Nutrition

We will be updating the health and fitness section weekly, so keep in touch with the latest in nutrition, training and fat loss tips on these pages.

The information held on these pages are derived from a number of sources, and are all verifiable on our reference page. Also, the information we plan to bring to you is not just for budding kickboxers, but can be implemented into daily regimes, as well as being useful guidelines for the whole family.

Whole milk = Prostate cancer?

A Harvard health study recently showed a link between dairy product consumption and prostate cancer. The researchers established that the risk of prostate cancer increased by 1.3 times when the consumption of dairy products - particularly whole milk - equaled more than 2.5 servings a day. Compared to smoking, which increases lung cancer possibility by 15 times, these odds do not seem that large, but any increase in risk of cancer has to be SERIOUSLY considered. (Reuters Health, 11.9.00)

Maintaining Bone Strength

Anybody would be interested in maintaining bone strength, and many people consume dairy products in the hope of boosting their calcium levels. However the greatest bone strength improver is vitamin K, or better still, Broccoli. A French study into why astronauts lose muscle strength in space, found that the body adapts vitamin K, and strengthens the bones. Now go and eat your greens........   (bbc news, 7.9.00)

Trying To Prevent Stroke

Dr Paul Knekt of the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki performed a study on the effects of apples consumption on the occurence of strokes. He examined the diets of 9,000 healthy men and women, over a 15 year period, and found that those who ate apples had a lower risk of stroke than those who didn't. However, his tests were not fully valid, as he could not ascertain whether the apple eaters lifestyles were better than the non eaters, thus limiting the possibility of disease from their bodies. But in its favour, apples seem to contain phenolic acids, a powerful antioxidant that may protect the brain blood vessels against disease. Either way, an apple a day WILL keep the doctor away. (Europ J Clin Nutr 54: 415 - 417, 2000) 

Too much water can be bad for you!!

Endurance athletes are often told that they need to consume vast amounts of water during sport in order to avoid dehydration. Unfortunately, this can be taken too far, and can cause side effects of dizziness, headaches, disorientation, and extreme fatigue. The problem lies in the fact that our body weight is approximately 72% water. The body maintains its water levels in blood, cells and the space between cells by balancing salt and water content. By drinking too much water, you dilute the salt levels in the body creating water intoxication or hyponutremia. This can be enhanced by anti inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. The condition can lead to brain swelling, which is a major emergency, so be careful not to drink too much water when training or performing. (HealthSCOUT, 16.05.00)

Reference Page