Acid/Alkaline Balance & Sports Performance
The acid/alkaline balance of our body will either have a positive or negative effect on not only our general fitness level, but also on sports performance. Acidosis is a major cause of bone density loss that leads to unnecessary injuries, whether sports-related or not. Ligaments and tendons, as well as our skin, can also become negatively affected due to the lowered production of collagen.
Brendan Brazier, athlete |
Healthy muscle tissue heals quickly, and a healthy, well-oxygenated body is an essential part of the destruction and rebuilding of the body. The immune system reacts to damage to joints, tendons, and muscles by sending immune cells to the area. But if the quality of the blood and tissues is poor (as it is in a body with those on an an acidic diet), this can reduce the ability of nutrients to reach the site of injuries.
Poor blood supply often leads to incomplete healing and can cause chronic sports injuries and pain. This is why many athletes use acupuncture on injuries, because acupuncture stimulates the flow of oxygen to the affected region.
The common issues that affect sports performance are fatigue, injury, and soreness. A proper diet from a variety of foods that yield the highest nutritional value will reduce these problems. These are foods that are natural and fresh, jam-packed with macro and micro-nutrients.
Nutritional value from artificial supplements and processed foods are not only inferior to what nature offers, but can very quickly degrade the body.
Sports Supplements Degrade the Body
Taking supplements is a little like groping blind. Athletes and bodybuilders take them in mass quantities based on internet research, recommendation from a friend, or due to flashy and convincing supplement labels. Selling supplements is a billion dollar for-profit industry, with manufacturers often making outrageous health claims that are simply not true. As a result, many people fall prey to false advertising and misleading claims. Sports performance and weight loss products are among the worst offenders.
Synthetic Supplements Are NOT Healthy For the Body!
Supplements are fractionated products. In whole foods, the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, macro and micro-nutrients are all in their correct proportions for optimum assimilation in a whole food. Nature does not isolate chemical constituents because when they have been isolated, they no longer work as well, or are absorbed as efficiently in the body. This is the reason most multivitamin and mineral supplements have extremely poor absorption rates. We cannot simply extract a specific nutrient from its whole and expect it to do what it was originally supposed to do.
Synthetic supplements are very different to their naturally occurring counterparts found in whole foods, and the body recognizes this difference. Some common ones, such as folic acid and synthetic vitamins, have been linked to serious health conditions in clinical studies. Not only that, but the massive amounts of protein taken by some athletes not only contributes to acidifying body tissue, but also lays the foundation for the development of bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis later in life.
Brendan Brazier on supplements..."Positive acid/alkaline balance is one of the most important factors in athletic performance. In my opinion, by disregarding this fact, sport supplement manufacturers have significantly reduced the effectiveness of their products. In fact, some of the energy bars currently on the market are the worst offenders. Processed for the sake of shelf life and convenience, and consequently denatured and acid-forming, many energy bars are not much more than disguised junk food." "Aside from food, most prescription drugs, artificial sweeteners, and synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements are extremely acid-forming. Athletes in peak training are the most affected by acidosis." (Brendan Brazier is a professional Ironman Triathlete, 2-time Canadian 50 km Ultra Marathon Champion, and a bestselling author on performance nutrition) |
Supplements have their place and can be an important part of the recovery processes when working to resolve a health condition (or for a confirmed deficiency), but only when they are not synthetic and only if taken short term to assist the body in re-balancing itself.
Learn more about supplements - when to use them & what to avoid:
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