Month: June 2014

Evaporated cane juice, fructose, sea salt, tapioca syrup, unsweetened chocolate, invert sugar syrup, cocoa powder, sucrose, confectioner’s glaze.

The ingredients in some of the most popular energy gels and chews for endurance athletes may seem surprisingly familiar (and perhaps not in a good way): They’re awfully similar to candy, with perhaps the occasional electrolyte or amino acid thrown in. But believe it or not, there’s a reason for the marked similarities, and it’s not necessarily a bad one.

Why gummy candy and a marathoner’s fuel share so many common ingredients boils down to what happens in the gut when you eat these types of products. Sugar, in its various forms, is an easily digestible source of the carbohydrates the brain and body need to sustain physical activity. Before these types of products were available, long-distance runners and cyclists really did take candy along for the ride, explains Liz Applegate, Ph.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of California, Davis.

When you exercise, “you’re using up your stores of glycogen, your body’s stores of carbohydrates,” Applegate tells HuffPost. The body replenishes these stores with glucose, some of which is naturally floating around in your bloodstream, but more of which you need to ingest in “whatever simple form of sugary carbohydrates will keep you feeling good,” she says.

But that is by no means permission to fuel every three-mile jog with a Snickers bar. Athletes typically don’t need to refuel during exercise that lasts less than an hour, says Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., RD, of High Performance Nutrition, LLC. (Water will work just fine for those activities, she notes.) The American College of Sports Medicine and the National Academy of Sports Medicine recommend getting 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour of physical activity. And that even includes weightlifting, as long as it’s high-intensity, since “the higher the intensity, the more carbohydrate you’re burning,” she says.

Athletes competing in even longer events — say, something lasting three to five hours, or more — can benefit from 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour of activity, says Applegate.

Aside from their simple carbohydrates, chews and gels are also convenient to transport for athletes who, understandably, don’t want to carry around extra bulk while competing. These products also aim to taste good: Manufacturers put effort into concocting the perfect “mouthfeel”, says Kleiner, who is involved in developing a new sports nutrition product for women. Most product lines on the market boast six to 10 flavor varieties, from citrus and berry to chocolate and peanut butter.

“Some of the strategy [for manufacturers] is that the athlete is looking for a reward,” Kleiner says. “These things play a role in helping you get the mental motivation to keep going.” Sports drinks don’t always have the same effect, she says, as many of the athletes she’s worked with express a desire to chew their sustenance.

Not that race day is the time to first bite into an endurance-boosting morsel. “People have to experiment with it,” says Applegate. “They need to be training with it.” At first, athletes may experience some stomach upset as they get used to eating while exercising, but the gut’s response — just like that of the heart, lungs and muscles — is trainable, she says.

Thinking about trying out gels or chews? Keep in mind that you probably won’t even need them until your training plan calls for workouts lasting around 75 minutes, says Pamela Nisevich Bede, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, of SwimBikeRunEat.com. And don’t be afraid to go through some trial and error with different products until you find a brand you feel good with. Then experiment with different flavors within that brand, she suggests. If you’re training for an upcoming race, investigate what kinds of fuel the race will offer along the course, and see how your body responds to that during training. “On race day, if you can stomach that, you don’t have to carry as much with you,” she says.

So what should you look for in an endurance product? First things first: “It’s best to pick a product that shows multiple sources of carbohydrates,” says Applegate. “You’re able to uptake a bit more carbohydrate per minute and that really makes a difference in longer events.” On labels, that might look like the starch maltodextrin and fructose, or evaporated cane juice and fruit juice, or honey and tapioca syrup.

The problem, however, is that manufacturers don’t always have research to back up their products’ claims, Kleiner says. They may borrow science on just one of the ingredients and promote that ingredient’s benefits as perks of the product as a whole, when in a particular combination, that ingredient may not work the same. “To think about how much real science is behind a lot of these products … there’s often not,” she says.

Many also have incredibly long ingredients lists that contain more than just simple carbs and electrolyte-replacing salt, making it hard to decipher what it really is you’re eating. We looked at the ingredients lists of a handful of the most popular endurance products and asked the experts to put some of the most confusing contents into categories we can understand.

(Click to enlarge)

While typically here at Healthy Living we’d advise avoiding processed foods with more than five ingredients, the experts say ingredients lists in this scenario should not be a source of stress.

For one thing, some of the ingredients you might typically shy away from do still offer some benefits. Potassium sorbate, for example, is is a preservative. But it’s also a source of potassium, an electrolyte lost through sweat during exercise. Not to mention, “you do want to prevent the product from breaking down on the shelf or while you’re jogging,” says Bede.

For those who would still prefer something less processed, honey can do the trick, as can dried, or even fresh, fruit, says Applegate. (Though these may be a bit more challenging to transport, and fruit can be tougher on the intestinal tract.) “Definitely work on getting [processed] foods out of your diet the rest of the days of the week,” Bede says, “but when it comes to fueling when you’re 20 miles from home, I say go with what’s easy and convenient.”

As the summer sizzles, Drs. Brian and Anna Marie Clement have a prescription to put some sizzle in your sex life, too — eat watermelon, eat kale.

The Clements run Hippocrates Health Institute, a pioneer in natural wellness for over half a century. “What draws people here is its historic reputation, tens and tens of thousands who’ve reversed disease and premature aging,” says Brian. So who are these people? “Every person, every age. It’s like your neighborhood.”

