42(5 Supplement): Abstract 2822

The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.

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What kind of food do you pack for your little athlete to eat when he or she is competing? Parents often ask for my suggestions, whether it’s for a short event or an all day competition.

The most important thing to keep in mind is this: Snacks are fuel, not treats, not rewards. They provide an energy source your child can draw on. Therefore, you want this to be “premium” fuel – not low-octane.

When you have an athlete who competes all day long in events like competitive swimming, tennis matches, soccer tournaments, etc., you have to be prepared. The last thing you want is for your athlete to eat candy out of the concession stand.

Packing the Right Refreshments for Physically Active Kids

You can help your athlete keep pace during competition with these seven packing guidelines:

1. Pack variety
You don’t have to bring the refrigerator. A few options of fruit, vegetables, grains and high quality protein sources should cover your athlete’s finicky appetite. Pack several food options instead of a large quantity of only two or three foods, and the odds are your child will eat out of your igloo cooler rather than the concession stand.

2. Pack enough
You don’t want to run out of food, and you may even want to share with other athletes (well-fueled athletes help the whole team, right?).

3. Pay attention to temperature
If you are packing perishables, be sure to add an ice pack or two. It’s no fun to get tummy cramps before an event because food has spoiled.

4. Pack in the protein
Protein will be an ally in keeping your athlete’s blood sugar, hunger and mood stable. Let him or her nibble on cheese sticks or slices, nuts, peanut or nut butters, rolled deli meat slices, meat jerky, yogurt or yogurt drinks, boxes of low fat milk, hummus or edamame.

5. Don’t forget the carbohydrate
Muscles rely on carbohydrates for fuel. Pack an assortment of easily digestible sources like 100% juice, fruit leather, applesauce, fresh or dried fruit and veggie sticks as well as complex carbohydrate foods, such as crackers, unsweetened dry cereal, pita, bagel or other breads, pretzels and graham crackers. Dairy sources also provide a protein-rich carbohydrate source.

6. Think your drink
Water, 100% fruit juice and sports drinks are appropriate at an extended competition like a swim or tennis meets. If it’s a short soccer game (less than an hour), keep it to water. Plain and flavored milk are great drink choices during and after competition. They provide protein for muscle repair and carbohydrate to refuel muscles.

7. Nosh or nibble?
Nosh on “meals” or large quantities of food during big breaks between events. Nibble small amounts of food before and after events that are closely scheduled. At a minimum, your young athlete should be nibbling enough to stay energized and keep muscles fueled for a competitive edge.

Being prepared for events is half the battle! Help your young athlete succeed and feel good with healthy snacks for fuel.

Jill Castle, MS, RD, LDN specializes in pediatric nutrition and medical nutrition therapy. She is the founder of Pediatric Nutrition of Green Hills, L.L.C. and creator of “Just The Right Byte,” a family nutrition blog. She writes as a child nutrition expert for numerous magazines, newspapers, websites and blogs.

The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.

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For us Americans, driving in our own cars wherever we go is such an integral part of our lives that we hardly ever question it. We like our independence, but it also comes with a price. Our dependency on automobiles has consequences for our environment, our finances, our health and our communities.

A Trend Away From Urban Sprawl to High Quality City Life

“Drivable suburbia” is a development pattern that started back in the 1950s and has been the dominant kind of residential planning ever since. With more and more people moving to the suburbs in search of affordable homeownership, the sprawl continued for decades. What often got lost in the process was a sense of community. Neighborhoods were reduced to bedroom communities. Residents lived side-by-side but not together. But now, slowly but surely, things are beginning to change in many parts of the country. Walkable town centers are being rediscovered and redesigned to meet the needs of a new generation of urban dwellers.

Walkability is more and more considered as an important factor for the quality of urban life. Demand for safe walkways and pedestrian zones is growing. But still changes start mostly from the bottom up. For instance, in Denver, Colorado, an architect and a cardiologist teamed up to start a non-profit group called “Walk Denver” with the goal to turn their city into a walk-friendly community. Their initial idea was to promote public health by offering more opportunities to exercise, but the potential benefits reach much further.

Denver, which is already known as one of America’s healthier cities, wants to enable 15 percent of its population to get to work on bike or on foot by 2020. City officials say they hope not only to reduce inner city traffic but also contribute to the physical health of the Denver populace by enticing it to walk more.

