Vegetarian Athletes

The primary concern for vegetarian athletes is protein. As athletes, your protein needs are a little bit higher than your meat-eating teammates because plant protein isn’t digested as easily as animal protein. Don’t worry though, as long as you are eating a variety of high protein sources, you should be able to meet your protein needs for training and competition. Low-fat dairy products and eggs are great sources of protein. If you are avoiding all animal products, some examples of high protein plant foods include:  

• Peanut butter (8 g per 2 Tbs) 
• Pistachios (6 g per 1 oz or 48 kernels) 
• Tempeh (15 g per ½ cup) 
• Falafel (14 g per ½ cup) 
• Soybeans, as edamame (11 g per ½ cup) 
• Lentils (9 g per ½ cup) 
• Quinoa (4 g per ½ cup) 

As with trying any new foods, I would recommend doing an experiment with them not prior to a sporting event. Everyone tolerates foods differently, so try the food and see how you feel after 3-4 hours. If it’s not sitting well or causing some distress, you can eliminate it from your pre-competition meal or pre-practice snack. 
Vegetarian athletes also are at higher risk to be low in iron, especially women. Iron from animal sources is different from iron from plant sources in that it is not absorbed as easily. All iron is better utilized by our bodies when it is eaten with a source of vitamin C such as orange juice, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, or grapefruit. Some high iron foods include:

• Iron-enriched cereals 
• Prunes 
• Raisins 
• Spinach 
• Broccoli 
• Kidney beans 

More helpful information on eating vegetarian diets can be found at: 

USDA Choose MyPlate – Tips for Vegetarians http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/tips-for-vegetarian.html 
USDA Lifecycle Nutrition – Vegetarian Nutrition 
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/lifecycle-nutrition/vegetarian-nutrition 
The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom 
http://www.vegsoc.org/health/

Guest Blogger: Jaime Williams, USD Dietetic Intern

Fueling the Athlete with Oatmeal

If you are looking for a breakfast idea to have an hour or so before exercise, oatmeal is an excellent choice. Oatmeal is a whole grain that is high in soluble fiber, which allows for a slower digestion rate that provides long-lasting energy- perfect for athletes! You probably have noticed advertisements for oatmeal that label it as a "heart healthy" food. Oatmeal is considered heart healthy because the fiber content helps lower cholesterol levels. It will also help keep you feeling full longer. 

Oatmeal is high in carbohydrate. If you have read any other of my posts, you know how important carbohydrates are in the athlete's diet! A serving of oatmeal (1/2 cup, uncooked) provides 27 grams of carbohydrate. To add more grams of carbohydrates to your breakfast, prepare with milk and top with fresh fruit. That is a lot of wonderful nutrition in one bowl!

Vitamin D and Athletes

What is Vitamin D? Here is some background information: 

• Fat soluble vitamin meaning that the body stores excess amounts for later use opposed to water soluble vitamins which get flushed out through the system
• Functionally it acts as a hormone with a similar structure as steroid hormones 
• Known to be important for optimal muscle function as well as playing an important role in bone growth and repair, cell functioning, neuromuscular immune functioning and the management of inflammation. 
• It is produced in the body when your skin is exposed to sunlight 
• Not “just a vitamin”, but rather the only known substrate producing multiple effects related to functions in the body. 
• Important to ensure adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D together to ensure bone health 
• Vitamin D is needed for absorption of calcium

Why is it important to athletes specifically? 

• Vitamin D has been shown to improve athletic performance (International Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009) 
• A related finding noted that peak athletic performance occurs during summer sun exposure when your body produces the most Vitamin D 
• Been shown to increase the size and percentage of “fast twitch” muscle fibers playing a huge role in generating quick bursts of speed and power
• Supplementing vitamin D in athletes with sub-optimal levels may have beneficial effects on athletic performance in particular strength, power, reaction time and balance (AIS) 
• A deficiency can lead to several health issues including increased risk of bone injuries, chronic musculoskeletal pain and viral respiratory tract infections 
• Deficient athletes tend to have a higher incidence of stress fractures according to the Cleveland Clinic

