Nutrition for Firefighters

Nutrition for Firefighters

Introduction:
Try the best to follow these guidelines. Shoot for perfection and give yourself room to be human. I do not recommend people eat vegetarian because it disallows pure protein, which is most easily absorbed into muscle tissue. In short, I tried it, and it made me fat and weak. (And I was eating very healthy, whole foods). This is aimed at getting all your essential fatty acids, protein and vitamins necessary for health and strength building.

Shopping:
I shop at Whole Foods (or Whole paycheck, whichever you want to call it) when the budget allows. That’s not always possible. When it’s not, I make sure I wash my produce thoroughly with soap and water. The contents below are things one can get there. If you don’t have a store such as this in your area, try your local health food store.
Trader Joe’s has great rice mixtures and lots of cheap raw nuts and seeds.

NO:
hydrogenated oils/fats
white flour
white rice ( I will take you to whole foods and make you a rice mixture)
corn syrup
sugar
syrup/honey
you may only eat baby red new potatoes, otherwise, no potatoes.
no alcohol, save a glass of wine once  week
packaged creamers, but you can use (organic?) 1/2 and 1/2
processed food to the best of your ability

YES:
So, that leaves fresh raw fruits and vegetables, the rice I show you how to make, and pure protein, and raw nuts and seeds.

Protein:
Eat a fist size portion of pure protein with each meal. Pure protein is fish, eggs, low fat cottage cheese, chicken, lean pork, beef or other meat. When trying to put on muscle mass, eat 2 hard boiled egg whites every hour after your workout. This might interfere with a meal. Choose the eggs.

Fish:
Eat deep sea fish when given the choice between that and river fish. I don’t recommend eating trout or cat fish, and avoid bottom dwellers unless I just cant pass them up!

Carbohydrates:
Do not eat any unanswered Carbohydrates. That is: always eat a pure protein with your fruit/vegetable/grains. Eat only fresh fruits and vegetables, and eat them raw as often as possible.

Organic:
Try the best you can, within your budget to buy as much organic fruits and vegetables as you can. This significantly reduces the amount of poisons ingested, and allows your body to focus on the important thing: healing from your workouts.

Rice:
Eat ½ cup of cooked brown rice with lunch and dinner. No instant. Read on… the fiber here is important. Make a bunch on the weekend. 2 cups of water-maybe more to 1 cup rice mix. Boil, and simmer for 40-45 min. I like to add a cube of bullion- organic is possible and no MSG for sure. If you can’t get what’s listen below, try plain brown rice or a mixture found at Trader Joe’s.

In the rice mix: I make this mixture up in advance. Then I have it for later.
1 cup short grain brown rice.  Bin # 6687
2 cups mixed brown and wild rice. Bin #6670
2/3 cup sesame seeds- raw- black or regular.  Bin#6422
1/2 cup red wheat berries. Bin #5908
1 cup organic flax seed. Bin # 6407

Essential Fats:
If you don’t believe me, read Anne Louise Gittleman’s book, “Eat Fat, Lose Weight”. The right fats will help your body function better period- not to mention help you metabolize more fat off, and prevent heart disease. Twice a day, between meals, I eat a very small handful of this mixture of the raw nuts below. Remember that these bin numbers are those for Whole Foods. Trader Joes does not have bins.

In the nut mix: all raw:
2 cups spanish peanuts # 6354
1 cup pecans # 6366
1/2 cup pine nuts #6374
1 cup walnuts #6396
1 cup sunflower seeds #6433
1 cup macadamia #6304
1 cup cashews #6289
1 cup almonds #6269
1 cup pepitas- I lost the number

If you feel you have no hope of getting all this stuff, at least get a supplement, as listed below- of essential fatty acids and take that daily.

Nutritional Supplements:
Everyone should take a multi, period. Buy these at your local healthfood store, or some such place. The multis that are mass produced, like centrum, are usually so coated with stuff that they are not digestible. They often pass through the digestive track in scathed. If you do have to use these, you should chew them, and wash them down with a large glass of water.

Essential fatty acids: again, buy them at the healthfood store if you can. Take as directed.

If you have joint pain or joint problems, I recommend Glucoseamine Sulfate (not Glucosamine HCL) at 1000-1500 mg./day. MSM can be used for inflammation. Take both as directed.

Traumeel is a homeopathic cream/gel rub I use for sports injuries and muscle and ligament sprains and strains. Search it up on the internet if you need to. It’s cheaper there than in stores. It works extremely well during your training.

Meal planning:
I will give a daily plan here. It’s too complex to do many of them. Try to follow this exactly every day. The combinations are important, with respect to the ratios of carbs, fat and protein.

Breakfast:
Large glass water with supplements
3 egg whites/1 yellow or a scoop of low fat cottage cheese
I piece of fruit
Snack:
Small handful of raw nuts
2 egg whites- especially if you are training hard.
Large glass of water
Lunch:
Large glass of water
Scoop of rice mixture
Fist sized portion of Protein: portion of tuna, chicken, lean beef, etc.
Raw veggies- either a salad or a handful of other veggies
Snack:
Small handful of nuts
2 egg whites- especially if you are training hard.
Large glass of water
Dinner:
Large glass of water
Scoop of rice mixture
Fist sized portion of Protein: portion of tuna, chicken, lean beef, etc.
Raw veggies- either a salad or a handful of other veggies
A lightly cooked portion of veggies- fist sized

Forgiveness:
In order that you make progress in the changes you are trying to make, you need to practice forgiveness. If you fall off the “food wagon”, get over it, get back on it the next meal/snack.  And remember: Sunday!

Sunday:
Sunday is eat up day. You can eat what you want… in small portions. Don’t make a pig of yourself, just indulge a little bit so you don’t feel so denied.

Best of luck to you!

Dr. Jen

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Be Sociable, Share!

•