I began my quest to become an endurance athlete with absolutely no knowledge of sports nutrition. I slowly began running and riding longer and longer distances without know what fuels my body would require. Over the past few months I have struggled severely with nutrition and blood sugar levels during endurance related events. I have now decided to become a student of the art of endurance sports nutrition. I don’t mean that I’m gong to go enroll at the local college and sit in a class room all day, no, that’s not for me. I’m going to start experimenting with different foods, techniques, and diets until I find the one that suits me best.
Last year my doctor diagnosed me with moderate hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is defined as having abnormally low blood sugar levels. The symptoms can include trembling, hunger, dizziness, moodiness, confusion, and blurred vision. All of which I’ve experienced at one time or another during endurance events. Hypoglycemia is very manageable in my daily life but when I tax my body to the point that’s required to finish these endurance events it becomes very difficult to maintain my blood sugar levels. I’ve come very close to passing out numerous times on the course.
I’ve had the opportunity to discuss these issues with a few sports nutritionists including endurance mountain biker Namrita Odea, who is currently working on completing her masters in sports nutrition, and 3-time Ironman Champion and Nutritionist Melissa Spooner. I’ve also been given information about an entire diet that could help control my blood sugar levels during these severely taxing events. I’ve been given a lot of information and much of it is conflicting. Over the next few months I’ll be experimenting with some of the foods, diets, and suggestions that i have been given. With any luck I’ll find a combination that works for me.
Please post up if you have any suggestions or comments for me.
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI can tell you this. For 36 years the experts couldn't tell me nothing that helped me.
Conventional medicine and knowledge in my opinion is inherently flawed.
Simply put, they don't ever offer any solutions to fix problems they only offer medicines and techniques to cope or medicate the problem.
The Doctors and pharmaceutical companies have one common interest, to make money, and they care little about seeing someone get better.
Its no secret to anyone, that I am not a supporter of grains and sugars and that is why I believe you have the condition you have. I in fact had the very same condition and it was not until I changed my diet that I was able to rid myself of many afflictions.
a long list of them too.
hypoglycemia, gone.
high cholesterol, gone.
dandruff, gone.
excess weight, gone.
headaches, a thing of the past.
I even believe my Hypothyroidism will go away with time, in fact since being diagnosed with it 10 years ago, my medicine went down in dosage for the first time, AFTER I started avoiding, grains sugars and eating primal.
It goes deeper then just avoiding grains and sugars. Unfortunately way deeper. I no longer use conventional toothpaste because of the harmful chemicals and additives, instead I use natural alternatives. I no longer use antiperspirants or shampoos or soaps for the very same reason.
For about a year now I have made the switch to natural alternatives.
I don't have a medical degree in nothing, but I have experience in seeing my life change, seeing my wife's life change and seeing other people who have chosen to follow the no grain/primal diets life change as well.
Any scientist will tell you the proof is in the pudding, and the proof is in results.
people eat the way they eat and use the products they use mindlessly because a government agency gave them FDA approval.
But the truth is, that if its not natural, its not good for you.
ON a final note, you are what you eat. If you eat crap, you will feel like crap and your main physical composition will be crap.
You eat lean, your body will be lean and your main physical composition will be lean. Eating well is the KEY to good health. And that means avoiding grains and sugars, avoiding processed foods and avoiding meats tainted by antibiotics and hormones.
yes its expensive, but its better than doctor visits, medication and hospital stays.
Explore, but really explore.
Push yourself and really make a change if you are serious.
I fuel myself for endurance events on FAT, Protein and Vegetable based carbs. Ultimately the best Endurance fuel is FAT.
Good luck, and I admire you for wanting to take the right approach, but remember, alot of the conventional wisdom out there is flawed by conventional research that never bothered to eliminate or even account for the ill effects that excess sugars and grains have on your insulin levels and the body. So they do research based on subjects that consume poison and based their findings on those results. Never bothering to do the research on a person clean and free of processed foods and chemicals and bad sugars and grains.
Good Luck,
LOS
Koach Karlos strikes again! Good to "eat smarter" for general well being and long term permanent life changes. However, when it comes to extreme sports events, "do as Romans do." Do as other who have been able to successfully finish and do good at the same events you are trying to compete. Of course find one that will work for you.
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