Why are carbohydrates important to exercise?

Carbohydrate is the most efficient source of energy for sports person or an athlete.

No matter what sport you play, complex carbs provide the energy that fuels muscle contractions. Once eaten, carbohydrates break down into glucose, fructose, and galactose that get absorbed and used as energy. These glucose molecules are stored in the liver and muscles to be used for fuel, especially during physical activity. Once these glycogen stores are filled up, any extra gets stored as fat. Carbohydrates improve athletic performance by delaying fatigue and allowing an athlete to compete at higher levels for longer. nutrients, such as fat or muscle protein, are utilized to make energy.

Carbohydrate stored in the form of glycogen is an easily accessible source of energy for exercise. How long this energy supply lasts depends on the length and intensity of exercise and can range anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes or more. Start with full glycogen stores to avoid running out of energy during exercise, replenish them during exercise and refill them after exercise to be ready for the next workout.

The message is very clear from over a half a century of research on the links between food, nutrition and exercise capacity is that next to natural talent and appropriate training, a high carbs diet and adequate fluid intake to avoid dehydration are the two most important elements in the formula for successful participation in sport. Of course, there is an underlying assumption that athletes normally eat a well-balanced diet made up of a wide variety of foods, and contains sufficient energy to cover their needs.

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Healthy Diet For A Healthy Heart

Are you mindful that a healthy eating routine can keep the danger of coronary illness and strokes by 80%! It’s a saying that - A solid balanced eating routine is no. 1 nourishment proposal for individuals who are at danger of heart illness or as of now have the coronary illness". By knowing which nutrition types are useful for your heart, you can without much of a stretch avoid or deal with the cholesterol level and hypertension of your body.

Choosing food to deal with your heart is simple. It just requires a proper meal plan and endeavours to set up the nourishment. You simply need to concentrate on unprocessed eating routine, including natural products, whole grains, and vegetable, lean meat and low-fat dairy items.

For breakfast, it’s recommended to have fresh fruits like apple, orange or papaya along with muesli and yoghurt. It helps in giving a great deal of protein, fat and fibre to our body.

Lunch should be loaded with supporting fixings, which contains protein and fat. Having grain crackers and a plate of fruits and veggies would be plain but includes a ton of nourishment.

She has also suggested consuming low-calorie cheese including, vitamin A, D & B12, riboflavin and calcium. In addition, she recommended limiting sodium as an excess of it can lead to high blood pressure.

For the night, a home-cooked food is suggested. We must include, green serving, baked chicken, grains and snap beans in our dinner. Additionally, Mussels, which are rich in Vitamin B12, Iron and Omega 3, must be included.

These were some simple and important food recommendations to prevent heart disease and strokes from a Canadian Dietician. Developing these food habits will, surely, make you stay fit, healthy and live longer.

These were some basic but important food habit to prevent heart disease and strokes. Building up these nourishments will, most likely, make you stay fit, happy and live more.

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Rice Cereal – Why it’s Not Good For Babies?

If you are browsing the baby aisle in your local supermarket, you'll see an overwhelming range of products to feed your baby, including rice cereal. Supermarket shelves are packed with baby food products which claim to be the best, highly nourishing and healthy. Before you add rice cereal into your shopping bags, here are three reasons to skip the customary baby rice cereal before he or she is turning to six months:

Mother’s Milk and Formula Are More Iron-Rich:
Mother’s milk or formula will give your baby all the important nutrients including iron he or she needs for the first six months. At around the age of six months, a baby will need iron-rich foods, as well as mother’s milk or formula. Parents should take care not to give too much — in doing so, they will replace the baby’s milk intake too quickly. Milk is the main food for a baby until 12 months. So, remember that food before one is just for fun, and what you do give should ideally be from a natural source of iron.

Your Baby Isn’t Ready To Eat Rice Yet:
When babies are given solid foods before they are ready, you need to modify the food according to them. In the first six months, babies have a tongue-thrust reflex that protects them from swallowing anything other than liquids. When you make foods more liquid by pureeing, mashing or adding liquid, you are tricking the body into letting them past. Your baby will swallow these foods, even if they aren’t ready for them. So, better choose rice cereal for your baby only after 6 months but don’t make it the main food for baby.

