Part 3: Optimal Nutrition For Exercise

An optimal diet supplies nutrients in adequate amounts for tissue maintenance, repair, and growth without excess energy intake. Dietary intake for active people must account for energy demands of the particular chosen sport and its training demands. The physically active person person must obtain sufficient energy and macronutrients to replenish liver and muscle glycogen, provide amino acid building blocks for tissue growth and repair, and maintain a desirable body weight. Lipid intake must also provide essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.

The large number of teenagers and adults, including competitive athletes, who exercise regularly to keep fit do not require additional nutrients beyond those obtained through the regular intake of a nutritionally well-balanced diet.

Part 2: Water: Output

Water loss from the body occurs in 4 ways:

1.Urine:

The kidney is obligated to rid metabolic byproducts such as urea, an end product of protein metab olism. Large quantity of protein used for energy accelerates dehydration during exercise.

2.Skin:

Each day a person under normal temperature lose 500 to 700 ml of sweat. During prolonged exercise an athlete can lose up to 12L of sweat in hot conditions (at the rate of 1L per hour).

3.Vapor:

Water loss via small droplets in exhaled air accounts for 200-300ml per day.

4.Faeces:

Water loss in faces is around 100-200ml daily.

Hyponatremia

There is need to drink before, during and after exercise. In many circumstances people are recommended to drink plain, hypotonic water. However, excessive fluid intake can produce hyponatremia or water intoxication. A sustained low plasma sodium concentration creates an osmotic imbalance across the blood-brain barrier that causes rapid water influx to the brain. This can result in confusion, malaise, headache, cramping, seizures etc.

To reduce overhydration and hyponatremia risk in prolonged exercise you can do the following:

1. Drink 400-600 ml of fluid 2 to 3 hours before exercise.
2. Drink 150 to 300 ml about 30 minutes before exercise.
3. Drink no more than 1L per hour of plain water spread over 15 minutes interval during or after exercise.
4. Add a small amount of sodium to the ingested liquid.

This information is more for endurance athletes.

Part 2: Water: Input

A sedentary adult needs about 2.5 L of water a day. This varies depending if the person is active or those living in hot and humid conditions.

Sources of water:

1. Foods - Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water.

2. Liquids - an average individual normally consumes 1200ml of water. Exercise and thermal stress increase the need for fluid by five to six times this amount.

3. Metabolic water - the breakdown of macronutrient (fat, carbohydrates, and protein) molecules in energy metabolism forms water and carbon dioxide.

Part 2: Water: Oxygen water

These days you can see athletes endorsing oxygenated water. National shuttler Lee Chong Wei is one of them. There is very little oxygen in water in the first place and even if it is seven or ten times the oxygen content of normal water as has been claimed, this is negligible. Humans breathe in oxygen via the lungs, not via the gastrointestinal tract, for we do not have gills like fish. Oxygen is unlikely to bind with water, and even if it did, how can it reach the cells if taken via the gastrointestinal tract. Why didn’t the person who invented the technology of binding oxygen to water win any scientific awards if there was such a technology? And if the oxygen is compressed into the bottle, surely it will dissipate when you open the cap.

Moreover, super-oxygen water usually costs three times the price of normal bottled water. We humans were not designed to absorb oxygen via the stomach. That’s basic science. Some things that Mother Nature created can’t be changed. If anything is free, it is oxygen. Just take a few deeper breaths and there you instantly have more oxygen in your blood than drinking a bottle of super-oxygenated water.

It is the red blood cells that deliver oxygen to the cells and organs. Oxygen deprivation to the cells is due to many reasons such as atherosclerosis or lead poisoning whereby the red blood cells cannot bind oxygen well.

So please don't buy the expensive water as it won't enhance your exercise performance.

Part 2: Water

Water makes up about 40-70% of the body mass, depending on age, gender and body composition. Body fat has a low water content (10% of weight), while 60% of the weight of muscle is water.

Water serves as the body's transport and reactive medium; diffusion of gases always takes place across surfaces moistened by water. Nutrients and gases travel through the water in urine and faeces.

Water in conjunction with various proteins, lubricates joints and cushions a variety of moving organs such as heart, lungs, intestines, and eyes. Because water is noncompressible, it gives structure and form to the body through the turgor it provides for body tissues.

Water has tremendous heat-stabilizing qualities because it can absorb a lot of heat with only small changes in temperature. This quality, combined with water's high heat of vaporization, maintains a relatively stable body temperature during (1) environmental heat stress (2) the increased heat load generated during exercise.

Part 2: Minerals and Exercise Performance

Consuming mineral supplements above recommended levels on a long or-short term basis does not benefit exercise performance or enhance training responsiveness.

Mineral Loss in Sweat

Excessive water and electrolyte loss impairs heat tolerance and exercise performance. It also leads to severe dysfunction culminating in heat cramps, heat exhaustion/stroke. During an event a male athlete may lose up to 5kg of water from sweating. This corresponds to 8g of salt depletion, because 1kg of sweat contains 1.5 g of salt.

Trace Mineral & Exercise

Strenuous exercise may increase excretion of chromium, copper, zinc and manganese.

There are many supplements athletes may take but for most athletes, trace mineral deficiency does not compromise exercise performance or overall health.

Battle Plan For Cardiovascular Disease

Dear All,

This is my latest published book. Finished it a year ago but only now did the publisher printed it. I have at least 4 other books I finished but not published.

Part 2: Minerals: Sodium, Potassium & Chlorine

Sodium, potassium and chlorine, collectively termed electrolytes, remain dissolved in the body fluids as electrically charged particles, or ions. Sodium and chlorine represent the chief minerals contained in the blood plasma and extracellular fluid.

Electrolytes modulate fluid exchange within the body's fluid compartments, promoting a constant well-regulated exchange of nutrients and waste products between the cell and its internal fluid environment. Potassium is the chief intracellular mineral.

Sodium and potassium ions establish the proper electrical gradient across cell membranes. the difference in electrical balance between the cell's interior and exterior surfaces facilitates nerve impulse transmission, stimulation and action of muscles, and proper gland functioning.

Electrolytes also maintain plasma membrane permeability and regulate the acid-base qualities of the bodily fluids, particularly the blood.

Part 2: Minerals: Iron (2)

Should athletes take an iron supplement?

Only if there is severe anemia due to severe training, but you have to be cautious as excessive iron can be toxic and damaging. Excessive iron accumulation can contribute to diabetes, liver disease and heart disease and joint damage.

The best is to use serum ferritin as a guideline Values below 20mcg/l for females and below 30mcg/l for males indicate depleted reserves.

Latest findings support current recommendations to use iron supplements for nonanaemic physically active women with low ferrtitin levels. Supplementation in these case exert little effect on haemoglobin concentration and red blood cells volume. Any improved exercise capacity most likely comes from increased muscle oxidative capacity, not increases in the blood's oxygen transport capacity.

Part 2: Minerals: Iron

Yesterday evening I did 50 laps (2.5km) of the Tropicana pool in 1 hour and I now feel like an iron-man ha!ha! Today, I will do the treadmill at 11am at True Fitness (my settings are o.5 inclination and 11 km/hr for 30 minutes flat- not bad for someone nearing 40 yrs, weighing 85 kg).

