New Guidance for Firefighter Nutrition
I'm very excited to share with you a new International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Position Stand on Tactical Athlete Nutrition. This document is open-access which means you can download it for free. (And because I'm awesome, I've included a link for you below!) Also, because it's a position stand it makes it by default, easier to read and digest. That's a win in my opinion.
In case you don't read the review, here are a couple of brief highlights to keep in mind.
There hasn't been an awful lot of research into firefighter nutrition specifically. Most of the tactical research has been done in the military.
That said, given that obesity and other first-world diseases impact our firefighters, we can rely on good general nutrition strategies just like the civilian world would employ.
Working with a dietitian and determining appropriate calorie needs would be helpful in this population.
Firefighters respond well to educational intervention and would be well-served by qualified outside speakers on this topic.
The Mediterranean Diet is not only one that firefighters enjoy but will help provide positive outcomes for this population.
Reducing oxidative stress is important and research is ongoing, but in the meantime, eat your fruits and veggies!
A few supplements can be useful "including caffeine (when properly dosed), creatine, protein powders, antioxidants, and essential amino acids may afford these individuals benefits during high-stress conditions." -from the position stand
The position stand also noted: “Strategies such as implementing wellness policies, setting up supportive food environments, encouraging healthier food systems, and using community resources to offer evidence-based nutrition classes are inexpensive and potentially meaningful ways to improve dietary habits.” (So, we are knuckleheads, but we respond to educational intervention!)
The paper is open access, so grab a copy for yourself!
Congratulations to the author, Drew Gonzalez on the publication, and my most humble thanks to Drew and the ISSN for including me as a reviewer. I’m beyond honored.
AZ is out!
