More specifically, I will discuss the three macronutrients, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and their functions for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioners and Mixed Martial Artists.

Let’s start with proteins. Proteins are made up of chains of individual amino acids. Different foods have different distributions and ratios of amino acids.

Amino acids can be categorized primarily as essential amino acids and non essential amino acids. The topic of amino acids is somewhat complex and will be covered in more detail in an upcoming article.

 As an example eggs are known to have the highest Biological Value / BV as a source of protein. In essence egg protein becomes the yardstick by which other proteins are measured. Another marker used to measure the quality of a protein is known as the Protein Efficiency Ratio / PER. More specifically Protein Efficiency Ratio / PER represents to what degree a given protein is a catalyst for muscle growth. In the case of eggs this simply means that the unique make up of amino acids found in eggs is highly recognizable and usable by the human body.

Is egg protein great for everybody?

No.

As I mentioned in an earlier article, people are, to varying degrees, biochemically unique. So, it’s not cookie cutter, one size fits all.

Protein and their corresponding amino acids are the major constituents involved in muscle tissue repair. For the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioner, Mixed Martial Artist, or any athlete that trains at an intense level, high quality protein used correctly is extremely important.

The delayed onset muscle soreness / DOMS that athletes experience about 36 hours after workouts is due to high intensity training.

It’s generally accepted in sports nutrition circles that the consumption of varying amounts carbohydrate with protein increases the release of insulin from the pancreas which acts to drive nutrients, such as amino acids into cells where they can do their work.

Next on the list is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide nourishment for the physical body as well as the brain. Carbohydrates range from simple to complex. They are an ultimate source of glycogen which is stored in both your muscles and liver and functions to meet energy needs, an obvious concern for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioners and Mixed Martial Artists.

Last but not least are fats. Fats have important functions as a macronutrient. Some fats are good while some do not support human performance. Monounsaturated fats, like olive oil are an example of healthy fats while trans fats / hydrogenated fats are now recognized as less than desirable.

An often overlooked function of dietary fats is its role of metabolizing the fat soluble vitamins. These include vitamin A, D, E, K.

 A more well known function of fats is as a back up energy system. It’s also important to note that from a caloric standpoint fats are a more dense form of calories at 9 calories per gram as opposed to proteins and carbs which weigh in at about 4 calories per gram each.

 Another overlooked benefit of healthy dietary fats is their influence on satiation. So for guys working to make weight for competition dietary fats are important which can be considered counterintuitive. As I mentioned earlier at 9 calories per gram, fats pack more calories per gram than protein and carbs but in very controlled volume, dietary fat will allow your brain to minimize the desire for more calories.

Another role of scientifically managed macronutrient consumption is it’s role in inflammation. As a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioner or Mixed Martial Artist preparing for competition, getting dinged up is par for the course. Most times it’s more than dinged up. At times guys go into fights already banged up. That’s rough. However, there are ways to manage macronutrient consumption to at least lessen the inflammatory load from wear and tear, and acute injuries during training.

Many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioners, Mixed Martial Artists, and athletes in general train hard but don’t pay attention to their nutrition.

I usually say, “If I can control it and if it’s a known influencer or cofactor in the success equation, then I pay attention to it.”

I met with Gustavo Dantas recently. He is a well known and well respected 3rd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and President of Nova Uniao, USA. In our conversation I referred to well managed nutrition as a high percentage move for the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioner.

Gustavo Dantas Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is opening a new Academy in February of this year. Gustavo is known for producing many high end Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Medalists and he also enjoys helping people improve their lives through the practice of Jiu Jitsu. Gustavos programs also include Kids Jiu Jitsu and Womens Jiu Jitsu instruction.

It’s the finer nuances and finer distinctions of managing nutrition that can make a significant difference when it comes to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts competition and in managing your body and mind as a human resource in both the short and long term.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

Call Optimum Performance / Human Performance Systems today at 480-241-2621 and mention this article by Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS, Managing Whole Food Nutrition for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, and receive a free consultation with Joe.

About Joseph Sale

Joseph Sale, CNS, CSCS, is a board certified nutrition specialist and a nationally accredited physical conditioning specialist. His educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. Joe has been an adjunct faculty instructor and guest lecturer at numerous colleges, universities, and corporations covering human anatomy, physiology, performance nutrition, corporate performance, and precursors to musculoskeletal sports injuries among other topics. He’s been a guest expert on radio and television and is the author of the Optimum Human Performance Course.

Eggs are recognized as have an extremely high Biological Value / BV. Biological Value is a unit of measure used in categorizing the ability of a protein to be utilized in protein synthesis.

