Nutrient Requirements of Women in Sport

October 30, 2008

Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly comparable way. As volume and intensity of training increases, so does aerobic capacity and hence performance. Body composition tends to change, whether male or female, indicating that physiologically, we are all actually quite similar.

Nutritionally speaking, fuelling of training is similar too. Regardless of the sport in question, energy intake must match energy output in order to fuel training and recovery. For endurance athletes, carbohydrate intake needs to equate to approximately 7-10g per kg/bwt (or 4g per lb/bwt). If it doesn’t performance tends to suffer, and fatigue creeps in.
It is important for any athlete, regardless of gender, to train and compete with optimum fuel reserves, and, of course be well hydrated.

Despite seemingly parallel training responses and “fuel” requirements between males and females, women engaged in regular exercise, and especially those with demanding training and competition schedules have quite unique nutritional needs.

These special needs often mirror a particular time in a female’s sexual development, or during one of the many hormonal changes, which govern a women’s life. Dramatic hormonal shifts initiate quite unique metabolic and chemical changes within the body that demand specific nutrients. Needs change as a female enters her pubertal years (onset of menarche), during her reproductive years and during pregnancy, and then at the stage that marks the end of reproduction (menopause). Disruption in a female’s normal menstrual functioning (e.g. amenorrhoea) may create increased requirements in macro and micronutrients (e.g. calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, protein and essential fatty acids). The BNF’s briefing paper, Nutrition and Sport, reports increased calcium requirements in amenorrhoeic women, and advises all female athletes to pay attention to energy, calcium and iron intakes (1). Vitamin K supplementation has been shown to improve markers of bone metabolism in a small group of amenorrhoeic female elite athletes (2). Vitamin K functions in the synthesis of calcium-binding proteins.

Iron and calcium requirements of the female athlete
The two main nutrients that require most attention are the minerals iron and calcium.

Levels of iron in the body are particularly important given iron’s role in many enzyme functions and it’s fundamental role in the formation of haemoglobin (75% of total body iron is in this form) and as a constituent of myoglobin (the O2 carrying material that functions inside the cells).
Iron performs the overwhelming activity of transporting oxygen from the lungs to the mitochondria within muscle cells - vital for the athlete.
Females have a higher rate of iron loss than men mainly via blood loss through menstruation, as well as during pregnancy and childbirth. This creates a higher iron requirement in women generally.

An athlete’s iron status (measured by levels of blood haemoglobin, haematocrit concentration and plasma ferritin levels) may further be compromised due to a number of factors directly related to training. These have been identified as bleeding within the digestive system, inadequate diet and poor iron absorption, loss of iron through heavy sweating, red blood cell breakdown due to trauma created by certain high-impact activities (e.g. long-distance running), and even over-frequent blood donation.

Iron-deficiency anaemia (haemoglobin levels below 12g/dl) has a major impact on performance and immune status. It decreases aerobic capacity and endurance, induces fatigue, and lowers resistance to infection.
It has not yet been clearly established whether iron depletion (low ferritin concentrations and reduced bone marrow iron) negatively affects performance, but certainly low ferritin is not something to be ignored. Many however, suggest changes in plasma ferritin concentration are due to either heavy training, or as a response to inflammation, and low blood haemoglobin in some athletes is simply due to plasma volume expansion.
Assessment of iron status in athletes is clearly not straightforward. Taking into account measured indices of iron status, individual dietary habits, digestive function, menstruating patterns and other significant factors should help determine the impact iron status may be having on a particular individual’s performance. It is fair to say that in some cases, borderline measurements or those at the lower end of “normal” are often clinically significant, and iron supplementation produces noticeable improvements in iron status and performance (3).

The use of iron supplements at this point may also prevent the development of full blown iron-deficiency anaemia in some female athletes, which is often when “re-pletion” is most difficult, especially via diet alone.
Inorganic forms of iron (e.g. ferrous sulphate, ferrous gluconate) are notoriously poorly absorbed, and often cause gastrointestinal problems such as constipation. More importantly, they often fail to raise Hb levels. Where iron supplementation is deemed appropriate (i.e. anaemia), serious consideration should be given to using new “food-form” iron supplements. Food-form iron is a version of iron that has been grown into yeast cells, and the absorbability of yeast-based iron is much closer to haem-iron. It also produces little or no uncomfortable side effects.

Calcium

National surveys have consistently reported low calcium intake is young and adult females (4, 5, 6), as well as female athletes (2, 7).
This is normally due to low energy intakes, fad diets, or poorly planned vegetarian and vegan diets. Inadequate calcium intake and consequently poor calcium status is compounded by diets that contain high phosphorous, high salt and high caffeine food and drink. These have a negative impact of calcium balance, due to an increase in urinary calcium excretion (8).

