Diet & Team Sports.
In team sports, as in all sport, there continues to be considerable progress in our understanding of how nutrition functions can benefit athletes.

Diet & the match.
The match represents the most important moment for a football player, the moment that defines a players worth. It is important therefore for the player to follow an appropriate diet for sport, & for their characteristics. It is fundamental for optimum competitive performance to choose the correct food & drink before, during & after matches.

Post-match nutritional requirements are as important as pre-match requirements, especially if there is another match within the following three days.

Before the match.
Eating appropriately before a match is vital for players at all levels. Very few players are able to eat & combine foods indiscriminately without experiencing discomfort. Diminished efficiency can also occur even though this may not be apparent to the player.

Prolonged periods without food.
In the short term, abstaining from food & drink will generally not have a negative effect on either the physical or psychological characteristics of a player. However, in some situations, fasting, combined with physical exertion, can cause a serious worsening in performance.

Just as it is true that an incorrect diet can damage the body, it is also true that players should not fast before they play. One of the problems of a prolonged fast is that the blood sugar falls & this will affect the players energy.

While digestion is still in progress.
Fasting before matches can cause problems, but eating too soon before a match can also be problematic. If the interval between finishing the meal & starting the match is too short, or if inappropriate food or combinations of food have been consumed, gastric problems, including heartburn, nausea, vomiting or feelings of heaviness, or more general problems like dizziness & loss of strength can be experienced because of undigested food.

There is a mutual negative influence between digestion & physical activity when they occur simultaneously, which may be harmful to performance. Brain function can also be negatively affected by undigested food in the stomach.

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