Looks like my hard work over the past few days have been worthwhile...
I'm currently thinking of ideas for a website I'm going to be setting up but in the mean time, I need some time to recover!
Thanks for reading my posts x
Wednesday 12 February 2014
Tuesday 11 February 2014
Weight management - adipose tissue
Individual fat cells/adipocytes store excess dietary fat and energy (triglycerides) in the adipose tissue. Adipocytes and triglycerides are unloaded when lipoprotein lipase on lipid (containing lipoproteins) is sent out from the liver and into the adipose tissue. Circulating lipoproteins also transport lipids in the blood stream. Adipose tissue can also store excess energy, this comes from an over consumption of carbs. Body fat will increase when this happens for several days. Glucose will enter the adipose tissue where it is under the influence of insulin. Then it is stored as triglycerides when synthesised into fat. However, this is more likely when insulin levels are increased. Most glucose is taken into the tissues which is used as fuel and then the glucose will enter the adipose tissue and contribute to the storage of fat. The distribution of the adipose tissue can be influenced by gender, genetics and also hormonal dominance.
Right... that's it!
Seriously, I'm achy all over and done ridiculous amounts of revision which has made my M.E. worse - just hope I can function in the morning. Apologies for the frequent posting, it will now stop!
Good night all x
Right... that's it!
Seriously, I'm achy all over and done ridiculous amounts of revision which has made my M.E. worse - just hope I can function in the morning. Apologies for the frequent posting, it will now stop!
Good night all x
Weight management - Popular diets
There are many different diets that help to assist weight management: These can be in the form of fasting, very low calorie, calorie counting groups, meal replacements, food combining and fat-burning supplements.
Fasting creates a negative energy balance which results in weight loss, it rest the digestive system and it also helps to detoxify many systems of the body.
Very low calorie diets often only consist of 800 calories a day, is fortified with the daily requirements of minerals and vitamins, is designed for obese people to achieve fast weight loss and doctors also supervised replacement bars and shakes.
Calorie counting groups help to keep the calorie intake controlled, has guidance of foods to eat which are provided and also group involvement creates accountability.
Meal replacements help to control the intake of food calorie counted shakes and meals, it removes any complexity of calorie counting for the consumer and it usually consists of 1200-1500 calories.
Food combining means that carbs are better digested in an alkali environment, proteins digest better in an acidic environment and all foods should be eaten at different times meaning they have to be separated.
Fat-burning supplements boost the metabolism which burns body fat and it also creates a thermogenic effect in the body.
However, there can be problems regarding each of these, they are:
With fasting, there is a risk of dehydration, there's a lack of energy as well as essential nutrients and it increases aches and pains, headaches, bad breath and also allergies.
Very low calorie diets create a low bioavailability of many fortified nutrients, brings on diarrhoea, constipation, nausea and fatigue and it's only a short term approach.
Calorie counting groups tend to only be a short term fix, a yoyo dieting cycle is common and the nutrient intake may be compromised.
Meal replacements bring on a lack of energy, low adherence, boredom and taste fatigue and there is a low bioavailability of many fortified nutrients.
Food combining means very restrictive meals, erratic blood sugar responses from high carbs to low carbs and it may lack vitamin A, D, B12, calcium and zinc due to the low animal consumption.
Fat-burning supplements may cause arrythmia, depression, nervousness, insomnia, or illnesses leading to strokes, seizures and heart attacks.
Fasting creates a negative energy balance which results in weight loss, it rest the digestive system and it also helps to detoxify many systems of the body.
Very low calorie diets often only consist of 800 calories a day, is fortified with the daily requirements of minerals and vitamins, is designed for obese people to achieve fast weight loss and doctors also supervised replacement bars and shakes.
Calorie counting groups help to keep the calorie intake controlled, has guidance of foods to eat which are provided and also group involvement creates accountability.
Meal replacements help to control the intake of food calorie counted shakes and meals, it removes any complexity of calorie counting for the consumer and it usually consists of 1200-1500 calories.
Food combining means that carbs are better digested in an alkali environment, proteins digest better in an acidic environment and all foods should be eaten at different times meaning they have to be separated.
Fat-burning supplements boost the metabolism which burns body fat and it also creates a thermogenic effect in the body.
However, there can be problems regarding each of these, they are:
With fasting, there is a risk of dehydration, there's a lack of energy as well as essential nutrients and it increases aches and pains, headaches, bad breath and also allergies.
Very low calorie diets create a low bioavailability of many fortified nutrients, brings on diarrhoea, constipation, nausea and fatigue and it's only a short term approach.
Calorie counting groups tend to only be a short term fix, a yoyo dieting cycle is common and the nutrient intake may be compromised.
Meal replacements bring on a lack of energy, low adherence, boredom and taste fatigue and there is a low bioavailability of many fortified nutrients.
Food combining means very restrictive meals, erratic blood sugar responses from high carbs to low carbs and it may lack vitamin A, D, B12, calcium and zinc due to the low animal consumption.
Fat-burning supplements may cause arrythmia, depression, nervousness, insomnia, or illnesses leading to strokes, seizures and heart attacks.
Exercise nutrition - Hydration & Protein shakes
With regards to hydration: caffeine, sugar, salt and alcohol levels will all have an effect on fluid balance whilst sometimes even food can contribute to overall hydration levels.
When considering how much water you will need to maintain sufficient levels within cells and blood (optimises function), there are certain factors that need to be considered such as the amount of lean muscle mass in the individual, the environmental temperature and also the intensity, type of frequency of the exercises performed. Lots of health professional recommend that drinking half your body weight in water is a good guide to how much you need. To make more sense of this, here are estimated figures for the daily amount of water into by body weight: 55kg = 1.70 (litres), 60kg = 1.85, 65kg = 2.00, 70kg = 2.15, 75kg = 2.30, 80kg = 2.45, 85kg = 2.60, 90kg = 2.75, 95kg = 2.90 and lastly 100kg = 3.05.
Moving onto protein shakes, here are a few facts: Found in milk is whey protein (6.5% protein). 20% of the 6.5% is whey protein. There is a massive concentration on amino acids making whey protein the highest biological value to the body of any protein.
Here are a few more facts about whey protein: whey is a waste liquid by-product from cheese manufacture, it is often dried at high temperatures which helps speed the manufacturing process however anything above 60% means the fragile proteins become denatured and essentially destroys their ability to function. Also, manufacturers use colours, flavours, sweeteners and sugar which improves palatability. It's also often very low in fat although proteins need fat for proper metabolism use and lastly it's often only backed up by self-funded research.
When thinking about purchasing a protein powder, it's important to consider the following: to look for cold processed protein powders that are manufactured below 50 degrees, have no added sweeteners, flavours, colours or sugars and that it is mixed with whole organic milk due to the fact that fats are essential for protein metabolism.
When considering how much water you will need to maintain sufficient levels within cells and blood (optimises function), there are certain factors that need to be considered such as the amount of lean muscle mass in the individual, the environmental temperature and also the intensity, type of frequency of the exercises performed. Lots of health professional recommend that drinking half your body weight in water is a good guide to how much you need. To make more sense of this, here are estimated figures for the daily amount of water into by body weight: 55kg = 1.70 (litres), 60kg = 1.85, 65kg = 2.00, 70kg = 2.15, 75kg = 2.30, 80kg = 2.45, 85kg = 2.60, 90kg = 2.75, 95kg = 2.90 and lastly 100kg = 3.05.
Moving onto protein shakes, here are a few facts: Found in milk is whey protein (6.5% protein). 20% of the 6.5% is whey protein. There is a massive concentration on amino acids making whey protein the highest biological value to the body of any protein.
Here are a few more facts about whey protein: whey is a waste liquid by-product from cheese manufacture, it is often dried at high temperatures which helps speed the manufacturing process however anything above 60% means the fragile proteins become denatured and essentially destroys their ability to function. Also, manufacturers use colours, flavours, sweeteners and sugar which improves palatability. It's also often very low in fat although proteins need fat for proper metabolism use and lastly it's often only backed up by self-funded research.
When thinking about purchasing a protein powder, it's important to consider the following: to look for cold processed protein powders that are manufactured below 50 degrees, have no added sweeteners, flavours, colours or sugars and that it is mixed with whole organic milk due to the fact that fats are essential for protein metabolism.
Exercise nutrition - General exercise & Isotonic drinks
General exercises refers to people who participate in lower intensity training, this is where glycogen is possibly lost and greater amounts of fat will be used. There are also guidelines regarding general exercise. These are to aim to stay within the energy balance, not mixing high carbs with high fat though try to provide energy that can be metabolised, smaller portions and also having meals often favour the oxidation of the nutrients, the micronutrients should be high, aim to create an energy deficit of 250 calories if trying to lose body fat, also fulfil carbohydrate needs (moderate/low GI foods), EFA's should be eaten in balance, must include adequate protein and also fibre should be high.
Isotonic drinks replace the fluid and provision of fuel which comes in the form of carbohydrates. This can help to maintain reasonable hydration and provide a faster rate of absorption. They have electrolytes/salts lost through increased sweating during exertion which are all necessary. However, isotonic drinks sometimes have artificial sweeteners added to them. It can also be recommended to create your own sports drinks which you would do by: dissolving 60g of glucose into 1 litre of water and then adding a fifth of a teaspoon of unprocessed natural salt. You can also mix 500ml of water with 500ml of fruit juice (unsweetened) and then adding a fifth of a teaspoon of unprocessed salt which is natural.
Isotonic drinks replace the fluid and provision of fuel which comes in the form of carbohydrates. This can help to maintain reasonable hydration and provide a faster rate of absorption. They have electrolytes/salts lost through increased sweating during exertion which are all necessary. However, isotonic drinks sometimes have artificial sweeteners added to them. It can also be recommended to create your own sports drinks which you would do by: dissolving 60g of glucose into 1 litre of water and then adding a fifth of a teaspoon of unprocessed natural salt. You can also mix 500ml of water with 500ml of fruit juice (unsweetened) and then adding a fifth of a teaspoon of unprocessed salt which is natural.
Exercise nutrition - Pre/Post-exercise meals
It is thought that a release of insulin will occur due to a high rise in blood glucose when GI foods are chosen before exercise. There are however feared side effects of high GI carbs, these are when the insulin causes a big fall in glucose levels before the exercise workout has begun (rebound hypoglycaemia) and also and increased rate of early glucose oxidation. It is thought that better performance in exercise occurs when glycogen sparing occurs with the low glycaemic trial. There is however no clear benefit that research has found. It is mainly thought that low GI foods and high GI foods eaten before exercise show no major differences regarding performance levels.
Drinks containing carbs are highly recommended during exercise for athletes. It has been shown that ingesting carbs is acceptable if the race/match is no longer than 90 mins, the session is longer than an hour or if a pre-exercise meal isn't possible. It can also help improve performance during exercise when consuming isotonic drinks as it delays the onset of fatigue. This can be as effective as consuming a pre-exercise meal. It is also an advantage that fluid is replaced by an isotonic drink.
In particular, during the 2 hours after a training session, the muscles are a lot more sensitive to the effects insulin produces creating a more reliable replacement for the lost glycogen. Immediate consumption of GI carbs helps the high synthesis of muscle glycogen.