Calcium and bone health

About 60% of adult bone is laid down during adolescence (9), when calcium deposition is at it’s highest (10). This is due to increases in the hormones oestrogen, growth hormone and calcitriol. Mechanisms are put to work that lead to an overall stimulation of bone cell production and maturation. Bone resorption is out-weighed by bone deposition, leading to an increase in overall bone mineralisation. There seems to be a critical 4-year period during teenage years, from the ages of about 11-15 years, during which time most of the total gain in bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) is accumulated (9).

Peak bone mass is a major determinant of osteoporosis in later life, so building the largest bone mass possible is one of the most important strategies to protect against osteoporosis in later life (11).
Females in the UK, aged 19-50 years, are thought to need at least 700mg calcium daily in order to meet the demands for calcium deposition in bone. Recommendations are lower than in most other industrialised countries and it has been suggested that 11-18 year olds require 1200-1500 mg/day to optimise peak bone mass (12).

Numerous well-controlled longitudinal studies have produced consistent positive effects of calcium supplementation on BMD in adolescent females (13, 14, 15), which suggests that our UK reference values are sub-optimal.

Female athletes are a different sub-class all together with regard to calcium needs. Up to 400mg of calcium has been shown to be lost (in males) via sweat alone, from a 2-hr training session (17), and although Ca losses in females are unlikely to be that high, any female athlete such as marathoners or triathletes training twice a day… could be at risk of not getting enough calcium in the diet to achieve a positive Ca balance.
Dr Michael Colgan, renowned New Zealand research scientist believes athletes (both male and female, and especially females with amenorrhoea) need to supplement between 1000-2000mg Ca daily.

Supplementation needs should always be assessed in relation to what is actually being obtained from the diet. Dietary intake should therefore always be assessed, along with identifying factors that could potentially increase calcium excretion - e.g. high sodium and phosphorous diets, high protein diets, and an overall high “acidic” load. Knowledge should also be sought as to the types of calcium available and their rates of absorption.

The female athlete triad

A major focus in recent years within nutrition and sport for women has been with respect to the “female athlete triad”. Components of the triad are disordered eating, amenorrhoea (absence of periods), and osteopenia (as opposed to osteoporosis).

A review paper on BMD data in athletes found osteopenia (as defined as BMD scores between 1 and 2.5 SD below the mean of young adults) to be significantly prevalent in those at risk of the female athlete triad. Interestingly, osteoporosis (BMD above 2.5 SD below the mean) was relatively uncommon, even in this selected “athletic” population (16). This by no means relegates the problem as any less significant. A diagnosed case of osteopenia in a young female athlete may actually be a worse scenario in terms of long-term bone health, when compared to a diagnosed osteoporotic in her 60’s. An athlete with osteopenia is at greater risk of developing osteoporosis than is an athlete who has normal bone mass.

There is indeed much concern amongst sports dieticians and nutritionists, who are commonly faced with various subclinical eating disorders, or “disordered eating” (a significant risk factor for female athlete triad).

Disordered eating disrupts menstrual function, and together with intense training schedules, often leads to amenorrhoea, or cessation of periods. A lack of oestrogenic stimulation of bone cells leads to decreased calcium uptake, and over time, loss of bone mass.

Cases such as these do tend to be sport-specific, being confined to sports that either require a low body mass (martial arts, rowing), where a low body weight is thought to improve performance (long-distance running, triathlon) and in those sports that requests athletes to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye (ballet, figure skating, diving).

Of course, any female, athlete or non-athlete, under stress, or with low self-esteem, a tendency toward perfectionism, or family problems is at risk for “disordered” eating, and a down-regulation of sex hormone production, in favour of stress-hormone production.

Decreasing training intensity and optimising energy and nutrient intake must be the key strategies to dealing with any component of the female athlete triad.

Although calcium intake in the diet cannot make up for a lack of oestrogen due to menstrual irregularities, it should be optimised in the diet and by supplementation if necessary, especially if a contributory cause of osteopenia is lack of dietary calcium.

Practical suggestions to increase intake of calcium and iron

Eat low-fat dairy foods such as skimmed milk and natural yogurt daily

Add 100g of tofu and sunflower seeds to stir-frys and salads

Add almonds, dried figs and seeds to breakfast cereals

Add blanched spinach to scrambled or poached eggs

Use Tahini (sesame seed spread) on bread and crackers or add a tsp to natural yogurt

Eat plenty of dark green leaves and leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, watercress and spinach- always steam or lightly cook brocolli, kale, cabbage and spinach

Try soft-bony fish (tinned salmon, sardines, pilchards) as a topping on baked potatoes or wholegrain toast

Eat vitamin-C rich foods to enhance the absorption of iron (i.e. plenty of fresh fruit and colourful vegetables)

Be aware of substances that interfere with iron absorption (e.g. phytates found in bran, and tannin in tea).

