Boost Your Immune System During Race Training

How many times have you been training hard for a race only to get a cold or the "bug" the last few weeks before the race. There's often a fine line between building up your body and breaking it down. If you're not careful, as your workouts get tougher, your immune system can get weaker making you more susceptible to colds and viruses. 

So what's a runner to do? Well, first of all use the 90% rule that I use with my runners. Save the 100% max effort for race day. Shoot more for 90% on your weekly speed workouts. Always finish strong, but with the feeling, "That was great, but I could have gone even harder." 

This will do several things. First, it will drastically decrease your chance of injury before race day. Second, it will help prevent you from peaking too soon. And last, but not least, it won't tax your immune system as much, keeping it strong and hopefully "bug-free."

Getting your fall flu shot is also a great idea!

In addition to the tips above, your diet can play a big part in maintaining and even boosting your immune system. Listed below are some super foods that help do just that. Adding these foods to your regular diet is ideal, particularly when training and after your race when your immune system may be compromised.

Immune Boosting Foods:

• Sweet Potatoes (the sweet potato should be known as "SuperSpud." One sweet potato has more than twice your daily value of Vitamin A, which is an immune booster; sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index than regular potatoes and they're full of fiber and minerals)
• Butternut Squash (this super veggie is the King of Vitamin A; contains 22,868 IUs of Vitamin A per cup!
• Okra (one of the few foods that naturally contains glutathione which is an antioxidant needed to support the immune system; okra is also high in fiber even more so that whole grain bread or cereal; okra is also high in protein for a veggie)
• Pumpkin (high in Vitamin A (more than 12,000 IUs) and also packed with potassium; one cup of cooked pumpkin contain 33% more potassium than a medium banana)
• Kale (loaded with Vitamins A and C)
• Watercress (1 cup provides 1,500 IUs of Vitamin A and 14mg of Vitamin C; interesting fact: Kale contains 4 times the calcium of same number of calories of 2% milk) 
• Carrots (cooking carrots releases carotenoids which makes it easier for your body to absorb them as vitamin A)
• Broccoli (contains Vitamins A and C)
• Bell Peppers (rich in Vitamins A and C, and potassium)
• Summer Squash (doesn't have the mega-star status of its cousin the butternut squash, but summer squash does contain Vitamin A and a ton of potassium [a runner's best friend]; 1 cup contain 3 times the potassium found in the typical potassium supplement)
• Mushrooms (Shiitake, maitake and reishi pack the biggest immunity-building punch)
• Onions (contains quercetin which supports the immune system; onions also promote bone health)
• Cantaloupe (rich in Vitamin A, C, and potassium)
• Kiwifruit (contains almost twice the amount of Vitamin C as an orange)
• Avocado (contains Vitamin A)
• Prunes (great source of Vitamins A, C, and potassium; prunes have more antioxidants than any other fruit)
• Pistachio Nuts (great potassium-to-sodium ratio which helps stabilize blood pressure and maintain water balance [i.e., good for maintaining good hydration in runners]; also contains Vitamin E, a big immune booster)
• Almonds (rich in calcium and Vitamin E; also promotes heart and brain health; great pre-workout snack; good choice for diabetics since it contains hardly any carbohydrates)
• Garlic (in addition to keeping Vampires away, garlic neutralizes dozens of bacteria, viruses, and fungi)
• Oregano (highest antioxidant activity of the herbs; also high in potassium, Vitamin A and calcium)
• Green Tea (high in immune boosting antioxidants)
• Whey Protein (in addition to the protein benefits, whey protein is highly stimulating to the immune system. It seems to be the best method for obtaining the building blocks of glutathione, probably the most valuable antioxidant in the body)
• Sunflower and Safflower Oil (high in Vitamin E)
• Yogurt (probiotics [lactobacillus] found in yogurt support and improve  immunity; probiotics like bulgaricus also found in yogurt help increase "natural killer" cells,  which also keep the immune system strong. Be sure to look the National Yogurt Association's LAC seal on the yogurt you buy. Yogurt with that seal contain "Live and Active Cultures" which are the immune supporting probiotics you want.)
• A Variety of Fish (i.e., herring, trout, kipper, mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna; these fish contain Vitamin D; Scientist have discovered that Vitamin D plays an important part in activating immune defences. Lack of Vitamin D can hinder the "killer cells" in fighting off serious infections in the body. Vitamin D can also be obtained through daily limited sun exposure and through a Vitamin D3 supplement)
• Chicken Soup (Grandma was right! The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken when cooking, helps block inflammatory white cells; cold symptoms are a response to the accumulation of these cells in the bronchial tubes)

Try this Immune Supporting Smoothie. It makes a great pre-run fueling snack!

