Pros & Cons of Food Supplements

Half of American adults take some type of supplement. Photo Credit Thinkstock Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images

Over half of the adults in the U.S. use at least one type of dietary supplement, the most common being multivitamins, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The term “supplements” encompasses a variety of products such as vitamins and minerals, herbs and enzymes. Taking the right supplements can be beneficial to your health, but they are not without risk. Never take any type of supplement without first talking to your doctor.

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7 Reasons to eat Chia seed + Recipes suggestions

by Isabel Smith, MS, RD on rebootwithjoe.com

Chia seeds first gained popularity back in the late 1990‘s and early 2000‘s with the famous Chia Pet; TV ads for Chia Pet’s were found on almost any TV channel at almost every time of day. Though the Chia Pet may not be as famous on television as it once was, chia seeds have taken to a new spotlight as a superfood.

Chia seeds have become a hot commodity in the nutrition world and can be found at various grocery stores, specialty stores, and are found in countless recipes that range from smoothies to meatballs. So why are chia seeds considered a superfood, and why should you consider adding them to your every day?

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The Worst Nutrition Advices

Originally posted by Kris Gunnars on Eat Local Grown found on Hungry For Change

Nutrition history is riddled with nonsense. People have been advised to do all sorts of strange things that challenge common sense. Some of these things are not only useless, but potentially harmful. The worst part… a lot of this misguided advice is still being pushed. Here are the top 5 contenders for the worst diet advice in history.

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Before & after workout food

With all of the marketing of sports drinks, bars, gels and powders, this is an excellent question to ask. There’s certainly no harm in eating — and it might help you meet your fitness goals by giving you more energy during the actual run or elliptical workout.

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The best food for recovery after exercise

3Wednesdays

quinoa
Quinoa is a high-quality source of carbohydrate. Photograph: Alamy
Many runners do a great job in fuelling themselves for training and racing, but are you thinking enough about nutrition to ensure you recover properly between sessions?

Recovery is a fundamental element of training and racing, but is underestimated by many athletes. It is particularly important for those who train multiple times per day, six days a week, as inadequate recovery can reduce the body’s capacity to maintain high-volume and high-intensity training sessions. In the long term, this can lead to fatigue, illness, injury and compromised performance.

During training, muscle proteins are broken down, and glycogen (carbohydrate) stores and electrolyte levels are reduced. Proper recovery allows the muscles to repair and adapt to the demands being made of them. This, in turn, leads to improvements in performance. For optimal recovery the body requires the right kinds of food in the right amounts.

Consumption of carbohydrates and fluids (including electrolytes) after exercise is recommended. Both are particularly important for those completing endurance exercise, when the likelihood of glycogen depletion and dehydration is high. The role of protein however is less well understood. Consumption of rapidly digestible, high-quality proteins such as whey and soy following intense training or racing will aid muscle repair and muscle soreness.

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