The body normally contains between 2.5 and 4.0 grams of trace mineral iron. Seventy to 80% exists in functionally active compounds, predominantly with haemoglobin red blood cells (85% of functional iron). It increases the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity 65 times.

Physically active individuals should include normal amounts of iron-rich foods in their diet. E

Exercise -Induced Anaemia: Fact or Fiction?

Interest in endurance sports, combined with increased participation of women in these activities, has focused research on the influence of intense training on the body's iron status. The term sports anaemia frequently describes reduced haemoglobin levels approaching clincial anaemia (12 g/dl women; 14 g/dl men). Some maintain that strenuous training creates an added demand for iron that often exceeds its intake. This taxes iron reserves and eventually leads to depressed haemoglobin synthesis and/or reduction in iron-containing compounds within the cells's energy transfer system. Individuals susceptible to an "iron-drain" could experience reduced exercise capacity because of iron's crucial role in oxygen transport and use.

Intense physical training theoretically creates an augmented iron demand from three sources:

1. Small loss of iron in sweat
2. Loss of haemoglobin in urine from red blood cells destruction with increased temperature, spleen activity, and circulation rates and from jaring of the kidneys and mechanical trauma from feet pounding the running surface.
3. Gastrointestinal bleeding with distance running that is unrelated to age, gender, or performance time.

However, there is no evidence to indicate that these factors stain an athlete's iron reserves and precipitate clinical anaemia if iron intake remains at recommended levels.

To be continued tomorrow

Part 2: Minerals: Magnesium

Only about 1% of the body's 20 to 30 grams of magnesium is found in the blood, with the rest inside cells of body tissues and organs. About 400 enzymes that regulate metabolic processes contain magnesium.

Conflicting data exists concerning the possible effects of magnesium supplements on exercise performance. All in all, there is no solid data to recommend magnesium supplements to athletes.

Part 2: Minerals: Phosphorous

Phosphorous combines with calcuim to form hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphate - compounds to give rigidity to bones and teeth.

Phosphorous also serves as an essential component of intracellular cAMP and the intramuscualr high-energy ATP (the cell's unit of energy). Phosphorous also combines with lipids to form the lipid bilayer of cells.

Phosphorous also buffers acid end products of energy metabolism, hence some coaches recommend consuming "phosphate drinks" to reduce the acid effects of intense exercise and enhance oxygen release from red blood cells.

Part 2: Minerals: Calcium

Calcium, the body's most abundant mineral, combines with phosphorous to form bones and teeth. These 2 minerals represent about 75% of the body's total mineral content, or about 2.5% of body mass.

In its ionized form (about 1% of 1200mg of endogenous calcium), calcium functions in muscle stimulation, blood clotting, transmission of nerve impulses, activation of enzymes, synthesis of calcitriol and transport fluid across membranes. It also may contribute to easing premenstrual syndrome, preventing colon cancer and optimizing blood pressure regulation.

There is much information on the role of calcium supplements etc but we will deal with how exercise is related to bone health.

Exercise Provides Benefits

Mechanical loading through dynamic exercise slows the rate of skeletal aging. Regardless of age or gender, children or adults who maintain an active lifestyle have significantly greater bone mass than sedentary counterparts.

Benefits of regular exercise on bone mass accretion are greatest during childhood and adolescence. These benefits often accrue to the seventh and eight decades of life. The decline in vigorous exercise with a sedentary lifestyle with aging closely parallels the age-related bone mass loss.

The osteogenic effect of exercise and everyday amounts of physical activity becomes particularly effective during the growth periods of childhood and alolescence and may reduce fracture risk later in life.

Part 2: Minerals: Bioavailability

The body varies in its capacity to absorb and use the minerals in food. For example, spinach contains considerable calcium, but only about 5% of it becomes absorbed. The same holds true for dietary iron, which the intestines absorbs with an average efficiency of 5 to 10%. Factors that affect the bioavailability of minreals in food include:

Type of food: The small intestine readily absorbs minerals contained in animal products because they do not contain plant binders and dietary fibers that hinder digestion and absorption.

Mineral-mineral interaction: Many minerals have the same molecular weight and hence competes for intestinal absorption. This makes it unwise to consume an excess of any one mineral.

Vitamin-mineral interaction: Various vitamins interact with minerals in a manner that affects mineral bioavailability. From a positive perspective, vitamin D facilitates calcium absorption, while vitamin C improves intestinal absorption of iron.

Fiber-mineral interaction: High fiber intake blunts the absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphate by binding them and causing them to pass unabsorbed throught the digestive tract.

Part 2: Minerals: Role

Whereas vitamins catalyze chemical processes without becoming part of the reaction's byproducts, some minerals become part of the body's structures and existing chemicals.

Minerals serve 3 broad roles in the body:

1). Minerals provide structure in forming bones and teeth.
2).Function - maintain heart rhythm/muscle contractility/acid-base balance.
3).Minerals regulate cellular metabolism by becoming consituents of enzymes and hormones that modulate cellular activity.

Part 2: Minerals

Approx 4% of the body's mass consists 0f 22 mostly metallic elements collectively called minerals. Minerals serve as constituents of enzymes, hormones, and vitamins they combine with other chemicals (e.g calcium phosphate in bone, irno in heme of hemoglobin) or exists singularly (e.g free calcium and sodium in body fluids).

The minerals essential to life seven major minerals (required in amounts >100mg daily) and 14 minor trace minerals (need less than 100mg daily).

Most minerals occur freely in nature - mainly in waters of rivers, lakes, and oceans.; in topsoil; and beneath the earth's surface. Minerals exist in the root system of plants and the body structure of animals that consume plants and water containing minerals.

Part 2: Vitamins supplements - the competitive edge?

More then 50% of competitive athletes take some form of supplements on a regular basis, either to ensure adequate micronutrient intake or to achieve an excess with the hope of enhancing performance and training responsiveness.

When vitamin-mineral deficiencies appear in active people, they often occur among;

1) vegetarians or groups with low energy intake (dancers, gymnasts, weight-class athletes who strive to maintain or reduce body weight)

2) those that eliminate one or more food groups diet, or

3) individuals who consume large amounts of processed foods and simple sugars with low miconutrient density (e.g.endurance athletes)

For the above individuals, a multivitamin-mineral supplement at recommended doses can upgrade the micronutrient density of their diet.

However, more than 50 years of research does not support the wisdom of using vitamin (and minerals) supplements to improve exercise performance, the hormonal and metabolic responses to exercise, or ability to train arduosly in healthy persons with nutritionally adequate diets.

MEGAVITAMINS

Some athletes take megadoses of vitamins or at least 10 times and up to a 1000 times the RDA, hoping to improve performances. Such practice is harmful as excess vitamins behave as chemicals.

Part 2: Vitamins - Exercise, Free radicals & Antioxidants

The benefits of exercise are well known, but he possibility for negative effects remains controversial. Potentially negative effects occur because elevated aerobic exercise metabolism increase free radicals could possibly overwhelm the body's natural defenses and pose a health risk of oxidative stress.