The reasons why high GI (glycaemic index) carbs post-exercise are recommended is due to increased glucose availability/uptake, insulin and glycogen synthesis. There are also recommended guidelines, they are as follows: post-training = 1 gram carbohydrate per kg of body mass every 2 hours or 50 grams per meal, the 1st intake to be within 15 minutes of the workout ending and intake over a day = 7-10 grams carbohydrate per kg or 500-700 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Drinks containing carbs are highly recommended during exercise for athletes. It has been shown that ingesting carbs is acceptable if the race/match is no longer than 90 mins, the session is longer than an hour or if a pre-exercise meal isn't possible. It can also help improve performance during exercise when consuming isotonic drinks as it delays the onset of fatigue. This can be as effective as consuming a pre-exercise meal. It is also an advantage that fluid is replaced by an isotonic drink.
In particular, during the 2 hours after a training session, the muscles are a lot more sensitive to the effects insulin produces creating a more reliable replacement for the lost glycogen. Immediate consumption of GI carbs helps the high synthesis of muscle glycogen.
The reasons why high GI (glycaemic index) carbs post-exercise are recommended is due to increased glucose availability/uptake, insulin and glycogen synthesis. There are also recommended guidelines, they are as follows: post-training = 1 gram carbohydrate per kg of body mass every 2 hours or 50 grams per meal, the 1st intake to be within 15 minutes of the workout ending and intake over a day = 7-10 grams carbohydrate per kg or 500-700 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Exercise nutrition - Fueling aerobic & anaerobic sport
Different exercise routines need different nutritional recommendations such as aerobic training needs fuel which can be provided by carbs, fat and also protein. A larger amount of fat will be used for energy whilst working at lower intensities. Carbohydrates will be used as fuel more when the intensity of the exercises intensify.
The use of combined food as well as sports drinks/water/protein shakes, sole reliance on protein shakes or sports drinks or even the use of food alone will require much needed knowledge for the serious exerciser.
The aerobic system is able to use carbs and also fats to fuel activity whilst the lactate (anaerobic) system uses just carbs. We become more anaerobic the higher the intensity of the exercise meaning more carbs are used.
It has been shown that 58% of total work is contributed to through anaerobic work during a cross country run lasting for 5 miles. Also, it has been proven that the aerobic system contributed 40% of energy. This was during a half minute sprint. A 1 minute sprint used 50% energy and a 2 minute sprint used 65% energy. During these tests, it was shown that during the 100m sprint, men used 21% aerobic energy and 79% anaerobic energy and for the 200m sprint 28% aerobic energy was used whilst 72% anaerobic energy was used. In women it was 25% aerobic energy and 75% anaerobic energy in the 100m sprint, also 33% aerobic energy and 69% anaerobic energy was used in the 200m sprint.
The use of combined food as well as sports drinks/water/protein shakes, sole reliance on protein shakes or sports drinks or even the use of food alone will require much needed knowledge for the serious exerciser.
The aerobic system is able to use carbs and also fats to fuel activity whilst the lactate (anaerobic) system uses just carbs. We become more anaerobic the higher the intensity of the exercise meaning more carbs are used.
It has been shown that 58% of total work is contributed to through anaerobic work during a cross country run lasting for 5 miles. Also, it has been proven that the aerobic system contributed 40% of energy. This was during a half minute sprint. A 1 minute sprint used 50% energy and a 2 minute sprint used 65% energy. During these tests, it was shown that during the 100m sprint, men used 21% aerobic energy and 79% anaerobic energy and for the 200m sprint 28% aerobic energy was used whilst 72% anaerobic energy was used. In women it was 25% aerobic energy and 75% anaerobic energy in the 100m sprint, also 33% aerobic energy and 69% anaerobic energy was used in the 200m sprint.
Nutrition - Artificial sweeteners & Food additives
So, artificial sweeteners are commonly found in foods aims at consumers who are looking to lower the number of calories they take in and also the diet industry. Excitotoxins is the name that experts use to call common sweeteners. These excitotoxins stimulate sensory areas of the brain and they can also stimulate appetite and craving sensations. However, a lot of these sweeteners are found to have potential side effects that are harmful. There are 4 different types of artificial sweetener. These are Aspartame (E951), Sucralose (E955), Acesulfame K (E950) and Saccharin (E954).
Aspartame has received more complaints about aspartame than any other additive. It's been linked to many different health conditions like numbness, depression, dizziness, aching muscles, seizures and high blood pressure. Aspartame is also sold under many different brand names such as Equal, Spoonful and NutraSweet. However, it's present in well over 6000 food products.
Sucralose is linked in to the shrinking of the thymus gland and the enlargement of the kidneys and liver as well as decreased red blood cell count, diarrhoea and reduced growth. Sucralose is also sold under the brand name Splenda.
Acesulfame K stimulates the insulin which then causes hypoglycaemia. This happens when a response higher than is necessary follows low calorie intake.
Saccharin is listed currently as an anticipated human carcinogen. In sensitive people, this can cause insomnia, irritability, diarrhoea, itching and headaches.
There are 5 main additive categories, these are E100's (colourings), E200's (preservatives mostly), E300's (acidity regulators, anti-caking agents and antioxidants), E400's (thickeners, stabilisers, gelling agents and emulsifiers) and E900's (sugars, sweeteners and waxes).
There are also other E numbers that are carrier solvents, bulking agents, glazing agents, flour treatment agents, anti-foaming agents, firming agents, flavour enhancers and raising agents or modified starches.
When it comes do additive safety, the majority have been shown to be safe when kept within the acceptable limits although 70 additives have been known in some people to cause reactions (allergic) and also intolerance. It's also been known that 150 additives overall have had concerns about them as in testing there have been some adverse reactions. It's also been known that 30 additives are harmful.
It's also worth noting that aspartame, saccharin and monosodium are extremely popular in the food market. These additives along with others should be minimised in ours diets.
Aspartame has received more complaints about aspartame than any other additive. It's been linked to many different health conditions like numbness, depression, dizziness, aching muscles, seizures and high blood pressure. Aspartame is also sold under many different brand names such as Equal, Spoonful and NutraSweet. However, it's present in well over 6000 food products.
Sucralose is linked in to the shrinking of the thymus gland and the enlargement of the kidneys and liver as well as decreased red blood cell count, diarrhoea and reduced growth. Sucralose is also sold under the brand name Splenda.
Acesulfame K stimulates the insulin which then causes hypoglycaemia. This happens when a response higher than is necessary follows low calorie intake.
Saccharin is listed currently as an anticipated human carcinogen. In sensitive people, this can cause insomnia, irritability, diarrhoea, itching and headaches.
There are 5 main additive categories, these are E100's (colourings), E200's (preservatives mostly), E300's (acidity regulators, anti-caking agents and antioxidants), E400's (thickeners, stabilisers, gelling agents and emulsifiers) and E900's (sugars, sweeteners and waxes).
There are also other E numbers that are carrier solvents, bulking agents, glazing agents, flour treatment agents, anti-foaming agents, firming agents, flavour enhancers and raising agents or modified starches.
When it comes do additive safety, the majority have been shown to be safe when kept within the acceptable limits although 70 additives have been known in some people to cause reactions (allergic) and also intolerance. It's also been known that 150 additives overall have had concerns about them as in testing there have been some adverse reactions. It's also been known that 30 additives are harmful.
It's also worth noting that aspartame, saccharin and monosodium are extremely popular in the food market. These additives along with others should be minimised in ours diets.
Nutrition - Food additives and Labelling
When it comes to healthy marketing terminology, many different phrases are used on food labels. This is to increase the appeal of products.
These phrases are known as 'low calorie', 'sugar free', 'light, low, reduced or high' and 'reduced or low fat'.
'low calorie' has no set level but must be lower than the original
'sugar free' usually has artificial sweeteners for taste and sugar hasn't been added
'light, low, reduced or high' shouldn't mislead although there are no specific requirements
'reduced or low fat' usually has calories added through the adding of other ingredients to bring the product than lower by 25% in fat.
Food manufacturers usually prefer to use technical names when listing the food additives. These are known as its 'E' number which a lot of the general public and generally ignorant of.
Refined sugars help to increase sugars and are very sweet and slightly addictive. They contain no calories. These sugars/sweeteners are glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, inverted sugar syrup, sugar, dextrose, sorbitol, xylitol, high fructose corn starch, maltodextrin and mannitol.
MSG (Monosodium glutamate) is an isolated amino acid, can be addictive and sweetens the flavour of products. It can affect the hypothalamic area of the brain thus being linked to obesity. However, it's only needed by the law on food labels if it's been added in its pure form. Free glutamic acid can cause the same problems as it is still there in lots of other additives. Its presence will be listed as whey protein isolate, soy protein isolate, hydrolysed protein, carrageenan, yeast extract and most natural flavourings.
These phrases are known as 'low calorie', 'sugar free', 'light, low, reduced or high' and 'reduced or low fat'.
'low calorie' has no set level but must be lower than the original
'sugar free' usually has artificial sweeteners for taste and sugar hasn't been added
'light, low, reduced or high' shouldn't mislead although there are no specific requirements
'reduced or low fat' usually has calories added through the adding of other ingredients to bring the product than lower by 25% in fat.
Food manufacturers usually prefer to use technical names when listing the food additives. These are known as its 'E' number which a lot of the general public and generally ignorant of.
Refined sugars help to increase sugars and are very sweet and slightly addictive. They contain no calories. These sugars/sweeteners are glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, inverted sugar syrup, sugar, dextrose, sorbitol, xylitol, high fructose corn starch, maltodextrin and mannitol.
MSG (Monosodium glutamate) is an isolated amino acid, can be addictive and sweetens the flavour of products. It can affect the hypothalamic area of the brain thus being linked to obesity. However, it's only needed by the law on food labels if it's been added in its pure form. Free glutamic acid can cause the same problems as it is still there in lots of other additives. Its presence will be listed as whey protein isolate, soy protein isolate, hydrolysed protein, carrageenan, yeast extract and most natural flavourings.
Nutrition - Food Labelling basics and Marketing terminology
When it comes to food labels, the ingredients that appear on the back of one are always listed in descending weight order. There are also certain things that ALL food labels must provide due to law, these are the product name, the weight or total volume, a best before date, instructions for storage, an ingredients list as well as stating potential allergens, details of the manufacturer and a place of origin.
In the BBC News in 2005, it was reported that out of 70 products that were tested for 570 nutrients, only 7% of those actually matched the food label values whilst nearly a fifth of them had food labels values more than 20% over (the margin of error).
The control and the sale of food in the UK is down to the FSA (Food Standards Agency). Food currently made including the labelling and manufacture is governed by the 1990 Food Safety Act. The FSA is also responsible for the food model, "The Eatwell Plate".
The FSA have also provided a list of terms regarding food regulations.
These include the terms fresh, pure, natural, authentic, home made, traditional, farmhouse and original.
Fresh is to differentiate the food sold a short time after harvest.
Pure is single ingredient foods, or to show the amount of ingredients of a food.
Natural is comprised of natural ingredients and not the work of a man.
Authentic remains unchanged and originates from the area implied by its name.
Home made is made from home or of domestic manufacture.
Traditional is a method of preparation that's existed for a long time period.
Farmhouse refers to produce on a farm, other than bread.