RunnerDude's "SuperSpud" Smoothie 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, baked and peeled (canned works too)
• 1/2 cup Kellogg's Low-fat Granola (without raisins)
• 1 cup lowfat or skim milk (almond or soy milk works too)
• 1 cup ice

Directions:

1. Put the sweet potatoes, low-fat granola, milk and half the ice in a blender and  blend until thoroughly combined.
2. Add the remaining ice until desired thickness is achieved.

Makes: 2 cups

10 Tips For a Strong Immune System!

My family has ready caught the "cold" and it's only the beginning of September! And today I walked in Wal-Mart and they were giving flu shots. Yep, it's that time of year again. Well almost. Cold and flu season usually has its heyday a little later in the fall and winter, but some "bugs" are already going around. It's vitally important for any one, especially the young and elderly to do whatever they can to ensure a strong immune system and stay healthy during this time of year.

Runners tend to be really healthy, and sometimes that can be to their detriment. Not the being healthy part, but getting cocky about being healthy. Runners need to be really careful in the fall, especially if they're training for a big endurance event. Often when you train your hardest right before the taper your immune system can actually become weakened by the added stress. Ever been training and everything is going great, only to get "the crud" right before the big race. That's often due do to the training stress decreasing the effectiveness of your immune system and making you more susceptable to bacteria and viruses.

So, what's a runner to do? Listed below are 10 tips to help keep your immune system going strong and keep you healthy during your late summer and fall training.

1. Be careful not to over-train. Over-training can not only weaken the immune system, it can cause fatigue, sore muscles, lack of drive, lack of energy, and increased resting heart rate. If you're feeling fatigued, take a rest day. Better to take a day or two off from running and rejuvenate your body than to "stick to the plan" and drive yourself into the ground.

2. Get your "D"! During the winter you're exposed to less sunshine, the main source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is key to a strong immune system as well as strong bones, both important to runners. Taking a vitamin D supplement can help ensure you're getting enough. The daily recommended allowance is only around 250IUs, but more and more research is showing that higher amounts are safe and provide more benefits. (Because of my colitis, I take a rather large dose of Vitamin D each day, plus what I get in dairy products and I've seen no adverse effects and I've been taking it for several years.) Vitamin D is obtained from a few different sources. Research shows the D3 provides the most benefits. Be sure the Vitamin D supplement you purchase has D3 listed as the main ingredient.

3. Wash, wash, wash your hands! Simple, but washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to catching or spreading illness. Also, try to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket or purse, or keep one in the car, for times when washing your hands is not an option.

4. Have a "spot of tea." Research shows that the immune systems of tea drinkers react much faster to bacteria and viruses than non-tea drinkers. They think it has something to do with L-theanine that's in the tea. It kind of "primes the pump" and puts the immune system on high alert for intruders. Doesn't seem to matter what kind of tea, either. Just be careful not to load it up with sugar!

5. Order mushrooms on your pizza instead of pepperoni! (Whole wheat crust of course.) Mushrooms support the thymus gland. This gland produces immune cells which increase your resistance to infection. Any mushroom will do, but Shiitake mushrooms are one of the best.

6. SLEEP! Be sure you're getting your Zzzzzzzzs. Your immune system actually does a lot of work while you're snoozing. If you cheat yourself out of sleep, not only will you not be well rested, you're body doesn't have the opportunity to release as much immune-enhancing compounds to keep you healthy when you're awake.

7. Eat your veggies, especially broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale. These are high in antioxidants that help protect you from viruses.

8. Snack on Almonds. A handful of almonds (~1 oz.) is a great way to boost your immune system. They are high in vitamin E which boosts production of immune cells that attack bacteria. Be sure to buy raw almonds. Steer clear of the heavily salted variety or the ones cooked in oil. Even if it's a "healthy oil" that's a lot of unneeded calories and fat.

9. Have some yogurt. Yogurt contains good bacteria that helps protect the body from the bad bacteria and infections. Yogurt also makes a great medium in which to put some fruit and low-fat granola adding even more vitamins, minerals and fiber. And men, hear this! Research has shown that eating nonfat or low-fat yogurt each day can help reduce abdominal fat in males.

