Let's Just Give Them Cigarrettes, Too

Lately I have been so puzzled by the whole "school lunch" thing.  Why wouldn't a school want to feed kids healthy fresh food?  I have assumed it was about the almighty dollar, but the info I learned from the Slow Cook blog made me mad as hell.  Yes, you heard it right.

This blog explains the 10%-15% (or even 50%!) rebates that food service providers receive from the big food companies because they buy food in huge quantities.  The companies that run food services in many public schools are then supposed to pass those rebates right onto the schools.  So school "Learn A Lot" hires "Serve a Lot" to run their food service.  Because "Serve a Lot" is serving hundreds of students in each of hundreds of schools, they receive these rebates, making food service cheap.  Schools are always needing to save money, right?  So this looks like a winner of a program to them.  (And for the record, I'm totally in favor of schools having more money to put toward learning.)

There are some problems, however.  One problem is that the food service companies don't return the rebates to the schools in a timely manner.  The bigger problem is that the whole unsavory business is shrouded in secrecy, probably because the companies realize that we would be mad as hell if we knew.  The bigger problem leads to an even bigger one:  We are not talking about produce companies selling lettuce here.  We are talking about Apple Jax and fatty muffins. 

If this weren't bad enough, the really insidious nastiness is this:  Big food companies have spent millions of dollars and years of research learning what makes food irresistible.  Rest assured, these companies are not accidentally  providing tantalizing foods to school kids.  They are very certainly doing it on purpose.  If they can hook 'em when they're young, they'll have customers for life.

It reminds me of when the tobacco companies provided cigarettes free to soldiers stationed abroad in World War II.  The government distributed them, for heaven's sake.  And those soldiers came home hooked.

I know someone will accuse me of being overly dramatic.  But is it really that different?  Cigarettes kill, there is no doubt.  And guess what?  Obesity does too.  The diseases that are expected to cost our country enormous amounts of money in the next few years are greatly impacted or exacerbated by obesity.  Yep, it's sickening.

Until we as citizens -- whether or not we have kids eating school lunch -- start to wake ourselves up and decide to put a stop to this craziness, things are going to get worse.  I predict they are going to get a lot worse.

Performance Eating 101

This is my first ever blog in response to a request.  A reader wants me to talk about nutrition for teenage athletes.  First, the disclaimer.  I am not a registered dietitian.  I have a degree in the humanities.  I have no certification in anything nutrition related.  What I am is a chronic researcher.  It’s in my genes or something – I just can’t stop learning.

What follows are some suggestions on how we can use fuel (a.k.a. food) to optimize our workouts, speed our recovery and lessen the likelihood of injury.  These recommendations are based on years devouring the current science on nutrition and fitness, as well as recommendations from my nutrition text books and a couple of websites, all of which I will reference.  Please pay attention to this part:  This is not meant to be specific instructions for any individual.  Instead, I am merely suggesting that there are ways we can really use our food and benefit from all it has to offer.  Specific advice for you, as an individual, can be sought from your health care practitioner or a Registered Dietitian.

Let’s begin with a very simplified view of how the system works.  We take in fuel (in the form of food) and the nutrients are then put to work in our body.  Protein is used for building muscle; carbohydrates are stored in the liver as glycogen which is made available to the muscles as a source of energy; calcium ( a mineral) adds strength to our bones.  Fruits and vegetables (which are also sources of carbohydrates) contribute vitamins, minerals and fiber which are crucial to maintaining the health of our organs and helping us fight infection and disease. Fats play important parts too but I have to shorten this discussion somewhere.

The other important thing you need to know is how the process of muscle building actually works.  When you are building muscles, you are actually causing tiny breaks or tears in your muscles. Because the muscle you had “on hand” was not sufficient  for the task, your body not only rebuilds the muscle damaged but adds on for good measure.  Therefore, what we think of as “building” is actually breaking apart and then building.  We help this rebuilding process by eating healthfully during the rebuilding phase.  If you want to learn more, here is an article on the topic written in plain English.

These days, we tend to talk about food as being either protein or carbohydrates (“carbs” for short).  We hear a lot about carbs “making us fat” and also about “good carbs” and “bad carbs.”  Really there is no such thing.  We can make healthier choices or less healthy ones, but carbs themselves are not “bad.”  In fact, they are an essential part of our living and growing and certainly an essential provider of energy for training.  Just as you wouldn’t expect a car to run without gas, you can’t expect your muscles to work without fuel!

