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Download and Print the following Health Booklets.
1) USADA Athletic Nutrition Booklet
2) Adult physical activity guidebook
Bad Effects of Carbonated Soft Drinks
Carbonated soft drinks are the single biggest source of calories in the American diet, providing about 7 percent of calories; adding in noncarbonated drinks brings the figure to 9 percent. Teenagers get 13 percent of their calories from carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks.
While many different categories make up the American beverage product picture, carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) paint the broadest strokes. As the “granddaddy of them all,” carbonated soft drinks (CSD)s occupy a unique place in the hearts, minds and palates of the American consumer.
Still and carbonated soft drinks will also contain trace elements of minerals from their main ingredient, water, and other ingredients e.g. juices. Some are also fortified with vitamins, details of which will appear on the label.
History of Carbonated Soft Drinks
Soft drinks have been an anchor in American culture since the beginning of the twentieth century, but the roots of these beverages extend much further back in time.
The first carbonated soft drinks, which were named as such in order to clearly differentiate them from hard, alcoholic beverages, and the technology to make them were imported from the Europeans, who had discovered how to force carbon dioxide gas into water back in the sixteenth century.
The original bubbly drinks were carbonated mineral waters mimicking those found in therapeutic natural springs and the first of these were patented in the United States in 1810. Less than a decade later, the soda fountain was patented as well. By the mid-1800s, American chemists and pharmacists were concocting sweetened, flavored carbonated beverages.
Soft drinks now can be found most anywhere in the world, but nowhere are they as ubiquitous as in the United States, where 450 different types are sold and more than 2.5 million vending machines dispense them around the clock, including in our schools. The American Beverage Association says that, in 2004, 28 percent of all beverages consumed in the U.S. were carbonated soft drinks.
Why are Carbonated Soft Drinks a Concern for Health?
Excessive use of carbonated beverages, sports drinks and fruit drinks can impact bone health, oral health and lead to obesity in young people. The typical 12-ounce can of non-diet pop provides approximately 150 calories, nine teaspoons of sugar, and no minerals or vitamins.
Sports drinks and fruit drinks have similar amounts of sugar and calories but often have
some vitamins and minerals.
Because many carbonated soft drinks are high in caffeine, they are also mildly addictive, leading to increased consumption. Girls ages 12 to 19 years consume an average of 59 mg of caffeine per day and boys consume an average of 86 mg of caffeine per day. One can of cola contains 40 to 45 mg of caffeine.
The high acid and sugar content of pop provide a rich environment for dental decay. The high calorie content of pop may add to the increasing rate of obesity in youth. Overweight adolescents are more likely to become overweight adults.
As carbonated soft drinks tend to contain high amounts of both sugars and acids, they’re the worst possible combination for dental health.
A new study on the risk factors associated with nighttime heartburn found drinking carbonated soft drinks and the use of benzodiazepines, a commonly-prescribed class of sleeping pill, are among the strongest predictors of that painful burning sensation.
School-age girls who drink a lot of carbonated soft drinks are increasing their risk of osteoporosis.
Carbonated Soft drinks and bones health
There has been a theory that the phosphoric acid contained in some soft drinks (colas) displaces calcium from the bones, lowering bone density of the skeleton and leading to conditions such as osteoporosis and very weak bones. However, calcium metabolism studies by leading calcium and bone expert Dr. Robert Heaney determined that the net effect of carbonated soft drinks, (including colas, which use phosphoric acid as the acidulant) on calcium retention was negligible. He concluded that it is likely that colas prominence in observational studies is due to their prominence in the marketplace, and that the real issue is that people who drink a lot of soft drinks also tend to have an overall diet that is low in calcium.
Reducing consumption of carbonated soft drinks, replacing benzodiazepines with other types of sleeping pills, and losing weight can all help reduce nighttime heartburn.
Winning Nutrition for Athletes
Whether it's playing Basketball, swimming or jogging, athletes need to eat a nutritious, balanced diet to fuel their body. Good nutrition, like any sporting event, has basic ground rules. Following these rules and getting plenty of practice will help athletes feel great and score those winning points!
What diet is best for athletes?
All athletes need a diet that provides enough energy in the form of carbohydrates and fats as well as essential protein, vitamins and minerals. This means a diet containing 55-60 percent of calories from carbohydrates (10 to 15 percent from sugars and the rest from starches), no more than 30 percent of calories from fat and the remaining (about 10-15 percent) from protein.
That translates into eating a variety of foods every day - grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, lean meats, and low fat dairy products. The base of the diet should come from carbohydrates in the form of starches and sugars. Fluids, especially water, are also important to the winning combination. Dehydration can stop even the finest athlete from playing his or her best game.
Are carbohydrates important for athletes?
When starches or sugars are eaten, the body changes them all to glucose, the only form of carbohydrate used directly by muscles for energy. Whether carbohydrates are in the form of starches (in vegetables and grains), sucrose (table sugar), fructose (found in fruits and juices) or
lactose (milk sugar), carbohydrates are digested and ultimately changed to glucose.
