Heat stroke prevention: An important factor in Japanese sports nutrition

Heat stroke prevention: An important factor in Japanese sports nutrition.The continuing development of sports nutrition is not only rampant in the United States but also in other parts of the world. Sports nutrition in also of great importance is Japan.

Here are some developments related to Japanese sports nutrition, specifically on heat stroke prevention, from the web site of Otsuka Pharmaceutical.

1. Pocari Sweat Junior Sports Clinic

The Japan Amateur Sports Association hosted the said sports clinic for the promotion of sports nutrition to children in the country. The sports clinic was held in 11 venues, and Otsuka invited star athletes as guest instructors. Seminars are provided for the attendees, with topics such as the importance of fluid intake and ways for the prevention of heat stroke.

2. Detective Konan on heat stroke

Japanese children were in for a special treat when the Japanese Association of School health delivered educational videos to elementary schools featuring popular cartoon character Detective Konan.

In the video, Konan discusses ways to prevent the occurrence of heat stroke. Posters related to the topic were also given out to the schools. The Konan videos have been utilized as instructional material for Japanese sports nutrition around campuses, particularly on guidance and health activities.

3. National Junior High School General Athletics Meet

The sporting event, which was geared towards junior high students, was celebrated in Hokkaido under the sponsorship of the Nippon Junior High School Physical Culture Association together with other organizations.

Otsuka took advantage of the gathering to promote the significance of heat stroke prevention. Electrolyte beverages were given out to attendees so that they could play sports under the hot weather.

4. Otsuka Academy Public School Seminar

With the goal of spreading our information about the importance of Japanese sports nutrition, the Otsuka Academy Public School Seminar opened for elementary and junior high pupils.

Topics included are the latest news on dietary and nutrition habits, and the state of the body during growth spurts. Pamphlets and videos were used by specialists to promote the significance of fluid retention during strenuous activities. The activity aroused encouraging reaction from the subjects.

5. Strategies to Prevent Heat Stroke in Daily Life

Otsuka produced a video with that title to educate people working in extremely hot surroundings regarding the prevention of heat stroke.

The video was edited by the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association, and was given out to businesses all over the country. The video expounds on the importance of daily hydration, and the right amount of periods to be given to employees for exercise, rest and work. Several events have already featured the video, including the evening seminars held by the Japan Society for Occupational Health.

6. Heat Stroke Prevention Research Team

Otsuka Pharmaceuticals is providing support for the activities of the said research effort of the Japan Amateur Sports Association to heighten the level of people's awareness on the hazards on heat stroke and how to prevent it while engaging in sports or other strenuous activities.

The Otsuka Saga Nutraceuticals Research Institute is an enthusiastic partner of JASA in the production and distribution of educational materials regarding heat stroke prevention.

Extreme Sports Nutrition for the Motorcyle Rider

Extreme Sports Nutrition for the Motorcyle Rider.The subject of sports nutrition has become unquestionably important nowadays now that the whole concept of sports has become evolved and has been receiving immense media attention. Athletes and spectators alike are now comprehending the weight of the status that professional sportsmen now carries.

This realization has pushed lots of initiatives to produce the latest and most effective in sports nutrition and training, not excluding those for extreme sports. During the old days, athletes have relied steadily on the carefree formula of fastfood fare and energy drinks.

Now that competition is growing more and more intense each day, athletes are now acquiring the expertise of sports science experts to make sure that they can maximize their physical and mental potentials to its outmost limits.

To have a better understanding of the efficacy and significance of extreme sports nutrition, one can look at the training regimen in motorcycle sports, one of the most popular extreme sports around.

A motorcycle rider takes in a lot of punishment in his body. Because of this, a rider must consider his overall physical fitness as much as his technical skills in competitions. He needs to establish hydration and stamina in his physique in order to keep up with the rigors of the motorcycle events.

It is not really easy to survive, let alone win, in a 20-30 minute contest under the most brutal of conditions such as extreme heat. It IS one of the most difficult factors that should be overcome in any kind of sport.

If one would monitor the vital signs the athletes during these contests, one could easily see that their heart-rates are performing at the most maximum level.