Eggs contain the fat soluble carotenoid antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin, are more specifically categorized as xanthophylls, which are a specific type of carotenoid.

The eyes contain high concentrations of these two nutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin, found in eggs,  which provide fortification against light induced oxidative damage.

Studies report high bioavailability from the lutein and zeaxanthin found in eggs.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the egg yolks.

1 egg contains about 7 grams of protein

1 egg contains about 70 – 80 calories

Eggs contain high concentrations of lecithin / phosphatidyl choline

1 egg contains about 100 – 125 mg of choline which has a positive influence on cell membranes.

Eggs are a significant source of Vitamin B2 / riboflavin, B12 / Cobalamin, Selenium, and Vitamin D

Eggs are a substantial source of the nine essential amino acids, valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and histidine.

The term “essential” amino acids is used because the body does not have the ability to synthesize these amino acids so they must be consumed in the diet to receive them.

Eggs contain the branch chain amino acids, valine, leucine, and isoleucine which also fall into the larger category of essential amino acids.

Eggs are also a source of the non essential amino acids, arginine, glycine, proline, alanine, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, tyrosine, cysteine, and serine.

The non essential amino acids are categorized as non essential because the human body can synthensize them.

Please visit the Optimum Performance Blog Menu for additional nutrition posts, interviews, and much more.

Call Optimum Performance / Human Performance Systems today at 480-241-2621 and mention this post by Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS, Facts You Should Know About Eggs, and receve 20% off your customized nutrition program.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

Rarely is the path to any goal or successful outcome an easy and direct ride. Yet the public most often sees or hears only about the end result and / or when the media picks it up. What’s missed and what the public often doesn’t hear about is all that happened in route, the work that was done, the sacrifices made, the life lessons learned, and the temporary setbacks that had to be overcome on the way to any given goal or destination.

My objective is that through these interviews, the reader will pick up pearls of wisdom and overriding universal life principles that they can apply to their own life regardless of their destination.

- Joseph Sale, Founder, Optimum Performance / Human Performance Systems

Joe / Michael, please talk about the purpose and mission of Nourish America and its significance, especially in the current economic climate.

Michael / Thank you for asking. Nourish America’s mission is to improve the health and well being of those at risk for nutritional deficiencies in the United States by providing nourishing foods (including naturals and organics) and nutritional supplements. This includes at-risk children, pregnant mothers, families in need, low income seniors, veterans and National Guard members, as well as supporting first responders and disaster victims in times of crisis with.

Given the current economic climate, we are finding a much greater demand for our programs as more and more individuals and families are making the hard decisions regarding how to allocate the very limited funds they have to meet their core needs for shelter, food, medicine and health care, as well as keeping the heat and lights on. Also, over the last eighteen months a large majority of the Nourish America program sites have been experiencing a more than 100% increase in the number of people coming in seeking food and other aide. Sadly, many of these programs have had their funding cut by more than 30%; some have had to even close their doors. So the need for nutritional support programs has grown while support for such programs has dropped significantly. It’s a tough situation.

We’re committed to continuing this work because it is so needed. By providing organizations, agencies and schools the nutritional support they need for their clients, Nourish America is assuring that nutritionally at-risk Americans are getting a nutritional hand up when they need it the most. As you well know, Joseph, without proper nutrition, our brains do not work very well to address life’s challenges, our bodies do not have the energy they need to respond and move forward, our hearts are discouraged, we lose faith and hope there is light at the end of the tunnel and that we can find our way through.

Joe / Michael, the U.S. Census Bureau has recently reported that the U.S poverty rate rose to 15.1% last year. We haven’t seen these levels since 1993. It’s clear that the holes in government safety nets are growing larger. That being the case, we are facing a new social, political, and business landscape where nonprofit 501c3s and for profit corporations can hopefully pick up some of the slack. What are your thoughts on this?

Michael / I have three thoughts on this. First, we are definitely living in “interesting times”. The rapid changes in the geopolitical climate, the emergence of a global commons economy where no one nation’s economy and currency can insulate itself from what is occurring in the rest of the world, the beginning of the great die off of the baby boomers and the ascendency of the millennials, as well as the large scale climate changes that seem to be occurring, are just some of the factors that have made it impossible to play by the previously accepted rules and assumptions in just about all temporal arenas of life. Second, one of the transitional outcomes of all this in the United States has been the recent recession as well as the possibility of a double dip recession. The banking and mortgage housing crisis, the job market, the rapidly disappearing middle class, the inability of our elected officials to get beyond partisan politics, are all, both the results and causes of a substantial loss of power to our nation’s economic engines. All this to me is why we are at record highs in the poverty rate than you mention. Third, over the last two decades, the non-profit sector has been forced to, in a word, “grow up”. Fiscal transparency and accountability, outcomes based metrics for funded programs to determine cost/benefit analysis, the emergence of donor advised funds coupled with an infusion of highly successful entrepreneurs eager to create new models for social change, as well as more intense state and federal oversight are some of the reasons for this. As a result, innovative corporate social responsibility campaigns, as well as cause marketing initiatives, have emerged as the idée d’entreprise de la journée between the for-profit and the non-profit sector.

