If you’re like most athletes, you’ll do what ever it takes to perform at your best, especially eat right.  Contrary to popular belief, whole grain breads, pastas and cereals are NOT great pregame choices. This is true for multiple reasons, but namely for the water-soluble protein known as gluten that each one of the aforementioned foods contain. 

Gluten contains an intolerance factor, once thought to be rare in the medical field, but is now considered to affect one third of the population.  The symptoms are sometimes insidious and commonly overlooked, but for an athlete who is looking for the edge, the Institute 3E Team ALWAYS recommends a gluten-free meal plan.

Common symptoms of gluten intolerance include:

• Compromised Immune System
• Allergies
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Foggy thinking
• Moodiness
• Dermatitis
• Joint pain
• Acid reflux
• Abnormal menses
• Infertility

When you avoid gluten you can expect marked improvements in:

• Mental focus and drive
• Energy and stamina
• Regeneration and recovery
• Immune function
• Absorption of Vitamin D, Magnesium and Zinc

Gluten containing foods to avoid:

• Wheat (pasta, bread, bagels, cereal)
• White four products (baked goods, cookies, pastries)
• Barley (beer, flour, oatmeal, and grits)
• Rye (breads)
• Bulgur
• Farina (a hot wheat cereal)
• Spelt (a wheat free grain)
• Couscous
• Malt/Malted milk/malt extract/malt syrup

Beware of hidden ingredients containing gluten commonly found in products such as:

• soy
• salad dressings
• gravy
• sauces
• marinades
• soups
• bread crumbs
• puddings
• pie fillings
• reduced fat products
• processed meat
• ready-made meals
• fast food
• ice creams

These unexpected ingredients could be:

• hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
• textured vegetable protein
• isolated vegetable protein
• modified or edible food starch
• dextrin
• maltodextrin (from wheat or barley)
• emulsifiers
• artificial food coloring
• caramel flavoring
  
  

So don’t be a glutton for gluten. Improve and protect your performance the natural way!



There are two essential fatty acids that every athlete needs to be as familiar with as they are with top celebrity derrieres.  These two fatty acids are Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s.  This is important because most top medical professionals believe that a poor ratio of Omega 3’s to Omega 6’s will lead to long term, potentially detrimental health issues including cancers, heart diseases, and autoimmune diseases.  In the short term, a poor ratio of Omega 3’s to Omega 6’s can affect an athlete’s concentration and memory, can cause mood swings or depression, as well as impact heart health. The ideal ratio of Omega 3’s to Omega 6’s is 1:1 according to Dr. Mercola, however the average person’s ratio averages from 1:20 to 1:50. One of the most important benefits of Omega 3’s is its ability to keep athletes pain free by reducing inflammation. Here are some recommendations by the Institute 3E Team to help perfect your Omega 3 to 6 ratio.

 

Top 5 Celebrity Fatty Acid List (Omega 3 Rich)

Best Fatty Asses                                                 Best Fatty Acids

1. Jennifer Lopez                                                High concentrate fish oil, fermented cod liver oil

2.  Kim Kardashian                                             Cold water fish (wild Alaskan salmon, sardines,

                                                                          halibut, mackerel, herring, etc.)

3. Beyonce Knowles                                          Grass fed beef, buffalo, lamb, and wild game

4. Jessica Biel                                                    Free-range organic eggs and chicken

5. Shakira Ripoll                                                Walnuts, macadamia nuts, flax seeds

 

 

Worst 5 Celebrity Fatty Acid List (Omega 6 Rich)

At Institute 3E, we do not want to defame, embarrass, or damage the reputation of any celebrities. For the sake of this article, we will just use completely random first names.

Worst Fatty Asses                                    Worst Fatty Acids

1.  Rosie                                                   Vegetable oil, Soybean oil, Corn oil, Peanut oil

2.  Star                                                     Grains, cereals, breads, pastas

3.  Oprah                                                  Margarine, shortening, mayonnaise, dressings

4.  Hillary                                                  Conventional eggs and chicken

5.  Precious                                               Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts

 

If you want to take advantage of the amazing benefits of Omega 3 rich fatty acids, the best thing you can do is cook at home. That is the only way you can guarantee that your food isn’t laden with unhealthy oils.



Recent studies show that 85% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient.  Who cares?  Well, if you are an athlete who wants to stay healthy, make more money or win games, you should! 

Here’s why:

Evidence shows that Vitamin D improves

1. reaction time
2. muscle strength
3. speed
4. endurance

On top of that, there is a tremendous amount of scientific data that indicates Vitamin D, unlike the H1N1 vaccine, is a more effective way to avoid the flu. 

The Institute 3E Training Staff recommends that athletes supplement with Vitamin D3, suntan regularly and test their Vitamin D levels every 4 months using the 25 (OH) D test.  When you get your levels within the “IDEAL” range you will play better and won’t have to worry about the germs you’ll pick up high fiving your cheering fans!

Vitamin D Levels for the Competitive Athlete

25 (OH) D

DEFICIENT	ACCEPTABLE	IDEAL
<50 ng/ml	50-80 ng/ml	80-100 ng/ml



Locker rooms these days are filled with "metro-sexuals" using the latest hair tonics, lotions, shave creams and other beauty products.  If you think guys like this are “less of a man,” you’re right!

Here’s why:

            These products are loaded with ingredients that lower testosterone!

            These feminizing ingredients include:

            ⁃            paraben

            ⁃            benzylparaben

            ⁃            butylparaben

            ⁃            etyhlparaben

            ⁃            methylparaben

            ⁃            propylparaben

So if you want to be “styling and profiling” without the castrating side effects, The Institute 3E Training Staff suggests "paraben –free” products such as those by Aubrey Organics, The Gentelmens Refinery and Double Duty by Organic Bath Company.

 

 



According to a recent study 9 out of 10 males are coming up short in the bedroom....when it comes to sleep that is. Getting enough sleep will help improve performance both on… and off the field. Follow these simple tips to ensure that you never slack off in the bedroom again.

• Sleep Tips:

1. Wake and sleep with the sun.  Go to sleep no later than 10:30 pm whenever possible and get up at sunrise (sleep 1 hour longer during stressful times). Examples: intense schedule, jetlag, aching body, or the feeling of being tired or drained.

     2.  Avoid bright lights, such as florescent lights, for two hours prior to bed if possible.

     3.  Avoid stimulants such as caffeine after 3:30 pm especially on non-game days. The half-life

         of caffeine is six hours.

     4.  Avoid alcohol near bedtime, as it stresses the body causing cortisol release.

     5.  Eat right for your metabolic type.

          a. Be careful of desserts that are high in sugar and low in fat.

          b. Avoid blood sugar crashes at night by eating the appropriate balance of fat, protein

              and carbohydrates.

     6.  Clear all sources of EMF (Electromagnetic Field) pollution while sleeping:

          a. Cell Phones (battery out)

          b. Electric appliances should be far away from your bed

          c. Electrical circuits in walls and floors should not be located close to your bed

     7.  Control noise

     8.  Keep curtains drawn at night; light on skin can wake you.

     9.  Competition will elevate cortisol levels high enough to disrupt sleep. 

          Use the supplements listed below to promote rest and recovery:

• Rest and Recovery Supplements:
  • Magnesium Glycinate Chelate - 450mg
  • Inositol – ½-1tsp
  • Vitamin C - 2000mg
  • Phosphatidyl-choline – 4g

Follow the above recommendations, and being an MVP in the bedroom will be more than just a fantasy!