Sports nutrition is a major concern for motorcycling, since this sport involves competing in adverse surroundings under very extreme temperatures. Thermoregulation and hydration naturally are vital concerns.

Riders are faced with almost no time to hydrate themselves because an typical motocycle event lasts about only 20-45 minutes. It is very important then that motorcycle riders monitor their consumption of fluids closely days before the competition, paying close attention to those days when practices are held up to the qualifying rounds during the weekend before the main event.

Days before the competition itself, riders must take fluid, especially water, consistently in order to achieve and maintain a steady hydration level prior to the main event.

Aside from water, sports drinks must come in handy and must be ready in stock all thoroughout the race weekend. Sports drinks with electrolytes like sodium and with carbohydrates are particularly recommended. Carnohydrates will aid greatly in putting off the occurence of a rider's fatigue.

The amount of sodium present in the drinks is a very important element for the regimen. Sports drinks will high amounts of sodium can give back the sodium that will be lost with the rider's sweat during the competition. Also, the sodium will enhance the thirst of the body in order to make the cyclist drink more water during the course of the competition.

Motorcycle riders involved in heavy competition to strive to consume 20-40 ounces of liquid every hour during his time at the racetrack and must continue drinking about 20 ounces per hour after the track session. To effectively monitor hydration levels of a rider, he can weigh himself on the scales every morning and do so again after every session.

Two percent of the total body weight, and not more than that, should be eliminated, and it muse be replaced with 150 percent of the water reduced on that day in order to achieve maximum performance for tommorow's session.

The human body is composed of up to sixty percent with water. A slight decrease in fluids can already have an effect on an athlete's performance, specifically on the force capability of the muscles.

When the stamina and hydration levels is very well taken-care off, one can pruduce a powerful motocross champion who can manipulate and maneuver his bike at very high levels at the most stessful of situations.

So its extremely important that people, especially athletes, should not overlook the importance of drinking water and other fluids. This is very vital when it comes to competitions. It can be the factor that can make or break a rider's road to victory.

Essential Oil For Sports Nutrition: The Supplements

Essential Oil For Sports Nutrition: The Supplements.Fat; people on a strict diet are afraid of this word. As much as possible, they will avoid any food that will increase fat in their diet. In fact, if you will look at their refrigerator, all you will see are food with less fat, and sometimes, even zero fat.

Despite all the concern of dieters about having fat in diet, our body needs healthy oils and fats to function properly. Athletes most especially, need essential oil for sports nutrition. These essential oils can be compared to all-purpose machine oil that lubricates stuck and rusting metal hinges, screws and other moveable parts of a machine.

The only problem to most people, they get the wrong kinds of fats. They lack the good, healthy fats and essential oils for sports nutrition.

Fats carry fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K from the food we eat to our body.

These essential oils for sports nutrition are good for athletes who need to be in tip-top shape all the time. These life giving oils are one of the best sources of energy and help in the production of new and healthy cell membranes and other hormone-like compounds, the eicosanoids. These amazing compounds help the body in regulating heart rate, blood pressure, constriction of blood vessel and clotting, and even the nervous system.

Essential oils for sports nutrition

So, what are the essential oils for sports nutrition?

- Flaxseed oil, essential oil for sports nutrition.

Our body can't function well without the two important polyunsaturated fats: the linoleic and the alpha-linoleic acid.

Flaxseed oil is therefore one of the essential oils for sports nutrition. Flaxseed oil is rich in linoleic and alpha-linoleic acids that help in maintaining good bodily functions and normal cell structure. Also, flaxseed oil is useful for people with autoimmune diseases.

- Cod liver oil, a fish essential oil for sports nutrition.

Cod liver oil is rich in Vitamin A and D. This two-in-one essential oil is on the list of athletes' favorite essential oil for sports nutrition.

Cod liver oil releases large amount of Vitamin A that help athletes maintain clear eyesight.

Athletes can get vitamin D from sunlight. But because of the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays found in sunlight, the only available time for athletes to sunbathe and get vitamin D is during the early mornings till 9 am only. After that, physicians don't advise athletes to expose themselves from the harmful rays of sunlight.

