Hiking downhill good for you

[Panama Jack]

This article appeared on CNN.com today

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/diet.fitness/01/07/exercise.ups.downs.ap/index.html

But my question is, don;t you have to go uphill first?

 

[Rik]

I wonder if people have thoughts on what to eat and when while hiking as related to this study?

 

[Sherpa John]

Its HALF true in our opinion on this end. While Sarah was hiking, going UPHILL lowered her blood sugar levels to moments of frequent DANGER. But hiking DOWNHILL seemed to keep things right where it needed to be. BUT... after further investigation on our part, hiking does lower a diabetics Hemoglobin A1C count. Before this year she was at almost 10 points. She is now down to a cool 7.8 and it is ideal to have a HA1C at 7.0. So.. the study, we concur... it is TRUE! Alas! Another connection between hiking and diabetes.

Could HIKING be the CURE?

 

[Neil]

I wonder if people have thoughts on what to eat and when while hiking as related to this study?

When I'm on a hike I consume a steady supply of sugar and water. The steeper the trail the more sugar I consume. I usually take it in the form of candy or sweet tea in the winter. I base doing that on what I know about exercise phys. and reading running books, mags and websites. Lots of field testing has shown this to work for me. This is especially important on multi-day trips when I want to prevent my muscles from becoming glycogen (sugar) depleted. I bet JimB has something to say about the subject.

 

[hikerfast]

any thoughts on how low carb(atkins) diet affects this? the glycogen specifically? I'm sure a lot of people on atkins hike. I heard that you use glycogen to burn carbs, so you don't need as much if you aren't eatin them. I heard elsewhere that glycogen can be a problem.

 

[dclynch]

When I hike up hill in winter, my toes tend to get cold. They warm up rather quickly going down, even in cols. I'm pretty sure it's not the altitude or temperature, but rather something about muscle action or foot position in the boot.

 

[Quietman]

I've been on low carb food for over a year and have never had a problem with energy. I know that part of my increased stamina comes from losing weight and more activity, but I have been on 2+ mile runs in the morning before eating anything and had no problems.
Overall my sugar level is down 30 pts, cholesterol down 54, & triglycerides down 400!

 

[daxs]

All carbs are broken down into glucose. Glycogen is a stored form of glucose. Glycogen is stored in the muscles and the liver. The body uses an enzyme to break the glycogen back into glucose for the body to use.

Most of the info I have read does not recommend a low carb diet for athletes or people who work out alot. You need energy to fuel the workout. If you are not consuming carbs or have glycogen for the body to break down to fuel your workout your body will turn to fat and muscle to provide the energy.

 

[Neil]

Glycogen is a storage form of sugar found in the liver and in muscle. When you exercise your body breaks glycogen down to sugar and burns it. Actually, you burn a blend of fat and sugar. As the intensity of exercise increases the sugar fat ratio increases. Even at low intensities you consume some sugar for fuel. If the muscles start to run low on sugar the feeling of fatigue sets in. You absolutely need sugar (''fats burn in a carbohydrate flame'') so if the reserves dry up the body starts to degrade protein and turn that into sugar. Muscles are protein and its not good to be breaking them down for fuel. Especially on a hike.
All that just to say that on paper, Dr. Atkins and hiking is a bad mix. Eskimos however, had a low carb high protein diet and they survived ok. Nevertheless, a three day peakbagging fest in the Dacks would likely be pushing the envelope.

 

[DougPaul]

> Eskimos however, had a low carb high protein diet and they survived ok.

Also very important in the Eskimo diet: high fat.
They eat whale blubber (fat) the way we eat candy.

High protein without carbs or fat will kill you.

Doug

 

[Stan]

But my question is, don;t you have to go uphill first?

There are some hikes that can be downhill without going uphill first. Here are some examples:

Ride the cog or drive up Washington, then hike downhill.
Ride the gondola up Canon, then hike downhill.
At the Grand Canyon you go downhill, then you have a choice of going uphill or floating downstrream until you come to the next town.
Turn 30, they say it's all downhill from there ... don't believe it!