After analysing 20 trials, including a total of 1,415 subjects, it was found that green tea catechins (doses ranging from 145 to 3,000 mg/d) reduced total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol compared to controls. These effects could be found after supplementation periods of 3-24 weeks , although no significant changes in HDL cholesterol or triglycerides were found.

If you’re good/bad cholesterol ratio is improved, then fat loss is made more efficient and the risk of cardiovascular disease decreases. Fancy a cuppa?

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/goals/fat-loss/egcg-green-tea-extract-400-mg-90-vcaps.html

“Green tea catechins decrease total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Kim A, Chiu A, et al, J Am Diet Assoc, 2011 Nov; 111(11): 1720-9. (Address: University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Hartford, CT, USA).

The combination of low energy availability, menstrual disturbances and low bone mineral density is referred to as the ‘female athlete triad’.

Current recommendations focus on either increasing energy intake or decreasing energy expenditure; eating more, or training less.

Meal replacement products can help increase energy intake and may be a useful addition to a female athletes diet. In addition, ensuring sufficient intakes of calcium and iron are particularly important for female athletes.

A referral to a sports nutritionist will also give more perspective and can be an effective way of managing energy intake, although severe cases should be referred to a doctor.

Ducher G, Turner AI, Kukuljan S, Pantano KJ, Carlson JL, Williams NI, De Souza MJ. “Obstacles in the optimization of bone health outcomes in the female athlete triad”.

Sports Med. 2011 Jul 1;41(7):587-607.

Subjects were assigned to 40 g/day supplementation of soy protein, milk protein or complex carbohydrate from wheat each for 8 weeks in random order with a 3-week washout period between interventions.

Perhaps surprisingly, soy protein came out on top, improving cholesterol profiles significantly more than milk or carbohydrate. Previous research has suggested that soy may mimic oestrogen and as such exacerbate certain cancers, while compared to milk proteins it’s always second-best for muscle growth. However, this trial indicates that soy protein may surpass other supplements for cholesterol lowering properties…

"Effect of soy and milk protein supplementation on serum lipid levels: a randomized controlled trial," Wofford MR, Rebholz CM, et al, Eur J Clin Nutr, 2011 Sep 28 [Epub ahead of print]. 

Start ‘em young! Fish oils for tiny immune subsystems may help wrap up your immune-system for winter!

How young is too young for omega-3 supplements? Well, as the foetus’ brain develops in the womb, before an infant’s brain continues to grow throughout the first 2 years of life, supporting a healthy essential fatty acid intake can’t start too early. Supplementing a nursing mother will also benefit the child via enriching her breast-milk.

In this trial, researchers studied 60 pregnant women, half of whom were randomly assigned to receive 400 mg/day DHA from the 12th week of gestation until the 4th month after birth. This is the component of fish-oils that makes up the membranes of nerve-cells, as well as immune cells. The other 30 received no treatment or placebo.
All mothers consumed a diet supposedly sufficient in DHA content.

At age 4-months, infants’ blood was tested for contents of immune cells. Immune cells known as CD4+ lymphocytes were analysed – these “helper cells” are essential in combining with other immune cells that engulf invaders or produce antibodies.
Although they did not differ between groups, their precursor “naive cells” were found to be significantly higher in infants in the supplemented group. A marker of inflammatory stress (IFNg) was also significantly lower in the supplemented group.

DHA supplementation may improve immunological response in infants, although the results of this study are far from concrete!

What is certain is that looking after the immune function of mother and children is essential for supporting a child’s development. Why not take a look at some of our immune bossters as we head into winter!?

"DHA Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation Affects Infants’ Cellular but Not Humoral Immune Response," Granot E, Jakobovich E, et al, Mediators Inflamm. 2011

In a systematic literature review, study authors investigated the effects of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on clinical outcomes in patients with cancer, or in patients who undergo surgery or critical care.

Researchers found omega-3 contributed to the maintenance of body weight and quality of life, but not necessarily on survival in cancer patients. Although many studies would argue that a good intake of essential fats may help prevent cancer, you probably need tore than fish-oils to help you if you develop the disease fully.

Postoperative supplementation may also reduce the length of a hospital stay.

Add omegas to your arsenal for good health!

"Omega-3 PUFAs in cancer, surgery, and critical care: a systematic review on clinical effects, incorporation, and washout of oral or enteral compared with parenteral supplementation,"  van der Meij BS, van Leeuwen PA,  Am J Clin Nutr, 2011 Sep 21. [Epub ahead of print].

But is it really that simple?

Carbs are needed for muscular growth, enhancing the effects of protein, while an increasing number of studies are showing that protein is needed for endurance at higher levels than previously thought…

This study on thirty-two untrained subjects compared the effects of a combined carbohydrate and protein supplement, to carbohydrate (CHO), and placebo on training adaptations over 5 weeks of aerobic exercise training (cycled 60 min per day, 5 days a week).

Supplements were ingested immediately and 1 h after each exercise session and aerobic fitness while body composition were assessed before the start and end of training. 

Aerobic fitness improvements were significantly greater in the combined pro+carb group than carb or placebo, while body composition was also improved to a greater extent! People forget that protein has a valuable role to play in cardio-exercise, while the combination of carb and protein is key!
The art is to try and vary the amounts of each foodstuff according to the different intensity, duration and modality of training – a job for a professional!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/proteins.html

Ferguson-Stegall L, McCleave E, Ding Z, Doerner Iii PG, Liu Y, Wang B, Healy M, Kleinert M, Dessard B, Lassiter DG, Kammer L, Ivy JL. (2011); Aerobic exercise training adaptations are increased by postexercise carbohydrate-protein supplementation; J Nutr Meta:. Epub 2011 Jun.

The study population was unique in that all were Seventh-day Adventists, who, because their religion, are all non-smokers, consume little if any alcohol, are more physically active, and consume less meat than the general population. This means those who maintained a lower BMI did so intentionally with healthy lifestyle choices rather than as a result of smoking or poverty.

Men over 75 with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 22.3 had a 3.7-year shorter life expectancy. This is in the healthy range and not even considered overweight – most athletes fall into this category! Women over 75 with a BMI greater than 27.4 had a 2.1-year shorter life expectancy – a value considered mildly overweight, but not problematic.

Men had a higher sensitivity to body fat than women, possibly because of the effect of oestrogen. Body fat is the primary source of oestrogen; beneficial in post-menopausal females, but meaning that the negative effects of extra weight in older mean appear at lower body-fats than women.

Each individual is unique – ideally a personalised plan offers the most benefit for health, taking into account you unique physiology!

http://www.sportsnutritionvlog.com/nutritional-consultations/
 
Pramil N. Singh, Ella Haddad, Serena Tonstad, Gary E. Fraser. Does Excess Body Fat Maintained After the Seventh Decade Decrease Life Expectancy? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2011; 59 (6)

This double-blind randomized clinical trial on thirty-one overweight or obese, postmenopausal women, compared the relative effectiveness of protein supplementation compared with carb supplementation during weight-loss diets.

Women were divided into 2 groups – both being prescribed a reduced calorie diet (1,400 kcal/day; 15%, 65%, 30% energy from protein, carbohydrate, and fat, respectively) then being supplemented either with 2 scoops of whey protein, or maltodextrin (carbs) every day.
They did no exercise – so the additional carb wouldn’t have been useful to increase training intensity – eat for your training programme!
Those supplemented with protein lost more weight than the carb group (8.0% vs 4.1% body-mass) .

Although those on protein lost more weight and improved in a test of muscular function, these results should be interpreted carefully. They lost more muscle too!

The ideal would have been to incorporate exercise and then tap in carbs and protein depending on exercise intensity – the kind of thing we do here every day at Perform and Function! Our new regenerate programme considers everyone’s genetic type in their body-comp management programme!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/proteins.html
http://www.sportsnutritionvlog.com/regenerate/
http://www.sportsnutritionvlog.com/nutritional-consultations/

Mojtahedi MC, Thorpe MP, Karampinos DC, Johnson CL, Layman DK, Georgiadis JG, Evans EM. (2011)
The Effects of a Higher Protein Intake During Energy Restriction on Changes in Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. Jul 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Mice that were either genetically prone to get fat, or bread for exercise-performance, were either given high-fat diets or normal food for 8 weeks. The high fat diets focused on either omega-3 or omega-6.

Only the “genetically fat” mice got fat on the high-fat diets – naturally lean mice could stay lean (don’t you just hate those type of people!?).

However, in both types of mice, the diet high in omega 3 increased insulin-sensitivity on the liver.

Somewhat strangely, the lean mice increased   their belly fat. This was what helped keep the liver leaner, so was probably a beneficial adaptation – although belly fat is not ideal, it’s the lesser of two evils when we consider liver health!
 
Helping improve your liver health with omega-3 will help your body detoxify harmful toxins and will improve fat metabolism, theoretically keeping you leaner.

