Introduction

A sport usually provides happiness to the participants and enjoyment to the audience. It includes all forms of competitive activities or games that involve casual organised physical/ non-physical participation. In any sport, the audience look for performance. Performance of the sports person mainly depends on the physical fitness. In turn, the physical fitness of the sports person depends on regular and balanced food habits, oil massages and proper hydration.

Balanced food with appropriate proportions of carbohydrates, fat, proteins, and vitamins provides fuel to maintain energy levels. Adequate intake of carbohydrates is essential to avoid muscle fatigue, since the working muscles use it as a primary fuel. It also increases muscle glycogen stores and promotes faster stomach emptying. On the other hand, fat intake is to be monitored but should not be completely eliminated. The fatty acid from the fat is used as a source of energy for long-lasting sessions. Fats act as building blocks for hormones and formation of cells. Protein is essential for building new muscle tissue and energy. If protein is taken in excess, it will be stored as fat. It may also lead to dehydration and may contribute to kidney problems.

• Sports Diet: Sports diet should boost the immunity system and increase the internal body strength of sporting individuals so that they can recover from any afflictions at a faster pace. Sports-persons who have a bulky body with muscle mass needs should take high calorie foodsuch as almonds, bananas, cow’s milk, chicken meat etc. Sports persons who need to maintain low body weight and a lean physique should consume foods that provide body strength and stamina such as green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, seeds, skinless chicken and turkey and low fat dairy products. Building stamina and immunity through diet not only depends on the nutrients but also on diet plan on time scale i.e., one should have regular and timely diet schedules.
  
  To stay active for long periods of time, one needs to follow diet rich in carbohydrates since they provide quick energy. Diet during the sporting event can also be planned as pre-game/post game along with hydration. Pre-game meal should include 70% of carbohydrates one but should avoid high content of processed sugar and any food that has not been tried earlier. After game energy food should include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grain cereals, natural fruit juices and dried fruit.
• Energy Drinks: Inadequate fluid intake leads to dehydration which is highly dangerous to health. It is essential to rehydrate the body quickly. Water is the best rehydrate. Water mixed with little salt, sugar and few drops of lemon juice acts as electrolyte which replenishes the body instantly. Lemon juice with jaggery and pudina (mint leaves), butter milk, tender coconut, tender coconut with lemon juice, jal-jeera, sol-kadi, kokum juice, honey/ jaggery and drinking water also rejuvenate the body instantly.Ragi malt with jaggery, green gram malt with jaggery, sesame milk with jaggery etc., are few of the traditional healthy drinks which boost immunity and build stamina if planned with regular diet.
• Energy Foods: Inclusion of unrefined grains in daily diet helps the body to get essential vitamins, minerals and fibre. Whey protein helps in repairing and rebuilding lean tissues. During intense exercise, carbohydrate is the predominant fuel source and during prolonged exercise stored fat acts as the fuel source.Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables on a regular basis as per the regional regime along with additional but traditional foods like baked sweet potato with coconut milk and jaggery, plain potato, egg, egg with milk, dry fruits, nuts, grains etc., help to build stamina and immunity in the long run instead of packed dietary supplements available in market which may have boosting effect for short term. 
• IQ enhancers:Cashew nuts fried with ghee and taken with little honey and ghee followed by drinking a cup of warm milk is supposed to act as best memory enhancers. This can be an ideal supplement for memory based sports. It is rich in Vitamin B2, B3, C or E, magnesium, pantothenic acid and copper content in natural form. Ghee balances excess stomach acid and helps to maintain mucous lining of the stomach.Dried pumpkin seeds, walnuts, butter fruit, green leafy vegetables, coconut oil, turmeric and brahmi are few examples of memory enhancers.

Diet planning tips: Routinely eat balanced healthy diet that suits you, eat at a fixed time, hydrate body at frequent intervals, at the time of sports consume complex carbohydrate rich food but avoid high fat and protein food.

An Interesting fact: 

Oil massage followed by hot water bath has two-way benefits. It is an age-old practice if followed routinely, provides better body fitness to the sports persons and after the event, reduces the muscle strain, moisturizes the skin, refreshes mind and eases circulatory system. 

Few Traditional Immune/stamina Boosting Recipes – 

Mixed nuts or Dry fruit Laddoo 

Take cashew nuts, almonds, pista, khus-khus (poppy seeds), raisins, dried fig, desiccated or dried and grated coconut, sesame seeds, gond (edible gum), all in equal proportions and fry in ghee. Pound coarsely and add to boiling jaggery syrup. Mix well and form round balls in the shape of laddoos. Eat one laddoo every day morning and drink a glass of warm milk. This helps to boost immunity, stamina and memory enhancement along with providing essential nutrients.

Sprouts Kosambari 

Soak one handful of green gram, brown chenna, and groundnuts overnight, drain water and sprout the grains. Season the mixed sprouts with coconut, salt, lemon and pomegranate. This helps to build stamina along with rejuvenating the blood cells.

Ragi Pudding

Soak ragi for 4-5 hours. Grind into fine paste. Strain the milk. Add jaggery, pounded pepper, jeera, cardamom and a glass of coconut milk. Keep stirring on low flame till it gets thickened and pour on to a plate greased with ghee. Allow it to set and consume regularly. This is very good traditional supplement for calcium and iron.

Ragi Malt

Soak Ragi in water for 4-6 hours. Grind ragi into fine paste. Add jaggery to taste and powdered cardamom for flavour.

Sesame Milk

Soak sesame seeds for 1-2 hours. Grind to fine paste along with coconut, jaggery and cardamom. Strain the milk and serve. This is a good calcium supplement. Lecithin in sesame is beneficial for brain as well.