Joe / Michael, I ask this question in most of my interviews because it motivates people to reflect on their life. When Steve Jobs gave his well known commencement speech for Stanford University in 2005, he shared much of his personal story and how looking back on his life, he was able to connect the dots, meaning, things made sense in hindsight, looking back, but not when he was going through the challenges. He implies that his earlier experiences in life prepared him unknowingly, for what he would be doing later. Does your path seem like a logical progression looking back at this point?

Michael / Well, they say hindsight is 20/20, but I believe that is only true if you are willing to look with courageous honesty at your life. Is it a “logical progression”? No, not really. The truth is, the meaning and sense of my life path defies, or rather transcends logic. There has always been something of the invisible, the guiding hand, in my life. Since my early childhood, like a divine burr under my saddle, I have always been like the hound of Heaven, wondering and asking, “Why am I here?” “Who am I?” This search for truthful answers to these perennial questions put me early onto the spiritual path. My whole life has been about finding the answers to these questions. It is not the work I do, it is not the successes and failures I have had, nor is it the lovers and wives and children I have known, nor even my emotions, my ideas, my feelings and thoughts, it is finding out who I truly am beyond all that at the core of my being. All those other things are, as Ram Das stated, “Grist for the mill.” My deepest desire in life is to become a Self Realized, truly free, awakened being. Will I attain this? I don’t know. Still, to me, it is the only thing worthy of my time, my energy, and my life. So, you may ask why do I do the work that I do at Nourish America. Surprising to many, it is not for moral, religious, or “do gooder” reasons. Very simply put, I do it because that is what is front of me that needs to be done. Do I believe that what I do will make some sort of ultimate difference for good? In all honesty I have absolutely no idea of the ultimate impact of anything that I do in this world on this world. Yet, over the last ten years I have witnessed hundreds of thousands of people be benefited by what Mary and I do at Nourish America, and for this, I am both grateful and humbled.

Joe / Nourish America programs are extremely cost effective at less than .10 cents per day per child. This insures that children’s basic nutrient requirements are being met. Please discuss this.

Michael / In 2008, 16.7 million children in the United States were found to be food insecure sometime during the year according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Even with numerous types of programs to address this problem, ranging from community based food pantries to federally administrated food stamp programs, the number of children at risk continues to increase year by year. From 2007 to 2008 an additional 4.3 million more children, an increase of more than 25%, were added to our nation’s count of food insecure children.

Over the last 25 years, most experts have come to recognize that there is no one solution to this complex, multi-faceted problem. Not only that, all the earlier promises of ending the risk of malnutrition for children in America has given way to the realization that such a utopian vision may be further away than most had hope with no permanent solutions in sight. Regrettably, we are faced with the stark reality that the solution to this multi-generational problem still may be generations away. Given this, is there anything else that can be done in our efforts to assure that all children have access to the essential nutrients required for healthy development, growth and well being? Is there an intervention that is economical, efficient and effective to such a degree that it has the realistic potential to move us substantially forward on the road to assure that all of America’s children get the basic nutrients they need? I believe there is.

I believe that micronutrient (i.e., “vitamins”) intervention programs provide an effective, efficient and economical intervention on the continuum of care for our nutritionally at-risk children. There is a growing body of peer reviewed studies over the last 15 years that provides evidence for the effectiveness and value of such programs for at-risk children. Intervention studies have shown that an at-risk child receiving a high quality multi-vitamin shows significant improvements in age-related physical development, general health and well being, school attendance, cognitive development, academic performance, as well as behavioral function and psychosocial skills. Also, such programs are highly cost effective, easy to implement, and efficient with regard to staff time and costs to manage and run. For just pennies a day a child who has forgotten how to laugh will laugh again, a child who dreads tomorrow will find hope for the future. Micronutrient intervention programs for children in need offers our nation a much needed nutritional insurance policy assuring that regardless of what food a child receives from meals, or lack thereof, on any particular day, that child will still have the essential nutrients they need for healthy grow and development. In this way, through micronutrient supplementation, more of America’s children are given the opportunity to reach their fullest potential, to not only dream, but to realize their dreams.