If you’re an athletic mouse, then omega 3 will also help you keep lean if you indulge in higher fat foods!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/fish-oils-efa.html

Nuernberg K, Breier BH, Jayasinghe SN, Bergmann H, Thompson N, Nuernberg G, Dannenberger D, Schneider F, Renne U, Langhammer M, Huber K. (2011) Metabolic responses to high-fat diets rich in n-3 or n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in mice selected for either high body weight or leanness explain different health outcomes. Nutr Metab (Lond).;8(1):56. [Epub ahead of print]

This study on 464 healthy young adults (347 women and 117 men) revealed that Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of the neck, and improved body composition, were positively associated with circulating levels of vitamin D (25OHD). 

Vitamin D was negatively associated with percentage body fat.

In both females and males, 25OHD levels were positively associated with total body BMD, while

Vitamin D status was associated with lower body fat in females and with greater lean body mass in males.

For those of you who’ve had their sunbathing schedule disrupted by the rainy summer, seriously consider supplemnentation!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/vitamins.html

Reference: Boot AM, Krenning EP, de Muinck Keizer-Schrama SM.J (2011); The relation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D with peak bone mineral density and body composition in healthy young adults; Pediatr Endocrinol Metab; 24(5-6):355-60.

This review analysed randomised trials that compared vitamin D versus placebo or no intervention, including various different forms of supplement (vitamin D3 – cholecalciferol; vitamin D2 – ergocalciferol; or active vitamin D as either alfacalcidol or Calcitriol).

Overall, vitamin D decreased mortality (by about 6% while only vitamin D3 decreased mortality significantly.

Fifty randomised trials with 94,148 participants met the authors’ criteria, with most trials on elderly women, supplementing for around two years.

However, combining vitamin D with calcium – an often used combination-therapy – increased the incidence of kidney disease in these older individuals.

For a long life, vitamin D3 supplements are certainly alive and kicking!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/vitamins/vitamin-d3.html

Bjelakovic M, Gluud C. (2011); Vitamin D supplementation for prevention of mortality in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; 7;10; 2

Analysing the health of 5,638 over-60s, vitamin C intake was found to be inversely associated with incidence of cataract. Those with the highest levels were 39% less likely to have the condition compared with the lowest!

\In addition, intakes of the antioxidants lutein, zeaxanthin, and retinol (vitamin A) were also significantly inversely associated with cataract.

Vitamin C is generally consumed in adequate amounts if you eat a varied diet containing a lot of fruit and vegetables. However, so many of us today are rushed off our feet and can slip from day to day. On these days, supplementation may be just what the doctor ordered…

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/vitamins/vitamin-c.html

Ravindran RD, Vashist P, et al (2011) Inverse Association of Vitamin C with Cataract in Older People in India; Ophalmology, [Epub ahead of print]

A research paper from scientists in Australia working with an elderly population group has demonstrated that those with low levels of vitamin D were found to have a faster rate of loss of cartilage than those that had higher levels.

Our body produces vitamin D from exposure to the sun (without sun screen) and it is found in foods like oily fish, living here in the UK we don’t need anyone to tell us that we don’t get much sunshine and we don’t eat that much oily fish, the problem is compounded if you have dark skin.

You can get a Vitamin D test pretty inexpensively, to check your current levels. However for most people having a single vitamin D supplement of 10000 IU per day will help keep your levels topped up, this is equivalent to 30 minutes of sun exposure.  If you are an athlete and already have an arthrititis or cartilage condition then we recommend that you get your levels tested, aim for high levels but not excessively high. You may need more than 5000 IU per day to boost your levels inot the optimum range.

If you are on holiday in the sun or live in a sunnier climate and are regulalrly getting exposed to the sun, (full body exposure as in subathing) then you don’t need to supplement at those times.

Vitamin B6 is essential to the building processes in the body and supports the body’s metabolism of an antioxidant called glutathione. Cancer is frequently associated with increased levels of oxidative stress.

Vitamin B6 intake was found to be associated with a reduction in risk of breast cancer. The 25% with the highest intake, and then the second-highest 25% were found to have 22% and 36% respectively lower chances of developing the disease.

A higher intake of vitamin B6 was also found to be associated with a significantly lower risk of developing malignant tumours.

It would be irresponsible to say that eating a food or taking a supplement will prevent you getting cancer, but from a statistical viewpoint it does seem that consuming adequate levels of this vitamin may have a beneficial effect. B wise – B safe!

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/vitamins/vitamin-b6.html

Chou YC, Chu CH, et al (2011) Dietary Intake of Vitamin B(6) and Risk of Breast Cancer in Taiwanese Women, J Epidemiol, [Epub ahead of print].

It would be wise to ensure an adequate intake of micronutrients and antioxidants in your children’s diet, and particularly in the diet of expectant mothers…

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/health/anti-oxidants.html

Adams JB, Audhya T, et al, (2011) Nutritional and Metabolic Status of Children with Autism vs. Neurotypical Children, and the Association with Autism Severity; Nutr Metab (Lond),8(1): 34

Comparing 48 men  who included both alcoholics and healthy teetotallers with a good diet, alcoholic subjects were found to have a lower muscle-mass (but well-maintained body fa!), with deficiencies in magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin B12.

Alcoholics also showed increased levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress!

Whether drinking stops people eating appropriately, or whether the booze actively contributes to deficiency, eating to reduce inflammation and to increase micronutrient levels is a MUST if you’ve been hitting the drink excessively.

Obviously the most important thing is to cut down, clean up and improve your diet!

Reference:    "Nutritional profile of asymptomatic alcoholic patients," Sobral-Oliveira MB, Faintuch J, et al, Arg Gastroenterol, 2011; 48(2): 112-8.

For most male athletes, achieving adequate intake doesn’t seem to be a problem, but females are often at risk of under-consuming this nutrient. Female athletes frequently consume too little food, while they have a greater need for red blood cell production to cover losses from menstruation. Deficiency in folate leads to anaemia, whereby RBCs cannot effectively transport oxygen.

So for an athlete, particularly females and those involved in endurance exercise, supplementation may really be a wise choice…

http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/b-right-100-capsules.html

Manore, M.,  Meeusen, R.,  Roelands, B., Moran, S., Popple, D, A., Naylor, J, M., Burke, M, L., Stear, S. J., Castell, L, M. (2011) ‘BJSM reviews: A–Z of nutritional supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and ergogenic aids for health and performance—Part16’ Br J Sports Med 2011;45:73 74 doi:10.1136/bjsm.2010.081505.

While early studies on carnitine failed to show much effect on fat-burning, a study by Wall (2011) found that that muscle carnitine content can be increased in humans by supplementation; supporting fat oxidation at low intensity as well as explosive carb-burning for peak performance!

ALC passes more easily into the bloodstream and crosses the blood brain barrier more effectively, than L-Carnitine – meaning the benefits on energy metabolism are more focused on the brain! It acts as a powerful antioxidant, which may prevent the deterioration of brain cells that normally occurs with age.

This protective effect of ALC may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of free-radical mediated diseases, such as Alzheimer’s (Pettegrew at al 1995).

Pettegrew et al. Clinical and neurochemical effects of acetyl-L-carnitine in Alzheimer’s Dis-ease. Neurobiological Aging 1995; 16: pgs. 1-4.]

Wall, T, B.,  Stephens, B, F.,Constantin-Teodosiu, D., Marimuthu, K., Macdonald, I, A., & Greenhaff, l, P. (2011) ‘Chronic oral ingestion of L-carnitine and carbohydrate increases muscle carnitine content and alters muscle fuel metabolism during exercise in humans’ The Journal of Physiology Vol 589, 4, pg 963–973.

•    Folic acid
•    Vitamin B12
•    Vitamin E
•    S-adenosylmethionine
•    N-acetyl cysteine
•    Acetyl L Carnitine

It was shown to significantly improve cognitive performance over a 3 month period. When the supplement was withdrawn, cognitive performance declined to baseline levels, and when the supplement was resumed, cognitive performance improved once again. These findings support the benefit of nutritional supplements for cognitive performance and suggest that additional supplementation may be required for the elderly.

Chan A, Remington R, et al. (2010) ‘A Vitamin/Nutriceutical Formulation Improves Memory and Cognitive Performance in Community-Dwelling Adults without Dementia’. J Nutr Health Aging, University of Massachusetts, 14(3): 224-30.

Thinking about carnitine supplementation? Well… Thinking (and fat-burning!) may be helped by this amino!

Studies have shown that acteoside appears to have both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Studies also suggest acteoside has anti-estrogenic, liver protecting, memory and cognition improving/protecting, and immunomodulatory  properties.

Oral administration of acetoside and acetoside – rich extracts were taken in a study by Wells et al (2011) and found that acteoside’s possess a wide spectrum of performance-enhancing activity. This included an ability to increase muscle strength, muscle power, endurance, and muscle protein content, as well as to reduce fatigue and facilitate recovery following intense exercise or athletic competition.

Wells, S., Monroe, NC., Llewellyn, W, C.    (2011)     ‘Acteoside and acteoside-rich plant extracts for increasing athletic performance in humans’ (Palm Beach Gardens, FL, US).

