SC Fire Dept Questions

This thread is for members of the Santa Clara Fire Department to let me know what they want to hear about in the upcoming 4-hour intensive nutrition training session in June or July of 2007 in Santa Clara. My current plan is to cover one hour or the theory of nutrition for health and performance, one hour on special topics (low-calorie sweeteners, protein needs, hydration, prevention of diseases common to firemen and women), one hour of nutrition engineering (how to create your nutrition plan), and one hour of Q&A.

Comments

[Andrew]

I am a healthy, active 23 year-old who eats a well-balanced diet without meat, but am reluctant to take daily multi-vitamins. This is due to the lack of any clear evidence that these pills improve overall health. So, instead I take one multi-vitamin per week. I am vegetarian too, so I am especially concerned about iron, B-6, and B-12. What are your thoughts?

[DL]

Dr Wilson,

1. I have found McCormick seasoning to have MSG and, I think, trans fats. Are there any seasonings brands out there that you would recommend? Also, should MSG be avoided?

2. I have just recently heard of Noni juice. Is it everything it is made up to be? Here is just one of many links... http://healingnoni.com/noni-juice-facts-and-benefits.html

3. Many of us enjoy barrel or smoked meat/poultry - is this cooking process harmful? Also, how about BBQing?

4. An easy meal is just making a deli sandwich. However, I have heard that the nitrites in lunch meat could lead to higher risks of some types of cancer. Is this true and if so, should we limit our intake? I haven't yet found any lunch meats that don't have nitrites.

5. I am reading labels that have in the ingredient list "mechanically hydrogenated" and "optimally hydrogenated" oils. Are these just fancy names for partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) to make them sound ok?

Thank you.

[CH]

What is the best remedy for the night time sleep interruptions?

As firefighters, do we need to be concerned about raised cortisol levels due to the stress/adrenaline that comes with abrupt night time wake-up calls? Is this even true/harmful?

Should we eat if we are hungry when we come back from calls at all hours of the night and if so, what should we eat?

Since our chances of cancer are 1.5 - 4 times greater than the public, what can we do to minimize our chances (if the lists is endless, maybe focus on the top three, or top three most feasible)?

Due to regular meal interruptions, what are your suggestions to overcome and still achieve the proper what, when, and water? (your shakes maybe?!)

Thank you.

[Dave]

Dr Wilson,

1. Often when we return from a night call we are hungry. I assume that eating at night, in this case is a good thing. Is this correct, and if so, what would be the best snack to eat in the middle of the night?

2. What is the best way to recover from nights when we are running lots of calls (other than sleeping the next day)? Are there certain types of foods we should eat to help with recovery/performance? Are there types of food, during these times, we should avoid?
Thank you.

[CH]

Dr Wilson, Popcorn is a very popular snack around the firehouse. However, I recently learned that corn increases ones chances of cancer by 30%. Do we know why? And, what recommendations would you provide - do we not eat corn at all or just limit the intake to moderate amounts? If so, what would be a moderate amount to limit our chances of cancer (since we are already 1.5-4x higher risk due to our work)? Thank you.

[DL]

Dr Wilson,
Are you familiar with Kevin Trudeau author of "The Weight Loss Cure"? If so, what do you think of his approach to weight loss?
Thank you.

[Scott]

Does the order in which we eat our food at each meal make a difference? For example, should we always try to eat our salad and/or vegetables first, along with some good fat? Thank you.

[BP]

1. "fractionated"? is this another name for "partionally hydrogenated"?

2.Is pork really the other white meat (comparable nutritional value to chicken)?

3. I heard what you said last time about fluids other than water, but I'll just say this. I don't really drink water, but I drink copius amounts of fluid when I eat. And I mean copius. Especially non fat milk and gatorade. Also, please tell us about coffee and alcohol (diuretics) vs. water.

4. Interesting info. you shared about protein intake. Being from old school athletics, I was one who ate (and still eat) about 150 grams of protein per day (I weigh 175 lbs). Please share your thoughts about protein intake for those who partake in extremely intense daily workouts.

5. It has been reported that emergency responders have higher levels of stress hormones (i.e. cortisols). Assuming these reports are accurate, what could we do to minimize the potential damage of these higher levels?

[Dave]

Dr Wilson, What is the best way to recover from nights when we are running lots of calls (other than sleeping the next day)? Are there certain types of foods we should eat to help in recovery/performance? Are there types of food, during these times, we should avoid? Thank you.