| All the recent stories around the World in the press | | | | Add to all of that environmental factors such as the |
| and other forms of media about contaminated vitamin | | | | stress of exercise, the stress of everyday life and the |
| and mineral supplements leading to positive drugs tests | | | | added effect of our polluted environment, all of which |
| have led a number of players and indeed other | | | | are factors that require even more nutrients for our |
| athletes to abstain from using them, in particular, our | | | | bodies to function properly and pretty soon you are |
| tennis playing elite. | | | | left with players and athletes who visibly get tired |
| You might assume that this should not be a problem | | | | more quickly, get injured more often, recover more |
| as we are constantly being told again and again: a | | | | slowly, have mood swings, lose mental clarity and |
| varied diet eaten in the right amounts that meet the | | | | alertness and leave the courts and pitches of the |
| energy requirements of an athlete or player should | | | | World feeling both battered and frustrated. |
| provide him or her with all the necessary nutrients | | | | Recently a large number of studies have shown that |
| required by the body. | | | | antioxidant supplementation protects against free |
| This concept is quite naïve and will actually result | | | | radicals, exercise and pollution-induced damage and |
| in giving our players' opponents (who do take | | | | those taking vitamin C have shown a lower incidence |
| supplements) an unfair advantage. | | | | of upper respiratory tract infections. |
| Why? | | | | Remember - Excessive exercise often results in a |
| Read on! | | | | weakened immune system. |
| Let's for a minute assume, however unlikely, that you | | | | A 4-year study on probiotics (the 'good' bacteria) |
| as a tennis player do eat a varied diet in the | | | | recently completed might be of help, as it showed a |
| necessary quantities (whatever that is???) | | | | definitive link between probiotics and immunity and as |
| The food that you eat you will certainly not be as | | | | such, the use of probiotics immediately after each |
| nutritious as stated by the dietary analysis programs | | | | tennis match you play, or practise/fitness session you |
| used by many to ascertain an individual's nutrient intake | | | | take part in may well prove beneficial. |
| - and here is why! | | | | CONCLUSION |
| Our soil has far, far fewer minerals than it once did | | | | The problem of contamination can therefore be |
| and the nutrients in our foods diminish with time, | | | | overcome by only using supplements from the |
| temperature, light and processing (all of which play a | | | | supplement manufacturers who definitely do not |
| big part in the modern manufacturing process). | | | | produce hormones or banned substances on their |
| Forget professional players and athletes (whose | | | | premises. |
| bodies place large demands on their food and drink | | | | However, the proper supplementation geared to each |
| intake), with the best will in the world, even a so-called | | | | player's individual needs is best handled by a qualified |
| 'couch potato' would find it very, very difficult get | | | | sport nutritionist. |
| optimal levels of nutrients eating the food we produce | | | | Isn't it about time YOU went on court properly fuelled |
| today. | | | | to win? |