We asked fans of the Wichita Prairie Fire Marathon Facebook page to post their biggest running questions. We received several great questions as these runners prepare for their half and full marathons on October 14. We have collected the best questions and better yet, gathered the best answers from our team of experts, which include Mary Hartley, RD for nutrition, Holly Perkins for fitness, Dr. Josh Umbehr for fitness and nutrition, and Jill Lawson for stretching.
These runner questions were so great and so common that any runner could benefit from hearing these expert answers.
Digestion issues, sore muscles, stretching inquiries, and diet conundrums were just a few of the topics we were able to cover. If you’ve ever had a running question, chances are it’s answered by clicking below.
By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., TheBestLife.com lead nutritionist
I’m throwing a small dinner party for a friend this weekend. On the menu: pasta. That’s a big deal, because pasta has been food non grata for more than a year. It’s not an Atkins anti-carb thing—this time, it’s the anti-gluten movement.
It seems like everyone I know is foregoing wheat and other grains containing this protein. So why are so many people going gluten-free? None of them have celiac, a serious condition in which the immune system attacks the intestines after gluten is consumed (about one percent of Americans suffer from this condition). A few might have “gluten sensitivity,” a less harmful, but still uncomfortable condition that affects about five percent of the population. (For details on these conditions, check out What Everyone Needs to Know About Gluten.)
In fact, most people who tell me they’ve cut out gluten have no obvious problem with it. Some are going along for the ride because their spouse or child is off gluten, others think it might help them lose weight—simply cutting out bread can be quite effective for some people—and still others are convinced it’s simply healthier.
Read Full Post >
If you’ve ever experienced heartburn and were left stumped as to what the cause was, perhaps you should turn your gaze toward the bottom of your cup – your coffee cup, that is.
Experts from the University of California, Los Angeles, are suggesting that alcohol and caffeinated beverages can have a direct effect on heartburn. This is because a ring of muscle located between the stomach and esophagus called the “lower esophageal sphincter” can be temporarily affected by alcohol and caffeine in some people.
As reported by NPR, UCLA gastroenterologist Kevin Ghassemi, explained that this muscle is meant to be closed at all times except for when food is passing into the esophagus. But because alcohol relaxes it, it creates an opening. And when this happens, he says, stomach acid can come back up into the esophagus, which is reflux – which is what causes the burning sensation we experience with heartburn.
Furthermore, Ghassemi makes the link to caffeine as well saying, “The caffeine that’s in coffee or other caffeinated beverages also will relax the sphincter muscle.”
If you’re one of the lucky few who doesn’t experience heartburn after consuming caffeine or alcohol, consider yourself normal. Ghassemi points out that some people are naturally predisposed due to a “weak or faulty sphincter muscle.” This, he says, can often be influenced by being overweight or obese because it increases the risk.
Read Full Post >
In having two friends over for dinner last night who are both gluten free, I realized two things: One, it can be extremely difficult to accommodate a gluten-free diet. And two, perhaps I’m slightly gluten intolerant myself as I’ve had similar symptoms to the ones they were listing off before changing their diet. 
And after seeing a report this morning from RTT News that most Americans have celiac disease but are unaware of it, I’m starting to wonder if I’m among the gluten intolerant after all.
A new survey from the Mayo Clinic found that about 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease, but approximately 1.4 million are unaware they have it. Or, 1 in 141 Americans is living with the condition without knowing it.
Researchers ran blood tests on 7,798 people over the age of six who’d previously participated in a nationwide survey from the CDC between 2009 and 2010. Findings revealed that 35 participants had celiac disease – 20 were women, 29 were Caucasian, and 29 were entirely unaware of their condition.
Read Full Post >
By Abra Pappa for Nutritious America
The lazy, hazy days of summer are here; long days at the beach, picnics in the park, outdoor BBQs, family, friends, and puffy bloated bellies. Yes. The most common thing I hear from clients in the hot humid weather is, “I feel bloated. Can you help my belly not stick out?”
Did you know that water accounts for 60% of a person’s weight? In the summer, or extreme heat conditions, our bodies adjust the amount of water we retain, i.e. we retain more water in the humidity. Ugh. Unfortunately, for many people this can mean bloated puffy stomachs, and even up to 4-5 pounds of extra bloating weight! Ah, the irony of it all, a puffy belly in the season that we most frequently show our belly.
If you are a summer belly bloat sufferer here are three fantastic foods to add to your diet to help combat that puff and help you feel trim and slim and bikini-strut worthy.
Celery – Rich in both potassium and sodium, celery contains the minerals most important for regulating fluid balance. This keeps us hydrated while it stimulates urine production, helping to rid the body of excess fluid. Chew on a few stalks of fresh celery at the first sign of intestinal madness.
Read Full Post >
