Eating For Health

Sports – so fun to have your kids play a sport.   Last week we noted that sports not only require skill but also fuel.   We noted how important it is to stay hydrated and how important carbs are to an athlete as carbs fuel the body.   What about maintaining weight?   Many teenagers lose weight when participating in sports as they not only need calories because they are growing, they need calories to fuel their sports activity.   A local basketball coach was alarmed when one of his players kept losing weight and lost 11 pounds over the basketball season.   And this was 11 pounds the teenager didn’t want to lose.   What are some ways an athlete can maintain their weight and muscle mass while playing sports?   What are some nutrition goals student athletes should focus on to “ eat better, play better ”? 1.        Maintaining Weight – Not surprising, maintaining weight involves calories.   Athletes, especiall...

Watching your carbs?   Who hasn’t heard people who say, “I am watching my carbs.”?   Well, you should “watch your carbs” to make sure you are getting whole grains in your diet every day.   Most Americans are getting enough grains in their diet, but not enough whole grains. The Whole Grains Council lists many benefits of eating whole grains. Reduce your risk for many diseases.   Eating whole grains can reduce your risk of: o    Stroke by 30-36% o    Type 2 diabetes by 21-30% o    Heart disease by 25-28%                 And, contrary to public opinion, whole grains can make maintaining your weight easier. The American Heart Association in articles in Circulation , noted replacing refined grains like white bread with whole grains like whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals lowered one’s risk of heart disease ( Replace refined grains with whol...

What fun to go hiking in the fall.    We just got back from hiking in the Shenandoah National Park.   Cooler weather, wonderful views, trees starting to turn colors and a great and fun way to exercise.    If you are hiking or going on a picnic this fall, bring some homemade trail mix.   If you make it yourself, or “make” it from bins in your local grocery store you can pick the options and the quality of the mix.   Sports Nutritionists and other recommend trail mix as a healthy way to refuel.   The fruit in trail mix offers many health benefits such as being good for your heart.   A 2016 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found those who ate one-half cup of fruit a day lowered their risk of heart disease.   And for those who forgo nuts because nuts are high in fat, a lot of research shows a handful of nuts a day can help you maintain, not gain weight.   Other studies show that eating nuts can help you lose weight.  ...

Many people make resolutions with great intentions, but then forget them soon after the new year has begun.   In the gym I am a member of, there is always an influx of people in January with their good intentions.   But fewer in February and by April, we are back to the usual customers.   One resolution many people make is to lose weight.   Already not a good resolution as the goal should be specific with a specific time frame.   A better resolution would be to lose 5 pounds by April 1.   A realistic goal and one many who are overweight could achieve.   Who would make a resolution of “I won’t gain any more weight this year.”    Never hear about that resolution.   But there is research to show that may be a good resolution to make. One group of researchers ( JAMA Internal Medicine ) had African American women focus on weight maintenance and wellness.   Their motto for this group was “maintain, don’t gain”.     Anoth...