Run a perfect race: The alarm clock rings...now what? Here's how to navigate any course correctly

by Dave Kuehls

To race well, you need to train well. Duh.

But there are also race-day logistics to master. Even if you nailed all your workouts, you can still blow everything by tearing around on race morning in a manic panic in search of safety pins, finding yourself at the starting line with a jumble of jingling keys, or getting body-blocked midrace trying to pass an iPod-wearing runner. So to make sure your hard training doesn't go to waste, we've compiled all the advice you need to successfully navigate race day. Our tips start before the start, finish after the finish, and--if employed properly--will guarantee a glitch-free race. (Maybe even a PR.)

Before the Gun

Your prerace goal should be to arrive at the starting line relaxed and ready to run. Here's how

Lay It Out

"The night before, lay out everything you'll need race day on an extra bed or the floor," says Greg McMillan, a USA Track & Field certified coach in Flagstaff, Arizona. With the race start still half a day away, you can think clearly about all the things you want with you on race morning.

Travel Light

Save yourself the postrace hassle of retrieving your supplies by not checking anything. Wear an old pair of sweats and a shirt over your racing outfit that you can toss at the start (most races donate the clothes). If you need to check your bag, don't put anything in your sack that you can't live without "Ninety-nine percent of the stuff gets back to the runner," says Dave McGillivray, race director of the Boston Marathon. "But one percent always gets lost in the wash."

B.Y.O.T.P

The longer the lines at the Port-a-Johns, the more likely the potty will be out of toilet paper. "So bring your own," says Rod DeHaven, 2000 U.S. Olympic marathoner.

Show Your Number

Even though most races time with chips, you still have to wear a number. "Bib numbers show race officials that you are a registered runner," says Cliff Bosley, race director of The Bolder Boulder 10-K. "They should be visible at all times." Pin your bib on the front of your racing outfit with four safety pins to keep it from flapping around.

Secure Your Key

Find someplace to stash your car key (note: singular), but not where someone might find it, like in the gas cap, on a tire, or in a hide-a-key under the car (sound familiar?). If the key is one of those bulky computer-programmed jobs, use the valet key instead, and slide it into a zippered pocket, lace it into your shoe, or use a Shoe Pocket, which is a waterproof pouch that Velcros to your laces. You could also hand your keys to a spectating friend--as long as he has a nicer car than yours.

Stash Some Cash

If you have money with you for an emergency, you won't need it. If you don't, you will. So pin a $10 bill inside your singlet.

Bag Yourself

They aren't stylish, but plastic garbage bags do keep you warm and dry. "Cut a hole for just your head, and tuck your arms inside," says Bret Treier, cochair of the Road Runner Akron Marathon.

Warm Up Wisely

If possible, warm up by running the first mile or so of the racecourse to get the lay of the land. If you can't do that, warm up on a nearby road or sidewalk, not in a grassy field. Early morning dew can soak through your shoes and socks.

Line Up on Time

Don't get there first, since the extra wait will only make you anxious. Instead, watch the clock and keep an eye on runners as they fill in behind the start. Then join in. Many races have signs showing you where to stand according to your predicted per-mile pace. Your race doesn't have markers? If you're hoping to run a four-hour (or longer) marathon, don't line up within 100 yards of a Kenyan.

Go As A Runner

If you must dress up in a costume, "make sure it doesn't extend beyond your body so that it won't interfere with other runners," says Bosley. Elvis jumpsuit? Um, sure. Elvis cape? No.

And You're Off

Once the race starts, there's more to think about than just putting one foot in front of the other

Wait!

"Don't start your watch at the gun," says McMillan. Hard to resist, but starting your watch immediately will yield a depressing finishing time since it might take several minutes to cross the starting line. Turn your watch face inside your wrist--to avoid an accidental bump that might activate the stopwatch--then hit the start button when you reach the start. This will sync up your chip time and your watch time, so you can accurately calculate your pace.

Look For Room

As you ramp up to race pace, try to achieve "daylight" between you and other runners, which is basically two full stride lengths.

Be Patient

Don't bob and weave through the starting pack like a punt returner. You'll waste energy without getting very far. Instead, jog or walk with your arms slightly out to help you keep your balance. And be sure not to follow the guy with the headband who has jumped the curb and is sprinting ahead. The race gods will make him trip.

Drink Second

The first water stop in larger races often resembles a crowded subway station at rush hour. As long as you're not thirsty, go ahead and skip it. "You don't want to trip or slip on someone else's cup," says Treier. "So move over to the double-yellow line and run right through."

Pass with Caution

Runners with MP3 players likely don't know you're approaching. "In a crowded race, runners need to have a level of consciousness about their environment, and people wearing headphones don't," says Phil Stewart, race director of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten-Mile Run in Washington, D.C. (That's why so many races discourage headphones.) So wait until they're done singing the chorus, then yell, "Passing on the left!" Make sure to give Mr. or Ms. iPod a wide berth--while making sure you don't cut anyone off.

Steal Some Airtime

Look for TV cameras. If you spot one, move into an open space and simply point at it. Waving and shouting signals desperation.

Slow Down on the Side

If you need to slow your pace, do so gradually and move to the right side of the road, again making sure you don't cut anyone off, like the ex-Georgia Tech linebacker behind you.

Hold the Hoorays

Sure, it's easy to get animated when you're a couple of miles from the finish. You're almost there. Yet yukking it up expends a lot of energy. "I once saw my wife talking, waving, and blowing kisses," says Treier. "I yelled out: 'Save it.' She didn't listen, and she did not finish with a smile on her face."

Happy Endings

As you cross the finish line, you're not quite done yet: the finishing chute stretches ahead

Keep Moving

Once across the finish line, runners are all striving toward a common goal--a cold drink and a shower. If you don't keep moving forward, you'll likely get knocked around.

Take the Wrap

Worn like a cape, mylar race blankets keep the heat in. And if you're offered a sticker or piece of tape with the cape, use it to secure the blanket at the neck so that you can keep your hands free. Note: It doesn't matter which side of the blanket is in and which side is out. It traps your body heat either way.

