Navigating an SOS Whole Food Plant Based Diet with Endurance Training

November 28, 2024 / Leo Garcia / Leave a comment

From last spring:

I just ran the Napa Marathon last Sunday. I had a great first half, everything according to plan, despite the 34º at the start line with a constant drizzle. Around mile 16, there were a few signs that my body was not happy in a way I had not experienced before. Muscles around my hips were on the edge of cramping, and calves started to lightly cramp. By mile 18, I had to stop and stretch. It basically got worse until I was run-walking for the last four miles. A cramp suffer fest.

I worked hard during training and broke through many plateaus, both physically and mentally. I missed one workout in the 20-week cycle. Despite this, things can go wrong or not as planned. What happened? I’m putting my money on the fact that I was seriously sodium depleted. What would I do differently for the next marathon and training cycle?

Do better with electrolyte/sodium replacement throughout the training cycle. I majorly fucked this up. I noticed that I was peeing a lot during the last three weeks; it was taking a lot more effort to hit target times; my legs were sluggish; my calves muscles were unusually twitchy and active; and now that I am writing this, I believe they were signs that my body was trying hard to balance my low sodium levels with a diet that is naturally water rich (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes). Though the science points to the health of low-sodium diets, when you deplete yourself through exercise several times a week for month after month and follow the healthiest diet on the planet, your sodium levels may suffer.

So I went in to the race depleted*, and it just got worse—cramps/shitty end. A big mistake that could have been really bad. Thankfully, it was remedied when I went for physical treatment for my calf cramps. By looking at the hyper-electric shitshow my calves were doing, the medic said that he saw this in summer races and that sodium depletion was the cause. A low-sodium diet and endurance running don’t mix well if you do not replace sodium after long or hard efforts lasting more than an hour, i.e., speed work and long runs, especially if you’re a salty sweater.

The medic fed me some soup and a “bolus” of an electrolyte drink with 1 TBSP of salt (6000 mg). He said he’d give me a bit more, but I’d probably throw it up. I sipped it while he worked on my legs. I started feeling better, and the cramps and calves started calming down within 15 minutes. I’ve read a lot since then, and there is a lot of controversy about electrolytes/sodium and endurance. But it seems like the most plausible explanation for my disappointing last 8 miles. I’m a salty sweater, and on long bouts you can lose more sodium than you replace if you eat a sos whole-food plant-based diet.

So, for now, salt stick caps are back in my running bag for the next one.

My A plan didn’t work out this time. My coach said it was always wise to have a B plan. I had one: finish.

But I know I can do it better.

End note: Maybe sodium depletion really played a significant role, but I discovered a few weeks after the marathon that the gels I was using were deceptively labeled, which could explain, or at least partly explain, my gradual training decline and depletion. It turns out that when I thought I was ingesting 45g of carbohydrates in a 180 kcal gel, after lab analysis it was 18g of carbohydrates in a 75 kcal gel. I should have been consuming 3 vs. 1 to properly fuel my long and challenging workouts.

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Make ANDI and ORAC Your Friends to Resolve Chronic Health Issues

November 27, 2024 / Leo Garcia / Leave a comment

There are several ways to rate the nutritional content of whole foods; each system focuses on specific attributes like nutrient density, calorie and antioxidant content, or health impacts. As you can see from the charts below, there is a lot of overlap in these systems when it comes to the healthiest whole foods.

Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI)

Rates foods based on their nutrient density per calorie and assigns scores based on the presence of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals relative to calorie content.

Category	Top Foods
Fruits	Strawberries, Blackberries, Plums, Raspberries, Blueberries, Oranges, Grapefruit, Cherries, Pomegranate, Papaya
Vegetables	Kale, Collard greens, Mustard greens, Watercress, Spinach, Arugula, Bok choy, Swiss chard, Romaine lettuce, Brussels sprouts
Legumes	Lentils, Chickpeas, Black beans, Pinto beans, Kidney beans, Navy beans, Green peas, Edamame, Mung beans, Soybeans
Whole Grains	Quinoa, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Barley, Brown rice, Millet, Oats, Rye, Bulgur, Farro

Nutrient Rich Foods Index (NRF)

Scores foods based on the amount of beneficial nutrients (e.g., protein, fiber, vitamins) minus problematic components (e.g., added sugars, saturated fat).