“When I moved from Poland to the U.S., I got my driver’s license and I gained 20 pounds,” said Gosia Kung, the architect and co-founder of the “Walk Denver” program in an interview with the New York Times (2/14/2012). She found that the simple exercise of walking in the streets the way she used to in her former home country was sufficient to lose weight and keep her healthy. Now her goal is to inspire others to follow her example, starting with young children in her latest endeavor she calls “Walking School Bus.”

“Compact, walkable communities – the opposite of poorly planned sprawl – are the solution to some of the biggest shared challenges, from childhood obesity to social isolation, from crash deaths to disappearing farmland, from the high price of gas to the architectural blight of strip development,” says Alan Durning of the Sightline Institute, a non-profit research center for sustainable urban development in Seattle. He thinks that walking is still a largely underappreciated component of the urban transportation system in this country. But there is a lot of creative inspiration right now that has the potential to change all that.

Some health experts see a direct connection between walkability of cities and the Body Mass Index (BMI) of their population. Besides weight control, greater walkability has also shown many other individual and community health benefits such as opportunities for social interaction, reduced crime rates and increased participation in volunteer programs, to name a few.

To learn more about the walkability of your own home town, you can go to a number of websites like Walkscore, Walkonomics or RateMyStreet, which give you detailed information about pedestrian-friendly areas near you.

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When a star U Conn basketball player took the advice of his sports nutritionist, Nancy Rodriguez, RD, and started drinking enough to consistently void a light-colored urine, he was amazed at how much better he felt all day. Unfortunately, too many athletes and exercise enthusiasts overlook the power of this essential nutrient.

The Body Cannot Function
Without Sufficient Water Supply

Perhaps it’s your turn to give water a try? This article offers droplets of information to enhance your water IQ, optimize your water balance, and help you feel and perform better.
You don’t have to drink plain water to get adequate water into your body. All fluids count, as do foods that have a high water content. For example, oatmeal is 84 percent water; low-fat milk is 90 percent; coffee is 99 percent; lettuce is 96 percent; tomatoes are 95 percent; broccoli is 89 percent; low-fat vanilla yogurt is 79 percent; and ice cream consists of 60 percent water.

Water is the solvent for biochemical reactions. Your body cannot function without sufficient water supply, as noted by the fact that athletes die from dehydration.

Your body needs water to moisten food (saliva), digest food (gastric secretions), transport nutrients to and from cells (blood), discard waste (urine), and dissipate heat (sweat). Water is a major component of the cells in muscles and organs. About 60 percent of a young male’s body weight is water, as is about 50 percent of a young woman’s body weight.

Different body parts have different water contents. For example, blood is approximately 93 percent water, muscle is about 73 percent water, and body fat is about 10 percent water. Water constantly moves between the inside and the outside of cells. About 4 to 10 percent of the water in your body gets replaced every day.

Note: Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) methods of measuring body fat actually measure body water. From that, a formula estimates the ratio of water to muscle and fat. Hence, if you use a Tanita Scale or Omron device, be sure to maintain adequate hydration. If you are dehydrated, you’ll end up with an inaccurate (higher) estimate of body fatness.

Your body produces about 8 to 16 oz. (250-500 ml) water per day during normal metabolic processes. During a marathon, a runner’s muscles can produce that much water over 2 to 3 hours. When muscles burn glycogen, they simultaneously release about 2.5 units water for each one unit of muscle glycogen, which helps protect against dehydration.

Coffee is a popular source of water. Although once thought to have a diuretic effect, current research indicates that coffee (in amounts normally consumed) hydrates as well as water over a 24-hour period. That is, after drinking coffee, you may urinate sooner, but you will not urinate more than you consume. Army research on caffeine and dehydration confirms coffee is an acceptable source of fluids for athletes, even during exercise in the heat. Hence, coffee and other caffeinated beverages such as tea or cola count towards your water intake.

An increased concentration of particles in your blood triggers the sensation of thirst. If you are a 150-pound athlete, you’ll start to feel thirsty once you’ve lost about 1.5 to 3 pounds of sweat (1 to 2 percent of your body weight). You are seriously dehydrated when you have lost 5 percent of your body weight.

Body water absorbs heat from the working muscles and sweat dissipates the heat. That is, the evaporation of a liter (about 36 ounces) of sweat from the skin represents loss of about 580 calories. Sweat keeps you from overheating during exercise and in hot environments.