Ditch the Chip

If you've used one of those secure plastic ties to attach your chip to your shoe, it takes the volunteers about two seconds to get it off. "Another efficient way is to lace the chip into the shoe just below the knot so all you have to do is untie your shoe to get it off," says Mike Burns, president of ChampionChip. "If the chip is laced farther down, below the eyelets and along the tongue, you'll have to unlace the shoe to remove the chip." This will stop you cold.

Drink Up

Even though you are no longer running, you need fluids to rehydrate and recover. Take some and keep moving.

Wear Your Hardware

Drape your finisher's medal around your neck. You need your hands for other things as you continue to move through the chute. Just make sure to take off the medal sometime in the next month.

Eat. A Little

Get yourself some food, but "just your share," says Gordon Bakoulis, a running coach in New York City. You need carbs to begin postrace recovery, not to feed your entire extended family. Besides, stopping for extra food will only slow things down. And any leftover food is often given away to a charity, like a local food bank.

Find Your Family

Have a prearranged spot to meet up with your family and friends after the race. Anything solid and immovable is best, like a tree, the front steps of a building, or Mike, who quit running three years ago. Don't suggest something like the middle of a field, which could be jam-packed with runners come race day. Next, make sure you spot your group before they see you. Now start limping (cue the sympathy violins). But do so with a huge smile on your face.

Quercetin

WHAT IT IS: Quercetin is an antioxidant flavonoid present in everything from wine and tea to onions and garlic. Apples, green vegetables and leafy greens also contain this powerful antioxidant. (Plug alert: Mark’s Master Formula contains a really potent helping!) Quercetin is particularly helpful for overworked blood vessels, meaning quercetin is a must for optimum heart health.

WHAT IT DOES: Quercetin is one antioxidant of many; other flavonoid antioxidants include polyphenols, red wine’s resveratrol, and tea’s catechins. All are vital to good health. In general, antioxidants destroy the dangerous free radicals that are responsible for many health problems that have roots in cellular damage. Quercetin is unique because it does more than the typical antioxidant – in addition to destroying free radicals and supporting cardiovascular health, quercetin may boost cellular energy levels.

STUDIES SHOW: Well-documented studies show that quercetin is capable of blocking an enzyme called catechol-O-methyltransferase (or COMT). By inhibiting this enzyme, the level of a substance called norepinephrine is raised, creating several neat effects. Scientists think some of these may include increased energy expenditure and possibly more. It’s recently been shown that quercetin appears to support LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation. This makes it a terrific supplement to support a healthy cardiovascular system.

In addition, quercetin is known to have antihistamine effects, making it a valuable antioxidant supplement for those troubled by allergies. Recent research has theorized that quercetin may also be beneficial to asthmatics for this very reason.

WHY WE LIKE IT: We really dig quercetin for its antioxidant properties and therefore significant role in heart health. Since quercetin may help to fight heart disease, we think it’s vital for everyone.

Quercetin is also great for those with allergies because of its antihistamine effects. An important vasodilator, quercetin supports the cardiovascular system and may strengthen blood vessels. In addition, quercetin’s known ability to increase norepinephrine levels in the brain leads many scientists to believe quercetin may help to increase one’s cellular energy output. That’s one hard-working antioxidant!

Potassium: This crucial mineral helps keep you hydrated and aids in recovery. Here's how to get it

by Yishane Lee

Even Freud would concede that a runner who finishes a marathon with bananas on the brain is not thinking impure thoughts. There's a simple, physiological reason for the water-and-bananas combo that's become a staple in almost every postrace recovery tent: Water hydrates and bananas supply potassium.

Potassium is a mineral that works with sodium (also a mineral) to balance the fluids and electrolyte levels in your body. And since steady fluid levels help to regulate your heartbeat and prevent muscles from cramping, potassium is of particular importance to runners. "Think of it as the gatekeeper for fluid movement in and out of the body's cells," says Lisa Dorfman, R.D., a sports nutritionist at the University of Miami's athletic department. Most of the sodium in your body is stored outside your cells, while most of the potassium is stored within. Yet because of their different concentration levels, potassium constantly wants to get out and sodium wants to get in. The transfer of these two crucial minerals in and out of the cells--the "sodium-potassium pump"--comprises 20 to 40 percent of an adult's resting energy expenditure.

Put that adult in motion, running, and studies have shown that he or she will finish a marathon with more potassium outside his or her cells than inside. That's why you feel weak, your legs might start to cramp, and you may begin to feel bloated. But thanks in part to that unoriginal (albeit useful) banana and water foisted upon you at the finish line, the imbalance returns to normal in about an hour.

Although potassium's main job is maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance within the body, it may also protect against heart disease. In the definitive 1997 study called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, volunteers who took in 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day through a well-rounded diet that was loaded with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, plus some fish, poultry, nuts, and beans, lowered their blood pressure in just two weeks. "Potassium can act as a diuretic," says Leslie J. Bonci, R.D., director of the sports-medicine nutrition program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "This is helpful because it gets rid of extra fluid and decreases the pressure forced through the cardiovascular system."

Fresh Is Best

Since potassium plays such a key role in hydration, runners might be worried about taking in enough. Relax. Potassium is found in so many common foods that supplementation is rarely necessary to meet the Daily Value of 3,500 milligrams. High-mileage runners may want to take in closer to 4,700 milligrams (you can safely ingest three times that per day), but these amounts are easy to attain by eating a varied diet that consists of lots of fresh, unprocessed foods. That's because potassium is abundant in all living plant and animal cells. The cells remain intact--along with their potassium content--until food is processed, making whole foods the best source. "Just one regular carrot, or six baby carrots, has about 300 milligrams," says Bonci. "What I tell athletes who are already paying extra attention to their carbohydrate and protein intake, is to simply choose carbs and proteins that are also rich in potassium." Bonci's five favorite potassium sources are: a four-inch-long baked potato, which contains about 800 milligrams; a banana (500 milligrams), eight ounces of milk (450 milligrams), eight ounces of yogurt (400 milligrams), and a nectarine (300 milligrams).