Try NOT to drink tea and coffee with food

References

1) Briefing Paper (2001) Nutrition and Sport. British Nutrition Foundation.

2) Craciun AM, Wolf J, Knapen MHJ, Brouns F, Vermeer C (1998) Improved bone metabolism in female elite athletes after vitamin K supplementation. International Journal of Sports Medicine 19, 479-484.

3) Matter M, Stiffal T, Graves J et al. (1987) The effect of iron and folate therapy on maximal exercise performance in female marathon runners with iron and folate deficiency. Clinical Science 72, 415-422.

4) Department of Health (1991) Dietary Reference Values for Food, Energy and Nutrients. Report on Health and Social Subjects 41. London: HMSO

5) MAFF, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1994) The Diet and Nutritional Survey of British Adults-further analysis. London: HMSO

6) HEA, Health Education Authority (1995) Diet and Health in School-age Children. London: HEA

7) Van Erp-Baart AMJ, Saris WHM, Binkhorst RA, Vos JA, Elvers JWH (1989) Nationwide survey on nutritional habits in elite athletes Part 2. Mineral and vitamin intake. International Journal of Sports Medicine 10, 11-16.

8) Matkovic V, Ilich JZ, Andon MB et al. (1995) Urinary calcium, sodium and bone mass of young females. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62, 417-425.

9) Bonjour J, Theintz G, Bertrand B, Slosman D, Rizzoli R (1991). Critical years and stages of puberty for spinal and femoral bone mass accumulation during adolescence. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 73, 555-563.

10) Weaver CM, Martin BR, Plawecki KL, Peacock M, Wood OB, Smith DL, Wastney ME (1995) Differences in calcium metabolism between adolescent and adult females. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 61, 577-581

11) Christiansen C (1991) Consensus Development Conference on Osteoporosis. American Journal of Medicine 5B, 1S-68S.

12) National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Panel on Optimal Calcium intake (1994) Optimal Calcium intake. JAMA 272, 1942-1948.

13) Johnston CC, Miller JZ, Slemenda CW, Reister TK, Hui S, Christian JC, Peacock M (1992) Calcium supplementation and increases in bone mineral density in children. New England Journal of Medicine 327, 82-87.

14) Matkovic V, Fontana D, Tominac C, Goel P, Chestnut CH. Factors which influence peak bone mass formation: a study of calcium balance and the inheritance of bone mass in adolescent females (1990) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 52, 878-888.

15) Lee WTK, Leung SSF, Wang S, Xu Y, Zeng W, Lau J, Oppenheimer SJ et al. (1994) Double-blind, controlled supplementation and bone mineral accretion in children accustomed to a low-calcium diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60, 744-750.

16) Khan KM, Lui-Ambrose T, Sran MM, et al. (2002) New Criteria for female athlete triad syndrome? British Journal of Sports Medicine 36,10-13.

17) Kiesges, RC, et al. (1996) Changes in bone mineral content in male athletes. J Amer Med Assoc 276:226-230,

Lucy-Ann Prideaux has an MSc degree in Human Nutrition and Metabolism, and a BSc (Hons) degree in Sports Science. She is a registered Nutritionist with The Nutrition Society.
Aside from her own private practise and consultancy work, she is the resident Nutritionist at the Sussex Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine with Dr Nick Webborn.

Vegetarian Diet: Great For Weight Loss, Health And The Planet

“Animals are my friends and I don’t eat my friends” was how George Bernard Shaw explained his vegetarian diet. Albert Einstein said that the adoption of “the vegetarian manner of living…would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.”

Whether you are interested in vegetarianism because of lofty moral ideals such as those held by Shaw and Einstein, or because you just want to lose weight and feel better physically you are not alone. Throughout the world there is a growing interest in vegetarianism.

Let’s take a look at the main reasons for being a vegetarian.

Physical: There is a long list of modern diseases that are aggravated by meat eating: colon cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, arthritis and gout top the list.

In addition, many toxins accumulate in meat, as animals are on the top of an agricultural food chain that is heavily dependent on chemicals and pesticides. Added to the chemicals of the environment, are the hormones secreted into an animal’s bloodstream as it faces death. “The flesh of an animal is loaded with toxic blood and other waste products,” was how the Nutrition Institute of America described it.

If that isn’t enough to make you think about trying a vegetarian diet, there is more

You Can Live Without Meat: You can get all the vitamins, minerals and even protein that you need without eating any meat products. A diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products will certainly provide you with what you need. And such a diet is not boring. Have you ever tasted an elaborate vegetarian Indian dinner, or vegetarian Chinese cuisine, or vegetarian Italian food?