Original is a method of preparation that's stayed unchanged over time.
Next up is 'Healthy marketing terminology'...
In the BBC News in 2005, it was reported that out of 70 products that were tested for 570 nutrients, only 7% of those actually matched the food label values whilst nearly a fifth of them had food labels values more than 20% over (the margin of error).
The control and the sale of food in the UK is down to the FSA (Food Standards Agency). Food currently made including the labelling and manufacture is governed by the 1990 Food Safety Act. The FSA is also responsible for the food model, "The Eatwell Plate".
The FSA have also provided a list of terms regarding food regulations.
These include the terms fresh, pure, natural, authentic, home made, traditional, farmhouse and original.
Fresh is to differentiate the food sold a short time after harvest.
Pure is single ingredient foods, or to show the amount of ingredients of a food.
Natural is comprised of natural ingredients and not the work of a man.
Authentic remains unchanged and originates from the area implied by its name.
Home made is made from home or of domestic manufacture.
Traditional is a method of preparation that's existed for a long time period.
Farmhouse refers to produce on a farm, other than bread.
Original is a method of preparation that's stayed unchanged over time.
Next up is 'Healthy marketing terminology'...
Nutrition - Digestion
Digestion has 2 very important uses: Digestion and the absorption of nutrients. The body has to break down large food molecules into smaller amounts which make them more manageable. The job of the digestive system is done though chemical and mechanical digestion.
Enzymes help to speed up the digestive process by breaking down unabsorbable, large macronutrient molecules. Many parts of the digestive system produce these enzymes.
The GI tract (gastrointestinal tract) is where the digestion and absorption of all the nutrients take place.
The GI tract runs through from the mouth to the anus and comes in the form of a hollow tube. The mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, anus are what makes up the GI tract. All of these parts have a direct use.
Mouth, salivary amylase, carbs
Stomach, pepsin, proteins
Small intestine, lipase, fats
Small intestine, pancreatic amylase
Small intestine, trypsin, proteins
Carbs result in the end product of glucose, proteins result in the end product of amino acids and fats result in the end product of free fatty acids and glycerol.
Starting with the mouth - mastication is the mechanical chewing, saliva helps to dampen food and protects the teeth against rotting and also contains an enzyme, salivary amylase which begins to break down the larger carb molecoles.
The oesophagus contains peristalsis which helps the food to travel down and into the stomach.
The stomach has gastric juices that hold enzymes and acid, the hydrochloric acid also kills bacteria and pepsin helps to break down the proteins into peptides.
The pancreas has pancreatic juices that contain enzymes, lipase that helps to break fat and into fatty acids, amylase that turns carbs into glucose and trypsin that turns the proteins into amino acids.
Next is the liver although food doesn't enter the liver. It does however produce bile acids which emulsifies fats or mixes them with water.
The gall bladder is a storage place for the bile acids.
The small intestine is the key site of digestion and absorption, the pancreas and the gall bladder empty into the 1st section and duodenum villi helps to absorb the nutrients into blood.
The large intestine has colon that helps to absorb any of the water that's still there that also applies to vitamins and minerals, the bacteria then produces some vitamins and helps to fight any infection that occurs in the intestine, the rectum also stores faeces.
Lastly, the anus is the opening for the elimination of waste!
Next up: Food labelling!
Enzymes help to speed up the digestive process by breaking down unabsorbable, large macronutrient molecules. Many parts of the digestive system produce these enzymes.
The GI tract (gastrointestinal tract) is where the digestion and absorption of all the nutrients take place.
The GI tract runs through from the mouth to the anus and comes in the form of a hollow tube. The mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, anus are what makes up the GI tract. All of these parts have a direct use.
Mouth, salivary amylase, carbs
Stomach, pepsin, proteins
Small intestine, lipase, fats
Small intestine, pancreatic amylase
Small intestine, trypsin, proteins
Carbs result in the end product of glucose, proteins result in the end product of amino acids and fats result in the end product of free fatty acids and glycerol.
Starting with the mouth - mastication is the mechanical chewing, saliva helps to dampen food and protects the teeth against rotting and also contains an enzyme, salivary amylase which begins to break down the larger carb molecoles.
The oesophagus contains peristalsis which helps the food to travel down and into the stomach.
The stomach has gastric juices that hold enzymes and acid, the hydrochloric acid also kills bacteria and pepsin helps to break down the proteins into peptides.
The pancreas has pancreatic juices that contain enzymes, lipase that helps to break fat and into fatty acids, amylase that turns carbs into glucose and trypsin that turns the proteins into amino acids.
Next is the liver although food doesn't enter the liver. It does however produce bile acids which emulsifies fats or mixes them with water.
The gall bladder is a storage place for the bile acids.
The small intestine is the key site of digestion and absorption, the pancreas and the gall bladder empty into the 1st section and duodenum villi helps to absorb the nutrients into blood.
The large intestine has colon that helps to absorb any of the water that's still there that also applies to vitamins and minerals, the bacteria then produces some vitamins and helps to fight any infection that occurs in the intestine, the rectum also stores faeces.
Lastly, the anus is the opening for the elimination of waste!
Next up: Food labelling!
Nutrition - Vitamin & Mineral supplementation
Some supplements are made in laboratories whilst other supplements get their nutrients from foods (A and D). Supplements made in laboratories are made from natural precursors meaning they may be labelled as natural. Vitamins A, D, E and K are best from natural sources as they're in oils and fats.
Some people may think with vitamin B supplements that they are getting all the needed vitamins although this isn't always true as the supplements only contain 8-12 different types. A lot of vitamin C supplements are made in laboratories and usually are pharmaceutical grade ascorbic acid. Rutin/other analogs (minerals) help to buffer the vitamin and to increase the bioavailability in vitamin C that comes from natural foods.
With other nutrients and substances, minerals in the food appear a lot in complexes and supplements (minerals) are there in engineered complexes. Calcium hydroxyapatite is the only form of a natural food extract when it comes to the most popularly taken mineral supplement which is calcium.
Vitamins B, D, E and K are not present in multivitamins meaning that it can mislead people into thinking they are getting all their vitamins from multivitamin supplements. It's also worth noting that although vitamin supplementation can help, but they only help to support a diet and not make one.
Some people may think with vitamin B supplements that they are getting all the needed vitamins although this isn't always true as the supplements only contain 8-12 different types. A lot of vitamin C supplements are made in laboratories and usually are pharmaceutical grade ascorbic acid. Rutin/other analogs (minerals) help to buffer the vitamin and to increase the bioavailability in vitamin C that comes from natural foods.
With other nutrients and substances, minerals in the food appear a lot in complexes and supplements (minerals) are there in engineered complexes. Calcium hydroxyapatite is the only form of a natural food extract when it comes to the most popularly taken mineral supplement which is calcium.
Vitamins B, D, E and K are not present in multivitamins meaning that it can mislead people into thinking they are getting all their vitamins from multivitamin supplements. It's also worth noting that although vitamin supplementation can help, but they only help to support a diet and not make one.
Monday 10 February 2014
Nutrition - Micronutrient requirements
Dietary Reference Values (DRV) give rough guidance for nutrient and energy requirements of healthy people. However, these values don't take into account exercises/workouts. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition (COMA) published reports on estimated nutrient requirements.
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is a guideline based on minimal intakes to prevent disease rather than to give the best nutritional advise for a diet. The system has been superseded lots, this is due to the fact that the system is now viewed as very dated. There is a current system called the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) though views are still the same regarding the use of the guidelines.
Children, pregnant/lactating women, elderly people and people with chronic disease conditions are more likely to encounter nutritional deficiency.
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is a guideline based on minimal intakes to prevent disease rather than to give the best nutritional advise for a diet. The system has been superseded lots, this is due to the fact that the system is now viewed as very dated. There is a current system called the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) though views are still the same regarding the use of the guidelines.
Children, pregnant/lactating women, elderly people and people with chronic disease conditions are more likely to encounter nutritional deficiency.
Nutrition - Antioxidants
Oxidative damage is slowed down by substances. These substances are called antioxidants. The human body has grown defences that help limit the damage that can happen through oxygen based reactions and come as antioxidant enzymes. The body produces these through cells, like superoxide dismutase. Antioxidant enzymes in the body need vitamins A, C and E as well as zinc, selenium, copper and manganese (minerals) to function correctly.
Antioxidant nutrients can be found in green veg, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits (vitamin C), egg yolks, whole grains, nuts, almonds, green leafy veg, veg oils (vitamin E), oysters, lamb, nuts, ginger root, peas, eggs, grains (zinc), meats, fish, grains, dairy, shellfish, tuna and brazil nuts (selenium).
Through higher oxygen consumption, exercise will increase oxidative stress. It's important to have a variety of vitamins and minerals in your diet. It will help to limit damage caused through exercise, also injuries and help recovery that is caused by myofibril damage (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).
Antioxidant nutrients can be found in green veg, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits (vitamin C), egg yolks, whole grains, nuts, almonds, green leafy veg, veg oils (vitamin E), oysters, lamb, nuts, ginger root, peas, eggs, grains (zinc), meats, fish, grains, dairy, shellfish, tuna and brazil nuts (selenium).
Through higher oxygen consumption, exercise will increase oxidative stress. It's important to have a variety of vitamins and minerals in your diet. It will help to limit damage caused through exercise, also injuries and help recovery that is caused by myofibril damage (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).
Nutrition - Phytochemicals & Enzymes
Phytochemicals are made by plants, also have a vital part in human health and can help prevent cancer, help with cholesterol management and help prevent oxidation and damage of the structures. The main categories of phytochemicals are flavonoids, phytosterols, isoflavones and carotenes.
Enzymes have 3 dimensional structures. The body can use an enzyme can turn off or on a reaction it catalyses or can turn off or on other reactants that are involved in the process. Substrates is the name when reactants bind to the enzyme and the active site is the name when the substrate binds onto the enzyme. Only an appropriate fitting substrate can bind to a specific enzyme. It promotes the desired reaction and causes the outcome once the binding process takes place. This whole process needs assistance due to the fact that only certain substrates can fit into certain active sites. Assistance comes from co-factors (minerals) or co-enzymes (derivatives of vitamins).
Vitamins and minerals are very important as they help the enzymes to function and keep life.
Next up... Antioxidants!
Enzymes have 3 dimensional structures. The body can use an enzyme can turn off or on a reaction it catalyses or can turn off or on other reactants that are involved in the process. Substrates is the name when reactants bind to the enzyme and the active site is the name when the substrate binds onto the enzyme. Only an appropriate fitting substrate can bind to a specific enzyme. It promotes the desired reaction and causes the outcome once the binding process takes place. This whole process needs assistance due to the fact that only certain substrates can fit into certain active sites. Assistance comes from co-factors (minerals) or co-enzymes (derivatives of vitamins).
Vitamins and minerals are very important as they help the enzymes to function and keep life.
Next up... Antioxidants!
Nutrition - Minerals
So, minerals helps our bodies to function on a daily basis. Although they don't provide energy, they help to unlock the energy that is in our diet. Minerals are mostly in the skeletal system and account for around 4% of ours body mass. If we have a varied diet, we can ingest minerals as plants extract them from soil. There are 7 macrominerals that are needed in bigger amounts. These are as follows: Calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur.
