If you use some general rules of thumb to eating, you can dramatically improve your physique.

1. Eat breakfast like a king, dinner like a gentleman and tea like a pauper

This encourages portion control and makes sure you have energy when you need it, through the day; while also not having a full stomach when you go to bed and storing energy as fat.

2. If you cant tell what animal or vegetable it is when its on your plate, don’t eat it.

This makes sure you don’t eat too many processed foods with additives, preservatives, E-numbers and hydrogenated fats. All of which are high in processed foods.

3. Make sure you have a balanced diet.

As human being, we are designed to eat more fruit and vegetables than meat. So don’t do “fad diets” (like the Atkins) as the weight will go straight back on again when you eat normally. A little bit of everything is not too bad for you. Treat yourself once a week with a little something that you like, but don’t gorge yourself on it!

4. If you want a snack eat a piece of fruit.

5. The “so-called” healthy options at Fast food restaurants are hardly ever “healthy” so don’t be fooled!!!!!!

6. The devil is in the sauce.

The bad-things that will ruin a healthy meal are normally in the sauces that are added for that extra “flavour”.

Tomato sauce, mayonnaise, Caesar dressing, extra cheese, diane sauce, pepper sauce….all of these will ruin a perfectly healthy meal.

This is because the contents of the sauce are mainly fats, oils, salt, sugar which are bad for your heart and cholesterol. They will also make you retain water and add weight.

Drink more water

Ideally the recommended daily quota is around 8-glasses. This will equate to approximately 1.5 to 2 litres per day. However if you are training hard and sweating, this can be increased up to 3 to 4 litres a day.

The key to this is start slowly.

Start off trying to abide by one of the general rules above. After a month or so, this should be becoming second nature. You can then start trying one of the other guidelines.

There is no pressure, as all these are self-imposed goals and aspirations. All we are trying to do is offer guidance and help you attain your objective.

For more information about nutrition for martial arts please see the downloadable file below.

NutritionfortheFightingArts.doc

Injury managment

From the sparring sessions, everyone will always get knocks and bumps and bruises.

As soon as you get an injury work on the R.I.C.E. theory, which stands for:

Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate.

Once you have worked through this emergency procedure, Keep icing the injury for two-days to keep the swelling down.

You should always have an ice pack in your freezer!

Then once the injury has subsided, draw the badness out of the injury by using hot/cold technique. Using the ice pack and hot water bottle in 10-min intervals, just while watching TV

..PS good excuse for watching TV.

Also to ease muscle strains and fatigue I have found that using “Deep Heat” patches are very effective.

There are also “detox foot plasters” available from www.healthrack.co.uk

I have used these when I am training hard and I have found the detoxifying gives you a new lease of energy the next morning.

Also, using a dietary suppliment called ZMA (Zinc and Magnesium compound) helps relieve post-training musclular aches and pains.

Homeopathic remedies

You can also help your injury by using arnica homeopathy tablets (available from Boots/Tesco/Holland and Barratts). These will only work if you are clean living, as per the dietary advice above. On top of this, stay away from Tea and coffee as this neutralises the tablets.

You can also get arnica cream to rub directly on to the affected area.

If the bruising is through to the bone, use Rhus-Tox homeopathy tablets, these will have the same effect, but instead of healing flesh bruises, they help bruised bones.

Give injuries time to heal. Look after yourself. If it becomes a persistent injury then it needs to be rested and get physiotherapy

As a rule of thumb: If an injury is caused through impact, it is a force going in…so it can be massaged out. If its an internal failure (ligament/tendon) then after an A&E consultation I would look to speed up the healing process with acupuncture.

From my experience with western medicine, a doctor will always air on the side of caution and tell you to rest al long as you can and just take paracetamol for the pain.

I feel this resting process is too long winded and I have found that I can speed up the healing process by looking at Far Eastern alternative therapies, and these have helped me back to full fitness a lot quicker.

For joint-pain, I recommend taking a daily cod-liver oil tablet along with Glucosamine and Chondrotin suppliments. These are available from Holland and Barratt. I use the 1000mg liquid suppliment (for glucosamine and chondrotin) if I start to develop knee problems from running and hard training.

All of these statements come with the caveat that this does not replace professional medical advice.

If there is a persistant problem or the pain rating on an injury gets more than 6/10, then seek medical advice. You know the right thing to do. If its a mild niggle, then you can manage around it. You will know if an injury is serious.

LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY......

Super-nutrients from vegatables

Tomato - Contains lycopene, which is a great anti-oxidant. Full of pottasium, vitamin C and beta-carotene which help the immune system and keeps skin healthy

Avocado - Pound-for-pound the best fruit for heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fibre, vitamin E, folic acid and pottasium. A leading fruit source of beta-sitosterol, a substance that can reduce over-all cholesterol. They supersede other fruits in lutein, which protects people from cataracts. Lutein has also been shown to protect the CV system.

Turnip - This is a cruciferous vegatable which is a great anti-oxidant and good digestive. Rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C.

Cabbage - Eating cabbage once a week reduces the likelyhood of certain cancers by 65%. Great antiviral and anti-bacterial qualities. It is thought to speed up the metabolism of oestrogen in women protecting against breat and uterine cancers. A valuable source of vitamin C and E, beta-carotene, folate, pottasium, thiamine and fibre.