Category	Top Foods
Fruits	Blueberries, Kiwi, Guava, Strawberries, Oranges, Bananas, Pineapple, Mango, Apples, Papaya
Vegetables	Broccoli, Sweet potatoes, Red bell peppers, Spinach, Tomatoes, Carrots, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Beets
Legumes	Black beans, Lentils, Chickpeas, Soybeans, Split peas, Red beans, Green lentils, Navy beans, Black-eyed peas, Adzuki beans
Whole Grains	Oats, Brown rice, Quinoa, Farro, Buckwheat, Bulgur, Barley, Amaranth, Whole wheat, Teff

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC)

Measures the antioxidant capacity of foods, indicating their ability to neutralize free radicals.

Category	Top Foods
Fruits	Prunes, Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Cranberries, Apples (Granny Smith), Pomegranates, Plums, Raspberries, Oranges
Vegetables	Artichokes, Spinach, Kale, Red cabbage, Beets, Bell peppers, Broccoli, Sweet potatoes, Onions, Eggplant
Legumes	Red kidney beans, Pinto beans, Black beans, Lentils, Soybeans, Chickpeas, Green peas, Fava beans, Navy beans, Mung beans
Whole Grains	Sorghum, Millet, Oats, Barley, Wild rice, Quinoa, Farro, Whole wheat, Rye, Teff

Food Compass

Scores foods from 0 to 100 based on 9 domains of nutrition (e.g., vitamins, processing level, bioactives).

Category	Top Foods
Fruits	Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Kiwi, Oranges, Apples, Bananas, Mangoes, Papayas, Grapefruit
Vegetables	Spinach, Kale, Swiss chard, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Green beans, Bell peppers, Mushrooms, Asparagus
Legumes	Lentils, Chickpeas, Black beans, Soybeans, Green peas, Pinto beans, Adzuki beans, Navy beans, Mung beans, Split peas
Whole Grains	Oats, Quinoa, Brown rice, Barley, Bulgur, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Rye, Millet, Teff

While each system has its strengths and limitations, combining insights from these approaches can provide a well-rounded perspective on the nutritional value of whole foods and why a whole-food plant-based diet is so effective at resolving chronic health conditions.

Here’s what you might expect if you centered your diet around these foods:

1. Improved Nutrient Intake

These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and essential nutrients, which can support optimal bodily functions, including immune health, energy production, and cellular repair. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of nutrient deficiencies and provide critical antioxidants, such as vitamin C and polyphenols, which fight oxidative stress.

2. Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases

Increased intake of leafy greens, berries, and legumes can lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health. Cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli contain glucosinolates, compounds linked to lower cancer risk. Whole grains and legumes can improve insulin sensitivity and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

3. Weight Management

Foods with high nutrient density but low caloric density (like leafy greens, fruits, and legumes) can help with weight loss or maintenance by increasing satiety without excess calories. Studies show diets high in fiber promote fullness and reduce overall calorie intake.

4. Enhanced Longevity

High-antioxidant foods, such as berries and cruciferous vegetables, inhibit oxidative damage and inflammation, processes linked to aging and chronic diseases. The inclusion of whole grains and legumes in diets like the Mediterranean or Blue Zone diets has been associated with extended lifespan.

5. Gut Health

Legumes, whole grains, and vegetables are rich in fiber and prebiotics, which support gut health and microbial diversity. A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for digestion, immunity, and mood regulation.

Why a Whole Food Plant Based Diet is a Longevity Diet in Disguise

November 21, 2024November 22, 2024 / Leo Garcia / Leave a comment

Want to live a long and healthy life? Enter mTOR. The mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) pathway is a cellular signaling pathway that regulates growth, metabolism, and protein synthesis in response to nutrients, energy, and stress. Overactivation of mTOR is linked to aging and age-related diseases because it suppresses autophagy (cellular cleanup), leading to the accumulation of damaged cells and proteins.

