You Are What You Eat!
A better guide to living healthier!
Most people don’t know that more than 70% of the immune system is found in the digestive tract. “You literally are what you eat!” The more you stress your digestive system with foods and beverages your body doesn’t want, the more digestive symptoms you will have (gas, bloating, pain, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, etc.) and the weaker your immune system will become. The more suppressed your immune system is, the quicker you will get sick and for longer periods of time.
The four major food allergies in today’s society are wheat, corn, dairy and soy. These four food groups contain major allergies because they are not only found everywhere in almost every food, but they are also the most widely modified genetically and enhanced chemically.
Although we make no claims in this office, the consumption of certain foods has either led to or aided in certain health problems: gluten and/or wheat causing inflammation/bloating and other digestive problems, cow dairy playing a role in asthma and psoriasis of the skin, the consumption of soy causing an imbalance in women’s estrogen levels, processed sugars from sweets to sodas leading to weight gain and diabetes, coffee, espresso shots, lattes from your favorite franchised coffee houses creating and aiding in adrenal fatigue and lack of energy, etc… (In western society, a typical individual consumes, on average, 150 pounds of processed sugar every year!)
Some tidbits for you: grains in the form of brown rice, wild rice, quinoa and millet are healthier alternatives and are either gluten-free, or contain minute amounts of gluten which most people don’t react to. You can find these in their original form or pastas made from them. Cow dairy products should not be consumed. Healthier alternatives are rice, almond and goat milk, goat and sheep cheese and yogurt. We are the only species to drink another species’ milk! If you are going to consume any cow products, they should be of the “raw” persuasion (unpasteurized and not homogenized). The best soy to eat is fermented soy. It is natural and not genetically modified (non-GMO). Soy should still be consumed in small quantities since it still has an effect on estrogen levels.
Being vegan or vegetarian is not necessarily the healthiest way to eat. Although there are benefits to living and eating this lifestyle, many people, at least in western society, wind up missing many nutrients found in meat. There are some societies that can be completely vegetarian due to geographic location and their heredity of eating a specific way for generations.
Meats are considered acidic. One of the goals in this office is to educate you in regards to the body’s acidity and help you to maintain a balance. Although it is important to eat meat for health reasons, it’s also important to keep the body as least acidic as possible. The less acidic the body is, the less inflammation there will be and the less chance of cancer growing in the body. On the other hand, keeping the body slightly acidic will keep other micro organisms; bacteria, parasites, etc at bay. It is a fine line and balance!
If you are going to eat meat, our suggestion is to eat lean meats, organic, grass-fed and free-range. Good sources of meat proteins are eggs, chicken, buffalo, turkey, some grass-fed beef and fish (wild, not farm-raised) in the form of salmon and other fish low in mercury levels. This is not to say that you can’t and shouldn’t stay away from meat products and get protein from other food sources. We are just stating that eating meat once a day or several times a week can give you the nutrients and health benefits you need to live healthier.
Health is a reflection of how we choose to live…
Triathlon Training: Diet and Nutrition Tips for the Warrior Athlete!
Triathalon's Are Demanding on the Body... Is Yours Prepared?
Imagine you have an identical twin that is training for a triathlon with you. Everything about your training is the same but the difference between the two of you is that your dietary and nutritional habits are reckless and not based on sound health principles.
The benefits to eating a good and healthy diet when training for a triathlon are as follows…
- You will perform better in workouts
- Recover faster from workouts
- Gain fitness faster
- Develop a leaner body composition
- Be able to handle a heavier training load
- Get sick less often
- Suffer fewer injuries
- Kick butt in your race!
When it comes to daily eating habits, people should be eating 5 to 6 small meals a day. Every 2 to 3 hours, your meals should consist of anything from a handful of almonds and a power/protein bar, to a palm-sized portion of a grain, a vegetable and a protein. The benefits of eating this way…
- Will keep energy levels up and stable
- Will reduce cravings
- Will reduce the need to over-eat
- In turn, this will keep you leaner and your calories down
Everyone has heard about insulin. It has been linked to diabetes and people don’t know whether or not it is good or bad for you. What is Insulin?
- A hormone made by the pancreas
- Helps to bring sugar to the muscles for them to perform
- Helps to keep blood sugar in check
- Made as a result to the of carbohydrates and sugar being consumed
Too much carbohydrate and sugar consumption leads to an increase in the production of insulin. The body never knows how much insulin to make as a result, so it overproduces it to make sure there is enough. The amount of insulin made, will combat the sugars coming into your body, which will give you that energy spike. The left over amount of insulin not used, will make you crash shortly after.