The body uses this glucose in the blood for energy. Most glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. During exercise glycogen is broken down in the muscles and provides energy. Usually there is enough glycogen in muscles to provide fuel for 90-120 minutes of exercise.
Most exercise and sport games do not use up glycogen stores so eating carbohydrates during the activity usually isn't needed. But for some athletes, eating or drinking carbohydrates during exercise helps maintain their blood glucose and energy levels. Most athletes need not be concerned with "carbohydrate loading," the special technique of eating a lot of carbohydrates for several days before an endurance event. Instead, focus on getting enough carbohydrates everyday. The best way to ensure plenty of energy for exercise is to eat a nutritious, balanced diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in fat with lots of different foods.
Do athletes need extra protein or protein supplements to build muscles?
No. Muscles develop from training and exercise. A certain amount of protein is needed to help build the muscles but a nutritious, balanced diet that includes two or three servings from the meat/bean/egg group (6-7 ounces total) and two to three servings of dairy daily will supply all of the protein that the muscles need.
Extra servings of protein in foods or protein supplements do not assist in muscle development. Unlike carbohydrates, protein cannot be stored in the body and any excess will be burned for energy or stored as body fat.
What should an athlete eat before, during and after exercise?
The most important thing is to concentrate on eating a nutritious, balanced diet every day. This provides plenty of energy to grow and exercise. Here are a few tips about eating before, during and after exercise.
Before
· Have some high carbohydrate foods like bananas, bagels or fruit juices. These foods are broken down quickly and provide glucose to the muscles.
· The timing of this meal depends on athletes' preference for eating before exercise, but researchers have found that eating something from 1 to 4 hours before exercise helps keep
plenty of blood glucose available for working muscles.
· It is also critical to drink plenty of cool water before exercise to keep muscles hydrated.
During
· Perspiration and exertion deplete the body of fluids necessary for an optimal performance and lead to dehydration. It is important to drink plenty of cool water, at least a half a cup of water every 20 minutes of exercise. Adding a teaspoon of sugar, a little fruit juice or a small amount of powdered drink mix flavors plain water and may encourage fluid intake.
· Usually there is no need to worry about replacing carbohydrates unless the exercise lasts over 90 minutes and is hard and continuous. When this happens, drinking a sports drink or other beverage with some sugar in it will fuel and water to the muscles being exercised.
· Make a homemade sports drink by mixing no more than 4 teaspoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and some flavoring (like a teaspoon of lemon juice) in 8 ounces of water.
After
If the exercise was strenuous and lasted a long time, glycogen stores may need refueling. Consuming foods and beverages high in carbohydrates right after exercise will replenish glycogen stores if they are low after exercising.
No matter the intensity of the exercise, it's important to drink plenty of water and eat a nutritious, balanced meal that has lots of carbohydrate rich foods such as grains, pastas, potatoes, vegetables and fruits. A teaspoon of sugar, at only 15 calories* per teaspoon, adds flavor to these foods and may increase taste appeal.
*Note: Like all carbohydrates, sugar has 4 calories per gram, and there are 4 grams to a teaspoon. The FDA's 1993 food labeling regulations require rounding to 15 calories on consumer packages.
What should an athlete drink before, during and after exercise?
These are General Guidelines for Fluid Needs During Exercise because while specific fluid recommendations aren't possible due to individual variability, most athletes can use the following guidelines as a starting point, and modify their fluid needs accordingly.
Hydration Before Exercise
•Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise
•Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise
Hydration During Exercise
•Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise
•If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 - 30 minutes.
Hydration After Exercise
•Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.
•Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.
•Consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein within the 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores.
Rest and Recovery After Exercise - Improve Sports Performance
After Exercise Rest!
Most athletes know that getting enough rest after exercise is essential to high-level performance, but many still over train and feel guilty when they take a day off. The body repairs and strengthens itself in the time between workouts, and continuous training can actually weaken the strongest athletes.
Rest days are critical to sports performance for a variety of reasons. Some are physiological and some are psychological. Rest is physically necessary so that the muscles can repair, rebuild and strengthen. For recreational athletes, building in rest days can help maintain a better balance between home, work and fitness goals.
In the worst-case scenario, too few rest and recovery days can lead to overtraining syndrome - a difficult condition to recover from.
What Happens During Recovery?
Building recovery time into any training program is important because this is the time that the body adapts to the stress of exercise and the real training effect takes place. Recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. Exercise or any other physical work causes changes in the body such as muscle tissue breakdown and the depletion of energy stores (muscle glycogen) as well as fluid loss.
Recovery time allows these stores to be replenished and allows tissue repair to occur. Without sufficient time to repair and replenish, the body will continue to breakdown from intensive exercise. Symptoms of overtraining often occur from a lack of recovery time. Signs of overtraining include a feeling of general malaise, staleness, depression, decreased sports performance and increased risk of injury, among others.
Short and Long-Term Recovery
Keep in mind that there are two categories of recovery. There is immediate (short-term) recovery from a particularly intense training session or event, and there is the long-term recovery that needs to be build into a year-round training schedule. Both are important for optimal sports performance.
