Peak Performance

Here are my top tips for improving sports stamina and performance, protecting your immune system and muscle recovery..

Ensure that you are in good health generally; that your digestive system is working optimally etc

Follow a good diet such as the Purehealth Wellbeing Diet to achieve a balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate. Do not eat an excess of anything.

Do not over exercise without supporting your self with additional nutrients, especially the antioxidants and minerals such as magnesium, chromium and zinc.

Over-exercising and indeed regular strenuous exercise will lead to a fast drain on nutrients and will compromise your immune  and adrenal system. It is a fact that people who exercise too much can be more unhealthy than someone who does no exercise at all!

When training, use carbohydrate as energy, not fat. Carbs are released from glycogen stores and used in strenuous short bursts of energy and yield 5 times more energy than fat. Eat plenty of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains (brown and wholemeal rice, wheat, millet etc), fruit, vegetables, pulses and load up before a long event so you have plenty of glycogen stores.

Don't get caught in the protein myth. Do not overeat protein: you only need slightly above the recommended 15% of total calories per day as protein to build muscle. To build 9lb of muscle over a year needs less than 1kg of protein - an average of 2.4g of protein per day, equivalent to a few extra almonds or a teaspoon of tuna!

Eat a small amount of protein with your carbohydrate

Get plenty of zinc and B complex, especially B6 which is required to build muscle. It is not normally a lack of protein that inhibits muscle building, but a lack of these nutrients

Eat plenty of nuts, seeds and their oils and/or take a fatty acid supplement as this will support immunity, act as a back up for energy and help transport oxygen

Keep hydrated.Drink a glass of water every 15 minutes for 1-4 hours before an event and drink during it. A 3% drop in water levels will lead to a 10% drop in strength and 8% drop in speed

Take an optimal dosage multivitamin and mineral formula, make sure you are absorbing it, 60-100mg per day of CoQ10 and include plenty of vitamins A, C and E especially if doing endurance training

Take 2-5g creatine per day if you need to speed up muscle growth or size. This is only really necessary for athletes in competitive sports.

Don't eat for 2-3 hours before an event to avoid all your energy being focused on your digestive system

Higher Nature 1..2..3 Sports Nutrition Programme

I think this programme is a good all-rounder for improving performance, protecting immunity and muscle recovery. 

You can get all the products in the Performax range from Natural Dispensary as usual.

Hope it helps.

Important

Remember - always check out with your health practitioner or GP before starting anything new especially if you are taking any other medicines, are pregnant or trying to conceive or have high blood pressure. See here for more advice on interactions with meds and general cautions.