A Healthy Diet for Athletes

A healthy diet for athletes requires energy intake sufficient to maintain body weight, maintain health, and to maximize training effect. Optimal nutrition is a key component of any training program and will enhance athletic performance and recovery.

Typically, athletes do not need to diet for weight loss. However, if weight or fat loss is desired, it should be completed before the start of the season. Consult with your health professional before undertaking any sort of dieting.

Many cyclists are concerned about power-to-weight ratio, which is the main determinant of speed. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that losing weight is the key to improving performance. If you are overweight, then yes, try to lose a few pounds, but if you drop below your optimal weight, you could actually lose strength and move backward in your training plan. Restrictions in your diet may also increase your risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. A healthy diet for athletes should meet the recommended daily allowances at a very minimum.

Here are some recommendations for a healthy diet for athletes regarding what and when to eat...

Before Exercise

Eat a small meal high in complex carbohydrate with moderate protein approximately 3 hours before your workout to ensure proper digestion. Stick with foods that you tolerate well. Focus on staying hydrated with water and electrolytes.

During Exercise

While you are exercising you will need to consume approximately 30 – 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour to fuel yourself. Drink your carbs if possible for better absorption. Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty. Stay hydrated by drinking 8 – 10 ounces of electrolyte enhanced beverage every 15 – 20 minutes even if you don't feel thirsty.

After Exercise

After your cool-down, try to get some carbohydrate and protein within the first 30 minutes. This window is when your body is the most receptive. After that, eat a healthy balanced meal within 2 hours. Your goal is to replace fluids and electrolytes, to ingest carbohydrate to replenish muscle, and to get some protein for muscle tissue repair and rebuilding.

The following components are key to getting proper nutrition when participating in a regular exercise routine and constitute a healthy diet for athletes...

Carbs are important for replacing glycogen and maintaining blood glucose levels and are the primary source of ATP used for high intensity exercise. Inadequate amounts of carbohydrate will lead to premature fatigue. Ingest 6 - 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per day relative to your activity level.

Fats are an integral part of a healthy diet for athletes and should not be restricted, although try to avoid saturated and trans fat as much as possible. Fat is the primary source of stored energy for low-intensity exercise and provides vitamins and essential fatty acids. Less than 25% of your calories should come from fat.

Protein requirements are slightly greater for athletes versus sedentary individuals. Protein is a minor source of energy but is essential for normal growth and development of muscle. 15% of your total daily calories should be in the form of protein. More than 2 grams per day will be excreted or stored as fat.

Vitamins are essential for energy production, tissue growth and maintenance, immune system function, and protection of body tissue from oxidative damage. Athletic training slightly increases the need for vitamins, but most athletes get them from increased food consumption. Vitamin intake beyond adequate amounts does not improve performance.

Minerals are essential to performance and health. Common deficiencies in athletes are calcium, iron, and zinc. Vegetarians are more at-risk of missing essential minerals than meat-eaters.

Calcium is vital for bone health and to help combat osteoporosis, a common concern for cyclists, especially females. Consume approximately 1200 milligrams of calcium per day.

Iron is a key component of the oxygen transfer mechanism and the energy producing system in muscles. Iron deficiency decreases performance so get yours from iron-rich foods such as red meat, iron-fortified grains and cereals, and beans. Athletes should have their blood screened for iron deficiency on a regular basis.

Zinc is important for the growth, building, and repair of muscle tissue and energy production. Many athletes are deficient in zinc, but there is no standard measure so be sure to ingest meats (poultry & fish), dairy, grains, cereal, and nuts.

Electrolytes consist of sodium, potassium, and chloride to regulate fluid balance, muscle contraction, and nerve impulses. Electrolytes are lost through sweat so be sure to consume electrolyte drinks or tablets during exercise, especially in high heat or humidity or if you are a heavy sweater.

Antioxidants such as vitamins A, E, C, beta-carotene, and selenium prevent and counteract damage that oxygen causes to cells and are found in abundance in fruits and vegetables. They also offer long-term health benefits such as decreased risk of cancer and heart disease.