Inhibiting the mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) pathway through diet and lifestyle is a strategy often associated with longevity and reduced risk of diseases like cancer and diabetes. Though there are many ways to inhibit the mTOR pathway, diet modification is the simplest way to do it. Below are four tips that will lead to a healthier and longer life. If you follow a whole-food, plant-based diet, you are already implementing them.

1. Don’t Eat So Much

Reducing calorie intake without malnutrition lowers mTOR activity by decreasing nutrient and energy availability. This can enhance autophagy and promote longevity. A whole-food plant-based diet is naturally calorically sparse because fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes have two powerful components working for them: fiber and water. These two components lead to satiety at a reduced caloric consumption.

2. Spend Less Time Eating

Practices like time-restricted eating or alternate-day fasting inhibit mTOR during fasting periods by limiting amino acid and glucose levels. This encourages cellular repair processes. To put this into practice on a simple level, stop eating by 7 PM and time breakfast for 8 AM. Having a window of 12+ hours gives your body ample time to take advantage of some of the benefits of time-restricted eating without the feeling of deprivation one often feels when fasting.

3. Eliminate Animal Proteins

Animal proteins, especially those high in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), activate mTOR. Shifting toward plant-based diets or moderating protein intake can mitigate this activation. Because a whole-food plant-based diet doesn’t include meat or animal products, protein intake declines to the level that is not cancer-promoting. Also, there is ample evidence that protein coming from plant foods (all foods have protein) is healthier than animal sources because animal sources have high levels of saturated fats, toxins, digestive byproducts that destroy your gut flora, and high levels of BCAAs like leucine, which is an mTOR activator.

4. Increase Dietary Polyphenols

Polyphenols in foods like green tea, turmeric, and berries suppress mTOR signaling and reduce inflammation. Polyphenols are natural compounds found in plants that act as antioxidants, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, which helps protect against chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

5. Exercise

Physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, can regulate mTOR signaling. While resistance training temporarily activates mTOR for muscle building, overall exercise contributes to metabolic balance and cellular health.

Though the ketogenic diet is cited as a good way to downregulate mTOR, it comes with too many risks. Severe nutrient deficiencies, increased heart disease risk, kidney strain, digestive issues, poor bone health, and muscle wasting are some of the risks that would seem to counter the argument for the health component in a long life.

Why Intermittent Fasting Won’t Fix Your Metabolism, Instead Skip Meat and Dairy and Start Exercising

October 4, 2024 / Leo Garcia / Leave a comment

In MedScapes Impact Factor, Dr. F. Perry Wilson from Yale School of Medicine discusses metabolic syndrome, a lifestyle-related condition affecting one-third of American adults, and a study on time-restricted eating as a means of treating it. According to discussion, you have metabolic syndrome if you have three of the following symptoms: elevated waist circumference, elevated fasting triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, and elevated fasting blood glucose. However, Dr. Perry’s interpretation of a study on time-restricted eating, which yielded underwhelming results, led him to conclude that lifestyle interventions may not be as effective as pharmaceutical treatments in managing metabolic syndrome.

It is essential to recognize that dietary choices play a crucial role in health outcomes. For instance, incorporating a whole-food plant-based diet can lead to significant improvements in health and even reverse lifestyle-induced chronic illnesses. A whole-food plant-based diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds is probably the most effective lifestyle intervention, having the potential to bring about significant improvements and even reverse lifestyle-induced chronic illnesses. Dr. Dean Ornish’s Lifestyle Heart Trial, one of the most well-known large-scale studies conducted in the 1980s and 1990s, demonstrated the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet in reversing chronic lifestyle diseases. This study managed to not only slow coronary heart disease, which is at the root of metabolic syndrome, but showed a reversal in many patients.

Another study, The Broad Study (British Randomized Controlled Trial of Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet), published in Nutrition & Diabetes in 2017, demonstrated the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet on metabolic factors. This study is notable because it was one of the first large-scale trials to highlight the metabolic benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet, offering significant evidence for its role in improving weight, cholesterol, and glycemic control without the need for calorie restriction.

