Diet and physical activity for good health

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Extract from the article: A key factor in physical and mental health, physical activity has become central to medical recommendations. During physical effort, the muscles draw mainly on their own reserves. The brain, for its part, relies on the reserves in the liver. The day

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A key factor in physical and mental health, physical activity has become central to medical recommendations. During physical effort, the muscles draw mainly on their own reserves. The brain, for its part, relies on the reserves in the liver. The day before a sporting event, eating a meal rich in carbohydrates, in the form of pasta for example, is therefore an excellent strategy for recharging glycogen stocks in both the liver and the muscles themselves. As for D-day, the ideal is to opt for a low-fat diet and avoid eating a meal in the hour before exercise.

The major challenge during a sporting activity is to ensure an adequate supply of fuel for the muscles in action, but also for the rest of the body, particularly the brain, which has very little tolerance to a lack of supply. During exercise, the muscles and brain have an imperative and permanent need for glucose. While glycogen reserves in the muscles and liver and, if necessary, fats, provide this glucose supply via chain reactions, a direct dose of glucose or fructose is ideal for an immediate « boost ». Opt for a piece of banana, for example.

Is feeling thirsty a sign that the body is already dehydrated?

Thirst is not a sign that your body is already too dehydrated, as it can encourage you to drink too much. But the greatest risk for a sportsperson is not dehydration, but overhydration. The body needs time to eliminate excess fluids. During intense physical effort, this internal regulation slows down. Excess water can then trigger a cascade of dangerous, even dramatic, physiological reactions. As it spreads through the bloodstream, water dilutes the minerals it contains, particularly sodium. The cells will also become waterlogged.The risk is then the appearance of oedemas (cerebral oedemas in particular), with a potentially fatal outcome.To avoid this danger, you simply need to listen to your thirst, without forcing yourself to drink.

Is vitamin C a good remedy for aches and pains?

Muscle soreness is a sign of micro-damage to the muscles.Faced with an unusual challenge, certain muscle fibres can be injured, causing inflammation and characteristic pain.What can you do about it?By doing nothing.The reason is that this micro-damage is part of the process of strengthening the muscle, which becomes weakened and then naturally stronger.Taking vitamin C or other antioxidants cancels out this effect.Muscle soreness generally fades as training progresses.

Are cramps during exercise a sign of magnesium deficiency?

Most often, cramps are a reflection of a lack of training. A neuron's length away, they originate in one of the "control centres" for muscular activity, in the spinal cord. Although magnesium is sometimes put forward as a solution, its effectiveness has not been unanimously proven. Training and a healthy lifestyle are in themselves the best assets for tackling physical effort.

Is it dangerous to increase protein consumption in order to build muscle? Combining muscle-building exercises with a diet enriched with meat, eggs, fish and possibly protein concoctions can be a good idea if you're particularly keen to build muscle mass.To what extent? The important thing is to maintain a balanced diet, not to overdo it and to have good kidney function.Too much protein can be harmful for people with kidney problems and can lead to gout, an inflammatory and painful joint disease.Beware, it is not uncommon for protein products advertised for bodybuilding to contain doping substances.You need to be vigilant, as the labels often do not mention their presence.

Recipe: 01 piece ginger (grated) 01 clove garlic (grated), 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 01 teaspoon honey, 01 tablespoon lemon juice. Simply blend all the above ingredients in a high-speed blender and keep the mixture in the fridge for five days. To use this recipe effectively, you need to take one tablespoon of the mixture.It should be taken before each meal.

William O.