Deena Williams, SwimSwam
January 24, 2020
Eating. A swimmer’s second favorite thing to do! We like to talk about food. We like to chatter about what sounds good to eat before we swim, we dream about it during practice and discuss what we would like to eat as we leave the pool. Though somehow in the shuffle of cravings, the basic concept of food as fuel gets lost.
Maintaining a healthy diet to balance the strenuous workouts expected to compete is its own training challenge. And as every swimmer or swim parent knows, combining the right caloric intake and nutritional balance isn’t easy. A quick solution to immediate, post-practice hunger doesn’t have to be traditional, but it should be healthy or nutritious. Not taking the time to do so can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiency. Worst case scenario those choices can also contribute to the development of anemia.
It is believed that in the United States 10 million people are iron deficient and at least 5 million people have developed iron deficiency anemia. It is an illness too often overlooked and discounted by modern diagnosis. My own diagnosis took twenty years to finally receive. By then my sports career was long over, and I was just plain old sick. Anemia symptoms are sly. They slowly overcome you. All athletes and coaches should be aware of the symptoms of vitamin deficiency and anemia. These types of illnesses can have serious long term effects in and out of the pool.
Normal iron levels range between 30 percent and 45 percent, but premenopausal women should be near 50 percent. It is possible to be within normal levels and still symptomatic.
One of the major factors to stiving off anemia and vitamin deficiency is the food that we eat. Every day we make food choices that impact our overall health. This is about perspective. As swimmers we spend hours deciding on the tech suit we buy or the type of goggles we use but eat on a whim. Athletes must learn to eat with intent. Choosing food as fuel as opposed to something quick or convenient is as important as the yardage you put in each practice. It may be more important because you can’t get sick from not swimming enough laps but you can if you don’t eat right.
Are You Swimming Anemic? If you are experiencing any symptoms or are curious about your vitamin, mineral or iron levels contact your family physician or team doctor. Remember many symptoms are similar to over-training or other illnesses.
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ARE YOU SWIMMING ANEMIC? Deena Williams, SwimSwam January 24, 2020 Eating. A swimmer’s second favorite thing to do! We like to talk about food. We like to chatter about what sounds good to eat before we swim, we dream about it during practice and discuss what we would like to eat as we leave […]
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