To salt or not to salt....that is the question!

High salt (sodium) diets have been linked to a number of health risks, such as hypertension. 

However, individuals who are avid exercisers that not only exercise at a high intensity but also in the heat may actually need salt in their diet.  Heavy sweating during exercise combined with heat exposure commonly produces fluid deficits corresponding to 1-8% loss in body mass. 

Two things can happen to athletes under such conditions of high heat and heavy sweating. 
    1) Hyponatremia (decreased sodium in the blood)
    2) Lack of proper hydration


HYPONATREMIA
Over the last 20 years, it was recommended for endurance athletes to consume as much fluid as possible before, during, and after exercise.  Unfortunately, these recommendations caused many athletes to become hyponatremic.  Hyponatremia is caused when individuals over-ingest water during exercise lasting more than 4 hours. It is not likely to be a major risk factor for the general population.  However, precaution should be taken for those individuals that are ultra-endurance athletes, people with occupational physically active jobs, and prolonged heat exposure while being physically active. 

LACK OF PROPER HYDRATION

The thought use to be that exercise leads to sodium losses and heat cramps.  Research, however, refuted this argument to find that the main nutrient lost during heavy sweating is WATER.  Sweating during high intensity athletic events may cause an individual to lose up to 3 liters per hour under hot and humid conditions. In knowing this, recent studies have shown that when water is consumed, the volume ingested needs to exceed the fluid deficit by approximately 150%. This means an individual needs to drink 4.5 liters of water per hour of exercise done needs to help compensate for sweat and uninary losses.  

When it comes to the consumption of Sports Drinks, its best to avoid when exercise lasts less than an hour and is not continuous exercise in a hot and humid environment.  Reason for this is that nobody needs the extra calories from the sugar put into these drinks.  Additionally, if an individual consumes a well balanced diet, the added electrolytes may not entirely help you but rather, you will dispose of the electrolytes through your urine.

However, inclusion of sodium and other electrolytes in the form of sports drink, may be consumed when an individual is doing continuous, high intense exercise for over an hour.  The purpose of Sports Drinks are to help rehydrate an individuals body quickly and help to improve performance and productivity.  This is accomplished through a well balanced mix of water, sugar (carbohydrates), and salts (electrolytes). 

To recap: Drink water first, and sports drinks second!  

References: 

Sodium-Salt-Needed for Ultra-Endurance Athletes

By Elizabeth Quinn

Role of Sodium in Fluid Homeostasis 

By: Rick L. Sharp

J Am Coll Nutr June 2006vol. 25 no. suppl 3 231S-239S

Inflamed about Inflammation?

Darn knife.  Cut me as I was trying to cut a tomato that slipped out from underneath me.

If you're anything like me you cut yourself often; sometimes without even know it.  Since I do not want to draw attention to myself, especially in public,  I tend to play it off as if nothing happened.  Next thing I know, my cut becomes red, warm, swollen, and painful.  These symptoms are associated with inflammation, the body's response to injury and infection.  Since I am healthy my body responds to inflammation well and my cut was healed within a few days.

However, have you ever had a cut or a bruise that lasted a lot longer than usual? If so, there could be a long list of reasons as to why the cut or bruise cant or wont heal.  One of those reasons could be due to something called Chronic Inflammation. 

What about the inflammation that we cant see?  How does our body respond and heal? 

When your body is in a constant state of inflammation its termed, Chronic Inflammation.  The cause of chronic inflammation varies from person to person, but includes:
    -Being overweight
    -Experiencing high levels of stress
    -Smoking
    -Lack of exercise
    -Lack of sleep
    -Sedentary lifestyle
    -Etc.

When the immune response is never "shut off" due to these causes, there is a constant production of immune cells that can lead to permanent damage such as:
    -Cancer
    -Heart Disease
    -Arthritis
    -Alzheimers
    -Etc.

Don't fret, however! Just because we have days where we are stressed to the max, don't sleep, or have the energy to exercise does not mean we are going to develop a chronic disease.  Rather, we have the ability to help protect our bodies to help heal quicker from some such incidences.

The foods we choose to eat -- or not to eat -- is the key! 

Consuming a fair share of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and omega-3 fatty acids have been suggested to have anti-inflammatory properties.  The association between food and inflammation is still being studied but here is a list of foods to avoid to keep inflammation and illness at bay.