While it's hard to become potassium deficient, it's not impossible. Dorfman cautions that some college athletes who train consistently in hot, humid weather and who eat a typical college diet--lots of fast foods that are high in sodium and low in potassium--have exhibited signs of potassium deficiency such as pronounced muscle fatigue. So it's best to concentrate on eating a wide variety of whole foods every day to keep your potassium levels optimal. That and eating that banana in the recovery tent.


Get Cooking: Potassium with a Spoon

Island Vegetable Soup can be served warm or cool and contains 1,486 milligrams of potassium per cup. The recipe below, reprinted from The Tropical Diet, by Lisa Dorfman, R.D. (Food Fitness International, Inc., 2004), serves eight.

Ingredients

1 pound cassava and yams, peeled, and cut into large chunks
Cooking spray
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
3 tomatillos, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
1/2 cup chopped chives
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 ounces) whole tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 plantain, completely ripe, diced
1 large can (32 ounces) chicken broth

Directions

Steam the cassava and yams over high heat until tender. Remove and set aside.

Heat cooking spray in a sauté pan, then add onion and pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about three minutes.

Add chives, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes, breaking the tomatoes with the back of spoon. Add the basil and thyme and cook covered for an additional 10 minutes over low heat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in steamed cassava and yams, plantain, tomatillos, and combine. Add chicken broth and cook for one to two minutes more. The consistency should be like a stew.

Each one-cup serving has: 252 calories; 59 grams of carbohydrate; five grams of protein; one gram of fat.


Beyond Bananas

If you don't like the most popular potassium-packed fruit, these foods all have more than 225 milligrams of the mineral per half-cup serving:

Apricots
Avocados
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Kiwi
Lima beans
Milk
Oranges
Prunes
Spinach
Tomatoes
Meats, poultry, fish

Pharmacy fatigue? Here are the best over-the-counter cures to heal what ails you

by Amy Gorin

Your sprint to the finish line wasn't fueled by personal-record ambitions or competitive fire. Instead, it was last night's curry chicken. Your next event: a dash to the drugstore. But once you're there, confusion postpones relief. You reach for the pink stuff. Wait. What about the pill you saw on TV? Or could an antacid do the trick?

It's difficult to choose these days. According to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, more than 100,000 over-the-counter products are sold in the United States. Whether it's a case of GI distress, a throbbing headache, or a runny nose, runners want fast fixes that won't slow them down. With the help of several physicians and pharmacists, we compiled a list of the best runner-friendly over-the-counter products. Because runners have no time for sickness.

Your nose is more congested than a marathon starting line

Treat stuffiness with a nasal spray containing oxymetazoline. "It acts immediately, so you could use it just before you run," says Michigan-based pharmacist and runner Christie Verran. Don't use for more than five days, or the drug can cause "rebound congestion"--overuse can make the inside of your nose swell, blocking the nasal passage.

Your Fix: Several nasal sprays contain oxymetazoline, including Afrin, Zicam, and generic brands.

Extra Tip: Breathe Right nasal strips can provide relief while you sleep or run. The strips lift the sides of your nose to improve your ability to breathe.

You have a full-blown cold--sneezing, coughing, runny nose

A Detroit Medical Center study found that zinc lozenges cut the common cold's duration by more than three days. Participants took one lozenge containing 12.8 milligrams of zinc acetate every two to three hours while awake.

Your Fix: Lozenges containing zinc acetate, such as Quantum Thera Zinc.

Extra Tip: For the fastest recovery possible, Lewis Maharam, M.D., medical director for the New York City Marathon, recommends avoiding common cold relievers such as Sudafed. "You'll get over a cold faster by letting your body fight it off," he says. Coughing, for example, helps your body clear itself of germs.


Your feet itch and burn

Athlete's foot is a fungal infection that thrives in moist areas such as locker-room showers and wet running socks. Use a treatment with terbinafine or butenafine, which kill the fungus faster than other remedies, says Steve Pray, Ph.D., professor of nonprescription drugs at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Your Fix: Lamisil AT, which contains terbinafine, Lotrimin Ultra, which contains butenafine, or generic versions of these brands.

Extra Tip: Change out of wet socks, wear flip-flops in locker rooms, and dry your feet last when toweling off.

Montezuma takes his revenge during your runs

Stomach woes can interfere with a run for a variety of reasons, including excessive hydration. "When you drink too much water, it moves through the GI tract without being absorbed, and that causes diarrhea," says James Glazer, M.D., professor of sports medicine at the University of Vermont School of Medicine. So limit fluid intake to less than 16 ounces an hour before a run. Also, avoid foods high in protein, fat, or fiber, which are slow to digest. Dr. Glazer cautions against making a habit of taking anti-diarrhea meds that contain loperamide, such as Imodium A-D, before a run. Loperamide can mask symptoms of dehydration, and taken on a regular basis, it could cause constipation or damage to your GI lining.

Your Fix: Bismuth subsalicylate, which is gentler on the stomach. It's found in Pepto-Bismol and generic brands.

Extra Tip: Meet with a sports nutritionist. Tweaking your diet will likely decrease your need for pit stops.

Your head's pounding before you start pounding the pavement

For headaches, take acetaminophen rather than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before a run. NSAIDs decrease blood flow to the kidneys, which regulate salt levels. If you also overhydrate, this heightens your risk of developing hyponatremia, a low concentration of sodium in the blood that can lead to coma, seizures, and in rare cases, death, says Dr. Maharam. Save the anti-inflammatories to soothe your postrun aches and pains.

Your Fix: Tylenol 8 Hour Extended Relief and generic brands that contain 650 milligrams of acetaminophen.

Extra Tip: Get a massage. University of Miami researchers found that two weekly 30-minute massages decreased headache pain in migraine sufferers.

There's a bonfire in your chest

For fast heartburn relief, pick liquid formulas over chewables. "The liquid works instantaneously," says Paul Doering, M.S., of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Florida. "The tablet has a 10- to 15-minute delay because it has to disintegrate."

Your Fix: Mylanta, Maalox, and several generic brands offer liquid antacids.

Extra Tip: Lay off the caffeine--it relaxes the muscle that keeps food and acid in your stomach.