Try to get your daily allowance of each of these components through a balanced healthy diet for athletes. You might need to get some from nutritional supplements, but be careful if you are competing as some supplements may trigger a positive test for doping.

 

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Taxol Shortage May Affect Ovarian and Breast Cancer Patients

For some clinics across the nation, the supply of Taxol is running low. Doctors and patients are experiencing a shortage of the chemotherapy drug used to treat ovarian and breast cancer in women. While no official cause of the shortage has been released, many doctors and patients are placing the blame of corporate economics. Taxol is a generic drug, which equals a low profit margin. The logic behind this theory is, why produce a large amount of a drug when profits are low?
Of course, this is only a theory. Problems with quality control or other manufacturing issues could be the culprit. We simply don't know. ?What I am concerned about is the fact that there is no legislation that requires drug manufacturers to alert the FDA when supplies become short. When doctors' offices place an order for a drug that has a low supply, they are told that the drug in "backordered". So, what are patients and doctors to do? Taxol is a lifesaving drug for many, many women. Yes, it may be ?be substituted by another drug in some cases, but this is still unacceptable.
There is currently a bill before Congress that addresses medication shortages and required FDA notification by drug makers, the Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act. You can track the bill's progress at govtrack.us.

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Spicy tomato chutney

Spicy tomato chutney Photo: Thinkstock 2.25 kg tomatoes
5 onions, chopped1tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cumin seeds1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 cup (250 ml) cider vinegar 1 In a very large, heavy-based, non-metallic saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium– high heat; reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 50 to 60 minutes, until thickened.
2 Spoon the chutney into eight warm, sterilised, wide-mouthed 250 ml jars, leaving a 6 mm space between the top of the chutney and the rim of the jar. Wipe the rims, cover the jars and process for 10 minutes in boiling water. Cool, label, date and store in a cool, dark place; the chutney will be ready to eat in 4 weeks. Once a jar has been opened, store in the refrigerator.

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Simple Ways to Prevent Sports Injury

Sports injuries are common among professional and amateur athletes alike. With just a few adjustments to workout routines, many of these injuries can be prevented. Keep your body in top shape by incorporating these simple things into your exercise.

Stretching

Stretching before exercise is one of the easiest ways to prevent injury. Stretching keeps the muscles nice and flexible, so when you need to move and extend them during your workout, they'll be ready. Regular stretching will lengthen and strengthen your muscles and ligament, allowing for more flexibility in your movements.

Stretching is also important after your exercise, as muscles often tighten up after use. Stretching them out will reduce the likelihood of pain and cramping after exercise.

Rest

No matter what fitness program you are on, it's important to take time off occasionally and rest your body. By taking a break from your workout, you allow your body to both recover from the exercise and also continue to metabolize food and operate at peak condition.

Rest is especially important if you are recovering from an injury. If you return to your workout routine before your injury is healed, you are likely to exacerbate the problem, possibly resulting in permanent injury. If you have been injured, talk to your doctor (and follow the doctor's advice) about how you can ease back into a safe exercise routine.

Protective Gear

Many sports injuries are the result of poor equipment. It is important to always wear appropriate helmets, pads, footwear and mouthguards when playing sports. Always wear the gear recommended for the particular sport you are involved in, and always wear it correctly.

Protective gear works by helping the body absorb impact. This can prevent an impact from becoming a major injury. In many cases protective gear can prevent life-threatening or permanent injuries. In regards to protective gear it pays to be overly cautious: better to wear a helmet you don't need than need a helmet you aren't wearing.

Orthotics

Foot orthotics have been found to be an effective form of injury prevention among athletes. Many injuries are caused by bio-mechanical deformities in the feet and legs. Orthotics treat these causes by guiding the feet and legs to step in a more correct and natural way. By running a more natural stride, you use your muscles and tendons the way they were intended to be used: reducing the likelihood of overusing any one part.

