The Best Nutrition for Runners

Here at Dr. Vail's we not only want our patients free of any foot injuries, but we want them to stay fit and healthy as well. Also, It is very important to stretch before your workout. Here is a link to follow on our website for more information on stretching. http://www.vailfoot.com/stretching.html

Faster. Stronger. Healthier. Runners want to be all these things, and more. So when we're told to eat certain foods, steer clear of others, and load up on specific vitamins and minerals, we tend to do it -to excess. Believe it or not, this could cause problems.
 
Below I offer some nutrition limits. Check them out and resolve not to go past them.
THE BIG FOUR
Carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber are the key essential building blocks of every runner's diet. Here's how much you need of these four nutritional components.

  1. Carbohydrates. Virtually all runners know the importance of carbohydrates for top performance, better endurance, and speedy recovery. Runners need 400 to 600 g of carbohydrate daily, or about 60 to 70 percent of total calories. This works out to around 3 to 4 g of carbohydrate for every pound of your body weight. Stay under 75 percent of total calories from carbohydrates, or no more than 4 g per pound of body weight.

  2. Protein. Runners need more protein than non-exercisers. The Daily Value for protein is 50 g, which is equivalent to 2 cups of milk, 4 oz of chicken, and a typical energy bar. That's fine for sedentary people, but depending on body size and mileage, runners need about 50 to 75 percent more protein, or 75 to 100 g a day. If you consume more than .75 of protein per pound of body weight, you're overdoing it.

  3. Fat.  Many of us dodge fat in everything from salad dressing to ice cream. But in doing so, we tend to miss out on naturally high-fat foods such as nuts, oils, and cold-water fish, which provide essential fats called omega-3s. These fats are vital for good health and also may help preven certain cancers, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Most experts agree we need to average about 3,000 mg of omega-3 fat a day. You can easily achieve this by eating fish a few times a week, having nuts four to five times a week, and using canola oil regularly when you cook.

  4. Fiber.  Most Americans don't eat enough fiber, which is one of the reasons we suffer from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. And there's really no excuse, because the Daily Value of 25 g is easy to reach with regular servings of whole grains and beans, and atleast five servings of fruits and vegtables. If you take in more than 40 to 50 g of fiber a day, you can hamper your body's ability to absorb zinc, copper, and iron.


5 Other Nutrients To Watch
Vitamins and minerals also play a major role in keeping us healthy and in top running condition. With all the heavily fortified foods available today, coupled with the popularity of vitamin and mineral supplements, it's easy to get too much of a good thing.
  That's why the government's Food and Nutrition Board has begun to set safe limits for some nutrients. Called the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), these limits reflect the most you can safely take of a given nutrient per day. Take in more than the UL, and you risk health problems.
 
Here are five nutrients of special interest to runners.
Calcium. Runners are keenly aware that a low calcium intake can lead to bone weakness and the development of osteoporosis. So many runners boost their calcium intake with daily calcium supplements, low-fat dairy products, and calcium-fortified juices and other foods. Your goal should be 1,000 to 1,300 mg of calcium daily.  UL:  2,500 mg/day

Iron. You need this mineral to deliver oxygen to your cells. If you're iron deficient, you'll feel tired and weak, especially when you run. For optimal health, men need to take in 8 mg of iron a day, and women need 18 mg. UL: 45 mg

Vitamin C. Many runners stock up on this vitamin. And why not? some experts believe vitamin C may help prevent the common cold, and there's evidence that it helps ward off age-related ailments such as heart disease, cancer, and cataracts. Recent dietary intake standards for vitamin C suggest that men should take in 90 mg a day and women 75 mg, but some believe up to 200 mg is optiman. UL: 2,000 mg.

Vitamin E.  This important antioxidant vitamin protects your body against heart disease and some other types of cancers and may also combat Alzheimer's. We need atleast 15 mg of vitamin E a day, and there are only a few good food sources of this vitamin, such as almonds, wheat germ, and vegetable oils. UL: 1,000 mg.

Beta-carotene. The orange pigment in carrots and other vegetable and fruits, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. On its own, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. On its own, beta-carotene and other carotenoids (such as lycopene in tomatoes) act as antioxidants that protect you from cancers, heart disease, and other age-related conditions. Research suggests you should take in about 6 to 10 mg of carotenoids a day by eating a wide variety of orange, yellow, and red fruits and vegtables. UL: There's no UL for beta-carotene, but excessive intake has been associated with an increased cancer risk.