Joe / Nourish America creates tailor made corporate social responsibility programs for businesses that support it. Please talk about that process.

Michael / Working with our corporate partners to craft an innovative, effective custom made corporate social responsibility program is one our passions. Given my background in both the for profit and non-profit sectors, I have an appreciation of the values, cultures, and bottom line of both and how they can work well together for a greater good. For example, next week I am meeting with top executives of a global company to discuss how we can work together. My number one goal is ask the right questions, to listen to them, and to determine in dialogue with them exactly what would be the best components to include in such a campaign. This can include inside the company improving employee moral by encouraging employee participation at Nourish America program sites, co-branding opportunities to support their public relations and marketing bottom line, as well as increased consumer loyalty. I work to design and implement a corporate social responsibility program for them this is not only dedicated to helping Americans in need but to supporting their company’s image through strategically developed and targeted public events, social media outlets, news articles, human interest stories, press releases and events in printed and emedia and when and where appropriate. For me, with our corporate partners, I am big on “after taste”. In the arena of world class ice cream judging, it is not the flavor, the texture, the taste, the color that determines the winner. It is the after taste. In the forefront of all I do, is the question, “What is going to be their experience after we are done? Will they want more?” In other words, “What is the after taste I am creating for this client?”

Joe / What is cause marketing and what are its benefits to corporations?

Michael / The weakened economy has created both danger and opportunity to the retail market. The danger: losing critical income through loss of customers and decreased spending. The opportunity: creating new and unique ways of growing a customer base, inspiring them to continue to purchase your products, as well as recommend your products to their friends.

With all other factors being relatively equal, most consumers, when faced with buying decisions will choose product(s) from a company that contributes to their community over its competitor. Called affinity buying, it is due to the fact that consumers like to purchase products from companies who support their values. In fact, contributing to causes or service organizations and promoting your contribution through cause marketing efforts helps strengthen brand loyalty.

Today’s health consumer often referred to as “cultural creatives”, or “LOHAS buyers”, clearly value companies who contribute to service organizations which reflect their values. Cultural Creatives represent the socially aware consumer with socially responsible values and bourgeois affluence. They are committed to improving their community, and expect the same from the businesses they frequent. Companies that contribute to causes, such as infant and child nutritional programs, environmental organizations, battered women’s relief centers, humane societies, breast cancer research, capture the attention and loyalty of these consumers.

Major corporations have long respected the marketing value of affinity giving. American Express donated $1.7 million towards the reconstruction of the Statue of Liberty. Philip Morris purchased and shipped food to the refugees in Kosovo. The value and positive impact of the Kosovo effort was so profound that Phillip Morris spent millions more creating and airing national television spots advertising its good work. Many natural products manufacturers, educational/research groups, and publishing organizations are also seeing the value of supporting non-profit service-based organizations. More recently, is the growing trend of local giving as exemplified by “Oprah’s Big Give” campaign a few years ago. People are now interested in making a positive difference in their own community.

For the company, it is an opportunity to reflect in their brand, their customer’s values to motivate and enhance their purchasing decisions. Values play a role in every decision we make. Cause related marketing allows consumers to participate in supporting a good cause through their purchases, with a focus on the cause. It creates an enduring and emotional relationship between a brand and its consumers. In other words, it is an elegant tool for addressing the social issues of the day by providing resources and funding that boost your brand and contribute to your bottom line.

Cause marketing and corporate social responsibility campaigns has proven and continue to proved to be an effective way to inspire enthusiasm in customers to be loyal to your products, services and brand. We believe that partnering with Nourish America in a well crafted cause related marketing campaign will build brand recognition, increase customers and strengthen customer loyalty for your product lines.

Joe / What are the greatest challenges Nourish America faces in order to continue to provide daily essential nutrition to impoverished Americans in need?

Michael / In a word, capacity building and the cash to do it. Over the last twelve years, except for one year, Mary and I have been the only staff. In that time we have assisted more than one million in need in America and really made a positive difference in their lives. Still, we need to add staff so we can grow, and that takes cash. In order to do this, we are focusing on doing three areas: 1) Finding new donors and corporate sponsors, and 2) Growing our board of directors, 3) Expanding our telling the Nourish America success story.

Joe / Michael, in closing, please share 1 life lesson and 1 business lesson that has had a significant impact on your life.