10. Don't forget the C! Vitamin C has long been hailed as a cold fighter. Research shows that 8g of vitamin C a day will shorten the length of a cold. Doesn't have to be orange juice either. Bell peppers (red, green, and yellow) actually have more vitamin C than oranges.

Train Hard, But Stay Healthy!

I can't tell you how many times, all is going well and then when I ramp up my marathon training, I seem to get sick. It's usually something like a cold or in the most severe cases, more like the flu.
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Guess what? According to David C. Newman, Dr. P.H., FACSM, who is a professor and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, there's a reason for this bad-timed bug. "During periods of heavy training, the immune system reflects the physiological stress experienced by the athlete, and illness rates climb." So, that old saying "Too much of a good thing, can be bad." is true!

Problem is that there is no cure for all runners. Each runner has to find his/her training/rest balance. Newman suggests that nutrition along with rest is a key factor during these stressful times for athletes. So, you should pop a bunch of supplements during this time, right? NO! Newman says that making sure you're eating a balanced diet during this time is the best way to provide support for the immune system in its fight against viruses and bacteria. Research shows that vitamin and mineral supplements don't really boost your immunity above normal levels, so why spend that extra money on bland tasting pills? Just eat a good diet. This basically supports my thinking in a recent post, "Supplement the Natural Way...Eat!"

So during that carb-loading phase, don't forget that veggies are complex carbs. Also fruits, while they are more of a simple carb, are still nutrient dense and provide a great source of fiber. Don't just live on pasta alone!

Newman also suggests avoiding over-training. So, when the training plan says only 3 miles during the taper, only do 3 miles, even if you feel like doing 10! He also suggests trying to keep life stresses to a minimum, get adequate sleep, and limit your exposure to viruses and bacteria by practicing good hygiene (washing your hands frequently and voiding touching your eyes and nose with your hands). These are all they typical tactics for keeping healthy, but runners need to be particularly keen to these practices the few weeks just before the big race. Keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket those few weeks prior to the race is probably not such a bad idea.

A few running buddies of mine seem to have the problem after the marathon. Within a week or so, they've gotten "the bug." After the marathon, Newman says that "the body is inflamed for about 1.5 days with high stress hormones, cytokines, and suboptimal immune function." The odds of becoming sick during the 1-2 weeks after the race are twofold to sixfold. So, it's just as important to keep up the good nutrition and Newman's other recommendations after the race for a few weeks too.

Train hard. Train sensibly. Stay healthy!

Starve a run. Feed a Runner? Should I Run When I'm Sick?

"Should I run when I'm sick?" A question almost every runner has asked himself/herself at one point or another. Sometimes the answer is obvious. If you're bent over the porcelain throne paying homage to the intestinal gods, then running is probably the furthest thing from your mind. But what about when you just have the sniffles, a cough, or low-grade fever?

Murphy's Law always seems to kick in when you get a cold. You're healthy all year long and then four days before that big 10K, you come down with a cold. In my case, I can almost predict it. I've often wondered if it might be related to my training. It's odd, because moderate amounts of running actually boosts your immune system helping your body fight off colds. But maybe I push myself too hard at the end of my training and end up lowering my body's defenses due to the extra stress. Seems to be some research supporting my theory. One study shows that after a hard workout session, you can lower your body's immune system for up to 9 hours following the workout. So, if you're exposed to some of the nasty colds going around shortly after having had a really hard workout, you might be more susceptible to catching one. Might be worth wearing one of those masks and slathering on the hand sanitizer after such a workout!

So, what do you do if you aren't feeling well. Should you run? I asked my doc, and he said checking your resting heart rate is a good method to help determine whether or not you should run. Check your pulse for a full minute. Be sure to do this while at rest (not after climbing a flight of stairs). Also be sure you haven't just downed a Starbucks venti espresso. If your heart-rate is a few beats faster than normal, this could be a sign that your body's fighting off and infection and you may want to hold off on that run. Taking your resting pulse on a regular basis (just after waking up) is a good habit to make. A normal resting heart rate can be anywhere between 60-100 beats per minute. You you need to establish what's normal for you. If you're a runner, don't be shocked if your regular resting heart rate is lower than 60. That's pretty typical.

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My doc also said that the "head/chest test" is another good measure to use in determining whether or not to run. If your symptoms are limited to the neck up (runny nose, mild sore throat, and itchy, watery eyes), then it's probably okay to run, but at a lower intensity than normal. If your symptoms are presenting themselves in your chest or lower (heavy, productive chest cough, aches and pains, fever), then ix-nay on the unning-ray. You should be fever-free before running.