You may be working hard in the gym and following a disciplined diet but if you are not filling in the gaps with supplementation then you could be short changing yourself.
I have been working with athletes for over a decade and it always amazes me when I see a new client and find out they are not taking any supplements. Hard training and limited diets will inevitably place extra needs on your body for additional micronutrients and other supportive nutrients. Think of it like building a house.
Your nutrition and supplementation are the foundation. Without a strong foundation the house will crumble!
Some of the most crucial ones for optimal health and wellbeing are antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that work within the body to neutralize the effects of free radicals.
Free radicals are reactive compounds produced naturally in the body from exposure to oxygen. Unless kept in check, excessive free radicals can cause a chain reaction that contributes to the erosion of good health. These little monsters are associated with everything from heart disease, to diabetes, to cancer and to the premature aging process.
Premature aging is often seen in competitive physique athletes as a result of all the years of hard training and dieting. The oxidative damage combined with other variables can leave individuals looking 5-20 years older than they are. This aging occurs internally as well which can affect how the body functions over time. A lot of this damage could be prevented with the addition of potent antioxidants to the supplement cocktail.
What Are They?
A few of the more popular vitamins and minerals that are antioxidants are Vitamin A, E, C and Selenium.
Popular Food Source of Vitamin A:
Squash, Sweet Potato, Broccoli, Dark green, yellow and Orange vegetables
Popular Food Sources of Vitamin E:
Nuts, Seeds, Green Leafy Vegetables, Wheat Germ
Popular Food Sources of Vitamin C:
Citrus fruits, Broccoli, Strawberries, Blueberries
Popular Food Sources of Selenium:
Fish, Nuts, Crab, Beef, Pork
There are also antioxidant enzymes that can be made in the body such Glutathione Peroxidase and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD). These can also help protect the body.
There is also a valuable group of natural chemicals called Phytochemicals that can be a source of very potent antioxidants.
Super Berries:
Let’s not forget those berries!!
It’s no secret that fruit, and especially berries, contains many of nature’s most potent antioxidants and phytochemicals. You will not usually see a large consumption of these foods in the bodybuilding community due to restrictions applied during various show preparation diets. Even if you are consuming them in your diet, other variables such as over farming, soil depletion, pesticide use and natural oxidation can deplete these foods of their life protecting nutrients.
Why Do You Need These?
Quite simply…..Our bodies need protection!
When it comes to hard training and disciplined dieting, your body will inevitably experience oxidative damage that can affect muscle recovery and growth. Additional factors such as environmental toxins, processed foods and stress can also cause excessive free radical exposure.
There are numerous studies that have shown that the use of antioxidants can significantly reduce oxidative stress from hard training and speed recovery between workouts. It is important to protect yourself if your goal is progress in the gym. . This is why berries and specifically a concentrated berry supplement should be thought of as one of our most effective defenses.
What is ORAC and Why Should You Care?
The latest scientific standard for measuring the antioxidant properties of food is in ORAC units (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). ORAC measures the total antioxidant capacity of a food or nutrient and can help us to understand its antioxidant strength. It has been recommended for optimal protection that individuals need to consume 3000-5000 ORAC units per day. The challenge comes in consuming enough clean, high quality organic fruit and vegetables to accomplish this. Ie: You would need to eat 22 apples in one day to hit 5000 ORAC units. This is bit of a challenge especially when you are also trying to build quality muscle and or obtain a low body fat.
You can visit www.oracvalues.com to learn more about foods and their potencies.
Yours in health,
Tammy Strome
Protect Your Hard Earned Muscle! Understanding Antioxidants and ORAC!!
By Tammy Strome RNCP, Ckin, IFBB Pro
You may be working hard in the gym and following a disciplined diet but if you
are not filling in the gaps with supplementation then you could be short changing yourself.
I have been working with athletes for over a decade and it always amazes me when I see a new client and find out they are not taking any supplements. It just blows my mind! Hard training and limited diets will inevitably place extra needs on your body for additional micronutrients and other supportive nutrients. Think of it like building a house.
Your nutrition and supplementation are the foundation. Without a strong foundation the house will crumble!
Some of the most crucial ones for optimal health and wellbeing are antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that work within the body to neutralize the effects of free radicals.
Free radicals are reactive compounds produced naturally in the body from exposure to oxygen. Unless kept in check, excessive free radicals can cause a chain reaction that contributes to the erosion of good health. These little monsters are associated with everything from heart disease, to diabetes, to cancer and to the premature aging process.
Premature aging is often seen in competitive physique athletes as a result of all the years of hard training and dieting. The oxidative damage combined with other variables can leave individuals looking 5-20 years older than they are. This aging occurs internally as well which can affect how the body functions over time. A lot of this damage could be prevented with the addition of potent antioxidants to the supplement cocktail.
What Are They?
A few of the more popular vitamins and minerals that are antioxidants are Vitamin A, E, C and Selenium.
Popular Food Source of Vitamin A:
Squash, Sweet Potato, Broccoli, Dark green, yellow and Orange vegetables
Popular Food Sources of Vitamin E:
Nuts, Seeds, Green Leafy Vegetables, Wheat Germ
Popular Food Sources of Vitamin C:
Citrus fruits, Broccoli, Strawberries, Blueberries
Popular Food Sources of Selenium:
Fish, Nuts, Crab, Beef, Pork
There are also antioxidant enzymes that can be made in the body such Glutathione Peroxidase and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD). These can also help protect the body.
There is also a valuable group of natural chemicals called Phytochemicals that can be a source of very potent antioxidants.
Super Berries:
It’s no secret that fruit, and especially berries, contains many of nature’s most potent antioxidants and phytochemicals. You will not usually see a large consumption of these foods in the bodybuilding community due to restrictions applied during various show preparation diets. Even if you are consuming them in your diet, other variables such as over farming, soil depletion, pesticide use and natural oxidation can deplete these foods of their life protecting nutrients.
Why Do You Need These?
Our bodies need protection! When it comes to hard training and disciplined dieting, your body will inevitably experience oxidative damage that can affect muscle recovery and growth. Additional factors such as environmental toxins, processed foods and stress can also cause excessive free radical exposure.
There are numerous studies that have shown that the use of antioxidants can significantly reduce oxidative stress from hard training and speed recovery between workouts. It is important to protect yourself if your goal is progress in the gym. . This is why berries and specifically a concentrated berry supplement should be thought of as one of our most effective defenses.
What is ORAC and Why Should You Care?
The latest scientific standard for measuring the antioxidant properties of food is in ORAC units (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). ORAC measures the total antioxidant capacity of a food or nutrient and can help us to understand its antioxidant strength. It has been recommended for optimal protection that individuals need to consume 3000-5000 ORAC units per day. The challenge comes in consuming enough clean, high quality organic fruit and vegetables to accomplish this. Ie: You would need to eat 22 apples in one day to hit 5000 ORAC units. This is bit of a challenge especially when you are also trying to build quality muscle and or obtain a low body fat.
You can visit www.oracvalues.com to learn more about foods and their potencies.