Exercise, both aerobic and resistance training, works on different pathways to improve metabolic health, namely by improving aerobic capacity and muscle mass. A meta-analysis evaluated 10 randomized controlled trials involving over 1,200 participants. It found that aerobic exercise significantly improved key components of metabolic syndrome, including waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose. Exercise reduced the incidence of metabolic syndrome by 20-30%. Another meta-analysis worked with a pool of 77,000 patients. Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, led to improvements in body composition, cardiovascular, and metabolic outcomes in those with metabolic syndrome.

I could have told you that time-restricted eating might lead to minor weight loss because of the tendency to eat fewer calories (like the disappointing time-restricted eating study suggests), but if those calories come from the same foods that gave you metabolic syndrome in the first place (meals loaded with saturated fat like meat and dairy, foods loaded with highly processed oils, and processed carbohydrates like white flour and white sugar), you are simply becoming unhealthy at a slower rate. If you are sitting all day while eating a crappy diet, simply restricting your feeding time a bit is not likely to make a profound change. Selecting an appropriate lifestyle intervention matters.

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The Only Three Books You Need for Health

December 22, 2023November 24, 2024 / Leo Garcia / Leave a comment

If there were an action figure of Dr. Michael Greger, there would be one in my kitchen. I discovered Dr. Greger’s by watching his lecture on How Not to Die and reading the book afterwards, but it was his website nutritionfacts.org with over 2000 health topics that elevated him to superhero status in my household.

When your hungry to discover how to be your healthiest, you have to wade through a swamp of books based on anecdotes, active imaginations, and a lack of fundamental science. There are books written with the best intentions, books written with the goal of selling supplements, and books with the goal of selling. As someone who wants to be of sound mind to optimize what happens in the practice room and someone who wants to fuel my body for marathon training, the discovery of Dr. Greger’s tireless work reviewing the vast scientific literature (How Not to Die had about 2000 citations, How Not to Diet, 5000, and How Not to Age came in with more than 13,000!) to uncover and relay the science as clearly and concisely as possible was exactly why I had traversed that swamp for years.

Held in high esteem by pioneers and luminaries in the lifestyle medicine world such as Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, T. Colin Campbell, Walter Willet, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Greger’s How Not to Die, and his subsequent books How Not to Diet and his latest, still open on my nightstand, How Not to Age, provide all the supporting science on the benefits of adopting a whole food plant-based diet to maximize your biology.

Boost Endurance, Strength, and Recovery

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 / Leo Garcia / Leave a comment

Dr. Michael Greger’s Nutrition Facts website has a sliver of videos and articles highlighting high standard clinical studies on nutrition and athletic performance. If you are a nutrition junkie with a running addiction, this series of videos is a valuable resource for your athletic and health pursuits.

Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables has been clinically proven to boost recovery by attenuating creatine kinase activity post-workout. Specifically, eating lots of spinach and possibly other high nitrate leafies (arugula, beets) and dark berries (and juices from tart cherries and purple grapes) blunts delayed onset muscle soreness dramatically enough that it supports that anecdotal plant-based athlete claim that hard training is possible sooner after a demanding workout.

While a quick recovery is great, the benefits of eating dark leafy greens and berries comes with a broad host of health and athletic benefits. For one, time to exhaustion is prolonged and strength is enhanced. All this, plus the anti-inflammatory and disease- fighting properties attributed to high levels of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, make dark leafy greens and berries an essential tool for athletes.

Five Day Water Fast

February 23, 2018March 26, 2022 / Leo Garcia / 3 Comments

Years ago before I ran my second marathon, I read several books by Dr. Joel Furhman. The two that I always keep going back to are his Super Immunity and Fasting and Eating for Health. A therapeutic fast with all of the associated health benefits (improved insulin resistance, decrease in inflammation, internal repair, improved digestion, decrease in cancer cell proliferation, autophagy, among many more) and the opportunity for emotional and spiritual introspection has been an appealing idea for me.

I was running a lot and to support that, fueling a lot, and my body and knees have always been temperamental. Different modes of bodywork help but fasting seemed like it would be a calm and grounding alternative. Logistically, with a busy life, it is difficult to allot a week without inconveniencing my family rhythm. Nevertheless, a few weeks ago I heard Jay Ferruggia interview Dr. Zach Bush and was reminded how fasting can improve your performance so… I had a low-key week off and tried a five day water fast.

