Tag: food

Importance of Protein for Athletes

Doctors, trainers and various other sports medicine professionals are all sure to tell you that eating healthy is part of being a successful athlete. What is not always mentioned is the need and requirement that you actually put forth the time and effort to create a very balanced diet. This includes the use of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, three components that are typically considered bad nutrients.

The thinking that is required of athletes not only in training but in nutritional situations is to consider food as a form of energy. Eating the right food can provide benefits to the body in extended energy and better muscle mass, while omitting the vital components can result in muscle fatigue, weakened muscles, deteriorating muscles, and even exhaustion to just mention a few problems. This leaves athletes with the responsibility of working closely with their doctors and coaches to develop an appropriate diet based upon their individual athletic abilities.

In order to be successful, especially when doing endurance or strength intensive sports it is important to have the necessary muscle strength to actually perform the activity. If you are not consuming the correct nutrients, you are harming your body. However, there is more to proper nutrition than simply eating a small amount of the nutrients.

For example, protein is a nutrient that many people have tried omitting in recent fad diets. The bad news for athletes is that protein is a requirement in order to help build and maintain muscle mass. This results in athletes who cut protein from their diet losing muscle strength as well as mass, which can ultimately alter their performance, strength, and even health in the long term. Because of the benefits of consuming protein for athletes, it is vital that enough protein be consumed to keep the muscles in proper shape.

A rough guideline that is standard to use is you need to consume .08 grams of protein for each 2.2 pounds of body weight each and every day. For athletes who are involved in endurance sports the number increases to 1.2 to 1.4 grams per day, and for those athletes who are involved in strength training activities the number jumps to as much as 1.4 to 1.8 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight per day.

In addition to the general guidelines that are set forth there are also times when it may be beneficial to increase protein consumption to assist in a muscle injury healing. When this is a consideration, you should talk to your doctor and get their exact recommendation on the amount of protein you should be consuming in accordance with still keeping an overall healthy outlook and physical routine.

It is essential that you always careful discuss your exact protein requirements with your doctor as well as your coach anytime you start a new athletic activity, and especially if you are enduring some especially rigorous training for any reason. It is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your body continues to develop and maintain the muscle mass that is needed to sustain the athletic activity of your choice.

If you are even considering trying a diet that is low in protein, it is vital that you first discuss the risks with your doctor and consult to see if any other dietary changes could help you achieve the results you wish to achieve by omitting protein. Remember, protein is a necessary component to help you ensure that you are creating and maintaining muscle mass, which is a requirement for all athletic activities. Which muscles you use, and how strong they must be can vary, however having the muscle mass required is essential.

Never omit protein from your diet without first discussing it with your doctor. If your doctor agrees that it is wise to reduce or omit your protein intake, ensure that you are following your doctors instructions quite carefully. Failing to properly follow your doctors recommendations in regards to your nutritional health can harm your overall health as well.

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Eating for Breastfeeding

In your third trimester, your baby was old enough to start getting a taste of the foods his or her mommy likes. Now that your baby is here and you’re breast feeding, your baby will get an even better taste of your favorite food.

Typically if you are nursing your baby you should produce anywhere from 23 to 27 ounces of milk a day. In order to do this, you need to increase your calorie intake by about 500 more a day.

You also have to increase your water consumption to at least 2 1/2 to 3 quarts of water a day. You may notice that you are thirstier during nursing session. This is because the water you drink goes right to milk production. Try not to drink more than 3 quarts of water a day. Anything more than 3 quarts can reduce the amount of milk your body produces.

As stated earlier, you need to up your calorie intake. Plan to take in about 2500 calories a day or more if you are planning to nurse for longer than three months. These extra calories should not come from junk food. Junk food and sweets are just empty calories and offer no nutritional value to you or your baby. Eat more protein. A good rule of thumb is to eat 1 gram of protein each day for every pound you weigh. If you weigh 150, aim to eat 150grams of protein a day.

If you were not doing so during pregnancy, adopt the six meals a day program. Eat breakfast, a midday snack, lunch, a mid afternoon snack, dinner and a night time snack. Your body is going to be making milk continually so it is a good idea to keep it charged with calories through out the day.

There are some foods you might want to avoid during pregnancy. Pretty much everything passes through breast milk and to the baby. This is why the first thing pediatricians advise nursing moms to do when their baby has colic is to look at what they are eating. Chocolate has been blamed in many cases of colic and can cause an upset tummy for most babies. f you have a baby with a tummy ache think back to see if you had a candy bar or even a cookie in the hours before you nursed. The best advice is to stay away from chocolate while you are nursing.

Stay away from greasy and spicy foods while you are breastfeeding. Greasy foods sometimes upset adults stomachs, imagine what it would do to your baby’s immature stomach? Wait until your baby is older and no longer nursing before you start making trips back to McDonalds.

You may also want to stay away from garlic and onions while you are breast feeding. Both of these can flavor the breast milk and you may find that your little one will not nurse if you have eaten these. Your little one may be just a tad too young to appreciate the taste of garlic and onions anyway. Remember it takes a few hours for the food you eat to make its way into your breast milk. You may have eaten one of these foods right before you nurse and see your baby is fine but by either the following nursing session or the one after you might find your baby having a reaction then.

Your breast milk does not only taste like what you eat, but also what you drink. Just as with pregnancy, you should stay away from a lot of caffeine while breastfeeding. You might need some coffee or caffeine filled soda to keep you functioning and a cup or two will not hurt you or your baby, but too much could have disastrous effects. Just as we experience the jitters and shakes from too much caffeine, your baby does also. Keep your caffeine down to a minimum.