Rice Cereal Is Not A Healthy Choice 
If you're planning to feed your baby a healthy nutrition right from the start, then leaving the rice cereal will be a great help. There's growing evidence that our diet in the start and early childhood can influence our healthiness in the future. Our immune system is mostly in our gut, so what we put in it has big consequences for our body and well-being. Moreover, most health experts are finally realising the massive impact of sugars and grains in our diet, which causes inflammation and disease.

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The Health Benefits of Smoothies

Smoothies are thick drinks made with blended fruit, vegetables and other ingredients, like milk, sweeteners, water or ice. They are the best option to retain all the fiber content of raw fruits and vegetables. Consuming fiber on a regular basis is one of the easiest ways to prevent disease, as it helps the body to remove all the impurities and deadly toxins. Also, smoothies make great options for a snack or a drink when made with natural food items.

Smoothies are a wonderful and a simple way to get the additional nutrients your body requires. Including a healthy smoothie, containing coconut oil, egg yolks, cream, fruit or other nutrient-rich foods every day in your diet provide most of the required nutrition in just one proven and delicious dose. Furthermore, it helps you keep hydrated the entire day, which a tea, coffee or soda won’t do. The reason behind is our body absorb water from the foods we consume in order to stay hydrated.

Drinking a smoothie is the best way if you want to lose your weight. Many weight loss programs promote replacing a meal with smoothie as it provides the vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbohydrates, and low fat entire food that you need to lose weight quickly and effectively. The fiber and other slow-digesting constituents, such as seeds, nuts, dairy products make you feel full for a longer time as compared to other drinks.

Smoothies are an excellent option to increase the intake of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Plus, they give high-nutrient choices. You can easily make a satisfying meal replacement by adding small amounts of protein and grain to a vegetable smoothie. Especially, berries are the best choice for a smoothie, because it regulates the sugar uptake into the blood and prevent hypoglycemic dips. Mixing ground flax seeds with smoothies helps suppress hunger and low cholesterol level. This list is not complete. There are end numbers of reasons for you to consume smoothies routinely. In addition to these health benefits, they are easy to make, taste good, and are fun to make.

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Sports Nutrition

Injuries are obvious, if you participate in any physical activity. Nutrition can play a major role in how an athlete recovers from it. On the contrary, poor nutrition can lead to situations that increase the injury risk. Exercise related tiredness, which is related to the inability to continue to workout at the desired speed or intensity, is just one simple example. Nutritional reason of tiredness in sportspersons includes insufficient energy intake, low-level of glycogen, dehydration and iron deficiency.

To recover from injuries, the body must meet its daily total energy requirements. Inadequate calories will restrict carbohydrate storage. This can result in serious health conditions, like low bone mineral density. Therefore, it’s a must for athletes to take adequate calories, carbohydrates, protein, fluids, vitamins and minerals. There are some practices about what to eat and how to eat for complete recovery and healing. Always focus on energy balance as calories are essential for the recovery process and consuming less can also slow the curing process.

Almost all athletes are habituated to eat extra calories through various foods and drinks, like bars, sports drinks, gel or shakes. Instead, focus on a variety of whole foods that contain fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, fiber-rich whole grains and healthy fats such as nuts. These natural resources fasten the healing process as well. Furthermore, avoid food items containing high amounts of dietary fats or sugar as they tend to be less nutrient-rich as compared to whole food options.

The daily eating habits of athletes is very important for their progression and performance level. New scientific studies or researches show how different food influences our body, simply help athletes alter their diets to excel in sport and guarantee continuous improvement. However, there is no magic food which can provide the body with all required vitamins and minerals. The simple way is to maintain a balanced diet, which includes a variety of nutrients and food groups. An athlete can also consult a sport nutritionist to get a diet programme which can help maximise the sporting performance as well as improve the overall well-being.

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Best Cooking Oils

Cooking is an art. It maybe complicated for you to cook tasty and wonderful dishes, especially when you are cooking with oil. Different oils and fats gives different results. Many people are not aware of the fact that certain dishes need specific oils and butter to get the right taste. Everyone cares about the foods that is good for health; however, how we cook the food is equally important. There are so many oils and butter available in the market that claim to be the best and it is very difficult to understand which ones to use and which ones to avoid. Below is the list of few popular and healthy oils that you can use without any fear of health risk:

Canola oil: It is the most popular oil and recommend by many doctors claiming that it helps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The oil is high in monounsaturated fat, low in saturated fat, and provides the best fatty acid composition.