References 
1) Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) – “Fuelling your success – Vitamin D” 
2) Institute of Medicine, 2010 
3) Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: Athletic Performance & Vitamin D (John Cannell, 2009) May 2009 - Volume 41 - Issue 5 - pp 1102-1110 
4) International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism; “Should We be Concerned About the Vitamin D Status of Athletes?” K.S. Willis et al.; 2008 5) Cleveland Clinic –“ Vitamin D deficiency Hazardous to Athletes’ Health & Performance”

Guest Blogger: Liz Wray, USD Dietetic Intern

"Inside the Summit League"

For those of you who have Midcontinent as their cable provider, be sure to check out my guest segment on "Inside the Summit League." The show airs on Wednesday nights at 7 pm CST on Midco Sports Net. I visit with the host, Tom Neiman, about various sport nutrition topics. 

Knowing Your Sweat Rate

Answering the question, "what is my sweat rate?" can be tricky. Although it can be calculated easy enough, there are so many variables that can affect it that it will not always be the same. It will change depending on the type and intensity of activity, temperature outside, genetics, humidity, and the type of clothing/equipment you are wearing. Being mindful with your hydration plan will help prevent some of the effects of dehydration and possible muscle cramping. 

An example of how much sweat rates can vary can be seen by looking at two tennis players.

Male 1: He is in his summer competition with an average sweat rate of 1.6 L per hour.
Male 2: He is also in his summer competition and is prone to muscle cramps. His sweat rate is 2.6 L per hour.

As you can see, most everything between these two males is the same (temperature outside, humidity, clothing) with the exception of their genetics. So it goes to show that you really need to pay attention to your body and how much YOU are sweating to estimate how much water you should be drinking. Not only are you losing fluid in your sweat, but also electrolytes. Sodium, in particular, is lost in sweat and even the rate of that is highly dependent on genetic factors. Some people are "salty" sweaters while others not. It may require adding in some electrolytes to your water or drinking a sports drink.

Reference:
Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 39(2), 377-390.

Recipe - Green Smoothie with Kale, Banana, and Milk

As I was making my breakfast this morning, it hit me that this would make a wonderful breakfast for an athlete on-the-go because it is so quick to prepare. It is a light breakfast, but still packs in a good amount of carbohydrate with some added protein. Adding in the kale really gives this smoothie an extra punch of nutrition. Who says you can't have your dark leafy greens in the morning? This smoothie is also an excellent source of calcium because both the kale and milk are rich sources. 

In my breakfast smoothie that I have pictured, I used:

1 cup of chopped kale
1 cup of vanilla soy milk
1 banana
1 tsp chia seeds (optional)

I blended those ingredients until smooth, then I added in a few ice cubes and blended again.

Nutrition facts: 258 calories, 49 grams carbohydrate, 11 grams protein, 5 grams of fat

Another Reason Not to Skip Breakfast

You have heard it all before. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's so easy to come up with reasons to skip this meal, such as not enough time, not hungry in the morning, etc...

It is important for everyone, especially athletes, to fuel your body right away in the morning. After a night of sleep, your body is running low and breakfast is needed to give you the jump-start you need. When choosing what to eat for breakfast, be sure to include a good source of protein. Often times people eat a lot of protein later in the day and forget to include it in with breakfast. Your body needs it in the morning, too! It will also keep you feeling full longer.

Another reason not to skip breakfast comes from a study done by the Imperial College of London. Subjects who skipped breakfast craved higher fat choices once lunch time came around. Those who ate breakfast did not have such intense cravings and ate fewer calories at lunch. It offers interesting insight to how our brain thinks about the food we eat. A more detailed summary of the study can be found in the link below. 

From BBC News, Skipping breakfast primes the brain to seek out fat

Eating Disorders and Athletes

Maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial for overall good health.  At the core of this philosophy lies a balanced diet and plenty of physical activity.  Although that rule is true for everyone, it holds a special meaning to athletes.  The desire for an athlete to improve performance is usually a good trait; but, in some cases, it may be taken too far. A major cause of concern comes from the mentality that thinness is directly related to an athlete’s self-worth and the ability to become better at his or her sport.  At this point, it is time to

seek help.

In general, an eating disorder is a condition when a person suffers from an unhealthy body image paired with harmful eating practices.  The three classifications of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa (restrict food with or without binge-purge cycles), bulimia nervosa (binge-purge cycles), or eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS).  They are often connected with psychological disorders including anxiety, depression, and over-compulsive behavior.  Current research is unable to accurately show how prevalent eating disorders are within the athletic population.  Data suggest that the number of athletes affected by this disease could range anywhere between 1% and 62% in females and between 0% and 57% in males¹.

