Technical nutrition questions and a CrossFit Works “Survivalist” contest?

One of the most excellent aspects of owning CrossFit Works is the abundance of opportunities I have to talk nutrition with intelligent, interested people.  Whether it is just after a workout, on the blog, at one of my lectures or via email I receive many questions about nutrition and food, some of which are simple and basic and others of which are complicated.  Sometimes in order to thoroughly answer questions, it makes sense to sit down with someone and look over lab data or step back and give thorough background information so that my question-asker feels confident in their understanding of my answer.  This takes quite a lot of time which is not always possible.  Sometimes, the best I can offer, is to point my most excellent question-askers in the direction of additional information.  This is efficient for me and free for the asker!  One of the most sincere questions I receive frequently involves the issue of the acid/alkaline balance in the body and how it is affected by eating plenty of delicious meat.  I get a zillion variations on the “Isn’t meat bad for the bones/kidneys/tumors etc…?” question.  Many health-conscious people have been told some version of the “animal-foods-are-acidifying-and-therefore-bad-for-you,-your-kidneys-and-bad-for-your-bones” story.  The most extreme manifestation of this nonsense was the macrobiotic craze.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am a huge proponent of eating seaweed (must be the northern Atlantic ancestry)…

but there is where my fondness for macrobiotics ends.  I once lived across a hallway from a long-time macrobiotic practitioner and she was a flake-extraordinaire!!   She was constantly cooking weird-smelling pots of rice on a hot plate in the hall.  She had a deep-seated need for a good piece of venison with some melted butter on top, but she didn’t know it.  OK, back to bones and acidity and meat.  There are many explorations of the effect of acidity and calcium balance on bone health that also came to the conclusion that eating a diet high in protein would be detrimental.  I’d like to share a recent study with you that came to the opposite conclusion.  And, of course, to the vitally important CrossFit Works’ Devil’s Advocates, there are about a million studies out there suggesting something different.  As always, I believe the good people of CrossFit Works want information and ultimately will have to come to their own conclusions about how to eat.

Acid diet (high-meat protein) effects on calcium metabolism and bone health

Cao, Jay J; Nielsen, Forrest H

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Update recent advancements regarding the effect of high-animal protein intakes on calcium utilization and bone health.

RECENT FINDINGS: Increased potential renal acid load resulting from a high protein (intake above the current Recommended Dietary Allowance of 0.8 g protein/kg body weight) intake has been closely associated with increased urinary calcium excretion. However, recent findings do not support the assumption that bone is lost to provide the extra calcium found in urine. Neither whole body calcium balance nor bone status indicators, negatively affected by the increased acid load. Contrary to the supposed detrimental effect of protein, the majority of epidemiological studies have shown that long-term high-protein intake increases bone mineral density and reduces bone fracture incidence. The beneficial effects of protein such as increasing intestinal calcium absorption and circulating IGF-I whereas lowering serum parathyroid hormone sufficiently offset any negative effects of the acid load of protein on bone health.

SUMMARY: On the basis of recent findings, consuming protein (including that from meat) higher than current Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein is beneficial to calcium utilization and bone health, especially in the elderly. A high-protein diet with adequate calcium and fruits and vegetables is important for bone health and osteoporosis prevention.

Here is the link to the bio of the lead author, Jay Cao.

As always, when I talk about eating meat, I think of animals, nature and hunters.

I sometimes think about which CrossFit person I would want to be stranded in the wilderness with, or on a desert island with or left with after the apocalypse.

Clearly, there are many important considerations to this question, but lets stick to the “how would I eat” issue?

Usually, the winner in my mind is, hands down, Bryon Lichtenhan.  If you don’t know why, you should get to know Bryon a little better.  However, after the “Crossing the River” warm up this week, I’m thinking there may be other candidates.

Crandall and Paul G. are certainly added to my list.  I know Crandall hunts and can butcher and now I know he’d be useful if I was seriously injured.

I don’t know about Paul’s hunting prowess, but Sarah looked pretty good holding up her “spear” as she crossed the “river”, so maybe together they would do fine.

Any other votes for CrossFit Works’ best “Survivalist”?

Of course, brawn and hunting are important, but perhaps the best survivalist would be the cleverest one??  In that case, I’ll take one of these bespectacled beauties.  It is obvious how Nick S. is going to crush his bench press with the guidance of his advisors.

Of course, we know that you can have the beast with the brain.  Dr. H,  economist by day, also benched a little over his own bodyweight!