While it is possible to be vegetarian and also be fat, it is much harder! A vegetarian diet is not a fad diet that you will do for a period, but something you can follow and enjoy for your whole life.

But there are more reasons why a vegetarian diet makes sense.

Moral and Social Reasons: We all love our cats, dogs, and house pets. We regard them as beautiful creatures who are part of our family. Other animals, cows, sheep, pigs, chickens ducks, etc. are also beautiful creatures and they too want to live. If we can live our lives without killing them, then why should we?

Finally, our Mother earth is small and has limited resources. Feeding humanity with meat takes a big toll on the environment. It makes more sense for us to get nourishment from plant proteins rather than growing grains and then feeding it to animals. Every year millions of people die of hunger in the developing countries, while thousands die of avoidable diseases in the developed countries due to overeating the wrong kind of food. Surely, in the 21st Century, we can do better than this. The spread of the vegetarian diet may be the best way to correct this crazy imbalance.

So, think about it, and try out a vegetarian diet. It will help you to slim down, feel great physically and connect you with the other living beings on planet Earth.

Dada Vedaprajinananda is yoga teacher and writer. He is the author of “Yoga Weight Loss Secrets” , available at www.yogaweightlosssecrets.com and is the publisher of the Life Weight Loss Article Directory - www.lifeweightloss.com - where you can find articles and information about health, fitness and weight loss.

Sports Nutrition Made Simple

Following these simple nutrition guidelines will allow you to lose weight, and an abundance of energy throughout the day.

1) Hydrate with water throughout the day.

2) Avoid processed foods

3) Eat plenty of lean meats (fish, poultry, and lean beef)

4) Avoid Starches and Sugar (breads, grains, pasta, etc.) Never eat these alone.

Breakfast - Protein (1 egg with 2-3 egg whites, plenty of fruits and vegetables, water)
Lunch- lean meats and plenty of fruits and vegetables, water
Dinner - lean meats and plenty of fruits and vegetables, water

Eat every 3 hours and snack on fruits veggies.

Before practice or games - hydrate with water and snack on fruits.

Once you begin to practice or begin pre-game practice, start drinking a sports drink. You should be able to replenish your sugar (glycogen) stores with a sports drink.

If the athletes like the taste of sports drinks, they will likely drink more. Sports drinks also replace electrolytes lost with sweating.

At half time - fruits and sports drink

Right after practice and games - Fruit smoothie with some protein powder, fresh fruits.

So where are all the starches (pasta, breads, etc) that we think of as pre-game meals?

This is important:

What athletes need are carbohydrates that do not raise the blood sugar rapidly but also replenish the muscle glycogen stores. That comes from fruit and veggies.

If you have waffles and bagels for breakfast before the games here is what happens:

Those starches (high glycemic foods) are rapidly turned into sugar; the body senses the rise in blood sugar and releases insulin. The insulin grabs the sugar and stores it as fat. The brain and the muscles now do not have enough sugar to function as effectively. You now have low blood sugar. So you are dumber, slower, and fatter. Not the best way to start the game or practice.

The only time you want to eat the starches is during or after exercise to rapidly replace your sugar stores.

Avoiding the starches will also help with weight limits. Starches bind more water and therefore result in more weight.

Dr. Jeffrey Banas, is a Sports Chiropractor and Strength an Conditioning Specialist practicing in Gilbert, AZ. He can be contact at 480-633-6837 or by his web-site at http://www.sportstraining-weightloss.com

Dietary Guideline USA

October 29, 2008

Are you sick and tired of the confusion about our dietary guideline? Don’t do this, do that, no not this, lose weight this way and on and on. Too much fat, more of this and it goes on and on and on. Frankly, it’s enough to drive us all nuts. Turn off the TV, boot up the computer and take a real hard look at the new 2005 dietary guideline released recently.

Let’s face it… its not easy trying to manage our lives today with so much going on. Learning about food and diet is very time consuming but frankly it’s very necessary for the benefit of ourselves, family and our grandchildren.

It doesn’t take much to see we’ve got a real problem here. Seen many obese children lately? A total society where over 60% of the people are overweight? Come on give us a break here something’s gone astray and we’re not sure what to do about it.

It seems like every-time we turn our heads a new fad hits us right between the eyes.We struggle and shuffle with the hope that we’re on to something but to no avail. Boy do we learn from those expensive lessons.

Fortunately there is good news, simple easy, not expensive, and easy to understand. Finally, a report that makes sense and doesn’t cost you any money either. Things like fat, fiber, fruits, vegetables, calories, supplementation, and exercise all come together for you and your family.