Day 1

179.8 (though I haven’t weighed in for a while, I usually eight in at 177ish but feel like this may be high after having a slightly looser and higher in sodium bit of food yesterday)

First day was basically boring. My day seems to revolve around food thought, planning, and cooking. It may be a long 5 days.

Day 2

178.0

Both days 1 and 2 were not very productive. It’s amazing how much food punctuates and structures my day. And, how much I think of nutrition and cooking… I’ve been a bit listless but am treating the time as rest and recovery from constant exercise and fueling…

Took my boys to watch a movie and was overwhelmed by the smells of junk food. I didn’t cave but did buy them popcorn and watched them stuff their little faces.

Day 3

173.4

Last night was the first night where sleep was a bit erratic. I’ve been reading Joel Furhman’s Fasting and Eating for Health about what to eat to break the fast and the thought of an orange or watermelon followed with lettuce and steamed zucchini or potatoes sounds fantastic. It doesn’t help to have a fascination with cookbooks so I made it a point to hold off perusing them and that I would just cook one of my standard feed the kids dinners.

Went for a fast walk/hike for about 60 minutes. Felt good. Especially towards the end. Despite having gloves on, fingers have been getting cold more than usual.

Day 4

169.4

Had a difficult time sleeping last night and woke to find my alarm hadn’t gone off. Rushed around to get my son to school but still managed to make him wholegrain pancakes and a berry smoothie. Still thinking about food but the ‘clear-headedness’ has set in and it makes it easier to see food more objectively. Notice that I am constantly asking myself how I feel and will try to focus a bit on the ‘outer’ world by going to some SF museums with my younger son who is on break.

Day 5!

166.8

It’s here! Day 5! Half excited about breaking the fast, half excited to see what another few days yield…Difficulty sleeping last night because I went to bed early and had a bit of a headache. Woke up feeling better and am thinking of breaking the fast tonight at 120 hours (8 pm) with a bit of vegetable juice and bone broth….or just waiting until tomorrow if I feel good throughout the day.

Practiced a lot today and felt super productive.

I actually do not feel like breaking the fast but given the baby steps recommended for breaking a fast I thought it better to start the process. Around hour 120 I drank diluted vegetable and carrot juice and then an hour or so later some bone-broth. Fast broken.

Day After

Slept well and am going on a long walk. Feel great. Had more diluted carrot and vegetable juice and one amazingly flavorful banana. Over the next day or so, I’ll have more fresh fruit, romaine lettuce, and other vegetables, more broth, and maybe some steamed potatoes and more veggies. Tomorrow I’m planning on making a plain kitchari.

Lessons Learned

Plan on not having a plan. Let your emotional state guide you. You might feel like taking walks, you might not, you might feel like being around other people, you might not. Give yourself permission to listen to your body.
If possible, stay away from food. I cooked breakfasts for my boys before school, made dinner, and went to two movies where the smell of popcorn was overwhelming. If less will power is involved it may be better.
Enjoy the fact that you are healing internally and that ou are giving your body a long and necessary rest.
If you are caffeine-dependent, ease off a few weeks before you do your fast. I love coffee but weaned myself off and it seemed like the headaches and withdrawal symptoms most experience at the beginning of a fast didn’t hit me.
Clean up your diet months in advance. Avoid sugar, processed food, alcohol, and animal products. Stick with lots of fruit and vegetables, well-prepared legumes, starches, and whole grains, some nuts and seeds.
Meditation helps. I did about 30-40 minutes of simple breathing each day.

What would I do differently next time?

I would probably try to go for 10-12 days. On day 5 I felt close to wonderful and I wanted to enjoy exactly that state for several more days.
Maybe try to do it in the summer. My body felt colder than usual.
Avoid bone broth now that I know that animals store toxins in their bones and bone broth hype is hype.

Hope this helps all of you on a quest for better health!

Rabbit Hole Runner

Writings and reflections in the realms of nutrition, health, and running…

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