The Nature of Performance

Nutrition 101

Right Nutrition

Nutrition 101

Webster’s defines nutrition as “the act or process of nourishing or being nourished; specifically: the sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes in and utilizes food substances”.

If nutrition is what supplies energy to the human body then we as humans must ensure that we consume enough, the right kind and at the right time. There are many theories on nutrition and they all have some merit. It is true that a high protein diet will help you lose fat and it is true that fasting is healthy for you. However, as humans we generally think more is better so we stay on the protein diets too long, we fast and then break it with all the wrong foods. Anything in excess will have a side effect. Our goal is to help you get maximum results with the least amount of side effects.

No matter what diet you hold to the general idea is to take in nutrients to supply the energy to reach your goal.  Since the majority of your energy is supplied by oxygen and not the food you eat it would be safe to say that oxygen and not food is our most important nutrient. Hold your breath for as long as you can and try and stay focused on what you are planning to eat at your next meal. In those last few seconds before you took your breath I’m sure it was difficult for you to stay focused on food. Since oxygen is of utmost importance, we should be looking to ways of getting more of it as frequently as we can. The easiest way is to breath.  I’m sure if you haven’t been told to breath deep you’ve at least heard that we should breathe deeply, from the abdomen. The reason is that most of the oxygen that we breathe is absorbed in the lower third of the lungs and the way to ensure we get it there is to breath into the belly. That is one of the reasons why exercise is so good for us. It forces us to breathe deeply helping with the delivery of oxygen. This is one of the reasons people say they are addicted to exercise. From our little breath holding exercise I think it’s safe to say that we are all addicted to oxygen.

Some research shows that there was a time that our planet had as much as 40% oxygen. Today we have around half that and in some cities it would be fair to say less than that. It is important for us to supplement with oxygen whenever possible. There are facilities that offer “oxygen bars” where you can sit and breathe oxygen. While positive, the effects from these are small and short lived. Great research has been done on the positive effects of breathing supplemental oxygen while exercising. The pressure created while exercising assists with the delivery of the oxygen to the cells. While both of these options are good they can be costly. Another supply of oxygen is available on the grocery store shelves. Fresh fruit and vegetables are loaded with oxygen. But be aware, cooking destroys the oxygen.

Cooking also destroys another extremely important nutrient; enzymes. Read our Enzyme Probiotic Formula Research Summary to learn more.  Enzymes are protein molecules that are at the foundation of life.  There are three kinds of enzymes; Metabolic Enzymes, Digestive Enzymes and Food Enzymes.  Metabolic and digestive enzymes are our responsibility; we have what is known as an enzyme potential or an enzyme bank account. Once we use up that potential or bank account life ends. We cannot get metabolic enzymes or digestive enzymes from an outside source.  The metabolic enzymes are the enzymes responsible for most of our bodies many functions.  They could be compared to a cities public works department.  They are responsible for tasks such as repair, growth, communication and transportation.  Digestive enzymes help in the preparation of food for energy so the metabolic enzymes can attend to their jobs.  Although there are thousands of different metabolic enzymes and less than 100 different kinds of digestive enzymes, the majority of our enzyme potential is used up on digestive enzymes.  This is where that third kind of enzyme can help.

Food enzymes are the enzymes found in the food we eat.   Their job is to break down the food we eat with the help of our digestive enzymes.  These are the only enzymes we can get from an outside source and our bodies rely on them to spare our digestive enzymes and metabolic enzymes.  All three kinds of enzymes are very susceptible to heat.  So much so that if we get a fever of 103 or 104 doctors become very concerned.  The reason for the concern is that enzymes work harder at higher temperatures and their life expectancy declines and as such so does our life expectancy. Our only external source of enzymes, the food enzymes are also very vulnerable to heat.  They start to die at temperatures of 118 degree Fahrenheit and by the time they reach 140 degrees they are destroyed. There is no form of cooking that does not use temperatures well in excess of 140 degrees. Without these enzymes in the food we eat our body is responsible for the breakdown of the food for the production of energy.

Next to survival, digestion is the second most important function of the body.  If we don’t digest the food we eat, no energy can be produced and as such life will end.  When we eat foods devoid of enzymes our body must supply all of the enzymes for digestion.  Remember, our digestive enzymes were only designed to help the digestive process so when the food is delivered enzymeless our bodies must supply more.  As a result our enzyme potential is tapped. If we use our enzyme potential to digest foods the rest of our systems will suffer.

How many times were we told by our parents or how many times have you told your children, or spouse “be responsible with your money”?  The same applies to your enzymes; if you are going to eat cooked foods, then be responsible and replace them with a supplemental food enzyme. Click to learn more about the Windhawk Enzyme Probiotic Formula.  If you are eating raw fruits and vegetables then you are eating food enzymes and there is no need to supplement. Try and start every meal with something raw. That way you won’t be making as big a withdrawal from your enzyme bank account.  Let your body have a chance to supply the nutrients that are needed for energy production.  All of the other nutrients that we hear about on a daily basis are of little importance if you can’t break them down to create the energy they were intended to deliver.

Author Info

Tim Hawkins

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