7 immune boosting nutrients and the foods they are found in.
The back to school season is notorious for pesky viruses and bugs that take student athletes out for days at a time. You might notice your roster getting a lot shorter this time of year.
There is however, a lot that our atheltes can do to support their immune system and ensure they can quickly and efficiently fight off seasonal threats. FOOD is a big piece of this because of the vitamins and minerals it contains that play a vital role in healthy immune function.
This fall, as you consciously work to create a culture that emphasizes athlete health and wellness through nutrition, make sure that your athletes know which nutrients to consume lots of and how to get those through food so they can stay healthy and performing optimally in school and sport. The list below is a great place to start.
1) Vitamin C - citrus fruits, berries, peppers, kiwis, broccoli, kale
2) Zinc - pumpkin seeds, oysters, poultry, beans, whole grains, chickpeas
3) Vitamin D - get outside in the sunshine and eat salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines
4) Vitamin E - almonds, peanuts/peanut butter, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts
5) Vitamin A - fish, meat, dairy, carrots, pumpkin, butternut squash, dark green leafy vegetables
6) Selenium - Brazil nuts, seafood, meat and liver, poultry, cottage cheese
7) Foods with anti-microbial properties - garlic, oregano, ginger, thyme, rosemary, raw honey, clove, cinnamon
In addition to consuming these nutrients, encourage your athletes drink 3-4 L of pure water daily and get lots of rest (a minimum of 8 hours) every day.
We've included a resource that you can share with your student ahtletes so they can easily use food to support their immune function and stay in the game this fall. You'll find a few more resources there for you as well. 😉
Be sure to join the waitlist for our soon to be released 'Student Athlete Nutrition Hub'. We've got lots more great informaiton and resouces in store for you.