Recently posted to the internet was the 2005 American version of the good things in our food life and what to do with it. A really simple way to get a grip on ourselves It’s called the dietary guideline and finally puts things to rest with a few simple steps.

Do yourself a favor by getting the new
health, energy and
vitality report.

Why People Get Sick

The body is a marvelous creation, a carbon, oxygen combustion machine, constantly burning fuel, disposing of the waste products of combustion, and constantly rebuilding tissue by replacing worn out, dead cells with new, fresh ones.

Every seven years virtually every cell in the body is replaced, some types of cells having a faster turnover rate than others, which means that over a seven year period several hundred pounds of dead cells must be digested (autolyzed) and eliminated.

All by itself this would be a lot of waste disposal for the body to handle. Added to that waste load are numerous mild poisons created during proper digestion. And added to that can be an enormous burden of waste products created as the body’s attempts to digest the indigestible, or those tasty items we all love - “junk food.” Add to that burden the ruinous effects of just plain overeating.

The waste products of digestion, of indigestion, of cellular breakdown and the general metabolism are all poisonous to one degree or another. Another word for this is toxic.

If these toxins were allowed to remain and accumulate in the body, it would poison itself and die in agony. So the body has a processing system to eliminate toxins. And when that system does break down the body does die in agony, as from liver or kidney failure.

The organs of detoxification remove things from the body’s system, but these two vital organs should not be confused with what hygienists call the secondary organs of elimination, such as the large intestine, lungs, bladder and the skin, because none of these other eliminatory organs are supposed to purify the body of toxins. That is the job of the liver and kidneys.

But when the body is faced with toxemia, the secondary organs of elimination are frequently pressed into this duty and the consequences are the symptoms we call illness.

The lungs are supposed to eliminate only carbon dioxide gas; not self-generated toxic substances.

The large intestine is supposed to pass only insoluble food solids (and some nasty stuff dumped into the small intestine by the liver).

Skin eliminates in the form of sweat (which contains mineral salts) to cool the body, but the skin is not supposed to move toxins outside the system.

But when toxins are flowed out through secondary organs of elimination these areas become inflamed, irritated, weakened. The results can be skin irritations, sinusitis or a whole host of other “itises” depending on the area involved, bacterial or viral infections, asthma.

When excess toxemia is deposited instead of eliminated, the results can be arthritis if toxins are stored in joints, rheumatism if in muscle tissues, cysts and benign tumors. And if toxins weaken the body’s immune response, cancer.

The liver and the kidneys, the two heroic organs of detoxification, are the most important ones; these jointly act as filters to purify the blood.

In an ideal world, the liver and kidneys would keep up with their job for 80 years or more before even beginning to tire. In this ideal world, the food would of course, be very nutritious and free of pesticide residues, the air and water would be pure, people would not denature their food and turn it into junk.

In this perfect world everyone would get moderate exercise into old age, and live virtually without stress. In this utopian vision, the average healthy productive life span would approach a century, entirely without using food supplements or vitamins. In this world, doctors would have next to no work other than repairing traumatic injuries, because everyone would be healthy. But this is not the way it is.

In our less-than-ideal world virtually everything we eat is denatured, processed, fried, salted, sweetened, preserved; thus more stress is placed on the liver and kidneys than nature designed them to handle. Except for a few highly fortunate individuals blessed with an incredible genetic endowment that permits them to live to age 99, most peoples’ liver and kidneys begin to break down prematurely. Thus doctoring has become a financially rewarding profession.

Most people overburden their organs of elimination by eating whatever they feel like eating whenever they feel like it.

Eating is a very habitual and unconscious activity; frequently we continue to eat as adults whatever our mother fed us as a child. It is therefore not surprising that when people develop the very same disease conditions as their parents, they wrongly assume the cause is genetic inheritance, when actually it was just because they were putting their feet under the same table as their parents.

Read More at:
http://www.XTherapist.com

Organic Eating - Why Bother?

October 27, 2008

Originally, all foods were “organic” - grown and prepared without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation to prevent spoilage, and microwave cooking.

Our food these days, whether of vegetable or animal origin, is not only deficient in
nutrients but also full of pollutants and farm chemicals. The modern denaturing of
foods through massive refining and chemical treatment deeply affects their
EnergyRich qualities, making them devoid of the exact boost that we should be
getting from our food.

Not only are they not giving us that KICK that we need, but many EnergyPoor
foods could actually be making us sick. As pesticides get lodged and increase in our
tissues, the immune system becomes weakened, allowing other carcinogens and
pathogens to affect our health. Yuck!

Top five reasons to shop and eat organic foods

1. Fresh organic produce contains on average 50% more vitamins, minerals,
enzymes and other micronutrients than intensively farmed produce.