You have a blister so big it needs its own shoe

A small blister can be left alone, but anything larger than a dime needs prodding. Otherwise, it could burst midrun and become infected. To drain, sterilize a needle with rubbing alcohol and gently stick the blister. Leave the flap of skin alone. "It acts as a natural Band-Aid," says Dr. Maharam. Apply an antibiotic ointment containing the bacitrain and polymyxin and cover with a bandage. Be weary of ointments containing a third antibiotic, neomycin, which can trigger an allergic reaction in some people.

Your Fix: Polysporin ointment (or generic brand)

Extra Tip: Dr. Glazer recommends liquid bandages over the traditional kind. "Dirt and grit and even bacteria can accumulate under a regular Band-Aid," he says. "If you apply a liquid Band-Aid to a clean area, then nothing gets in there."

Your [insert body part here] aches

"For joints, ice is the best remedy for reducing inflammation and pain," Dr. Glazer says. Although you can buy an ice pack at a drug store, Dr. Glazer is partial to the grocery store alternative: frozen peas. Ice your knee or ankle for 20 minutes, then remove the pack for 20. Continue this cycle until you feel relief. If the pain is muscular, apply ice during the first 24 hours, then switch to heat. Dr. Glazer prefers heat wraps, which unlike heating pads, won't overheat and burn skin. They also penetrate deeper and last longer--you can wear them for up to eight hours.

Your Fix: Frozen veggies; ThermaCare Air-Activated HeatWraps

Extra Tip: Decrease inflammation from the inside out with an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen. French researchers found that osteoarthritis sufferers who took 400 milligrams of ibuprofen had 23 percent less pain than those who took 1,000 milligrams of acetaminophen.

Germ Warfare

Arm yourself with these tools to stay out of the doctor's office and on the roads.

Disinfectant sprays or wipes. Wipe down your workspace daily. A University of Arizona study found that the average desk houses up to 400 times more germs than a toilet seat.

Vitamin E. An Oregon State University study found that ultramarathoners who took 400 IU of the vitamin didn't suffer the immune system breakdown usually caused by extreme exercise.

Humidifier. "A humidifier keeps the nose from getting irritated and makes the resistance barrier between you and the germs stronger," says James Glazer, M.D., of the University of Vermont.

Hand sanitizer. Active ingredient ethyl alcohol is an antiseptic that kills germs without water.

The healthy runner's diet: Follow these six rules for a healthy, whole-foods eating plan designed just for a runner like you

by Liz Applegate Ph.D.

"Where's the food?" that's the question I ask many runners when I review their food diaries. It's not that they're starving. Most are taking in lots of calories and nutrients--but it's in the form of energy bars, nutrient-enhanced drinks, and fortified packaged foods. The problem is, "real" foods--fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats--are better for you than fortified products.

That's because there's more to a carrot or a sweet potato than just vitamin A. Within the body, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients work together with literally thousands of other compounds, such as color components in fruits and vegetables, special starches and fibers in whole grains, and unique fats in seeds, nuts, and dairy. And it's the whole package that promotes good health and peak athletic performance.

Of course, protein bars and calcium-fortified juices seem like a convenient way to take in all of the 50-plus nutrients every runner needs daily. But getting them--and more--from real food is easy. Follow these six rules every day, and your body will get everything it needs for better health and better running.

Rule #1: Eat seeds or foods made from seeds

What makes seeds so special? Seeds--including whole grains, many beans, and even tree nuts--contain the crucial mix of nutrients necessary to grow a new plant, which means they are packed with health-boosting compounds. In addition to traditional nutrients like protein and essential fats, seeds contain bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds and ferulic acid, which act as antioxidants.

Eating a diet with ample plant seeds has been shown to improve health and help maintain a healthier body weight. People who eat whole grains and beans have a lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, and they tend to have lower cholesterol levels than people who don't eat nuts and seeds.

Course 1: Walnut and Blueberry Bran Pancakes

Rule #2: Eat five different colored fruits and vegetables daily

You already know that eating fruits and veggies supplies your body with vitamins, minerals, and the carbs it needs to fuel your running. Fruits and vegetables also fill you up with few calories, helping you maintain your weight. But to get the most from your produce, you need to think in terms of color--yellow, orange, red, green, blue, purple, and every shade in between. There are 400-plus pigments that light up the produce aisle, and each offers unique health benefits.

The rich red in pomegranate comes from anthocyanins, the deep red in tomatoes comes from lycopene, and the bright orange in sweet potatoes comes from beta-carotene. These and other pigments have been shown to lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's, while also improving your memory. And since most pigments act as antioxidants, they can help reduce inflammation caused by disease or heavy exercise. But new studies suggest that the pigments in produce need to interact with other color compounds in fruits or vegetables to produce their beneficial effects, which is why it's important to eat a wide variety of colors every day. The results of these studies also explain why taking a single pigment, such as beta-carotene in supplement form, doesn't lead to the same health improvements as eating the whole foods and may even increase your risk for some diseases.

Course 2: Basque Grilled Vegetable Kabobs with Key Lime Chimichurri

Rule #3: Eat plant foods with their skins intact

Drop the peeler. From apples and black beans to red potatoes and zucchini, plants' outer skins protect them from UV light, parasites, and other invaders. As a result, those skins are bursting with a wide range of phytochemicals that also protect your health. Grape skins, for example, are high in resveratrol, and onion skins contain quercetin, both of which can help lower your risk of heart disease and colon and prostate cancer, and boost your immunity.

Produce skin is also rich in resistant starches and various types of fiber. These compounds promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines, improve intestinal function (relieving constipation and decreasing hemorrhoid risk), and help curb appetite and aid in weight control. Studies have shown that fiber from vegetable and fruit skins (which contain both soluble and insoluble fibers) actually blocks absorption of three to four percent of total calories consumed when eaten as part of a high-fiber diet. This is why people who follow a higher-fiber diet (over 35 grams daily) that consists of mainly fruits and vegetables tend to have lower body-fat levels and smaller waist sizes than low-fiber eaters.

Course 3: Curried Lentils with Butternut Squash

Rule #4: Drink milk and eat milk products that come from animals

Whether from a cow, a goat, or even a reindeer, mammal milk (as opposed to soy milk) and other dairy products, like cheese, yogurt, and kefir, should be a part of every runner's diet. Sure, milk supplies calcium, and calcium builds strong bones, which is great for your running. But animal milk offers much more.

