Chapter 14: Nutrition for Athletes With Illness or Injury

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After studying this chapter, the reader should be able to:

• 14.1 Describe nutritional factors that influence risk of acute illness.

• 14.2 Describe nutritional factors that mediate recovery from acute illness or injury.

• 14.3 List and describe several chronic diseases that may afflict athletes and the general nutritional principles to consider for each disease.

• 14.4 Describe the role of the health professional in the nutritional management of clients who suffer from chronic illness.

KEY TERMS

• acute illness Sudden onset of a time-limited ailment.

• bone remodeling The continual process of bone resorption and bone formation.

• DASH eating plan Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; an eating plan that is high in fruits and vegetables and low in sodium; it has been found to reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension as well as provide countless other benefits.

• exercise immunology The study of the effects of exercise on the immune response.

• exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP) Abdominal pain of uncertain etiology that occurs during physical exercise; more common in novice athletes and individuals who have rapidly increased exercise intensity or duration.

• flavonoid Antioxidant found naturally in many fruits and vegetables.

• functional foods Defined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as any whole, fortified, enriched, or enhanced food that has a potentially beneficial effect on human health beyond basic nutrition.

• immunonutritional support The use of nutrient intake or supplementation to attenuate immune changes and inflammation following intensive exercise or injury.

• insulin resistance The cells respond inefficiently or ineffectively to insulin.

• medical nutrition therapy Nutritional assessment, one-on-one counseling, and therapy intended to treat a specific illness or disease; should only be administered by a registered dietitian.

• open window of impaired immunity A period of time lasting 3 to 72 hours in which athletes who engage in intensive training are at particularly increased risk of infection.

• osteopenia A condition in which bone density is lower than normal; a precursor to osteoporosis.

• osteoporosis Weakening of the bones, which can lead to bone fracture of the hip, spine, and other skeletal sites.

• probiotics Bacteria that can be consumed in foods or supplements that help the body maintain a healthy balance of gut organisms.

• quercetin A flavonoid that may help to protect from illness and enhance healing from injury.