| For a considerable amount of time, nutrition has not | | | | Omega-6 fatty acid and Alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) |
| played a prominent role in the life of many martial | | | | which is an Omega-3 fatty acid. Both of these fats |
| artists, police, and military personnel as a means of | | | | can be found in various foods that have not been |
| improving performance. Top athletes are always | | | | heavily processed.These two fats are highly sensitive |
| looking for an edge. Although the martial arts are more | | | | and reactive to heat, light, and oxygen (i.e. they go bad |
| of a way of life and a life style than a sport per se, | | | | quickly), and are totally ruined or lost during the |
| the needs of the martial artist are the same as that of | | | | processing of our foods. The reason poly -unsaturated |
| the elite athlete.Mental aspects not withstanding (i.e. | | | | vegetable oils that line the shelves of most super |
| mental awareness, strategy, cunning, etc.), the need for | | | | markets can sit there for years on end is because |
| speed, agility, strength, flexibility, and the ability to | | | | they have been heated, deodorized, and generally |
| recuperate from tough workouts (and unforgiving | | | | processed to the point that they are the nutritional |
| sparing partners) is paramount to the success of | | | | equivalent of white bread and table sugar. I |
| athletes and martial artists alike. Police and military | | | | recommend people avoid those oils.Because of all the |
| personnel can also have unique requirements that | | | | fat bashing by the popular media and health |
| require them to perform at peak physical and or | | | | professionals who should know better, most people |
| psychological levels.Over the past decade our | | | | have come away thinking that all fat is bad and |
| knowledge of sports nutrition has evolved into a | | | | serves no other purpose than to make our hips and |
| science that has swept the athletic world and has | | | | stomach wider while ruining our health. Nothing could be |
| been partially responsible for the ever increasing | | | | further from the truth. The membrane that surrounds |
| numbers of athletes who are pushing the envelope of | | | | every single cell in your body, the sheath around |
| human ability and performance. Although a handful of | | | | nerves, various hormones, prostaglandins, and |
| the worlds top martial artists, police, and elite military | | | | countless other parts of the body (especially the brain) |
| units have taken advantage of the 'cutting edge' | | | | depend on the dietary intake of the right fats.The |
| nutrition being used by top athletes, the majority of | | | | importance of the essential fatty acids for health and |
| these communities has not taken advantage of the | | | | performance cannot be understated. It is true that |
| new science of sports nutrition.The advantage of | | | | certain fats, such as, saturated fats, rancid fats, and |
| improving one's performance through nutrition and | | | | trans fatty acids (found in margarine, Crisco, and other |
| correct supplementation is obvious for the athlete, but | | | | products), can cause numerous health problems from |
| what about the martial artist? Obviously technique, | | | | heart disease to cancer and insulin resistance, to name |
| form, and knowledge of one's chosen martial art is | | | | only a few ills of a diet high in the wrong types of |
| essential to the mastery of that art, but what if the | | | | fat.However, the essential fatty acids (especially the |
| person, regardless of skill level, becomes a little faster, | | | | Omega-3 fatty acids) are anti-lipolytic (stop fat |
| stronger, and able to resist and repair from injuries and | | | | storage), anti-catabolic (stop the break down of |
| training better?Will they not be an improved version of | | | | muscle tissue), increase metabolic rate and beta |
| their former self? Of course they will! Proper nutrition | | | | oxidation (burn calories/increase fat burning), improve |
| can make the martial artist, as it has for so many of | | | | insulin sensitivity, reduce the chances of heart diseases, |
| today's top athletes, an improved and potentially more | | | | and a whole lot more (3).Though early research told us |
| accomplished practitioner of their art, plain and simple. If | | | | that we need a bit more LA (the Omega-6 fatty acid) |
| a policeman is able to stay alert, has more endurance | | | | than LNA (the Omega-3 fatty acid) in our diet, we find |
| or strength, etc., will he/she not have an added | | | | in practice that a diet containing higher amounts of |
| advantage to the job? Of course.. The benefits to the | | | | Omega-3 fatty acids (LNA) gets the best results in |
| soldier are obvious. Bottom line? To not take | | | | health, bodyfat levels, and performance.The richest |
| advantage of the science of nutrition and | | | | source of the Omega-3 fatty acid LNA is Flax oil, |
| supplementation, is to short change the martial artists, | | | | which also contains a small amount of the Omega-6 oil |
| police, and military personnel.As a trainer for many | | | | LA (4). Flax oil can be found in the refrigerated section |
| athletes from various sports, police, and, military | | | | of any good health food store and is derived from the |
| personnel, and the author of numerous articles on | | | | careful processing of flax seeds (5). As a nutritional |
