Nutrition: Striking While It’s Hot

Striking While It’s Hot: Boosting Immunity on the Right Time 

By Dawn Weatherwax RD, LD, ATC, CSCS

The objective whereas coaching is to remain wholesome, stay injury-free and get better sturdy. This permits the chance to get one of the best out of your competitors potential! However, typically athletes can do the whole lot proper on their hydration, vitamin and sleep objectives, however nonetheless discover themselves getting the sniffles or beginning to really feel underneath the climate.

Is there something that may be executed to assist athletes when this happens? Believe it or not, there may be!

 

DAILY CHECKLIST

First, let’s recap what an athlete ought to be doing day by day to amplify well being and immunity:

1. Eating sufficient and reaching 100% nutritional vitamins A, E, & C, D (meals/ supplementation). Daily vitamin has essentially the most impression on all points of coaching, particularly immunity. However, 75% of athletes chronically undereat or have an excessive amount of added sugar or saturated fats. Undereating (in any other case generally known as “low vitality availability”) is a major issue. The physique must be nourished correctly to get better, restore, develop and to do back-to-back trainings optimally. Carbohydrates, protein and wholesome fat are concerned in a wide range of immune processes.

2. Optimal fluid consumption. Shortage of hydration consumption not solely impairs efficiency, however impacts the integrity of the mucosal lining within the intestine. A weak intestine results in an elevated alternative to get sick.

3. Daily pre/probiotic meals/supplementation. Probiotics impression the well being of our intestine microbiome. A wholesome intestine impacts how properly we struggle sickness.

4. Sleeping properly. Lack of steady sleep weakens the immune system and opens up the chance to get sick or injured.

 

NEXT STEPS (Within 24 hours of chilly or flu signs)

The following reduces period and depth:

1. Vitamin C impacts irritation, kills micro organism and fights infections. The objective is so as to add 500-1,000 mg of vitamin C a day by way of supplementation in the course of the signs.

2. Zinc is an important mineral for wound therapeutic and immune system perform. It has been proven to shorten frequent colds by round 33%. The goal is 75 mg/day of elemental zinc. Better to absorb 2-4 dosages all through the day to keep away from nausea. Zinc lozenges, tablets or capsules are the commonest types of supplementation. (Do not proceed to take after 7-10 days if signs persist. High ranges of zinc intervene with copper absorption.) 

 

SUMMARY

Sometimes athletes can do the whole lot proper, however nonetheless get sick. The objective is to reduce the sickness period and depth to have negligible impression on coaching and efficiency outcomes. I extremely advocate that athletes have an “immune package” out there because it often strikes at inconvenient durations of time.

* * *

This article and the next pattern menu are academic solely and shouldn’t be used rather than medical recommendation.

3,000-CALORIE TRAINING MENU

Pre-Swim Practice (4:30-5:15 a.m.)

2 slicesBrownberry® natural thin-sliced 22 entire grains & seeds bread

2 T Natural nut or seed butter

1/2 Banana (sliced)

1 Grapefruit or giant orange

16 oz Water

Training (5:30-6:45 a.m.)

4-16 oz Water an hour (quantity wanted is dependent upon sweat price)

Breakfast (6-7:30 a.m.)

Egg Sandwich:

1 Dave’s Killer English Muffin

3 Whole eggs, cooked with 1 chopped bell pepper and 1/2 cup spinach or 3-Veggies Made Great® (freezer part & GF) mushroom & cheese frittata

1 Sliced Canadian bacon or vegan/1 oz cheese

2 Kiwi

16 oz Water

Lunch (11 a.m.-12:45 p.m.)

2 oz Mary’s Gone Crackers™ (GF)

2 oz Lean turkey

1 oz Lean ham

1 oz Provolone

1 oz Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Sliced cucumbers

1-1/2 cup Grapes

2 cups Snow peas

1/3 cup Hummus or Chosen® Classic Guacamole

16 oz Water or Origin™ Sparkling Berries America Spring Water

Afternoon Snack (2-3:30 p.m.)

1 Garden of Life high-performance bar

Trailmix:

1/8 cup Raw almonds

1/8 cup Pepita seeds

1/8 cup Golden raisins

1 T Cacao nibs

1 T Dried cranberries

16 oz Water or blackberry raspberry hibiscus Bigelow Botanicals™ Cold Water Infusion tea bag

Training (3:30-5:30 p.m.)

10-20 oz Water an hour with one NUUN pill (non-compulsory) per 20 oz

Post restoration inside 30-45 min: 10-20 oz chocolate milk/soy milk or Clif Builder Bar (If you possibly can have dinner inside that point, then no want for this snack)

Evening Meal (6-7 p.m.)

3-6 oz Salmon

1-2 cups Asparagus

1 T Olive oil or non-GMO canola oil

1 cup Red potatoes with garlic

1 tsp Land o Lakes® butter with olive oil & sea salt

16 oz Water

Evening Snack (8-10 p.m.)

1 Okios® Triple Zero 20 g protein or Kite Hills® New Recipe Greek-Style yogurt 17 g protein

1 cup Raspberries

2 T Post® Grape Nuts

1/4 cup Salted pepitas seeds

 

Dawn Weatherwax (RD, LD, ATC, CSCS) is a registered/licensed dietitian with a specialty in sports activities vitamin and founding father of Sports Nutrition 2Go and Dawn Weatherwax Sports Nutrition Academy. She has been working with swimmers for over 25 years and has launched an internet vitamin program for swimmers at Dawnweatherwax.com. In addition, she is an athletic coach with a certification in power and conditioning from The National Strength and Conditioning Association.