Dairy supplies a runner's hardworking muscles with an ample amount of protein to help speed recovery. But whey protein, the specific type of protein found in dairy foods, may also help strengthen the immune system. Milk products also contain stearic acid, which is thought to improve blood-cholesterol levels. Ample research also suggests that regular dairy consumption can lower your blood pressure and your risk for heart disease. And for anyone watching his or her weight, studies have shown that dieters who include dairy in their low-calorie plans lose more fat than those who simply cut calories.

Fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, cultured milk, and kefir, contain live bacteria, which also bolster immune health. These bacteria, as well as a special fat in dairy called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), can also help alleviate constipation, improve symptoms of certain intestinal ailments, such as inflammatory bowel disease, and reduce the occurrence of yeast infections in women. And people who are lactose intolerant may see an improvement in their symptoms when they regularly consume cultured dairy products.

Course 4: Seasonal Fruit Smoothie

Rule #5: Eat foods that come from cold water

Fish and other seafood provide a unique combination of nutrients important to runners. Most seafood is an excellent source of quality protein (you need about 50 percent more protein than your nonrunning friends) and also contains zinc, copper, and chromium--minerals that are often low in a runner's diet. But the omega-3 fats found in fish, particularly those from cold waters, are what make seafood such an essential part of anyone's diet.

Over the past decade, researchers have unfolded a fish story of grand proportions: People who eat fish and other seafood a few times per week have a lower risk of sudden heart attack, vascular disease, and stroke. Fish intake has also been linked to lower rates of depression. And recently, low intake of fish (and omega-3 fats) has been associated with certain behavioral conditions in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Anthropological scientists who study "caveman" nutrition theorize that our ancestors consumed much more omega-3 fats than we currently do and that many of our modern-day ailments, such as heart disease and Alzheimer's, may stem from low omega-3 fat intake. Runners should also note that the omega-3s in fish have anti-inflammatory capabilities, giving them the potential to counter exercise-induced muscle soreness and help alleviate diseases such as psoriasis.

Course 5: Spicy Salmon Lettuce "Gyros"

Rule #6: Eat meat, poultry, or eggs from free-range or grass-fed animals

By eating lean meats, poultry, and eggs, along with dairy products, runners can easily meet their increased protein needs and take in crucial minerals that can be hard to get from non-animal sources. In particular, meats are a great source of iron and zinc, which support healthy red blood cells and a strong immune system. And these two minerals are simply better absorbed by the body when they come from meat instead of non-meat sources.

While a vegetarian lifestyle can be quite healthy, studies suggest that diets balanced with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean cuts of meat, including beef and skinless poultry, help lower blood-cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and heart-disease risk. Sticking to lean meats, however, is key; so consider foods from animals raised in open pastures that graze on grasses. Compared with their stockyard-raised, corn-fed counterparts, free-range, grass-fed animals may contain more omega-3 fats and less artery-clogging saturated fats due to their healthier diets and higher activity levels.

Course 6: Koto Kapama (Cinnamon Chicken)

Perfect food pairs: Boost nutrition by combining these foods

by Liz Applegate Ph.D.

Cereal + Strawberries = Higher iron absorption
Even if your bowl of iron-rich breakfast cereal contains 50 percent of your daily iron needs, your body will absorb only eight percent. Double the absorption simply by topping it with a vitamin C-rich food like strawberries or kiwi.

Whole-grain toast + Peanut butter = Higher vitamin E absorption
Whole grains, especially breads, are a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E, which helps stave off muscle soreness after a tough workout and offers protection against heart disease. Your body, however, needs help getting vitamin E into your circulation. Pairing healthy fats, such as peanut butter or a dip of olive oil, with your whole grains helps the body access vitamin E.

Black beans + Salsa = Higher mineral absorption
Beans are chock full of nutrients, but the phytic acid in them blocks absorption of important minerals, such as zinc and iron. To help your body absorb more minerals, eat beans with a vitamin C-rich food like salsa, since vitamin C counters the effects of phytic acid.

Yogurt + Jerusalem artichokes = Higher calcium absorption and increased immunity
Yogurt is loaded with calcium and live bacteria that help keep your immune system strong. Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes, contain inulin-an indigestible carbohydrate that helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria and increases calcium absorption in the intestines.

Mixed greens + Olive or canola oil = Higher beta-carotene absorption
Arugula, romaine, and other leafy greens are a great source of carotenoids like beta-carotene, which offer protection against cancer and Alzheimer's. But a study from Iowa State University revealed that virtually no carotenoids were absorbed by those who ate a salad with fat-free dressing, since carotenoids need fat to be utilized by the body.

Long run survival: Follow this routine to recover from long runs

by Jim and Phil Wharton

Long runs are the centerpiece of marathon training. But the key isn't just how you run them--it's also how you recover from them. Muscles regenerate and get stronger during the rest period after hard bouts of exercise. So in order to run well and stay injury-free, we recommend the following recovery routine. Work it into your schedule after every long run of 18 miles or more.

Hydrate: Drink eight to 16 ounces of sports drink, which replenishes electrolytes and minerals lost through sweat.

Change: Your body needs to cool down; putting on dry clothes (even just a fresh top) will help your body regulate its temperature.

Reload: Consume a mix of carbs and protein within 15 minutes after a run to jumpstart muscle recovery. Our personal favorite: hemp protein powder mixed in juice.

Shower: Warm water relaxes the nervous system and helps your body readjust its temperature.

Stretch: Doing our flexibility routine within an hour of ending a run boosts circulation, which aids recovery.

Refuel, again: Once your stomach has settled, eat a meal with a balance of carbs and protein to replace your glycogen (energy) stores and rebuild damaged muscle. Our post run staple is quinoa, a whole grain high in protein.

Get horizontal: Naps are ideal, but you'll benefit from even a 15- to 30-minute break with your feet up (promotes circulation, relaxes heart rate).

Cool down: In the evening, soak in a cool or cold bath for 10 minutes to aid muscle recovery and prevent soreness the next day.

Self-massage: A sports massage can be too intense post-long run; kneading your own muscles helps you regulate your comfort level.

