Whey Protein Shakes for Athletes

Overview

Whey protein shakes can help you build muscle when your goal is to get bigger, and they can help you maintain your lean body mass when you're trying to lose weight. Both the amount and the frequency of whey consumption can affect your fitness goals. However, before adding whey protein to your nutritional plan, consult with a dietitian or your health-care practitioner for advice.

Background

Whey is one of the major proteins in cow’s milk. Isolated from the liquid left after cheese is made, whey is commercially available as a powder and as protein shakes. As with other animal sources of protein, whey offers the full complement of essential amino acids you need every day and is therefore considered complete or high quality. In addition, whey protein has a high proportion of branched-chain amino acids, which differ from other amino acids in that your muscles can absorb them directly without prior metabolism by your liver. This feature of whey protein, in combination with how often you drink whey protein shakes, can assist in both building and maintaining muscle mass.

Whey for Muscle Mass

Packing on muscle mass requires a rigorous strength-training program coupled with sufficient dietary protein. Whey protein shakes contribute the essential amino acids you need to build muscle, and how often you should consume them depends on the rest of your diet. For example, if you drink whey protein shakes in addition to your regular balanced diet, space them evenly between meals. This timing of your protein intake maintains a steady supply of amino acids to nourish your muscle tissue throughout the day and maximize gains. If whey supplies the bulk of your dietary protein, you may need to drink whey shakes more often. For instance, if your daily goal is to consume 180 g of protein, consume shakes containing 30 g of whey protein six times throughout the day, spaced as evenly as possible.

Whey for Weight Loss

Sufficient dietary protein is important when you restrict calories for weight loss so that your body does not cannibalize your muscle tissue for fuel. Whey protein shakes for this purpose may replace whole-food proteins in your diet, as they are high in quality and low in fat. As you would if you were consuming whey for muscle mass, you should drink whey protein shakes often enough to keep a steady influx of amino acids to your muscles throughout the day. Therefore, if you consume 120 g of whey protein each day, drink a 20-g protein shake every four hours or so.

Considerations

Your daily protein requirement depends on your weight and activity level. If you are sedentary, you require 0.8 g for each kg you weight, according to Bill Campbell of the Exercise and Performance Nutrition Laboratory at the University of South Florida. If you exercise regularly, your protein needs increase to 1.4 to 2 g per kg of body weight. Whey shakes can provide the quality protein you need for optimal fitness, and drinking them at even intervals supplies your muscles with a steady source of amino acids.



Excerpts taken from "How Often Are You Supposed To Drink Whey Protein Shakes?" by Anne Janine of Livestrong.com. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/528376-how-often-are-you-supposed-to-drink-whey-protein-shakes/#ixzz1XHzzC34k

What is an EFA?

Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet - about 20 fatty acids are used by the human body to maintain normal function.  Fats are necessary to maintain healthy skin and hair, transport the fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K) and signal the feeling of fullness after meals.  Fat is also used to manufacture hormones, is part of the membrane lining every cell in the body, and is part of the sheath surrounding every nerve cell in allowing them to communicate effectively.

The three fatty acids considered the most important, or essential (EFA - Essential Fatty Acid), are omega-6 linoleic, omega-3 linolenic and gamma-linoleic acids. Evidence suggests that increasing the proportion of these fatty acids in the diet many increase immunity and reduce the risks of heart disease, high blood pressures and arthritis.  The best vegetable source of omega-3 EFAs in the diet is flax seeds.  Other sources of EFAs are hemp seeds, nuts, seeds, olives, avocados and oily fish.

Here are a few ideas for including healthy fat in your diet on a regular basis:

1. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts or seeds on low fat or nonfat greek yogurt with fresh fruit for breakfast or as a snack

2. Add 1/4 sliced avocado to turkey sandwich on sprouted Ezekiel bread with romaine lettuce and tomato for lunch

3. Steam vegetables and drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil after cooking.

4. Make a homemade salad dressing with 1 tablespoon olive, flaxseed, or walnut oil, 2 tablespoons of vinegar or fresh lemon juice, and a little Dijon mustard.

5. Additions to smoothie - 1 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tbsp flax oil, 1 tbsp ground flax seeds.

6. Saute foods  in coconut oil.

*Note it is especially important to eat vegetables with a little fat as vegetables are an excellent source of several of the fat soluble vitamins.  The added fat will help with proper nutrient absorption.

EWG's Dirty Dozen List for 2011

Wondering which produce is best purchased organically?  The Environmental Working Group recently released it's 2011 list for the Dirtiest and Cleanest produce.  This is a well recognized guide to the most and least contaminated fruits and vegetables.  Consult this link on your next visit to the grocery store.