Free radicals also play a role in muscle injury and soreness from eccentric muscles actions and unaccustomed exercise.

But while free radical are released with exercise, the body's antioxidant defense are also increased. These muscle enzymes and antioxidant system "upregulate" with training adaptations. This thus deals with oxidative stress in exercise and is believed to have benefits for various cancer and heart diseases.

Important questions?

1) are physically active individuals more prone to free-radical damage,

Research shows that the natural antioxidant system in well-nourished people responds adequately to increased physical activity.

and 2) are protective agents with antioxidant defenses in well-nourished people respond adequately to increased physical activity.

Some studies show that taking antioxidant supplements may reduce free radical formation, or augment the natural body defense system. There are some evidence that vitamin E may reduce markers of oxidative stress with extreme exercise. But the evidence is equivocal.

Part 2: Vitamins - Needs

Why do people take supplements? In Malaysia, the alternative medicine and supplement industry is estimated to be six times the size in monetary terms compared to the pharmaceutical ethical (medicine) market. Across the world the ratio ranges from two to twelve times the size of the ethical market. It is big business.

I am not here to support or decry the food supplement industry, neither is this book written to promote any particular type of product. I know that this section will be controversial, but let’s all throw away any commercial interests we might harbour, and just look at the facts. What I will do in this section is to:

a. Highlight various supplements
b. The marketing claims being made
c. Consider the validity of these claims valid and the opinion of health experts

Firstly, what are some of the reasons health food companies claim that we must take supplements?

a. Loss of vitamins and minerals in our modern food processing
b. Nutritional deficiencies in our diet despite taking adequate calories
c. Stresses of modern living and the need for higher levels of these nutrients than our diets can supply
d. Depletion of vital nutrients such as B-vitamins, vitamin C and antioxidants due to urban factors such as smoking, alcohol and pollution

ODA VS RDA

The wellness industry has mushroomed worldwide over the last three to five years, and Malaysia is no exception. Its advocates propose that the traditional “health care model” is sickness and disease driven. The wellness industry seeks to promote health rather than treat diseases when they strike. It is like looking at the health of a person as being half full (health promoting elements) than being half empty (sickness). Therefore, the focus is on what can promote optimal health and how to fill the glass.

So which nutrients and vitamins do you need and in what amounts? Opinions vary. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) have been accepted as the standard since the 1940’s. Some researchers are now proposing that the RDAs falls short of what it needs to adequately nourish the body to promote optimal health. The RDA’s were used as the bottomline measure to get by in life and to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

On the other hand, the wellness movement has replaced the RDA’s with Optimum Dietary Allowances, or ODA’s. It is argued that optimal health requires nutrient intakes beyond what the RDA’s advocate and what diet alone can supply. ODA’s are about getting ahead in health, not just getting by (RDA’s).

For instance, the RDA of vitamin E is 30 IU (what you would get from eating 3 balanced meals a day). The ODA for vitamin E is 400-1,600 IU, which means you have to eat 10 meals a day, which is obviously undesirable. Alternatively, to get 400 IU of vitamin E you have to eat 1.5 pounds of sunflower seeds or drink 8 gallons of soymilk daily.

Part 2: Vitamins - Role of Vitamins

I won't go on a long listing of vitamins and its role, but in short, vitamins contain no useful energy for the body; instead they serve as essential link and regulators in metabolic reactions that release energy from food.

Vitamins also control tissue synthesis and protect the integrity of cell's plasma membrane.The water soluble vitamins play an active role in energy metabolism.

Talk in SS2

Part 2: Vitamins - Nature of Vitamins

People are pushing all sorts of vitamins out in the market. The truth is that over the course of a year,the body requires only about 350gram of vitamins from the 862kg of food consumed in well-balanced meals by the average adult.

With proper nutrition from a variety of food sources, the physically active person or competitive athlete need not consume vitamins and supplements. That is a big "if" they consume a proper nutrition.

Some foods are rich in vitamins eg greeny leafy vegetables and roots of plants produce vitamins during photosynthesis. Animals from my knowledge don't produce them (except vitamin D), but get them from consuming plants, grains and fruits or eating another animal.

KINDS OF VITAMINS

13 types of vitamins have been isolated, identified and given RDAs.

Fat-soluble:-A,D,E,K
Fat soluble vitamins dissolve and remain in the body's fatty tissues, obviating the need to ingst them daily. They should not be consumed in excess without medical supervision.

Water-soluble:-C, B-complex
Act largely as coenzymes. They disperse in the bodily fluids.

Part 1: Proteins - The Role In Exercise

Current understanding of protein dynamics in exercise comes from study that determines protein breakdown through urea excretion.

As exercise progresses, the concentration of blood urea also increase coupled with increase in nitrogen excretion (from protein breakdown) in sweat.

With low carbohydrate (depleted state) intake the amount of nitrogen excreted in sweat is much higher compared to an with high carbohydrate loaded state. Thus carbohydrate is an important protein sparer in exercise as if there is inadequate carbohydrate, the body will breakdown the protein into glucose.

Athletes in protracted and intense training should conserve adequate carbohydrate to conserve muscle protein.

The RDA for protein intake in adults is 0.83g per kg of body mass.

A continuing area of controversy concerns whether the initial increased protein demand when training commences creates a true long-term increase in protein requirement above RDA. A definitive answer is elusive, but protein breakdown above resting levels does occur during intense weights and cardio training to a greater degree than previously thought.It may be only slighly more than sedentary people.

It is recommend that people who train intensely consume between 1.2 and 1.8g of protein per kg of body weight daily. For most there is no need for protein supplements.

Part 1: Proteins - The Vegetarian Approach

True vegetarians, or vegans, consume nutrients from only 2 source - the plant kingdom and dietary supplements. Eating a variety of grains, fruits and vegetables supplies all of the essential amino acids. For example, a vegan diet contains all the essential amino acids if the RDA for protein contains 60% of protein from grain products, 35% from legumes, and 5% from leafy vegetables. A 70kg man will satisfy the essential amino acids requirement by consuming about 56gm of protein from approx. 1 1/4 cup of beans, 1/4 cup of seeds or nuts, 4 slices of wholegrain bread, 2 cups of leafy veggies and 2 1/2 cups of grains (brown rice, cracked wheat, oats).

A lactovegetarian diet provides milk and related products such as icecream, cheese, & yoghurt. This approach minimises the problem of consuming insuffucient high quality protein, and increases the intake of calcium, phosphorous and vitamin B12. Adding an egg ot the diet (ovolactovegatarian) ensures intake of high quality protein.

Part 1: Proteins - Sources

Sources of complete protein include eggs, milk, meat, fish, and poultry. High quality protein sources in nutritional supplements include whey, colostrum, casein, and milk and egg proteins.

Egg provide the optimal mixture of essential amino acids among food sources; hence egg receives the highest quality rating (100) for comparison with other foods.

Animal protein provide almost two thirds of dietary protein in the diet in a modern society; 80 years ago plant and animal sources contribute equally to protein consumption. Reliance on animal sources for dietary protein accounts for the relatively high cholesterol and saturated fatty acid intake in the major industrialized nations.

