Nutrition
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Fermented foods and health
Fermented foods are often regarded as superfoods or wrongly equated to probiotics. In this article we discuss what are fermented foods and what is the relationship between fermented foods and health. What are fermented foods? Fermented foods are those which are transformed by the action of microorganisms. To differentiate fermentation from spoilage, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics utilises the following definition: “foods made through desired microbial growth and enzymatic conversions of food components” (1). Fermented foods are consumed all over the world and is estimated that there are over 5000 varieties (1, 2). During fermentation, microbes feed on the source food and produce metabolites which change its…
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Making weight for BJJ
Competing in combat disciplines and other weight category sports require athletes to make weight. In this article we’ll explore what are the challenges and common mistakes when making weight for BJJ. What is making weight? In many sports, including combat disciplines, athletes compete in weight categories (a.k.a. classes) with the purpose of making competition more fair. The actual categories depend on the sport and other factors such as the affiliation or type of event (e.g. Olympic Games vs world championship). Making weight refers to the process of manipulating an athlete’s weight to fall within the limits of their weight class. This usually involves losing weight as it is advantageous for…
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10 food swaps for a healthy gut
Instead of changing your whole diet it is easier to swap food items for similar ones that are better for you. In this article you will find 10 food swaps for a healthy gut. Foods for a healthy gut Although there is still a lot more to discover about the gut microbiome, in general higher richness and diversity are correlated with positive health outcomes. As seen in previous articles, a healthy gut microbiome can be achieved by limiting ultra-processed foods and eat a variety of dietary fibre and resistant starch. 10 food swaps for a healthy gut #1: Swap highly highly processed crackers for wholegrain crackers Highly processed crackers contain…
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Training the gut
Training the gut is a sports nutrition strategy designed to allow athletes to handle increased amounts of food and fluid to meet their training and competition requirements. Gastrointestinal symptoms Many athletes, particularly those participating in intense and/or prolonged exercise, suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort. The symptoms are highly individual and can include bloating, abdominal cramping, diarrhea and vomiting (1, 2). On the most severe end of the spectrum, athletes may experience ischemic colitis and small bowel infarctions, which may require surgical resection (2). Regardless of severity, GI symptoms can certainly affect both performance and recovery (2). Factors The following factors play a role in the development of gastrointestinal symptoms in…
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Gut microbiome inputs and outputs
In this article we explore the gut microbiome inputs and outputs, the most well-known of which are dietary fibre (input) and short-chain fatty acids (output). Composition of the gut microbiome Generally speaking, it is known which bacterial phyla are the main components of the human gut microbiome (phyla = plural of phylum, the fourth out of nine broadest biological classification – see this graphic for clarity). Of the core phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes are the most prominent (about 90%) (1). The composition of the gut microbiome changes in the different sections of the gastrointestinal tract due to changes in pH, oxygen availability, etc. It has been said that each person’s…
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How to choose between food products
Navigating supermarket shelves can be overwhelming due to the increasing variety and confusing messages in packaging, including health claims. Below is some advice on how to choose between food products. How to choose between food products The triangle paradigm There is a paradigm used to illustrate the fact that there are trade-offs every time you choose one service or product over another. The way I learned it: if you want a service or product you can have it fast, cheap or good. These 3 characteristics are the vertices of a triangle. You can have 2 of the vertices but not all 3. So you can have something done fast and…
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How to choose recipes
Cooking your own food is great for saving money and ensuring your meals are as healthy as they can be. Whether you are a seasoned cook or a beginner, it is useful to know how to choose recipes. Choosing a recipe to follow always involves a couple of risks: the risk that the recipe is bad and the risk that you don’t like the dish. There is no guarantee you will be 100% satisfied with a particular recipe, however the more recipes you try, the more you can make educated guesses of whether a new recipe will work for you or not. How to choose recipes 1. Look for a…
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Balancing out overeating
Most people will overeat during the holiday period and/or while travelling. This is normal and forcing yourself to resist every single morsel of food can have detrimental effects to your mental health and enjoyment. A better approach is balancing out overeating by following the tips below. Why care about overeating? Eating and drinking more than usual is normal during the end of year holidays. Gaining weight and/or body fat as a result is also normal. For many people, going back to their routine will eventually take care of that. However, you might want to speed up this process if you have health conditions that are worsened by excess weight, you…
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Should you weigh and measure your food?
As usual, the answer to the question “should you weigh and measure your food?” is: depends. There is a time and a place in which measuring is appropriate. However, that level of detail can turn into a detrimental habit for some people. How to weigh and measure food Equipment Kitchen scale Kitchen scales are easy to find in stores that sell homewares and appliances and come at different price levels. As with other appliances, price normally indicates quality but even the most affordable scales are decently accurate. Digital scales seem to be the norm these days and are easier to read. Coffee brewing scales tend to be more accurate, just…
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How to build a healthy grazing board
Grazing boards are great for entertaining and celebrating special occasions such as the festive season. While they are often associated with indulgence, they don’t have to be bad for you. Keep reading to find out how to build a healthy grazing board. What goes into grazing boards Broadly speaking, these are the categories of food that make a grazing board: How to build a healthy grazing board Principles Balance You don’t want to have too many of any of the food categories in your board. This keeps things interesting but also helps even out the energy content. For example, if you only include full cream cheeses and dried fruit, you…
