Paul Peavy: Platitudes On Plateaus (10/26/2007)

Thought this was a great article coming from a swim parent who is a licensed psychotherapist ( Paul Peavy). He brings not only a great point of view as an outsider looking in but also the understanding of the frustrations that go on through a swim parent's eyes (his daughter at the time of this article was 10).

BY PAUL PEAVY, MS, LMHC

Well there your child is, stuck again. Stuck like a duck in the muck. No improvement in time. It’s

been four months, and no improvement. Well, now your wonderful, happy swimmer is starting to whine and complain about not seeing the improvement. What’s a parent to do?

Well, you can throw out the old, “Keep your nose the grindstone,” saying. But the problem with that is no one in the last 70 years has seen anyone with their nose to the grindstone. (Yes, both of you who use a grindstone in your daily work can e-mail at paul@paulpeavy.com ) Help your child return to the better, happier platitudes of swimming rather than the ghoulish sounding grindstones. Here are some of the truly better ones:

“Your friends are still there aren’t they?” – This really is one of the great reasons to swim. You

meet great kids and parents who are interested in a healthy lifestyle and healthy choices. Tell your kids to go to practice and meets for the fun and fellowship. Not every kid gets to have a pool party everyday (sometimes twice a day).

“It keeps you in incredibly good shape!” – The power of being in good physical shape should not go unmentioned. You can also mention to your child that exercising actually gives you energy to do other things such as homework or really important things like winning a “Dance, Dance

Revolution” video game marathon.

“You can help others and be a really good role model to others.” – As corny as this sounds, many

young people are proud to wear the banner (or tiara) of being someone others look up to. Many

times these plateaus happen to really good swimmers, so it is time to swim a 500 in another

swimmer’s Zoomers and still be that positive role model that others want to be like.

“This is what being a part of a team is about.” – Sometimes you’re the shining star, and sometimes you’re the speck of dust that you can’t see in a telescope, but you still are an important part of the galaxy (obviously my first, and hopefully last, foray into astronomy metaphors). Your team needs you for points, for your loud cheering voiced, for your Napoleon Dynamite impressions. Whatever your child brings to the team, you need to point out that it is more than just their fast times that make them an important part of the team.

It’s a tough time for some of our kids to go through times like these, but it is such an important part of emotional and intellectual growth for them to keep persevering and keeping their nose to the grindstone. (I didn’t just say that, did I?) Because at the end of the day, swimming is not just about making you a better swimmer, it’s more about making you a better person.

Top Five Foods To Boost Immunity

With it being that time of the year, thought it would be only appropriate to post an article from USA Swimming on some super foods to help boost immunity (for swimmers and parents!). http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&itemid=4120&mid=8712

BY CHRIS ROSENBLOOM, PHD, RD, CSSD

Winter brings more than its share of cold and flu viruses. The average young person gets anywhere from 6 to 10 colds a year, and the dry heat of winter air and close proximity to others means it is easier to spread those nasty germs. Instead of heading to the medicine cabinet, try the kitchen cabinet to find foods rich in the nutrients that keep your immune system strong all winter long.

1. Probiotic foods (those foods that contain good bacteria for a healthy gut) can enhance immunity. Your guts contain 2 to 3 pounds of bacteria and emerging research shows that the type of bacteria that live in your gastro-intestinal tract can prevent disease by acting as a natural antibiotic. Registered dietitian JoAnn Hattner, author of Gut Insight (www.gutinsight.com) points out that 70% of our immune function takes place in the gut so eating foods rich in probiotics is a good idea to stay healthy. Yogurt is the most obvious probiotic food and other foods that contain helpful bacteria are kefir, miso (fermented paste of soybeans used to make miso soup), tempeh (another fermented soybean product) and sauerkraut.
2. Citrus foods are rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that is often tied to preventing the common cold. Many people load up on vitamin C when they feel a cold coming on but research does not support that supplements can prevent a cold. But, eating vitamin C rich citrus foods contain plant compounds called citrus flavones that also have anti-inflammatory properties. Now is the peak season for oranges and grapefruit and for my favorite, Clementine tangerines. I like their size, ease of peeling and free of pips…the proper term for citrus seeds.
3. Nuts and seeds are good sources of the fat-soluble vitamin E. In addition to being a potent antioxidant, this nutrient is also important in immune function. Sunflower seeds and almonds have the highest vitamin E content of any seed or nut and they both make great snacks. Make your own immune-boosting trail mix with unsalted mini-almonds, sunflower seeds and dried fruit.
4. Meat and shellfish are not only good sources of protein but also contain the mineral zinc, important for wound healing and a strong immune system. Choose lean beef or pork and shellfish like lobster and crab to get a good source of zinc. And don’t be afraid of the dark; chicken thigh and drumsticks are higher in zinc than white meat chicken breast.
5. Carbohydrate-rich foods are not only good for muscle fuel but some researchers think that carbohydrate ingested during exercise can counter the rise in stress hormones that are a natural part of exercise. During hard training, plan to consume carbohydrate-rich snacks like sports drinks, fruit or vegetable juices, fresh or dried fruit and whole grain crackers to help keep you stay strong all winter long.

Chris Rosenbloom is the sports dietitian for Georgia State University Athletic Department and is the editor of the American Dietetic Association’s Sports Nutrition Manual, 5th edition, scheduled for publication in 2012