A Bony Issue

Are you a habitual loser? Do you constantly find yourself losing things and desperately searching every nook and cranny of your surroundings? On several occasions, I've lost a contact in the process of putting it in my eye, scrambling nearly blindly on the ground to find the transparent little bugger. Perhaps you've lost your keys, or even the T.V. remote, on numerous occasions. Next time this happens, remember that things could be much worse. You could lose your bone mass.

Main Entry: os·te·o·po·ro·sis
Pronunciation: \ˌäs-tē-ō-pə-ˈrō-səs\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural os·te·o·po·ro·ses \-ˌsēz\
: a condition that affects especially older women and is characterized by decrease in bone mass with decreased density and enlargement of bone spaces producing porosity and fragility

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis affects more than 200 million individuals across the globe. Many know that running, which is high-impact, can help increase bone-density as the bones respond to the great stress under which they are placed. However, one important study (in the British Journal of Medicine), performed on 52 female runners who ran a great range of weekly distances, found the women who ran the most to have the lowest bone density. While it is true that osteoporosis is often associated with older women, this research done on female distance runners has proven that this problem is not solely a condition of old age. Being one who truly puts the "long" in long-distance running, this certainly caught my attention.

What was the reason for this result, seemingly counter to the very physiological principles of increased work load and response? It was found that many of the women who had higher training volumes were not eating adequately to fuel the expected bone response to such mileage. Of course, a lower bone-density makes much more likely the possibility of stress fractures and/or osteoporosis, even when safely bumping up training at the 10% per week rule-of-thumb. Thus, maintaining a balanced diet that provides enough energy to sustain physical activity, with adequate calories to promote the building of muscle and bone, is of great importance.

Another possible reason for these findings is the fact that estrogen, a hormone that has a great impact on bone health, is typically lower in female athletes who participate in vigorous exercise like running.

Additionally, if you are guilty of commonly skipping other upper-body resistance exercise (like weight lifting), bone-density in these areas will be unaffected by concentrated efforts in the predominantly lower-body sport of running. Therefore, even though a runner may harbor doubts as to whether or not weight lifting and other such workouts will help cut a 5k time, said exercises would certainly be in the best interests of bone health.

Weight lifting isn't just for meat-heads, as everyone who wants to show some love to their bones should give it a try. You don't have to bench-press 100+ lbs. to achieve better bone density or become a better runner; rather, 2-3 sessions of moderate weight lifting per week will suffice.

And lastly, I will remind all my fellow runners to eat up and fuel well! It's not one's outer "bony" that matters - it's the inner "bony" that counts.

An Artificial Paranoia?

Perhaps you've heard, among the whispers of health nuts and the nutritionally-conscious, of the so-called taboo surrounding artificial sweeteners. As runners, we are typically more aware of what we put into our bodies to achieve optimum performance, and thus this question looms large in the minds of many. Are artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda or aspartame, really so bad?

No, says the American Council on Science and Health, an organization known for debunking such myths. Several of the studies that have aroused this artificial sweetener scare should be looked at with skepticism and caution, as many are funded by rival organizations to companies like Splenda. For example, one study conducted at Duke University that found Splenda both destroyed good intestinal bacteria and caused weight gain was funded by the Sugar Association (who knew such a group existed?).

This experiment was performed on rats, and later dismissed by the FDA and Splenda, as it did not follow the FDA's standards for Good Laboratory Practices and used questionable methodology. There was also a margin of error these scientists did not account for, such as the fluctuation of the rats' weight over the course of the day. Also, it is interesting to note that the rats given the largest doses of Splenda per day (1,000 mg/kg) gained weight less rapidly than those who consumed lesser amounts, including the control rats who were given no Splenda. According to the paper's author, "At the lowest Splenda dose level of 100 mg/kg, rats showed a significant increase in body weight gain relative to controls; the changes at 300 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg did not differ significantly from controls." The data these researchers present is not clear, and it is apparent the such conclusions they make against Splenda are largely ungrounded.

