While salt has incorrectly been villainized in most health studies, it is worth noting that this is complete hog wash. While I would never deny that excessive consumption of salt results in hypertension and high blood-pressure, I would also like to point out that the qualifying statement there is excessive.
That being said, due to the abundance of the junk food diet and preserved foods in our diet, excessive consumption is not only common but almost impossible to avoid. That is why I was extremely excited when I read that potassium has been known to offset sodium! The idea being that if you cannot avoid excessive sodium in your diet, start eating foods high in potassium to offset all the sodium you consume.
Keep in mind that hyponatremia (low sodium in your blood) can be extremely dangerous if sodium concentrations are really low. That being said, the concentration of sodium in your blood shouldn't drop much even if you have a low sodium intake. Your kidneys do a good job of balancing your sodium/potassium for you. If you eat very little sodium, your kidneys will increase the reabsorption of sodium so that you don't lose as much. Even if you never looked at your sodium intake, your kidneys keep your serum concentration at about 140 mg/d.
So if high intake of salt is a problem (trust me, it definitely is) make sure there is plenty of spinach, broccoli, bananas, and beans in your diet!
While Sikandar Bakth and Moin Khan may know a thing or two about training and coaching someone to play international cricket, the nutritionist they use on the show Super Guru simply looks like she does not want to be there. That being said I've found her advice interesting and informative as far as every day life is concerned, however her advice leaves a lot to be desired as far as sports nutrition is concerned.
That being said, I don't really think this is the first time the show that I objected upon has aired however this was the first time I saw it.
Below is an email I sent to geo super guru asking them to make some corrections to their advice. I of course do not expect any corrections or clarifications to be made. However I felt the correction was warranted.
On a recent episode of Super Guru airing today 23rd Oct 2011 @ 4PM you're nutritionist stated that in sports there is a high emphasis on protein consumption and that consuming more than 1 gram of protein per kilo gram of body weight was enough for most athletes. Further she stated that protein consumption in excess of this will result in conversion to fat.
I would like to clarify that this statement is extremely simplified and misleading. There is good research to show that protein does not get metabolized to triglyceride (the storage form of fat). Read here for more: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/excess-protein-and-fat-storage-qa.html
Further without going into detail, her advice on consumption of 1 gram of protein per KG of body weight is sufficient for *most* but not all athletes is absolutely correct. However the exact number is 0.8 grams / KG and importantly in the case of athletes who happen to be overweight, it's ideal to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of their target body weight not their current body weight. The same is true for underweight athletes. Further, consuming 0.8 gram of protein per pound of body weight is no simple task and consuming protein for athletes in the form of pieces of chicken or beef is also a simplification. In reality, high performance athletes need to consume the right kinds of amino acids at the right times of the day in order recover, repair and build muscles. This means consuming slow digesting and fast digesting proteins at the right times of the day and under the correct circumstances.
Also, the vilinization of fats in her statement was also misleading, the importance of fat in the diet of athletes is very well documented. Other than providing a slow sustained form of energy release for athletes (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/nutrition/sport/fat.html#athlete) it's also good for soft tissues and flexibility. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, meaning absorbed into the body through fat. These vitamins and their function hold great significance to athletic performance. Vitamin A is needed for bone maintenance. Vitamin D is needed for the absorption of calcium, which is an essential component for muscle contraction. Vitamin E provides for the repair of cell and tissue damage resulting from athletics, and Vitamin K allows for blood to clot, as well as the absorption of calcium into bones. Without fat, beneficial vitamins could not be absorbed into the body, resulting in serious detriment to athletic performance. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/471303-importance-of-fat-for-athletes/#ixzz1bbV4nVWU
Also, in a separate episode she stated that excess consumption of protein stresses the liver. While this is true, unless you have genetic predisposition to liver disorders or a previous liver condition, this should have no negative impact on one's health.
Overall, the nutrition advice offered on the program is good everyday advice, however it leaves something to be desired as far as nutrition for athletes is concerned.
Regards,
I know this sounds like an odd statement, however the fact is that most commercially available drinks are loaded with Sugar. To make matters worse is that these drinks may be sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
It is no secret, however it's not a well known fact that high fructose corn syrup is really bad for you! As a matter of fact it's known to have the same effect on your body as alcohol except for the loss of motor control and the inebriated state.
That is not way I'm stating that you should drink only water. The reason I make this statement is that everything around us now has sugar in it. It's absolutely ridiculous how hard it is to escape sugar whether it is in the form of brown sugar, honey, HFCS or any other artificial sweetener. Sweeteners in any form are bad for you, artificial sweeteners have their own issues.
Recently I gave up drinking all soda's, juices and sports drinks and oddly enough, I'm reducing weight without even trying!
The idea is not to give up everything sweet or everything with sugar or caffeine but in fact to reduce the number of manufactured items we are consuming. It's shocking when you think about the number of foods and drinks we consume without even knowing whats in them! Think about it, what is Pepsi or Coke made of? What about Gatorade? Do you know exactly? Can you buy the ingredients to make these things at home?
Reduce the number of processed or manufactured foods you consume, you may find that you are getting health benefits without sacrificing foods or even eating less. I've noticed that with a lot of these chemicals out of my system I feel hungry less often and I feel full faster when eating. For my money, ground up beef in restaurants, frozen dinners, frozen prepared foods, all these things are processed to a degree that most of us cannot even imagine. They contain sweeteners, salts, preservatives all of which are vastly unnecessary however help prolong the shelf life of a product. Avoid these foods as best you can.
If you have an hour and a half to invest in your health, watch Sugar: The Bitter Truth on YouTube which will justify most of the statements I have made here with science.