For everyday exercise (less than 1-1/2 hours duration), the glycogen reserves we have from a healthy, well-balanced diet are plenty.  For athletes who are performing at a high level (cyclists, distance runners, endurance athletes), these stores may not be enough.  For an endurance task or one requiring a LOT of energy, loading carbohydrates beforehand will help increase these stores in the liver, making more available for the task at hand.

What this means, simply, is that before an endurance task, loading extra carbs can really help.  Many athletes eat a diet of about 70% carbohydrates for 3 days before the event.  They also reduce their training during this period, not only to allow their muscles to rest and heal, but also to help build the glycogen stores in the liver.

Dr. John Ivy of the University of Texas has done tons of research on how food and drink impacts performance.  Articles about his research are widely available but I have linked one here.   He has also co-written a couple of books if you are really serious about making the most of your workouts; the best known is The Performance Zone. In this book he gives specific information for various sports as well as charts for specific nutrients based on weight and activity.

30 minutes or so before working out, make sure you drink plenty of water, about 2 cups.  When you are low on fluids, or dehydrated, it stresses your body and that affects performance.  You need to keep drinking throughout, about 1 cup every 15 to 20 minutes.  Dr. Ivy recommends a sports drink that is 4 parts carbs and 1 part protein.

After you work out (again, we are talking about long periods of exercise – 1-1/2 hours or more) you need to replace those carbs and some protein, as well as replenish your fluids.  Most researchers say you need to eat and drink within about 30 minutes of completing your work out.  Replacing the fluids is essential and so are consuming some carbs.  Carbs won’t repair muscle, though, so you need some protein.  Some people drink a glass of 100% fruit juice with a peanut butter sandwich.  I am more inclined toward a piece cheese and whole fruit.  Find a combination that works for you and remember to get it in right after that workout.  Dr. Ivy’s window for this refueling is 15-45 minutes after the event.

We know that muscles actually break down during exercise.  Dr. Ivy’s research has shown that the muscles are most receptive to rebuilding in the first 24 hours after exercise.  There is a lot of science behind this claim that has to do, in particular, with insulin receptivity in the muscles.  What’s most important for us to remember is that muscles need to repair and rebuild!

So to reiterate the basics:
·    Before a big meet or event, eat extra carbs for 3 days.
·    Start the event well hydrated and drink lots as you go.
·    Eat and drink within 30 minutes of completing exercise
·    Eat a healthy diet with extra carbs and good quality protein in that important 24 hours after exercise.
·    A healthy, well-balanced diet through all of your life is your best bet for improving performance and preventing injury. 




 Additional sources (others are linked in the body of the blog):
This is an article on current thinking about carb loading – read the whole thing, there is an evolution that isn’t obvious in the first page!
Understanding Nutrition  by Whitney.  I love this text.  I use it all the time.

Eating Low on the Food Chain

(This is a "replay" of my March 19, 2009 post, edited for relevancy!)

I was so proud of myself as I checked out at the grocery store tonight. In my cart were two processed foods for me: tomato soup that I occasionally eat as a treat, and sugar free/fat free pudding mix for that occasional need for dessert. It sounds kind of offbeat to be proud of my grocery cart but, oddly, I was. Because with the exception of the aforementioned extravagences, everything in the cart was as close to it's natural state as a city-dwelling busy gal can get it. My cart contained canola oil, dry beans, brown rice, chicken, and produce. That's it.

Obviously I want to lose weight and I want to use the expert knowledge accumulated over the past few decades to empower that quest, hence the name of the blog.  I want to lose weight. And there is more.

I want to be healthy. Truly, robustly, undeniably healthy. I want to eat the foods that serve me and avoid the foods that do not. I am making lifestyle -- aka permanent -- changes. So these days, I am eating low on the food chain and also choosing selections that are thought to be less inflammatory, like collard greens, for instance.

I mentioned recently that I have been tracking my food on the NutritionData site. Their tracking program analyzes the macro nutrients in my food. It is very affirming. When I'm eating food as close to natural as I can, I get most or all of my essential nutrients every day. Imagine that! There has also been a fabulous unintended consequence. My 12-year-old has IBS and lately she has been suffering far fewer painful bouts. We both attribute this to the uncomplicated and beautiful home-cooked meals.

