EAT RIGHT, TRAIN STRONG

The key to uninterrupted training is having a strong immune system. So to keep you training for longer, Kate Percy provides three health-boosting meals

Three recipes designed to keep you training for longer

With three sports to master, we have to cram in a lot of training into a week, and often with insufficient R&R between sessions. But it’s this approach that can quickly take its toll on the body. The result is a lowered immune system and an increased tendency to pick up unwanted bugs. But getting your nutrition right can help no end.

Energy and carb levels are important to maintain – a drop in these can impact on your stress hormones and immune function. It’s also vital to ensure you get your five (or more) a day to ensure you get plenty of the micronutrients

(vitamins and minerals) that are essential to immune health.

Here you’ll find three delicious, health-boosting recipes to help keep your immune system in good working condition, as well as helping to keep the training-crippling illnesses at bay.

Colour = nutrients, and an array of these in your diet is so important in the fight against colds and keeping your immune system optimal. A great way to pack them in is with this Vietnamese Chicken

Salad. It’s also loaded with good quality protein from the chicken, healthy fats from the peanuts and some energy-boosting carbs from the noodles and veg – a great balance! Best made fresh but also works great as a day-later lunch.

Huevos Rancheros is a delicious and very quick-to-prepare concoction of Mexican flavours to boost your post-workout recovery as well as your immune system (red pepper has more vitamin C than an orange). We like to eat this with either fried or scrambled eggs as either a lunch or dinner. The final dish this month is

Bengali Mustard Fish Masala –a warming, exotic meal, packed with immune-boosting nutrients. It’s nicely balanced with carbohydrate, good quality protein and healthy fats. This dish is a real treat to keep you strong during the season. Basmati rice is also fairly low on the Glycaemic Index too, providing slow-releasing energy to help fuel long workouts and help steady your blood sugar levels throughout the day.