NUTRITION BASICS PART TRE

What can we do with our diet, at this very moment, to improve athletic performance. With all the restaurants, TV adds, and marketing, living in a Buddhist temple might be your best bet. But, if you are not interested in that, try looking at these three areas. Saturated fats, excessive carbs, and sugar would be a real good place to start.
Saturated fats has been under the microscope over the last ten years. With the buzz words arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and coronary heart disease frequently flying in the news it makes sense. Saturated fats can be solid at room temperature. This includes butter, coconut oil, cottenseed oil, and cheese. You must also remember that essential fatty acids (EFA), as mentioned in last weeks article, need to be acquired through the diet. So you may have to eat saturated fats for that reason. Wait a minute, did he just contradict himself? You are correct. What research is finding out that trans fats are the real culprits.
Harvard University has done some excellent research and found that saturated fats raise both the HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. Just remember HDL is happy and LDL is lousy. That is a win and lose situation. What trans fats do is raise LDL, and don't effect HDL. Whoops, that is no good. Examples of trans fats include margarine, vegetable shortening partially hydrogenated, deep fried anything, much fast food (but they are improving on this), and many commonly baked goods (they are also trying to improve on this). This is only a thumbnail sketch on this topic, but trans fat adios.
Excessive carbs are supersizing, buy this size and save, and all the things that we as consumers must face every time we shop. Generally speaking, compare the total carbs to total protein. Both protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram. So you don't need to figure out the calories of each, just compare the number of grams of carbs to the number of grams of protein. If this ratio is more than roughly 4 to 1 , there are to many carbs in your meal. Of course, there are exceptions. If you are a long distance runner who is about to run in a marathon, those numbers are to low. Ultra-marathoners could pound away a cake in the middle of a 40 mile training run, no lie! The number needs to be adjusted per the sport, training intensity, and present body fat levels. For example I've read a two to one ratio diet could be used for individuals who are ectomorphs (little muscle, little fat) who are attempting to put on muscle mass. If you want to thin out, a three to one goal, could be used. It is all individual. Nevertheless, stay away from the excessive carbs.
Lastly, sugars are flooding us. Sodas have little use. So many drinks are high in sugar, it is ridiculous. I myself have gotten into green tea, as a replacement for my sugar rush. That will be discussed at a later date. I see a lot of kids have mood swings, that I believe are due to sugar intake. I wouldn't doubt if it contributes to depression and anger issues. There is an acid in sodas that leaches or takes calcium out of the body. If you are a woman, maybe entering menopause, this should hit home with you. I won't say eliminate, that is not realistic, but try to lessen your intake of sugar. You will be surprised. See you next week! acudave@yahoo.com