Participating in athletics is demanding on the body.  The body requires a substantial amount of energy and other nutrients to perform repeatedly or for a long time, and even more to fully recover from that physical activity. This underscores why nutrition counseling is an important aspect in successful training and competition. The body receives most of its energy from carbohydrates and fat.  Protein is also needed to help build and repair muscle.  Athletes who inappropriately restrict the amount of food they eat will hinder their training and athletic performance by decreasing muscle mass and allowing fatigue to set in more quickly.  A diet too low in calories can also make it much more difficult to reach the minimum level of nutrients needed to stay healthy.  Calcium, vitamin B-12, and iron are common nutrient deficiencies found in food-restricted diets¹.  Because the body is weakened from the lack of energy and other nutrients, there is also an increased risk of injury.

Athletes put a lot of pressure on themselves to get the best score or lowest time. Many sports also have the added pressure of achieving and maintaining a certain body image. Some sports in particular, such as running and gymnastics, have some of the highest rates of eating disorders when compared to other sports ².  

Signs and Symptoms:  Signs and symptoms of an eating disorder can vary greatly by individual.  Restricting food is not the only sign of an eating disorder so it is important to be aware of other characteristics.  The American Psychiatric Association provides this list to help identify a person with an eating disorder:²

• Intense fear of gaining weight
•  A connection between body shape and size to self-worth
• A weight loss that drops him or her below 85% of a normal weight for age and height, and the inability to see the danger of the extreme weight loss
•  In females, the loss of menstruation for longer than three months
• Episodes of binge eating, which is eating an unusually large amount of food, followed by a purge, which may be self-induced vomiting, misusing laxatives, or over-exercising. 
• Binge eating and purging at least twice a week for three months

In athletes, over-exercising is more difficult to recognize when compared to non-athletes, but it is still an issue that needs to be considered.  If the motivation to exercise changes from improving athletic performance to only thinking about burning calories from the previous meal², then it may be a sign of something else going on, such as an eating disorder.

The health consequences related to an eating disorder include a disruption in normal hormone levels, depression, weakened bones, malnutrition, tooth decay, stomach problems, infertility in women, damage to the heart, and possibly death¹.  Successful recovery from this disease requires intervention from a team of professionals, typically including a physician, a mental health counselor, and a dietitian.  An appointment with any one of those providers will be able to offer assistance and make referrals.  

¹Beals KA. Disordered eating in athletes. In: Dunford M, ed. Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals. 4^th ed. Chicago, IL: American Dietetic Association; 2006:336-354.

²Clark N. Sports Nutrition Guidebook. 4^th ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2008. 

Living on campus? Save money on snacks!

• Buy items in bulk. They last longer are usually cheaper per serving. An example would be a box of triscuits or crackers rather than the buying the individual packages. 
• Keep an eye out for any items that you commonly use that go on sale at the grocery store. Remember - don’t buy a food item you will never use just because it is on sale. 
• If you have a microwave in your room: frozen (steam in microwave) vegetables is a healthy snack idea and are cheaper and easier to care for then fresh. Place them in the freezer compartment of your mini-fridge for storage. 
• Canned foods, such as tuna or canned fruit, have a long shelf life and are generally cheap. Place the tuna on crackers for a good snack or meal. Choose canned fruit that has been canned in water or its own juice. 
• Fresh fruit/vegetables are always a good snack idea and when on sale can be relatively inexpensive. One must eat it, however, before it spoils. 
• If buying lunch meats make sure you choose the leaner meat selections, such as chicken or turkey.

Guest Blogger: Duncan Anderson, USD Dietetic Intern

Chocolate Milk and the Athlete

Chocolate milk has been making headlines for some time now about it being the "athlete's drink." But do you really know why? 

Before we dive into that too much, let's review a little what happens when we exercise. In our bodies, protein is constantly being built and broken down. This is called protein turn-over. A side effect of an exercise bout is the breaking down of proteins. Exercise causes some tissue damage and requires a little repair. Not only do you need the protein, but your carbohydrate stores need to be replenished as well. This is why there is a recommendation to eat a carbohydrate/protein snack post-exercise. The term "recovery snack" makes more sense now, doesn't it?