Does stretching prevent injuries?

by Amby Burfoot


Everyone knows that flexibility is good for runners, right? Too bad medical research doesn't agree.

Editors are generally a timid and bookish lot. You'll find few Purple Hearts in our ranks, and few of us trying out for Fear Factor. In two decades at Runner's World, I've gone to the brink of combat just once.

It happened 10 years ago at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. I was attending a slideshow on "Stretching and Running Injuries," and the speaker kept making fun of Runner's World. His data on Honolulu marathoners indicated that runners who stretched got injured more often than those who didn't. After each of his statistical slides, he'd project pages of Runner's World with articles like "9 Best Stretches for Runners." The message was clear: the editors of this magazine must be lost in space.

Hey, wait a minute, that's me. When the lights came on, I rushed to the microphone, huffing, puffing, and expanding my chest to its full 38 inches. I felt my testosterone surging. This dude was in trouble.

"Thanks for the fascinating paper," I said. "I'm just curious. If stretching doesn't work, why do runners keep doing it?"

So much for my Terminator fantasy.

These days, as the running population keeps booming, the question of stretching's value is more important than ever. No wonder a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control received so much attention. It, too, cast doubt on the effectiveness of stretching, concluding, "There is not sufficient evidence to endorse or discontinue routine pre-run or post-run stretching to prevent injury among competitive or recreational athletes."

I always thought the folks at the CDC worked around the clock on SARS, HIV, and the biohazards of sci-fi movies. These people have time for sore Achilles tendons?

Stephen Thacker, M.D., the study's head author, assures me he has spent many years in public health surveillance, epidemiology, and infectious diseases. But, he says, obesity is costing the United States more than $100 billion a year, and the CDC believes that more exercise could reduce this healthcare burden.

"We want to promote physical activity," says Dr. Thacker, "but we have to look at all the things that either encourage or discourage exercise, such as the amount of time it takes to exercise, and the injuries you can get. We look for the science before we make any recommendations."

For Dr. Thacker's paper "The Impact of Stretching on Sports Injury Risk: A Systematic Review of the Literature," he and his colleagues pored over nearly 100 other published medical studies on the subject. Their key conclusions: stretching does increase flexibility; the highest-quality studies indicate that this increased flexibility doesn't prevent injuries; few athletes need extreme flexibility to perform their best (perhaps just gymnasts and figure skaters); and more injuries would be prevented by better warm-ups, by strength training, and by balance exercises, than by stretching.

Ian Shrier, M.D., a past president of the Canadian Society of Sports Medicine, has been drilling into the stretching literature since the early 1990s. In a 1999 paper titled "Stretching Before Exercise Does Not Reduce the Risk of Local Muscle Injury," Dr. Shrier lists five reasons why stretching shouldn't be expected to work. Among them: stretching won't change eccentric muscle activity (when a muscle simultaneously contracts and lengthens, as in downhill running), which is believed to cause most injuries; stretching can produce damage at the skeletal level; and stretching appears to mask muscle pain, which could cause the exerciser to ignore this key pre-injury signal. He concludes: "The basic science and clinical evidence today suggests that stretching before exercise is more likely to cause injury than to prevent it."

This is certain to come as a shock to many runners. In a recent Runner's World Online Poll, 89 percent of respondents said they try to make stretching "a regular part" of their program. Stretching has worked for them, so why should they stop? "I was sidelined with an IT band injury, but my PT taught me some new stretches," one runner wrote. "Since then, I have not had any problems." Many others stretch simply because it feels good.

It's easy to understand why flexibility has fans. I want to be flexible—not rigid—in my life, especially in my thinking. Likewise, we all know that tall buildings and long bridges are built to be flexible. Their flexibility enhances their strength in the face of hurricanes and earthquakes. No doubt: Flexibility is good.

Until you consider runners' relationship with "motion," which is another word for flexibility. Runners try to avoid too much motion. We wear orthotics to prevent over-pronation. We wear knee straps to prevent too much lateral movement. We do crunches to build a rock-hard midsection. Flexibility sounds like a great idea, but has definite drawbacks for runners.

The best research on stretching and injury prevention has been done with military recruits. Military training has much in common with exercise, and the Army has a huge interest in keeping injuries to a minimum. In one study, titled "Physical Training and Exercise-Related Injuries," a U.S. Army research team found that trainees with the highest and lowest flexibility had the highest injury rates. They were, respectively, 2.2- and 2.5-times more likely to incur an injury than trainees with average flexibility. Apparently, when it comes to flexibility and injuries, don't try to be all that you can be. Settle for average.

Surprisingly, the best-known stretching-for-runners team in the United States, the father-son duo of Jim and Phil Wharton, agree with the medical research conclusions. "We don't even use the word 'stretching' anymore," the Whartons say. "It conjures up an image of static stretching—of holding still for too long, like the tension created by a tug of war. That can actually weaken the muscle-tendon connection."

The Whartons promote AI ("active, isolated") flexibility exercises. These exercises move the muscle and joint gently and progressively to the point of slight tension, then immediately release the tension, and then repeat 10 times. There's no static-stretching hold for 10 to 30 seconds. "This promotes healthy blood circulation and lubrication to the joint," say the Whartons, whose fans include Deena Kastor, Alan Webb, and Khalid Khannouchi.

Since older runners would seem to have much to gain from stretching, I call Ed Whitlock, who last fall became the first 70+ runner to go sub-3:00 in the marathon. But Whitlock is afraid of setting a bad example. You see, he doesn't stretch. "I get the greatest return on my time by piling on miles," he says. "I don't want to dump on stretching. We all need to find our own way. But you can do too much and get injured."

The CDC's Dr. Thacker agrees. "If the time you spend stretching," he says, "causes you to lose time from something else—more running, strength training, or stability exercises—then you might be better off spending the time on that something else."

Or take the middle road: stretch in the evening while you're watching TV. I like the Wharton approach, where you keep moving through your stretches—into them and out of them. That seems like a natural way to make you feel better. And it won't cut into your training time.

Can You Really Boost Your Metabolism?

by Amby Burfoot

Burn calories--even while you sleep!--with a little strength training. Sounds great. But does it work?

