A diet high in carbohydrates increases inflammation and accelerates aging

Dave Scott, a six-time winner of the Hawaii Ironman and currently a coach, recommends the ketogenic diet as essential to improve endurance sports performance

Dave Scott the living legend of the Ironman of Hawaii. The American triathlete is now a coach and the great defender of a radical change in the usual diet of medium and long distance triathletes based on excessive carbohydrate intake, according to his criteria. The six-time winner at Kona advises to reduce the volume of carbohydrates radically.

"The healthiest thing is a low carbohydrate intake and high healthy fat. Every day this nutritional theory is more accepted. It is true that until recently the conventional wisdom was based on the fact that we should eat a lot of carbohydrates and you would be a rocket, but a High carb diet increases inflammation and accelerates aging. Several athletes feel they are immune to possible health problems related to diet. Being naive is not an excuse, "says Dave Scott.

Dave Scott acknowledges that he was wrong for many years and was one of those who advised to take maximum carbohydrates for energy: "My nutritional advice has changed over the years. But I can stand in front of an audience and say that the dietary information I gave was incorrect You have to cut with very simple refined carbohydrates because they have a terrible effect on cell membranes and you have to increase the cold water, deep-sea fish, olives, butter, cheeses and non-starchy vegetables. These foods should always be in the list of an endurance athlete. "

Switching to this diet "is difficult at first. People try it for a few weeks and do not like it because their bodies have not yet adapted. When you have been doing it the other way 30 or 40 years the change to the diet LCHF diet , (low carb, high fat) causes a discharge of water due to low carbohydrate intake. Changing electrolyte levels by increasing sodium, potassium and magnesium with LCHF is paramount during the transition. If this is done alone 2-4 weeks, there may be no adaptation and the period of time should be longer.We can produce ketones quickly and provide energy to your brain and muscles, but you don't have the potential inflammation that you get from carbohydrates. change from 400-500 grams of carbohydrates a day to just 50 ".

Dave Scott recommends patience because "The adaptation phase takes 4 to 6 months! Recovery will be better, but people think that if I eat fat, they will gain weight, but it is an inappropriate name with a little ignorance and a lot of arrogance. You don't have that eliminate saturated fats, just reduce carbohydrates. " We don't talk about that with a bed of roses, but about a change in lifestyle. If you are adapted to carbohydrates, turn off the glucose switch and turn off the ability to oxidize fats. You will have cleaner fuel and more long-term fuel.

The six-time Hawaii Ironman winner is critical of the vegetarian diet used by michoa triathletes, including some professionals: "It's true that many athletes perform well on a vegetarian diet, but I think it lacks many areas. Many of those athletes can have low content of zinc, B-12, iron and other things. "