2. If you eat dairy or meat products, eating organic has never been more essential to
safeguard your health. Intensively reared dairy cows and farm animals are fed
dangerous antibiotics, growth hormones, anti-parasite drugs and many other
medicines on a daily basis, whether they have an illness or not. These drugs are
passed directly onto the consumers of their dairy or meat, which contribute to
meat-related diseases like coronaries and high blood pressure.

3. Organic produce simply tastes better. Fruit and vegetables are much more full of
flavor. Experiment with an organic carrot and a conventionally grown carrot. Which
is sweeter?

4. Organic food is not really more expensive than intensively farmed foods, as we
pay for conventional foods through our taxes. We spend billions of dollars every
year cleaning up the mess that agrochemicals make in our natural water supply.

5. The few extra cents you pay for organic food may save you hundreds, if not
thousands of dollars in doctors’ bills.

To your health and success, Heather

EzineArticles Expert Author Heather Dominick

Heather Dominick is a Nutrition-Energy Consultant accredited by the American
Association of Drugless Practitioners and creator of The Energy Rich Lifestyle
Program. In addition to her nutrition services, she is a motivating and dynamic
speaker.

Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine? You absolutely can! But
here’s what you MUST include: Heather Dominick, Certified Nutrition-Energy
Consultant, is founder of the EnergyRich Lifestyle Program, the proven step-by-
step program to help you achieve your best health and fullest life. For a limited time
sign up for her freebie EnergyRICH Tips and receive a F*ee Report: Crucial Tips For
Grocery Shopping at http://www.individual-health.net

Online Sports Competitions Gaming - the Nitty-Gritty

October 24, 2008

Combine people’s uppermost quests and you are assured to unmask a trend that’s universally named a sportsbook betting site. Well: what could believably be more creative… If you imagine a cluster of fans clapping in support of a local team, and frequently wagers are geared up going with the uproar. Seeking to catch some of the exhilaration, onlookers normally venture to presage who will make it the running competition. All of this eventually evolves into a good-humored competition named sportsbook betting site.

Wow your friends: Learn to play bet create sports like the pros!

No doubt it might easily look neurotic, but, rather, sportsbook wagers is essentially just an amusing entertainment and to connect with one’s fellow sports addicts. Here, you’ll be able to bet a a slight sum of gravy and all the same enjoy an extraordinary time. Here’s a small number of hints to get you started sportsbook wagers.

To bet, you’ll surf to a sportsbook betting site, i.e. a setup that accepts sportsbook betting site. In the USA, there are no less than four states to do sportsbook wagers officially, but if you don’t care for legality, you may attempt it practically anywhere assuming you locate a bookie and you happen to be a legal adult. On the list of sporting contests you’ll have a choice of risking some money on are pro besides college basketball plus college football, professional baseball, professional hockey, besides betting on both dog and horse racing. You will have a choice of wagering on the whole result of a game, when exactly any given party will be defeated, and even whether a given coin toss in a game comes out heads or tails.

The sportsbook setup will bank on stats to aid you arrive at a conclusion which team you may suppose will make it. First, there’s the distribution, i.e. specific points advantage allocated to the disadvantaged team assumed to fail by X number points. Self-Evidently, this comprises the betting outfit’s modus operandi of making unbiased stakes possible for a sportsbook. To take an example, you could wager on a team assumed to fail and and all the same profit from the wager assuming the team does actually lose by X number of points.

There are, of course, a lot of different manners of wagers- straight bets, parlays i.e. combined lays on some sports competitions, and many more, the straight being the most common in sportsbook wagers.

So why don’t you simply have a stab at it, and entertain yourself simultaneously… Simply determine that you won’t get too enthused and waste your entire retirement pension on a bee… If you don’t you will be sure to end up regretting it till the end of your days…

What is a Healthy Eating Plan?

October 23, 2008

Healthy eating is important for everyone, from babies to the elderly. Learning to eat well is more than just eating a variety of foods so that your body gets the proper nutrients. It is also about enjoyment of foods and maintaining a healthy weight. Anyone can eat for good health. It involves 2 simple steps. First is to eat foods from all the different food groups. The second step is to eat a variety of foods from each group every day. Sounds simple. However so many people are not following a healthy eating plan. Busy lifestyles, availability of fast food, advertising and a lack of understanding of what healthy food is, all work against people trying for healthier eating. Unhealthy eating causes illness and weight problems. Type 2 diabetes is increasing dramatically and is directly linked to the increase in obesity. Heart disease and some cancers are also linked to obesity.

A study by the Medical Journal of Australia found that 56% of Australian adults are considered overweight or obese. This is a 61% increase in obesity since 1991 Un-treated obesity poses significant, even life-threatening health risks.

