Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Nutrition Tips

Today is my day off and since I ran and swam hard yesterday (yes, I'm bragging and I ain't apologizing for it), I feel pretty darn good today. I did walk to class this morning (30 mins each way) so I'm not a total couch potato but will probably be sitting on my butt for a good 6 hrs so it really is a day off (and it feels so good!).

So, how 'bout a nutrition tip?  Since I am now a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (fancy name for sports dietitian), I thought I'd throw in a few here on my blog.

Topic today will be vitamin D. This is a "hot" topic in the nutrition world and as I was walking home today under cloudy skies, I was recalling what I learned from Michael Hollick, vitamin D researcher at some ivy league school back east "it is impossible to get enough vitamin D from the sun if you live north of Texas from November through February, even if you are outside naked for 8 hrs each day".

Well, I'm not planning on joining any nudist camps but want to make sure I get enough vitamin D. There are two ways of doing that: drinking 4 cups of milk each day or taking a supplement. I do both.

I am very skeptical about nutritional supplements because most of them are unnecessary. But one of the few supps I take is vitamin D (1000 IUs). There is intriguing research showing that vit D may not only prevent colon and breast cancer and diabetes (yes, I said cancer), but may play a role in maintaining the integrity of skeletal muscles as well. This is good news for triathletes.

Researchers have found that muscle cells have receptors for vitamin D, although no one really knows why....but if they're there, there must be a reason that muscles need vitamin D. More on this later.

So, I do pop a vit D supp everyday and you should too if you A) live north of Texas or B) do not drink 4 cups of milk each day and/or C) have no intention of being naked outside for 8 hrs each day (or maybe you do but you should still drink your milk).

So, back to work...more on nutrition later.

3 comments:

WildWill said...

Interesting stuff ... i did a diploma in sports nutrition when i decided not to be a 270lb couch potato and still find it very interesting, like you I’m not one for jumping on the supplements band wagon ... but there are a few i would give the nod to ... and 1 or 2 others depending on dietary status (vegetarian etc)

Cindy Dallow, PhD, RD said...

Yes, I recommend iron supplements to young women who do not eat much red meat, calcium supplements for anyone who doesn't drink milk, and that's about it. But the research on vitamin D is very convincing...and it takes a lot to convince me!

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