Nutrition for Fitness and Health

To build muscle and fitness, two main things are needed:

1)      The correct type of exercise; high resistance for building muscle, aerobic for increased fitness.

2)      Correct nutrition.

It is not our function to advise on exercise, but we can advise on nutrition. Correct nutrition is in two parts:

A)    Diet

B)     Supplementation

A) The main principles of diet are:

¨      Avoid sugars and other refined carbohydrates.

¨      Avoid chemicals; synthetic flavours, colours and preservatives.

¨      Avoid fried foods.

¨      70% of the diet should consist of complex carbohydrates from potatoes, vegetables, fruit and whole grains.

¨      20-25% of the diet should consist of protein.

¨      5-10% of the diet should consist of essential fatty acids of the type found in fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable sources. Saturated fats, of the type found in red meats, are not necessary for health.

To explain the above rules, it needs to be explained that proteins, as most people know, are the major building blocks of muscle and other tissue. It seems obvious from this statement that the major component of food for muscle building should be protein. Not So!!

Muscles are built from protein, and for this reason protein is essential for muscle building. So why isn't protein the only important nutritional requirement in building muscle?

If fuel (carbohydrates and to a lesser extent fats) run low, the proteins in the tissues can be used as fuel. So if physical activity takes place in the absence of available carbohydrates in the bloodstream, then proteins will be used. The body will use its own tissues to fuel itself, and muscles will shrink. Carbohydrates don't build muscle, but they prevent them from being cannibalised for fuel.

General Note

Vegetables, whole grains and fruit supply vitamins and minerals, and also fibre for maximum physical efficiency.

B) Supplementation

1) Vitamins, Minerals and vitamin C

Enzymes in the body are responsible for initiating all actions, as are the ignition system and carburation of an engine. Enzymes are made from protein, with different vitamins and minerals forming each enzyme. Vitamin and mineral supplements, containing good levels of all the essential nutrients, are therefore needed to maximise bodily efficiency and growth.

Please Note:

We must emphasise that minerals are probably even more important than vitamins, because modern farming methods have caused a reduction of 50% in the mineral content of fruit and vegetables. Even the strongest multivitamin/mineral tablet cannot contain enough minerals, because of the large amounts of some minerals required, such as magnesium and calcium. The tablet would be impossible to swallow.

Vitamin C is the most important vitamin of all, and is the main vitamin needed for building collagen, the main constituent of connective tissue. It is also required in large quantities; at least 1000mg per day is needed for optimum tissue building.

For full nutrition, we therefore recommend Solgar’s VM75 multivitamin, their Solamins multimineral, and their Hy-C, which contains large amounts of bioflavonoids, substances that help vitamin C to work.

2) Digestive Enzymes

In the case of intense physical activity, greatly increased intake of food is necessary. This food has to be digested. The body's natural ability to produce sufficient digestive acid and enzymes may be overwhelmed, and supplementation with these enzymes may become essential.

3) Anti-Catabolic Agents

As well as maintaining high blood levels of carbohydrates, various substances have been shown to have an anti-catabolic (preventing muscle breakdown) effect.

¨      Branched-chain amino acids: These are the main amino components of muscle. It has been found that even if the blood is saturated with carbohydrate (glucose), the body has a small requirement for the BCAAs as fuel. These will normally be leached out of the muscles. However, if they are in the bloodstream, this will prevent the muscles being used as their source. We therefore recommend supplementation before and after a workout.

¨      L-Glutamine: This has been found to form an important part of muscle structure, and presence in the bloodstream can reduce muscle breakdown. L-glutamine is nowadays added to the better-quality protein supplements.

4) Anabolic Agents

¨      Arginine/Ornithine: Taken on an empty stomach, last thing at night, has been found to increase release of growth hormone.

¨      Chromium Picolinate or Polynicotinate: Helps increase energy levels by optimising insulin usage. Insulin also has anabolic effects.

¨      Vanadyl Sulphate: Increases the anabolic effects of insulin.

Another Aid

Creatine monohydrate is causing a lot of excitement in the athletic world, and rightly so. It is produced naturally in the body, and helps to preserve the activity of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy releaser within cells. Briefly, it greatly increases the production of energy, and therefore improves the efficiency of muscles. This increased activity results in extra growth.

Our Recommendations

1)      Diet; as explained.

2)      High strength multivitamin/multimineral; our favourite is VM75, plus Solamins and Hy-C.

3)      Digestive enzymes

4)      Anti-catabolic agents

¨         BCAAs.

¨         L-Glutamine.

5)      Anabolic Agents

¨         Arginine/Ornithine

¨         Vanadyl Sulphate

All the above recommendations would also aid general health for those not indulging in heavy exercise, but the anti-catabolic and anabolic agents would not be necessary.

To buy any of these products, click this link: www.NationalNutrition.co.uk