To determine how much water you lose when you sweat, weigh yourself (with little or no clothing) before and after an hour of hard exercise with no fluid intake. The change in body weight reflects sweat loss. A 1-pound drop in weight equates to a loss of 16 ounces of sweat. A 2-pound drop equates to 32 ounces, that’s one quart. Drink accordingly during your workouts to prevent that loss.

When you sweat, you lose water from both inside and outside the cells. The water outside the cells is rich in sodium, an electrolyte that works in balance with potassium, an electrolyte inside the cells. Sweat contains about 7 times more sodium than potassium, hence sodium is the more important electrolyte to replace during extended exercise.

Most athletes who lose more than 2 percent of their body weight (3 pounds for a 150-pound athlete) lose both their mental edge and their ability to perform optimally in hot weather. Yet, during cold weather, you are less likely to experience reduced performance, even at 3 percent dehydration. 3 to 5 percent dehydration does not seem to affect muscle strength or performance during short intense bouts of anaerobic exercise such as weight lifting. But distance runners slow their pace by ~2 percent for each percent body weight lost by dehydration. Sweat loss of more than 10 percent body weight is life-threatening.

Adequate fluid intake can reduce problems with constipation and urinary tract infections. There is no scientific validation of theories that excessive water intake will improve weight loss, remove toxins, or improve skin tone.

Should you plan to drink eight glasses of water a day? No scientific evidence supports that rule, so you can simply drink in response to thirst. You can also monitor the volume of your urine. If your urine is scanty, dark and smelly, you should drink more. If you have not urinated during your work or school day (8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.), you are severely under-hydrated.

Is bottled water better for you than tap water? Doubtful. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, nearly half of bottled waters come from municipal water supplies, not from the mountain streams pictured on the labels. This suggests standard municipal tap water is high quality. Rather than spending money on bottled water, turn on your tap. This will help stop the flood of 95 million plastic water bottles that get discarded each day, of which only 20 percent get recycled. Drink plenty of water, but also think “green.”

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her “Sports Nutrition Guidebook” and food guides for new runners, marathoners and soccer players offer additional information. They are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com and www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.

Resources:

Armstrong, L., A. Pumerantz, M. Roti, et al. 2005. Fluid, electrolyte, and renal indices of hydration during 11 days of controlled caffeine consumption. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 15:252-265

Koslo, J. “Water, hyrdration and health: What dietetics practitioners need to know,” in SCAN’s Pulse, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2012 31:1 (Winter)

National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board.
Dietary Reference Intakes for Water. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/DRI//DRI_Water/73-185.pdf

Wilmore, J and D. Costill. Physiology of Sport and Exercise, Human Kinetics, 1994.

The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.

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As humans, we are designed to move. Look at yourself in the mirror. You have two strong legs, three layers of core muscles wrapping around your middle to stabilize your pelvis and the largest muscle in your body, your buttocks, designed specifically to move you forward. There is a reason why your buttocks cover your backside – and it’s not to provide you with a cushion to sit on.

There Are Countless Ways to Include
Exercise in Your Daily Routines

Many people, whether they sit for hours at work, during leisurely activities or relaxation, are bound to their chairs way too long. They sit and sit and sit. On average, people spend 56 hours a week sitting in one place, literally going nowhere. As these hours add up, so do the health dangers.

New studies show that sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of obesity, heart attack, diabetes, depression or even death. The enzymes that help to fight fat in your body actually decrease by 50 percent when you spend the day sitting at work or at play. This allows the fat to circulate and pile up in your blood vessels as you sit.

The average American watches five hours TV a day. Studies have shown that if you sit and watch TV four or more hours a day, your risk of dying from heart disease is 80 percent higher than if you limit it to two hours.

TV is not the culprit, the sitting time is. The more time you spend sitting the more likely you are to die of heart disease in the next 12 years.

Findings like these have given rise to a new field of study called “sedentary medicine.” Many scientists are working hard to define the effects of sedentary living on our bodies and set guidelines for how to limit the flatline-effect of sitting still all day. The truth is, for most of us, poor health or death will not come in the form of bad spinach, or even the swine flu. It comes disguised as your safe haven, your couch.

So how do we beat the effects of our sedentary work, leisure or pleasure? It’s difficult to overcome the negative health effects of an eight-hour-sitting day with a mere 30 minutes exercise session. Protecting your body is an all-day activity called non-exercise thermogenesis. This means burning as many calories as you can while doing normal activities of daily living. Our mothers might have called this “fidgeting!”

As a mother, Orthopaedic surgeon and gatekeeper of mobility, I give my family and patients the following five tips to become a “mover and shaker.”