Most people come for Hippocrates Health’s three-week intensive wellness program. Brian, who’s directed the facility for over 30 years, says, “We watch people come back to life.” And back to lust. “One thing we hear constantly and consistently is, ‘Yes, my cancer went into remission, but my God, my sex life has never been as good as this.'” That led him and his wife to write “7 Keys to Lifelong Sexual Vitality: The Hippocrates Institute Guide to Sex, Health, and Happiness,” published by New World Library.

The Clements are big into sex. We all are. “This biological force governs every choice we make until the day we die. Even when you comb your hair, or doll up, that’s sex hormones still working for you,” says Brian. The Clements want to keep them working. An active sex life ups your immunity, energy and emotional happiness. Plus, it’s fun.

None of those seven keys to sexual vitality involves popping a pill. “It’s a journey of consciousness,” says Anna Maria. “Your kindness, your compassion, your awareness, it’s determined by what we consume.”

Their book contains sections on tantric exercises, fantasy and adult films, but central to the book and to the Clements are foods designed to rev your libido — we’re talking nature’s aphrodisiacs like kale, rich in vitamin A, B complex, calcium, choline and zinc.

The book’s dozen recipes are vegan and raw, the Clements just don’t make a big deal about it. What is a big deal are the results. They cite the 2008 Texas A&M study showing watermelon delivers “Viagra-like effects to the human body’s blood vessels and could even help to increase libido.” Does it really work? “Absolutely. I’m buying watermelon left and right, eating the rind and seeds,” Brian jokes.

Back in the 1960s, he was less into eating watermelon, more into fried bologna. “I was obese and smoking three packs a day and plenty of grass.” In college, he met a guy who practiced yoga and didn’t eat meat. While Clement was slightly weirded out, “something resonated.” He gave up meat, then dairy, and credits it with saving his life. “I was lucky.”

His wife Anna Maria grew up in Sweden, where “there’s a healthiness, an openness” about sexuality. The average Swedish diet, though? Not so much. “Meat, gravy potatoes, dessert,” says Anna Maria, who, with her whole family, went vegetarian when she was young.

The Clements met on the job at Hippocrates Health. They’ve stayed there — and stayed together — for decades. “There’s nothing like having a relationship that goes on and on and on, it’s the best,” says Anna Maria. “There’s so much memory, you’ve been through so much together, you grew up together and supported each other.”

“We’re grandparents, we’re best friends, we want to hang out together and make love,” says Brian.

The Clements are calling for more and better sex for all, including what Brian calls the Boomer Sexual Liberation Front. “Let our generation lead the way to healthier sex, less guilt and shame, and much longer, more fulfilling lives.” Better stock up on watermelon.

Hippocrates Melon Soup

Easy, bright and refreshing, this chilled soup recipe, used and adapted with permission from Hippocrates Health Institute, is just the thing for summer. Make it with your favorite type of melon. However, given its naughty-making possibilities, watermelon’s a pretty strong contender.

1/2 melon, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fresh herbs, such as tarragon, basil or mint or 1/4 teaspoon warming spice like cinnamon or ginger
juice of 1 lemon or lime, if desired

In a food processor blender, blend the melon for about a minute or until it reaches smoothness. Add the herb or spice, optional squeeze of citrus and a little water to thin, if desired. Process again briefly until well combined.

Serves 2.

An earlier version of this post first ran on February 4, 2013.

Tired of being tired? Studies show that it often takes older adults 30 minutes longer to fall asleep than younger adults. And, when they do finally fall asleep, they sleep lightly and wake up a lot. It’s no wonder, then, that many of us feel sluggish during the day.

Don’t compound the problem by maintaining a diet that drains the energy right out of you. For example, sugary foods may seem like a good idea, as they may give you a quick burst of energy, but they’re actually not as your blood sugar will wind up lower than before you ate the sugar. Ultimately this “crash” will sap you of energy.

Need other ideas for an energy boost? Check out the three dietary tweaks below designed to give you an instant jolt to get you through the day. Have any other ideas? Let us know in comments.

1. Eat foods with iron.

You will definitely crash and burn by mid-afternoon if you only eat foods low in iron. These foods include milk, cheese and potatoes. Instead, seek out great sources of iron such as beef, fish, beans, lentils, poultry and leafy greens. Why’s iron so important? Iron is an essential mineral that helps to carry oxygen from the lungs around the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Without enough of it, you may feel cold, weak and tired.

2. Stay away from processed foods.

Processed foods usually contain less fiber and more sugar than other foods, which make them terrible for insulin health and blood sugar control. Sugar consumption is strongly linked with health issues such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. And it can have an adverse impact on metabolism when consumed in excess. Need more proof that processed foods are bad for you? A recent study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that rats became lethargic when fed a diet low in fat but high in simple sugars and refined flour. Yet another study, from 2012, found that processed foods can slow the brain, hampering memory and learning.

3. Ditch the fried foods and caffeine.

Fried foods will make you sleepy because your digestive system has to work harder than usual to process the fats in them. And fried food won’t do your skin any favors either. Loaded with oil and trans fats, fried foods can clog arteries and stiffen blood cells, which makes skin appear wrinkled and worn out. Caffeine, too, should be avoided. Although it’s a stimulant, you’ll no doubt feel even more tired after it peaks. So skip that morning cup of java and go for a cup of tea instead. White tea can help you look younger and black tea can help reduce stress. What could be better?

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