Short-term recovery, sometimes called active recovery occurs in the hours immediately after intense exercise. Active recovery refers to engaging in low-intensity exercise after workouts during both the cool-down phase immediately after a hard effort or workout as well as during the days following the workout. Both types of active recovery are linked to performance benefits.
Another major focus of recovery immediately following exercise has to do with replenishing energy stores and fluids lost during exercise and optimizing protein synthesis (the process of increasing the protein content of muscle cells, preventing muscle breakdown and increasing muscle size) by eating the right foods in the post-exercise meal.
This is also the time for soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) repair and the removal of chemicals that build up as a result of cell activity during exercise.
Long-term recovery techniques refer to those that are built in to a seasonal training program. Most well-designed training schedules will include recovery days and or weeks that are built into an annual training schedule. This is also the reason athletes and coaches change their training program throughout the year, add crosstraining, modify workouts types, and make changes in intensity, time, distance and all the other training variables.
Adaptation to Exercise
The Principle of Adaptation states that when we undergo the stress of physical exercise, our body adapts and becomes more efficient. It’s just like learning any new skill; at first it’s difficult, but over time it becomes second-nature. Once you adapt to a given stress, you require additional stress to continue to make progress.
There are limits to how much stress the body can tolerate before it breaks down and risks injury. Doing too much work too quickly will result in injury or muscle damage, but doing too little, too slowly will not result in any improvement. This is why personal trainers set up specific training programs that increase time and intensity at a planned rate and allow rest days throughout the program.
Sleep Deprivation Can Hinder Sports Performance
In general, one or two nights of poor or little sleep won't have much impact on performance, but consistently getting inadequate sleep can result in subtle changes in hormone levels, particularly those related to stress, muscle recovery and mood. While no one completely understands the complexities of sleep, some research indicates that sleep deprivation can lead to increased levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), decreased activity of human growth hormone (which is active during tissue repair), and decreased glycogen synthesis.
by: www.fitness.gov & www.sportsmedicine.about.com
4 Healthiest drinks in the world
Our state of health mostly depends on how well we look after our bodies, and it’s very important our diet includes good, healthy fruit. We must also get plenty of exercise, and drink lots of liquids. By liquids, I don’t mean coke, lemonade or other drinks that contain a lot of sugar.
Here’s the list of the healthiest drinks in the world:
1. Water
The best and most healthy drink in the world is water. So safe drinking water is another essential. It is the most natural drink in the world yet normal tap water can contain up to 2100 contaminants and if you are consuming these you can be exposed to all means of nasties such as poisons, lead ingestion & even chlorine. So in order to get the full benefits of water you must drink it from a pure source. Pregnant women should drink pure water as impure water can lead to birth defects.
2. Tea
Tea is actually one of the three healthiest drinks in the world. In fact, it is the most commonly consumed beverage after water. The simple tea leaf has conquered the world and has become a beloved drink that billions of people enjoy. However, tea is not just an ordinary beverage. This delicately flavored drink offers numerous important health benefits. It’s therefore not sensible to stop drinking tea in favour of sweetened, artificially flavoured drinks.
The antioxidants that tea contains in abundance can help keep our immune systems healthy and fight infections; they have anti-aging properties, and can even help in the fight against cancer causing cells. The polyphenols in tea can reduce gastric, esophageal and skin cancers. Another health benefit of tea is that it has virtually no calories. Tea is a perfect beverage for people who are trying to reduce weight. It is also a preferred alternative to coffee as it has less caffeine. Tea also contains fluoride for strong teeth. Green tea also seems to help protect the body from autoimmune disorders. As one of the healthiest drinks in the world, green tea aids digestion, boosts the immune system, promotes weight loss, inhibits carcinogens, and lowers cholesterol and high blood pressure.
It’s clear that we should be drinking as much tea as we can. And with a sophisticated black kettle as a part of your stylish black and white kitchen, boiling up that brew can be as fun as it is healthy.
3. Grape Juice
Grape juice is a fruit juice obtained from crushing grapes, and considering all of its benefits it can be named as one of the healthiest drinks in the world. The juice is often fermented and made into wine, brandy, or vinegar.
A recent study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that grape juice was among the highest in antioxidants among the juices tested, including pomegranate juice. Red wine and certain types of grape juices have high levels of polyfenol which can stop the production of proteins causing cardiovascular illnesses. Drinking Concord grape juice can be good for the heart – much like red wine. And so, with the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer causing concern for some women, drinking 100 percent grape juice made from Concord grapes can help your heart and perhaps your breast health. Grape juice can also lower the risk of developing the blood clots that lead to heart attacks.
4. Superjuice
One of the healthiest drinks in the world – is a superjuice that contains 19 different nutrient-rich fruits, and the whole fruit: juice, pulp and skin, so you get all the goodness and antioxidants. The main ingredient is the acai berry from the Amazon rainforest, which has been dubbed The World’s Number One Super Food by Dr Nicholas Perricone. The other fruits include bilberry, goji (wolfberry), pomegranate, acerola, camucamu, red and white grapes, all selected so that the superjuice is packed with health-protecting phytonutrients right across the entire colour spectrum.
"Remember it’s important to drink much, but don’t forget about the clean drinking water."