Olive oil: It gives a very different flavour with sufficient heart healthy ingredients. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat that helps to lower the risk of heart disease, cholesterol level and breast cancer. It's also a good source of antioxidants, has a very long storage life and is the healthiest option to cook food.

Coconut oil: This is filled with saturated fat. According to physicians, food cooked in coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol and total blood cholesterol. It also raises HDL cholesterol and it has the benefit that it offers a nice flavour at high temperatures.

Rice Bran oil: This oil contains a chemical known as oryzanol that is good for regulating the cholesterol level. It is rich in monounsaturated fats and holds a good amount of polyunsaturated fats as well, both are the good type of fats. In addition, it has a high burning point that works well for deep frying purpose.

Sunflower oil: This oil is extracted from the sunflower seeds and is a rich source of vitamin E. It is a mixture of polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids and monounsaturated (MUFA) and is widely used for deep frying. It is also excellent for being used in cosmetic products. People with sugar need to be careful about this oil as it may increase the sugar levels.

There is much more than what is mentioned here, though the ones stated above are the most popular. Eating healthy includes cooking healthy, where the cooking oil really takes the main place. Oils are very important when cooking. It is essential to use the best one for your food and health.

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The Flexitarian Diet

You wish to turn vegetarian and want to get the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, but don’t want to give up on the tasty meat all together? If yes, then you should adopt the Flexitarian diet. The Flexitarian or a semi-vegetarian diet is a plant-based food with the rare addition of meat products. The aim of this type of diet is to add more plant-based food and reduce intake of meat.

The Flexitarian diet inclines you to eat more vegetables, without eliminating the meat altogether. People following this diet are believed to weigh 15% - 20% less and have a low risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. It is also said that people on this diet live approximately 4 years longer than those on the regular diet. Furthermore, this diet does not recommend to follow a strict diet plan about what to eat and what to avoid. The Flexitarian diet recommends to add five food items in the daily diet. Those are - meat, whole grains, dairy products, fruits & vegetables and sugar & spice.

The Flexitarian diet provides a number of health benefits. People who have followed this diet weigh less, have a lower body mass index and feel full for a longer time. In addition, following a vegetarian diet plan twice a week helps in reducing the consumption of saturated fat by 15 - 20%. It also keeps the blood pressure and cholesterol level in check and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The biggest benefit of Flexitarian diet is its flexibility. The flex food groups are much compatible and offer many options. According to Dawn Jackson Blatner, an American registered dietitian & nutritionist, more than eight million recipes can be created by the combination of flex food items.

In conclusion, today, Flexitarianism is the most popular term for healthy dieting and losing weight that reduces intake of meat as well. This is an inclusive new food plan which does not eliminate any foods instead adds new foods to your diet. Plus, it’s the best way to promote vegetarianism into your eating lifestyle.

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Eat Pasta In A Healthy Manner

We have always heard, if you want to lose weight avoid junk food or eliminate a specific food from your diet. However, it’s always not the case. According to a study, conducted by the Department of Epidemiology, in Pozzilli, Italy says that, including pasta in your diet can help you lose weight. The study further found that, pasta is connected to low BMI and good body shape.

The study collected the data based on body height, weight and measurements of over 23,000 individuals and showed that people who eat pasta are much slimmer as compared to people who do not. As per Dr. Licia Iacoviello, study co-author, “We found that pasta is associated with a lower BMI when eaten according to the individual caloric requirements”.

This study maybe shocking for many, but people are happy since low-carb pasta are a way of life for many. The pasta is a prime food consumed in Mediterranean regions and considered as a highly healthy food. The food is usually balanced by a high intake of nuts, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, fish, poultry and low consumption of dairy. Furthermore, pasta tends to be effective and healthy if eaten in moderate quantities with vegetables, legumes, virgin olive oil and, but not with animal fat, such as cream, butter and meat.

In addition, the dieticians suggest that combining pasta with exercise can really help in controlling the calorie intake and reducing weight. The purpose of this study is to create awareness among people that the calories in the Mediterranean diet are not bad at all, if eaten moderately. On the other hand, people should give up the logic of high protein and low carbohydrate diet to be slimmer, instead try the Mediterranean diet.

Who do not want to reduce weight and look slimmer. The weight loss is about high physical exercise, resistance workout, eating low and eating a lot of mindful food.  But, if you like pasta and can eat it almost daily in the right amount, you can easily reach your goal of losing weight.