Calcium is found in dairy products, green leafy vegetables and fish like salmon with soft bones.
Chloride is found in coconut flesh and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Magnesium is found in fish, dairy produce, nuts and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Phosphorus is found in animal produce, nuts/legumes and whole grains.
Potassium is found in nuts, vegetables and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Sodium is found in zucchini, meat broths and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Sulphur is found in eggs, cruciferous veg and dairy products.
Now for the purposes...
Calcium helps muscle contractions, bone growth and also regulates the acid-alkali balance.
Chloride regulates fluid balance as well as acid-alkali balance. It also helps carbohydrate/protein digestion.
Magnesium helps to form bones, absorb other minerals, nerve transmission, metabolism of carbs and tooth enamel.
Phosphorus helps kidneys to function, and also helps bones and cells to grow.
Potassium helps cellular chemistry and fluid balance.
Sodium helps to stimulate nerves, water balance and cellular fluid distribution.
Sulphur helps to protect from infection, form cartilage/skin and also helps to protect against pollution and radiation.
Lastly, there are 20 trace minerals. These are also necessary to help the body function but they are needed in much smaller amounts. These are boron, iron, nickel, copper, cobalt, zinc, silicon, selenium, manganese, iodine, molybdenum and chromium.
Next up I'll be talking about Phytochemicals!
Calcium is found in dairy products, green leafy vegetables and fish like salmon with soft bones.
Chloride is found in coconut flesh and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Magnesium is found in fish, dairy produce, nuts and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Phosphorus is found in animal produce, nuts/legumes and whole grains.
Potassium is found in nuts, vegetables and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Sodium is found in zucchini, meat broths and natural unprocessed sea salt.
Sulphur is found in eggs, cruciferous veg and dairy products.
Now for the purposes...
Calcium helps muscle contractions, bone growth and also regulates the acid-alkali balance.
Chloride regulates fluid balance as well as acid-alkali balance. It also helps carbohydrate/protein digestion.
Magnesium helps to form bones, absorb other minerals, nerve transmission, metabolism of carbs and tooth enamel.
Phosphorus helps kidneys to function, and also helps bones and cells to grow.
Potassium helps cellular chemistry and fluid balance.
Sodium helps to stimulate nerves, water balance and cellular fluid distribution.
Sulphur helps to protect from infection, form cartilage/skin and also helps to protect against pollution and radiation.
Lastly, there are 20 trace minerals. These are also necessary to help the body function but they are needed in much smaller amounts. These are boron, iron, nickel, copper, cobalt, zinc, silicon, selenium, manganese, iodine, molybdenum and chromium.
Next up I'll be talking about Phytochemicals!
Nutrition - Fat & Water soluble Vitamins
As explained in the last post, there are 6 different vitamins: A, D, E, and K which are fat soluble and B and C which are water soluble.
Vitamin A and D are both found in seafood, cod liver oil, liver, butter from grass fed cows and pastured whole eggs.
Vitamin E is found in butter, organ meats, raw seeds and nuts, dark green leafy veg, whole grains and unrefined vegetable oils.
Vitamin K is found in whole grains, liver, pastured whole eggs, dark green leafy veg and butter from grass fed cows.
Vitamin B is found in raw nuts, seafood, legumes, organ meats, fresh fruit and veg and whole unrefined grains.
Vitamin C is found in fresh fruit and veg and also in some organ meats.
Now for the purposes...
Vitamin A helps to produce rich blood and also helps in RNA production. It also stimulates gastric juices for protein digestion, protects against degenerative damage/pollution and also plays a pivotal role in building bones.
Vitamin D helps form strong teeth and bones, it is needed for phosphorus and calcium absorption and also appears to protect against MS and cancer.
Vitamin E helps to circulate blood as well as repairing tissue and healing. It helps to slow down age, is a powerful antioxidant and it protects against CHD and cancer with certain trace minerals.
Vitamin K help to form bones and is also important in blood clotting.
Vitamin B helps to prevent fatigue, produce cholesterol and maintain the iron levels in blood. It keeps normal growth and fertility, is a vital role in metabolism and it also works to help healthy nerves, eyes, liver, hair, skin and muscle tone.
Vitamin C supports lactation and adrenal gland function whilst helping tissue growth and repair. It also makes capillary walls stronger and helps the healing of wounds. It's pivotal for forming collagen and is lastly a powerful antioxidant.
So, next up is minerals...
Vitamin A and D are both found in seafood, cod liver oil, liver, butter from grass fed cows and pastured whole eggs.
Vitamin E is found in butter, organ meats, raw seeds and nuts, dark green leafy veg, whole grains and unrefined vegetable oils.
Vitamin K is found in whole grains, liver, pastured whole eggs, dark green leafy veg and butter from grass fed cows.
Vitamin B is found in raw nuts, seafood, legumes, organ meats, fresh fruit and veg and whole unrefined grains.
Vitamin C is found in fresh fruit and veg and also in some organ meats.
Now for the purposes...
Vitamin A helps to produce rich blood and also helps in RNA production. It also stimulates gastric juices for protein digestion, protects against degenerative damage/pollution and also plays a pivotal role in building bones.
Vitamin D helps form strong teeth and bones, it is needed for phosphorus and calcium absorption and also appears to protect against MS and cancer.
Vitamin E helps to circulate blood as well as repairing tissue and healing. It helps to slow down age, is a powerful antioxidant and it protects against CHD and cancer with certain trace minerals.
Vitamin K help to form bones and is also important in blood clotting.
Vitamin B helps to prevent fatigue, produce cholesterol and maintain the iron levels in blood. It keeps normal growth and fertility, is a vital role in metabolism and it also works to help healthy nerves, eyes, liver, hair, skin and muscle tone.
Vitamin C supports lactation and adrenal gland function whilst helping tissue growth and repair. It also makes capillary walls stronger and helps the healing of wounds. It's pivotal for forming collagen and is lastly a powerful antioxidant.
So, next up is minerals...
Nutrition - Vitamins
There are a group of organic compounds containing carbon that vitamins consist of. These are needed for normal metabolism and normal growth. Eating some animal products/plants are ways to to obtain vitamins in your diet as all vitamins are made by plants.
From the action of bacteria in our GI tract, we can synthesise some B vitamins and some K vitamins ourselves. B vitamins include riboflavin and biotin.
There are also inactive vitamins (pro-vitamins e.g. beta-carotene) that can help our bodies to assemble small amount of certain vitamins. Beta-carotene cane be found in dark green and yellow vegetables. In the right circumstances, our bodies can make vitamin A. However, vitamin A needs to be found from elsewhere as the vitamin A in beta-carotene doesn't produce enough.
Fat soluble vitamins can only be absorbed, transported and used when fat is there. These vitamins are A, D, E and K. There is a large lack of fat-soluble vitamins when a diet is low in fat which can result in a person becoming ill. Any lack of vitamin A means the body will not be able to produce hormones that are necessary such as oestrogen, cortisol and testosterone.
Water soluble vitamins are absorbed, transported and used in water. These vitamins are B and C. They have an effect in the cells as they are absorbed along the digestive tract however, these vitamins can't be stored in the body in large amounts. These vitamins are essential for our daily diets to avoid becoming ill. Deficiency will occur when refined simple carbs are a large part of our daily diets. This is because it leads to an excess of sucrose.
Next up will be the purposes and sources of all the vitamins. :)
From the action of bacteria in our GI tract, we can synthesise some B vitamins and some K vitamins ourselves. B vitamins include riboflavin and biotin.
There are also inactive vitamins (pro-vitamins e.g. beta-carotene) that can help our bodies to assemble small amount of certain vitamins. Beta-carotene cane be found in dark green and yellow vegetables. In the right circumstances, our bodies can make vitamin A. However, vitamin A needs to be found from elsewhere as the vitamin A in beta-carotene doesn't produce enough.
Fat soluble vitamins can only be absorbed, transported and used when fat is there. These vitamins are A, D, E and K. There is a large lack of fat-soluble vitamins when a diet is low in fat which can result in a person becoming ill. Any lack of vitamin A means the body will not be able to produce hormones that are necessary such as oestrogen, cortisol and testosterone.
Water soluble vitamins are absorbed, transported and used in water. These vitamins are B and C. They have an effect in the cells as they are absorbed along the digestive tract however, these vitamins can't be stored in the body in large amounts. These vitamins are essential for our daily diets to avoid becoming ill. Deficiency will occur when refined simple carbs are a large part of our daily diets. This is because it leads to an excess of sucrose.
Next up will be the purposes and sources of all the vitamins. :)
Nutrition - Cholesterol
Cholesterol doesn't mix with the watery action of blood as it is a lipid. Lipoproteins are protein-based carriers that the body has developed. This fully closes in lipids for transport in the blood.
There are 3 important lipoproteins, these are:
VLDL - (very low density lipoproteins)
LDL - (low density lipoproteins)
HDL - (high density lipoproteins)
VLDL contains triglycerides and also cholesterol, it's also synthesised by the liver and transports triglycerides into the adipose tissue.
LDL is formed from VLDL. This happens when most of the triglycerides have been unloaded. It then transports the rest of the cholesterol to the different cells in the body that need them.
HDL transports excess cholesterol from the tissues and also the blood back to the liver. This is also synthesised by the liver.
Increased levels of LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol that is lower than 25% as well as triglycerides can increase the risk of circulatory and heart problems. 5.2mmol/dL was shown to be the recommended upper limit of fully cholesterol is the 1980's. Levels above this figure can cause lifestyle changes and medications like statins to the lower plasma cholesterol.
Thanks the reading... Micronutrients next!
There are 3 important lipoproteins, these are:
VLDL - (very low density lipoproteins)
LDL - (low density lipoproteins)
HDL - (high density lipoproteins)
VLDL contains triglycerides and also cholesterol, it's also synthesised by the liver and transports triglycerides into the adipose tissue.
LDL is formed from VLDL. This happens when most of the triglycerides have been unloaded. It then transports the rest of the cholesterol to the different cells in the body that need them.
HDL transports excess cholesterol from the tissues and also the blood back to the liver. This is also synthesised by the liver.
Increased levels of LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol that is lower than 25% as well as triglycerides can increase the risk of circulatory and heart problems. 5.2mmol/dL was shown to be the recommended upper limit of fully cholesterol is the 1980's. Levels above this figure can cause lifestyle changes and medications like statins to the lower plasma cholesterol.
Thanks the reading... Micronutrients next!
Nutrition - Hydrogenation, Trans Fats and Cholesterol
Hydrogenation and trans fats is where amounts of vegetable oils (unsaturated) are made into more solid fats e.g. margarine and shortening. The formation of saturated fatty acids occurs when the heating, catalysing and the pumping of hydrogen happens. Single bonds replace the double bonds which are again full of hydrogen. A very waxy hard substance is made when vegetable oil is fully hydrogenated. Although there are some amounts of vegetable oil that still contain unsaturated double bonds, they will have been converted into trans fatty acids.
The following foods contain trans fats - pies and pastries, cakes, crackers, biscuits, margarine (many), pre-prepared food, low fat processed foods (many) and take away foods.
