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Message: <blockquote data-quote="cpierce" data-source="post: 1936726" data-attributes="member: 559758">MicronutrientsVitaminsVitamins serve a variety of important functions in the body; tissue function and repair; energy metabolism; assisting with chemical reactions within the body; enabling more efficient nutrient uptake; immune function; red blood cell production and nervous system maintenanceIf your diet is good you may not need extra vitamins but athletes and people on fitness programs burn more energy and hence may require supplements to ensure they meet their daily requirementsI won’t go into the different types of vitamins and their functions because it would take forever. To ensure you get enough vitamins try and consume fruits and vegetables with every meal and take vitamin supplements.MineralsThey assist the body in; muscle contraction; nerve control; fluid balance (sodium/potassium);metabolism of enzymes in energy production (zinc/iodine); control the body’s pH and in the transportation of oxygen.The two most important minerals are:IronEssential in the production of energy. Most iron in the body is absorbed into the blood and goes into the production of haemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen around in the blood.  Iron is also used in muscle myoglobin to transport and store oxygen in the mitochondria. Iron is very important for athletes and can be obtained from the following sources; red meat; liver; kidney; eggs; green vegetables; fish; poultry; cereals/breads and dried fruit and nuts. You can also supplement iron with a general mineral supplement.CalciumCalcium is used in the body to assist in; muscle contraction; nerve transmission; enzyme activity; blood clotting. Calcium also along with the performance of weight bearing exercise assists in maintaining the strength of bones. Calcium can be found in; milk; cheese; eggs; green vegetables; tinned salmon; non-fat yogurt. You can also supplement with calcium with a general mineral supplement.Dietary FibresDietary fibres are foods that are not broken down by the enzymes in the small intestine. They are found in plant foods such as cereals, breads, grains, fruits and vegetables. Dietary fibres also slow the release of sugar from the blood ensuring a sustained release of energy in the body. Populations who eat large amounts of dietary fibre have been found to experience a reduced incidence of; bowel cancer; diabetes; heart disease; obesity and constipation.Dietary fibre can be broken down into two types:Soluble fibre – This helps lower cholesterol and can be found in foods such as oat bran and certain fruits.Insoluble fibre – This is found in foods such as wheat bran and beans. This helps in holding water, increasing bulk and eliminating wastes from the body.The effects of dietary fibre can vary and depend upon the type, the amount and the source of that fibre. When bacteria in the large intestine are digesting dietary fibre, fatty acids are produced. These fatty acids nourish the bowel wall and help control muscular movement of the bowel. Soluble fibres are almost entirely digested by bacteria to produce more fatty acids while some fibres such as pectin (found in apples, jams and fruits) assist in controlling blood glucose levels and cholesterol. Lignin (a coarse fibre found in root vegetables and pairs) is hardly digested at all and therefore has little effect.Coarse bran absorbs a large amount of water (resulting in soft faeces). These pass through the large intestine faster than finely ground bran (which absorbs little water and form small hard faeces). Constipation is the result of a diet that is low in fibre and water. Foods that are high in fat are usually low in fibre and vice versa.FluidWater makes up about 60-70% of our body weight. It serves a variety of vital functions within the body; regulating body temperature; carrying nutrients to the cells; diluting waste products; transporting energy, hormones and antibodies around the body and lubricating surfaces and membranes.When the body becomes dehydrated it results in decreased performance and can be very dangerous. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include; fatigue; headaches; irritability; reduced performance; darkening of the urine. To prevent dehydration drink at least a gallon of water a day.The Meltdown ManI thought I’d put this in because its and interesting story about what heat exhaustion and dehydration can do to your body.Mark Dorrity and a group of his friends from Sydney decided to go to Wagga to compete in an 8km fun run. They were all reasonably fit, Mark being a champion runner during university and at the time of the race was training 5 times a day. On the day of the event the temperature rose to about 40 degrees Celsius and the fun run was cancelled. However Mark and his friends as competitive as they were decided to run it anyway. Before the race Mark had a couple of glasses of water but took nothing to drink during the race.As the race progressed Mark became dehydrated and began suffering from heat exhaustion. Soon his body temperature had risen to 42.8 degrees. When someone’s temperature is this high they are delirious and they ignore the bodies warnings to stop. In less than an hour of running Mark’s thigh muscles overheated, liquefied and died. One leg has since been amputated at the buttock because of gangrene. Before he collapsed his kidneys failed because his dying muscles had released toxic proteins into his blood, which thickened to a molasses like consistency. Every organ in his body was affected. He suffered brain damage and his lungs could not function unaided. His buttock and hamstring muscles also liquefied but not as severely as his thigh muscles. Marks heart stopped once and after the race he was on a dialysis machine for eight weeks and in a coma for three months. Amazingly after a year Mark fully recovered and is back to normal with no lasting brain damage and only one leg missing.I think it’s an amazing story that makes us aware of the dangers of heat exhaustion and dehydration. After reading this, I never run on days hotter that 32 degrees Celsius.Meals Before, During and After Exercise.There has been a bit of debate about this on the forums lately and I thought I would try and add some clarity.</blockquote>

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