Discussion Question

Discussion Board Topics this week, from Chapters 9, 10:
Chapter 9:
1. Fluid and electrolyte balance is a focus of Chapter 9. Dangers of both dehydration and overhydration (hyponatremia) are discussed. Research vacillates on how much we should be drinking; do you think thirst is the best indicator? How much water should we be drinking? Back up your discussion with evidence. Do you think bottled water is better for you than tap water, or not? Why?
What do you think of sports beverages? Healthy, useful, or marketing hype? Do you like them? Do you think they are necessary for athletes?
*** Also: Check out the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) atwww.gssiweb.com.
(features research studies on sports nutrition and hydration): http://www.gssiweb.org/en/sports-science-exchange/all/sports-nutrition
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
. Select a topic and research study/abstract that interests you (scroll down), cite the article title, and discuss– what did you learn?

2. Hypertension and the roles of sodium are also discussed, as are the roles of potassium, magnesium and calcium (DASH diet- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) for both prevention and treatment of high blood pressure. If you were to follow the DASH diet for one day…… how would you incorporate the 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables into your diet? Make a plan…… also plan for inclusion of foods rich in magnesium and calcium….
List other dietary and activity ideas so as to lower risk of hypertension (not looking at meds here). Also, find an article on this topic, include the link and discuss.

Chapter 10:
3. a. Chapter 10 looks at nutrients involved in antioxidant function. Research indicates, at the cellular level, that antioxidants may help in the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. How do they do this? Explain….
b. If they do offer benefits, then why, when people take these antioxidants in supplement form, have studies not shown the same benefits? Read the article and the two abstracts below and discuss each; note and explain the mechanism by which risk for chronic disease such as cancer is increased by taking antioxidant supplements…..

(Links to an external site.)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20335555
(Links to an external site.)
http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/99/10/742.full
(Links to an external site.)
c. Also: Find an article on this topic, review, and share the link with the class.