Cancer, diabetes, obesity, birth defects and low birth weight babies, sterility, lactation difficulties, atherosclerosis, difficulties with tendons and bones and also decreased visual acuity are diseases that have been linked in with the consumption of hydrogenated fats. It can also affect blood lipid levels as well as decreasing healthier HDL cholesterol and increasing LDL cholesterol. The effect is double that of saturated fat. Lastly, it has been shown that 30,000 premature CHD deaths per year could be linked in to the consumption of trans fatty acids.
Cholesterol has no calories, it can't be used as energy in the body and it is a large lipid molecule though it is used in the tissues. This is for essential functions and structure.
Cholesterol produces steroid hormones, is the synthesis of vitamin D and bile acids whilst being an essential part of cell membranes.
75-80% of the body's own supply of cholesterol is synthesised by the liver though dietary cholesterol plays only a small part of meeting a persons daily needs. The amount the body synthesises increases when dietary cholesterol intake is low. Cholesterol production falls as the dietary intake increases.
The following foods contain trans fats - pies and pastries, cakes, crackers, biscuits, margarine (many), pre-prepared food, low fat processed foods (many) and take away foods.
Cancer, diabetes, obesity, birth defects and low birth weight babies, sterility, lactation difficulties, atherosclerosis, difficulties with tendons and bones and also decreased visual acuity are diseases that have been linked in with the consumption of hydrogenated fats. It can also affect blood lipid levels as well as decreasing healthier HDL cholesterol and increasing LDL cholesterol. The effect is double that of saturated fat. Lastly, it has been shown that 30,000 premature CHD deaths per year could be linked in to the consumption of trans fatty acids.
Cholesterol has no calories, it can't be used as energy in the body and it is a large lipid molecule though it is used in the tissues. This is for essential functions and structure.
Cholesterol produces steroid hormones, is the synthesis of vitamin D and bile acids whilst being an essential part of cell membranes.
75-80% of the body's own supply of cholesterol is synthesised by the liver though dietary cholesterol plays only a small part of meeting a persons daily needs. The amount the body synthesises increases when dietary cholesterol intake is low. Cholesterol production falls as the dietary intake increases.
Sunday 9 February 2014
Nutrition - Saturated/Unsaturated Fats
Saturated fats have distinct properties, these are given by the chains of carbon atoms that are full or saturated with hydrogen.
There are 2 different sources that saturated fat comes from: Animal (meat, dairy, poultry and eggs) and non-animal (coconut oil and palm oil).
Different functions of saturated fat are as follows: It enhances the immune system as well as liver function and it also protects against alcohol detoxification. Another function is the provision of the energy and structural integrity to the cells as well as the ability of coconut oil that acts as an antiviral agent and an antimicrobal.
Some hydrogen atoms are not in the chain of carbons meaning they are unsaturated. The fatty acid can bend at each double bond, these double bonds are formed between 1 or more carbon atoms.
There are 2 different types of unsaturated fat: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated has a single double bond and a single bend in the molecule whilst polyunsaturated has several double bonds and several bends in the molecule.
Regarding monounsaturated fatty acids, it's been shown that diets high in monounsaturated fats lower plasma triglycerides aswell as LDL cholesterol. This is thought to reduce Coronary Heart Disease. Also, when necessary, the body's tissues can synthesise monounsaturated fatty acids from saturated fatty acids.
Monounsaturated fatty acids come from sources such as peanut oil, rapeseed oil, nuts, seeds, lard, olives/oil, avocados and beef dripping.
Again, there is no hydrogen in polyunsaturated fatty acids. There are essential fatty acids which come from omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids. The body is unable to synthesise these hence being an essential part of the diet.
Omega 3 fatty acids come from flax oil, pasture reared eggs, walnuts and oily fish (particularly beneficial due to the fact it shows lower blood triglyceride levels as well as cholesterol levels, and can also reduce the tendency of blood to clot, in some cases can raise HDL cholesterol, all of these are thought to lower the risk of CHD) whereas omega 6 fatty acids come from sunflower oil/seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and safflower oil. For both omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, all of the oils need to stay unprocessed and cold pressed.
Just a few more points to cover then it's onto the micronutrients (minerals and vitamins). :)
There are 2 different sources that saturated fat comes from: Animal (meat, dairy, poultry and eggs) and non-animal (coconut oil and palm oil).
Different functions of saturated fat are as follows: It enhances the immune system as well as liver function and it also protects against alcohol detoxification. Another function is the provision of the energy and structural integrity to the cells as well as the ability of coconut oil that acts as an antiviral agent and an antimicrobal.
Some hydrogen atoms are not in the chain of carbons meaning they are unsaturated. The fatty acid can bend at each double bond, these double bonds are formed between 1 or more carbon atoms.
There are 2 different types of unsaturated fat: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated has a single double bond and a single bend in the molecule whilst polyunsaturated has several double bonds and several bends in the molecule.
Regarding monounsaturated fatty acids, it's been shown that diets high in monounsaturated fats lower plasma triglycerides aswell as LDL cholesterol. This is thought to reduce Coronary Heart Disease. Also, when necessary, the body's tissues can synthesise monounsaturated fatty acids from saturated fatty acids.
Monounsaturated fatty acids come from sources such as peanut oil, rapeseed oil, nuts, seeds, lard, olives/oil, avocados and beef dripping.
Again, there is no hydrogen in polyunsaturated fatty acids. There are essential fatty acids which come from omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids. The body is unable to synthesise these hence being an essential part of the diet.
Omega 3 fatty acids come from flax oil, pasture reared eggs, walnuts and oily fish (particularly beneficial due to the fact it shows lower blood triglyceride levels as well as cholesterol levels, and can also reduce the tendency of blood to clot, in some cases can raise HDL cholesterol, all of these are thought to lower the risk of CHD) whereas omega 6 fatty acids come from sunflower oil/seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and safflower oil. For both omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, all of the oils need to stay unprocessed and cold pressed.
Just a few more points to cover then it's onto the micronutrients (minerals and vitamins). :)
Nutrition - Fats/Lipids - structure of Lipids and Triglycerides
So 1st of all, what are the physiological functions of lipids?
Many things... it provides protection for the internal organs, assists in regulation of enzymes, constitutes the majority of the central nervous system and the spinal cord, the formation of all cell membranes, formation of the myelin sheath within the nervous system, the transportation, storage and utilisation of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, a fuel source during lower intensity work loads, storage of energy within adipose tissue, insulation through subcutaneous adipose tissue and lastly the synthesis of steroid hormones.
Lipids that are solid at room temperature are called fats whilst lipids that are liquid at room temperature are called oils.
There are chains/rings of carbon atoms that join together with other atoms which a lot of dietary lipids consist of. These are most commonly oxygen and hydrogen. Smaller units of fats are called fatty acids. Double strength bonds are present, these change the shape of the molecule and allow the lipids to become versatile.
3 fatty acids are attached to a carbohydrate backbone which is called glycerol. Fatty acids are broken off during digestion and used as needed. This happens when fatty acids occur naturally as triglycerides.
Tomorrow I'll move onto the rest about fats/lipids!
Many things... it provides protection for the internal organs, assists in regulation of enzymes, constitutes the majority of the central nervous system and the spinal cord, the formation of all cell membranes, formation of the myelin sheath within the nervous system, the transportation, storage and utilisation of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, a fuel source during lower intensity work loads, storage of energy within adipose tissue, insulation through subcutaneous adipose tissue and lastly the synthesis of steroid hormones.
Lipids that are solid at room temperature are called fats whilst lipids that are liquid at room temperature are called oils.
There are chains/rings of carbon atoms that join together with other atoms which a lot of dietary lipids consist of. These are most commonly oxygen and hydrogen. Smaller units of fats are called fatty acids. Double strength bonds are present, these change the shape of the molecule and allow the lipids to become versatile.
3 fatty acids are attached to a carbohydrate backbone which is called glycerol. Fatty acids are broken off during digestion and used as needed. This happens when fatty acids occur naturally as triglycerides.
Tomorrow I'll move onto the rest about fats/lipids!
Nutrition - Carbohydrates
This post will be focusing on carbohydrates...
CHO (Dietary Carbs) is used as fuel but ultimately is sent to the liver and muscles. However, some glucose may enter the adipose tissue, also known as fat tissue. This helps to store up fat.
Energy requirements are significantly met through carbohydrates and fats during normal daily activities though the higher the activity, the more carbs are used as opposed to fat.
Carbohydrates are made up of molecules. These are called saccharides. These are the 3 basic categories:
Sugar/Simple Carbs
Starches/Complex Carbs
Fibre/Non-starch polysaccharides
Simple carbs typically contain 1 or 2 units of sugar which are typically made up from a combination of fructose, galactose and glucose.
Monosaccharides = the single molecules of sugars and disaccharides = the 2 molecules of sugars combined together.
There are 2 sources of simple carbs - Fruit (the healthy option) and the less healthy options like biscuits and cakes.
Fruit contains vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, high levels of dietary fibre, fructose and glucose in different amounts and a trace of amino acids.
However, the less healthy options (anti-nutrient) contain excessive sugar that's higher than 15g per 100g as stated by the FSA, high energy density, no vitamins or minerals, processed and low quality fats and it also affects the insulin response.
Complex carbs have lots of molecules of glucose combined together in long branch chains, these are called polysaccharides. The polysaccharides are broken down into glucose when eaten, enter the bloodstream and are either metabolised or stored.
All carbs provide energy, however there are 2 different sources - refined carb and unrefined carb.
Refined carbs come from rice cakes, white bread and pasta, white rice, cakes, biscuits and pastries whereas unrefined carbs come from whole grain rice, wholemeal/wholegrain products, fresh and frozen veg, quinoa, sweet potatoes, yams and pulses.
Refined carbs contain excessive sugar, higher than 15g per 100g stated by the FSA, contains no vitamins or minerals and also contains processed, low quality fats. It affects insulin response and has high energy density.
Unrefined carbs contain vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, high levels of dietary fibre, trace of amino acids and fructose in different amounts.
Fibre consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, gums and mucilages (indigestible plant materials commonly found in fruit, veg, grains and beans) as well as non-starch polysaccharide.
Fibre however provides no energy whatsoever though it is important to maintain a healthy body according to some scientists.
Fibre also helps to transport foods through the digestive tract by bulking out the food/faeces, this eases movement. These are called insoluble and soluble.
Insoluble is the protective outer layer of plants. Fruit and veg skins along with most unrefined foods are made of insoluble fibre.
Soluble however is found on the inner part of the plants. It can help to reduce cholesterol by carrying out in stools the fats that have been binded in the digestive tract. These are found in barley broccoli, apples, citrus fruits, beans, oats and prunes.
Next up will be fats!
CHO (Dietary Carbs) is used as fuel but ultimately is sent to the liver and muscles. However, some glucose may enter the adipose tissue, also known as fat tissue. This helps to store up fat.
Energy requirements are significantly met through carbohydrates and fats during normal daily activities though the higher the activity, the more carbs are used as opposed to fat.
Carbohydrates are made up of molecules. These are called saccharides. These are the 3 basic categories:
Sugar/Simple Carbs
Starches/Complex Carbs
Fibre/Non-starch polysaccharides
Simple carbs typically contain 1 or 2 units of sugar which are typically made up from a combination of fructose, galactose and glucose.
Monosaccharides = the single molecules of sugars and disaccharides = the 2 molecules of sugars combined together.