Michael / Great question. Life Lesson: Years ago, I cracked up a motorcycle. I was going fairly fast and hit a pile of gravel on a curving freeway onramp north of Arcata, California. My bike went out of control and I went down, skidding onto the freeway with my leg trapped under the bike. I looked up to see this terrified woman and her daughter looking at me out the front window of their station wagon as they were about to run over me. Fortunately, she slammed on the brakes as I skidded past her car while I was looking up at her chrome bumper six inches away. But, while all that was happening I watched as my whole life played before me like a movie, clip by clip, every event that ever occurred to me, in an instant feedback. I thought I was really going to die. Well, I lived. But, after that event, I realized that the only things that mattered when I was watching that instant replay of my life were the times where I had been loving and kind. All the rest was nothing, empty. So, my life lesson can be summed up with the last words my grandfather said to me with his last breath: “In life, all that really matters in the end is that you lived from your heart.”

Business Lesson: Two things, “Don’t be arrogant”. Over the years there have been three times I have personally witnessed three powerful men take “the great fall”. Who they are does not matter. Each man was very powerful, highly effective at what they did, very successful, very smooth operators. Each was full of hubris. Also, if you took the time to look deeply and honestly at each of them, each, at their core, each was a lonely, miserable man. All three took a great fall because of their arrogance. So, from this I learned that “Don’t be arrogant” is an essential practice for both long term success in business as well as for deep personal satisfaction and contentment with your accomplishments. The second is “Trim Tab Effect”. In the late 70s, I spent a good part of the summer with Bucky Fuller in Aspen, Colorado. What an amazing man. One day, I was eating lunch with him and he shared with me the concept of “trim tab effect”. Any pilot knows what the trim tab on an airplane is. It is the very small rudder on the tail that you make very small adjustment to based on the wind speeds and directions of your plotted flight course. Bucky shared with me his belief in the great value and wisdom in identifying opportunities for trim tab effects in business. In other words, “What are those small, low cost, low maintenance actions, policies, or practices I can take in the near term, that, over the long term, will have a great impact in helping me to achieve my goals?” Each of these lessons are special to me, and for them, I am grateful.

Joe / Please visit the Nourish America Website at http://www.nourishamerica.org/

About Michael Morton

Michael Morton is a recognized innovator on the cutting edge of health care. As a program associate at the prestigious Fetzer Institute, Dr. Morton was responsible for recommending and monitoring funded programs in alternative medicine, healthcare and education. He organized and chaired an international roundtable on the future of medicine as well as co-chairing a global conference on healthcare that brought 1000 delegates from 28 countries. In the late 90’s, Dr. Morton shared much of his expertise in these fields in his well-received book, Five Steps to Selecting the Best Alternative Medicine. Also during his career, Michael Morton co-founded the American Holistic Health Association and has served on numerous boards.

Sports nutrition

 Nutrition is the raw material your body uses to repair tissues, reduce inflammation, create neurotransmitters and many other biochemical processes. The quality of your cells at a biological level, are impacted by the quality of your nutrition. Even from a mental / cognitive perspective, in competition, how quickly does your brain process information? The quicker the better. Nutrition influences mental processes. In all sports and martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, mental mistakes can be an issue in competition. Optimized nutrition will optimize your your mental game and minimize the potential for mental mistakes. An example of that would be how quickly you see and feel a potential submission coming on. The quicker the better. Another term for this is anticipation or situational awareness, seeing and feeling the direction things are moving and acting accordingly.

Sports nutrition is an art form itself. At a deeper level sports nutrition is both a science and an art. Students of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can become more aware of what foods work best for them and what foods don’t. Many people today have sub clinical food allergies. It’s wise to become more aware of how you feel after you eat certain foods.

Sports nutrition is a variable that can influence sports performance in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. When I first met Gustavo Dantas at Arizona Combat Sports in Tempe, AZ, that was part of our discussion. Gustavo is a well known and respected Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Instructor and Practitioner with a long list of accomplishments. Gustavo is the President of  Nova Unaio, USA.

Read my interview with Gustavo Dantas:  http://optimumperformancenow.com/joseph-sale-interviews-gustavo-dantas-president-of-nova-uniao-usa/

Visit Gustavo Dantas website: http://www.gdjiujitsu.com/  

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu the act of  making weight can be tricky. It’s easy to go into a catabolic state where you body chews up your hard earned muscle in the process. That’s not a place you want to be.  Catabolism is the decrease of lean tisuue / muscle. In a perfect world you want to preserve as much lean tissue as possible. Regardless of caloric intake it’s important to have high quality calories  on board, not junk food.

Another factor to consider is immune function. Hard training for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition requires high end nutrition to support the immune system. Antioxidants and micronutrients are known to have a positive impact on immune function.

