Foundation Nutritional Support

Foundation Nutritional Support

An overall strategy for optimal nutrition for an active lifestyle goes beyond just providing support for event and workout days. On a daily basis we need enough protein, vitamins and minerals to function at basic level. When we factor in the additional demands we can place on ourselves over the course of an intensive training program we find that it becomes even more important to be sure that we are getting our basic nutritional needs met in addition to the special needs brought about by the desire to do well in our training and events.

The economist Paul Zane Pilzer sort of backed into the realization that most everyone is in need of nutritional supplementation. He made this realization by studying obesity trends in the population and found not only that more people were getting heavier, but that people at the upper end of the social and economic spectrum were actually getting healthier and more fit, partly because they were seeking out ways to improve their health and avoiding foods and habits that encourage weight gain. As he looked into this other trend even further he discovered more about nutrition and the role it plays in individual lives as well as our economy. In his book The Wellness Revolution he writes:

Although most adults think of their bodies as fully grown, the individual cells that comprise their organs actually replace themselves on a daily to monthly schedule.

Our bodies manufacture 200 billion red blood cells each day, replacing all the blood in our body every 120 days. Skin is completely replaced every 1 to 3 months. It takes 90 days for old bone to be broken down and replaced by new bone.

The cells that comprise these replacement organs contain over 100,000 different proteins made up of 20 different amino acids. Food supplies us with plant and animal proteins containing the amino acids that our bodies require as the building blocks of this living tissue.

Without a daily supply of proteins, vitamins and minerals, no matter how much energy we get in the form of calories, our bodies and minds deteriorate because we are not able to fully replace the dying cells in our internal and external organs.

Food also supplies us with certain minerals we require as building blocks to repair and regenerate our living matter. There are 14 essential minerals, some of which are required as catalysts rather than as building blocks. Seven of these are major minerals, defined as those of which we need more than 100 milligrams per day — calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. The remaining seven are called trace minerals, such as iron and zinc.

In addition to supplying proteins and minerals as building blocks, food contains the 13 essential vitamins our bodies require as catalysts to convert food into energy and to convert amino acids into body tissue. A catalyst is a substance that must be present, typically in a very small quantity, for a specific chemical reaction to occur. For example, without vitamin B3, which is contained in green leafy vegetables and unprocessed grains, our bodies cannot break down plant and animal proteins into basic amino acids. It doesn’t matter how much protein you eat if your body can’t convert it into the building blocks of your living tissue.

When we don’t get enough protein, vitamins, and minerals, our initial symptoms include mood swings, fatigue, nervousness, headaches, confusion, and muscle weakness. Over the longer term, such poor nutrition can cause cancer, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other diseases that we used to just accept as part of our aging process.

Modern medicine typically treats these problems with drugs that focus on each symptom rather than on the underlying problem, which is what we eat, or more correctly in the case of poor nutrition, what we don’t eat.

Before you become alarmed that you’re never going to get enough of all these critical nutrients, here is some good news. Our bodies require only a small amount of protein and a minuscule amount of minerals and vitamins on a daily basis.

The human body requires approximately 46 grams (1.6 ounces) of protein per day for women and 58 grams (2.0 ounces) of protein per day for men. This is less than most people believe they need, thanks to successful but misleading advertising campaigns by the beef and cattle industry. Ironically, meat and milk products are actually a poor source of protein because they contain high amounts of harmful fats compared to other protein sources such as fish, nuts, breads, and vegetables.

The human body requires 13 essential vitamins in dosages ranging from 60 milligrams per day for vitamin C to 20 micrograms per day for vitamin B8 (folic acid). These quantities are naturally abundant in commonly available fresh foods.

Similarly, the 14 minerals we require are contained in fresh foods in more than adequate quantities–100 milligrams is only 3/1,000 of an ounce.

Now here’s the bad news.

Despite the relatively small amounts of proteins, vitamins, and minerals we require on a daily basis, and despite their abundance in natural foods, our biologically programmed need for these substances is not being met by our modern food supply.

At one time I never saw the need for additional nutritional supplementation. As I became introduced to nutritional supplements and found the difference they make in my daily life, I learned more about what I could do to go beyond the basics and really begin to achieve optimal health, especially where it concerns athletics. My first experience was with soy protein and a complementary group of vitamins and minerals. I went from nearly dozing off at the wheel driving home from work on a regular basis and wanting to take naps all of the time to having very good energy levels throughout the day and having a sound basis to build on for improved athletic performance.

The soy protein blend I use and recommend undergoes thorough testing from the raw materials all the way through manufacturing and packaging. The amounts of amino acids and other ingredients shown on the label is guaranteed to be what’s in the can. Most companies don’t check for purity and potency, especially not after packaging and shelf time. Some of the reasons that I do use and recommend this is that it:

• Provides the highest-quality biologically complete protein from non-genetically modified (GMO) soy, including all essential amino acids and the beneficial soy isoflavones genisten and daidzein
• Low glycemic, so promotes steady blood sugar levels
• Helps retain normal cholesterol levels as part of a low-fat, low cholesterol diet
• Promotes heart, breast, and prostate health
• Excellent for breakfast, lunch, or smart snacking

The group of supplements that I started with (and still use) include two multivitamin/multiminerals, two B-Complex, one sustained-release Vitamin-C, and one Vitamin-E (with Selenium). The benefits of each are shown below:

This basic regimen has become the foundation upon which I have been able to build a solid health profile. I have since gone beyond these basics and targeted areas that see additional and prolonged use because of my training program. By adding the additional components to my supplement program I am able to help my muscles use energy more efficiently (especially important for heart health), make sure my joints stay healthy, keep my immune system up (it’s no fun trying to train when you are sick), keep the cardio system in optimal condition, and maintain a healthy and competitive body weight.

Product Info – Foundation Supplements (PDF)

Product Info – Soy Protein (PDF)

Purchase Info

All products have a 100% guarantee on purity, potency, and effectiveness. It’s an “empty bottle” guarantee, which means that you can use all of the contents of anything you try and still get your money back if you are not happy with the results.