DIETARY ADVICE

SO just over eight weeks left to this year’s Hope and Dream race on April 7 where we should all be feeling the benefits of the training and healthy eating. In order to maintain optimal training the body must be properly fuelled with appropriate nutrients, the diet should include a variety of foods to ensure adequate intake of vitamins and minerals.

In the last number of weeks we have covered the hydration, carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats and this week we are going to cover vitamins and minerals needed as the training intensifies.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals in foods are necessary for the body to grow, develop and function properly. Our bodies require a number of different vitamins and minerals each of which have a specific function in the body and must be supplied in different amounts, vitamins and minerals are essential for our health and well being and work together with the carbohydrates, protein and fats to provide energy, build and maintain healthy tissue and also regulate all of the body’s processes.

The best way to ensure that we get enough of each of the vitamins and minerals needed is to eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of different foods and different coloured fruits and vegetables.

Oranges, mangos, peaches, plums etc and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato, pumpkins, spinach, kale, broccoli etc are just some of the colourful fruits and veg that contain loads of vitamins and minerals. Some vitamins are protective helping our immune system fight infection and also protecting cells and tissue from damage. Vitamin B1: Cereals, wholegrain bread, legumes, fish, seeds, nuts.

Vitamin B2: Cereals, wholegrain bread, milk, cheese, yogurt.

Vitamin B3: Cereals, wholegrain bread, eggs, milk, beans, beef, liver, pork.

Vitamin B6: Cereals, wholegrain bread, beef, liver, kidneys, green veg, fruit.

Vitamin B12: Meats, poultry, fish, milk, eggs. Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, red and green peppers. Vitamin E: seeds and nuts, seafood, eggs

and oils.

All of the B Vitamins are water soluble and not stored as fat, they are needed every day for our energy levels. I have expressed in the previous weeks about the importance of breakfast and with the list of the B vitamins above you will see we get most of them from our cereals and wholegrain bread.

Magnesium: leafy greens, legumes, beans, lentils, nuts, cereals and wholegrains,

Zinc: meat, fish, chicken, cereals and dairy. Iron: Red meat, fish, chicken, leafy green veg. Calcium: milk, cheese, yogurt, fish, leafy greens, tinned salmon.

Iodine: fish all types, sea vegetables, cranberries, strawberries, organic yogurt and cheese.

The above minerals are just some of the important ones we need in our diets to aid in producing energy, regulate potassium levels in the body, aid in oxygen consumption in our cells, helping thyroid function and much more.

SMOOTHIE RECIPE OF THE WEEK: vitamin and mineral veggie smoothie

Two handfuls of spinach or kale.

Half cup of apple juice

Half cup mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries etc)

One or2 tbsp of peanut or almond butter.

Half cup of greek yogurt

Lime juice

Blend all together and add some almond or coconut milk if mixture is too thick.

Your food choices each day affect your health – how you feel today, tomorrow and in the future.

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

Every week we will add a different daily plan and after seven weeks you will have a weekly plan.

• Breakfast every morning: starting off with a glass of hot water, lemon and honey great immune booster, then cereal like porridge made with almond or coconut milk, try adding different berries and seeds (flax or chia seeds) good source of fibre also anti-oxidants to fight tissue damage from all the tough training.

• Healthy snack mid morning: choose something small as in a natural live yogurt with piece of fruit or small brown scone and jam.

• Lunch: wholegrain sandwich with any of the following tuna and sweet corn, cottage cheese, spinach and tomato.

• Healthy snack mid afternoon: again something small like piece of fruit or mug of green tea.

• Dinner: Fish at least twice a week if possible with plenty of veg, try roasting the veg with sweet potato and grate ginger and garlic over them with a little olive oil (my favourite) • Evening time: protein shake or glass of milk before bed.

For anyone interested in joining a beginners group to help on their journey from 0 to 10k, I am already involved in two beginner groups, New Years Resolution 2.5k in Enniscorthy running track Monday and Thursday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. and also Fit-Nutz in Shelmaliers GAA grounds in Castlebridge every Tuesday and Friday 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. I will be there myself on all of the above nights or you can contact Mag at 087 6366905 for New Years Resolution 2.5k or Darren 086 8563872 for Fit-Nutz