So what makes chocolate milk so special? Cow's milk is considered to be a high-quality protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that are body cannot produce and must be taken in through the diet. It also contains more carbohydrates (cho) per serving when compared to regular white milk. 

In a study led by the University of Connecticut, they examined chocolate milk consumption with endurance athletes and how it affected protein balance, glycogen, and performance. Runners were asked to complete a 45 minutes exercise. After that, each runner was given either chocolate milk (cho+pro) or a sweetened beverage (cho only). 

At the end of the study, they found that the runners who drank the chocolate milk had greater protein synthesis and less protein breakdown than those who drank the sweetened beverage. Both drinks were able to maintain glycogen (cho) storage. 

This study, along with others, show that it takes BOTH protein and carbohydrates to properly recover from exercise. Chocolate milk is a convenient (and tasty!) way to get the nutrients your body is craving. Remember- a recovery beverage should be consumed within 30 minutes of exercise to see the full effects.

Reference: 
Lunn, W. R., Pasiakos, S. M., Colletto, M. R., Karfonta, K. E., Carbone, J. W., Anderson, J. M., & Rodriguez, N. R. (2012). Chocolate milk and endurance exercise recovery: protein balance, glycogen, and performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44(4), 682-691.

Suffering from stomach issues during endurance events?

There are many variables involved with developing stomach and intestinal difficulties during endurance events, including different courses, varying weather conditions, different states of fitness and changing intakes of calories and fluids – it can be very difficult to pin point exactly what went wrong in any situation. 

• Report as many details as possible such as weather and course information, start and finish time, and record – in as much detail as possible – everything you ate and drank (including solution strengths and amounts of food) and when you consumed it 
• Possible Problem: Taking in too many calories during event. Taking in too many calories too quickly can slow the emptying of your stomach causing a build up of fluid in the stomach and resulting in cramps, nausea and vomiting. 
• Try to take your energy in liquid form if possible. It is easier to swallow, easier to digest and easier to know what you are taking in. Solid food takes more time and energy to digest and when you are operating at your limit. Your body simply does not the have time to digest it well. 
• Possible Problem: Taking in too much fluid. Taking in too much fluid can result in ‘stomach sloshing’ and a build up of fluid in the stomach and small intestine resulting in nausea and vomiting. 
• Another factor to be aware of is that carbohydrate sources that contain resistant starch, may contribute to symptoms of gas, bloating, cramps, nausea and diarrhea. Resistant starch is derived from amylose often used to make maltodextrin which is widely used in sports nutrition products. This may require some experimenting with different sports drinks to find one that works best for you.

Guest Blogger: Marni Shoemaker, Sports Nutrition Intern from Augustana College

6th GRADERS

This is  the video I've made  with the photos taken  during the  last day of school party.
Good luck 6ºD pupils!

LIFE AT HOME 
VOCABULARY 

 -Just to remember  daily routines

STORIES  AND  ACTIVITIES  ABOUT  STORIES

-"Listen the Story about Nasreddin and  the pot again" 

-Now, do  this activity to check your comprenhension

-This is  a video about another story :"The whispering palms" 

GAMES

-Go to UNIT 8

 
-Do the activities on UNIT 5

 

-Go to UNIT 8 

-Do the activities on UNIT 5  and UNIT 6 ( games 4, 5,6,7,8, and 9)

-UNIT 7 activities

-Go to UNIT 7 again

-In this game you have to do UNIT 8

-Finally  do   UNIT 6

REAL ENGLISH

-Watch and listen people  aswering the question "What did you do yesterday?"


PAST  TIMES 
 VOCABULARY 

In the following video you'll remember the vocabulary we learnt  in this unit  and at the same time at you'll listen the song "Robin Hood"  that is in our  book "Surprise 6 " . 

  

-Learn the irregular  verbs . Pay atention to the pronunciation.

 

-A funny video to learn the simple past of irregular verbs with Max the Cat (part 1 ) 

-Second video of Max the Cat  and more verbs (part 2) 

-Last part of the story " Max the Cat" ( part 3 )

-More videos  about the Simple Past 

STORIES

-If you click on the image above you can listen and read the story of  ROBIN HOOD

-This is the story of ST. GEORGE and  THE DRAGON

-Here you can have another legend. This time is the legend of the KING ARTHUR 

GAMES  

-Practice the Simple Past with this HANGMAN game by clicking the letters.  

