Many 1/2 IMs and IM CDA last June. I always got sick in 1/2 IMs on the run…every time. I determined that part of my trouble was not consuming enough calories on the bike. I liked some of the info I got off GordoWorld..it helped me set up my system for IM. Pre race: Ensure Vanilla at 2 and then 4am. Very little to no solids on race day. I consumed 4 24 oz bottles of Cytomax with protein powder (5:1) and enduralytes mixed in. 600 calories per bottle. It was hot as hell out there so I washed this down with lots of water. 2 bottles on the bike and 2 bottles at bike special needs that I put into a soft thermos bag (this is a MUST) to keep from going bad in the heat. I also consumed about 400 GU calories (Vanilla).

This left me feeling good on the run (didn’t get sick). I was on gatorade and water for most of the time. I WISH I had started on the Coke earlier….hit that at mile 21. Next time I go on it at mile 15. I trained extensively with this system and tried various combo before settling in with Cyto. Training with the nutrition means doing long rides and then doing a transition run to see how you feel. I, and many others I know have tried Hammer/Sustained Energy products with horrible results. I can’t digest their products. You’ll have to try for yourself. I have also heard that a number of elite AG triathletes are using the Twinky program…..all sugar all the time…keep hammmering it down from start to finish…with no problems, and great results.

I’m going to try this system in training. I’m serious….it’s supposed to work very well (much to the chagrin of some high profit nutrition companies). Americans aren’t eating adequate amounts of needed vitamins and minerals – due, in part, to consumption of junk food. According to a recently published report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 31% of total calories from the average American’s diet comes from snack foods, alcohol, and condiments that are not nutrient-dense. Researchers from Queens College in NewYork utilized data from the third edition of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), which examined eating patterns of among over fifteen thousand American adults. They analyzed dietary consumption of high calorie foods that are not included in the 5 major food groups promoted by the USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid: dairy, fruit, grains, meat and beans, and vegetables.

I had the distinct pleasure of working with Carolyn Gleason (DHHS) and Joyce Dougherty (WA DOH) on a grant last year. One of the products was a discussion group: PLNUTR-L. I had a great time working with these two professionals and recommend the experience to anyone. As you can see, I am the moderator of the list but technical nutrition questions should go to Carolyn or Joyce. We had originally thought to keep the list local to Washington State, but I suggested that we open it up to all public health nutritionists for maximum conversation.

If you know folks in public health or MCH or others who have an interest in public health nutrition, please forward this message to them. Once again, I remain in your debt for helping me (re)distribute useful and relevant information. You are invited to join us in learning and sharing to improve the nutritional health of our communities! is an open, unmoderated discussion list designed to provide discussion and exchange of information among professionals who provide public health nutrition services, and other interested parties.

This list will encourage productive and informative dialogue on specific topics such as: perinatal nutrition; breast-feeding; child nutrition; children with special health care needs; adolescent nutrition; women’s health; chronic disease prevention and health promotion; and aging. role of nutrition in community systems development for specific population groups (e.g., migrant health; minority health; children with special health care needs); development of nutrition in managed care systems; relationships and future of existing programs such as WIC, School Breakfast and Lunch Programs; Child and Adult Care Feeding Programs; CDC initiatives; AIDS projects; cancer prevention; diabetes programs; feeding programs for the elderly; etc.

Seeing how others have extensively answered your question about different trends in dieting / nutrition, I’d only like to post my 2 cents worth: The Spanish smoke more and drink more alcohol than any other European people. Yet they seem to live longer than the rest. Their breakfast is a cup of espresso, with a dash of brandy and a donut. Or a piece of toast with olive oil and salt sprinkled on top. They have big dinners at ten at night. All of this sounds like cardiac hell, but works. On nutritional requirements, yes. See, for example, “Who Goes First?” by Lawrence K. Altman, M.D. The chapter on “Dietary Deprivations” lays out some of the classic experiments that were done in this area. On the physiological effects of prescribed diets, yes.

Many diabetics are able to control their symptoms by carefully planning their intake of sugars and carbohydrates. Also, the effect of an extremely low-fat diet, in conjunction with a regimen of exercise and stress-reduction therapy, on clogged coronary arteries was studied by a Dr. Ornish some years back. Since then, however, I’ve heard rumblings to the effect that he’s gotten a bit inflexible on the issue of whether modifications of his approach might also be effective. As to “fad diets”, though, they suffer from the basic fallacy of being conceived as temporary measures, to be followed just long enough to “get the excess weight off” or whatever.

So of course, on the order of 90% of people who “diet” to lose weight, will GAIN BACK all the weight they lost, and sometimes more besides, as soon as the quit “dieting”. If you think you weigh too much, and want to do something about it, you’ve got to adopt a change of habits that you’re willing to stick with *for the rest of your life*. A REAL “weight loss” diet is one you NEVER “go off of”. A lifetime commitment is serious business, and a significant change in the way you live your life is not something to be entered into suddenly or lightly. The human body is far too complicated a mechanism to admit a “quick’n'easy” adjustment. I would therefore suggest the following “reality check” for any “miracle diet” you see touted: “Is this something I’m willing to follow for the rest of my life?”

Plants use inorganic minerals for nutrition, whether grown in the field or in a container. Complex interactions involving weathering of rock minerals, decaying organic matter, animals, and microbes take place to form inorganic minerals in soil. Roots absorb mineral nutrients as ions in soil water. Many factors influence nutrient uptake for plants. Ions can be readily available to roots or could be “tied up” by other elements or the soil itself. Soil too high in pH (alkaline) or too low (acid) makes minerals unavailable to plants. FERTILITY OR NUTRITION The term “fertility” refers to the inherent capacity of a soil to supply nutrients to plants in adequate amounts and in suitable proportions. The term “nutrition” refers to the interrelated steps by which a living organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and replacement of tissue.

Previously, plant growth was thought of in terms of soil fertility or how much fertilizer should be added to increase soil levels of mineral elements. Most fertilizers were formulated to account for deficiencies of mineral elements in the soil. The use of soilless mixes and increased research in nutrient cultures and hydroponics as well as advances in plant tissue analysis have led to a broader understanding of plant nutrition. Plant nutrition is a term that takes into account the interrelationships of mineral elements in the soil or soilless solution as well as their role in plant growth.

This interrelationship involves a complex balance of mineral elements essential and beneficial for optimum plant growth. Essential and beneficial The term essential mineral element (or mineral nutrient) was proposed by Arnon and Stout (1939). They concluded three criteria must be met for an element to be considered essential. These criteria are: 1. A plant must be unable to complete its life cycle in the absence of the mineral element. 2. The function of the element must not be replaceable by another mineral element. 3. The element must be directly involved in plant metabolism.

These criteria are important guidelines for plant nutrition but exclude beneficial mineral elements. Beneficial elements are those that can compensate for toxic effects of other elements or may replace mineral nutrients in some other less specific function such as the maintenance of osmotic pressure. The omission of beneficial nutrients in commercial production could mean that plants are not being grown to their optimum genetic potential but are merely produced at a subsistence level. This discussion of plant nutrition includes both the essential and beneficial mineral elements.