There are 2 sources of simple carbs - Fruit (the healthy option) and the less healthy options like biscuits and cakes.
Fruit contains vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, high levels of dietary fibre, fructose and glucose in different amounts and a trace of amino acids.
However, the less healthy options (anti-nutrient) contain excessive sugar that's higher than 15g per 100g as stated by the FSA, high energy density, no vitamins or minerals, processed and low quality fats and it also affects the insulin response.
Complex carbs have lots of molecules of glucose combined together in long branch chains, these are called polysaccharides. The polysaccharides are broken down into glucose when eaten, enter the bloodstream and are either metabolised or stored.
All carbs provide energy, however there are 2 different sources - refined carb and unrefined carb.
Refined carbs come from rice cakes, white bread and pasta, white rice, cakes, biscuits and pastries whereas unrefined carbs come from whole grain rice, wholemeal/wholegrain products, fresh and frozen veg, quinoa, sweet potatoes, yams and pulses.
Refined carbs contain excessive sugar, higher than 15g per 100g stated by the FSA, contains no vitamins or minerals and also contains processed, low quality fats. It affects insulin response and has high energy density.
Unrefined carbs contain vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, high levels of dietary fibre, trace of amino acids and fructose in different amounts.
Fibre consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, gums and mucilages (indigestible plant materials commonly found in fruit, veg, grains and beans) as well as non-starch polysaccharide.
Fibre however provides no energy whatsoever though it is important to maintain a healthy body according to some scientists.
Fibre also helps to transport foods through the digestive tract by bulking out the food/faeces, this eases movement. These are called insoluble and soluble.
Insoluble is the protective outer layer of plants. Fruit and veg skins along with most unrefined foods are made of insoluble fibre.
Soluble however is found on the inner part of the plants. It can help to reduce cholesterol by carrying out in stools the fats that have been binded in the digestive tract. These are found in barley broccoli, apples, citrus fruits, beans, oats and prunes.
Next up will be fats!
Saturday 8 February 2014
Nutrition - Proteins
Ok, so now for the really in depth stuff...
What are proteins made from? The answer is amino acids! There are 20 in total. 9 of these are essential whilst 11 are non-essential.
When animal and plant cells join together amino acids, it forms something called a peptide. These peptides have different names depending on how many amino acids there are. The end of the process results in something being formed called proteins! There have to be 100 or more amino acids until these proteins are formed, unless 2 or more polypeptide chains come together and fold repeatedly to form 3 dimensional shapes. These shapes/structures help to show its function in the body.
So... 2 amino acids are called "Dipeptide"
3 amino acids are called "Tripeptide"
4-9 amino acids are called "Oligopeptide"
10 or more amino acids are called "Polypeptide"
So, I mentioned before that there are 9 essential amino acids, these are:
Phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan, threonine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, and histidine! (Told you its complicated!)
Now I'll name the 11 non-essential amino acids, these are non-essential as they aren't always required to be a part of a daily diet.
Glycine, alanine, tyrosine, serine, cysteine, proline, glutamic acid, glutamine, aspartic acid, asparagine, arginine!
Complete proteins contain all 9 of the essential amino acids, whilst the liver will synthesise the non-essential amino acids. Complete proteins come mainly from animal sources, these are meat, eggs, dairy, fish and poultry. However, there are some complete proteins that don't come from animal sources, these are soy foods, quinoa and buckwheat.
Plants also contain proteins but they are of a lower value biologically compared to complete proteins. These are called incomplete proteins. These include cereals and grains, cereal products, pulses, vegetables and nuts.
For vegetarians, good combinations of foods are vital considering there are no meats. These include pulses and grains, rice and pulses, nuts and vegetables and seeds and vegetables.
What does protein do? Keratin in the skin, muscle tissue, collagen in bone and connective tissue are all components of the body in which protein helps to form the key framework.
Various processes are regulated such as insulin controlling the blood sugar, enzymes speeding up reactions and white blood cells fighting infection.
During fasting or endurance events like long runs, protein is useable source of energy although it isn't the main source. ATP can also be produced through glucose, fatty acids and ketones, all things that protein can be converted into.
Catabolism relates to breaking down larger structures into smaller ones whilst anabolism relates to the building up process that happens in the body. Anabolism occurs during rest whilst catabolism occurs during intensive exercise.
Lastly, the following figures relate to the daily protein requirements for each type of person. The figures relate to the grams of protein per kilogram of body mass:
A sedentary adult - 0.8
A recreational adult exerciser - 0.8-1.5
An adult endurance athlete - 1.2-1.6
A growing teenage athlete - 1.5-2.0
An adult that's building muscle mass - 1.5-1.7
And lastly for the estimated upper limit for adults - 2.0
My next post will be focusing on Carbohydrates...
What are proteins made from? The answer is amino acids! There are 20 in total. 9 of these are essential whilst 11 are non-essential.
When animal and plant cells join together amino acids, it forms something called a peptide. These peptides have different names depending on how many amino acids there are. The end of the process results in something being formed called proteins! There have to be 100 or more amino acids until these proteins are formed, unless 2 or more polypeptide chains come together and fold repeatedly to form 3 dimensional shapes. These shapes/structures help to show its function in the body.
So... 2 amino acids are called "Dipeptide"
3 amino acids are called "Tripeptide"
4-9 amino acids are called "Oligopeptide"
10 or more amino acids are called "Polypeptide"
So, I mentioned before that there are 9 essential amino acids, these are:
Phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan, threonine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, and histidine! (Told you its complicated!)
Now I'll name the 11 non-essential amino acids, these are non-essential as they aren't always required to be a part of a daily diet.
Glycine, alanine, tyrosine, serine, cysteine, proline, glutamic acid, glutamine, aspartic acid, asparagine, arginine!
Complete proteins contain all 9 of the essential amino acids, whilst the liver will synthesise the non-essential amino acids. Complete proteins come mainly from animal sources, these are meat, eggs, dairy, fish and poultry. However, there are some complete proteins that don't come from animal sources, these are soy foods, quinoa and buckwheat.
Plants also contain proteins but they are of a lower value biologically compared to complete proteins. These are called incomplete proteins. These include cereals and grains, cereal products, pulses, vegetables and nuts.
For vegetarians, good combinations of foods are vital considering there are no meats. These include pulses and grains, rice and pulses, nuts and vegetables and seeds and vegetables.
What does protein do? Keratin in the skin, muscle tissue, collagen in bone and connective tissue are all components of the body in which protein helps to form the key framework.
Various processes are regulated such as insulin controlling the blood sugar, enzymes speeding up reactions and white blood cells fighting infection.
During fasting or endurance events like long runs, protein is useable source of energy although it isn't the main source. ATP can also be produced through glucose, fatty acids and ketones, all things that protein can be converted into.
Catabolism relates to breaking down larger structures into smaller ones whilst anabolism relates to the building up process that happens in the body. Anabolism occurs during rest whilst catabolism occurs during intensive exercise.
Lastly, the following figures relate to the daily protein requirements for each type of person. The figures relate to the grams of protein per kilogram of body mass:
A sedentary adult - 0.8
A recreational adult exerciser - 0.8-1.5
An adult endurance athlete - 1.2-1.6
A growing teenage athlete - 1.5-2.0
An adult that's building muscle mass - 1.5-1.7
And lastly for the estimated upper limit for adults - 2.0
My next post will be focusing on Carbohydrates...
Nutrition - Reliable sources for nutritional information
The Nutritional Therapy Council regulate the industry whilst the BANT (British Association of Applied Nutrition and Nutrition Therapy) evaluate therapists (nutritional) in the UK.
If you are looking to obtain nutritional information, reliable sources are found within these places:
COMA - Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition
BNF - British Nutrition Foundation
ION - Institute of Optimal Nutrition
FSA - Food Standards Agency
Scientific nutrition journals
What this course enables me to do is advise people about nutrition but by no means am I a Registered Dietician or a Nutritional Therapist, I am a Personal Trainer after all! I can't advise on illnesses though I can advise generally on food and diet. Illnesses would include severe obesity, cancer, CV (cardiovascular) disease, diabetes mellitus and elevated cholesterol.
Back to the advising part... certain things have to be taken into account when helping someone with their nutrition. This involves religious practices and food habits.
If you are looking to obtain nutritional information, reliable sources are found within these places:
COMA - Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition
BNF - British Nutrition Foundation
ION - Institute of Optimal Nutrition
FSA - Food Standards Agency
Scientific nutrition journals
What this course enables me to do is advise people about nutrition but by no means am I a Registered Dietician or a Nutritional Therapist, I am a Personal Trainer after all! I can't advise on illnesses though I can advise generally on food and diet. Illnesses would include severe obesity, cancer, CV (cardiovascular) disease, diabetes mellitus and elevated cholesterol.
Back to the advising part... certain things have to be taken into account when helping someone with their nutrition. This involves religious practices and food habits.
Nutrition - Food quality & Organic foods
Continuing from the last post...
There is a "Cycle of Food Quality" which helps to understand food production.
This starts with nutrients from soil that help to grow plants, the plants are then eaten by animals, animal produce is then eaten by man, man eats plant produce, man then decides how to enrich soil and the cycle starts again.
Now we move onto "Organic foods".
Relating to studies, organic produce was shown to have the same or higher nutrient content than commercial food in 85% of cases. Around 70% of organic producers in the UK are checked that they are meeting the correct requirements put down by the European law. The Soil Association also states that the main reasons people should purchase organic food are minimal use of additives, animal welfare paramount, no genetically modified foods are used, no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides are used when producing and there is no routine antibiotic use on the animals.
The following list are all medical conditions/health problems that have a main cause through food and diet.
These are as follows: metabolic syndrome, cancers (some), high cholesterol, asthma, stroke, heart disease, arthritis (some types), infertility, menstrual irregularities, eczema, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
The next post will relating more to "nutrition" as a whole...
There is a "Cycle of Food Quality" which helps to understand food production.
This starts with nutrients from soil that help to grow plants, the plants are then eaten by animals, animal produce is then eaten by man, man eats plant produce, man then decides how to enrich soil and the cycle starts again.
Now we move onto "Organic foods".
Relating to studies, organic produce was shown to have the same or higher nutrient content than commercial food in 85% of cases. Around 70% of organic producers in the UK are checked that they are meeting the correct requirements put down by the European law. The Soil Association also states that the main reasons people should purchase organic food are minimal use of additives, animal welfare paramount, no genetically modified foods are used, no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides are used when producing and there is no routine antibiotic use on the animals.
The following list are all medical conditions/health problems that have a main cause through food and diet.
These are as follows: metabolic syndrome, cancers (some), high cholesterol, asthma, stroke, heart disease, arthritis (some types), infertility, menstrual irregularities, eczema, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
The next post will relating more to "nutrition" as a whole...
Nutrition - Food Portions
So, continuing from yesterday's post...
When talking about the different macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat), they have an approximate amount of calories and useable energy. These figures are as follows:
There are 4 calories per gram in carbohydrates, 4 calories per gram in proteins, 9 calories per gram in fats. Although alcohol is not a nutrient, there are 7 calories per gram in it... approx!
There are portion guides that people prefer to follow to save time counting each calorie they take in. Some guidelines will give out typical portions of foods to help.
