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                                Kimberly Crocker


                      Avoid Sports Drinks?

Although, it’s true that while exercising there is water and sodium loss, your body should not be hydrated with sodium induced sports drinks, but with water and fruit. Compare and Contrast the following information:

• *Sports drinks i.e. 12 fl oz of Gatorade = 310 Calories
• *Fruit 40-80 Calories. (Potassium, Vitamins, fructose.)
• *Water 0 Calories. Great Muscular Hydrating Lubricant!

Sports drinks have their place and are great for:

• Electrolyte balance when extremely dehydrated.
• If one has been quite sick for more than 24 hours.
• After an extraneous workout has taken place.

The average person is not exercising at the level that most professional athletes perform, and even so, I would encourage athletes to rethink their steps of cool down, as well. By following these two simple steps, your muscles become properly hydrated with water intake, and strengthened with potassium, as the potassium pushes toxic acids and excess sodium from them and your organs. Fruits such as apples, pears, oranges and banana’s all contain excellent quantities of potassium. Bananas are a unique tropical fruit that is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. In fact the three key aspects of Cool Down are:

1. Gentle Exercise
2. Stretching
3. Refuel

A physiologist would re-enforce these three steps, especially, after an aggressive work out in which blood has been pumped into your muscles and organs including your heart. “This blood, as well as waste products like lactic acid, stays in the muscles, which in turn causes swelling and pain. This process is often referred to as blood pooling.

So, the cool down helps all this by keeping the blood circulating, which in turn helps to prevent blood pooling and also removes waste products from the muscles. This circulating blood also brings with it the oxygen and nutrients needed by the muscles, tendons and ligaments for repair.” (www.fitness.com)

Focus on the three critical steps to cool and don’t forget to hydrate with water and easily digestible food, such as fruit, to provide potassium for muscle strength.

                                                                                                 Kimberly Crocker 

Kimberly Crocker has a BS in Dietetics and is the author if Eat Know How. Her articles are designed to improve
your knowledge on how nutrition, food combinations and preparation can promote your well being. The investigated global literature is introduced by Doctors, Researchers and Dietitians who’ve passed on the benefits of Food Science and Medical Nutrition Therapy.