Of course, when consuming artificial sweeteners, one must be aware of the concept of moderation, as anything in such great quantities can have ill effects in one way or another. Even soy, a long-touted super-food, can be detrimental when consumed in large amounts. The FDA has established guidelines for acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each sweetener, which is calculated to be 100 times less than the smallest amount that might cause health concerns. According to Mayo Clinic, for aspartame (AKA NutraSweet or Equal), this amount is 50 mg/kg of body weight, approximately comparable to 18 to 19 cans of diet soda for an 150-pound individual. The ADI for saccharin (AKA Sweet'N Low or Sugar Twin) is 5 mg/kg, or 9-12 packets of sugar for this same individual. For acesulfame-K (AKA Sunett or Sweet One), the ADI is 15 mg/kg (30-32 cans of diet lemon-lime soda), and for sucralose (AKA Splenda), the ADI is 5 mg/kg (6 cans of diet cola).

However, it is doubtful consuming large amounts is entirely realistic, considering the fact that artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar and thus much less is required to achieve the same taste. Aspartame is 180 times as sweet as table sugar, and Splenda 600 times sweeter, to name a couple.

In response to the widespread artificial sweetener backlash from critics, Truvia, a so-called "natural" sweetener, was launched. The "natural" label, interestingly enough, seems to have a more positive psychological influence on people than the term "artificial" placed on Splenda and aspartame. However, this title has no bearing on the truth of the matter, as a natural product is not automatically safer or superior to its artificial counterpart. Here lies a misconception that even the most nutty of self-proclaimed health-nuts are not necessarily aware of.

With that said, who's to say the consumption of an artificial sugar is any worse than table sugar (which, might I add, goes through an "unnatural" refining process)? Artificial sweeteners have been studied thoroughly in search of carcinogenic properties, but the National Cancer Institute, who has performed studies on the matter, assures there is no scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved in the U.S. (aspartame, acesulfame-K, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose) cause cancer. In addition, dentists advocate chewing sugar-free (i.e. artificially-sweetened) gum, as it does not result in the cavities that chewing sugared gum can bring about. Most of these sugar substitutes are also good alternatives for diabetics because they alone don't raise blood sugar levels.

To consume or not consume artificial sweeteners is a rather prominent question in the sphere of dietary health - something that has been receiving an ever-increasing amount of attention as numbers of overweight and obese individuals continue to grow exponentially. This debate may be long-lasting until conclusive evidence can put to rest various rival hypotheses, but until that day comes, I will wait in eager anticipation on the sidelines, sipping an ice-cold Diet Coke.

Running the Numbers at Wal-Mart and Target

After a 50.1-mile week (even without a long run), it is my rest day, which means my physical activity for today will consist of approximately 30 minutes of an ab routine...and grocery shopping. As a runner, I try to fuel myself properly, but there is a common misconception that eating healthy costs more. For today's post, I'd like to prove that wrong.

Inconspicuously toting my cell phone with me, I took a variety of photos of common staples in a runner's diet. I went to both Wal-Mart and then Target, at which I gathered a number of price comparisons and deals that could help you readers save money on good food.

Note: Depending on the time of year and Wal-mart/Target you go to, prices may vary.

Energy/Nutrition Bars

These bars pack a number of essential vitamins and minerals, not to mention they are very convenient. They're great snacks for runners who lead busy lives and can take advantage of easy, portable food.

1st Recommendation: Buy them in packs, not individually - they're usually much cheaper in bulk.

2nd Recommendation: At my local Wal-Mart, the energy bars in the grocery section of the store were about $0.40 cheaper than their identical counterparts in the health/beauty section (i.e. $4.97 versus $5.37). There was also less variety of the cheaper bars, but if you're not very picky, this would be the way to go.

3rd Recommendation: If you are not as busy, you can make your own granola/energy bars at home. This is likely the cheapest option if you can afford the time.

