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Joanne Hart

Optimising Nutrition for Injured Athletes: The Best Sports Nutrition for Recovery

Joanne Hart, Health and Hart. Registered Nutritional Therapist, Integrative Sports Nutritionist, Yoga Teacher, Coach. BSc(Hons), BEng(Hons), CISN, BWY (Dip)



Injury is a pain, literally a pain.


It gets in the way of what you love doing. Mostly people will go to the physio, chiro or doctor for support or they'll go it alone and see what happens. Common injuries include muscle issues, stress fractures and injuries to tendons and ligaments.


Did you know that your kitchen and nutritionist holds the answer to your recovery and can even help you reduce the risk of injuries?


  1. Eat enough food for the amount of energy you burn. Sounds obvious but there are athletes that are unaware of this and it has consequences.

  2. Enough protein. This varies for sex, for sport and sometimes for age and it can change with injury.

  3. Focus on carbohydrates too, we might think to reduce them during injury but the repair process needs energy too.

  4. Consider Vitamin D, omega 3, polyphenols, vitamin C and E, & creatinine.

  5. Also consider collagen, copper and glycine.

  6. Know that supplements may also help mitigate the side effects of medications during injury, and some people choose supplements instead to manage their injuries.

  7. Include diets, food and supplements that reduce inflammation.


BUT, what does this look life in real life?

It means continuing to eat wholesome food when you're injured rather than ultra processed food which come with an increased risk of depression (there are supplements that support our mood too). When we're injured our mood will often be lower for many reasons and we don't want to add to it.


It means reaching for the purple vegetables and fruit, including oily fish, eating protein in all meals, swapping carbohydrates to slow energy ones, monitoring weight and body fat. It means adjusting your protein amount and including foods that have anti-inflammatory properties like turmeric and ginger.


It's also the opportunity to work with me and the time you're not training you can be using for calls, tests, research and developing your new nutrition strategies. It can mean running a few tests to see what your nutritional bloodwork looks like and personalise your food and supplements. It keeps you in the sport and focused on your goal.


You could go it alone or get some expert help at a time you are needing it most.

 

If you know a friend in need then please help them out, ask them to book a free review call: https://calendly.com/healthandhart/30minreview




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