Sports Nutrition Basics

Sports are fun but if you are really serious about making it a part of your life and excel then the importance of sports nutrition is not new to you. Many sportsmen believe that proper nutrition is a key factor in making those rapid improvements in their performance.

Almost all of the professional sportsmen have a diet specifically written for them and customized. You can do the same to excel in your chosen sports.

The statement "You are what you eat" is perfect for sportsmen.
A properly customized diet will help you increase your energy reserves, train harder, and compete better at all levels.
Energy Carbohydrates are the number. 1 fuel your body needs. Supplying it in sufficient amounts both before and after sports routines will help you perform a lot better and increases you stamina.

Use of simple carbohydrates is recommended. Avoid simple sugars which provides waste calories.

Proteins are a great way to improve your muscle building process. Almost all sports require you to have strong muscles. Protein is the king in the kingdom of muscle building.

A few tips
1--Focus on high carbohydrate foods. Your muscles depend on carbohydrates for glycogen synthesis.
2--Eat a high protein meal after your sports routine. This helps you build muscles and make them stronger for the next sports training session.
3--Drink adequate amounts of water. Keep away from soft drinks for quenching your thirst. They will eat your system away. Slowly but surely.
4--Eat foods rich in potassium, such as bananas, oranges, potatoes and raisins.
5--Take adequate rest in the form of 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
Before a sports competition
• 2-3 days prior increase your carbohydrate intake. Also creatine is a very useful supplement. Enough reserves help you develop amazing endurance.
• Drink plenty of fluids. 2-3 cups of water with every meal and keep sipping in between meals. Never go thirsty.
Keep track of your weight as well. Losing weight on vigorous sports routines is well documented and therefore regular checking is very essential.

Asbestos Related Diseases

Asbestos is used in over 3000 modern products and most people have suffered at least some degree of exposure to it at one point or another. Most asbestos exposure is limited to minute portions of well maintained building materials such as concrete, insulation and siding.

Regular maintenance of these materials is important for preventing asbestos from degenerating into airborne fibers. Unfortunately, because asbestos is so widespread, it is impossible to compute the damage that even a small quantity can cause.

The lightweight nature of the asbestos particle facilitates airborne spreading of these deadly carcinogens. This is why most asbestos-related diseases affect the respiratory system.

These are incurable diseases. Even tiny amounts of asbestos can inflict irreversible damage as symptoms usually only emerge 20 to 30 years down the road.

Mesothelioma, Asbestosis and lung cancer are consequences of prolonged asbestos exposure. Any contact with asbestos merits immediate medical consultation because treatment options and survival rates are greatly improved the earlier they're detected.

Cances And Asbestos

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

What is the mesothelium?
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

How common is mesothelioma?
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the US each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.

What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, 

Baker cyst

A Baker cyst (popliteal cyst) is swelling caused by knee joint fluid protruding to the back of the knee (popliteal area of the knee). When an excess of knee joint fluid is compressed by the body weight between the bones of the knee joint, it can become trapped and separate from the joint to form a fluid-filled sac, referred to as a Baker cyst.

Treatment:Baker cysts often resolve with removal of excess knee fluid in conjunction with cortisone injection. Doctor may prescribe an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication) such as Advil or ibuprofen to help reduce the pain and inflammation.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful disorder of the wrist and hand. The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel formed by the bones and other tissues of your wrist. This tunnel protects your median nerve. The median nerve gives you feeling in your thumb, and index, middle and ring fingers. But when other tissues in the carpal tunnel, such as ligaments and tendons, get swollen or inflamed, they press against the median nerve. That pressure can make part of your hand hurt or feel numb.

Doing the same hand movements over and over can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. It's most common in people whose jobs require pinching or gripping with the wrist held bent. People at risk include people who use computers, carpenters, grocery checkers, assembly-line workers, meat packers, musicians and mechanics. Hobbies such as gardening, needlework, golfing and canoeing can sometimes bring on the symptoms.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is linked to other things too. It may be caused by an injury to the wrist, such as a fracture. Or it may be caused by a disease such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or thyroid disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also common during the last few months of pregnancy.

Medications: A pain reliever such as ibuprofen (one brand name: Motrin), naproxen (brand name: Aleve), ketoprofen (brand name: Orudis) or aspirin. A shot in the wrist with a drug such as cortisone. This may help ease the pain by relieving swelling and inflammation. After a cortisone shot, the pain may come back.