Everyone understands the importance of having car/home/ insurance. Have you considered the importance of nutritional insurance? This means eating the foods that will protect you against future disease, and understanding the benefits nutritional supplements can provide.

If you are currently not following a healthy plan you will be surprised that you are most likely not eating enough. You may need to increase the amount of food you consume.

Daily Food Suggestions

Fruit 2-3 serves, Vegetables 5-7 serves, Protein 3-6 serves, Whole grains 2-3 serves, Dairy 2-3 serves

Antioxidant Super Foods

Antioxidants help prevent cellular damage. Eat plenty of foods rich in antioxidants such as almonds, berries, citrus, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, and bell peppers.

1. Top your cereal with almonds or berries; add tomatoes to sandwiches, soups or stews; layer your whole grain bread sandwich with slices of peppers and fresh spinach.

2. Pack a snack bag of nuts, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and bell pepper slices for a nutritious pick-me-up between meals.

3. Protein snack bars carry easily for quick energy and a tasty treat.

Calcium

Calcium is the super nutrient that keeps bones and teeth strong. Now research shows that low-fat dairy also helps people lose weight! The best sources of calcium come from the cow.

1. Start your day with a protein rich breakfast. Add a bowl of whole grain cereal topped with skim milk and fresh fruit for a breakfast of champions.

2. Snack on low-fat yogurt or cheese between meals for an energizing treat.

3. Calcium-fortified juices and cereals are excellent alternatives to meet your three-a-day requirement.

Fibre

Fibre does wonderful things for the body, from lowering cholesterol levels, keeping you regular, and perhaps preventing certain cancers. Grandma called it roughage and we need plenty of it each day.

1. Read food labels to find whole grain breads and cereals that provide three or more grams of fibre per serving. A bowl full of bran or high-fibre cereal is a great start to meeting your daily needs.

2. Eat whole fruits and veggies for a healthy dose of fibre. Aim for five to nine servings a day. Juices don’t contain as much fibre as whole fruit.

3. Dried beans and lentils are loaded with fibre and protein, so add them to soups, stews, salads, eggs, and salsas.

Soy

Soy is a super nutrient and excellent source of protein. It can lower cholesterol, which can help prevent cardiovascular disease. 1. Tofu takes on the flavour of foods that it is cooked with. Try a stir-fry of colourful veggies and cubed tofu with a light Asian sauce for a quick meal. You can also find cereals at the store loaded with both soy and fibre. Serve with skim milk and you’ll get three super nutrients for breakfast.

2. Take a soy protein bar for a quick snack or lunch during the day. Soy nuts are another great portable snack option.

Water

Most of us don’t get enough of this precious stuff. As a result, we may look peaked and feel fatigued. Our bodies are composed of more fluid than anything else, so water is a vital nutrient for our well-being.

1. Fill up a 2 litre water bottle each morning and keep it with you for quick and refreshing drinks throughout the day.

2. Don’t rely on thirst; this sensation diminishes with age. Drink often and choose from nutritious liquids, including 100% fruit and vegetable juices, skim or low fat milk, broths, water, and herbal teas.

Never skip meals. It is important for your metabolism t eat 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks.

By following a healthy eating plan you will maintain your body in optimal fitness. You will decrease your risk of developing life style diseases. Your body will reward you by being in peak condition.

Cheryl Haining is a skin care, body shape and nutrition coach. She has her own successful business. Her mission statement is to ensure everyone reaches his or her optimum body shape, size and condition. Contact Cheryl at http://www.uloseweight.net or email her at cherhaining@yahoo.com.au
To learn how to create an income stream from home visit
http://www.keybusinesstips.info

Food

October 22, 2008


Food is essential for life and such the primary goal of eating and drinking is to enable the body function normally. With food, or the lack of it, the destinies of individuals are greatly influenced. We should “eat to live” and not live to a eat”

Nutrition is a matter of life-long eating habits; which become set with age. Dietary patterns also vary from one person to another according to the difference of cultural and geographic environment to another. To ensure a proper supply of the essential nutrients, we must combine food sources of these nutrients in the right amounts. This results in a healthy well-balanced diet.

Who can live without food? Food is very important because we can’t leave without it. It’s our daily source of energy and vitamins. Food makes us grow, makes us alive and energetic, gives us supplements that we need in our body and it also helps developing our body.

Food never fails to make everybody happy. It’s one of the best ways to forget how you feel, most especially when you are stressed, down and disappointed. Food can be anything that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue. “Eat well and live well”. That’s what they say. Let’s continue on eating foods, which are good for our health.

The Business Traveler’s Diet Problem: Staying Fit When on the Run

October 20, 2008

Despite the fact that accurate nutrition information can be accessed by almost anyone with an Internet connection or a library card, the 21st century has picked up where the last one left off: one dominated by poor eating habits.