The biological value of a food refers to how well it supplies essential amino acids. High quality protein foods come from animal sources; vegetables remain incomplete in one or more essential amino acids.

Biological Value (Rating)
Eggs 100
Fish 70
Lean beef 69
Cow's milk 60
Brown rice 57
White rice 56
Soybeans 47
Peanuts 43
Potatoes 34

Part 1: Proteins - Kind of proteins

The body cannot synthesize eight amino acids so one must consume foods containing them. These make up the essential amino acids – isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. The body manufactures the remaining nonessential amino acids.

Animals and plants manufacture proteins that contain essential amino acids. An amino acid derived from an animal has no health or physiological advantage over the same amino acid from vegetable source. Plants synthesize amino acids by incorporating nitrogen from the soil (along with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from the air and water). In contrast animals have no broad capability to synthesize amino acids; instead, they consume most of their protein. Just look at the elephant and gorilla who are vegetarians - they are strong and muscular.

Synthesizing a specific protein requires the availability of appropriate amino acids. Complete proteins, or higher quality proteins, come from foods containing all these essential amino acids in the quantity and correct ratio to maintain nitrogen balance and to allow tissue growth and repair. An incomplete protein, or lower quality protein, lacks one or more essential amino acids. A diet of incomplete protein eventually leads to malnutrition, whether or not the food source contains an adequate amount of energy or protein.

Part 1: Proteins - The Nature of Proteins

An average adult contains about 10 – 12 kg of proteins, with 60-70% of it located within the skeletal muscles.

Typically we get 10-15% of our calories each day from proteins. During digestion proteins are broken down into amino acids constituents for absorption.

Proteins are made of peptides of amino acids. Two amino acid joined produce a dipeptide. Combination of 50 or more amino acids form a protein. In total, roughly 50,000 different protein-containing compounds exist in the body.

TO THOSE WHO BUY COLOSTRUM
A newborn baby has no antibodies - but within a few days on breast milk, the baby suddenly has a fully functioning immune system! A miracle.

Antibodies ingested through the mouth
Antibodies are proteins of more than 1,000 amino acids and the new baby could not possibly get them through the mother's milk which went into the baby's body through the mouth and stomach. The antibodies are digested into amino acids and can never be absorbed into the blood as a complete ANTIBODY. The intestines can only absorb peptides of 15-30 amino acids long.

The IgG antibody in the colostrums milk is too big to be absorbed. It is digested into amino acids before absorption. Colostrum is a good source of protein, calcium and minerals. The only useful antibody is the IgA a mucosal antibody to protect the mucosal lining of the intestinal tract and it is never absorbed as it is TOO BIG!

The basic unit of each antibody is monomer. An antibody can be monomeric, dimeric, trimeric, tetrameric, pentameric etc. The monomer is a "Y"-shaped molecule that consists of two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains connected by disulfide bonds.

There are five types of heavy chain: γ, δ, α, μ and ε. They define classes of immunoglobulins. Heavy chains α and γ have approximately 450 amino acids, while μ and ε have approximately 550 amino acids.

There are only two types of light chain: λ and κ. In humans they are similar, but only one type is present in each antibody. Each light chain has two successive domains: one constant and one variable domain. The approximate length of a light chain is from 211 to 217 amino acids.

Part 1: Lipids - Exercise training & Fat Use

Fat contributes 50 to 70% of the energy requirements during light and moderate exercise. Stored fat (intramuscular and those in the adipose fat cells) plays an increasingly important role with prolonged exercise. Fatty acid molecules (mainly circulating FFAs) provide more than 80% of the exercise energy requirements.

Carbohydrate depletion reduces exercise intensity to a level determined by the body’s ability to mobilize and oxidize fatty acids.

Aerobic training increases long-chain fatty acids oxidation (combustion), mainly fatty acids from triglycerides from within active muscle during mild-to-moderate intensity exercise.

Enhanced fat oxidation with training spares glycogen (the more powerful fuel); this allows trained individuals to exercise at a higher level of submaximal exercise before experiencing fatigue effects of glycogen depletion.

Part 1: Lipids - Role of Lipid in the Body

1). Energy Source and Reserve

Fat is a ideal fuel for cells coz:
a).carries a large quantity of energy per unit weight.
b).transport and stores easily.
c).a ready source of energy. Provides 80% of energy at rest.

2).Protection of Vital Organs and Thermal Insulation

Up to 4% of body fat protects against trauma to vital organs
(heart, liver, spinal cord, spleen etc).

The fat beneath the skin provides insulation, providing protection against extremes of cold. Excess fat hinders body temperature regulation during heat stress during sustained exercise when heat generation could be 20x usual, as it hinders heat dissipation.

3.Vitamin Carrier & Hunger Depressor
Consuming 20g of dietary fat daily is enough to transport and store fat -soluble vitamins A,D, E & K.

Part 1: Lipids - Kind and sources (3)

3.Derived Lipids

Simple & Compound lipids form derived lipids.

Cholesterol the most common derived lipid, exist only in animal tissue. It is from eaten source (exogenous) or through liver synthesis (endogenous). More endogenous cholesterol forms with a diet high in saturated fatty and trans-fatty acids. Endogenous synthesis usually meets the body's needs.

Functions of cholesterol

• Building plasma membranes
• precursor in synthesizing vitamin D, adrenal gland and sex hormones

Part 1: Lipids - Kind and sources (2)

2.Compound Lipids.

Are triglycerides components combined wit other molecules are about 10% of body's total fat.

a).Phospholipids - water soluble end and a fat soluble end (thus found in cell membranes to modulate fluid movement across cell membrane); found in nerve sheath; important role in blood clotting

b). Glycolipids - fatty acids bound with carbohydrate.

c). Lipoproteins - protein capsules used for carrying lipids in the blood.
i).Chylomicron - emulsify fats and carry fats from the intestine into the lymphatics. Transport fat-soluble vitamins like A,D,E & K. Able to absorb larger molecules than normal absortion route.
ii). HDL (good cholesterol)
iii).LDL (bad cholesterol)

Part 1: Lipids - Kind and sources (1)

Lipids is the general term for a group of compounds, includes oils, fats, waxes, and related compounds. Oils become liquid at room temperature, whereas fats remain solids.
We can classify lipids to 3 main groups. 1) Simple Lipids 2) Compound Lipids 3) Derived Lipids

1).Simple Lipids Consist primarily of triglycerides. It is the major storage form of fat in the fat cells that resides in the adipose depots under the skin. Consist of a glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acids:
Chemically when the carbon is maximally bonded with hydrogen.
Primarily in animal products such as beef (52% saturated fatty acids), lamb, pork, chicken, egg yolk and dairy fats of cream, milk, butter (62% saturated fatty acids), and cheese.

Unsaturated fatty acids: Chemically the carbon atoms have double bonds.

Part 1: Carbohydrate Dynamics - Moderate/prolonged exercsie

Glycogen stored in active muscles supplies almost all of the energy from resting to moderate exercise. In the first 20 minutes, liver and muscle glycogen supply between 40-50% of the energy requirement, with the remainder provided by fat burning and a little protein.