Adaptogens are herb products that have been derived from plants.

A recent review of the Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System found that adaptogens have exhibited neuroprotective, anti-fatigue, antidepressive, anti anxiety, improved memory and CNS stimulating activity.

In addition, a number of clinical trials demonstrated that adaptogens exert an anti-fatigue effect that also increases mental work capacity against a background of stress and fatigue, particularly in tolerance to mental exhaustion and enhanced attention. In particular Rhodiola was shown to help with physical mental and stress induced fatigue and depression.

P, Alexander & G, Wilman. (2011) ‘Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress—Protective Activity’Pharmaceuticals 2010, 3, 188-224.

http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/3/1/188/pdf

This study looked at 210 triathletes competing in an Ironman triathlon and monitored their minerals intakes and losses, as well as hydration status, to search for any relationships with cramping.Prior to racing, subjects completed a detailed validated questionnaire and blood samples were taken for serum electrolytes before and after racing. Pre and post weights were analysed to account for fluid losses.  43 triathletes reported cramping group and were compared with the 166 who did not.

There were no significant differences between groups in any pre-race–post-race serum electrolyte concentrations or body weight changes, surprisingly showing that hydration status didn’t correlate with cramping. Cramping was however associated with faster race times and a prior history of cramping.

As cramping is associated with intensity of exercise, it can only be concluded that the main way to try and combat cramping is to increase fitness and the experience of high-intensity training to mimic race conditions. Hydration and proper fuelling should be closely monitored to support the necessary fitness gains.

Many athletes suffer from reduced magnesium levels when upping their training intensity, while heavy losses have correlated with overtraining type symptoms. A good mineral intake; possibly even supplementing, will act as an insurance policy against fatigue:

Schwellnus MP, Drew N, Collins M. (2011) Increased running speed and previous cramps rather than dehydration or serum sodium changes predict exercise-associated muscle cramping: a prospective cohort study in 210 Ironman triathletes; Br J Sports Me; 45 (8): 650-6. Epub 2010 Dec 9.

This study on twelve male runners assessed the effects of carbohydrate intake, with and without protein (PRO),on  the responsiveness of immune cells immediately after prolonged strenuous exercise. Each athlete undertook each of 3 feeding interventions, 1 week apart, in randomized order after 2 hr of running at 75% VO2max. The feeding interventions (acting as their own control), comprising a  placebo solution, a high-carb solution equal to 1.2 g CHO/ kg body mass (BM), and a carb + protein solution with an additional  0.4 g PRO/kg BM immediately post-exercise.

The number of circulating immune-cells, their responsiveness to stimulation, plasma insulin, and cortisol levels were all determined from blood samples collected pre-exercise, immediately and post-exercise.

The responsiveness of immune cells to bacteria declined in placebo, but was maintained in the trials with high carb, or high carnb + protein, for hours after exercise.

Adding protein yielded no extra benefit in this trial, but this was on top of a very aggressive carb intake. Many athletes would probably prefer to bear their body composition in mind and consume some protein calories in place of sugar. Either way – ensuring an adequate energy intake will improve performance, but also immune health. If you function – then you perform!.

Costa, R.J.S. 2011 Effects of Immediate Post-exercise Carbohydrate Ingestion With and Without Protein on Neutrophil Degranulation IJSNEM Volume 21, Issue 3, June Original Research205 – 213

This study examined the effect of high-intensity physical activity during training on the biochemical status of thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2) in athletes. Thiamin and riboflavin concentrations in whole blood of a group of 19 college-level swimmers (6 men and 13 women) were measured during a low-intensity and compared with measurements taken during a high-intensity training period. The researchers also kept tabs on body composition, energy expenditure during training, distance covered, resting metabolic rate, and dietary intake of calories and b-vits

Blood concentrations of B1 decreased significantly during the intensive-training period compared with the low intensity period; however, the concentration of B2 remained unchanged.

So, for both male and female athletes, B1 should B a priority if you increase training intensity! Look for whole grains like buck-wheat and unrefined wheat and jumbo-oats, as well as vegetables and even… marmite (you love it or you hate it)!

Sato, A, 2011 Dietary Thiamin and Riboflavin Intake and Blood Thiamin and Riboflavin Concentrations in College Swimmers Undergoing Intensive Training IJSNEM Volume 21, Issue 3, June 195 – 204

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on 40 patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy, supplementation with a spicy combination supplement (1500 mg turmeric and 66 mg curcumin per day), decreased levels of inflammatory markers after a period of 2 months. In addition, protein breakdown, as measured by levels in the urine, was also reduced.

So spicy antioxidants may help preserve muscle and reduce inflammation. A billion Indians can’t be wrong!

Why not try some of our own recommended antioxidant products?

Khajehdehi (2011);  Oral supplementation of turmeric attenuates proteinuria, transforming growth factor-beta and interleukin-8 levels in patients with overt type 2 diabetic nephropathy: A randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study,” Scand J Urol Nephrol,; (Epub ahead of print)

I just read a short article over the weekend that Novak Djokovic the number 1 tennis player in the world is now on a wheat and gluten free diet.  He’s been invincible this year only losing once in around 50 matches or so.

Andy Murray was reported as saying that he needs to look at all areas of his game to improve incrementally and he mentioned diet, if anyone knows Andy tell him to give me a shout.

Anyway back to Djokovic and his wheat free diet.

I see a lot of sports people who are intolerant to wheat, it’s often hard to know if you are or not, it’s only by trying a wheat free diet for a while (minimum of a week) and seeing what difference it makes to how you feel and how you perform that you will ever know. 

The standard diet of most sports people contains a massive amount of wheat, just look at how much bread and pasta the average sports person eats.

There are a whole range of symptoms that you may experience but the most common one is a slight bloating feeling or gurgling feeling in your stomach, if you are wheat intolerant then you probably just think this is normal and have learnt to live with it over the years.

I usually advise my sports nutrition athletes as a general rule to try and avoid wheat as much as possible, just to be on the safe side there are plenty of other alternatives that you can try. Also it is often better to consume foods that have more nutritional value than wheat which is pretty low in most vitamins and minerals.

From wikipedia

Alternative Cereals

Triticeae gluten-free oats (free of Wheat, rye or barley) may be a useful source of cereal fiber. Some wheat allergies allow the use of rye bread as a substitute. Rice flour is a commonly used alternative for those allergic to wheat. Wheat-free millet flour, buckwheat, flax seed meal, corn meal, quinoa flour, chia seed flour, tapioca starch or flour, and others can be used a substitutes.

Spelt and kamut are grains related to common wheat, but are usually a suitable substitute for people with wheat allergies or that are gluten intolerant. Spelt and Kamut are not options for those with celiac disease.

Many people with wheat allergies are also allergic to soy, milk and alternate food ingredients.Many wheat-alternative cereals/flours substitute soy and/or dairy products. Those with wheat/gluten sensitivity should read labels carefully and try foods carefully.

Let me know if you are going to try going wheat free and what you notice?

A study from Denmark was conducted in 300 normal men, showing a positive correlation between the number of active, healthy sperm and vitamin D levels in the blood.

Vitamin D synthesis, breakdown and cell signalling have all recently been shown to occur in human testis and sperm cells. This study has gone one further by showing vitamin D increases “sperm motility” or the movement exhibited ( up to 75 nmol/l ) had a significantly higher sperm motility compared to vitamin D deficient men with (<25 nmol/l ). However, vitamin D has been shown to respond very differently to dietary intakes, meaning many will consume a high dietary concentration with little improvement in their body’s levels. Supplementation could offer a good, reproductive insurance policy.

Juul et al., (2011) Vitamin D is positively associated with sperm motility and increases intracellular calcium in human spermatozoa Oxford Journal of Human Reproduction

This new study draws parallels to previous findings that have shown that eating diets high in “bad fats” can influence thinking, behaviour and brain-function. Scientists at the Obesity Centre of Excellence at the University of Washington in Seattle studied the brains of rodents for the short-term and long-term effects of eating a high-fat diet.
High Fat diets caused inflammation in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain controlling regulation and maintenance of biological functions such as hunger and temperature control.

Rats and mice fed a high-fat diet unsurprisingly gained weight throughout the study, while the effects of the increased fat intake also triggered a stress response in the supporting “glial cells” in the brain. So, not only does fat hit your waistline, but can impair brain function.

It’s important that you regulate the amount of fat in your body, by eating small amounts of “good fats”, such as omega 3. These fats really are brain-foods!

The results were presented at the Endocrine Society’s 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study ion 29 rheumatoid arthritis patients taking probiotics caused a significant improvement in scores on the Health Assessment Questionnaire. They felt better and were better able to cope with their condition. Although probiotics did not clinically improve specific symptoms and measures of arthritis, there was functional improvement seen within the probiotic group compared to placebo.

Pineda M, Thompson SF, et al, (2011) "A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study of probiotics in active rheumatoid arthritis," Med Sci Monit, de Los Angeles; 17(6): CR347-354.

