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In this July 13, 2011 free audio episode: Everything You Need To Know About How A Plant Based Diet Affects Performance, kosher protein, food combining, humanofort supplements, amino acid comparisons, cramping on the bike, does pot help performance, pre-race nerves.

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First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code)   --------------------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic: Everything You Need to Know About Plant Based Diets, with Dr. Bill Misner

Bill Misner, a Ph.D. nutritionist, alternative medicine practitioner, author of Finding Fitness For Life,and top Master’s runner, including National Trail race course record holder in the age 70-up category, has been on a plant-based diet for the past 20 months, and says that it allows for accommodation of higher training work loads and more strength/speed workouts due to elevated recovery rate. During our discussion, I ask Bill many questions, including:

Have you always eat a plant based diet, and if not, what led you to "make the switch"?

What does a typical day of eating look like for you?

What changes have you observed?

Do you think that part of "feeling good" on a plant based diet is just an acute response to making better food choices, and if so, once that response wears off, is it possible for there to be neural or muscular nutrition deficits down the road?

What about common plant-based diet foods like legumes and grains - are you concerned about binding agents or phytic acids?

There is some argument that neural problems like Alzheimer's are related to inadequate fat intake. If so, does that place someone on a plant based diet at increased risk?

If you look at components like essential fatty acids, essential amnion acids, vitamin D, vitaminK2, CoQ10, preformed vitamin A, iron, vitamin B12, mineral ratios, hormones or A1C, do you see risks from eating a plant based diet.

So do you take nutritional supplements?

I also mention a refutation of the book "The China Study", which I  link to here (Weston Price Foundation). 

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Listener Q&A: ====================================== [contact-form 3 "AskBen"] ======================================

Jeff has a call-in question about whether a "Kosher dairy certified" whey protein is beneficial.

Helene asks: I just read this article you wrote and that is why I am writing you. I am an ultra trailrunner. I am also a Certified Natural Hygienist, which means I know everything about food combining. From my knowledge, I don't have information on how to apply it while doing endurance sport. I didn't found yet readings on the subject. I only found conventional readings on endurance nutrition where everything is mixed together. Even sources that are vegetarian or vegan also mixed up everything...Which means that in competition, I never used gel, energy bar or sport drink. All I ingest is water and fresh fruits. I still get very good results, I never have a cramp. But after 4 hours into it, I can steel feel a lack of energy. Do you have any interesting source of information on the subject?

Kara asks: What's your take on the use of Humanofort to improve training recovery and performance?

Igor asks: After hearing about the amino acids benefits from your podcast I'm thinking to start supplementing by them. You have been recommending the MAP product which I find a bit expensive for me. Do you have any suggestions for what to look while shopping for cheaper aminos? Will it make me more harm than good using the cheap aminos?

Craig asks: I participated in a 70 mile charity ride yesterday and had to SAG in with severe cramping in my vastus medialis and slight cramping in my upper/inner quad area. I couldn't turn the pedals in anything but my lowest gear without bringing the cramps back in full force. I took in a 28 oz bottle of water plus 200 calories of Hammer Perpetuem and 4-6 Hammer Endurolytes each hour. I was taking on so much fluid I had to relieve myself at every rest stop. About 3 weeks ago I started a conditioning program at the Y 3 times a week. It consists of machines and cardio, including leg extensions, presses and curls. I'm doing low weight/high reps as my goal is to reduce fat. What steps do I take to overcome the problem?

Dan asks: What are your thoughts on marijuana use and aerobic training? I don't use it all the time but enjoy it during long runs. I find that it gets me in the groove or mind set to maintain a steady pace. I've never used it racing.

Chris asks: In a recent half ironman I tried to eat my normal race morning breakfast of pancakes and really struggled to get anything down due to "race stomach" nerves. This has been a little bit of an issue at all races this year with it being a bigger issue at the races I want to do best at. However at this recent half it really impacted me as I puked up everything I got down race morning once I got the race venue, it seemed this really disrupted my stomach as I struggled through the whole bike portion to get food down and absorbed into my system, I threw up a couple times on bike and run and then about mile 8 on the run it seemed my stomach finally came around and I successfully put down 3 GUs in the last 5 miles of the run. Unfortunately my lack of caloric intake before and throughout most of the race left me feeling quite flat and unable to perform to my potential. I did this race the previous year and my time this year was about 15 minutes slower but I feel my fitness is better this year and it has shown in other races. So, I feel like pre-race nerves kind of got the better of me in this half and really impeded my performance, so my question is kind of 2-fold, do you have any advice for coping with pre-race nerves, and do you have any good ideas of pre-race meals that are easy to handle if I'm having some trouble getting food down race morning?

Listener Derek has a call in comment at http://www.triathlondominator.com

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