Nutrition is extremely important for any young person, especially an athletic one, and even more so during the developmental years of their life. Whether your child is involved in soccer or football, gymnastics or swimming or Little League, he or she needs a good nutritive balance in order to be successful in any endeavor. It cannot be stressed enough that anorexia and bulimia, chronic malnutrition, are absolutely devastating not only to an athlete's career, but also to overall health and well-being. You should always watch for decreased eating in your child, no matter how robust and healthy they may seem.
Interestingly enough, very few scientific studies on the nutrition of child athletes have been published. You don't really need to be a scientist (or an alchemist) to create a healthy menu for your active youth, though. All you need is a little bit of creativity, and, of course, the facts about different kinds of foods. As is dictated by common sense, it's necessary for kids who are active to consume more caloric energy than their couch potato counterparts. Sometimes, they must take in several hundred - or even a thousand - healthy calories more than the average child, depending upon their age and upon the intensity of the sport they're participating in.
So what types of food should you give your gymnast? I'll help you out.
In General
Everyday nutrition calls for a healthy balance of protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. The most important type of caloric intake for a child athlete is carbohydrates. Without carbohydrates, the body cannot readily replenish its stores of energy in the muscles and in the liver.
Simple carbohydrates, like those found in most candies and chocolates, are not enough & harful if consumed excessively: they are used up too quickly and if eaten before competing can cause changes in blood pressure (of course, you can splurge every once in a while -- just not constantly). Longer term effects may be changes insulin secretion and resulting problems.
Pasta, bread, and rice -- in other words, foods from grain -- are best overall for carbohydrate intake. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of carbs and of vitamins and minerals. Dairy products are especially important for building strong bones and teeth. Meat -- or meat substitute -- is needed for protein intake.
Did you know that if you know... if you put beans and rice together, they create a perfect protein?
Most plants don't produce all of the proteins we as human beings need to survive -- but if they are eaten at the same time, they give you all the protein you need. That means you can have refried beans with rice, or meatless chili with rice, or a variety of other combinations, if indeed you don't want to eat beef, chicken, pork, or other animal proteins.
Before an Event
Approximately two to three hours before your child is to participate in an event, or indeed in training, you should have them eat a light meal filled with carbohydrates: a bowl of spaghetti, a sandwich with lettuce and a glass of fruit juice, carrot sticks and a piece of cheese, or something else to their taste. It's always advisable to have them exert themselves on a slightly empty stomach, because they may experience cramping or fatigue otherwise.
During an Event
During an event or practice, it is vitally important that your athlete remain hydrated. When he or she sweats profusely, water is lost to the atmosphere via evaporation. A lot of vapor is also lost through deep breathing.
This is the body's natural cooling system. It needs to be replenished, just like the cooling elements in your air conditioner. Every twenty to thirty minutes during strenuous exercise, your child should drink six to eight ounces of water. A sports drink is acceptable sometimes, so long as it has few carbohydrates (under 15-20 grams is best). Even diluted fruit juice (one part water to one part juice) will work well.
Keep in mind that dehydration is a very serious problem with athletes -- and when they begin to feel thirsty, it may already be too late. Whether or not they are thirsty, you should keep them hydrated with water, juice, or sports drinks.
After an Event
After an event, it's a good idea to let your child have something full of carbohydrates to eat - just like the pre-game meal. This will replenish their energy stores and ease their recovery time.
With all of this, good luck!
By Murray Hughes
Gymnastics Secrets Revealed "The book EVERY gymnastics parent should read"
http://www.gymnasticssecretsrevealed.com/gymnastics-article s/gymnastics_nutrition.htm
If your child is a gymnast and you enjoyed this article, you will definitely enjoy reading the zero cost, 5-day course Gymnastics Tips Course written especially for gymnastics parents. Go here now: http://www.gymnasticssecretsrevealed.com/gymnastics-articles /gymnastics_nutrition.htm For AOL Users - http://www.gymnasticssecretsrevealed.com/gymnastics-article s/gymnastics_nutrition.htm
expert residential cleaners Park Ridge ..Cholesterol finds its way into our bodies in two main... Read More
Much controversy and argument surrounds the idea that food may... Read More
The secret of success is knowing how to deal with... Read More
Spring in New York City is a really magical time.... Read More
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the healthiest of them... Read More
How Can... Read More
Many people use sugar as medicine. Sugar tends to change... Read More
Being vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the... Read More
NutrientsFat, Sugar, Sodium and CarbohydrateThe sections on a food label... Read More
Zingiber officinale has been held in the highest regard by... Read More
Headlines:Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with... Read More
Nails are a protective horn at the end of our... Read More
Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More
If you want to lose weight, there is one thing... Read More
Eating healthy is fast becoming a way of life. American's... Read More
Many of us sprinkle oregano on our pizza and stews... Read More
Bye Bye HolidaysHoping everyone had a fun, fantastic, exciting and... Read More
The fact that diet directly affects behaviour is no news,... Read More
During the Second World War, the Germans used fluoride as... Read More
During a recent discussion with my father about low carb... Read More
Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This... Read More
Americans are literally running out of time. Achieving a work-life... Read More
A frequent misunderstanding about macrobiotics is that it is a... Read More
What is the best protein powder to buy? I get... Read More
Do you need omega 3 fatty acid in your diet?... Read More
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..With all the news about Splenda of late and the... Read More
One of the most common questions I am asked is... Read More
Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used... Read More
Most digestive disorders develop because of the bodys inability to... Read More
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you... Read More
I start from the premise that eating instinctively means eating... Read More
In parts 1-6 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
At any grocery store in North America right now, there... Read More
Acid Reflux Disease, or GERD, is a common disease which... Read More
Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More
What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally... Read More
Health food or heart attack on a plate? Eggs had... Read More
Random thoughts taken from valuable sources, what many nutrition experts... Read More
Much controversy and argument surrounds the idea that food may... Read More
During the past thirty years there has been a steadily... Read More
Arthritis - if you suffer from this illness, I don't... Read More
Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of... Read More
Food addiction isn't a problem. Pretending like you can't live... Read More
It is ironic how something as obvious as nutrition has... Read More
Many people experience unpleasant reactions to foods they have eaten... Read More
While there are many effective ways to get more energy... Read More
East Meets WestAsian cultures have realized the medical benefits of... Read More
You wouldn't judge a book by its cover, would you?You... Read More
THE RISKWhen you consume food that's high in acid or... Read More
Do you notice your child putting off going to the... Read More
Nutrition |