2019-05-01_Runners_World_UK

GO GREEN

Green tea can help

ease your mind

before race day

Calm pre-race nerves

Pre-marathon nerves are

normal but you can take

steps to ease them. They

shall not ruin race day!

DRINK Green tea contains

L-theanine, an amino acid

that has been shown to

induce alpha brain waves,

associated with a state of

‘wakeful relaxation’. Sip on

Teapigs Mao Feng Green

Tea, £3.99 for 15 teabags,

from teapigs.co.uk.

SUPPLEMENT

Adaptogenic herbs such as

ashwagandha have been

proven to help reduce

stress by lowering levels

of the stress hormone

cortisol. Adding a quality

ashwagandha supplement

to your pre-marathon

routine could help ease

your mind. I like Pukka’s

Wholistic Ashwagandha,

£16.96 for 30 capsules,

from pukkaherbs.com.

Settle your gut

You can improve your gut

health by harnessing the

powers of probiotics.

EAT Probiotic foods are

full of beneficial bacteria

that can support a healthy

gut microbiome. They are

created by fermentation

and can be found in foods

such as miso, sauerkraut,

tempeh and kimchi.

SUPPLEMENT Probiotics

are available in supplement

form at higher doses than

we can consume in food

alone. I recommend

OptiBac For Every Day

Extra Strength, £22.99

for 30 capsules, from

optibacprobiotics.co.uk.

Ease your muscles

Ensure your diet is rich

in omega-3s to reduce

postrun muscle soreness.

EAT Fatty fish, flaxseeds

and walnuts are all sources

of omega-3 fatty acids,

which can reduce postrun

muscle inflammation.

SUPPLEMENT Magnesium

acts as a natural muscle

relaxant so it’s a good

choice for muscle soreness

and cramps. Soak in a

warm bath filled with

Better You Magnesium

Flakes, £3.49 from

betteryou.com.

Boost your energy

Ensure you structure your

meals to provide energy

throughout the day and

prevent energy crashes.

EAT Include protein in

every meal to keep your

energy levels consistent.

Try eggs or a protein

smoothie for breakfast,

Kim Pearson

is a qualified

nutritionist, with

more than 10 years’

experience. She

loves running

and pasta in

equal measure.

kim-pearson.com;

@kimmypearson

organic chicken or tofu for

lunch and fish for dinner.

SUPPLEMENT Fatigue can

be a sign of vitamin D

deficiency. The government

says we should consider

taking a supplement during

autumn and winter months

(we make most of our

vitamin D from sunlight).

Try Better You D-Lux,

£6.95 from betteryou.com.

Support your

immune system

Vitamin C can help to

protect you from colds.

EAT Vitamin C is found in

a variety of fruit and veg,

including oranges, kiwi

fruit and red peppers.

SUPPLEMENTS

Unbeelievable Health Bee

Prepared Max Strength

capsules can help fight

coughs and colds; £11.99

from planetorganic.com.

Get good sleep

Your mind may be in

overdrive as race day

looms, which can affect

the quality of your sleep.

EAT The golden rules for a
good night’s sleep include
avoiding caffeine after
lunch, not consuming big
portions of refined, starchy
carbs or sugar before bed,
and adding magnesium-
rich foods and melatonin
boosters to your diet.
For your evening meal,
opt for foods rich in the
amino acid tryptophan,
such as almonds, seeds,
tuna and crab, which the
body needs to produce
the sleep-inducing
hormone melatonin.
SUPPLEMENT Viridian
Cherry Night contains
glycine, magnesium, red
date and cherry extracts
to help promote improved
sleep; £25.95 for 150g,
PH from viridian-nutrition.com.

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NUTRITION ADVICE FOR

HEALTHY, HUNGRY RUNNERS

BY KIM PEARSON

EAT YOUR WAY TO

26.2 SUCCESS

Diet can help you beat pre-marathon jitters,

banish lethargy and aid good sleep

MAY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 077