| sports nutrition and training, I have come to a few | | | | consultant to various athletes, I have used flax oil with |
| general guidelines that should be of considerable help | | | | many of the country's top bodybuilders (a group of |
| and interest to the martial artist, police, etc. who want | | | | athletes notoriously fearful of eating fat) to reduce their |
| to improve both health and performance. Though | | | | bodyfat levels and improve their performance and |
| nutrition is a complex topic, I have devised a basic | | | | health. Two/three tablespoons a day over a salad, |
| guide to the major and minor nutrients that should be | | | | taken straight, or in a protein drink does the trick |
| helpful to the martial artist, police, and athlete alike who | | | | (6).Another major source of Omega-3 fatty acids can |
| are trying to make food and nutrient choices. Of | | | | be found in deep water cold fish such as sardines, |
| course this guide is in no way total or complete, and | | | | mackerel, and salmon (7), and I recommend that |
| many individual differences may apply, but as a basic | | | | people eat two to three servings of these fish per |
| guide to examining these nutrients, it could give you the | | | | week. Good sources of LA are unprocessed |
| edge you have been looking for.ProteinProteins are | | | | vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower, sesame, |
| made up of amino acids which are the structural units | | | | and many other oils found in health food stores.Fats to |
| of the protein molecule. There are approximately 20 | | | | avoid are highly processed vegetable oils and other |
| amino acids. Eight of them are considered 'essential' | | | | processed vegetable products (such as margarine), |
| because the human body cannot make them on its | | | | rancid fats, and to a lesser degree, saturated fats. The |
| own - which is the definition of an essential nutrient. | | | | key to health and performance is a proper balance of |
| Link a few amino acids together and you get a | | | | essential fatty acids (LNA and LA), mono unsaturated |
| peptide. Link a bunch of peptides together and you get | | | | oils (found in olive oil, avocados, etc.), and small |
| a protein. The shape of the individual amino acids (and | | | | amounts of saturated fats found in lean meats and |
| resulting proteins) is unique and highly specific, so I | | | | other sources combined with the right carbohydrates |
| won't go into great detail about it here.Suffice it to say, | | | | and proteins.Vitamins/MineralsObviously a full |
| proteins are an essential part of virtually every function | | | | description of every vitamin and mineral and all their |
| in our body from the muscles, to certain hormones, to | | | | functions would take several large text books, so I |
| our immune system(s) and a whole lot more. In | | | | won't even attempt it here. A good multi vitamin is an |
| particular, the amino acids known as the 'branched | | | | insurance plan to make sure we get all the major |
| chain' amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and | | | | vitamins and minerals that for what ever reason we |
| the amino acid L-glutamine are of particular interest to | | | | failed to get from our food on any given day.There is |
| active people as they are anti-catabolic (muscle | | | | not a single cell in our entire body that does not require |
| sparing) and immune enhancing, to name only a few | | | | the use, or interaction with, some vitamin, mineral, or |
| functions and benefits of these particular amino | | | | biological function that is dependent on the above |
| acids.Though the RDA for protein is generally sufficient | | | | nutrients in adequate amounts. If you think we get all |
| for couch potatoes (with some debate) the majority of | | | | the vitamins and minerals we need from our highly |
| athletes and/or highly active people will benefit from | | | | processed food supply (as some health professionals |
| higher intakes of high quality proteins. Proteins with the | | | | maintain), then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I would like to |
| highest biological value (BV) are the proteins that | | | | sell you. Some (but not all) nutritionists and other health |
| should constitute the majority of the active person's | | | | related professionals will often say something like |
| diet, as they are superior for maintaining positive | | | | 'vitamins supplements just cause expensive urine'.The |
| nitrogen balance, reducing recuperation time from | | | | last time I checked, chemo therapy, heart bypass |
| workouts, improving immune function, etc.Whey protein | | | | operations, and hundreds of other medical treatments |
| concentrate (WPC) and isolates (WPI) have the | | | | cost considerably more than the average multi vitamin. |
| highest BV of any protein, is almost 50% branched | | | | If the intake of vitamins were to prevent any major |
| chain amino acids, and is high in L-glutamine, which is | | | | disease in say one out of a 100,000 people, it would |
| why I recommend several servings a day of WPC | | | | have been worth every cent in my book. In my opinion, |
| WPI to all the athletes/martial artists/police I work | | | | the correct use of vitamins, minerals, herbs, essential |
| with.There are several brands of WPC/WPI on the | | | | fatty acids, and many other nutritional based |
| market. Other high quality proteins such as skinless | | | | compounds, is the best route to optimal health and |