In a case-controlled study on 166 adults, 86 patients with major depressive disorder were age and sex matched with healthy controls.  Risk-factors (early symptoms) of cardiovascular-disease (high blood fats, BMI, waist-circumference and blood sugar) were found to be far higher in depressed patients. However, the omega-3 index was only about half the size in depressed patients, suggesting higher levels of good fats keep you lighter in mood as well as in Kilos!

Moreover, having an omega-3 index less than 4% was found to be associated with higher concentrations pro-inflammatory hormones associated with stress, obesity, and disorders such as atherosclerosis.

It’s important that you supplement with a good quality fish oils to increase levels of the specific fatty acid EPA. Lower grade oils do not have such high concentrations of this health-giving constituent!

Baghai TC, Varallo-Bedarida G, et al, (2010) "Major depressive disorder is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and low Omega-3 index," J Clin Psychiatry, [Epub ahead of print].

In this randomized controlled trial study on 418 overweight 55 to 80 year-old subjects, a greater adherence to the “Mediterranean diet” was associated with a reduced risk of diabetes. Showing that fat needn’t be the enemy, participants showed the lowest incidences of diabetes when eating a Mediterranean-style diet, either taking in most of their fats from olive oil, or nuts. The group that consumed a low fat diet actually had a far higher (7%) incidence of diabetes compared to those on a low-fat diet after a 4-year follow-up. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a 52% reduced risk of diabetes compared to controls. 

More evidence that you can be healthy, happy, lean, and light by eating good fats, veggies and proteins. For our very own take on the Mediterranean Diet, why not check out four week fat loss .

Salas-Salvado J, Ros E, et al, 2011 "Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with the Mediterranean diet: results of the PREDIMED-Reus nutrition intervention randomized trial,"; Diabetes Care, 34(1): 14-9.

Omega 3 Fat Burning Oil

Omega-3 Helps Circulation … by Aiding Relaxation

Inflamed in the Brain! Inflammation can Harm your Head, While Fish-Oils can Address the Stress

Natural Sports Nutrition No Brainers – Fish Oil

There exact wording was “a very small number may enhance performance for some athletes”, hardly a glowing endorsement, but progress none the less! Earlier advice from the IOC has only served to warn athletes off food supplements on doping grounds.

It added supplements must be, “used in accordance with current evidence under the guidance of a well-informed professional.”

Amongst their recommendations were vitamin-D, protein and carbohydrate, noting the importance of immediate, convenient intake and the variable nature of human vitamin-D synthesis.

Like you, we’ve long realised the importance of supplements for performance and fat-loss…

Researchers at Loughborough University have revealed that a simple, daily probiotic might help prevent athletes catching colds during their training and competition.

The research, which was published in the (peer-reviewed) International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, indicated that daily consumption of the probiotic drink Yakult is effective in reducing incidence of upper respiratory tract infections in athletes.

Athletes performing prolonged intensive exercise, or with heavy schedules of training and competition, catch more colds because the associated physical and mental stress affects their immune system.

Salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) is important in preventing viral infections – particularly in the respiratory tract. Levels of this antibody can fall during periods of intensive exercise.

For the FULL version of this Press Release please click here

Alpha carotene Hydrocarban carotenoid Precursor to vitamin A, converted to retinol in the body

Carrots
Apples
Winter squash
Beef stew and soup
Tomatoes
Mixed vegetables
Green peas
Vegetable juice
Cantaloupe
Chicken and vegetable stir-fry
Red and yellow peppers
Corn

Beta carotene Hydrocarban carotenoid Precursor to vitamin A, converted to retinol in the body. Effective in protecting lipid membranes from damage by free radicals

Carrots Sweet potatoes
Cantaloupe
Spinach
Beef stew
Broccoli
Romaine lettuce
Tomato
Vegetable juices
Winter squash
Cheddar cheese
Apricots
Peaches

Lutein Oxycarotenoids Membrane based protective antioxidants and can increase membrane integrity. Antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties

Spinach Broccoli
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Carrots
Oranges
Orange juice
Celery
Greens
Eggs
Lycopene Hydrocarban carotenoid Most efficient singlet oxygen quencher of the carotenoids

Tomatoes:    tomato juice, tomato soup, ketchup and vegetable soups
Vegetable juice
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Lasagna
Pizza
Mixed dishes
Apricots
Persimmons
Guava

Zeaxanthin Oxycarotenoid Membrane based protective antioxidants and can increase membrane integrity. Antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties

Oranges
Orange juice
Lettuce
Romaine
Green peas
Eggs
Spinach
Corn
Peaches
Carrots
Corn bread
Okra
Chicory leaf

Beta cryptoxanthin Oxycarotenoid Precursor to vitamin A, converted to retinol in the body

Oranges
Orange juice
Peaches
Papayas
Mangoes
Watermelon
Nectarines
Fruit cocktail
Plums
Grapefruit
Black olives
Red Peppers

The crux of it is EAT YOUR VEGGIES.

You’re less likely to die if you do.

Study: Veggies, Still Really Good for You

When I look at food diaries of athletes and those in the general public there is one theme that most people have. Too much energy dense carbs like pasta and rice and not enough vegetables.

I advise people to go for 9 a day (6 Veg and 3 Fruit),

if you struggle to eat enough veg then a good suggestion is to get a weekly veg box delivery and go for the size up that you think you can eat.

You want to be thinking when you look at the veg box and think ‘how am I going to get through this?’ It forces you to be creative,

You may have to throw some in a pot and blend them up into a soup.

Roast a bunch with some coconut oil or olive oil and add them to your lunch box.

I get 50% of my veggies from the local market on the weekend and the rest from the supermarket during the week.

There are lots of companies that do veg box deliveries depending where you live, I know Gavin uses Riverford Organics and gets a family box which is good for 2 adults and a 7 year old.

At the end of the day we all need to eat more veggies just find a way to do it.

What can you do?

Folic acid and B-vitamins are used in biological syntheses of new tissues, making them particularly important for adapting following exercise, but essential for women who one day want to have children. Found in whole grains, but mostly in animal products (essential for B12), vegetarians and women are groups prone to deficiency who may want to supplement .

Hoch, A.Z. et al.,(2010); “Folic Acid Supplementation Improves Vascular Function in Amenorrheic Runners” Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine: 20, 3, Pages 205-210

A big part of staying healthy is not so much what you eat and the supplements you to take but the things you avoid and your personal hygiene habits.

This Bear’s got the right idea – fresh fish straight from the river – wild animals tend to have much better fatty acid profiles, and lower saturated fat content.

A grass fed cow for instance has a 3:1 omega 6:3 ratio – whereas a grain fed animal has 20:1!!!

Aim to get wild Alaskan filets when buying salmon and stay off the farmed stuff.

I prefer organic lambs liver it’s really high in iron and if you are deficient in iron your sporting performance will be suffereing no doubt about that because iron is an essential component of hemoglobin which carries oxygen in the blood.

What can you do?

This isn’t an excuse to eat any-old chocolate. Confectionary is often high in trans-fats. You should be discerning about what products you buy and look for a high coca chocolate (75% cocoa, at least), or better yet a cocoa supplement without added sugar or fat you can add to your post-workout shakes. One protein powder pre-mixed with the finest quality cocoa is Kinetica’s Chocolate Whey Blend, available to purchase here: Kinetica’s Chocolate Whey Blend

Reference:
Berry, N. M., K. Davison, et al. (2010). "Impact of cocoa flavanol consumption on blood pressure responsiveness to exercise."
British Journal of Nutrition First View: 1-5.

What can you do?

Women should be particularly prone vigilant in monitoring their hormonal stutus as they age. There’s always the option of getting yourself screened for hormonal and biochemical markers to ensure that you’re always on top form!

In addition, a variety of hormone-supporting supplements for men and women can be found here: hormone-supporting supplements

Reference:
"Improvement of postmenopausal depressive and anxiety symptoms after treatment with isoflavones derived from red clover extracts." Lipovac, M., P. Chedraui, et al. (2010).  Maturitas 65(3): 258-261.

What can you do?

Any body-weight reduction programme (e.g. four week fat loss ) should be supported by the appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements to preserve good bone-health. These would include calcium, vitamin-D, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. As women are particularly prone to declining bone health with age, there’s always the option of getting yourself screened for hormonal and biochemical markers to ensure that you’re aging gracefully!

Reference
Rector, R. S., J. Loethen, et al. (2009).  "Serum markers of bone turnover are increased by modest weight loss with or without weight-bearing exercise in overweight premenopausal women."
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 34(5): 933-941.

What can you do?

Supplementing with a flavoured oil or a capsule form of fish-oils can be tasty and effective. You’re looking for a high level of EPA to exert the maximum effect on chemical signalling.

 Reference:
Taepavarapruk, P. and C. Song (2010). "Reductions of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression are correlated with memory impairment induced by interleukin-1b administrations: effects of omega-3 fatty acid EPA treatment." Journal of Neurochemistry 112(4): 1054-1064.

What can you do?