Let me say right up front that I'm a big fan of strength training. Muscle is sleek and sexy, and I wish I had more. Muscle is also functional; it helps you do stuff. More muscle can help you run faster, for example, or slow down the nasty effects of aging, or get you an invite every time one of your friends needs to move heavy furniture. The problem is, strength training has been vastly oversold as a metabolism-boosting calorie burner. It's time for a reality check.

First, let's do a quick review of Metabolism 101. To lose weight, you want to increase your total calorie burn, which scientists call TEE (total energy expenditure; get ready for a parade of acronyms). To raise your TEE, you need to increase one or more of its four key parts: BMR, TEF, PAEE, and EPOC. Got that? Don't worry, I'll explain.

Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is essentially the calories you burn at rest. Also called resting energy expenditure, your BMR is important because it makes up a large percentage of total calorie burn, but unfortunately you can't do much about it. Your BMR is mostly determined by your genetic makeup and body weight. The only big-time way to boost your BMR is to gain weight, which will do nothing to help you wiggle into a bathing suit.

The thermic effect of feeding (TEF) is otherwise known as the energy your body expends while digesting food. The TEF is generally about 10 percent of your daily calorie burn, and can be nudged a little by eating multiple small meals, drinking more stimulant beverages (like coffee, tea, or Red Bull), consuming more chile peppers, and eating more protein.

Your physical-activity energy expenditure, or PAEE, is the sum total of your workouts, plus other activities like walking the dog, climbing stairs, and break dancing. It can be anything from zero to a substantial number, depending on whether you're more enamored of your sofa or your running shoes. Your PAEE is the most important part of your daily calorie burn, because you can actually do something about it.

The excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) of your workout is also known as the "afterburn," that is, the extra calories you burn after exercise. It will be zero if you don't work out, and a smallish number if you do.

Now, let's return to the supposed calorie-burning benefits of strength training. We'll start with a ridiculous review of two strength-training books that was published in The New York Times last year. The Times story quoted one author, Adam Zickerman, at some length. In his book, Power of 10: The Once-a-Week Slow Motion Fitness Revolution, Zickerman says that a single 20-minute strength-training workout burns as many calories as 25 miles of running. As he told the Times: "Three extra pounds of lean muscle burns about 10,000 extra calories a month, just sitting around."

You've probably read similar claims, which often sound like this: "Every pound of new muscle burns an additional 50 to 100 calories a day." Or "Muscle burns calories even while you sleep."

If you believe any of this, you might also want to try doing long runs in your sleep. It would sure beat that damnable alarm clock buzzing on weekends. While some personal trainers promote the calorie-burning power of muscle, most reputable experts don't. In her book Ultimate Fitness: The Quest For Truth About Exercise And Health, Gina Kolata talked to Claude Bouchard, Ph.D., a world authority on virtually all things related to obesity. His response: Sorry, but muscle actually has a relatively low metabolic rate at rest.

Bouchard is likely familiar with the article "Dissecting the Energy Needs of the Body," from a 2001 issue of Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care. This article gave me new respect for my kidneys, which burn 182 calories per day for every pound they weigh, and for my brain, which clocks in at 110 calories for every pound it weighs. But my muscles, damn them, are lazy. They burn six calories per pound, barely edging out fat's two-calorie burn. In other words, if you lose one pound of fat and replace it with one pound of muscle, your net gain in calorie burning is four calories a day. Enjoy the celery stick.

What Works

If you're interested in boosting your metabolism to lose weight, aerobic training such as running and walking (and bicycling, swimming, Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, step climbing, elliptical training) is a better investment than strength training. Here's why, with all figures taken from the authoritative "Compendium of Physical Activities." Let's say you have time to exercise for 40 minutes a day. You weigh 150 pounds, and you can do either 40 minutes of modest running (8:30 pace) or 40 minutes of moderate strength training. The tally:

Physical-activity energy expenditure (PAEE): The running will burn 522 calories, the strength training 136, largely because strength training involves too much sitting and resting between lifts. Advantage: Running, by 386 calories.

Excess post oxygen consumption: EPOC was once thought to give your metabolism a decent boost, but the experts have grown more conservative in their estimates. Most now believe that EPOC burns an extra 20 to 30 calories, about the same between aerobic and strength-building exercise, with both dependent on the length and intensity of your workout. Advantage: Running still leads by 386 calories.

Basal metabolic rate: As noted earlier, BMR isn't easy to change, and increased muscle seems to boost it by just four to six calories per pound. Also, it isn't easy to create muscle, a dirty little secret that's rarely discussed. Eating spinach and lifting weights don't guarantee you biceps like Popeye. Women in particular won't find it easy to build muscle, due to their low testosterone levels. Still, I'm in a charitable mood, so I'll give strength training 30 extra calories a day, because you might be diligent enough to add several pounds of muscle, and that muscle will burn a few extra calories every time you chase the kids, the bus, or a basketball. Advantage: Running's lead has slipped to 356 calories per workout.

And there it stands: If you want to boost your metabolism to lose more weight, run (or walk) around the block as much as you can.

But first, eat less. The experts from the American Dietetic Association and the American College of Sports Medicine all agree, generally advising a 500- to 1000-calorie-a-day reduction. Without this--that is, with exercise alone--few people succeed in their weight-loss efforts. Weight loss works best when you: (1) Eat less; (2) Add exercise to increase your daily calorie deficit; (3) Keep exercising to keep the pounds off.

The more you exercise, the better. The National Weight Control Registry has followed more than 5,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for more than six years. Their secret? They burn almost 400 calories a day in exercise, mostly by walking. This takes an hour or more a day, but by running you can cut that time almost in half.

When you're done, spend a few minutes on strength-training exercises. Strength training really is good. It adds variety to your workouts, rarely causes injuries, and can build extra muscle to go with the enhanced aerobic fitness that comes from continuous exercise.

And then there's the part about looking sleeker and sexier, and who can argue with that?

Ten ways to reduce inflammation

Dr. Barbara Rodwin

If you suffer from a chronic condition that just does not seem to heal, or which is healing at a very slow rate, then your problem may be due to a chronic inflammatory response. Dealing effectively with this chronic inflammation can make the difference between resolution of a condition or ongoing pain and dysfunction for years to come.