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Caffeine – A Stimulant in Our Body

Caffeine is the most commonly used stimulant drugs in the world. It is a naturally produced substance found in the leaves and seeds of the many plants. It is found in coffee, cocoa, tea, cola and various energy drinks. It is also found in chocolates and some medicines, such as cough syrup, slimming tablets and allergy & pain relievers. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, around 90% of the world’s population consume caffeine in various forms. Caffeine might help people to act or respond more rapidly. Moreover, caffeinated coffee can save your brain, heart, and other organs from various diseases.

However, the consumption of moderate doses of caffeine (up to 400 mg) is usually safe and can help people feel more active and energetic. However, consuming larger amounts of caffeine (over 600 mg) may link to many health problems, such as increase body temperature, conception problems, stomach acid discharge, production of urine, etc.

Caffeine is difficult to avoid. We always take a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, coffee shops are everywhere. It is used by large number of people on a regular basis to alleviate fatigue, increase wakefulness, and improve focus and concentration. This stimulant drug increases the level of sugar in the bloodstream, even if there is no sugar in your drink. That’s what gives you the extra energy.

Withdrawing caffeine from daily users causes symptoms, like tiredness, headaches, crankiness, muscle pain and sleepiness. It also makes people respond more slowly. Even, many sports people take caffeine to enhance their energy level. Taking caffeine away from a person’s regular dose may impact brain. The brain may flood with adenosine, and decrease in the dopamine levels drastically resulting in the brain's chemistry to be out of balance.

The easiest way to withdraw from caffeine dependence is to cut down slowly, giving your nervous system enough time to adjust to function without it. In the end a cup of tea, coffee or cola once in a while is fine, but don’t overdo it.

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Smart Snacking

Do you only get hungry at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time? Obviously not. Our body processes food gradually and gets hungry when it needs more energy. Our body needs fuel to be alert, energetic and functioning well. When we don’t eat enough, our body reminds us with hunger pains and demands food. Don’t ignore these hunger pains and have a snack.

Almost all parents feel that all snacks are not so good for children and can lead to weight increase, but that isn’t always the situation. The point is giving the right foods at the right time and knowing that snacks are an essential part of your child’s nutrition. Even if your child is eating three complete meals each day, the average child’s stomach can’t hold all the nutrients and calories required for body growth and building bones, tissues and muscles. Almost all children need three full meals and at least two or three snacks per day.

There are many advantages of smart snacking, such as it helps in managing between meals, provides extra energy between meals, and helps in preventing overweight. Moreover, snacking gives you the opportunity to add fruit, vegetables and other important nutrient to your child’s meal.

It’s important to remember that always give smart snacks instead of the unhealthy ones, such as cookies, chips, jellies and chocolates. They provide very little or no vitamins and minerals. There are some helpful snack strategies to follow: Keep snack portions in less quantity say not more than 250 calories. Give the snacks on a regular schedule of every 3 - 4 hours. Allowing enough time between meals will ensure that kids are not too full to have their regular meals.

Most importantly, keep healthy snacks at the ready so that kids will be able to make smart snack choices. Always use the nutrition based facts label when deciding on foods to be used for snacks to ensure they are low in fats, calories, and sugar. Instead, choose ones good in iron, calcium, and fiber.

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How to Deal with a Lactose Intolerant Child

The importance of milk and dairy products in children’s diet has been recognised by nutritionists over the years. Milk products are an important source of protein, calcium and vitamin D, necessary for growing kids. However, not all kids are able to consume dairy products for a number of reasons, including being lactose intolerant.

Lactose intolerance usually occurs in kids who can't digest lactose, which is the main sugar found in milk and other dairy products, like ice-cream and cheese. Kids who are lactose intolerant don't make adequate lactase, which is a natural enzyme produced by intestinal tract that digests lactose. As a result, when there isn't enough lactase, lactose that is consumed doesn't get broken down and remains in the intestines causing diarrhoea, acidity, bloating, stomach cramps, and nausea for about 30 minutes to 2 hours.

There is no treatment for lactose intolerance. In case, if your child is lactose intolerant, a change in diet or meal can make a big difference. Doing so, you can decide what diet changes are best for your child. It is important to understand how to fill the nutritional gaps in their diet. Include non-dairy milk products, like rice milk and almond that are fortified with vitamin D and calcium. In addition, lactase enzyme supplements can help the stomach digest lactose appropriately when taken with dairy.