If you want to try eating simpler and more healthful foods, here are a few tips:

• Shop primarily in the outside aisles of the supermarket
• Relegate canned or boxed --processed-- foods to occasional treats
• Avoid foods that contain high fructose corn syrup; it has many deleterious affects, not least of which is stimulating your appetite
• Teach your whole family to chop vegetables and you will always have a soux chef handy
• Try a locally grown produce delivery service for fun, freshness and variety
• Cook ahead when possible, eg., the week's worth of brown rice, oatmeal, and soup
• Utilize your freezer; buy in bulk and repackage to your family's size; do big projects (like meatballs) in massive batches for time and money savings
• Make pretty food. Somehow, it tastes better.
  

USDA Finally Catches with New Guidelines!

Well a day late and a dollar short, the USDA finally reveals it's 2010 dietary guidelines.

They are good guidelines.  Actually helpful.  And simpler than in the past.  Could they simplify them more?  Yes, of course.  But all the common sense things we know from Spark or almost any reasonable plan out there, are just now coming into focus in the guidelines.  Okay -- it's never too late, right?

Here are the highlights and following, a link so you can watch the long boring stuff yourself.

Have half a plate of vegetables and fruit and eat a variety.
Limit your fatty acids (they give guidelines no one will understand)
Have under 300 mg of Cholesterol
Reduce your sodium to 2300 mg for most, 1500 for high risk groups.
Limit refined grains, sugar and solid fats.
Alcohol limits to one drink a day for us girls, two for men
Drink water and not sugary drinks.

There is more but that's what stood out to me.  I think it is a big improvement because these guidelines are taught in schools, followed by dietitians and recommended by doctors.  Thank goodness the USDA is finally catching up to the science!
This is the link in case you want to see it for yourself!

Jello cups and other interesting tidbits

Sometimes an idea is so weirdly cool, it just might make it to market.  Take Jello Cups, for instance.  I am not as environmentally conscious as I think I "should" be, but even so, I have a once-a-year limit on those disposable plastic cups.  They are so ridiculously unfriendly to the ecosystem.  Now a design team in New York has come up with a solution -- jello cups.  They are just what they sound like:  disposable, biodegradable and edible.  Weird and wonderful.

Now in the "common sense" department, why is fiber such a big deal?  Simple.  Because we don't eat enough whole foods, especially whole grains, vegetables (not necessarily raw) and legumes.  If you choose whole grains most--or even much--of the time, you will eat plenty of fiber.  It's a double-edged sword and I mean that in a useful, swashbuckling way.  (If I'm yeilding a sword, I'll take it double-edged, please).  If you concentrate on eating more fiber, you will also be getting in a good dose of whole grains, fruits and veggies and legumes.  But in case you don't believe me, here's a little scientific evidence for you!

Finally, here is some "food for thought" I've been noodling for a while:  Is obesity endemic in our society?  And, if so, should we then be treating the entire population?  I'd love to hear what you think about this topic, as it is sure to be political fodder at some point. 

Now a little update on me.  I actually gained a little weight over the holidays, so I have made a gut-wrenching (pardon the pun) decision to buckle down in a serious way and truly commit to getting off the last half of my excess weight.  More to come.

Tips, Tricks and Friday inspiration

Today's inspiration comes from a cool blog on celebrating the small things.

I'm constantly inspired by my dear hubby, who is maintaining his 70 pound loss since May.  Recently we talked about how much fat you really need and found this great article to advise us.

On a personal front, my parents have just arrived with their RV for a visit of several weeks.  Traditionally, I throw my health plans out the window when we have guests but I am going to do things differently this time.     I don't want to see a six-week setback so I am committed to staying the course.  Here is what I commit to:

Log all my food
Get 3000+ calories of exercise each week (log it!)
Post a weekly check-in each week after weighing in.

The day of my check-in post may change as I accommodate sight seeing -- but I will weigh in and post each week. 

That's it for today folks.  Happy weekend!

Note:  Can one of my faithful readers please let me know if these links don't work for you?  I'm not sure if SparkPeople works without logging in!