So, to get the proper amount of vitamin D in their bodies, physicians prescribe cod liver oil as a supplement to athletes. Vitamin D regulates calcium metabolism in the body. Vitamin D is so important to calcium that there will be loss of calcium if vitamin D is lacking in the body.

During a game, even if an athlete is fully hydrated he may suffer from weak muscles and listlessness if he lacks calcium. So to properly store and metabolize calcium in the body, athlete needs vitamin D. He can get large doses of vitamin D from cod liver oil, a fish essential oil for sports nutrition.

3. Omega 3, a fish essential oil for sports nutrition

A can of tuna or the fatty parts of a fish such as the belly and the head contain omega 3, a fatty oil that is good for the heart. Omega 3 helps the heart to pump well and clears the arteries of bad cholesterol.

Omega 3 is a fish essential oil for sports nutrition. With omega 3, an athlete's heart is ready for long hours of strenuous activities. Omega 3 also helps in reducing heart rate; thus the heart releases enough oxygen to the brain and other organs. An athlete is less tired and weak if his heart pumps slower even when his body is at work.

Any athlete who would want to take these oils as supplement should consult their physicians first. There are overdoses with these oils if taken in large quantities since they are fat-soluble; the extra doses are not excreted through urine or feces.

Endurance Sports Nutrition Keeping Yourself Hydrated And Fueled

Endurance Sports Nutrition: Keeping Yourself Hydrated And Fueled.What keeps a triathlon athlete going in spite of the heat and long hours of vigorous physical activity is a properly hydrated and fueled body. In endurance sports, nutrition is equivalent to keeping oneself hydrated at all times, especially during the game. If you don’t give yourself the proper nutrition it needs, your game performance will suffer.

Sports that require special attention to endurance nutrition (and thus help you level up your performance) are: running, swimming, triathlon, cycling, rowing, mountain biking, adventure racing, cross-country skiing, mountaineering and trekking.

Let us say that you have prepared yourself for an endurance sport. Your nutrition focuses on giving you enough fuel to last you a day of vigorous physical activity. You eat foods rich in protein to keep your muscles fit for the game and carbohydrates to give you enough energy and fuel your muscles to run fast, steady, and consistently. What else can you do to perform much better in endurance sports?

Here are some endurance sports nutrition suggested by athletes and trainers:

Endurance Sports Nutrition Tip – Hydrate Yourself

1. Start the day with a full tank of water.

Athletes don’t eat during a game. But they do drink water. Studies show, of which common people now know, that humans can last a month without eating but will die immediately without water for 3 days to one week. That is how important water is to our body.

Many people die of diarrhea because of dehydration. Hydration is an important nutrition component to humans, most especially to athletes involved in endurance sports. So the endurance sports nutrition tip from athletes and trainers: drink lots of water before the game.

Hydration is the key to winning endurance sports competition. And drinking water before the game starts puts you in a great headstart.

2. Hydrate yourself regularly during the game.

Drink often during the game. Most endurance sports nutrition guide books will tell you the same thing. Athletes in endurance sports sweat off two quarts of water per hour especially in hot and humid weather. So, you must drink at least four up to eight ounces of water every fifteen to twenty minutes. Sports drink may also replace water.

Here’s some tip that endurance sports nutrition guide books may not have told you: to know when it is time to gulp on your water or sports drink bottle, set your timer to alarm every 15 or 20 minutes within 24 hours.

Freeze your drinking bottles and then pack them up in insulated foams to keep it cool. Even if you don’t sweat still do gulp down the liquid in your drinking bottle. You may not know it and may not notice it but you may have sweat more than you think of.

3. Pack up extra bottles.

Carry more drinking bottles if you can. Don’t be afraid to look like a camel with extra hump at your back. You need all those liquids in your endurance sport. It will keep you going and in shape.

Besides, you will drain these drinking bottles one at a time every 15 or 20 minutes. At that rate, you may not even know that your endurance sports drinks have been drained down your esophageal pipes.

Endurance sport nutrition question: Water or sports drink?

In endurance sports nutrition, it has debated whether water or sports drink should be consumed by an athlete competing in endurance sports.