Dairy products are a great source of calcium; it is important to know that dark leafy green vegetables can act as a substitute. In addition, consider including broccoli, mushrooms, beans, spinach, and kale into your child’s meal plan to ensure proper intake. Always remember, lactose intolerance can be easily managed and the stomach problem can be relieved with some changes to the diet.

Lactose intolerance doesn't have to make your child's life down. There are many alternatives for children who are suffering from it. Consult with your doctor about what foods or diet changes would be best for your child. For kids, it's a temporary disorder that begins after they take some antibiotics for stomach infections which finally goes away.

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The Importance of Antibiotics

Today, resistance to antibiotics has increased and reached to a phase that places patient’s life in danger. Medical practitioners worldwide are concerned that more and more bacteria and viruses are becoming resistant to today’s drug. They are scared that in future antibiotics may become unaffected and useless. The researchers have already found bacteria that remain unaffected when treated with antibiotics. This may result in expensive medical treatment as new formula have to be developed.

Health stakeholders criticise the fact that antibiotics are being used in a wrong manner. Antibiotics are often prescribed in medical condition in which they do not work. The disappointing fact is in some regions, especially Third World countries and highly populated areas, like Bangladesh, India, China or Pakistan, hospitals are already running out of antibiotics. The doctors are prescribing antibiotics for very common infections, such as the common flu, which do not kill off bacteria, also making it ineffective for future illnesses.

Another reason is that agriculturalists in Europe and the United States are adding antibiotics to feed cattle, in order to make them grow sooner and produce more meat.

Many surgeries cannot be done if we are unable to treat infections. Moreover, the transplantation of body organs will become difficult if patients do not get the proper medication to strengthen the immune system. Pregnancy may threaten a woman’s life and even disease like malaria and pneumonia, which can be treated successfully with antibiotics, might once again become a threat to life.

Today, antibiotics have made many infections like tuberculosis curable. Moreover, cancer treatment would not be possible without the proper use of antibiotics to cure it.

Doctors and health experts call for rapid action to fight off infections and diseases.  Most important is the need to improve hygiene at the medical places, where infectious diseases start. Bacteria spread through the dirty water and the sewage system. Even a small thing, such as making people aware of the importance of washing their hands more often can stop the spread of bacteria and infectious diseases. Antibiotics are the best drugs ever discovered, but we really can’t continue to use them without better management.

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Sleeping Problem in Children

Children need at least 8 - 9 hours of sleep per night. A lack of sleep can have bad effects on children's health in academics, during extracurricular activities, and in social relationships. According to a study conducted by Healthy Active Living Research Group, almost a third of children in Canada are sleep-deprived. The reason behind this is believed to be a lack of physical tiredness and too much of screen time.

As per Dr. Mark Tremblay, lead researcher, Healthy Active Living Research Group, children are not getting enough shut-eye because of TVs in their room, due to their cell phone, or because they didn’t do much exercise or physical activity and are not fatigued.

The study also reveals that the children wake up slightly fatigued, withdraw from any kind of physical work, relaxing more and then of course are not physically tired, to get a proper sleep. The study involved the kids of different age group and a participation report card was prepared. According to which, grade D was given based on conclusions that 9% of kids aged between 5 - 17 years get the suggested minimum of 60 minutes of heart-pumping activity per day.

The study also denotes that nearly 79 % of kids aged between 5 – 13 year gets 9 – 11 hours of sleep per night; while 68% of children aged between 14 – 17 year gets 8 - 10 hours of sleep per night.

The lowest grade was F for an inactive behaviour, where only 24% of kids aged between 5 – 17 year coming under the suggested maximum of 2 hours of leisure screen time per day. As per the report, high school students spent almost 8 hours in front of TV screens and hence sleep less.

The effects of less sleep can be very negative, and can lead to depression. Moreover, too little sleep can cause obesity, hyperactivity, and slow cognitive development in children. The children are not connected with nature, the outdoors activities, communities and have an excessive link with screens and cell phones.

The sleep problem or lack of sleep in children is very complex and it’s not easy to change the grade D to A. Through this study, the researchers are trying to create an awareness among key stakeholders including parents, child’s physicians and school to find a long-term solution to the problem. They also promote the less use of screens and high amount of physical activity for children.

You can learn more about your child’s good health by joining Shaw Academy’s Child Nutrition program. You can also read Shaw Academy Reviews online on their Facebook page.