Now let’s talk about vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals are not manufactured in the human body or by the human body therefore we need to consume them from high quality whole foods and supplementation. Once again training for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition is intense. Your nutrition status needs to be far better than a person that only pushes a pencil all day.

The frequency of your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training requires high quality nutrition. The rate limiting factor in training for competition is recuperation between workouts. Once again, nutrition is the raw material for tissue repair.

In this brief article I’ve discussed why it’s important to address nutrition and be a student of your nutrition as part of your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu game. Nutrition is another variable you can control. Also, the same way your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu game will evolve over the years, your nutrition game will also evolve. I call it finer distinctions. As you drill more reps of, for example, an omoplata, gogoplata, or guillotine you begin to see and feel the finer nuances of it. Your nutrition game will take on the same life.

The most important concepts to walk away with are:

1. Everybody is, to varying degrees, biochemically unique. What works for one person may not work for you.

2. Sports nutrition operates as interrelated components, one component can influence another component.

3. Managing and paying attention to your sports nutrition influences Brazilian Jiu Jitsu performance and contributes to better health.

Please vist our Nutritionist Services page http://optimumperformancenow.com/nutritionist-services/ 

Call Optimum Performance / Human Performance Systems at 480-241-2621 to find out more about our sports nutrition programs for Brazilain Jiu Jitsu.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

Vitamin C is an important essential vitamin with a multitude of health benefits and a significant impact on numerous markers of human performance. What do I mean by essential?  I mean that the body cannot synthesize or create  Vitamin C from other raw materials. If there is insignificant or not enough Vitamin C on board at a biological  or cellular level the potential for scurvy exists. Scurvy is caused by a Vitamin C deficiency.

Vitamin C is a known contributor to a healthy immune system however the level of significance and the amount required to influence immune function is debated. In addition the nutritional need for Vitamin C and its influence on immunity can change depending on variables that influence human biochemistry,  like  stress.

Insulin is believed to influence the movement of  Vitamin C across cell membranes and into cells. If this is the case a diabetic may consume enough Vitamin C yet have low intracellular Vitamin C levels. So in diabetics or any of us it may not be the amount of a micronutrient or phytochemical consumed but how much of it makes its way across cell membranes to the intracellular environment. In diabetics with insulin resistance or poor cell receptor sensitivity,  less of the Vitamin C may be making its way to the environment inside the cell where it can exert its greatest influence. The insulin and receptor relationship is like a lock and key system. In healthy cellular mechanisms the lock and key work as they should. In insulin resistance or diabetes the insulin to receptor / lock and key system is dysfunctional. My point is that if the insulin to receptor / lock and key system is not working at an optimum level, Vitamin C is not making it to the intracellular environment in adequate quantities to exert it’s antioxidant and free radical squelching benefits.

In addition to being a vitamin, Vitamin C also wears the hat and bears the role of antioxidant. Since Vitamin C is water soluble, as opposed to fat soluble, its antioxidant benefits are provided in the water environment within the body.

Its important to note that since Vitamin C is water soluble, it is excreted in the urine relatively quickly and not stored in the body like fat soluble vitamins. This means that Vitamin C consumption interspersed throughout the day provides more benefits than consuming it only once a day.

The good news is that Vitamin C is found in both fruits and vegetables, and in varying amounts. So if fruits and vegetables are consumed liberally at all meals Vitamin C in many cases will be along for the ride.

The health benefits of Vitamin C consumed along with bioflavonoids may provide superior absorption in some cases, according to some research. That makes sense. In nature Vitamin C doesnt show up in food in isolation. Vitamin C shows up in nature along with numerous other phytochemicals, bio active compounds and co factors. Some of these may be yet to be identified factors. This is an example of nutrient synergism.

Some sources report a synergistic effect when Vitamin C is consumed with other antioxidants. Theoretically this impact provides a 1 + 1 + 1 = 5 type scenario. Vitamins that are synergists when present with Vitamin C include Vitamin E. Vitamin C has an influence on the regeneration of Vitamin E.

Examples of food sources of Vitamin C include orange juice, kiwi fruit, grapefruit, and blackberries.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

What is health literacy?

There are many definitions, and in this article I will provide my definition.

I define health literacy as having, at a minimum, a foundational level of understanding about the human body and how it functions. This understanding is not static but ongoing, as it’s a personal journey for every individual. Once again, it’s a journey not a destination. Health literacy is relevant and valuable to every individual since we all have a body which is a resource that requires management. A body, well managed makes the life experience more enjoyable.

