I wonder what would happen if you were to take all the fitness equipment, our barbells, clubells, kettlebells etc.., and replace them with Styrofoam replicas. How long would it be before people took notice?  I think that there would be an immediate reaction. People would say, “This is not helping me build muscle, in fact it is a total waste of time.”  Well the same thing is happening to our food, it is being replaced with substances that look like food but are not providing the building blocks that our bodies need to maintain and restore our health and fitness.

I am a big proponent of nutrition in martial arts training. I have posted about Martial Arts Nutrition and about dangerous foods. I have recently watched two very informative videos about the dangers in our current food system.  One is “Food, Inc.” and the other is “Food Matters”.  They both raise serious warnings about our food albeit from different directions. They will make you think seriously about what you eat.

“Food Matters” looks at food from the nutrition aspect and how people are eating food that is seriously lacking in nutritional value. As far back as Hippocrates in ancient Greece, we were told that food is our medicine. This is not some secret that is being held back but is being ignored by most people. The medical profession for the most part is more interested in dispensing drugs then using nutrition that could heal many diseases, diabetes being a case in point. Food companies are more interested in selling unhealthy food that has a long shelf life and provides profit margins then providing the most nutritious and healthful foods. The food companies try and fool us with labels like natural and healthful; but these are just marketing ploys. “Food Matters” examines all these issues and challenges you to do your own research and find a more nutritious diet.

“Food Inc.” approaches the issue from the standpoint of how our food is grown and processed. While we are sold on the concept that our food is coming from green pristine farms with happy animals, the truth is far removed from that image. Most of our fruits and vegetables are grown using chemical fertilizers and dangerous pesticides that get into our environment and our bodies. Our animals are cruelly treated and kept alive by high dosages of antibiotics. The result is unhealthy animals and the increase in salmonella poisoning.  “Food Inc.” gives a comprehensive overview of our food production machine and offers some alternatives in the end.

I would urge you all to get your hands on these movies and do more research into your own nutrition. Nutrition is a major factor in the health problems that we are seeing today and to ignore this issue is to put your and your families health in danger.

In relation to martial arts, you want to have the best weapon available for your protection.  That weapon is your body. Build it up with the best building blocks that you can find. Those blocks are clean, organic, nutritious foods. You cannot get the nutrients from junk food that you need to build the bones and muscle that will support you in your training. You have to work hard to get and cook good foods to build your health but it is well worth it.

Watch the “Food Matters Trailer” trailer and visit the “Food Matters” official site at http://foodmatters.tv/

Watch the “Food Inc.” trailer and visit the “Food Inc.” official site at http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Buy Food, Inc.at Amazon

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As martial artists we spend a lot of time practicing to be ready for deadly threats from outside assailants. For the most part we expect these assailants to be other people, but the most deadly threats we face each day are not from other people but toxins in our environment that affect our health. The number one thing that affects our health most is our diet – what we put into our bodies. Coach Freedman has talked many times about how important your diet is to your training and readiness. You can practice all the techniques you want but if you are not keeping your body healthy, all that practice is a waste of time – your body will break down when your training is needed most.

One of the most dangerous and prevalent ingredients in our food today is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). The manufactures would have us believe that this is a safe substance but that is far from the truth. HFCS is a major contributor to:

• Insulin resistance and obesity
• Elevated blood pressure
• Elevated triglycerides and elevated LDL
• Depletion of vitamins and minerals
• Cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer, arthritis and even gout

You need to read Dr. Joseph Mercola’s article on HFCS at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/sugar-may-be-bad-but-this_b_463655.html

If you are overweight, diabetic or have any health problems you need to get this out of your diet now. If you are healthy and want to remain that way get this out of your diet now.

As a martial Artist your body is your weapon. Feed it properly and it will perform for you.

Read more articles on HFCS at Dr. Mercola’s site.

Another good Article on HFCS, and many more thought provoking articles, can be found at the Nutrition and Physical Regeneration site here.

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I need to eat something every 2 hours or so to keep my energy up, especially when I am training. I am always looking for what I call clean treats. that is treats that do not have sugar, food additives or dyes. I find most commercial snacks even the so called “healthy” ones tend to have too much sugar.

I created my own snack that consists of only dried fruit, raw nuts, raw seeds and some spices. Here is the recipe  so you can create your own.

Tools

• food processor Pyrex
• 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish
• 4 cup glass measuring cup.
• wood mallet/meat tenderizer

Ingredients

• 2 cups nuts and seeds
• 10-12 dried or fresh dates (do not get the pitted or pieces. The ones that are partially dried are best)
• 3/4 lb dried apricots
• 1 lb raisins
• 2 tbs cocoa
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 1/4 tsp chili pepper

Preparation:

• Measure out 2 cups of nuts and seeds. I use about 1/3 cup of brazil nuts 3/4 cups of almonds and 3/4 cups of walnuts. I then use enough sunflower seeds to bring it up to 2 cups. You can use whatever combination you like. The nuts and seeds add fat and protein to the snack. 
• Grind the seeds in the food processor for 30 seconds, just enough to break them up. Put the seeds into the Pyrex dish.
• Take the pits out of the dates and cut into quarters. Put them in the measuring cup.  I used to buy pitted dates but some still had pits in them and tended to jam up the food processor. The un-pitted have more moisture and make the finished mixture hold together better.
• Add the apricots to the measuring cup.
• Pour in raisins to bring the fruit up to the 4 cup level.
• Put the fruit mix into the food processor and grind for 30 seconds, just enough to break up the fruit.
• Add the ground nuts, the cocoa and the spices.  Grind until the mixture starts to get thick (about 1 minute). Do not grind too long as it will get too sticky.
• Transfer to the baking dish.
• Use the mallet to pound down the mixture. Not too hard, it is in a glass dish.
• Cover and put into the fridge.