| chicken, fish, eggs, soy, and lean red meats, have | | | | performance. Any major brand of multi vitamin from |
| relatively high BV values and are good proteins. | | | | such manufacturers as Twin Lab, Solgar, or Nature's |
| Another point that is important to know, the higher | | | | Best, to name only a few good brands, would be |
| quality the protein, the less the person has to eat and | | | | fine.Anti - oxidants'Anti-oxidants' and 'free radicals' are |
| this allows the person to keep total calories lower by | | | | the hot buzz words these days on television news |
| sticking to these high BV proteins.For a person who is | | | | shows, news paper articles, and magazine features. |
| active in the martial arts, has a busy job, and probably | | | | Though scientists in the health and nutritional fields |
| does some weight lifting and/or aerobics, an intake of | | | | have known about them for decades, they have |
| .7 ? .8 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight | | | | recently been getting a lot of attention by mainstream |
| is what I have generally recommended. For high level | | | | media and more open minded medical |
| bodybuilders and competitive distance athletes, the | | | | researchers.Anti-oxidants are a special class of |
| protein intake will be higher, approximately 1g of protein | | | | vitamins and other non vitamin compounds that |
| per lb /bodyweight being the most common.In certain | | | | neutralize free radicals before they can damage cells |
| situations, amino acid supplementation is useful, but | | | | in our body. What is a free radical? A free radical is a |
| most people will have no problem getting what they | | | | highly reactive molecular fragment that has a single |
| need by eating plenty of high quality protein foods. Low | | | | unpaired electron. The unpaired electron wants to ?pair |
| grade, high fat, preservative loaded, protein foods such | | | | up? with another electron.The free radical will steal this |
| as luncheon meats, hot dogs, etc., should be avoided | | | | electron from virtually anything it comes in contact with, |
| for obvious reasons.CarbohydratesCarbohydrates are | | | | including our cells. This reaction, if left unchecked, leads |
| made primarily of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen | | | | to a free radical chain reaction and damage to various |
| atoms that cycle into a ring. They can be 'simple' or | | | | parts of the cell depending on where it takes place. An |
| 'complex' depending on the number of rings that are | | | | anti-oxidant can donate an electron without itself |
| hooked together and the way the carbohydrate | | | | becoming a free radical and thus can break the chain |
| effects blood sugar (1). Though the rings can be slightly | | | | of events leading to an uncontrolled free radical chain |
| different in shape, their common theme is the ring | | | | reaction (8).Free radical pathology is now believed to |
| structure. Similar to amino acids that make up proteins, | | | | be linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, |
| when you link the simple units (the sugars) together | | | | diabetes, and dozens of other afflictions. Without going |
| you get carbohydrates with different properties.As | | | | into a long (and boring) biochemical explanation, there |
| most people know, carbohydrates are a primary | | | | are many things that cause free radicals to be |
| source of energy for the body. The best type of | | | | released, such as smoking, exposure to various toxins |
| carbohydrates to eat are those that are high in fiber, | | | | found in air, food and water, sickness, exercise, and |
| vitamins, and minerals.Though foods such as pasta, | | | | stress in general.Anti-oxidants such as vitamin E and C |
| breads, and white rice are considered 'complex' they | | | | and other compounds such as selenium, N-acetyl |
| are highly processed foods, totally inadequate in fiber, | | | | cysteine (NAC), and proanthocyanidins (derived from |
| vitamins, and minerals and should not make up a high | | | | grape seed extract), to mention a few, will help |
| percentage of a persons carbohydrate intake. Though | | | | recuperation from tough workouts, improve immunity, |
| these foods are often fortified with certain vitamins, in | | | | possibly prevent certain diseases, and improve your |
| my opinion this does not truly replace what is lost | | | | health in so many different ways it would take another |
| during processing, not to mention the many nutrients | | | | article to explain. A good anti-oxidant formula made by |
| that are not replaced.Americans are notoriously low | | | | any one of the brands I mentioned previously, should |
| eaters of fiber, and heavily processed foods | | | | be added to the diet in addition to the multi- vitamin. |
| mentioned above do nothing to correct this deficit. High | | | | Whey proteins can also greatly improve anti oxidants |
| fiber carbohydrate foods such as brown rice, beans, | | | | status and is recommended.Sports Supplements:The |
| lentils, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and many others, are | | | | topic of sports nutrition supplements, such as: |
| the preferred carbohydrate foods for health, | | | | androstenedione and other ?andros,? Arginine, |
| performance, steady blood sugar levels, and reduced | | | | Colostrum, CLA, Creatine, Ecdysterone, GH |
| bodyfat levels.Though the high carbohydrate/low fat | | | | Supplements, Ginseng, HMB, Myostatin Inhibitors and |