How Physical Fitness May Promote School Success

Are you aware that physical fitness affects children’s cognitive abilities? Children who are physically fit usually adapt and remember information more efficiently. According to a study, conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine, physical activity helps children to settle and pay attention in school with beneficial effects on academic performance. The study further reveals that the students who do any type of physical activities energetically for at least 10 minutes before the exam score well than children who didn’t.

The study involved almost 12,000 school children. The researchers gathered their physical fitness on the basis of their body mass index, physical activity and test score in exam. The astonishing thing the researchers found that BMI has no role with fitness. The children who were fit in spite of being overweight had higher test scores than lighter, less-fit children.

This finding suggests that a good level of physical fitness have their greatest influence on learning and recalling the things, which increases children’s academic performance as well. However, this study did not focus on any particular type of exercise, rather than it is focused on overall physical well-being of children.

According to Charles Hillman, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Illinois, school children should do at least an hour of vigorous physical activity every day. This will help in developing and maintaining their learning abilities. This initiative for the well-being of children should start from schools where children spend most of their time. Schools should provide most logical and logistically reasonable place for students to do such exercise.

In conclusion, physical fitness is very important, especially at an early stage of life. Physical fitness helps children look, feel, sleep, learn and think, better. It also helps children perform better in school and get good grades. It is essential that parents help their children to be active. Teachers should also understand the importance of being physically fit, and they should give students, some extra time to do exercise and to get out extra energy.

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Tips from an International Dietitian on Summer Cooking

According to Cara Rosenbloom, spokesperson for the Dietitians of Canada, “There are many ways of cooking food without using the oven in the hot summer days”. Using oven in hot summer days, may increase the heat inside the home and make it difficult for you to stand in the kitchen and cook. There are few other kitchen appliances and electronics, which can do the same job as an oven, and can keep the kitchen cool as well. Here are some:

Grill: It is one of the most convenient appliance which you can use to cook almost anything. The electric grills also don’t produce much heat inside the home. You can use grills to cook beef, marinated flank steak, thin cuts of meat, and much more with satisfying results.

Slow cooker: A slow cooker is the best option to cook food in hot summer days, as the right temperature of the cooker prevents the food from burning and food also retains moisture and softness. It is also great for batch cooking. You can easily cook pulled pork, bone-in turkey breast and many other foods using a slow cooker.

Stovetop: It is considered as the best heat diffuser and is an alternate solution for oven. Moreover, it hardly gets warm except directly under the cooking vessel and is safe to use. Stovetop can be used to cook salmon, vermicelli, hard-boiled eggs, etc.

Griddle: It can be used to make all kinds of food and it won’t heat up your kitchen nearly as much as the stovetop. Cooking on the griddle is a good option to have fun with cooking healthy, dietetics and quick. You can easily whip up biscuits, pancakes, tortillas or pitas on griddle.

Other small appliances: Blender, peeler, etc. are some other small gadgets which you can use while cooking on extremely hot days. You can make cold smoothies and puree cold soups using blender. Make carrot ribbons or delicious salads for dinner using a peeler.

These were some alternative cooking options of using the oven suggested by Cara Rosenbloom. Aren’t these fantastic? Now, you can easily beat the heat while cooking in the summertime.

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Food Hypersensitivity in Children

Food hypersensitivity, also known as food allergy is an abnormal immunological reaction of the body to certain food items. This abnormal immunological reaction is repeatable, which means that every time the food is consumed you face the same allergy. There are two different types of reaction: IgE allergic reactions and Non-IgE allergic reactions.

IgE mediated allergic reactions: This reaction contains an antibody, called IgE, that circulates in the blood. It can be detected by analysing an allergy history accompanied with a blood test or skin-prick test. When going under skin prick tests, a drop of the alleged food is placed on the skin and pricked. Rashes, hives, asthma, vomiting and swelling are some common symptoms of IgE reactions. The most dangerous reaction, known as anaphylaxis, can result in cardiac or respiratory failure. In some rare cases, IgE allergic reactions can be life-threatening. It is estimated that 2% - 4% of 1-3-year-old kids suffer from food hypersensitivity.

Non-IgE mediated allergic reactions: This reaction develops more slowly, say about 2 hours up to a couple of days. There is no blood test or skin prick test available to aid diagnosis IgE mediated allergic reactions. The finding of the reaction is reliant by taking an allergy focused history along with an elimination food diet that leads to symptom improvement. Eczema, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation and faltering growth, and redness around the anus are some symptoms of non-IgE reactions.