With time the muscle glycogen depletes and the blood glucose is increasingly utilized. Fat catabolism is also increasingly becomes a major energy supplier. Fatigue occurs when liver and muscle glycogen are depleted. This occurs despite enough oxygen supply and abundant energy from stored fat. The athlete may feel that he has “hit the wall”.

Fat contributes about 50% of the energy requirements during light and moderate exercise. Stored intramuscular fat and fat from fat cells becomes important during prolonged exercise. In this situation, the free fatty acids supply more than 80% of the exercise energy requirements.

A carbohydrate-deficient diet quickly depletes muscle and liver glycogen. This affects both all-out exercise capacity and the capacity to sustain high-intensity endurance exercise.

Individuals who train intensely should consume between 60 and 70% of their calories as carbohydrate predominately in unrefined form (8-10g per kg of body mass).

For the ordinary person just eat a normal balanced diet. To lose weight here are some tips:

To burn fat and lose weight, aerobic exercise is advocated. However, it must be of moderate intensity. When you exercise too hard or become breathless while exercising, the energy, which feeds your movement, is drawn from glycogen in your liver and muscles, not your fat stores.

You do not start to burn fat as soon as you begin your work out. Getting your body to burn fat instead of glycogen depends on complex hormonal responses (adrenal hormones and insulin) to trigger your fat cells to release triglycerides into the blood. The first 20 minutes of exercise the body burns sugar from the glycogen stores. The next 10 minutes it is a mixture of sugar and fats. Only after 30 minutes does the body burns proportionately more fat (50 percent from fat). The key about fat burning is to exercise not hard but long.

Studies in exercise physiology show that the minimal aerobic threshold to shed fat demands continuous movements of at least 30 minutes duration carried out at least 3 times a week. It has to be continuous and should you stop and restart workout after 20 minutes of exercise, the hormonal shift has reverted to burning sugar again. For beginners, you may find that your muscles may not sustain exercise for 30 minutes. It is okay as it may take several weeks to build up your muscular strength first.

SLOW DOWN.

Many so-called instructors advocate a training heart rate of 60-70 percent of the maximal heart rate (220 minus your age). However, at that kind of rate the unfit majority will reach their anaerobic threshold, and the body will burn mostly protein and sugar. That is why you see so many overweight women in aerobic classes and overweight men jogging in the park, panting like mad.

In fact, the optimal intensity of exercise for fat burning is far lower at 45-55 percent of your maximal heart rate. A daily walk of at least 30 minutes will burn far more fat than killing yourself at the gym.

Body fat is interesting stuff. It is very caloric dense. This means that it needs a lot of oxygen to be metabolized – broken down – so that it can be put into the bloodstream and used as energy. If your workout is too intense, the body will not be supplied with enough oxygen and switch to other tissue for energy. In effect it will stop burning your stored fat and increase its burning of protein and glucose, for these tissues require less oxygen to burn. Exercise too vigorously, say running or sprinting, and your body never gets enough oxygen to burn fat efficiently. For, as the intensity of your exercise increases, the amount of oxygen available decreases. When this happens, your body has to look for more and more sugar and protein to maintain the effort.

Build-up gradually

Initially you can start by walking 15 minutes, 3 times a week, and then build up to 45 minutes more intense brisk-walking at least 3 times a week, if not all days.

You should progress from light level of exercise initially if you are unfit or heavily overweight. Each level of intensity and duration should be maintained for at least 1-2 weeks. Please avoid injury. Progressing too rapidly will result in muscle soreness, fatigue, increased cardiac risk and eventually decreased motivation. Each exercise period should include warm-up and cool-down periods.

Light:
Slow walking (15 min/km, or 4 km/hr), tai chi, house cleaning, and golf (no buggy)

Moderate:
Brisk-walking (10 min/km, or 6 km/hr), active gardening, cycling (2.5 min/km, or 24 km/hr), badminton, swimming and aerobic exercise/dancing

High:
Jogging (6 min/km, or 10 km/hr), walking with upload hill, basketball, climbing and football.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Carbohydarate Dynamics - Intense exercise

During strenuous exercise, there is an increase in adrenalin, noradrenalin, glucagon (hormone that releases glucose for burning).

The enzyme glycogen phosphorylase, helps breakdown the glycogen in the muscles and liver for combustion.

Initially, it is muscle glycogen that provides the energy, but as exercise continues the blood glucose increases its contribution as metabolic fuel (i.e 30%).

An hour of high intensity exercise depletes half of the glycogen stores. After 2 hours it almost depletes all the liver glycogen and specifically exercised muscles. (FYI, I just went up Mt.KK. I went up to the rest house at 11,000 feet in less than 3 hours just walking and also carrying my own 6kg bag and there was no need to eat energy bars etc. The important thing is to restore the glycogen within 40 minutes of stopping or reaching the rest house as glycogenosis [restoring the glycogen in the liver and muscles] is maximal 30-60 mins after exercise. If you reload the glycogen immediately there is no need to eat carbohydrate for the 2.30 am climb to the top. I left the rest house at 3.00am and got to the top at 5.15am. See the pictures at victorchenministries.blogspot.com).

Carbohydrate is the main fuel coz of its fast rate of energy conversion and transfer (into ATP, the cell’s energy currency) which is twice that of protein and fat. In addition per unit of oxygen consumed, carbohydrate generates 6% more energy than fat. Thus for intense exercise, its is mainly dependent on carbohydrates.

Tomorrow, we will look at moderate and prolonged exercise which mobilizes and burns fat for those who want to lose weight etc.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Carbohydrate Dynamics In Exercise

The intensity and duration of effort and the fitness and nutritional status of the athlete largely determine the fuel mixture in exercise.

The liver increases glucose release to active muscle as exercise progresses from low to high intensity. Simultaneously, muscle glycogen supplies the predominant carbohydrate energy source during the early stages of exercise and as the intensity increases.

Carbohydrate is the preferred fuel during high-intensity aerobic exercise because it rapidly converts into ATP (the cell's unit of energy to make it simple; all the protein, fat & carbo you eat has to be converted into ATP for cell energy) compared to fat and protein. In short intense anaerobic efforts the sole fuel to make ATP is carbohydrates (i.e 200-400 meter sprint). If it is a 100 meter run you just use available ATP already in the cells.

Carbohydrate availability in the metabolic mixture controls its use for energy. In turn, carbohydrate intake affects its availability. High blood glucose will inhibit liver release of its glycogen stores. If blood glucose is high (i,e ingesting fast release carbs prior to exercise) will inhibit oxidation (burning) of fatty acids in the muscles and transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria (cell's Tenaga Nasional that makes ATP).

(will be away from 17-21 May, 2007). to be continued - Intense exercise vs moderate/prolonged exercise wrt to carbohydrate dynamics.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Role of Carbohydrates in Exercise

Carbohydrates serve 4 important functions related to energy metabolism and exercise performance.

1) ENERGY SOURCES

Carbohydrates serve as an energy fuel especially during high-intensity exercise. Energy from catabolism of blood-borne glucose and muscle glycogen ultimately powers the muscle to contract and other forms of biological work.

Note that glycogen stores can be saturated. Once the stores reach maximum level, excess carbohydrates is converted to and stored as fat.

