By Shan Stratton, Sports Nutritionist For Professional Athletes and Major League Teams
After spending years working with professional athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, tennis and more, there are a few things that I’ve learned about the importance of nutrients to our bodies. With professional athletes, the significance is heightened, and very quickly becomes extraordinarily clear.
What these athletes say about the impact of proper nutrient utilization, not just nutritient consumption, on their bodies teaches a critical lesson on greater health and vitality for us all.
THE IMPACT OF PROPER NUTRIENT UTILIZATION ON PROFESSIONAL ATHELTES
They all talk about an increase in their stamina. The professional athletes end up processing energy more efficiently, burning more energy for a longer period of time. They will say things like, “I recover quicker from workouts and between plays, during timeouts, or huddles.”
They will also add that they can hardly make themselves sore from a workout. “I simply don’t get as sore after a game. I am ready quicker and ready to go longer.”
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
80% of the earth is water, and 60-80% of the human body is made up of water. The easiest way to think about this is that the largest part makes up the most important part of the whole. The water in our body, in its natural state, is designed by nature to be more alkaline than acidic.
Over the decades, the 60-80% of your body that is comprised of water has become more and more acidic, leading to a less healthy state of being. Why?
The waters that were available to us years ago were more alkaline naturally. Now, our diets, sodas, coffees, fast foods, processed foods, pollutants in the air, chemicals used to grow our fruits and vegetables, etc. are all contributing to a toxic and acidic concoction that makes it into our body’s system. This is why we, as a whole, are more acidic, contributing to a much less healthy state starting at the cellular level.
By alkalizing the body (making it less acidic), we greatly assist in the delivery and absorption of nutrients. Water is the universal transport of nutrients that feed every cell in the human body. Every cell is a tiny building block that contains all the information necessary for the survival of any plant or animal. It is also the smallest unit of life. With more hydration at the cellular level, the body’s cells are able to function more naturally. When we don’t have proper hydration, every cell, organism and system in our body is affected. We also open ourselves to a degenerative disease state that can help contribute to, among many things, cancer.
Nutrient Utilization Versus Nutrient Consumption
I believeve that as a society, we are over fed and under nourished. We consume more food than almost any country in the world, but our nutrient utilization may be among the lowest. This state of under-nourishment can be addressed with the help of digestive enzymes. Enzymes are merely molecules that help the breakdown of other large molecules (usually food) into smaller pieces that make it easier for us to absorb into our systems.
Enzymes and alkaline water both increase nutrient utilization by breaking down nutrient molecules and providing better cellular absorption.
What is the nutrient that helps our bodies grow? Proteins. In order for our bodies to even use proteins, they have to be broken down into amino acids. Simply put, the human body doesn’t utilize important nutrients like proteins or carbohydrates in their natural state. Carbohydrates need to be broken down into simple sugars. If important nutrients are not broken down into a recognizable, useable energy source, they will not be used by our bodies.
The energy derived from these nutrients just won’t fuel our body unless they have been naturally processed. Just like the gasoline that powers our cars has to be broken down from the crude oil that comes out of the ground. The crude oil itself can’t power a car.
Unfortunately, the enzymes that aid in the breaking down process, that are found naturally in foods, are destroyed at temperatures of 118°F and above. This means that any food that is cooked has had its enzymes destroyed.
What Can You Do?
Eat lot’s of raw foods, take additional enzymes and drink alkaline water. These are the basics of the sports nutrition plan that I have prescribed many times over for professional athletes. The same benefits that they feel can be realized by any of us. What is important to understand is that access to enzymes and alkaline water is quite simple and you can easily have both on hand at home.
For professional advice on how you can very simply and easily begin to reap some of the same tremendous health benefits that my professional athlete clients do, feel free to Contact Us today! FREE guidance and advice with no obligation!