The reason for this national dietary deficiency is not due to any single source or kind of nutrition misinformation. Nor can it be said that a lack of interest or effort on the part of health-conscious Americans is to blame. Actually, there are more health-conscious Americans than ever before. The problem of poor eating habits is not a strategic, idealistic, or tactical one it is a logistical dilemma.

Americans of all ages live such busy, fast-paced lifestyles, that eating nutritious meals is seen as something of a luxury to be enjoyed on special occasions or when one rarely has a few hours to prepare a complete meal. Seldom is this healthy eating challenge more pressing, however, than for the typical business traveler[i].

The second biggest source for unhealthy food in the life of a typical business traveler begins at the airport. The vast majority of these hubs of transit activity offer travelers a selection of fast foods or snack foods that are usually very high in carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, and loaded with calories.

Yet if the airport or station is the second biggest source of unhealthy eating, then what is the first? Without doubt, it is on the airplane itself.

In the past, the criticism levied against airline food was its sheer tastelessness and lack of variety. Yet as the overall awareness of nutrition - and lack of nutrition - in some food sources has grown over the past decade, a related distress has grown over the nutritionally flawed food that most business travelers are subjected to while en route.

Indeed, according to a study by the American weight-loss program organization Nutricise[ii], the average meal served by airlines in all service classes tops 1000 calories. This high number for a single meal is more than half the daily total number of calories for “average eaters”. Yet this problem goes beyond calorie counting. Almost 45% of the 1000+ calories in an airline meal come from fat which is a full 15% more than some experts recommend as the 30% optimum daily fat-from-calorie level[iii].

In response to this challenge, some airlines are offering more eating options for business travelers, including vegetarian and vegan meals that are typically (though not always) lower in saturated fat, calories, and sodium. However, a 2003 study[iv] by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) regrettably noted that of the 10 airlines surveyed, only 1 of the 10 was observed to provide easily available healthy eating choices. 3 of the 10 airlines offered some degree of healthy eating options, though planning ahead was necessary — something that is not always feasible for business travelers. The remaining 6 airlines surveyed were criticized for providing little or no effort at offering vegetarian (i.e. low-fat, low sodium, low calorie) in-flight eating options.

On top of this, business travelers are faced with yet another eating challenge that those not in the air are not forced to address. Whereas most people “on the ground” can physically leave a restaurant or deliberately choose to purchase food that conforms to a healthy eating regimen, those “in the air” are often forced to accept what they are given. Most business travelers are typically short of time and running from meetings to airports and back again. Therefore, the decision to eat the high-fat, high-calorie, high-sodium, and altogether unbalanced airline meal is often better than the alternative of not eating at all.

While some awareness is creeping into the world of business traveler nutrition, thanks in part to the work of the PCRM and others, this awareness is not spreading quickly enough. Business travel in the US comprises over 200 million person-trips per year[v] and this means that a lot unhealthy meals are awaiting a lot of business travelers who, quite frankly, need more nutritious food.

There have been some attempts to respond to this massive business traveler need, including a halfhearted effort by most airlines to revise menus. There have also been several “nutritional supplement” options, typically in fluid or bar form, that have proposed to help fill this business traveler nutritional gap.

Unfortunately, like the revised airline meal effort, the vast majority of these supplements fall short of providing a high-protein, low-calorie, low-carbohydrate nutrition that travelers need. Furthermore, the handful of products that have in some sense met these protein, calorie, and carbohydrate requirements are usually devoid of essential nutrients.

However, a small number of nutritionally wise products are generating positive feedback from business travelers, both for nutritional value content, and for traveler-friendly fluid containers that can take a great deal of airport bag handler abuse. Furthermore, since these products are liquid, they can be ingested easily without needing to be diluted, mixed, or taken with large amounts of water or other fluid.

Taken as either a supplement or a meal on its own, these intelligent and scientifically validated nutritional products - which offer a complete range of essential vitamins - help business travelers stay healthy in ways that fit into their busy, time-conscious lives.

About Protica

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at www.protica.com. You can also learn about Profect at www.profect.com.

References

[i] Source “Tips for Eating Healthy Away from Home”. BetterHeathUSA.
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/267.cfm

[ii] Source: “Healthy Eating on the Road”. Business Traveler Center Magazine.
http://www.businesstravelerusa.com/articles.php?articleID=291

[iii] Source: “Fat Lowering Tips”. Ask The Dietician.
http://www.dietitian.com/fatlower.html

[iv] Source “Doctors Rate Airline Food for Healthy Options”. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
http://www.pcrm.org/news/health031117.html

[v] Source: “Travel Statistics and Trends”. The Travel Industry Association of America.
http://www.tia.org/Travel/traveltrends.asp

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com