The Ultimate Performance Enhancers (part 1)

 Track and Field is no stranger to the dark side of great performances and even now some question our youth performances as our kids drop below the sub 13, and then the elusive 12 (for girls) and 11 (for boys) marks.

 The reason I love youth track is because we can look at a kid and know  that no way a parent could ever give a child something that could hurt him. Or could they? Well I am confessing  today that I know the ultimate enhancers and use it as much as possible  with Lauren and in the future will continue to refine this practice. It’s safe,it’s legal and it’s GOOD FOR YOU TOO!  IT’S FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

Have you ever observed a day when your athlete was feeling great in the morning, but after a race and into the afternoon they appeared to be down, lack luster maybe even a little tired? What if I told you that eating certain foods could improve , not only their  mood, food could  provide uplifting energy and make them feel like Usain Bolt? Well okay, maybe not Bolt, but every little bit helps, right?

The key to understanding the connection between the food our kids eat and their mood, energy level ,alertness AND ULTIMATELY their performances rest  in part in understanding a little about how the brain  and body functions. The brain communicates by chemical substances passed from one nerve cell to the next. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, they  are made in the brain from the food we eat. The neurotransmitters that  are most sensitive to diet and influential in affecting mood are serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine.

Dopamine and norepinephrine are alertness chemicals. When they are produced we think and react more quickly, we feel more motivated, we are more attentive and overall, they are more mentally energetic.

Serotonin is a calming and relaxing chemical. When produced, feelings of stress and tension decrease, we feel sleepy and/or sluggish and our reaction time is slower.
Now that you have a better understanding of the role neurotransmitters play in brain function, let’s look at the relationship between these neurotransmitters and the foods we eat.

Foods that make you feel alert and ready to run

The best way to eat for alertness and energy is to have meals that contain protein, are low in fat, and have carbohydrates that won’t drag you down. Mid-day competition  is when the  brain’s supply of dopamine and norepinephrine is beginning to wane.

 When you supply  tyrosine (from eating protein), your brain will be ready to make it into more of the two alertness neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine).  This is why what the athlete eats all day really matters. To much processed carbs could spell disaster for the up coming races. Food really does matter. I think many parents know food  matters but not exactly how to give the right kinds of food at the right times of the competition day.

 To be continued part 2 click here

Until next time