Researches have shown that endurance sports athletes (competing under the sweltering heat of the sun) who were provided with water as a means of hydrating themselves replace only one and half to two thirds of fluid loss, while those who were given with sports drink have shown hydration nearly to a hundred percent.

The reason for this is that sports drink contains electrolytes (sodium, potassium and magnesium) which help retain fluid in the body and balance the presence of these minerals that are vital in normal bodily function.

We lose electrolytes when we sweat. Dizziness, muscle cramps, extreme exhaustion, and irregular heartbeat are the symptoms of electrolytes loss in the body.

According to endurance nutrition experts, many athletes lose endurance due to low level of electrolytes. In fact, according to endurance sports nutrition magazines, some athletes even die due to electrolytes loss.

Endurance Sports Nutrition: Keeping Yourself Hydrated And Fueled

What keeps a triathlon athlete going in spite of the heat and long hours of vigorous physical activity is a properly hydrated and fueled body. In endurance sports, nutrition is equivalent to keeping oneself hydrated at all times, especially during the game. If you don’t give yourself the proper nutrition it needs, your game performance will suffer.

Sports that require special attention to endurance nutrition (and thus help you level up your performance) are: running, swimming, triathlon, cycling, rowing, mountain biking, adventure racing, cross-country skiing, mountaineering and trekking.

Let us say that you have prepared yourself for an endurance sport. Your nutrition focuses on giving you enough fuel to last you a day of vigorous physical activity. You eat foods rich in protein to keep your muscles fit for the game and carbohydrates to give you enough energy and fuel your muscles to run fast, steady, and consistently. What else can you do to perform much better in endurance sports?

Here are some endurance sports nutrition suggested by athletes and trainers:

Endurance Sports Nutrition Tip – Hydrate Yourself

1. Start the day with a full tank of water.

Athletes don’t eat during a game. But they do drink water. Studies show, of which common people now know, that humans can last a month without eating but will die immediately without water for 3 days to one week. That is how important water is to our body.

Many people die of diarrhea because of dehydration. Hydration is an important nutrition component to humans, most especially to athletes involved in endurance sports. So the endurance sports nutrition tip from athletes and trainers: drink lots of water before the game.

Hydration is the key to winning endurance sports competition. And drinking water before the game starts puts you in a great headstart.

2. Hydrate yourself regularly during the game.

Drink often during the game. Most endurance sports nutrition guide books will tell you the same thing. Athletes in endurance sports sweat off two quarts of water per hour especially in hot and humid weather. So, you must drink at least four up to eight ounces of water every fifteen to twenty minutes. Sports drink may also replace water.

Here’s some tip that endurance sports nutrition guide books may not have told you: to know when it is time to gulp on your water or sports drink bottle, set your timer to alarm every 15 or 20 minutes within 24 hours.

Freeze your drinking bottles and then pack them up in insulated foams to keep it cool. Even if you don’t sweat still do gulp down the liquid in your drinking bottle. You may not know it and may not notice it but you may have sweat more than you think of.

3. Pack up extra bottles.

Carry more drinking bottles if you can. Don’t be afraid to look like a camel with extra hump at your back. You need all those liquids in your endurance sport. It will keep you going and in shape.

Besides, you will drain these drinking bottles one at a time every 15 or 20 minutes. At that rate, you may not even know that your endurance sports drinks have been drained down your esophageal pipes.

Endurance sport nutrition question: Water or sports drink?

In endurance sports nutrition, it has debated whether water or sports drink should be consumed by an athlete competing in endurance sports.

Researches have shown that endurance sports athletes (competing under the sweltering heat of the sun) who were provided with water as a means of hydrating themselves replace only one and half to two thirds of fluid loss, while those who were given with sports drink have shown hydration nearly to a hundred percent.

The reason for this is that sports drink contains electrolytes (sodium, potassium and magnesium) which help retain fluid in the body and balance the presence of these minerals that are vital in normal bodily function.

We lose electrolytes when we sweat. Dizziness, muscle cramps, extreme exhaustion, and irregular heartbeat are the symptoms of electrolytes loss in the body.

According to endurance nutrition experts, many athletes lose endurance due to low level of electrolytes. In fact, according to endurance sports nutrition magazines, some athletes even die due to electrolytes loss.