2) PROTEIN SPARER

Adequate carbohydrate intake helps preserve tissue protein. Protein is vital for tissue maintenance, repair, growth and metabolic functions. With glycogen depletion, the labile pool of amino acids may be used to make glucose. With extreme starvation or exercise resulting in extreme glycogen depletion, the lean body mass (muscles) may break down to provide energy.

3) METABOLIC PRIMER

Components of carbohydrate catabolism serve as substrate for fat oxidation. Insufficient carbohydrate breakdown (depletion etc). causes fat mobilization to exceeed fat oxidation. This incomplete fat breakdown leads to accumulation of ketone bodies. Ketone bodies leads to body acidity which can be harmful.

4) FUEL FOR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

The brain uses blood glucose almost exclusively under normal conditions. Inadequacy of carbohydrate can lead to central nervous system fatigue with prolonged exercise.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Recommended Intake of Carbohydrates

Cereals, cookies, candies, breads and cakes provide rich carbohydrate source. Fruits are less valuable as carbohydrate source because of their large water content. However, the dried portion of these foods, sold as dehydrated product, contains almost pure or concentrated carbohydrate.

The typical Malaysian diet contains about 50% of the total calories from carbohydrates. for a sedentary 70kg man this amounts to a daily intake of 300g of carbohydrate. For more physically active and those involved in training, carbohydrates should represent about 60% of daily calories (400-600g), predominately as unrefined, fiber-rich fruits, grains and vegetables. During intense training, one needs to increase to 70% of total calories consumed (9-10 g per kg of body mass).

Carbohydrates - the athlete's fuel

Athletes who regularly eat a varied, carbohydrate-rich diet have sufficient energy stores to fuel their increased activity during a competitive event. Some coaches recommend a special precompetition meal to prevent hunger and to provide the water and additional energy the athlete will need during competition. Most athletes eat 2 - 4 hours before their event. Some athletes perform their best if they eat a small amount 30 minutes before competing, while others eat nothing for 6 hours beforehand.

For many athletes, carbohydrate-rich foods serve as the basis of a precompetition meal. However, to some, there is no magic pre-event diet. They recommend choosing foods and beverages that you enjoy and that don't bother your stomach and suggests experimenting during the weeks before an event to see which foods work best for you.

One source of energy for working muscles is glycogen, which is made from carbohydrates and stored in your muscles. Every time you work out, you use some glycogen. If you don't consume enough carbohydrates, your glycogen stores can become depleted, which can lead to fatigue.

Some trainers and athletes use "carbohydrate loading" to increase the amount of glycogen in muscles. An athlete eats 10 - 12 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight for 5 - 7 days before a competitive event and gradually reduces the intensity of the workouts. That's a lot of carbohydrate - 700-800 grams for a 150-pound person. The day before the event, the athlete rests and eats the same high-carbohydrate diet. Those who participate in endurance sports which require 90 minutes or more of non-stop effort use this technique. Most athletes don't need to do this and can get what they need from eating a diet that gets more than half of its calories from carbohydrates.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Kind and Sources

Except for lactose and a small amount of glycogen from animal origin, plants provide the carbohydrate source in human diet.

Monosaccharides
1) Glucose - forms naturally in food or in the body through digestion of more complex carbohydrates. The liver can also make glucose from amino acids etc.

2) Fructose - occurs in fruits and honey. Converts to glucose in the liver.

3) Galactose - does not exist freely in nature; it combines with glucose to form milk sugar in mammary glands.

Oligosaccharides
2-10 monosaccharides form together and bond chemically.

1) Sucrose - (glucose+fructose) or table sugar. Occurs in sugar cane, honey, maple syrup & brown sugar.

2) Lactose - (glucose+galactose). Found in milk and milk sugar

3) Maltose - (glucose+glucose). Found in beer, breakfast cereals and germinating seeds.


Polysaccharides

Linkage of 3 to thousands of sugar molecules. Formed by dehydration. Commonly reffered to as complex carbohydrate it is the most important dietary source of carbohydrate (accounts for 50% of carbo intake).

PLANT SOURCES
1)Starch - storage form of carbohydrates in plants, occurs in seeds, rice, corn and various grains of bread, cereal, pasta and pastries. Large amount also in peas, beans, potatoes and roots.

2) Fiber - nonstarch, structural polyssacharide. Fiber resist breakdown by human digestive enzymes although a small portion ferments by action of intestinal bacteria. Fiber exist exclusively in plants; they make up the structure of leaves, stems, roots, seeds and fruit coverings.
-Water soluble fiber (lowers cholesterol) - psyllium husk, B-glucan, pectin & guar gum present in oats, beans, brown rice, peas, carrot, corn husk and many fruits.
-Water insoluble (scrapes and cleans intestine)- cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin and cellulose-rich products (wheat bran).

ANIMAL POLYSACCHARIDE
Glycogen, the storage carbohydrate peculiar to mammalian muscles and liver. It is stored by binding many glucose molecules together by a process called glucogenesis.

Note: a well-nourished 80kg person stores approximately 500grams of carbohydrate. Of this, muscles glycogen accounts for 400 grams, followed by 90-110 grams as liver glycogen with 2-3grams in blood as glucose.

Each gram of either glycogen or glucose contains 4 calories(Kcal) of energy, the person stores 1500-2000 kcal as carbohydrate - enough energy to power a 20 mile run at high intensity.

During exercise, the glycogen in the muscles (intramuscular glycogen) provide most of the energy for active muscles. The glycogen in the liver breaks down into glucose for other extramuscular metabolic functions.

Nutrition - The Base for Human Exercise and Performance

Nutrition and exercise are naturally linked. A lot of you may argue that you may already know a fair bit on nutrition and that well-balanced diet readily provides optimal sports performance. This is not exactly true!

The optimal performance of the human body in exercise calls for looking at the framework of energy capacities and performance, with the understanding of energy sources and diverse nutrients play energy release and transfer. Only then can we we critically evaluate claims about certain nutritional supplements and dietary modifications to enhance physical performances.

Remember that nutrients provide energy and regulate the biological processes in exercise, so dietary modifications often lead to improved performances.

The Science Behind Exercise

Exercise Physiology! What is it? Basically, it is the science behind exercise. That is what I will dwell into from now till the end of the year.

Part 1- Nutrition
part2 - Energy
Part 3- Energy Transfer
Part 4 - Enhancing performances
Part 5 - Exercise, Successful aging, Disease Prevention

I had always been interested in sports. I played a lot of football when I was young, played rugby for Wesley College and racket sports. Upon graduation, I attended a one-year course on Sports Medicine run by the Australia Medical Association (WA) for General Practitioners while I was a resident in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

These days, I still run 3 times a week (7-10km), gym once a week, and swim 2 times week (30-50 laps of the 50m pool).

Biological Value of Proteins

Since not all proteins are of the same quality, there is a measure of protein quality known as the Biological Value (BV). The BV is a reflection of how well the protein is digested and absorbed.

Egg is a good source of quality protein and is benchmarked with a BV value of 100.