Spinach - Rich in vitamins and iron. The vitamin C in the vegatable increases the absorbtion of iron. Good for the haemoglobin in blood and kidneys. Contains vitamin C, B6, calcium, pottasium, folate, thiamine and zinc. Rich in fibre and can reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), which therefore implys this reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Contains four-times more beta-carotene than brocolli. Most benificial when eaten raw.

Beets - Low calorie and nutrient dense. Full of antioxidents, protecting artery walls reducing the risk ofheart disease and stroke. Richest sources of folic acid which protects unborn babies from spina-bifida. Also contains silica which helps the body utilise calcium, which therefore means it is an important vegatable in muscular-skeletal health (reducing the risk of osteoporosis)

Radish - Good source of vitamin C and an effective diuretic.

Cauliflower - Contains vitamin C, folate and pottasium. Used as a natural medicine for blood purification and as a laxative.

Pumpkin - Full of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene as well as vitamins B5, C, E, pottasium, calcium and fibre. The seeds are an excellent source of zinc, essential fatty acids and plant protien.

Broccoli - Low in saturated fat and high in dietery fibre, vitamins A,C,E,K, B6, folate, pottasium, magnesium, phosphorus, thiamin,riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron and selenium. The nutritional value of broccoli makes it ideal for optimum health and weight loss.

Brussel sprouts - Retain more nutritional value if eaten raw. High in fibre, reducing the risk of colon cancer and support the liver in the detoxification process.

Red cabbage - Low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Red cabbage has twice the amount of vitamin C than green cabbage. Full of anthocyanins which provide cancer protection, improve brain function and promote heart health. Great source of dietary fibre vitamins A,C,K,B6, pottasium and manganese, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, iron and calcium.

Onions - The sulphur compounds and flavonoids are responsible for the anti-cancer properties. Quercetin boosts the immune system, promotes detoxification and reduces inflammation.

Garlic - Stimulates the immune system by encouraging the growth of natural killer cells. Destroys the bug MRSA and any of the super-super bug evolved strains. Highly recommended after heart sugery for its detoxifying and antibiotic properties.

Ginger - Great anti-oxidant used for fighting cancer and heart disease. Effective as aspirin at preventing blood-clotting, making it a potential aid against heart disease (although not recommended for people who are already taking anti-coagulents) Fights inflamation and cleanses the digestive system and stimulates circulation.

Apples - Reduces the oxidation of cholesterol, therefore lowering the risk of damage to arteries and heart disease. Also contains pectin, a soluable fibre which is effective at lowering levels of blood cholesterol. Pectin also binds to heavy metals in our bodys, such as lead and remove them from the gut.

Cranberry - Protect against urinary tract infections by preventing E-coli attaching to the bladder wall. Also helps in the recovery of a stroke.

Blueberry - Contain anthocyanidins, some of the strongest antidotes to oxidative stress, which cause aging.

Pomegranate - Full of vitamin B, C, calcium and phosphurus. The powerful mix has a synergous effect in preventing and reversing many diseases.

Orange - Contains Hesperetin which is the main flavonoid which has been shown to protect against cancer, heart disease, infection and inflamation. Reduces blood pressure.

Olive Oil - Packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and polyphenols, which reduce the risk of heart attacks.

Walnuts - The best plant source of protien. Rich in fibre and B-vitamins, magnesium and and anti-oxidants such as vitamin-E. High in plant sterols (omega-3 fatty acids and good fats). Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood vessel elasticity.

Salmon - The best oily fish providing plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which help with limiting the effects of rhumatoid arthritis and asthema. Essential brain function and health, accelerated learning and attension span in children and helping the mental function of the elderly. Other great fish are herring, tuna and makerel.

Almond - Super food loaded with protien and fibre, and several minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, pottasium and zinc. High in vitamin E, folic acid and Vitamin B-2. Also contains monounsaturated fats. Unroasted, unsalted for the maximum hit of vitamins and minerals.

Soy - Contains two main phytoestrogens which are able to reduce the activity of the bodys own oestrogen, thus protecting against breast cancer. Strong evidence of soy-intake linked to low cancer rates.

Yoghurt - With protien, calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, vitamins B-6 and 12. Helps digest lactose (natural milk sugars) which can cause bloating and diahorhea in lactose-intolerant people.

Cinnamon - Great for sore throats and coughs. Alliviates indigestion and stomach cramps, intestinal spasms, nasea and flatulence. Mild anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and anti-clotting properties. Regular use can minimise yeast infections and stomach ulcers

Flaxseeds - Full of omega-3 fatty acids which reduce heart disease, strokes and inflammatory diseases. Great for vegitarians who cannot get the fatty oils from fish. Good antiinflammatory properties which can help overcome DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

Oats - The most nutritious of all the grains. Reduces blood cholesterol. High in fibre and a natural laxative. Low Gi food to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Contains vitamins E and B.

Lentils and peas - Contain an impressive range of nutrients including iron, selenium, folate, manganese, zinc, phosporus and some B-vitamins. Low in fat, rich in protien. Fibre slows down trhe rate at which sugar enters the blood stream. Effective against diabetes