Calcium and Water

Dairy products are a key component of a runner's diet. Calcium helps build strong bones and prevent diseases and injuries, such as osteoporosis and stress fractures. Stress fractures are small fissures in the bone, and are caused by intense pounding on the joints, like distance running and low levels of calcium. Calcium helps prevent these fractures from occurring, and if stress fractures do occur, calcium helps them heal quicker. It is said that chocolate milk is the best post run drink because it contains carbohydrates, calcium, and protein. Unlike sports drinks, it contains proteins that help speed muscle recovery. The recommended value of calcium is 1300 milligrams, and since most teenagers don't even reach this requirement, it is very important runners consume at least or more than the required value. Some great examples of dairy products are yogurt, cheese, and milk. Although dairy products provide a lot of calcium, some products, such as ice cream are high in fat, so watch out for those, and buy the low fat versions, such as skim milk.




Water is another key component to a runner's diet. Proper hydration is a must because it affects the overall performance. Studies show that when athletes lost weight due to sweating during exercise, it correlates to a drop in blood pressure, which then causes the heart to work harder to pump blood, and thus faster fatigue. Dehydration, or not enough water, can cause an athlete to feel tired along with many other symptoms such as headaches and dizziness. It causes athletes to lose the ability to perform at their best. The amount of water one should drink throughout the day depends on the person's level of activity, their gender, and other factors. Although water doesn't have electrolytes, and other minerals sports drink supposedly have, water is just as good because it helps quickly rehydrate a runner's body and tastes better after a hard run. The amount of water a runner should drink varies because of factors like weather and the runner. Calculators can give a runner an idea, but the runner should drink more or less depending on how they feel.



http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/calcium.html
http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/calciuminfo.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/24/health/webmd/main1342839.shtml
http://running.about.com/od/commonrunninginjuries/p/stressfracture.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/nu00283
http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00112
Picture:
http://peacefulone.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/glass-of-water.jpg
www.crispyontheoutside.com/.../2008/09/milk.jpg