A Healthy Diet Can Help Propel You to Success as a Triathlete
A Healthy Diet Can Help Propel You to Success as a Triathlete
Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates:
Simple…
- Digested quickly and enter the blood stream fast
- Increase blood glucose and insulin levels fast
- Consist of refined sugars and very few vitamins and minerals
Example:
- Certain fruits (Mangos, bananas, pineapple, pears, peaches, etc.) Apples and berries are lower on the glycemic index and better to consume.
- Fruit juices and sodas
- Refined/processed sugars (such as cakes/cookies/sweets)
- Alcohol (It turns into sugar)
Complex…
- Takes longer to digest and enter the blood stream
- Gives you sustained energy
- Usually packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals
- Better to consume
Example:
- Vegetables
- Breads, cereals and pasta (the grain variety is much healthier and easier to absorb, especially since many have sensitivities/allergies to wheat and gluten)
- Rice (Brown and wild)
- Legumes (beans)
The best protein to consume is lean and natural/organic. If talking about red meat, it should be lean as well as grass-fed. The benefits are…
- Helps to build and repair muscle tissue
- Used as a minor fuel source
- Should be about 15% of your daily calories
- .55 grams per pound of body weight
- Try to stay away from red meat (unless lean and grass-fed)
- Try to eat grass fed, organic , natural and wild whenever possible
Example:
- Lean meats (chicken, fish and turkey)
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Some beans and vegetables have protein in them as well
- Buffalo
- Venison
- Lamb
You should eat a balance and variety of foods throughout the day. Contrary to popular belief and opinion, one doesn’t need to consume massive quantities of protein to live a healthy life. We want to keep our bodies as less acidic as possible. This helps to keep our body’s environment from diseases invading it.
| Food Category: | Recommended Servings Per Day: |
| Vegetables | 4-5 |
| Fruits | 3-5 |
| Whole Grains | 6-8 |
| Legumes, beans, nuts, seeds | 4-5 |
| Lean meats/eggs | 1-2 |
| Fish | 3-6 per week |
Fish is a very good source of protein. It is lean and healthier for you in many aspects. You want to stay away from consuming fish that are high in mercury. Mercury is the most toxic, non-radiated element on the planet and can help cause many neurological and degenerative diseases.
Example of fish with high levels of mercury:
- Bottom dwellers (shrimp, lobster, crabs)
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Tuna
Examples of fish with moderate levels of mercury:
- Sea Bass
- Halibut
Examples of fish with low levels of mercury:
- Salmon
- Cod
- Tilapia
- Sardines
Hydration tips:
- Drink half you body weight in ounces (1 liter = 32 ounces = 4 cups/8 ounces each)
Example: 120 lb. person = 60 ounces of water/day = 7 cups/day
- For every 1% of body weight lost from fluid loss (you will lose 2% speed in the workout)
- Should be consuming 17-20 ounces/water during workouts (keeps core temperature down)
- When doing triathlons, it is important to keep not only hydrated, but cool (head and chest)
Example: Ice and splashing water
Nutrition tips:
Supplement with…
- Multi mineral
- Calcium and Magnesium (mainly a 2:1 ratio. 2 calcium to 1 magnesium)
(This helps to replenish minerals to the body and muscles) - Fish oils (reduces cramping and increases blood flow)
- Multi vitamins or functional powder (for faster recovery)
- Protein powder
Preparing for a race:
- You want to start with your dietary and nutritional changes a week ahead of race date.
- Eat early and often (the earlier you eat, the more calories your body will burn as fuel)
- Eat smaller meals and more frequently to increase energy and this will result in less fat storage.
Recovery:
- Nutrition is the foundation of the post-exercise recovery
- It replenishes the raw materials burned off during exercise
- Timing is essential! Your body is primed to sponge-up needed nutrients within the 1st hour or 2!
- The most important nutrients to take in after a race…
- Water and electrolytes for hydration
- Carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen stores
- Protein to repair and build muscle tissue
Thank you for taking the time to read through what I feel is important when working out at home or in the gym, or training for a specific sport. As a relatively new triathlete myself, I have studied, listened, learned and grown in the triathlon atmosphere and I am utilizing these tips and tools myself.
Whether you are a pro athlete, weekend warrior, just getting started into a sport or wanting to just remain healthy, these dietary and nutritional tips can help you along the way and help to increase your overall performance and health.
If you have any further questions or would like to make an appointment for consultation, please feel free to email me at doc@drfogelman.com or call me at 858-523-8281.
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