BIOLOGICAL VALUE (BV) OF COMMON PROTEINS

Egg 100
Cow’s milk 91
Egg white (albumin) 88
Fish 83
Meat 80
Chicken 79
Soya 74
Rice 59
Beans 49

The reason why meats and fish have a low BV is that its BV value is measured after it is cooked. When proteins are heated, some of their amino acids are denatured – changed in their molecular structure – and rendered useless. Some amino acids can even be destroyed.

Protein Sources

Fish

Choose from non-fatty white meat fish such as trout, carp or occasionally wild salmon (my favorite). Oily fish are rich in essential fatty acids, and are very good for regulating hormone and blood sugar levels.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are good. They contain a lot of essential fatty acids, or good fats. When you eat a lot of essential fatty acids, you won't put on weight easily - they even help you lose weight.

Nuts and seeds contain a powerhouse good stuff - the full profile of amino acids, vitamin A,B,C and E and the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, selenium and manganese. Sunflower seeds, flax seeds, alfafa seeds, pumpkin seeds, almons, chestnuts, cashews, pecans, brazil nuts and walnuts are good.

Nuts and seeds are so nutrient-dense, so you do not need to eat a lot of them. - a teaspoon a day would be more than enough. I sprinkle them on breakfast cereals or my oats. Some people use them in cooking as garnishes or to flavour a gourmet dish.

Good Proteins

No doubt protein is important but too much is also no good as the body cannot store the protein it does not immediately use. Instead the liver converts excess protein into glucose and toxins.

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs and milk are rich sources of protein but they aren't the best sources as the liver finds it hard to digest all that fat as well as the antibiotics and other chemicals used in the raising of animal produce. Your body has to work harder to digest meat proteins.

It is better to vary your protein sources ie. also get them from grains., nuts, spouted seds and leafy veggies.

Beans (4) - Soybean

Soybean has a compete protein content. They also have several anticancer compounds and have a balancing effect on male and female hormones.

Every cell needs protein. It is needed to manufacture antibodies, enzymes, hormones, for cell growth and repair, repair of muscles and bones, etc.

Beans (3) - Lentils

Lentils are a delicious part of dishes that range from hearty soups to spicy entrees. in addition, all this flavor comes in a legume that experts consider one of the world's healthiest foods. Lentils are major source or protein, fiber, folic acid and iron (making it a food for expecting mothers). Lentils have all these benefits, yet are low in calories and have almost no fat. Next time your at the market, don't forget lentils. They're a perfect part of any meal.


Benefits
Lentils are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.

Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up--not out.

Lentils—A Fiber All Star

Check a chart of the fiber content in foods; you'll see legumes leading the pack. Lentils, like other beans, are rich in dietary fiber, both the soluble and insoluble type.

Love Your Heart—Eat Lentils

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as lentils, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11% less cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.

Lentils' contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these little wonders supply. Folate helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. When folate (as well as vitamin B6) are around, homocysteine is immediately converted into cysteine or methionine, both of which are benign. When these B vitamins are not available, levels of homocysteine increase in the bloodstream--a bad idea since homocysteine damages artery walls and is considered a serious risk factor for heart disease.

Lentils' magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature's own calcium channel blocker. When enough magnesium is around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

Lentils Give You Energy to Burn While Stabilizing Blood Sugar

In addition to its beneficial effects on the digestive system and the heart, soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels. If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, legumes like lentils can really help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Studies of high fiber diets and blood sugar levels have shown the dramatic benefits provided by these high fiber foods.

Iron for Energy

In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lentils can increase your energy by replenishing your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with lentils is a good idea--especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, lentils are not rich in fat and calories. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And remember: If you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron.

Beans (2) - Green (Mung) Beans

This bean can lower high blood pressure, treat gastrointestinal ulcers and urinary problems, and cleanse the blood by introducing more oxygen.

Mung beans also called "lok tao" is a liver cleanser and good for detox.

Mung beans are a good source of Vitamins A, B, C & E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and amino acids. Mung beans contain 20% protein and are a good source of foliate and dietary fiber.

Beans (1) - Red (Aduki) Beans

RED BEAN: THE WEIGHT LOSS BEAN

Red beans are high in nutrients but low in calories. This bean, with its exceptionally high levels of fiber, vitamin B complex, and minerals (iron, manganese & zinc), acts as a natural diuretic to relieve the body of excess fluids. It also removes unwanted mucus, congestion and stools, burns fat and balances protein metabolism for weight management.

If you want to lose weight, this is the bean for you.

There are many ways to eat red bean - red bean salad, red bean casserole, pancake, red bean stew red bean soup, red bean porridge (Korean) ,etc, etc.

Nutrient Profile
ONE CUP of cooked red (aduki) beans has as much iron as 4 ounces of lean steak, more folate than a cup of cooked spinach, and about as much protein as 4 tablespoons of peanut butter.

CALORIES 294
PROTEIN 17 G
FAT 0 G
FIBER 12 G
IRON 4.6 MG
POTASSIUM 1,224 MG
ZINC 4 MG
VITAMIN [B.sub.1] (THIAMIN) .26 MG
FOLATE 278 MCG

Beloved Beans

Beans are basically seeds from a pod of specific plants. Most of them are packed with complete protein and almost no fat.

Beans are great for weight loss. They also lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and rid the body of toxins. Importantly they are a good source of complex carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates is important for the body for fuel. If you stop eating carbohydrates, you will feel weak and depressed. Instead of eating high GI refined carbohydrates, eat high GI complex carbohydrates like beans. Remember beans are essential for good health. Eat them regularly!

Wheat & Noodles

When I was young I thought only Westerners ate wheat (cereals etc). But a lot of noodles are actually made of refined wheat. Of course people will tell you that you are better of eating unrefined wheat bla!bla!bla!


Udon = Japanese thick noodles Udon noodles are white, Japanese wheat flour noodles, that are round or flat.


Chinese Wheat noodles= Chinese wheat starch noodles Made from strong plain wheat flour and water. These delicate noodles are mostly used in soups.


Chow mein noodles These egg and wheat flour noodles are used to make chow mein, in which the cooked noodles are formed in to a pancake and fried on both side.



Miswa = misua These wheat noodles are very slender. The dried noodles can be deep-fried to make a crunchy nest, or boiled for 2-3 minutes to make a salad, or added directly to soup.

Pancit Canton = flour sticks = pancit mian These dried yellow noodles are used to make a dish called pancit. They're made with wheat flour, coconut oil, and yellow food coloring.

Shanghai noodles Shanghai noodles are fresh, white wheat flour noodles that need to be cooked in boiling water before use.



Hokkien noodles Hokkien noodles are egg and wheat-flour noodles that have been cooked and lightly oiled before before packaging. They need no preparation before use - simply stir-fry or add to soup or salads.

Of course there are other noodles like wanton mee that is made from eggs etc, etc.

Good Grains (6) - Wheat

Bread, pasta, bagels, crackers, cakes, and muffins just begin to describe the list of foods made with this grain. A lot of Chinese noodles are actually made from wheat (not rice).



Wheat, in its natural unrefined state, features a host of important nutrients. Therefore, to receive benefit from the wholesomeness of wheat it is important to choose wheat products made from whole wheat flour rather than those that are refined and stripped of their natural goodness.