There is a varied range of food items that could be allergic for kids. The most common ones are: milk, peanuts, cereals containing shellfish, gluten, fish and soybeans, eggs and tree nuts. Sometimes kids also have food allergic reactions to lupin, sesame and kiwi.

The best way to handle the food hypersensitivity / food allergy is to avoid the food, which is causing the allergy. Some kids with food allergies will need to eliminate the food completely. Others may be able to tolerate small quantity of the food they are allergic to. However, it is must that you discuss the eliminated diet with an adequately qualified healthcare professional. Incorrect avoidance of food diet can cause major nutritional consequences.

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Carbohydrates as Fuel for Exercise

Carbohydrate is the prime resource for almost all types of exercise, mainly for high intensity activity. It is also considered as the most vital nutrient for athletic performance and is the preferred fuel for working muscles. Our body runs with a balance of fat, carbohydrate, and protein, but carbohydrate is the main source of energy for athletes. Carbohydrate provides energy for muscle contractions and brain function. It also acts as a substitute energy source for protein being used as energy. According to Health Canada's "Guide for Nutrition", 55% of the total energy in our food should come from carbohydrates and for athletes, it should be 60% to 70% of total energy be comprised of carbohydrates.

Without adequate carbohydrates the body is forced to depend more on fat and protein from the muscles, which are less effective energy-producing fuels. This may affect the athletic performance and the quality of training. For athletes, both carbohydrate food and fluid intake are important to sustain optimal energy levels and to maintain muscle glycogen. An athlete’s carbohydrate requirement before, during and after exercise depend on a number of factors, such as type, intensity and duration of exercise, body composition goals, environmental conditions and performance goals.

Carbohydrate consumption before exercise helps in increasing the glucose levels as well as glycogen stores in the liver and muscle. The intake of carbohydrate during exercise can benefit the performance, both through effects on the muscles and the brain/central nervous system. Carbohydrate ingestion after exercise is important for optimal retrieval of glycogen stores. Athletic performance is always dependent upon the capacity to retrieve from one session and continue to the next session. Partial or slow recovery of muscle glycogen can result in reduced ability to exercise well and gives a feeling of fatigue.

In conclusion, carbohydrate produces the fastest energy in the body. However, choosing the best resource is equally important. Some of the best resources of carbohydrate includes, whole grain, cereals, legumes, fruit, starchy vegetables, etc.  Athletes’ needs to consume more carbohydrates as compared to an average person to proper fuel and recover.

To know more about which nutrient may suit and work for you, join Shaw Academy’s online Sports Nutrition program by clicking here. To know more about Shaw Academy Reviews, subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Whole Grains for Good Health

Are you aware about the benefits of eating whole grains? Do you know that whole grains can make us live longer? According to a research conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, whole grains (brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole oats, etc.) could help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. The research further revealed that the people who eat about 4 – 5 servings of whole grains in a day live longer than those who eat little or no whole grains.

The research was based on the findings conducted in the United Kingdom, the United States and Scandinavian countries during 1970 – 2010. The researchers examined the health records of almost 786,000 people and stated that, people who consumed about 70 g of whole grains a day had a 23% lower risk of heart disease, and a 20% lower risk of death from cancer, a 22% lower danger of all cause death, compared to people who ate no whole grains.

As per Dr. Qi Sun, the study’s lead author, the Harvard University, “the study further supported present dietary guidelines recommend that at least three daily servings or 48 g of whole grains to improve long-term health”. Other than heart and cancer disease, whole grains reduce the risk of stroke and Type 2 diabetes and helps in maintaining blood pressure and weight as well.

The study further revealed that, increasing a daily serving of whole grains, which is about 16 g, reduce the death rate due to cancer by 9%. It is also suggested to include 6 - 8 servings of whole grain per day in our food. Some of the best sources of whole grains are: steel-cut oats, barley, brown rice, millet, whole grain bread, etc.

Though, the research is not supported when compared with past study data as the past records didn’t confirm any consistent definition of whole grains in terms of good health. Due to this, researcher’s may extend the research to validate the theory about whole grains.

You can learn more about healthy food groups by joining Shaw Academy’s online Nutrition program. To know what their students are saying, read Shaw Academy review online.