Chronic, low-level inflammation greatly reduces the ability of your body to heal itself. In many cases, individuals are not even aware that they are suffering from an inflammatory response.

Besides slowing your healing, Inflammation has been shown to be the underlying cause of many conditions including asthma, heart attacks, rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and several heart conditions.

So...what is inflammation?

First of all, it is important to understand that inflammation is a completely natural process. It is your immune system's first response to any infection or irritation, and is its first step in the healing process.

Inflammation is often characterized by redness, heat, swelling, pain, and dysfunction of the organs involved!

How does chronic inflammation affect healing?
Chronic inflammation is one of the key factors that stop many of my patients from healing and recovering from their injuries. In many cases, my patient does not even realize that he or she is having a chronic inflammatory response.

Inflammation causes "pooling" of fluids within tissues and increased development of what are known as fibrinogens or adhesive tissue. This in turn causes an increase in scar formation, with all sorts of functional charges that can keep a condition going on for years.

Chronic, or long-term inflammation, causes tissue damage, and often results in non-specific immune responses.

The Four Possible Results of Inflammation
1. Resolution: The complete repair of damaged tissue, and full recovery from injury. This does not usually occur, there is usually some type of residual side-effect related to scar tissue formation.

2. Connective Tissue Scarring: During wound healing, connective tissues (adhesions) are laid down to bridge the gap caused by the injury. New blood vessels bring nutrients to newly formed tissue. Scar tissue may form.

3. Abscess Formation: Abscess typically form in areas of infection as the white blood cells attempt to destroy causes of infection.

4. Chronic Inflammation: Inflammation continues to exist in the area of injury for weeks, months or years. This type of inflammation inevitably causes tissue damage.

Chronic inflammation is also now known to play a major role in: anemia, allergies, chronic pain, coronary heart disease, diabetes, dementia, psoriasis and a wide range of arthritic conditions. Chronic Inflammation is BAD NEWS for your health!

TEN Ways to Reduce Inflammation
If you want to completely resolve your injuries you will need to reduce inflammation in your body. This will help your body to heal faster, and prevent a host of diseases from taking control of your health.

No matter what type of therapy you are currently undergoing, these simple strategies for reducing inflammation will help to SPEED UP your recovery and healing processes.
Use the following simple tips to begin this inflammation reducing process:

1. Sleep at least 8 hours every night : Lack of sleep has been shown to increase chronic inflammatory responses.

2. Don't Cook Your Foods at HIGH Temperatures:

• Foods cooked at high temperatures can produce a browning effect in which glycotoxins are formed - from the reaction of sugars and fats with proteins. Glycotoxins are a contributing factor to low-grade chronic inflammation.
  

3. Keep your circulating insulin levels LOW!

• Too much insulin causes increased inflammation.
• Foods that spike blood sugar spur inflammation. You double your inflammatory rates by eating lots of white potatoes, white rice, white bread, sugar, and highly processed cereals.
• If you are overweight, you are producing too much insulin, and therefore have chronic low-level inflammation in your body. Extra fat around your mid-section is a good indicator that you are producing excess insulin. Increased insulin levels eventually lead to Type-Two Diabetes and increased risk of heart attacks.
  

4. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods! Food such as ginger, olive oil, curry powder, grapes, garlic, celery, blueberries, and green tea are known to reduce inflammatory responses.

5. Avoid foods that cause inflammatory responses! Avoid refined carbohydrates such as white pasta, white breads, bagels, cookies, white rice, cake, crackers, and potatoes.

• Get rid of all those bad fats including butter, lard, crisco, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil. They all cause increased levels of inflammation.

6. Lose that excess weight - obesity and inflammation parallel each other!

• North Americans are the most overweight people on Earth, which in turn makes them the most prone to suffer from inflammation.
• Overweight people usually have high inflammation. As the pounds disappear, the level of inflammation subsides.
  

7. Avoid foods that are high in Arachidonic Acid (AA).

• Arachidonic Acid is is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is present in the phospolipids of cell membranes. While some Arachidonic Acid is essential for your health, too much Arachidonic Acid in the diet will make your inflammation worse.Limit foods that are high in Arachidonic Acid to decrease inflammation. These include egg yolks, organ meats, beef, lamb, and pork.
  

• Use Turmeric in your cooking if you are going to eat red meat. This bright yellow Indian spice inhibits the production of Arachidonic Acid by your body.

8. Avoid Omega 6 Oils. Although Omega 6 oils are essential to your health, the typical western diet contains far too much, with a resulting increase in inflammatory responses.

Avoid the following oils, especially if you are over-weight or suspect that you have high levels of circulating insulin in your body: Safflower oil, Sunflower oil, Corn oil, and Soybean oil.

Instead of the above oils, use Extra-Virgin Olive Oil which contains the chemical Oleocanthal. Oleocanthal acts as natural pain killer, and inhibits the activity of enzymes involved in inflammation. Oleocanthal may be largely responsible for many of the benefits of a Mediterranean Diet.

TIP: Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar makes a great salad dressing....and its even GOOD for you!

9. Do Take Fish Oils! Unless you are vegetarian or allergic, this is a great source of Omega-3 Fatty Oils. A common problem with today's diets is the overproduction of pro-inflammatory hormone-like "messengers" (such as prostaglandin E2) and underproduction of anti-inflammatory "messengers" (such as prostaglandin E1 and E3).

The good news is that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil help to suppress the formation of undesirable prostaglandin E2 and promote synthesis of beneficial prostaglandin E3 (Kelley et al. 1985; Watanabe et al. 2000).

10. Take lots of Vitamin C and Vitamin E. These antioxidants suppress inflammation. In Belgian research, people who took the least amount of Vitamin C level always had the greatest amount of inflammation and peripheral (leg) artery disease. When you select your Vitamin C, you may want to take at "buffered" version since it is non-irritating to the stomach and intenstinal lining.

When you select a Vitamin E, make sure that the tablets are stored in light-proof bottles.
Vitamin E is extremely light-sensitive, and breaks down quickly when exposed to light.
Cold-water dispersible vitamin E is more efficiently absorbed than some other forms.