Health literacy, health education, and the knowledge base that makes up a state of health literacy, is a form of specialized knowledge that is indispensable and required gear for a more successful life journey.

Since we all, to varying degrees, interface with the health care system, being health literate and having access to high quality health education, provides extreme value because health literacy makes you an educated consumer.

Ideally, health literacy and health education are more focused on wellness and health than they are on pathology and disease.

In my opinion there are two prongs or categories of health literacy and health education. One category focuses on healthy living principles and how to successfully apply them. The other category focuses on how we interface with the health care system in order to make intelligent and beneficial choices when the need arises. This includes what modality we choose to solve a potential health challenge.

Health literacy and health education includes a sense of personal responsibility for our health. This includes a clarity of understanding that how we live our life and the choices we make on a daily basis influences our well being and how we age.

Health literacy, health education, and successfully applied healthy living principles clearly have a positive influence on biological aging and a positive influence on bio markers of aging, like lean body mass / LBM, skin thickness, and cognitive function.

The contrast between chronological age and biological age is an interesting topic and relevant to health literacy and health education.

Chronological age is simply your age in years. Biological age is your age at a cellular and functional level. These two numbers are not necessarily the same. Lifestyle factors such as nutrition / food choices, exercise, nutritional supplementation, antioxidant status, stress, stress perception, and stress management among others impact the process of biological aging. So, how you manage your life and the choices you make on a daily basis can either accelerate or slow down your biological aging process to varying degrees. All this boils down to quality of life.

Health literacy and health education empower an individual to ask better questions which are part of the process of making better choices and informed decisions with potentially better outcomes.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

The shoulder is often called the shoulder complex and that is an accurate descriptive term.

Complex.

The shoulder has the largest range of motion of any joint or joint complex in the human body.

Along with this great capacity for range of motion comes the potential for many types of shoulder problems. Especially in golfers.

To start off, the shoulder complex is made up of four joints, not one, as is commonly assumed. They work in a synergistic manner in golfers and in all people.

A dysfunctional state in one of these joints can create a dysfunctional compensation in the other joints of the shoulder complex.

For example, limited range of motion in the scapulothoracic joint of the shoulder due to injury etc, is many times compensated for in the glenohumeral joint of the shoulder.

The two joints more commonly injured  in the shoulder, in many sports besides golf, are the glenohumeral joint and acromioclavicular joint.

Injuries to each of these joints are explained with different verbage.

The glenohumeral joint is known to dislocate. The acromioclavicular joint doesn’t dislocate in the absolute sense of the word. First of all the acromioclavicular joint is not a ball and socket joint like the glenohumeral joint. The acromioclavicular joint is known to separate not dislocate, and there is a big difference.

In the sports world a more well known case of shoulder dislocation occurred during the 2005 football season. Drew Brees played quarterback  for the San Diego Chargers at the time. Tackled on a play,  his throwing shoulder was dislocated and his labrum was also torn. Since the gleno humeral joint is an extremely shallow ball and socket joint, it derives some extra stability from the labrum, a fibrocartilaginous ring , similar to a washer. Since the glenohmeral joint is so shallow, actually similar to golf ball on a tee, the labrum provides a small degree of extra depth to the joint.

Drew Brees made one of the most remarkable rehabilitation comebacks out there in the case of his shoulder dislocation. First of all it was more than just a dislocation. There was also damage to the rotator cuff, severe damage to the labrum, and the more obvious ligament damage that goes along with dislocation. Many people in the sports world didn’t think he could come back from such a severe shoulder injury, especially since it was his throwing shoulder and he is a quarterback. His work ethic during rehab was reported as outstanding. He exceeded expectations. We know the rest of the story. San Diego traded him to the New Orleans Saints, and the Saints and Drew Brees go on to win a Super Bowl.

The acromioclavicular joint is known to separate. The separation severity is usually graded any where from 1 through 5. This is concluded based on the space created between the acromion and clavicle due to the injury, as well as  the degree of ligament damage. At the extreme level there is complete rupture of the coracoclavicular ligament and the acromioclavicular ligament.

Intelligently applied strength and conditioning for golfers / exercise for golfers / golf fitness goes a long way in keeping all your moving parts like the shoulder in their most healthy state and in avoiding unnecessary and premature wear and tear problems.

Today’s new breed of golfers look like well conditioned athletes from many other sports.

Guys like Ricky Barnes pay attention to the many variables that influence golf performance like golf specific exercise, golf fitness, and sports nutrition. Many of these golfers understand that the human body is a resource that has to be managed intelligently in order to reap the benefits of high end golf performance and longevity in the sport of golf.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

The benefit of reading and understanding this nutrition article is that you can then begin to take different actions regarding your nutrition / food intake and nutritional supplements in order to create better results in your body in the short and long term.