1. Walk briskly everywhere
Each day, build in more walking distance to work, from work, from the car, at lunch time, walk around your office while you are on the phone, pay the bills standing up instead of sitting at the table. If you are getting off the couch or out of the chair for the first time in years, build slowly. For instance, if you work on the 10th floor, walk the first two flights the first week and ride the elevator for the other eight. Then walk an additional floor every week.

2. Waste steps
Taking an indirect path once in a while can save your life. Make multiple trips to the copier, the coffee machine, up and down the stairs at home, run after your kids. Wear a step counter and see how quickly wasting steps can add up to positive health effects of 10,000 steps.

3. Workplace workout
Work out wherever you are. Instead of sitting in comfortable chair at your desk, sit on an exercise ball for 30 minutes every hour to burn more calories, stabilize your core and stay awake. Your office has walls, so talk on the phone while doing wall squats and keeping your core, buttocks and legs strong. This way you increase your non-exercise thermogenesis.

4. Widen your vessels
Simple acts can make a difference. For every hour you sit, take two deep breaths. Draw in as much air as possible into your lungs, hold it for five seconds and breath out. This simple exercise can combat the fatty sludge that has build up in your blood vessels by sending out nitric oxide scavengers to eat up the harmful fat deposits.

5. Watch TV while moving around
There is no rule that you have to watch TV sitting down. Remember the negative effects of sitting more than two hours in front of the TV? Every time there is a commercial, get up and exercise in the living room, watch your favorite show from the seat of an exercise bike or belt of a treadmill, or simply have the TV on in the background to listen to your favorite show while you cook an amazing meal.

No matter what your day calls for, you have to power to become a mover and shaker!

Vonda Wright, MD is an Orthopaedic Surgeon who specializes in fitness and sports medicine. She is the creator and director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes (PRIMA) and the author of two books on fitness and healthy aging.

Read more about taking control of your health in “Dr. Vonda Wright’s Guide to THRIVE: 4 steps to Body, Brains and Bliss” – available at amazon.com.

Follow Dr. Vonda Wright on Twitter @DrVondaWright and on her blog at
www.vondawright.com

The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.

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Gluten-free seems to be the latest nutrition buzzword. Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley that must be avoided by people with celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune disorder. Symptoms of celiac vary greatly and can range from digestive problems (diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas) to serious health problems such as anemia, stress fractures, infertility in both men and women, migraine headaches, canker sores, easy bruising of the skin, swelling of the hands and feet, and bone/joint pain.

Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity Are on the Rise

Some people don’t even realize they have celiac disease. They feel fine – until they experience iron-deficiency anemia or stress fractures due to poor absorption of iron, calcium, and vitamin D.

How common is celiac disease? More than we once thought! About one percent of the population has celiac and needs to avoid even traces of gluten. Up to six percent have non-celiac gluten-sensitivity. The symptoms are similar but without the autoimmune reactions that result in cancer and osteoporosis. No one is certain why celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity are on the rise. One theory relates to changes in the composition of our gut bacteria.

How to tell whether you are gluten-sensitive
If you and others in your genetic family are plagued with niggling health issues (including those mentioned above), you should learn more about celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity. Untreated celiac disease can lead to severe complications including cancer of the gut and osteoporosis. Two websites that offer abundant information include www.celiac.org and www.glutenfreediet.ca.

If you suspect you are gluten-sensitive, don’t self-impose a gluten-free diet without first talking with a doctor who specializes in celiac. You need to get your blood tested for specific antibodies and then, to confim the diagnosis, an intestinal biopsy. Do not eliminate gluten before you get the blood tests, because absence of gluten in your diet can interfere with making the correct diagnosis. If you don’t get properly tested, you might miss an accurate diagnosis or other health problems, like Crohn’s disease, an ulcer, or colon cancer. Plus, if undiagnosed, you might be less motivated to strictly follow a gluten-free diet for life.

If you are “simply” gluten-sensitive, your blood tests will report none of the elevated levels of antibodies that signal celiac disease, but you will feel unwell. Hence, if you have intestinal issues, you might want to try a gluten-free diet for a month or so regardless of the blood test results. One athlete plagued with muscle pain stopped eating wheat and her pains disappeared. She reported that she simply “felt better.” Others say they recover better and have less stiffness and joint pain with a gluten-free diet. This might be due to eliminating gluten, a placebo effect, or eating better overall (no cookies, pastries, junk food). Adhering to a gluten-free diet is challenging and expensive, so there’s no need to self-impose the limitations if you notice no benefits after a month of gluten-free eating.