You have made an excellent choice breastfeeding your baby. Keep it up by making good choices as to what you eat.

Avoid Food/Beverages That Cause Acid Reflux, Change Your Lifestyle

Many people get hungry because they lack food. Children become malnourished if they are not given the right amount of food which contains the needed vitamins and minerals which in turn make the body strong and healthy.

The fact is, not all foods are healthy. The most popular unhealthy food is ‘junk foods’. Just as the word suggests, junk, which means it is like garbage. But many people are still patronizing these kinds of food.

People diagnosed with certain diseases often are given a list of foods to avoid. And this is true with the case of a person having acid reflux. Acid reflux or the GERD is a condition wherein stomach acids go back to the esophagus because of the improper functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter. If this condition is not treated, it will only get worse which can cause serious complications.

You can effectively tell if you have acid reflux if you experience symptoms like sour taste, burning sensation in the chest or upper abdomen and your throat’s back, excessive belching, breathing difficulties, tightness of throat, difficulty in swallowing food, and bad breath.

If you frequently experience these symptoms, then you probably have acid reflux. Visit your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis, so that you will know the severity of your condition.

There are certain beverages and foods which cause acid reflux, and this includes the following:

-chocolate
-coffee
-spearmint and peppermint
-alcoholic drinks
-fruit juices
-fatty foods and fried foods
-onions
-citrus fruits
-spicy foods
-products which are tomato-based
-caffeinated drinks

A change in your diet is the most effective way to deal with acid reflux. Although at first you may feel deprived of these foods, think of what will happen if you continue to eat or drink these beverages and foods.

Start your change in diet by keeping a record of your food intake. In this manner, you can tell which of the foods or beverages causes your acid reflux. So every time you experience that burning sensation, take note of what you’ve actually eaten. Once you have the list accomplished, put it somewhere where you can easily see it, like the refrigerator.

A lifestyle change may seem rather difficult. Your doctor can greatly help you in your transition. The very first thing that you should do is to set a goal, like for instance eating small meals, while avoiding those above-mentioned foods. Slowly quit smoking and drinking. Of course, you can’t expect an abrupt change.

Every time you feel any of the symptoms, you will be instantly reminded that you’re on the wrong path. Self-discipline is very much important to attain a successful lifestyle change.

While many people are taking antacids, others are finding it better to stick with the natural way. On the long run, antacids are not that good for your body, even to your stomach. It would be better to start changing your lifestyle, the sooner the better.

Besides, a healthy lifestyle doesn’t only prevent acid reflux but other diseases as well. You will gain more benefit in changing your life entirely, especially regarding food eating habits. Eat the right kinds of food at the right amount, and you’ll stay healthy. Prevent acid reflux, change

Facts About Acid Reflux Treatment

Man can’t possibly live without food, which is a true and a proven fact. Food provides the body with all the needed nutrients and energy for a man to do all his daily activities.

People know that the digestive system, particularly the stomach, digests all the food taken in by the body. Acids found inside the stomach decompose it, turning it to amino acids and proteins. The acids can’t harm the stomach because it contains a protective membrane which protects it from the acids.

If you listened well to your elementary teacher, you already know that the esophagus is where the food passes through before it reaches the stomach. The esophagus has no protective layer like that of the stomach. So when acid from the stomach is able to penetrate the esophagus, the walls are easily burned. The sensation that you will likely feel is called heartburn.

Heartburn is the first symptom that most people with acid reflux experience. If acid reflux remains untreated, it will just get severe. The next thing that you might experience is regurgitation, wherein the food that you just ate will go back to your mouth. The chest pain will get worse, you will have difficulty in swallowing the food, until finally, you might get asthma, and when the acid reaches your mouth, it will naturally corrode your teeth.

But dont worry. Acid reflux can be cured but it would greatly depend on the severity of the disease. A small valve, called lower esophageal (LES), can be found in between the esophagus and the stomach. When it does not function properly, you’ll suffer from acid reflux. The heartburn sensation is due to the rising acid level with which the esophageal lining can’t withstand.

The treatment of this condition can be done through medical therapy, and surgical methods. The treatment is aimed at eliminating acid reflux completely from our system.

The cure for acid reflux is antacids. Most people use this more often, and it comes in tablet or liquid form. Some prefer the liquid from more because it is easily consumed. You can take antacids after you’ve eaten, probably after 30 minutes to one hour.

Other antacids in tablet form create a foam-layer inside the stomach, so that acidic juices can’t penetrate through it. But make sure that you chew the tablet well so that its maximum healing properties will be released.

Some medications are focused in strengthening the lower esophageal muscle, and this greatly reduces acid reflux. It would be best to ask a doctor before taking any kind of medication. The doctor can assess the severity of the acid reflux, and will be able to give you the appropriate treatment.

Most doctors recommend a change in diet to those who suffer from acid reflux. Though this may be difficult to some, they have no other choice unless they want to worsen their condition.

Dont wait until you need a surgical method to cure your condition. It is best to start curing acid reflux as soon as you discover that you’re suffering from it.

If in any case you’ve experienced the symptoms of acid reflux, immediately consult a doctor. Gather as much information about acid reflux, to help you in better understanding your condition. The doctor can provide you with the correct diagnosis and the needed treatment.