BENEFITS

The health benefits of wheat depend entirely on the form in which you eat it. These benefits will be few if you select wheat that has been processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction-the standard for most wheat products, including breads, noodles and pastas, baked goods like rolls or biscuits, and cookies-means that 40% of the original wheat grain was removed, and only 60% is left. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the bran and the germ of the wheat grain-its most nutrient-rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost.

Good Grains (5) - Oats

Oats contain more good fats than any other grains. Although oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and germ allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fiber and nutrients. It is also rich in B-vitamins.




Lower Cholesterol Levels

A steaming bowl of fresh cooked oatmeal is the perfect way to start off your day, especially if you are trying to prevent or are currently dealing with heart disease or diabetes. Oats, oat bran, and oatmeal contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan.

Studies show that in individuals with high cholesterol (above 220 mg/dl), consuming just 3 grams of soluble oat fiber per day (an amount found in one bowl of oatmeal) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%. This is highly significant since each 1% drop in serum cholesterol translates to a 2% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease.

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as oats, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11% less cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.

Unique Oat Antioxidants Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Oats, via their high fiber content, are already known to help remove cholesterol from the digestive system that would otherwise end up in the bloodstream. Now, the latest research suggests they may have another cardio-protective mechanism.

Antioxidant compounds unique to oats, called avenanthramides, help prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, suggests a study conducted at Tufts University and published in The Journal of Nutrition.


Stabilize Blood Sugar

Studies also show that beta-glucan has beneficial effects in diabetes as well. Type 2 diabetes patients given foods high in this type of oat fiber or given oatmeal or oat bran rich foods experienced much lower rises in blood sugar compared to those who were given white rice or bread. Starting out your day with a blood sugar stabilizing food such as oats may make it easier to keep blood sugar levels under control the rest of the day, especially when the rest of your day is also supported with nourishing fiber-rich foods.

Oats and Other Whole Grains Substantially Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Oats and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and insulin secretion.



Antioxidant Benefits

In addition to its fiber benefits, oats are also a very good source of selenium. A necessary cofactor of the important antioxidant, glutathione peroxidase, selenium works with vitamin E in numerous vital antioxidant systems throughout the body. These powerful antioxidant actions make selenium helpful in decreasing asthma symptoms and in the prevention of heart disease. In addition, selenium is involved in DNA repair and is associated with a reduced risk for cancer, especially colon cancer.

Fiber from Whole Grains and Fruit Protective against Breast Cancer

When researchers looked at how much fiber 35,972 participants in the UK Women's Cohort Study ate, they found a diet rich in fiber from whole grains, such as oats, and fruit offered significant protection against breast cancer for pre-menopausal women. (Cade JE, Burley VJ, et al., International Journal of Epidemiology).

Pre-menopausal women eating the most fiber (>30 grams daily) more than halved their risk of developing breast cancer, enjoying a 52% lower risk of breast cancer compared to women whose diets supplied the least fiber (<20 grams/day).

Fiber supplied by whole grains offered the most protection. Pre-menopausal women eating the most whole grain fiber (at least 13 g/day) had a 41% reduced risk of breast cancer, compared to those with the lowest whole grain fiber intake (4 g or less per day). Fiber from fruit was also protective. Pre-menopausal women whose diets supplied the most fiber from fruit (at least 6 g/day) had a 29% reduced risk of breast cancer, compared to those with the lowest fruit fiber intake (2 g or less per day).

Good Grains (4) - Corn

Corn is a good source of many nutrients including thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folate, dietary fiber, vitamin C, phosphorous and manganese.


HEART
Corn's contribution to heart health lies not just in its fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate that corn supplies.

Folate, helps to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. Homocysteine can directly damage blood vessels, so elevated blood levels of this dangerous molecule are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, and are found in between 20-40% of patients with heart disease.

It has been estimated that consumption of 100% of the daily value (DV) of folate would, by itself, reduce the number of heart attacks suffered each year by 10%. Folate-rich diets are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. A cup of corn supplies 19.0% of the DV for folate


LUNGS
Consuming foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in highest amounts in corn, pumpkin, papaya, red bell peppers, tangerines, oranges and peaches, may significantly lower one's risk of developing lung cancer.

MEMORY

Corn is a good source of thiamin, providing about one-quarter (24.0%) of the daily value for this nutrient in a single cup. Thiamin is an integral participant in enzymatic reactions central to energy production and is also critical for brain cell/cognitive function.

Health-Promoting Activity Equal to or Even Higher than that of Vegetables and Fruits

Research shows that whole grains, such as corn, contain many powerful phytonutrients whose activity has gone unrecognized because research methods have overlooked them.

Good Grains (3) - Brown Rice

The difference between brown rice and white rice is not just color!

A whole grain of rice has several layers. Only the outermost layer, the hull, is removed to produce what we call brown rice. This process is the least damaging to the nutritional value of the rice and avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing.

If brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result is a whiter rice, but also a rice that has lost many more nutrients. At this point, however, the rice is still unpolished, and it takes polishing to produce the white rice we are used to seeing. Polishing removes the aleurone layer of the grain-a layer filled with health-supportive, essential fats. Because these fats, once exposed to air by the refining process, are highly susceptible to oxidation, this layer is removed to extend the shelf life of the product. The resulting white rice is simply a refined starch that is largely without its original nutrients.





Brown rice as an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of the minerals selenium and magnesium.

The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids.

Good Grains (2) - Barley

Barley must have its fibrous outer hull removed before it can be eaten. Barley grains with their hulls still on are called covered barley. Once the grain has had the inedible hull removed, it is called hulled barley. At this stage, the grain still has its bran and germ, which are nutritious. it is good for your stomach and digestion. Hulled barley is considered a whole grain, and is a popular health food. Go for this kind of barley - ie. wholegrain barley.

Pearl barley or pearled barley is hulled barley which has been processed further to remove the bran. It may be polished, a process known as "pearling".

Hulled or pearl barley may be processed into a variety of barley products, including flour, flakes similar to oatmeal, and grits. It may be malted and used in the production of alcoholic beverages.

Good Grains (1) - Amaranth

Amaranth is a good grain. It contains even more calcium and magnesium than cow's milk. it is used for making chapatti.

In Malaysia, we eat the leaf of the amaranth - bayam.

Good Grains

Good "unrefined" grains are rich in nutrients and good for the body. Generally the darker the color the more unrefined the grain i.e amaranth, barley, millet, corn, rye etc.

Refined grain such as white rice, white bread and white pasta are devoid of most nutrients and fiber due to the refining process. These processed grains behave like sugar when eaten, rushing into the blood system and causing havoc (high glycemic index). This results in sugar imbalances, weight gain, mood swings and sugar cravings.

Body Signs (14) - Always Yawning

You are probably hypoglycemic (low blood sugar).

Solutions:
1).Try some spirulina to balance your blood - liquid or tablets.
2).Try some ginseng tincture (or go to a ginseng shop and get them to grind it to a powder for you in a jar; I then mix tiny amounts with hot water to drink). It will help regulate your blood sugar plus give you alertness.