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With the arrival of the 2021 Olympics, it’s time to talk about sports, health, nutrition, and of course, broccoli!
Let’s explore each term and its connection because building good habits is essential for good health. One way to achieve this is by promoting physical exercise, whether in the form of sports or any enjoyable physical activity, along with proper nutrition.
What’s the difference between physical exercise and sports?
Physical Exercise: It is a repeated and habitual physical activity performed to obtain health benefits, both physical and mental, improving our lifestyle.
Sports: It involves physical exercise within a team, either in a group or individually, and may or may not involve competition, always governed by rules.
Engaging in physical exercise, whether through sports or other activities, puts our bodies under more strain than simple movements or rest, leading to metabolic adaptations that provide health benefits.
With regular exercise, we gain muscle mass, endurance, improved lung capacity, and can prevent cardiovascular diseases. Psychologically, we feel more energetic, rest better, and have greater motivation, as exercise releases hormones that generate pleasure and well-being, keeping us active and, consequently, happier.
When we engage in physical exercise, especially in a sport we enjoy, we not only promote better health but also convey the joy of playing, competing, winning, and surpassing ourselves to those around us. Teaming up for a sport creates lifelong emotional bonds, an atmosphere that enhances physical and mental well-being, influencing other aspects of our lives. It instills discipline, organization, understanding with teammates or coaches in individual sports, and a sense of enjoyment that spills over into family, work, and social circles.
Now, let’s talk about nutrition. Does our eating habits affect our physical performance during exercise (whether in sports or not)?
Firstly, to enjoy the benefits of exercise, we must NOURISH OURSELVES. Good health begins from within with a balanced diet, enjoying what we eat. This way, we can engage in physical activity healthily, continually improve, achieve our goals, derive satisfaction without exhaustion or injury, and set new challenges without giving up along the way.
What does a person engaged in sports need?
(I also include those who exercise regularly, even if it’s not a sport.)
Athletes have higher nutritional requirements because their bodies undergo stress that requires adaptation for proper functioning. For instance, increased sweating leads to more significant losses of vitamins and minerals, which can be replenished with fruits, vegetables, and liquids. They need an adequate supply of proteins to build muscle mass, along with other functions, and obtain energy from quality carbohydrates to avoid fatigue and injuries. Additionally, a proper intake of fats is necessary to maintain the body in perfect homeostasis.
In summary, they need a balanced intake of:
- Vegetables (preferably seasonal) and healthy fats (EVOO, avocado, nuts, fatty fish).
- Quality proteins: animal and plant-based (for vegans): fish, eggs, poultry, high-quality meat, dairy and derivatives, soy and derivatives, and legumes.
- Quality carbohydrates: fruits, grains, and tubers (essential even for non-elite athletes to prevent chronic fatigue, injuries, and low immune system).
Let’s look at a sample menu:
Breakfast: Banana omelet with cinnamon and coffee with milk or plant-based milk
Lunch: Quinoa with spring onions, zucchini, turmeric, and pepper, served with tomato and tuna fillets
Dinner: Lamb’s lettuce salad, sautéed broccoli with pepper and cumin, roasted peppers, avocado, and grilled free-range chicken breasts
Approximately 1 hour before training/game: (rapid to medium-absorbing carbohydrates and easily digestible protein)
- Peach
- Banana
- Natural yogurt with oats and cinnamon
- Plant-based yogurt with apricots
- Dried apricots or any unsweetened dried fruit if consumed 30 minutes before or even during prolonged training for immediate energy.
Post-training/game: (not necessary to consume immediately, can wait an hour or when hungry) (carbohydrates, proteins, and quality fats to replenish the body)
- Skyr yogurt with plums and a few walnuts
- Buckwheat bread with fresh cheese, olive oil, and oregano
- Rye bread with Serrano ham and a bit of avocado
- Plant-based drink, cinnamon, chia seeds, and banana (blended as a smoothie)
- Natural yogurt with strawberries and frozen blueberries (blended to make it like ice cream) with 85% chocolate chunks
- Hard-boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella with extra virgin olive oil
Quantity is important, adapting it to each person based on their training, needs, and goals, but so is quality. Ensure that your foods are rich in B vitamins, vitamins C, A, E, and D, and minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, etc.
It’s interesting to add spices, as they provide a significant amount of antioxidants and essential nutrients. Enhance your dishes with turmeric and pepper, ginger, thyme and rosemary, basil, oregano, curry, etc.
Another crucial aspect is to care for our microbiota: Just because we exercise and burn more energy doesn’t mean we can eat whatever we want. Our microbiota is one of our primary defense barriers, and it needs care. Avoid inflammation with processed foods or those high in sugars and low in fiber. A healthy microbiota keeps our immune system active, aids better nutrient absorption, resulting in better outcomes, and helps prevent inflammatory diseases. Those who exercise regularly and eat well have a better intestinal flora (microbiota), and those who improve their intestinal flora achieve better physical performance.
Tips for better handling our workouts/games:
Ensure that the pre-exercise meal agrees with you. Avoid experimenting before a competition.
WATER: Stay well-hydrated to avoid injuries, dehydration, and unexpected incidents. Sometimes fatigue or fainting can result from inadequate water intake. Highly sugary drinks, sodas, and alcohol can cause dehydration. Drinking water is crucial before, during, and after exercise, always in small sips and not too cold to prevent gastrointestinal problems.
Pay attention to foods:
- Foods
for recovery, preventing muscle injuries, and promoting a good connection of our nervous system: banana, melon, berries, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, peppers, nuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, various mushrooms.
- Foods to help build muscle mass: If you need a complete food, eggs are excellent (you can have 1 daily, even 2 at times, without fear).
- Foods that provide immediate energy without causing gastrointestinal discomfort: dried apricots or any unsweetened dried fruit.
And what can we say about our beloved broccoli? It’s a fantastic food for athletes as it contains high amounts of Vitamin C and A, folic acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.
For those who experience gas when boiling broccoli, it can be baked, sautéed, or steamed. It’s best not to consume it alone but mixed with other vegetables to improve digestibility. After exercise, it can be consumed for recovery, as it is a very complete vegetable that also provides satiety due to its high fiber content.
To conclude, on a personal note, when a person starts exercising or engaging in sports (regardless of age), everything changes for the better. Suddenly, you begin to feel good, work and relate better to others, make healthier food choices, sleep better, have more energy, achieve your goals, and, as mentioned at the beginning, transmit positivity to those around you (which I find very beautiful). We should age “dancing.” If you want your bones to respond tomorrow, take care of them now—100% life with exercise and proper nutrition is better health.
Article by Victoria Rodríguez Mondenhauer, pharmacist, nutritionist, member of the Scientific Committee, and creator of the profile @pasasypistachos
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