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/



Skin as an Organ of Elimination for Waste and Toxins (by Khadija Hawkes,http://healthyyears.org, 6/5/11)

The skin is your body’s largest organ, with an estimated size of two square yards. Along with the liver, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system, colon, and blood, the skin works to remove built up toxins and waste from your system, maintaining optimal health.

In order for the process to work efficiently, proper care must be taken to ensure that the skin is healthy and uncongested. If the skin is not properly filling its role of eliminating harmful materials, there can be a buildup of uric acid and other harmful elements under the skin. These elements harm the body from the inside often causing gout, loss of skin elasticity, and an increase in blemishes and wrinkles.

Also, the inability of the skin to filter impurities means that other organs of elimination have to work extra hard to fill the void. Over a prolonged period of time, this may overtax those organs, leading to additional health problems. Conversely, if the other organs, such as the kidneys or lymphatic system are malfunctioning, this puts extra pressure on the skin to remove impurities. If you have poor skin health, your skin may not be up to the task. This can been seen in the form of puffy, swollen skin-especially in the face, acne or other skin blemishes, clogged pores, and poor skin color and tone.

The condition of your skin is largely related to your inner health and diet. Adopting a lifestyle and dietary changes that support internal health helps considerably in optimizing the skin’s function and allowing it to appear its best. Some ways to enhance the detoxification capacity of your skin are:

• Drinking pure water is one of the best ways to continuously flush your skin and keep the pathways of elimination open. Water cleanses, heals, and refreshes your skin from the inside out. Water is a key ingredient in skin’s beauty and health.
• Therapeutic sweating works to open the skin’s pores and freely allow the escape of toxins. Partaking in a steam bath or sauna is an excellent way to cleans and strengthen your skin.
• Skin problems are often traced to an issue in the colon. The retention of excess impacted fecal matter pollutes your system and the affects of this can be seen in the skin. Colonic Hydrotherapy, Enemas, or Herbal cleansing agents help to remove old waste you’re your body and considerably brighten dull, blemished, or clogged skin.
• If you have been diagnoses with a sluggish elimination system, natural therapies such as juice fasting and increasing the amount of raw foods you consume can help considerably.

By understanding the varied roles of the skin, it is possible to maximize its efficiency and promote a healthy, vital appearance for years to come.

References:

Dr. Ellen Jensen. The Skin:Our Largest Organ of Elimination. (2005) http://corerelease.com/TheSkin.pdf

Charles O’Palmerson. A 2 Z of Health Beauty and Fitness. Detoxification and Your Health: The Body’s 7 Channels of Elimination. (2010). http://health.learninginfo.org/detoxification2.htm



Natural Ways to Protect Your Skin Against Sunburn and Sunlight-Related Damage (by Dr. Ben Kim, www.drbenkim.com 6/5/11)

Skin cancer is now the most common type of cancer in the United States and in most first world nations. In the U.S. alone, more than one million new cases of skin cancer are expected in 2009.

With growing awareness of the importance of being smart about sun exposure, how is it that skin cancer is on the rise?

Part of the answer to this question likely lies in the growing trends of eating heavily processed foods and failing to acquire restful sleep. Most corners of our world thirst for convenience and stimulation, and regularly indulging in both can't be good for skin cancer rates.

Another part of the answer may involve the potentially harmful chemicals that are found in many commercial sunscreen formulas. It's true - some sunscreen lotions may be contributing to the development of skin cancers that they are intended to protect against. This hypothesis is partially supported by studies that indicate that the greatest rise in melanoma has occurred in nations where chemical sunscreens are heavily promoted and used.

Organizations like The Environmental Working Group have identified the following common sunscreen ingredients as being potentially harmful to human health:

• Octocrylene
• PABA
• Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
• Benzophenone-3
• 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)
• Homosalate

If you've been using a sunscreen or sunblock product that contains one or more of these ingredients, there's no need to be overly alarmed; the potential dangers that are associated with use of these ingredients are mostly drawn from in vitro animal studies that don't provide conclusive proof that these ingredients can cause skin cancer.

But it is prudent to be aware that sunscreen lotions that contain any of the ingredients above are not the safest and healthiest choices to protect you against sunburn and sunlight-induced skin damage.

The vast majority of synthetic chemicals found in sunscreen lotions can potentially damage your skin by increasing the number of free radicals that are generated throughout the many layers of your skin.