 

-To review the vocabulary about technology

-Different activities about  the past

Play this game  and  review the verbs .Enjoy! 

How much money can  you get ?    If you know the verbs  you can be millionaire!

-Go to this page  and  take more  practice 

Play the Simple Past  Jeopardy  Game

-Do you like SNAKES  and  LADDERS? Enjoy the game  and  learn more  about  the past  

 -Practice the vocabulary doing the crossword

 If you've finished the reading , now yo can check you're understanding with this activity.

 Go to UNIT 8

 Go to UNIT 8

In this game go to UNIT 6  

GRAMMAR

Click here and you'll learn how to pronounce the ending -ed of the regular verbs 

 

-Watch and listen what granny says  about  THE  SIMPLE PAST 

-Learn the rules about Past Simple

-This book is very useful to learn about the past ( regular verbs, irregular verbs, the date ...)  

SONGS 

-Listen and sing the song  "ROBIN HOOD"

WORK  AND  PLAY   

VOCABULARY

 

_Watch  the video and learn the vocabulary  about  jobs 

       

-In this  video you can listen people answering the question What do you do?

 

-More  about  jobs

ADVERBS  OF  FREQUENCY

 

How often do you...?

How often does she or  he ...?

The day of a reporter

How often do you swim?

STORIES 

-This is the  story that  we  read in class:"The Oldest Pupil" 

-In this video  you can listen the  story "When I grow up"

GAMES   

 

-An activity  about the story "The oldest pupil" to check your understanding  

 - Vocabulary  game

If you go to UNIT 3 you can have  a lot of  practice  

- Now, UNIT  5 : jobs  and the past   

   

- Go to UNIT 5  for more  activities

- Check your  knwoledge  with this  game. You can play by yourself or  in pairs

 

-Here you've got a lot of activities 

How quickly can you make  sentences ?

SONGS 

-Listen and  sing the  song  "People  work" 

-Another  song : "People  song"    

-And  now  listen Shania  Twain singing  "She's not  just  a pretty face" 

 

-Fill in the  gaps and you'll have the lyrics of the song

-And now if you want to check the  answers  just listen and look at the lyrics below

Shania Twain - She's Just Not A Pretty Face on BatLyrics.com

After listening the  song you can do this  activities about  it.

REAL  ENGLISH


Listen this people answering the  question What's your job?

Now watch and listen these children telling waht they want to be  when they grow up

-This is  a  funny video  with small kids  talking about  what they want to be when they grow up

 HAPPILY  EVER  AFTER  

STORY  

-Click and listen the  story   

GAMES 

-Vocabulary game   

 -Read  the story "Happily  ever after" and then ckeck your  understanding 

 

-Go to unit  1 to review  how often  you do things  

 -Go to unit 1 again 

 -Go to unit 2 to review  The Simple Present  and  clothes  

Go to unit 1 for more  activites 

 

-Unit 1 again  

More  grammar : adverbs 

 

-More grammar  activities

 

Another  activity to check your grammar 

How good is your  reading? Check it here  

SONGS 

 -Do you remember this song? You can sing  it again.

THE   THREE  BROTHERS  

VOCABULARY 
-Look at the videos to review some  basic vocabulary words

 

 

 

And now listen and learn about comparatives  and  adjectives :

STORIES

-Listen the  story "THE THREE  BROTHERS"

GAMES

 

 -After the reading now you're  ready to do this  activity about it.

 

-If you click on the image  you can practice the  comparatives  and the superlatives on UNIT 7.
Ask me for the password.


-Go to UNIT 3 to practive about  superlatives

-Clicking on the picture above you will practice  comparatives  and  at the same time  reviewing some geographical  features.
 You also need  a  password.

 

Here you can remember the comparatives on UNIT 6 

-More  activites to practice . Ask me for the password

-More  activities about comparatives  and superlatives.

SONGS 

-On the video you can listen famous songs with  some  sentences  using comparatives  and  superlatives.

-Here  another  song  using  comparatives  and  superlatives