According to the guidelines, these are what are classed as typical portions:
Fruit - small, medium, large, dried and juice. Small = 2 satsumas, 2 plums, 2 kiwi, 7 strawberries, 14 cherries. Medium = 1 apple, 1 banana, 1 pear, 1 orange. Large fruit = half grapefruit, one 5cm slice of melon, 1 large slice of pineapple. Dried = about 30g, one large heaped tablespoon of raisins or sultanas, handful of banana chips. Fruit juice = 150ml glass of unsweetened juice.
Veg - green veg, salad veg, cooked veg. Green = 2 broccoli spears, 4 heaped table spoons of kale, spinach, or green beans. Salad = 3 sticks of celery, 5cm piece of cucumber, 1 medium tomato, 7 cherry tomatoes. Cooked = 3 heaped tablespoons of carrots, peas, corn or cauliflower.
Bread, rice, pasta and potatoes = 1 slice of bread, handful of rice or pasta, handful of breakfast cereal, 1 small to medium potato.
Meat, fish, eggs and beans = lean meat the size of a deck of cards, 1 large egg, side of fish the size of a standard chequebook, handful of beans, nuts or seeds.
Milk and dairy = small cup of milk, 150ml of yogurt, piece of cheese size of small matchbox.
Food and drinks high in fat and sugar = limit these foods to no more than 8% of total intake.
The next post will be about food quality etc...
When talking about the different macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat), they have an approximate amount of calories and useable energy. These figures are as follows:
There are 4 calories per gram in carbohydrates, 4 calories per gram in proteins, 9 calories per gram in fats. Although alcohol is not a nutrient, there are 7 calories per gram in it... approx!
There are portion guides that people prefer to follow to save time counting each calorie they take in. Some guidelines will give out typical portions of foods to help.
According to the guidelines, these are what are classed as typical portions:
Fruit - small, medium, large, dried and juice. Small = 2 satsumas, 2 plums, 2 kiwi, 7 strawberries, 14 cherries. Medium = 1 apple, 1 banana, 1 pear, 1 orange. Large fruit = half grapefruit, one 5cm slice of melon, 1 large slice of pineapple. Dried = about 30g, one large heaped tablespoon of raisins or sultanas, handful of banana chips. Fruit juice = 150ml glass of unsweetened juice.
Veg - green veg, salad veg, cooked veg. Green = 2 broccoli spears, 4 heaped table spoons of kale, spinach, or green beans. Salad = 3 sticks of celery, 5cm piece of cucumber, 1 medium tomato, 7 cherry tomatoes. Cooked = 3 heaped tablespoons of carrots, peas, corn or cauliflower.
Bread, rice, pasta and potatoes = 1 slice of bread, handful of rice or pasta, handful of breakfast cereal, 1 small to medium potato.
Meat, fish, eggs and beans = lean meat the size of a deck of cards, 1 large egg, side of fish the size of a standard chequebook, handful of beans, nuts or seeds.
Milk and dairy = small cup of milk, 150ml of yogurt, piece of cheese size of small matchbox.
Food and drinks high in fat and sugar = limit these foods to no more than 8% of total intake.
The next post will be about food quality etc...
Friday 7 February 2014
Nutrition - Food Pyramids and the rest...
Hello!
As I said in my last post, I'll be briefly moving onto nutrition for the next few days. I didn't mention this in my last post but I have an exam next Wednesday. It's a resit that I've been putting off for around a year now! I was due to go in October but was too ill from my M.E. to make it. I failed by 1 mark last time! It's a vicious circle... my worst time of day when I have bad brain fog, aches and pains with fatigue is 1st thing in the morning which is when the exams are, non negotiable - if it was in the afternoon I'm pretty sure I'd have passed it long ago... anyway, got to be done!
I'm fairly knowledgeable about nutrition, it's all the technical terms I get a bit confused with at times!
1st of all, the human body repairs itself daily and requires energy to maintain. Oxygen, food and water are the most important ingredients!
What can healthy eating be defined as? The "technical" term is "food intake that promotes the correct and optimal operation of the structures and systems of the human body". Seems simple enough?
So next, there is what is called "Macronutrients" and "Micronutrients".
Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein and fat whilst the micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.
The macronutrients are used for structure, function and fuel within the body.
However, the micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts. It's also used to activate the energy that is contained in the macronutrients.
Food is used to repair and rebuild vital structures constantly in the body though not all food we eat is digested, some parts of food will be excreted.
There is a certain organisation that is needed in the body, this starts with the cells, the tissue, organs, systems and eventually the human body.
In 1992, a "National Food Guide Pyramid" was made to help people choose what they have in their diet. It was very vague so a new "US National Food Pyramid" was made in 2005.
It was helpful with regard to servings but didn't give any advice regarding the macronutrients quantities.
This included:
However, there are still advantages and disadvantages...
Obviously, the pyramid will get people to think about their diet though the pyramid isn't aimed at individuals but more so certain populations. The pyramid shows that processed food should be minimised along with alcohol whilst foods such as fruit and vegetables are encouraged. It's still very unclear on the amounts that should be included in portions. The pyramid is a good starting point but more advice would be needed overall, especially for someone who wasn't knowledgeable about food portions etc.
In the UK, there has been an adapted version of the "US National Food Pyramid". It is called "The Eatwell Plate".
This is divided into different sections like a pie chart. Fruit and vegetables, bread, rice, potatoes and pasta taking up a large section of the chart whilst meat, fish, eggs, beans, milk, dairy foods, foods high in fat take up a small section of the chart.
There are 8 healthy eating tips that have been stated by the FSA (Food Standards Agency).
These include not skipping breakfast! It is true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!! Drink plenty of water, around 6-8 glasses a day. Cut down on sugar and fat that is saturated. Eating 2 portions of fish a week including one oily, eating 5 portions of fruit/veg a day and also basing meals on starchy foods such as rice/pasta etc. Get active and try to be a healthy weight! Eating less salt too, no more than 6g.
The average target calories per day for Males and Females are 2550 and 1950 respectively.
When working on your diet, it's also very important to get the right balance between the macronutrients. No less than 50% carbs, no less than 9% protein and no more than 35% calories from fats.
That's enough for now!
I'll be back tomorrow with some more facts!!!
As I said in my last post, I'll be briefly moving onto nutrition for the next few days. I didn't mention this in my last post but I have an exam next Wednesday. It's a resit that I've been putting off for around a year now! I was due to go in October but was too ill from my M.E. to make it. I failed by 1 mark last time! It's a vicious circle... my worst time of day when I have bad brain fog, aches and pains with fatigue is 1st thing in the morning which is when the exams are, non negotiable - if it was in the afternoon I'm pretty sure I'd have passed it long ago... anyway, got to be done!
I'm fairly knowledgeable about nutrition, it's all the technical terms I get a bit confused with at times!
1st of all, the human body repairs itself daily and requires energy to maintain. Oxygen, food and water are the most important ingredients!
What can healthy eating be defined as? The "technical" term is "food intake that promotes the correct and optimal operation of the structures and systems of the human body". Seems simple enough?
So next, there is what is called "Macronutrients" and "Micronutrients".
Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein and fat whilst the micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.
The macronutrients are used for structure, function and fuel within the body.
However, the micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts. It's also used to activate the energy that is contained in the macronutrients.
Food is used to repair and rebuild vital structures constantly in the body though not all food we eat is digested, some parts of food will be excreted.
There is a certain organisation that is needed in the body, this starts with the cells, the tissue, organs, systems and eventually the human body.
In 1992, a "National Food Guide Pyramid" was made to help people choose what they have in their diet. It was very vague so a new "US National Food Pyramid" was made in 2005.
It was helpful with regard to servings but didn't give any advice regarding the macronutrients quantities.
This included:
- Fats, oils and sweets to be used sparingly.
- Milk, Yogurt and cheese group - 2-3 servings
- Vegetable group - 3-5 servings
- Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group - 2-3 servings
- Fruit group - 2-4 servings
- Bread, cereal, rice and pasta group - 6-11 servings
- At the bottom of the pyramid it has "daily exercise and weight control" as priority
- 2nd level it has "whole grains, healthy fats/oils, vegetables and fruits
- 3rd level consists of nuts, seeds, beans and tofu as well as fish, poultry and eggs
- 4th level consists of dairy
- And to the top of the pyramid are food to be used sparingly such as refined foods, red meats and butter
However, there are still advantages and disadvantages...
Obviously, the pyramid will get people to think about their diet though the pyramid isn't aimed at individuals but more so certain populations. The pyramid shows that processed food should be minimised along with alcohol whilst foods such as fruit and vegetables are encouraged. It's still very unclear on the amounts that should be included in portions. The pyramid is a good starting point but more advice would be needed overall, especially for someone who wasn't knowledgeable about food portions etc.
In the UK, there has been an adapted version of the "US National Food Pyramid". It is called "The Eatwell Plate".
This is divided into different sections like a pie chart. Fruit and vegetables, bread, rice, potatoes and pasta taking up a large section of the chart whilst meat, fish, eggs, beans, milk, dairy foods, foods high in fat take up a small section of the chart.
There are 8 healthy eating tips that have been stated by the FSA (Food Standards Agency).
These include not skipping breakfast! It is true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!! Drink plenty of water, around 6-8 glasses a day. Cut down on sugar and fat that is saturated. Eating 2 portions of fish a week including one oily, eating 5 portions of fruit/veg a day and also basing meals on starchy foods such as rice/pasta etc. Get active and try to be a healthy weight! Eating less salt too, no more than 6g.
The average target calories per day for Males and Females are 2550 and 1950 respectively.
When working on your diet, it's also very important to get the right balance between the macronutrients. No less than 50% carbs, no less than 9% protein and no more than 35% calories from fats.
That's enough for now!
I'll be back tomorrow with some more facts!!!
Thursday 6 February 2014
What the next few posts will be about...
Hello, just a quick update!
I've decided the next few posts are going to be about "Nutrition". The reason for this is because I'm working towards something where my memory needs to be refreshed - it also helps when working on my own diet plans which will be posted on my website when I get it sorted!
Keep eating healthily everyone and see you all tomorrow! ;)
I've decided the next few posts are going to be about "Nutrition". The reason for this is because I'm working towards something where my memory needs to be refreshed - it also helps when working on my own diet plans which will be posted on my website when I get it sorted!
Keep eating healthily everyone and see you all tomorrow! ;)
Tuesday 4 February 2014
The Appendicular Skeleton: Part 1
Hello, I'm back!
Today we'll be covering part of "The Appendicular Skeleton"
If you've been following my blog then you'll know that the areas going to be covered are the: shoulders, arms, hands, pelvis, legs and feet.
We have 17 different sorts of bones in these areas and 130 in total! A lot of bones...
Lets start with the shoulders! We have 2 different types of bones here called the Scapulae and the Clavicle or in other words the shoulder blade and the collar bone. There are 2 of each of these in the human skeleton...
The Scapulae is located at back whilst the Clavicle is located at the front. The Clavicle actually helps to maintain the correct position of the Scapulae keeping it a distance from the chest wall. Whilst the Scapulae is situated at the back, it is held on by muscular attachments to the ribcage.
That's the shoulders out of the way! We will now move onto the arms...