To begin, glycation is the process and advanced glycosylated end products are the result, as the name suggests. In essence glycation causes or creates AGEs. Glycation is the accelerated conversion of food to sugars in the bloodstream. It’s this accelerated conversion that is the problem. Excess carbohydrate consumption, high glycemic carbohydrates, and sugars are the initiators of the process of glycation. When glycation occurs there is an unhealthy linking up of sugars to proteins. In addition sugars link up to cell membranes creating AGEs. This creates disruption of cell homeostasis leading to systemic inflammation, poor organ function, skin degradation, accelerated aging, and other health problems.

Glycation occurs endogenously or exogenously. Endogenous glycation occurs within your body. Exogenous glycation occurs in a food due to the way it is prepared. An example would be fried foods. Consumption of these foods then disrupts your internal cellular mechanisms.

 Now for the take home message. It is important that you improve how well you manage your biochemistry through nutrition, food and nutritional supplements. In essence you can not drift to the top of the mountain. One of the most important things you can learn in your life is how to most effectively feed your body and care for your body. That knowledge and application of that knowledge will pay dividends for the rest of your life.

 Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

In this article I will talk about how nutrition influences golf performance the day of the event. However keep in mind that the larger nutrition picture on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis also has an impact and will be discussed in an upcoming article.

What you eat and when you eat it the day of a golf tournament or golf event influences how you feel and how you perform. How you manage your food intake influences your degree of mental acuity, cognitive function, mood, and ultimately your quality of blood sugar balance and the quality of neurotransmitter activity in the brain. This then impacts the quality of your golf game.

Managing and cultivating your inner game will influence your golf performance. Managing your nutrition intake is part of managing your inner game because doing so effects your state of being.

The ultimate downstream effect of food on mental, cognitive, and overall human performance is felt about 2 hours after consumption. Have you ever had a meal and 2 hours later felt like you were hit with an elephant tranquilizer ? That result tells you that you consumed too many calories, consumed the wrong combination of foods, consumed foods that you may have a food allergy to, consumed food that was highly processed or high in sugar, or a combination of the above. This is a short list as there are other variables.

Ideally, you want to consume meals / food that creates an even / homeostatic level of mental and physical energy throughout the day. The opposite of that and what you want to avoid is a series of peaks and valleys which will detract from the quality of your golf game.

The 3 macronutrients are protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Let’s talk about protein. Examples of high quality protein include chicken, fish, steak, turkey, and eggs. Proteins are broken down into amino acids during digestion. Conversely, amino acids are the building blocks of protein. What’s more important is that neurotransmitters influence brain function and they are modulated by amino acids. Neurotransmitters facilitate communication between brain cells. So, the take home message is high quality protein positively influences brain performance which ultimately influences golf performance.

Many people mistakenly reach for a caffeinated drink for a mental lift when what they really need is a small to moderate sized meal that includes protein.

Amino acids, which are the breakdown byproducts of protein increase the production of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These 3 up-regulate levels of alertness and increase energy. Keep in mind that nutrients have a direct relationship with and influence on neurochemicals that optimize brain activity.

Begin to become more aware of how your food intake and nutritional supplementation influences the quality of your day to day life and your golf game. You can then begin to make adjustments as you go forward.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS

Optimum Performance / Human Performance Systems and Joseph Sale can be reached at 480-241-2621.

The three categories are: 

1. those whole foods that inherently possess greater than average nutritional value beyond basic nutrition, for example an apple, spinach, or parsley

2. those  foods that have been fortified or enriched with various nutrients, phytochemicals, antioxidants etc in order to deliver superior physiological benefit, for example calcium fortified orange juice

3. and isolated bioactive components, for example Vitamin C is one of many bioactive components found in a lemon

At the most basic level a fresh fruit, vegetable , or herb can be considered a functional food.

Functional foods aren’t really new. Iodine was added to salt in the early 1900s with the intention to prevent goiter. This represented one of the earliest examples of fortification. Vitamin A, vitamin D, and folic acid are also early examples of  functional food fortification.

Isolated bioactive components are an interesting topic. For example a tomato can be considered a functional food. Its  most well known isolated bioactive component is lycopene. However in many cases other bioactive co factors  found in the whole food are known enhance or upgrade overall value at a cellular level. As an example Vitamin C is known to deliver greater benefits in combination with bioflavonoids.

Today high quality functional foods provide substantial benefits for improving quality of life and achieving peak human performance.

Joe Sale, CNS, CSCS