After the mixture has chilled it will be easy to cut into squares. This is a great snack to take to training as it is filling and is a great energy boost.

Try to get the best raw and organic products for this snack. You can try with different dried fruits. I sometimes add some dried cranberries that give it a nice flavor. Play around with different spices also. I like the chili because it give it a little bite. Adding some ginger or nutmeg gives it a great taste. I like to use Navitas Naturals Certified Organic Kosher Raw  Cacao Powder. Remember not too much cocoa or spices as it will make the mixture too dried and crumbly.

For more nutrition information see our post on Teri Tom’s book Martial Arts Nutrition.

Recommended product.

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This is the first of many great tips on food and nutrition for martial artists from Chef Eric Kay. With a little luck we can coax some of his secret and delicious recipes from him. Read his bio here.
Chef Eric is available for events, functions, and private dining experiences. He can be contacted at 1-603-748-9818. Check out his website Chef Healthy 2 You at chefhealthy2you.com.

The first thing you should do in the morning is drink a tall glass of water. You should do this before eating anything. This is a very cleansing and it helps to detoxify the body. Another reason is because we become quite dehydrated during sleep.

Next, it is important to start the day off right by eating something good and nutritious. Some people skip breakfast altogether which can cause fatigue and can also lead to binging on bad food later on in the day. Even just a piece of fruit or toast is better than nothing at all. Sometimes we may not be feeling hungry in the morning. This can be caused from eating to late at night.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It starts the day off positive and leads to better food choices for the rest of the day. A healthy breakfast contains the following components: it is low in sugar, high in fiber, and high in protein. Protein digests slowly and keeps blood sugar levels steady. Eggs, cheese, yogurt, and turkey sausage are examples of high protein foods. High fiber items are whole grains and whole fruits. Fiber rich products such as muffins, breads and cereals should contain at least 4 grams of fiber. Try to find healthy items that you like. If you enjoy them, you will stick with it.

Fruit smoothies and protein shakes are very delicious and are very good for you too. There are a lot of good healthy cereals on the market now-a-days to choose from. I am personally a big fan of the hot cereals. Try some old fashioned oatmeal with some fresh fruits and nuts. I’ve been mixing the dried cranberries and apples in mine lately. And finally if you love French toast as much as I do, use multi-grain bread and make sure it’s real maple syrup. Not the fake stuff.

Donuts and pastries which have lots of sugar and are made with refined flour are considered empty carbohydrates, which means they contain little to no nutritional value. They will give you a quick energy burst, but burn off fast and leave you feeling low in energy.

Another factor to consider is drinking too much coffee. Don’t worry, I’m not saying you have to quit coffee drinking altogether. But I would encourage cutting down consumption as much as possible. Over indulgence of caffeine will strip the body of vitamins and minerals that it needs to function properly.

Just remember to eat healthy and enjoy.
Chef Eric

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I was over Coach Freedman’s house the other day when he handed me this book “Martial Arts Nutrition: A Precision Guide to Fueling Your Fighting Edge” by Teri Tom. He explained that Teri is an old friend who is a sports trainer and a protege of Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. She has a masters degree in nutritional science and has advised a number of high profile martial artist including Manny Pacquiao, Andrei Arlovski, and Amir Khan. Check out her website at teritom.com to learn more about Teri.

So I take this book home to look it over. Just to let you know, I have read a large amount of books on nutrition in my time so I wasn’t expecting to learn anything new. I was so wrong. This is must have nutrition book for the martial artist. She gives you all the facts on protein, carbohydrates and fats. She talks specifics about how to eat, what to eat and when to eat. There are chapters on body composition and energy requirements. The martial arts body is a very complicated machine and no two are alike. You need to figure out what is best for you. There are charts, lists and tips that can help you map your own nutritional routine. One of my favorite quotes in the book is “There are no good or bad foods. It’s the dose that kills you.” Mix in Zen wisdom and Bruce Lee quotes and you have a nutrition book that any martial artist can relate to.

She has some interviews with a couple of high profile martial artist one of whom is our own Coach /Sensei Peter Freedman. Coach Freedman talks about the importance of nutrition in martial arts and how it is ignored in most schools. He talks about how important nutrition is to your joint health and how it can prevent injury. There is a whole chapter devoted to this interview. You need to check it out.

Teri has done an impressive job of putting this information together.
You can buy the book by clicking on the link below.

Visit Teri’s website at teritom.com.

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