 

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Oily skin care

Girl cleaning her face Photo: Thinkstock ? Eat more raw vegetables and fruit and take B-group vitamins.? Use mildly astringent and toning skincare products, with ingredients such as lavender and witch hazel.? Use toners or fresheners that do not contain alcohol. Stripping the skin of its natural oil (sebum) will only cause it to produce more.? If you also have pimples, use herbs with mildly antibacterial and antiseptic properties, such as calen- dula, in skin washes and masks.
? To help rebalance oily skin, use these ingredients in skin treatments: cucumber (soothing, toning; helps bleach freckles), lemon (mild bleach, disinfectant with antiseptic proper- ties) and tomato (soothes inflamed skin, rebalances skin acidity).

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Office exercise

Businessman exercising Photo: Shutterstock

? Lower your arms.

? Repeat the first step.

? Now, position your feet so that they are hip-distance apart and fold your arms on top of your head, clasping your elbows with opposite hands as you do so.

? Slowly bend forwards and, with your arms still clasped, stretch forwards and down from your tail- bone.Try to touch the floor with your forearms if you can, but don't push yourself.

? Remain in this position for several seconds.You'll feel your spine stretching as you do so.Then slowly unroll yourself.

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Mango chutney recipe

Mango chutney Photo: Think stock 2.25 kg green mangoes (4–5), stoned, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon pickling salt11/4 cups (310 ml) cider vinegar11/4 cups (310 ml) non-alcoholic
apple cider, or apple juice1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper11/2 cups (345 g) firmly packed
soft brown sugar1 In a large, non-metallic bowl, sprinkle the mangoes with the salt. Set aside for 24 hours.
2 Rinse the mangoes under cold, running water, then drain thoroughly and place in a very large, heavy-based, non-metallic saucepan. Add the vinegar, apple cider, ginger, cayenne pepper, onion and sugar. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.
3 Spoon the chutney into six warm, sterilized, wide-mouthed 250 ml jars, leaving a 3 mm space between the top of the chutney and the rim of the jar. Wipe the rims, cover the jars and process for 10 minutes in boiling water. Cool, label, date and store in a cool, dark place; the chutney will be ready to eat in 4 weeks. Once a jar has been opened, store in the refrigerator.

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Kate Middleton Even Royalty finds time to Exercise

Kate Middleton quickly made headlines in the media a part from becoming the Duchess of Cambridge. But with no real European "royal blood" lines in her family, the public and press have often called this Princess an "ordinary" woman. So what makes this ordinary woman so extraordinary, especially in the eyes of Prince William of England?

Kate and William had a long 8 year history of friendship and dating before they were engaged to be married. One of the activities that brought these two together was their love for skiing. Photographers have often spotted these two hitting the slopes, and hanging out together in ski chalets. Another activity that drew these two together is horseback riding. Both Prince William and Princess Kate can handle themselves well trotting or galloping on the backs of their beloved stable horses onto lush green pastures.

But, aside from active pastimes, Princess Kate has always led a lifestyle involving different forms of exercise. For starters, in college she was the captain of the women's field hockey team, while also being a part of the college's cross country team. Both these cardiovascular training sports are high endurance and involve a great deal of running, sprinting, good flexibility, strength, and agility.

To keep her arms, legs, and back toned, Kate was also an avid rower during her college years. Rowing gave her everything that field hockey and cross country couldn't; strong and toned arms. She even trained and par-took in an all female race (although she did not finish the race due to security reasons) around the English Channel that was 23 miles long. The race was a charity boat race that Kate and her crew had been training for steadily, which gave her much self confidence and the amazing body that she has today.

 

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Homemade Ginger Ale

Ginger ale Photo: Reader's Digest Cooking time - 30 minutes, plus chilling3/4 cup thinly sliced ­unpeeled fresh ­ginger
1 cup sugar
3 strips (5 x 1 cm) lemon zest
4–5 whole black peppercorns
5–6 allspice berries (optional)
soda water
8 mint sprigs1    Bring 2 cups of water and the ginger to the boil in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Re­serving the liquid, strain and discard the ginger.
2    Combine the ginger liquid, sugar, lemon zest, peppercorns and allspice, if using, in the same saucepan over low heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Cover the syrup and let stand until cooled to room temperature. Strain the ginger syrup and refrigerate.

