Salt tablets are almost always unnecessary—water and high-nutrient foods and occasional salted snacks will replace what is needed. Potassium and magnesium are needed as much as or more than sodium chloride. High-fat diets are also contraindicated. Muscles need glycogen (a carbohydrate) for their fuel, and carbohydrates give us the sustained energy we need for athletic activity. Thus, a basic complex-carbohydrate diet is the healthiest focus, with some added special dimensions for training.

Regular vigorous exercise obviously increases our demands for most everything, particularly calories and nutrients. Exercise improves our elimination and our metabolism, which means we need to nourish ourselves regularly. Physical exercise is also a stressor that may increase free-radical formation, so that additional antioxidant nutrients may be required. The physical stresses of vigorous exercise may also cause tissue irritation and breakdown, which we can counteract with natural anti-inflammatories, such as vitamins E and C and bromelain enzyme, and with amino acids to build up the tissues again. Regular sweating also causes the loss of many nutrients, particularly water, Vitamin B1, and some minerals—sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium are probably the most significant.

If all of these processes and nutrients are not balanced, nutritional deficiencies may result. Then, injuries can occur more easily, bone or muscle loss or breakdown may result, and this can all interfere with athletic performance. We prevent injuries with proper care in nutrition, adequate stretching and warm-ups, proper cool-downs, and adequate liquid intake. In the competitive world, the slightest changes may make a great difference—sometimes the difference between losing and winning. For professional athletes, of course, this could affect their livelihood.

Diet for the athlete in training and/or for performance is centered on the complex carbohydrates—whole grains and their products, such as pasta, legumes, potatoes and other starchy vegetables—along with some good-quality vegetable and/or animal protein, fruits, and a low-to-moderate fat intake. Athletes, like everyone else, need a well-balanced diet with a high nutrient intake. The increased activity generates the need for a higher amount of calories, protein, and other nutrients than the less active person requires. For weight control or maintenance, we need to vary our calorie intake with our activity level. When the season is over or we take time off or just stop exercising for some reason, we need to change our diet and consume less calories, fats, and proteins.

A high-fat diet is definitely out for athletes. It slows them down and can increase the body fat percentage, something that is taboo for the active athlete. For many of us, the fatty flavor of foods is the more addictive aspect of the diet, and with any lessening of physical activity, the higher-fat foods will clog the blood vessels and increase cholesterol and heart disease risk. Athletes should definitely avoid fried foods, high-fat meals, lunch meats, bacon, ham, and any foods cooked in animal fats. The higher-protein, lower-fat foods such as fish and poultry are better than the red meats. Some nuts and seeds, high in essential oils and protein, can be used as well.

Protein is very important for athletes, but the subject of how much and which proteins are best needs a lot of clarification. Protein intake in general should be less of a focus in the diet. Excess protein intake can produce certain minor problems, including clogging of the colon and stress on the kidneys. More protein than is needed for tissue building and its other functions merely gets used for energy or must be eliminated. The complex carbohydrates, though, are used much more efficiently for energy needs or for storage for later use. So, for best efficiency and performance, I believe that a diet based on complex carbohydrates with adequate, but not excess, protein is ideal.