INFLAMMATORY FOODS  
     1) Trans Fats
           -Can induce inflammation by damaging the cells in the lining of blood vessels.
     2) Sugar
           -Too much sugar can alter the body to send out extra immunity messengers, called cytokines.
     3) White Bread
           -White bread and pasta breaks down quickly into sugar, and it turn leads to inflammation.
           -Diets high in refined grains lead to a greater concentration of a certain inflammation marker in
             the blood.
    4) Red Meat
           - Animal fat has been linked to inflammation as saturated fat creates inflammation naturally
                through arachidonic acid.
    5) Alcohol
           - Alcohol naturally irritates our insides by allowing bacteria to pass easily through the intestinal
                lining.
    6) Omega-6 Fatty Acids
           - Greater amount of omega-6's to omega-3's can lead to inflammation.
    7) Milk
           - Low-fat dairy can guard against inflammation, however whole milk is still high in saturated fat
               and thereby can trigger an inflammatory reaction.
    8) MSG: Monosodium Glutamate 
           -Is a preservative & flavor enhancer that is still being researched for its inflammatory properties.
    9) Gluten
           - People who are not diagnosed with Celiac Disease report feeling better after eliminating
               Gluten from their diet.  Possible reasons for this is due to Gluten's ability to cause bloating
               which is an inflammatory response.
   10) Cooking Oils
           - Safflower, soy, sunflower, corn, and cottonseed oils may promote inflammation as they may
               be made with cheaper ingredients.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS
     1) Wild Alaskan Salmon
            -Contains omega-3's.  Try to consume oily fish twice weekly.
     2) Kelp
            -High in fiber that helps control liver and lunge cancer.
     3) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
            - This oil provides a healthy dose of fat that fights inflammation.
     4) Cruciferous Vegetables
            -Broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale and cauliflower are loaded with antioxidants.
     5) Blueberries
            -Not only reduce inflammation, but they can protect the brain from again and prevent diseases.
     6) Tumeric
            -Is a powerful Asian spice that contains a natural anti-inflammatory compound, cur cumin.
     7) Ginger
           -Helps reduce inflammation and control blood sugar.
     8) Garlic
           -May help reduce inflammation, regulate glucose and help your body fight infection.
     9) Green Tea
           -Contains anti-inflammatory flavonoids that may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
   10) Sweet Potato
          -Great source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, beta-carotene, manganese, and vitamin B6 and C.

Raw

Finding someone who is Vegan is no longer far and few between.  However, being vegan is more than just abstaining from the use of animal products by way of consumption and product use.  Some vegans also abstain from consuming eggs and dairy products as they come from animals.  Vegan diets tend to be high in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, and plant based sources of iron.  The diet tends to also be low in saturated fat, cholesterol, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc and B vitamins.  However, being vegan does not necessarily mean that your diet will be low in calories. 

Currently, one of my clients is a Raw Vegan. What that means is that the diet combines the concepts of being a vegan in addition to a raw foodism. By being a Raw Vegan, all foods and products of animal origin or foods that have been cooked at a temperature above 104 degrees fahrenheit are eliminated from the diet. Rather, foods are eaten fresh, dehydrated and with low heat or fermentation. The thought is that by heating foods it diminishes its nutrients, makes the food toxic and is therefore less digestible. 

Misconceptions about being Raw Vegan include:

1) Cooking Destroys Nutrients

Cooking food does not destroy nutrients but rather can help release nutrients that would otherwise be unavailable by being in the raw state.  For example, by cooking tomatoes it increases the absorption of the antioxidant lycopene by five-folds.  Similarly, when carrots are cooked the beta-carotene, Vitamin A, is more available for the body to absorb.  In addition, cooking vegetables can reduce certain chemicals in vegetables that inhibit the absorption of mineral such as zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium.  Admittedly, some nutrients are lost in cooking but this is minimal in comparison to how many nutrients are in fruits and vegetables.  

2) Cooking Destroys Enzymes

Yes, heat destroys enzymes.  However, humans make their own digestive enzymes to break food down into smaller and more digestible components.  Additionally, most plant enzymes in raw foods become destroyed due to the acid in the gut. Plants also have their own set of enzymes which causes enzymatic browning of fruit as shown below. 

3) Raw Foods are Detoxifying

Detoxing is an alternative medicine concept where the idea is that the liver and colon carry toxins.  In actuality, the colon is relatively low in toxins as is the liver.  One of the liver's jobs is to process chemicals where is breaks down toxins as they are passed through this organ. Therefore, a detox may not be doing what you think and/or want it to do. But instead, deplete nutrients in the body and enzymatic activity. 

4) Raw Veganisim is Healthy

From a clinical standpoint, the most dangerous part of being a raw vegan is having nutritional deficiencies, particularly vitamin B12, D, selenium, wind, iron and omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. To be a raw vegan it is recommended that supplements of these nutrients, through a multivitamin and an additional B complex, be taken on a regular basis.   Another consideration when being a raw vegan is tooth decay.  When consuming an extremely high volume of fruit, teeth can erode due to the acids and the sugar in the fruit.  

To recap: Nutritional Deficiencies are of a concern when following a Raw Vegan diet.  The nutrient to be most aware of is vitamin B12 as raw vegans can become deficient, which can lead to anemia and neurodegenerative diseases.  Therefore, if you decide to become or already are a raw vegan, make sure you do your research and fortify your diet with protein powders, nuts, nut butters (as B12 is naturally occurring in protein sources such as shellfish), a multivitamin and a vitamin B12 complex.