So here in our arms, there are 3 different bones! The Humerus, Radius and the Ulna! Again, there are 2 of each of these in the human skeleton...
The Humerus is located in the upper arm whilst the Radius is located in the forearm.
So that's it for today! I'll probably continue with the rest of "The Appendicular Skeleton" over the next couple of days. :)
Hope you're all well x
Today we'll be covering part of "The Appendicular Skeleton"
If you've been following my blog then you'll know that the areas going to be covered are the: shoulders, arms, hands, pelvis, legs and feet.
We have 17 different sorts of bones in these areas and 130 in total! A lot of bones...
Lets start with the shoulders! We have 2 different types of bones here called the Scapulae and the Clavicle or in other words the shoulder blade and the collar bone. There are 2 of each of these in the human skeleton...
The Scapulae is located at back whilst the Clavicle is located at the front. The Clavicle actually helps to maintain the correct position of the Scapulae keeping it a distance from the chest wall. Whilst the Scapulae is situated at the back, it is held on by muscular attachments to the ribcage.
That's the shoulders out of the way! We will now move onto the arms...
So here in our arms, there are 3 different bones! The Humerus, Radius and the Ulna! Again, there are 2 of each of these in the human skeleton...
The Humerus is located in the upper arm whilst the Radius is located in the forearm.
So that's it for today! I'll probably continue with the rest of "The Appendicular Skeleton" over the next couple of days. :)
Hope you're all well x
Friday 31 January 2014
Bones of the Skeleton: Part 1 Continued...
Hello! Just a quick one today...
As you can see from the title, I'm going to start from where I left off!
So today/tonight I'm going to finish off explaining the rest of the axial skeleton...
There's only one area left... I've talked about the skull, the spine and now... the chest!
So what bones do we have in this area?
Well we have 12 pairs of ribs and a sternum!
Starting with the ribs... they actually originate from the thoracic vertebrae (remember we talked about that last time?!.. Chris Tarrant... The Tarrant standing for thoracic vertebrae!). Anyway, these pairs of ribs extend around to form the chest wall! The 1st 3 pairs attach to the sternum (we'll be talking about that in a moment!). Now... the next 3 pairs of ribs have common cartilaginous attachment which is to the sternum. Finally, the last 2 pairs are free! (A lot to take in hence the spreading of blogs!)
So what are we left with... the sternum! This bone receives the upper 10 pairs of ribs (not the last 2 as they are free!) as well as receiving the clavicle. (We'll be covering the clavicle next time!)
Ok, so hope you found this useful!
See you all soon x
As you can see from the title, I'm going to start from where I left off!
So today/tonight I'm going to finish off explaining the rest of the axial skeleton...
There's only one area left... I've talked about the skull, the spine and now... the chest!
So what bones do we have in this area?
Well we have 12 pairs of ribs and a sternum!
Starting with the ribs... they actually originate from the thoracic vertebrae (remember we talked about that last time?!.. Chris Tarrant... The Tarrant standing for thoracic vertebrae!). Anyway, these pairs of ribs extend around to form the chest wall! The 1st 3 pairs attach to the sternum (we'll be talking about that in a moment!). Now... the next 3 pairs of ribs have common cartilaginous attachment which is to the sternum. Finally, the last 2 pairs are free! (A lot to take in hence the spreading of blogs!)
So what are we left with... the sternum! This bone receives the upper 10 pairs of ribs (not the last 2 as they are free!) as well as receiving the clavicle. (We'll be covering the clavicle next time!)
Ok, so hope you found this useful!
See you all soon x
Tuesday 28 January 2014
A brief insight to my New Diet
Hello!
So, I stated in my previous blog that I'd talk more about the skeleton and the bones in the body... well I'm going to do that tomorrow now (busy day) but I'll leave you with a picture of my dinner tonight!
I started a new diet last week. I lost around a stone in weight over Christmas and I'm looking to put that on whilst doing some not too strenuous exercise. So far it's going well... I'll be sharing my diet when I've got my website sorted which will probably be here towards the end of the year as I'm not really up to it at the moment, plus I want to see some good results to show the rest of you too to prove the diets and workouts I follow do work!
Before Christmas, I weighed around 15 stone, I've now gone down to around 14 stone (morning weight). It's ALWAYS best to weigh yourself in the morning as your body isn't carrying any food or water weight! That's the most accurate time of day to weigh yourself, unless of course you work nights!
I'm 6ft 3 too so for someone of my height and weight, the recommended amount of calories to have on a bulk is around 3300... I've cut this down to 3000 as I'm not as active as a regular person due to my M.E.
Anyway... here's the picture...
There we go... not the best presentation but it's all about getting the calories in! What's the point in a good presentation if you're going to eat it anyway??!! ;)
It tastes good!
Chicken fillets, cherry tomatoes, brown rice, spinach, feta cheese and baked potatoes. :)
Hope you're all having a great week so far!
Barry. :)
So, I stated in my previous blog that I'd talk more about the skeleton and the bones in the body... well I'm going to do that tomorrow now (busy day) but I'll leave you with a picture of my dinner tonight!
I started a new diet last week. I lost around a stone in weight over Christmas and I'm looking to put that on whilst doing some not too strenuous exercise. So far it's going well... I'll be sharing my diet when I've got my website sorted which will probably be here towards the end of the year as I'm not really up to it at the moment, plus I want to see some good results to show the rest of you too to prove the diets and workouts I follow do work!
Before Christmas, I weighed around 15 stone, I've now gone down to around 14 stone (morning weight). It's ALWAYS best to weigh yourself in the morning as your body isn't carrying any food or water weight! That's the most accurate time of day to weigh yourself, unless of course you work nights!
I'm 6ft 3 too so for someone of my height and weight, the recommended amount of calories to have on a bulk is around 3300... I've cut this down to 3000 as I'm not as active as a regular person due to my M.E.
Anyway... here's the picture...
There we go... not the best presentation but it's all about getting the calories in! What's the point in a good presentation if you're going to eat it anyway??!! ;)
It tastes good!
Chicken fillets, cherry tomatoes, brown rice, spinach, feta cheese and baked potatoes. :)
Hope you're all having a great week so far!
Barry. :)
Tuesday 21 January 2014
Bones of the Skeleton: Part 1
So how many bones are there in the human body? Well the
answer is 206!
When I was learning about the human body, the skeleton would be split in two (not literally)... the axial skeleton, and the appendicular skeleton! What are they? Not as complicated as it sounds... the axial skeleton consists of the spine, ribs and skull whilst the appendicular skeleton covers everywhere else, the upper and lower limbs, as well as the pelvic and shoulder girdles.
Now I'm going to cover the 8 general areas of the body along with the names and amounts of bones.
Remember the axial skeleton? Well I'm going to start with that... The skull! I would hope that the majority of you would know that the skull is the head! This is called the Cranial bone and there's actually 8 in the human body!
What about the spine? As you'd imagine, there are a lot more bones located here... 33 to be precise! These 33 are split up into 5 different sections along the spine. Starting from the neck region, this bone is called the Cervical vertebrae and there are 7 until we reach the next part... the chest area! This bone is called the Thoracic vertebrae where there are 12 bones! We then go down into the lower back and reach a bone called the Lumbar vertebrae, there are 5 of these. (Nearly there!) The next part we enter is... the rump! This is called the Sacral vertebrae and again consists are 5 bones. Lastly... and least consisting of just 4 bones is the Coccygeal vertebrae... this is where our tails used to be once upon a time... seriously!
How can I remember all that?! It's not easy when the information is new to you but there are simple methods that will help you a lot... Take the 1st initials of the bone names that I mentioned, that gives you CTLSC. Then you have to think of a sentence with each word starting with these initials. As usual, I forgot the ones I was taught but here's a very simple example... Chris Tarrant Likes Salted Crisps... pretty lame I know and the sentence I was taught had a different last 2 words... and they are NOT what you are thinking!!!
I was actually going to go through all the bones in this blog but it seems my waffle has taken over a bit and there's more than enough information for 1 blog here! I've now decided that I am going to split the Bones of the skeleton into 2 or 3 parts!
I hope that everyone reading this has found it interesting and I shall be back soon with Part 2!
Barry. :)
Saturday 18 January 2014
The functions of the Skeletal System
Hello everyone! Hope you have all had a great start to the New Year so far! :)
The Skeletal System... What better way to start off the New Year?!...
If you're interested in learning about the body then you'll find this interesting and of course it's important for Personal Trainers to know these sorts of things!
Will knowing this information affect the way you approach your workout and diet? Probably not but why is it useful to know all of this?
Well for a start the skeleton protects all of the internal organs e.g. the lungs, the heart, the brain etc etc.
It gives our body shape, if we had no bones then we'd all just be blobs, like a blob fish which isn't the prettiest of sights!
It also provides surfaces for the attachment of soft tissues such as ligaments and muscles, these muscles can pull on the bones which products joint movement meaning the skeleton will act as bio mechanical levers to allow this.
What else? Well there's 2 main functions that haven't been mentioned yet, production and storage!
So what does the skeleton produce that we haven't covered already? Well there's a few things that certain bones produce which are namely produce granular white blood cells, red blood cells, and lastly platelets from their red bone marrow.
I'm going to finish today's blog with the storage of the skeleton before moving onto the names of the bones tomorrow. (I've written a bit more than I 1st decided to!)
The skeleton stores several minerals which when required are released. These minerals include calcium and phosphorus. Lastly, triglycerides are stored in the adipocytes of yellow bone marrow. And for those who don't know, triglycerides are the main constituent of animal fats and vegetable oil. The technical term used is an "ester composed of glycerol bound to three fatty acids".
As you can see, lots of technical terms there! I won't go into them all as I could simply go on for days... and like most people find it very confusing!
Hope you found this as useful as I did and look at for the next blog in a few days.
Barry. :)
The Skeletal System... What better way to start off the New Year?!...
If you're interested in learning about the body then you'll find this interesting and of course it's important for Personal Trainers to know these sorts of things!
Will knowing this information affect the way you approach your workout and diet? Probably not but why is it useful to know all of this?
Well for a start the skeleton protects all of the internal organs e.g. the lungs, the heart, the brain etc etc.
It gives our body shape, if we had no bones then we'd all just be blobs, like a blob fish which isn't the prettiest of sights!
It also provides surfaces for the attachment of soft tissues such as ligaments and muscles, these muscles can pull on the bones which products joint movement meaning the skeleton will act as bio mechanical levers to allow this.
What else? Well there's 2 main functions that haven't been mentioned yet, production and storage!
So what does the skeleton produce that we haven't covered already? Well there's a few things that certain bones produce which are namely produce granular white blood cells, red blood cells, and lastly platelets from their red bone marrow.
I'm going to finish today's blog with the storage of the skeleton before moving onto the names of the bones tomorrow. (I've written a bit more than I 1st decided to!)
The skeleton stores several minerals which when required are released. These minerals include calcium and phosphorus. Lastly, triglycerides are stored in the adipocytes of yellow bone marrow. And for those who don't know, triglycerides are the main constituent of animal fats and vegetable oil. The technical term used is an "ester composed of glycerol bound to three fatty acids".
As you can see, lots of technical terms there! I won't go into them all as I could simply go on for days... and like most people find it very confusing!
Hope you found this as useful as I did and look at for the next blog in a few days.
Barry. :)
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