This past week I was asked to speak to a private business here in Westerville about the topic of Running.  We covered a number of topics including running biomechanics, why runners get hurt and nutrition.  To keep things interesting I asked a colleague of mine to join and help present on the topic of nutrition.  Shawn Ehmann is a Nutritionist and Personal Wellness Coach and the owner of Vidafit, a comprehensive wellness group.  We work exclusively with Vidafit to provide our patients with a comprehensive wellness approach to their health.  One of Shawn’s slides really caught my attention and I wanted to pass it along.

When I work with my patients on either recovery or general nutrition, there is one aspect I really try and nail home.  With the amount of carbohydrates and sugar the typical person consumes throughout the day, it is almost impossible for people to regulate their sugar and insulin levels.  With fluctuating sugar and insulin levels, comes fat storage and a hormone imbalance.  Without going into the nitty-gritty of biochemistry, bottom-line, in order to maintain health it is essential to regulate/keep your sugar and insulin levels steady throughout the day.

If you see the graph below you can see what happens to the typical person.  They consume a high sugar/high carbohydrate meal which cause a spike in sugar, only to come crashing down.  For most people this is an ongoing process throughout the day.  If you notice the line in the middle “Desired Carb Effect” that runs horizontal, this is optimal.

How do you do this?  There are a couple easy ways to achieve this model.

1. Choose high quality whole foods..drop the processed foods.
2. Choose foods that score low on the glycemic index (but are still whole foods!).
3. Cut out all sugar. Period.  The only form of sugar you should be getting is through fruits.
4. No grains, especially white floor.  (whole grains can be ok, in moderation)
5. No vegetable oils.
6. Exercise!