Take, for example, octocrylene - a clear, odorless, and slightly oily compound that is found in many brands of sunscreen. When applied to your skin, octocrylene can seep into the lower layers of your skin, where it can interact with ultraviolet rays from the sun, resulting in free radical production.

Free radicals have the potential to damage the DNA found in your cells, and if allowed to create ongoing damage, can contribute to the development of skin cancer.

Keep in mind that you're exposed to free radicals just about every moment of every day from the foods that you eat. Also, all of your cells actually produce free radicals on a regular basis, partly to help defend you against toxins, waste products, and microorganisms.

But you definitely don't want to expose your body to unnecessary helpings of free radicals via sunscreens that are loaded with synthetic ingredients.

So What Should You Do To Protect Yourself Against Sunburn and Sun-Related Skin Damage?

First, be aware that getting some sunlight on your skin can be immensely helpful to your health, mainly because UV-B rays in sunlight converts cholesterol found in your skin into vitamin D.

And ensuring adequate vitamin D status is essential to experiencing optimal health; every organ system in your body requires an adequate vitamin D level to function properly.

Today, vitamin D deficiency is actually one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in developed nations, most likely because the general public has been taught to be afraid of the sun.

The key to using sunlight to promote optimal vitamin D status is to be mindful of not getting burned. When your body has enough vitamin D to fuel its needs, it shuts off the mechanism that allows UV-B rays to convert cholesterol to vitamin D, so relying on healthy exposure to sunlight is actually the very best way to ensure healthy vitamin D status.

Second, when you're out and about and the sun is strong enough to cause you to burn, make good use of clothing and a hat that provide protection against UV rays. A good UV-hat, long sleeve shirt, and light pants go a long way in protecting your skin against sun-related damage.

Third, try to limit the amount of time you spend outdoors on extremely hot days and when the sun feels hottest - usually between 11 am and 2 or 3 pm.

Fourth, when you have to be out in conditions that can cause a sunburn and you can't rely on clothing and natural shade to protect your skin, use a natural sunscreen that relies on natural physical (not chemical) blockers and other all-natural ingredients to protect your skin against sun damage.

The natural sunscreen formula that Margaret and I use for ourselves and our children consists of the following ingredients:

Natural Sunscreen Lotion Inactive Ingredients:

Green Tea Extract - is an excellent source of naturally occurring antioxidants, and is thought to help protect skin cells against sunlight-induced damage.

Shea Butter - is a highly effective, plant-based skin moisturizer.

Eucalyptus Oil - is an essential oil that moisturizes the skin and facilitates absorption of other healthy oils into your skin to help promote optimal skin tone.

Coconut Oil - is rich in healthy fatty acids that having soothing and moisturizing properties; coconut oil by itself is a highly recommended full body moisturizer.

Sunflower Oil - is also a plant-based oil that aids in moisturizing the skin.

Jojoba Oil - is a natural plant product that softens and soothes the skin - it's most commonly used to address or prevent dry or scaling skin.

Lecithin - is a natural plant compound that helps keep the skin hydrated and also acts to keep the skin baby soft.

Glycerine - is also a fragrance-free, natural compound that helps the skin maintain a healthy balance of water in its cells and cell membranes.

Xanthan Gum - is a natural plant compound that has hydrating properties and helps keep all of the healthy oils in this formula together.

Vitamin E (Tocopheryl acetate) - is included as a natural preservative.

Vitamin A - is also included as natural preservative. When applied topically, vitamin A is thought to keep skin cells healthy, optimally hydrated, and resistant to damage by sunlight and free radicals.

Natural Sunscreen Lotion Active Ingredients:

Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide - are both mineral compounds that can be found in nature. They're both fine white powders that act as physical blockers that prevent UV-A and UV-B rays from damaging the skin. Both are micronized forms, meaning that they're fine enough that they don't look goopy on the skin, but not nano-fine enough to potentially get absorbed into your bloodstream.

Together, all of the natural ingredients in our all-natural sunscreen lotion combine to form a water-resistant, hypoallergenic, and highly effective sunblock that's safe to use on kids and adults alike.

It smells quite pleasant, and is completely free of harsh chemicals. It's also free of nanoparticles.

The Bottom Line

So long as you don't get burned, it's good for you to get some sunlight exposure on your skin.

When circumstances require that you stay outdoors for an extended period of time, your best first line of defense against sun-related skin damage is a hat with a wide brim, appropriate clothing, and shade if available.

Whenever you need extra protection against potentially damaging UV-A and UV-B rays, use a sunscreen lotion that relies on physical rather than chemical blockers, and that is free of harsh chemicals that may do more harm than good to your skin and overall health.