Ginger contains a powerful antioxidant called Gingerol, which is great fun to include in your diet, such as in the Tom Yum Soup recipe. Additionally, antioxidant support may be just what the doctor ordered!

Reference
Black CD, O’Connor PJ, et al, (2010)"Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Reduces Muscle Pain Caused by Eccentric Exercise," J Pain.

What can you do?

Including carotenoids and antioxidants into your diet is more fun than you’d realise – just have a look at some of these recipes! Also, why not take a look at our selection of green-foods, a simple way to increase your Vitamin A intake and increase dietary sources of antioxidants from beetroot, carrot, wheat-grass and spirulina?

Reference

Steigerwalt, R. D., G. Belcaro, et al. (2010). "Mirtogenol potentiates latanoprost in lowering intraocular pressure and improves ocular blood flow in asymptomatic subjects." Clin Ophthalmol 4: 471-476

Today I saw an athlete with a viral infection – here’s what I told him to do;

• Increased vitamin C to bowel tolerance (where you get lose stools) then back off by 1000mg.

• Take glutamine 10g t.i.d.

• Use chicken broth daily – ideally with tom yum spices.

• Increase raw and cooked garlic.

• Increase use of colostrum and other bioactive proteins (these ones are secret).

In addition to a back ground low inflammatory diet.

Don’t underestimate boosting your immune system, it could be the difference between winning and losing.

What can you do?

Peanut are high in arginine, while eating beetroot provides nitrates to increase your body’s ability to vasodilate blood vessels and supple the muscles during exercise. This aids recovery and performance. We sell a great recovery product with high levels of arginine to aid repair and adaptation, as well as a high arginine product designed to increase levels of growth hormone (GH) in the body.

Reference
Chmara E, et al, 2010; "Evaluation of the antihypertensive effect of L-arginine supplementation in patients with mild hypertension assessed with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring," Ast J, Med Sci Monit, 16(5): CR266-71

What can you do?

 Berries are an easy addition to any cupboard. A really great choice is the goji-berry, incredibly high in anti-oxidants. The Mule bar with goji-berries therefore provides energy and a healthy, anti-oxidant boost!

Reference
H. M., J. P. Suomela, et al. (2010)."Berry meals and risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome." Eur J Clin Nutr. Lehtonen,

 Read Men’s Health interview: full interview of Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – The record-breaking English sprinter – Men’s Health Magazine here

A lot of people make no progress if they load up on root vegetables at night particularly as these contain high amounts of energy per weight.

Grains are also high but it’s easier for people to identify these in the diet. Grains tend to be slightly acid forming in the body having a +ive PRAL score. This makes them less useful for health and athletes alike as an acidic environment potentially lowers alkaline agents like glutamine, and minerals such as magnesium and calcium.

Most proteins are also acid forming with meat's being highest…..

Potential detrimental effects of a high acid diet include:

Mild acidosis can cause such problems as:

• Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and reduction of oxygen.
• Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
• Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.
• Immune deficiency.
• Acceleration of free radical damage, possible contributing to cancerous mutations.
• Hormone concerns.
• Premature aging.
• Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
• Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
• Low energy and chronic fatigue.
• Slow digestion and elimination.
•  Yeast / fungal overgrowth.

A really easy way to alkalize the body is through the use of green drinks  – I mix mine in with whey protein which is only slightly acidic.

Other handy tips include lemon juice or cider vinegar, both having a net alkalizing effect despite being acidic in nature……

Boiled up chicken bones that have been used to create a Chicken Stock are packed full of collagen and gelatin, the stuff that your body needs to help strengthen and repair new ligaments and tendons.

If you've ever made stock before you will have notice that the stock on cooling turns to jelly, this jelly is REALLY GOOD nutritional stuff, when it comes to healing and boosting your immune system and building new connective tissue.

Some tips on making an immune boosting tendon repairing Chicken Stock

1. Use an Organic Chicken Carcass
2. Remove any large bits of skin
3. Get a cleaver out and smash up the bones
4. Use a big saucepan cover the bones with filtered water
5. Add tomatoes to the stock ( acid in tomatoes help the bones break down)
6. Boil the bones for at least an hour, longer is better
7. Pick bits of chicken off bones as you remove the bones.
8. Wrap bones in newspaper and discard.

I'm not sure if he'll be getting Posh to make the chicken stock, she'll find that it's very versatile and you can use it as a base to create many different soups, stews and curries.

Becks will need to keep an eye on his overall calorie intake and ensure  he doesn't include too many carbohydrates as he won't want to bloat up during his recovery.

Here are a couple of variations so that he doesn't get bored.

Thai Style

Add Tom Yum Paste
Extra Chicken or Prawns
Turmeric (anti inflammatory)
Ginger ( anti inlammatory)
Noodles
Any Green Leafy Veg like Cabbage or Bok Choi
Bean Sprouts

Traditional English Chicken Soup

Carrots
Parsnips
Celery
Onions
Pearl Barley
Split Peas or Lentils
Salt and Pepper
( still add the Turmeric as above)

Blend the soup in a liquidizer or keep it chunky!

Make sure you subscribe for updates because I'll let you know the supplements that I would recommend that Beckham takes and we'll be creating a Video on how to create Chicken Stock, watch the cleaver in action.

Matt

Of all the supplements that I recommend to my clients (athletes and non-athletes) the first choice is always Fish Oil. Fish oil is the panacea of life – there’s not much it can’t or won’t do in the body to regulate and enhance all aspects of cellular function. The reason it does this is because the cells or rather cell walls are made from fat. So the health of the cell membrane depends on the fat that you eat.  You need cells to be built from a good mix of fatty acids, but if you have too many of one type over another then cell membrane health will be compromised and cell communication will be less efficient.

Before we enter into a discussion about the merits of fish oil, it’s worth looking at Figure 1, which explains the metabolic pathways that are involved in fat metabolism. There are, for the purposes of this discussion 3 types of omega classification you need to think about, omega 3, 6 and 9.

Figure 1

Inflammation is the body is required for all systems to function, one example might be swollen quads after running down hill for a while. Another a bee sting, a third a runny nose when you have a cold or the flu. Prostaglandins regulate inflammation in the body. The foods we eat regulate prostaglandin synthesis.

You can see that eating foods on the top of the chart begin a process where the fats are converted into chemicals in the body known as prostaglandins (PGE1, 2, & 3). A prostaglandin (PGE) is any member of a group of lipid compounds that are derived enzymatically from fatty acids and have important functions in the body. Every prostaglandin contains 20 carbon atoms, including a 5-carbon ring. They are mediators and have a variety of strong physiological effects; although they are technically hormones, they are rarely classified as such.

Eating fish oil increases PGE3, whereas eating omega 6 fats from vegetables increases PGE1. Both these have favourable effects in the body if they are consumed in the right balance. PGE2 however has some nasty pro-inflammatory effects that in excess cause all the problems associated with a pro inflammatory state. A pro-inflammatory state means that the immune system and hormonal inflammatory system is on full alert: aches and pains will feel worse and recovery times will lengthen. Diseases like heart disease, and conditions like Asthma and Ezcema are pro inflammatory diseases. If you over consume omega 6’s you overload this pathway and cause a rise in PGE2. This can be worsened through excess insulin, wheat, milk, inadequate nutrients to assist with enzyme conversion and under consumption of omega 3.

I should say right now that some inflammation in the body is a good thing, and certain processes within inflammation are critical for the body to operate correctly and to manage stress and repair. Just think what happens when you get a swelling after being stung by a wasp, why you get a runny nose when you have a cold, or why your quads get sore after a squat session or downhill run. Each of these are parts of the inflammatory process that the body uses to repair itself. It’s when the inflammatory state is perpetually ON that we have problems.

A good balance between omega 3 and 6 would be 1:2 or 1:1 – in fact in the UK we routinely consume 1: 20 and up to 1: 50. This is one of the reasons asthma, eczema, diabetes, stroke, altzeimers and heart disease are all on the rise.

People who are likely to be deficient in omega 3 are those who don’t eat oily fish or walnuts, pumpkinseeds and linseeds regularly or people who don’t supplement. Athletes are normally always deficient as they process these fats quicker than the public but eat like the general public

There are a number of ways to tell if the balance of fatty acids in your body is inappropriate and by far the most accurate and recommended way is to get your red blood cell fatty acids status analysed through a blood test. You should take this test at least once every 6 months as it will help you determine if your fat balance is appropriate to start with and, subsequently, how fish oil supplementation is affecting your fat balance over time.

89% of all athletes that I test are deficient, and 50% are still low after 18 months of supplementation. The reason for this is athletes process these fats quicker due to high cell turnover and high states of inflammation due to their training. Plus it takes time to get these fats back into the body unless you mega dose which is something I do not believe in.

