The Core Diet Blog


There are several nutritional strategies that you can follow to improve your immunity as an athlete. These include a handful of key supplements. Those that have STRONG support in the literature are vitamin D3, probiotics, vitamin C, and zinc lozenges.

1.    Consider taking 1000 IU/day ofvitamin D3, from fall to spring, to avoid insufficiency.
2.    Considerprobiotics(>10 billion live bacteria/day) if you are illness prone or while traveling.
3.    At the onset of a cold, takezinc acetate lozenges(75 mg/day) to reduce the duration of symptoms - must be taken < 24 hour after onset.
4.    Also consider 0.25-1 gram/day ofvitamin Cto decrease URI incidence, as well as reducing URI duration, if initiated after the onset of symptoms.

In addition to supplementation, there are also several general nutrition strategies to support a healthy and strong immune system:

1.    Eat a well-balanced diet with a focus on fruit and vegetable consumption (5-7 servings/day) to provide adequate nutrient density.
2.    Consume > 50% of daily energy intake as carbohydrate. 
3.    Consume an adequate amount of protein (1.2-1.6 g/kg/day).

Managing overall stress - which includes training stress - also plays a large part in immune health. Some training principles to abide by, that will ultimately keep you healthy, both, from injuries and from URI include:

1.    Following a proper periodized training program that allows for a recovery week after every two- to four-week build period.
2.    Keeping volume and intensity increases limited to 5-10% per week (maximum), especially during the winter months.
3.    Schedule recovery days (and ensure that these days are truly EASY – heart rate training is good for this!) following high intensity sessions/days.


1.    Aim for > 7 hours of sleep each night. You cannot “catch-up” to multiple bouts of restricted sleep – consistency with sleep is king. If possible, daytime naps can be beneficial!
2.    Although easier said than done, keeping life/psychological stress to a minimum can also play a big role in staying healthy. This may mean reducing training stress during periods of high life-stress or travel, to manage your overall stress-load.
3.    Avoid sick people! It sounds simple, and it is.  When exposed to those with URI, do not underestimate the importance of thoroughly washing your hands in order to avoid self-inoculation by touching your eyes, nose, and/or mouth.
4.    Do not train with below the neck symptoms.  


~Beth Peterson

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