Nutrition for AthletesProper nutrition is an essential part of living a healthy life; this is even truer when considering nutrition for athletes. Athletes who are more active or are engaged in a sport need to have a well-balanced diet. Including the proper nutrition that the body needs will help you stay healthy and energized. Today, obtaining proper nutrition for an athlete is not difficult to achieve; with the help of scientists and nutritionists, there is a wide variety of nutrition plans and nutrition programs to choose from. Without the adequate nutrition, athletes can develop various diseases, and also run the risk of poor performance on the field, court or athletic event.Why is proper nutrition for athletes important?The main reason why athletes should find a nutrition program is so that they can stay healthy and prevent injuries. Recent research reports that injuries are more prevalent during the last 20-30 minutes of a game; this is because during this time the body is more fatigued and the mind becomes less concentrated. A healthy diet can help athletes build endurance not only physically, but mentally as well. Staying focused and energized throughout a game or an event can help prevent injuries.Another important reason to obtain proper nutrition is to enhance your overall performance. Despite of all the training and skills received, the only way for an athlete to reach his or her full potential is by nourishing and fueling the body. By eating healthy meals full of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, athletes can provide their body with the adequate energy source to perform well.What should healthy nutrition for athletes include?Athletes should consider consuming a healthy diet that includes the following;Carbohydrates – Since they provide up to 50% of the energy source, carbohydrates should definitely be on top of the nutrition plan list. The more active a person is the more carbohydrates the body will use. Including proper amounts of carbohydrates in your diet will aid in your performance and strength.Water – As most know, water is necessary for life. Being well-hydrated is crucial for all human beings especially athletes. Becoming even slightly dehydrated can be extremely dangerous while you’re active. Water is needed to regulate your body temperature and protect your health.Fats – Like carbohydrates, fats are also a good source of energy. While fat is typically only used after one hour of performance, an adequate amount of fat should be included in an athlete’s diet. Lack of fat consumption can highly affect your physical activity.Protein – Once carbohydrates and fats have been used, the body will search for proteins as an alternative energy source. When extra protein is consumed, the body stores it as fat and uses it when energy is necessary.Vitamins & Minerals – Riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin are three important vitamins that should be included in an athlete’s nutritional regimen. These vitamins are required in order for the body to produce energy.How can you obtain the proper nutrition?Most people don’t have the time or patience to build their own nutrition plan. That is why special nutrition programs for athletes have been developed. These nutrition plans are made especially to help athletes improve their performance as well as their overall health. Athletes should always be careful to provide their body with the nutrients it needs to succeed.
What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime
What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.
As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.
That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.
Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.
Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.
Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.
Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.
That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.
Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.
Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.
My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.
Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.
And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.
All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:
• Farm eggs
• Fresh vegetables
• Cow’s milk
• Freshly baked bread
• Coal for our open fires
Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.
Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.
Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.
Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.
My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.
The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.
Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.
Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.
People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.
In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.
Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.
• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.
• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.
• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.
On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.
Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.
We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.
Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.
My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.
The Benefits of Fitness: How Exercise Helps with Mental Health
Mental health is something that is often discussed, but not always understood. It is not a single state but rather a combination of different factors. Mental health can range from how we manage stress to the balance between our rational and irrational thinking. Not everyone has perfect mental health, but with time and effort it can be improved. The positive effects of exercise on our physical wellbeing are well-documented, so much so that many now recognize the benefits of fitness on mental health as well. Athletic activities have many positive effects on your brain and general wellbeing, which is why adding some form of exercise to your weekly routine is recommended for maintaining optimum mental health. Keeping active has been scientifically proven to improve concentration, memory, learning capacity, and problem solving skills.
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Understanding Mental Health
Mental health is a broad term that refers to our psychological wellbeing. Stress, mood, and anxiety levels, as well as our ability to handle daily stressesors, are all indicators of our mental health. A mental disorder is a condition that disrupts a person’s ability to function normally. These disorders can be mild or severe, and can affect people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups. There are many factors that can impact mental health. Genetics, environment, and life experiences can all contribute to how we view and manage stress, our emotional state, and our ability to cope with challenging situations.
How Exercise Helps Mental Health
Exercise is commonly associated with improvements to physical health, such as boosting the immune system and strengthening muscles. Exercise is also a great tool for improving mental health and cognition. When we exercise, our bodies produce substances called endorphins. These endorphins are chemicals that are responsible for feelings of euphoria and relaxation. When endorphins are released, they block pain receptors and have a calming effect. Exercise also helps us sleep better, another important factor in maintaining good mental health. It is important to remember that not all exercise is created equally. In order to reap the full benefits of exercise on your mental health, you need to be doing enough activity to get your heart rate up and truly break a sweat.
Exercise and Depression
Exercise has been proven to reduce symptoms of depression. This mental disorder is characterized by feelings of sadness, irritability, and a reduction in interest or pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed. Some of the biological explanations for how exercise can help a depressed person include an increase in certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, that are known to affect mood. Physical activity also helps to regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis which is the connection between physical and mental stress. By doing so, exercise combats the harmful effects of cortisol, the hormone released when we are stressed. It also increases endorphin and serotonin levels. The serotonin in particular is thought to improve mood and alleviate depression and anxiety.
Exercise and Anxiety
Another mental illness that can be alleviated with consistent exercise is anxiety. What causes anxiety varies from person to person. However, there are common themes, such as a fear of the future, or a concern for the safety and wellbeing of loved ones. Exercise is an excellent way to tackle anxiety. It’s important to note that exercise cannot cure anxiety; however, it can help to reduce its symptoms. When you are experiencing the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a racing heart rate or dizziness, exercise can be an outlet to “let off steam”. It also releases endorphins which can help to calm you down. Exercise also improves the way your body functions, including your cardiovascular and endocrine systems. This allows you to better handle daily stressors, which can reduce anxiety.
Conclusion
Exercise and mental health go hand in hand. The benefits of fitness include increased feelings of self-love and self-worth, improved functionality, sleep quality, and a reduction in the symptoms of several mental illnesses. The most important thing to remember while trying to improve your mental health with exercise is that consistency is key. You won’t see results if you don’t make time for it. Keep track of your progress and make adjustments as needed to keep your routine healthy and effective. Above all, remember that you are worth the effort.