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Fifteen steps to better nutrition

Fruit Photo: From Reader's Digest 1. Start the day well by eating a fibre-rich breakfast of porridge or natural muesli topped with fruit. Eating breakfast keeps you mentally and physically alert.
2. Keep coffee and caffeinated soft drinks to a minimum – they give only a short burst of caffeine-fuelled energy.Try one or two cups daily of black or green tea.Tea contains anti-oxidants which are associated with lower rates of cancer and heart disease.A cup of black or green tea has about half the caffeine of a cup of coffee.
3. Slowly reduce the amount of sugar you take in tea or coffee. It's better to retrain your palate than to use artificial sweeteners, so that you lower your desire for sweet foods and drinks overall.
4. When baking cakes or biscuits, substitute half wholemeal flour for white flour, gradually increasing it as your taste changes. Eat wholegrain bread more often than white – it has more B vitamins and twice as much fibre. Experiment with different types made from a variety of grains.
5. Buy brown rice and wholemeal or spelt pasta rather than white to boost fibre and B vitamin intake. Introduce it gradually as part of a mixed dish if the family resists.
6. Gradually increase the variety of fruit and vegetables you eat to seven servings a day. For example, including a piece of fruit with your breakfast and one as a snack, having a salad with lunch and two cups of cooked vegetables for dinner would give you your daily requirement.
7. Replace sugar- and fat-filled snacks such as biscuits, pastries and chocolate with fruit. It doesn't have to be dull – try dried fruit or a tropical fruit salad for variety.
8. Try to do without deep-fried takeaway foods to reduce your saturated fat intake.Also, try to use just a scrape of butter, polyunsatu- rated or mono-unsaturated margarine. Or experiment with a nut butter or mashed avocado on bread.Try cold-pressed macadamia or canola oil for cooking.9. Drink enough water. Moderately active adults need about 2 litres per day. Check your hydration by looking at the colour of your urine. It should be pale yellow or clear. Use less salt, or cut it out altogether. Excess salt over time can result in a rise in blood pressure. It's easy to avoid too much salt if you eat mainly fresh food because most of the salt in our diet comes from processed food. Instead of reaching for the salt shaker, use herbs, spices and other natural flavourings such as fresh lemon or lime juice.
11. Eat dairy products in moderation. Low-fat or no-fat milks, yoghurts and ice-creams help keep saturated fat intake down.
12. Learn to love soy. It's an excellent source of plant protein and appears to reduce the risk of heart disease by helping lower cholesterol levels. It's also been shown to protect against breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Aim for at least one serving a day of soy milk or soy yoghurt, tofu or tempeh.13. Choose lean cuts of red meat and minimise your intake of processed meats such as salami, bacon and sausages. Lean meat is a good source of iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and high-quality protein whereas high intakes of processed meats have been associated with
a greater risk of bowel cancer.
14. Eat more fish to increase your intake of beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids.Aim for two to four meals a week and choose oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and mullet.
15. Prepare vegetarian meals occasionally. Include legumes, such as kidney beans, soy beans, chick peas or lentils.These have a low glycaemic index (GI) so you'll feel fuller for longer.Their high fibre content also helps prevent constipation.

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Cupcakes recipe

1 2/3 cups (250 g) self-raising flour1/2 cup (125 g) butter, softened2 tablespoons milk food colouring (optional)1 Preheat the oven to 180oC (Gas 4). In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, using electric beaters.
2 Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3 Sift the flour into the mixture. Using a plastic spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the flour and milk until combined.
4 Spoon the batter into 12 patty cases, filling them two-thirds full. Bake the cupcakes until golden, about 15 minutes. Turn the cupcakes out onto a wire rack to cool.
5 For the icing, beat the butter and icing sugar in a bowl using electric beaters until well creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and food colouring, if using, mixing until combined.
6 Ice the cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.

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