Going gluten-free
So what’s a hungry person to eat if his or her favorite pasta, bagels, breads, and baked goods are all off-limits? While a diet without pasta may seem like a day without sunshine, rest assured that a plethora of gluten-free carbs can fuel your muscles just as well. You can enjoy carb-rich rice in all forms (brown, white, basmati), corn in all forms (on the cob, cornmeal, grits), potato, sweet potato, lentils, kidney beans, hummus, quinoa, millet, and tapioca. Oats, if processed in a wheat-free plant, can also be safe.

Many fresh foods are naturally gluten-free. They include all plain fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, hard cheese, eggs, meats, fish, poultry, nuts, sunflower seeds, edamame, juice, and wine (but not beer). Just be aware that sauces, gravies, and seasoning mixes might contain gluten, as do marinades and soy sauce. Some gluten-free baked goods, pastas, and frozen meals are quite good; others might leave you wishing for something tastier. Two popular brands of gluten-free breads (commonly available at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s) are “Udi’s” and “Rudi’s.” Hint: They taste better when toasted!

Restaurant and travel tips
At home, you can easily control your diet. When you’re on the road, you need to have a plan. When traveling, carry “emergency food” that doesn’t spoil, such as dried fruit, “Lara Bars,” and nuts.

When eating in a restaurant, you’ll have to quiz the staff and carefully order your food. Omelets tend to be safe, while salads with croutons are not. Make sure the steak tips are not marinated in a gluten-containing sauce, the turkey was not injected with flavor enhancers, the gluten-free toast is not made in the same toaster used for standard breads, the sandwich is prepared on a paper towel or surface not used for other breads (to prevent cross-contamination), the rice in not cooked in broth with unknown gluten-containing seasonings, the French fries are not cooked in the same oil as the breaded chicken, the hamburger is 100 percent beef (with no fillers) and not cooked on the same surface as the toasted buns. Some people travel with their own gluten-free pasta and request it be cooked in fresh water, in a clean pot, and drained into a clean colander. This all requires a patient waiter and an understanding chef.

Everyday gluten-free food suggestions
Even the hungriest “Ironman” triathlete does not need to go hungry on a gluten-free diet! The trick is to eat less processed foods and be a good label reader. Here are just a few suggestions of foods you’d find in standard grocery stores:

Breakfast: Fruit smoothie with Greek yogurt; rice cakes with banana and peanut butter; scrambled eggs, hash browns, and fruit salad; “Rice” or “Corn Chex,” milk and berries.

Lunch: Tuna salad with baked corn chips; 100 percent corn tortilla with melted cheese and pinto beans; “Crunchmaster Multigrain” crackers and hummus.

Dinner: Baked chicken, potato and beets; salmon, sweet potato and peas; omelet, corn and tomatoes; baked potato stuffed with cottage cheese and salsa; Mexican beans and rice; shish kabob, rice, salad with oil & vinegar; frittata (potato, onion and egg ‘pancake’); meals with rice, corn, and quinoa.

Snacks: Apple and cheese; fruit and yogurt; baked potato chips; corn chips; “Blue Diamond Nut Thins;” rice crackers; trail mix (nuts and dried fruit); peanut butter and banana; baby carrots and hummus; popcorn; corn nuts; raisins; grape juice and all fruit juices; smoothies.

Commercial sports foods: Ensure, Gatorade, Powerade; Bakery On Main Granola Bar, Bonk Breaker Bar, Bumble Bar, Enjoy Life Snack Bar, Elev8Me Bar, Extend Bar, Go Raw Bar, Hammer Products (Heed, Perpetuem, Bar, Solids), KIND Bar, Lara Bar, Nonuttin’ Granola Bar, Omega Smart Bar, PB&Whey Bar, Perfect 10 Bar, Pure Bar, PureFit Bar, thinkThin Bar, Quest Bar, Gu, Jelly Belly Sports Beans, Sharkies.
Wheat-free but may not be gluten-free: Odwalla, Clif Builder’s Bar, Clif Shot Bloks.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) helps both casual and competitive athletes feel great from the inside out. Her practice is at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA (617-795-1875). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook and food guides for runners, cyclists and soccer players are popular resources. They are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com. For upcoming workshops, please visit http://www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.

The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.

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