Other indicators of ways that you can tell when you are deficient are if you have rough skin on the back of your arms, or anywhere else, dry eyes, frequent infections, poor memory, loss of hair or dandruff, slow wound healing, PMS or breast pain and infertility.  Any inflammatory condition will worsen with low or insufficient intake of omega 3 and too much of other fatty acids particularly omega 6 and trans or hydrogenated fats. This is one of the reasons for the increase in these disorders in the western world. Asthma, eczema, arthritis, aches pains, heart disease, and stroke, can all be avoided or symptoms associated with these conditions improved through supplementation and changing the way you eat.

The main culprit in this picture is excess omega 6, i.e. vegetable oil. If you have sunflower oil at home also, throw it away! Switch to omega 9, sources instead – olive oil is the way to go along with avocado, and other monounsaturated rich sources like peanuts and sesame seeds.

Omega 9 although not included in the fatty acid chart is an inert fat, in that it does not alter PGE production negatively, in fact research suggests omega 9 may complement fish consumption and has additional anti inflammatory benefits. This is one of the reasons the Mediterranean diet is so healthy.

BENEFITS OF FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTATION

The most common reported health benefit that people are aware of is a decrease in inflammation and pain around joints and problem areas such as old injuries or points of surgery. Many athletes who have taken fish oils can use less anti-inflammatory NSAIDS or even none at all once they have the right levels in their diet and supplementation programme. Combining fish oil with other herbal botanicals can literally work wonders. Last week I took an elderly lady from not being able to open doors or lift up her grandchildren to doing just that within a week. Her arthritic thumb was hampering common daily activities so much that she couldn’t function in normal ways. Her regime simple, cat’s claw, ultra inflamex (metagenics product), and fish oil. Full details of where to source your oils from are included at the end of this article.

Fish oil supplementation is also linked to brain function. The highest concentration of DHA and EPA in the body is in the brain. There’s plenty of research to support higher IQ level in children and better general behaviour with kids who take fish oils and fatty acid supplements regularly. The same benefits also apply to adults through fish oil’s ability to increase serotonin levels and brain communication.

SCIENCE;

Here’s some science based advice and practical issues you should consider when supplementing with fish oils;

Fish oil, which has a high concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may increase fat utilization and decrease fat storage.  More specifically, it may turn on the lipolytic genes (fat burning genes) and turn off the lipogenic genes (fat storage genes).  Furthermore, it may provide additional fat loss effects by increasing the utilization of fat stores from the adipocytes, serotonin levels (and hence reduce carbohydrate cravings), insulin sensitivity and decreasing alcohol cravings.

As with all supplements, it is worth noting that you can have too much of a good thing, even with fish oil! So to optimise fish oil supplementation, here are my practical recommendations:

* The accumulative dose of EPA and DHA should be ~4-6g/d.  However, higher doses may have an additive effect on fat loss   
* You should get your red blood cell fatty acid profile measured every 6 months when taking fish oil or any fatty acid supplement   
* The ratio of EPA:DHA should be 3:2 most supplements come at this dose
* Fish oil supplement should be combined with GLA in the dose highlighted above
* Fish oil supplement should be combined with vitamin E (prevents oxidation of fish oil within the body, i.e. increases its stability within the body) you’ll need 400ius for each 10g of fish oil consumed. So 100iu is enough for a 2-3g fish oil dose
* Fish oil supplement should be stored in a cool, dry place
* Cycle the Fish oil product that you use regularly i.e. use a range of reputable suppliers
* Combining fish oil with L-carnitine may have an additive effect on fat loss.  For every 10g of fish oil, take 1g of L-carnitine.  Since L-carnitine is a stimulant, it should be taken before 4pm so as not to disrupt sleep.

VIRGIN ORGANIC COCONUT OIL

This is one of the most misunderstood of all fats, classically labeled a saturate and as such fattening to consume. Nothing, I repeat nothing could be further from the truth.

Note it is virgin, organic – not any old coconut oil will do! Be very sure you have this type of oil otherwise the health benefits will not happen! Standard palm oil is not the stuff you are looking for.

Coconuts themselves are highly nutritious and rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are classified as a "functional foods" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional or calorie content. Coconut oil is of special interest in addition to other functional fats because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other culinary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness. The coconut palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut’s amazing healing powers.

Coconut oil is not actually saturated fat in the true sense of the word, in that it comes under the saturated classification but is not a long chain fatty acid, it is a medium chain triglyceride as such it does not behave like a saturated fat in the body. Medium chain triglycerides actually absorb directly to the liver so they burn very like carbohydrate, this means they provide instant energy and are suitable for endurance based events, containing more calories per weight than carbohydrate and with many additional health benefits.

There’s been a lot written on the net about coconut oil and for those of you who want to read further go to; http://www.livecoconutoil.com/maryenig.htm

All I will say on the matter is coconut oil is absolutely essential for excelling in any sport and should be consumed as part of a regular diet whether you exercise or not.

The caveat is you need to replace other oils with coconut oil, not add coconut oil to existing fat consumption. Whilst I don’t agree with counting calories, calories do eventually count in any regime based on body composition management.

With all food products which have health benefits, it easy to think ‘why believe all the hype’? And I still don’t believe it’s good for you! Well here’s a list of things coconut oil definitely does not do;

Unlike other sources of saturated fat; Virgin Coconut Oil does not;
.
*  promote platelet stickiness, which leads to blood clot formation.
*  contribute to atherosclerosis or heart disease.
*  promote cancer or any other degenerative disease.
*  contribute to weight problems.
*  create cell damaging free radicals like other vegetable oils and is stable at cooking temperatures

So we can see that it is not associated with the same stigma as other saturated fats!

What about the good things it can do? Before you read this list remember these are facts supported by research you can follow the link for peer reviewed research at the end of this article. Finally I’d like you to take the coconut challenge, replace all butter and oil use with coconut oil for 2 weeks and see and feel the difference.

POSITIVE HEALTH BENEFITS FROM USING VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

As with any claims made for health there is often conflicting and sometimes scarce information. However when reviewing the literature there appears to be enough positive benefits to warrant the use of coconut oil in your daily regime. Certainly replacing omega 6 sources of fat and using coconut oil for any type of heated cooking would seem of absolute benefit. Once you begin using coconut oil you may also feel some of the other benefit listed below.

*  It helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, including Candida.
*  It improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
*  It assists in the absorption of minerals and fat-soluble vitamins.
*  It is easily absorbed and utilized by people who have trouble digesting fats or who have gallbladder disease.
*  It helps protect us from disease-causing bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, and parasites
*  It supports immune system function.
*  It supports good thyroid function (an essential part of any good weight loss program).
*  It supports a healthy metabolism.
*  It provides an immediate source of energy.
*  It supplies less calories than other fats.
*  It improves digestion and nutrient absorption.
*  Is resists spoilage and rancidity, even without refrigeration.
*  It resists breakdown from heat, making it the absolute best oil on Earth for cooking.
*  It may help your skin to stay soft and smooth.
*  It may help prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
.
In summary;

Just adding coconut oil on top of your current diet is not the sensible thing to do. Exchange other fats such as sunflower oil and sources of saturates with coconut oil will have positive outcomes.

Replacing vegetable oils with coconut oil and olive oil to increase potential health benefits seems like an easy and tasty way to improve health through reduction of pro inflammatory fats, and it also appears to do what it says on the tin in terms of fat burning through raising the metabolic rate. Additional benefits for digestive health and immune boosting properties make it a functional asset to anyone’s nutrition. Anyone who is immune compromised or suffers from digestive problems should also use coconut oil regularly.

Thanks to livecoconutoil.com for some of the Information in this article.

For the science hungry guys go to; http://www.coconutoil.com/peer_reviewed.htm

To buy Coconut Oil, here is a reputable source: http://www.coconoil.co.uk/

Link to download the printable E-book "Fats for good health and weight loss?

I value your questions and look forward to hearing them and helping assist you.

Best regards

Matt Lovell

Health wise spices are very much in the spot light scientifically with turmeric leading the pack due to it’s powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

Most of us won’t eat this unless we go for a curry when there will also generally be a lot of other poor fats and maybe some alcohol involved as well.

Incorporating Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Chinese and Vietnamese cooking into your weekly routine will do wonders for your health and performance.

Most of the meals are balanced nicely between, vegetables, salads, meats, spices, coconut and stock, with a small amount of rice included. This is a highly low inflammation and low allergy based diet.

No wonder many of these people never seem to age in the same way we do! Check out our list of beneficial Thai spices and also be aware that once you sign up for 4 week fat loss we give away a recipe book as part of your start up bundle.

Till next time.

Matt

Stress can have debilitating effects in short term performance and can lead to serious illnesses and even sudden death over the longer term. 

We’ve all heard stories or perhaps even know someone who died before their time as a result of a stress related illness, usually a heart attack.

Our bodies are designed to cope with short bursts of stress but when that stress is prolonged that’s when we start to break down and our performance can suffer.

I use 2 different questionnaires to help identify where stress is coming from.

Questionnaire 1

I use this as a diagnostic tool with my clients to help identify the root causes of their stress. Often I find that the individual can be too close to their own situation to identify where the stress is coming from and using this spreadsheet can help isolate particular areas.