| diet is all the rage these days, it has not been in my | | | | Tribulus, to name just a few, is beyond the scope of |
| experience the optimal diet for the many athletes, | | | | this article. Each supplement has its potential uses, |
| martial artists, and ?normal? people I have worked with | | | | dawbacks, doses and other variables that need to be |
| (see fats below). Data continues to support the fact | | | | examoned on an indavidual basis. People in the martial |
| that high carb low fat diets are not optimal for either | | | | arts, law enforecement, or military that want to |
| health for weight loss. Eating too much of anything, | | | | understand these supplements ; whether or not they |
| including carbohydrates, will make one fat (too bad the | | | | are worth useing, doses, types, etc., should consider |
| makers of non-fat foods fail to tell you this) and cause | | | | reading my ebook on the topic of sports nutrition |
| a host of other ills I don't have the space here to | | | | supplements, nutrition, and training called Muscle Building |
| cover.There are many researchers, books, and studies | | | | Nutrition.ConclusionThe above list of foods and |
| using both animals and humans that seriously questions | | | | supplements is in no way complete or the entire |
| the high carbohydrate/low fat diet as the optimal diet | | | | picture when it comes to additional ways the martial |
| for health and performance. Two grams per pound of | | | | artist, police, and military personnel can improve his or |
| lean bodyweight of carbohydrates is more than | | | | her health, strength, bodyfat levels, and recuperative |
| sufficient to fuel the energy needs of most athletes if | | | | abilities. However, the information presented here can |
| other aspects of their diet is adequate (i.e. correct use | | | | make for a foundation of health and performance that |
| and amounts of certain fats and proteins). And, as | | | | could add a considerable edge for those who seeks |
| mentioned previously, the source of those | | | | it.(1)The way a carbohydrate effects blood sugar after |
| carbohydrates is of paramount importance.FatsThe | | | | it is eaten is known as the glycemic response. The |
| very word sends a shiver down the back of the | | | | glycemic index (GI) is a list of foods and how they |
| leanest person. There is not a more misunderstood | | | | effect blood sugar. Some foods we think of as |
| nutrient in all of nutrition than fats. Many people know | | | | 'complex' actually raise blood sugar much faster than |
| there are big differences in how various | | | | many foods we think of as 'simple'.(2) The health |
| carbohydrates effect the body and some people even | | | | problems related to fats is are far more complex than |
| know that different proteins have different properties, | | | | most people appreciate. The pathology of disease(s) |
| but 'a fat is a fat, no'? is what the majority of people | | | | caused by high fat intakes of the wrong types of fat |
| would say if you asked them about this much maligned | | | | is a complex interaction between certain fats, |
| nutrient.Fats have just as many biochemical | | | | carbohydrates, a lack of certain vitamins and other |
| differences in the human body as do carbohydrates | | | | nutrients, free radical/anti-oxidant mechanisms, and |
| and proteins, and thus have just as many different | | | | other factors that are poorly understood.(3) For more |
| effects on the body that range from very good to | | | | information on the many benefits of the essential fatty |
| very bad. It really depends on the type and amount of | | | | acids and to find out more information about fats and |
| fat(s) we eat(2). Americans tend to get their dietary | | | | health in general, read ?Fats the Heal fats that Kill? by |
| fats from saturated fats, rancid fats, and highly | | | | Dr. Udo Erasmus published by Alive books.(4) LNA and |
| processed fats ( which contain by products such as | | | | LA are in a 4:1 ratio in flax oil.(5) Like fresh eggs, milk, |
| trans fatty acids), thus giving fats a bad name.As | | | | meat, etc, all fresh unprocessed oils will spoil (go rancid) |
| mentioned earlier, an essential nutrient is anything the | | | | if not refrigerated constantly and eaten shortly after |
| human body cannot manufacture on its own and must | | | | opening the bottle.(6) All highly unsaturated oils, including |
| be obtained from the diet, or the person will become | | | | flax, should NEVER be used to cook with as this will |
| sick and/or perish if the nutritional deficit is not | | | | change the structure of theses oils making them toxic |
| corrected. We know there are a multitude of vitamins | | | | and of little use for the purpose they are intended |
| and minerals, eight amino acids, and two types of fats | | | | for.(7) The 'fish oils' DHA and EPA can be formed in |
| that are considered essential nutrients for life itself to | | | | the human body from LNA by desaturase |
| continue.You should be aware that there is no such | | | | enzymes.(8) It is important to note that free radical |
| thing as an essential carbohydrate, but that's a whole | | | | reactions are a normal and essential part of |
| other story. The two fats that are known to be | | | | metabolism. It is the uncontrolled free radical chain |
| essential to health are Linoleic acid (LA) which is an | | | | reactions that we are concerned with. |