Nutrition plan I: Digestive system

One of the most important bodily systems for everyday health, but more so for active people, is the digestive system.

If your gut is unhealthy, your immune system will be weak, you won’t be able to fully process foods to get the necessary nourishment from it and this will influence your energy levels as well as your recovery form exercise.

It is not just eating well the week before an event, but every day and keeping this diet routine as close as possible the same during an event.

Exercise and racing put a lot of stress on our bodies already; therefore, we need to see that it gets the necessary nutrition to assist in all its functions.

If you suffer from heartburn, gas or bloating, it is an indication that something is not 100% in your gut and it will cause inflammation which will affect your immune system.

A few tips to help your digestive system:

• Pro-biotics: you can buy this from a pharmacy or take it in natural foods like any fermented food (kefir, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha). Good yogurt with live pro-biotics on a daily basis, will also help.
• Pro-biotics are the good bacteria in your gut which helps to fight dangerous inflammation causing bacteria. The good bacteria gets destroyed by anti-biotics, preserved foods, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, flavourants, preservatives, etc

These substances create little holes in your gut lining which assist your liver and kidneys to filter toxins from your body. If this lining is not whole anymore, it goes into your bloodstream.

We can, however, help all of this by making better food choices.

Balanced eating is not everything in moderation as most of us believe, it is eating the correct amount of the 3 major food groups in their natural form. These are protein, carbohydrates and essential fats.

From these foods, especially fresh vegetables and fruit, we will get the necessary fibre and minor food groups like; minerals and vitamins.

Proteins: red meat, chicken, pork, fish, game and plant proteins

Carbohydrates: all fruits, most vegetables, starches

Essential fats: nuts, seeds, cold pressed plant oils, certain fruits, fish oils

All carbohydrates break down in sugar and the ones we don’t burn for energy get stored as fat. Natural choices in carbohydrates (fruit, veg), get broken down easier by the body and used easier where simple sugars, pastries, man made starches create high insulin spikes and causes visceral fat around our organs.

Proteins are used to feed the muscles and to transport carbohydrates as glycogen to the liver, blood and muscles.

Essential fats are very important for all cell functions.

Enough sleep, stress management and relaxation are also very important for a healthy body and mind which influences the digestive system a lot.

With the race in mind, start to fix your gut by eliminating foods which can cause inflammation like highly processed foods, simple sugars, trans fats.

Try to incorporate goof fibre from fresh fruit and vegetables into your diet, choose low glycemic carbohydrates and choose natural carbs instead of man-made ones. Add essential fats like olive oil, nuts,avos, fish oils into your diet and eat enough protein per kg body weight per day (+/- 2 grams/kg body weight)

Start eating a good breakfast which simulates the foods at the race.

When you train, eat the type of energy products which you plan to use in Morrocco.

On long weekend rides, eat every hour and try teaching your body to get used to at least 100 g of carbs per hour (drink + solids combined must give you this). Don’t do this every day because it might cause weight gain but do it on one long endurance ride during a weekend ride.

Drink enough liquid. 500-750 ml. Always take a bottle of plain water with you, so that you do not push your tummy’s concentration to high with carbs.

Don’t over hydrate (more than 1 liter per hour)

Add some salt to your drinks or eats on the bike. (You can get that from electrolytes mixed into your energy drink or in your plain water.