Questionnaire Number 2

In this second Questionnaire we  start to identify where the deficiencies might be on a body system level.

Endocrine (Hormonal) Function
Neural Tissue (Nerve) Health
Musculo-Skeletal Health
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Detoxification Capability
Fat and Protein Metabolism
Eicosanoid Modulation (Eicosanoids exert control over many bodily systems, mainly in inflammation or immunity, and as messengers in the central nervous system – source wikipedia).

When I review the results of this second diagnostic tool I then look at behavioural modifications and improvements that can be made and also a supplement strategy  that can support the body system that is being put under extra pressure.

If you ever  feel stressed or overwhelmed it is worth taking the time to fill out these diagnostic tools.

There’s no charge to use them you can access them here.

Catch up with you soon

Matt Lovell

Knowing the different types of carbohydrates is important. What’s your knowledge like?

If you live in around the London area then there are 20 consultations with me up for grabs from Whole Foods Store in London.

If you’ve been to America recently you may have stumbled upon a Whole Foods Market super store.

Their flagship UK store is in Kensington , London

They are huge and have some of the best quality food and supplements available. It’s like going into a Department Store that’s just dedicated to Whole Food’s, you can literally spend hours there.

It’s like Hamley’s for Nutrition lovers!

If you live in London take a couple of hours and have a wander round, bring your credit card because you will be tempted. 

I’m going to be doing some promotional work with Whole Foods Markets and one of the promotions that they are running is that they will be offering a consulation with me at no charge in return for buying £150 worth of their products.  What I cover in these consultations usually costs more than £300.

Check the flyer above if you’re interested in booking a session.

If you can make it in on the days I’m in store pop in and say hello, it’s  always good to put a face to a name.

If you want  a consultation then I suggest you contact Ines Hermida at Wholefoods so that you can book your slot.

Matt

P.S. Whole Foods Market  supply the Biochem and Country Life products that I’ve talked about in the past previous posts so you can use the £150 to buy some good quality products.

CLA appears to help drop body fat and build muscle; it also works to protect muscle when you really damage it.

Hey guess what CLA also occurs naturally in cows, yes the meat and milk and milk based products which come from a cow are very high in natural CLA. There’s one problem though the cow’s got to eat grass! Before you think I thought they did, how wrong could you be, most cows eat a version of cornflakes (less refined than the ones we have in the supermarket though)! This is because omega 6 fatty acids make you fat real quick, remember the inflammation story? It’s omega 6 dependent. Do yourself a favour, don’t eat cow’s which don’t eat grass and don’t drink the milk, eat the cheese or put the butter on your bread (you’re using coconut oil now though right?)

But if grass fed beef is beyond the pail then you might want to supplement with CLA.

As you know I am a masive fan of Green Tea for it’s high levels of anti-oxidant and it’s abiliyt to boost your metabolism and help assist with.

In warmer weather like we have now brew yourself up a big pot of green tea nan allow it go cold and keep it in a jug in the fridge or just pop a couple of ice cubes into it.

If you’ve tried green tea and find you dont like it then there a few tips to try that may help.

1. Don’t use boiling water, try very warm water

2. Don’t let it brew for too long, this can sometimes make it bitter

3. Try different brands and varieties. You will find one that you like eventually.

How do you like your green tea, let me know!

The aim of the competitive athlete is to win.  There is an ever-increasing amount of research being produced that if correctly applied may improve your chances of winning.  Looks like good news.  But, to respond to these athletes would seem to have to spend an ever increasing amount of their time sieving through this information in an attempt to identify a gem that may give them the edge.  Alternatively, they take advice from more accessible sources like the media articles.  Here nutritional generalisations seem to have passed on like folk law.  It is perhaps not surprising then that there is a problem.  The research that is conducted is usually very specific.  Specific to the sport or activity being studied.  All too often these specific results have become generalised to “all athletes” and for “all sports” and herein lies the problem.

Much of the early sports research focussed on the nutritional requirements for endurance events.  What has been clearly established is that when competing in endurance events, those lasting more than 90 minutes, carbohydrates limit performance.  Endurance athlete’s who are effectively able to carbohydrate load before and event, consume carb’s during the event and adequately replenish the body’s stores (muscle and liver glycogen) after an event will begin to maximise their performance.  The timing, type and quantity of the carbohydrate are all also important factors.

This has led to an ‘obsession’ with carbohydrates that has spilled over into most other of sports almost without exception.  This misapplication of knowledge can lead to a reduction in performance.  The performance of many power-based sporting activities may suffer, as both protein and essential fats intake have been seen to assume less importance in the athlete’s diet.  Many athletes added insult to injury by adopting the general changes that are seen to be occurring in the rest of society where an increasing proportion of calories are being consumed from refined carbohydrates.

What are the consequences of too much or the wrong type carbohydrate?

The simple consequence of excess or inappropriate calorie intake from any source, carbohydrate, protein or fat will be their conversion into body fat.  Most athletes are acutely aware that “fats” are best avoided and typically aim for a “low-fat” diet.  Whilst reducing their saturated fat intake is a good thing, athletes not uncommonly reduce their essential fat intake and inadvertently further increase their intake of refine carbohydrates.  This is because when food manufacturers remove the fat from food, to ensure they remain palatable, they add additional sugars and salt to replace the lost taste.

High and low glycemic carbohydrates

Different types of carbohydrate have different rates of digestion and absorption.  It is possible to measure by how much a particular carbohydrate source raises an individual’s blood glucose.  The rise in blood glucose for a specific carbohydrate source has been compared to that of 50 grams of white bread, as an arbitrary standard, and this is know as the glycemic index [GI].  Please refer to table 1, which gives GI values for a number of common foods. Interestingly, many complex carbohydrates, such as potatoes, have quite profound effects on blood sugar.

The glycemic index, though interesting, is still a rather crude measure since it does not really reflect how most people eat.  Meals are not usually consumed as a single 50 gram food serving.  Mixing food types for example, adding protein to a carbohydrate, will affect the rates of digestion, the rate of glucose absorption and the blood concentration achieved after eating.  Recent work has demonstrated that the glycemic index of a food does not necessarily predict the amount of insulin that is produced and proteins and fats will increase insulin levels whilst not affecting blood glucose.

However that said, there is a big difference in the effect on both blood glucose and insulin concentrations generated between traditional low glyemic complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and porridge oats and highly refined processed carbohydrate like sweets and bakery products 

Insulin, the hormone that can both help and hinder an athlete

Blood glucose levels rise after eating and insulin is released from the pancreas to control this with the aim of maintaining a stable blood glucose, within the normal range.  Outside this normal range our bodies, and particularly our brains, do not function very well, we become confused, disorientated even unconscious.   Insulin is the only hormone of storage and a failure of the body to produce it in adequate amounts leads to diabetes.

The more rapid the rise in blood sugar the more insulin is required to control this rise.  Insulin, as the hormone of storage, takes glucose from the blood and stores it away.  The help that this offers athletes is that insulin will assist the replacement of used muscle or liver glycogen consumed during training or competing, but once the body’s glucose stores are replenished any excess would be converted and stored as fat. 

Carbohydrates that have a high GI and produce a very large insulin response will, particularly when consumed away from exercise, be more readily converted to fat.  The reduction of fat consumption and the movement from an intake of complex to refined carbohydrate sources seen in western societies has been paralleled by the increase in obesity in these populations.  Athletes are no exception to the human race!  From a performance perspective if sugar is converted to fat, body composition will be adversely affected.  Similarly if inadequate storage is achieved in muscle and liver cells (as glycogen) the energy stores available for the next exercise session will be reduced and so will your performance. 

What we are increasingly seeing clinically are power-based athletes who have adopted the dietary requirements of endurance athletes.  As a consequence they typically consume 70% or more of their entire calorie intake from carbohydrate and increasingly from highly refined sources.  Whilst their endurance counterparts struggle to keep up their carbohydrate intake to match their calorific requirements the power-based athletes are presenting with a host of symptoms including an inability to reduce high body fats, failure to gain additional lean body mass despite dedicated training, poor concentration and susceptibility to infection.

Balancing blood sugar

One of the ‘secrets’ to excelling in physical performance for any sport will be managing a potential blood sugar roller coaster, avoiding big swings in both glucose and insulin.  If we can do this we can learn to achieve maximum glycogen replenishment and reduce or avoid having an excess that becomes stored as fat.  There are many other additional benefits that will be achieved if you are able to control your blood glucose.  These include your ability to increase lean body tissue, improve mood and concentration and immune function, the specifics of which there is not room to discuss here.

How best to eat for a sporting event

We know that if you run out of carbohydrates, you run out of fuel.  Endurance athletes who may train for 4 or 5 hours a day have a large energy requirement, often in excess of 5-6000 calories a day.  Depending on their sport and training programme their carbohydrate requirement will vary between 50-70% of total calories.

Power-based athletes however, typically training for 1-2 hours a day require less total calories, 3-4000.  The proportion of their intake that should be derived from carbohydrate is 40-60% of their total calories.  Although power athletes can glycogen load, for events of 90 minutes or less this has not been shown to improve performance.  Ensuring that they have a regular appropriate intake and avoiding over consumption is likely to be more important to their performance.