Wal-Mart Prices: (Grocery section) Box of 6 Clif bars: $4.97 (~$0.83/bar)

Box of 6 Luna bars: $4.97 (~0.83/bar)

Box of 4 Kashi Go Lean Crunchy bars: $6.12 (1.53/bar)

Target Price: Box of 6 Clif Z-Bars: $3.49 (~$0.58/bar)

Fruit/Veggies

Fruits and vegetables, depending on the season, can be expensive. However, during my investigation, I found some deals that I could definitely foresee saving a lot of money on.

1st Recommendation: Try to buy in-season fruits/vegetables, since they're usually cheaper. During more temperate seasons, you can often find great prices at your local farmer's market on many goods.

2nd Recommendation: Although this is not price- or savings-related, it's something you can keep in mind while purchasing fruits and vegetables. Aim to buy a variety of colors that indicate a variety of nutrients. Buy darker assortments of salad because in the case of green, leafy vegetables, the greener it is, the more nutrition it has. Opt for red or purple grapes instead of green, because as the derivatives of red wine, they also contain the antioxidant resveratrol, which is believed to be heart-healthy.

3rd Recommendation: If your favorite fruit is out-of-season, sometimes you can also find it in the freezer section (for example, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, diced peaches, etc.).

Wal-Mart Prices: Apples: $1/lb. (of golden delicious and gala varieties)

Strawberries: Under $3.00/16 oz. carton

Bird's Eye Valley Fresh Vegetable Steamers: $1/12 oz. bag

Protein

Of course, runners need protein to help build lean muscle mass and to recover after hard workouts in which we demand a great deal of our muscles.

1st Recommendation: Vegetarian, vegan, and omnivore runners alike need sources of protein. So don't skimp on this vital aspect of nutrition, regardless of your dietary specifications. For those who don't eat meat, reach for alternative protein in the form of nuts, peanut butter, tofu, tempeh, dairy products, whole grains, legumes, soy meat, and/or whey protein shakes.

Wal-Mart Prices: Skim Milk: $1.13/quart
Silk Soy Milk (light, chocolate, and original): $2.74/quart
Blue Diamond Oven-Roasted Almonds with Sea Salt: $3.97/8 oz. container
Smart Balance Omega Chunky Natural Peanut Butter: $2.73/16 oz. jar

Carbohydrates

You can't forget about the carbohydrates us runners so love to eat. Whether it's preparing us for a grueling race or replenishing our glycogen stores after a hard workout, carbohydrates are a must-have for any runner.

1st Recommendation: When it comes to cereals, look for the key words "whole grain," "bran," or "oats." Yet remember, though, that bran cereals, while high in fiber, are not whole grain. On General Mills' cereals, look for the Whole Grain Label. Also, if you so adamantly resist replacing your sugary Lucky Charms, mix it with healthier alternative cereals or have it every once in a while. You can also mix cereal/granola and fruit with your yogurt to make a delicious treat.

Wal-Mart Prices: Kashi Go Lean Cereal: $2.98/box

Quaker Instant Oatmeal: 2 for $5.00 ($2.50/box)

Nature Valley Oats & Honey Granola Bars: $3.78/value pack box with 24 bars (~$0.16/bar)

Target Prices: Kashi Honey Oat Waffles: $1.99/box of 6 waffles

Kashi Strawberry Flaxseed Waffles: $2.14/box of 6 waffles

Long Run Fuel

For distance runners and marathoners, long run fuel is often used for runs over 75 minutes. Some consume specially-made products, such as Clif Shot Blocks or Gu, to replenish glycogen stores. On a budget, these kinds of items can add up in excessive costs.

1st Recommendation: One can use gummy bears or other candies on long runs, which are often cheaper alternatives.

Wal-Mart Prices: Haribo gummy bears: $0.97/bag

G2: $4.98/pack of 12 12-fluid oz. bottles

If nothing else, I hope my small-scale investigation made you more price-savvy and knowledgeable about the many possibilities healthy eating has, even on a budget. Cutting costs does not have to mean cutting nutrition.