Carbohydrate intake should mainly come from low glycemic foods, which are as close to nature as possible.  They should be varied and, except post workout, should be limited to around the amount that would fill the palm of your hand at one sitting.  This means eating smaller meals more regularly, often 5 –6 a day.  Eating more carbohydrate than this, eating high glycemic carbohydrates (except post-workout) and eating carbohydrates out of the context of a ‘mixed meal’ will disrupt your blood sugar levels, and hence be detrimental to performance.

Before, during and after the event

For power sport the best nutrition is to follow what you have been doing in training, as the event is not significantly different in duration or intensity to the training.  Where there is a concern about the length of the event then the consumption of a pre-exercise meal consisting of low fibre carbs (possibly in a liquid form) taken 2 –3 hours before the event can be useful.  Improved performance has been reported for the consumption of low GI compared to high GI foods pre-event: again suggesting that you do not need to radically change your eating habits before you compete.  One formula we’ve used with success is blending 25g oats with 500ml rice milk, 1/2 a banana and maybe a small amount of nuts and seeds with a teaspoon of honey.  Ideally this should be taken 75-90 minutes before the game (you could also try this before a workout).  As with all these types of nutritional strategy, practice in training first, gradually assessing tolerance and effectiveness of a particular recipe.

Pre-exercise intake of refined carbohydrates less than 1 hour before the event may in some individuals cause a transient lowering of blood glucose in the early part of the event that is associated with tiredness and “heavy legs”, though in others where glucose is not lowered performance may be improved.  The difference is likely to be dependent on how anxious you get before competing.  High levels of adrenaline produced in some athletes under stress (the adrenaline rush) avoid the transient lowering of blood glucose before competing and avoid the heavy legs. 

Liquid intake is tolerated better than solid food close to an event because of shorter gastric emptying time.

During the event

Carbohydrate intake during an event can delay fatigue by maintaining blood glucose levels.  Drinks need to be dilute, <5%, to optimise hydration and allow gastric emptying.

Post event

Replacing lost carbohydrates and fluids is essential at this stage to ensure training can be resumed at an adequate level during the next week.  Ensure that you drink 500ml of water for every 1/2 kg of body weight lost during play.  Try to stagger this intake over several hours.

Immediately post exercise the use of high glycemic index drinks has been shown to promote post-exercise glycogen resynthesis.  Make sure that in addition to the post workout recovery drink you have some ‘real food’ ideally no longer than an hour after the match.  For the next 6 hours you should aim to consume an amount of carbohydrate in grams equivalent to approximately 75% of your body weight in kg, every 2 hours.  This should fully replenish your carbohydrate reserves. 

Final note

There is a relatively common disorder which is really more of a variation of normality as it affects so many women: it is called polycystic ovaries [PCO].  This literally means “many cysts on the ovary”.  One in five women in the population have this ovarian structure and, where it is associated with the classical symptoms of irregular periods, excess facial or body hair, acne and weight gain it is known as polycystic ovary syndrome.   What we are starting to recognise is that many women with PCO’s have a genetic predisposition towards producing more insulin for a given amount of carbohydrate.  If you suspect you might have PCO then it can be very simply diagnosed with an ultrasound scan (the same type of scan that is used to look at the unborn baby).   For women with PCO, diets high in refined carbohydrate will have a more detrimental effect, leading more readily to body fat accumulation, and so them this dietary approach will be even more important.

Diet is important for everyone, especially athletes who wish to maximise their genetic potential.  The inappropriate generalisation of science has led to an increasing risk of poor performance and eventually health.  Probably no better example exists than that of excessive carbohydrate intake by power based athletes looking for improved performance.

There’s been a lot written on the net about coconut oil and for those of you who want to read further go to; http://www.livecoconutoil.com/maryenig.htm

All I will say on the matter is coconut oil is absolutely essential for excelling in any sport and should be consumed as part of a regular diet whether you exercise or not.

What does organic mean?

Organic farmers believe that healthy food comes from a healthy soil. They work to build up long-term fertility in their soils in several ways: by recycling plant and animal wastes onto their land, by carefully monitoring and balancing soil minerals, applying seaweed or rock powders as necessary, by crop rotation and by increasing microbial life in the soil through minimal ploughing and using ground cover crops.

Organic farmers also create more wildlife habitats as a control for crop pests by planting, rather than removing trees and hedges, and digging, rather than draining, ponds and water meadows. Artificial fertilisers, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics and feed additives are prohibited.

What are the benefits for me?

Safety – when you eat organic food you avoid a great deal of residues that may come from chemical fertilisers commonly used to promote growth and appearance of crops, and chemical pesticides used to protect them. No food produced in Britain can be guaranteed completely chemical-free as ground water and the atmosphere are heavily polluted.

You do avoid eating chemical additives that are commonly used in the processing and storage of our food. You also avoid any potential threat posed by genetically engineered foods and irradiated produce. Pesticides are designed to kill living organisms. They kill useful insects such as ladybirds and bees. Many of them work by poisoning the nervous system; this can affect humans too. Although all pesticides are tested by MAFF, many used today were approved when standards were comparatively lax. Current testing does not adequately investigate the long-term effect of low doses or the cocktail effect of mixtures of agrochernicals.

Organically grown foods are higher in nutrients, and usually taste nicer especially meat, vegetables and dried fruit. Environmentally eating organic food:

Is better for our water supply – agrochemicals from farmland are building up in our rivers and underground water reserves. Organic farming protects our health through avoiding this pollution.

Is better for the land – many farmers change to organic methods because they find that intensive farming methods are destroying their land. The soil becomes sterile and vulnerable to erosion.

Is better for the future – organic farming by maintaining, rather than depleting soil fertility, will ensure that our children inherit healthy, fertile farmland to provide them with healthy food.

Why does organic food cost more? Or does it?

On average organically grown food does cost about 20% more to buy. This is for several reasons. Firstly, organic farms tend to be smaller, and rely on crop diversity as well as crop rotation to maintain fertility. It is not economic to use large, specialised machinery for harvesting and packing. More labour and less machinery means increased cost. After harvesting, conventional farmers tend to rely on chemicals to control pests and moulds. Organic farmers put their produce into cold store, which is less reliable and costs more. Organic food distribution, because of the small volumes involved, fails to benefit from the economy of scale of conventional food distribution.

However, these are just the short-term costs. The overproduction by conventional farming is heavily subsidised Taking into account all the hidden costs of producing conventional food, including the massive cost of cleaning up environmental pollution, and the cost to future health, organic food viewed over the long term, can be seen as a cheaper option.

‘If we want to safeguard our health and that of our children, then we need to eat organic food.’

How can I be sure it is organic?

Organic food is protected by law, it is an offence to market a food as organic that has not passed a rigorous series of inspections from the farm to the shop, and received full certification from a recognised organisation. Look for the Soil Association symbol.

PLASTICS AND PESTICIDES AND THE THREAT TO HEALTH AND FERTILITY

Organochlorines (DDT, PCBs, Dioxins, Pthalates, etc.) and other man made chemicals concentrate in the food chain and are deposited in our bodies. They cannot be broken down and appear to act in a similar way to our own sex hormones. This has implications to normal human physiology. Fertility in both men and women may be particularly sensitive to this hormonal pollution. We cannot avoid these chemicals but we can lower our exposure to some degree. This is probably of greater importance in people who have not yet had children.

The best way is to avoid eating fat, even from organically raised animals. Although low-fat diets are in vogue, food is meant to be eaten whole and we need good quality fats. However, the safest advice appears to be very lean meat, low fat dairy products and the avoidance of farmed fish. Fish oils, fish liver oils, kelp and spirulina / chlorella / algae products should be avoided unless the manufacturer can give a declaration of no detectable toxins.

Avoid wood preservatives, fly sprays, mosquito repellents, flea collars, flame-retardants and stain repellants, especially if contemplating having children.

Recommended reading

Our Stolen Future by Theo Colbom

Pesticides Posing Hazards to Reproduction published by WWF

LIST OF ORGANIC PRODUCE SUPPLIERS

Organics Direct tel. 0171 729 2828

Choice Organics tel. 0171 942 1744

Planet Organic tel. 0171 221 7171

The Village Bakery tel. 01768 381515

A comprehensive list of country-wide suppliers can be obtained from the Soil Association, tel. 0117 929 0661

You can forward this document to your friends, family and team mates as long as you keep it in it’s entirety.

You can download the Vitamin and Mineral List here . (To download right click on the link and click on ’save target as’ or ’save link as’ and save the file on your desk top.)

You can get rooiboss at nearly every supermarket even Tetley are doing their own version of it now.

Matt

 If you’ve got questions about Sports Nutrition then please ask them here and I’ll answer them  as soon as possible.

I value your questions and look forward to hearing them and helping assist you in your  goals.

Best regards

Matt Lovell

Matt

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Matt

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