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Evilbob333
12-16-2008, 06:47 AM
Hi all, thought this might be of interest to some!

I'm planning to complete the Lands End to John O'Groats trip next September and have been looking into training methods etc... I came across the following quote on a website.

'Nutrition

Don't try to kid yourself that you can easily cope with just water to drink. Get used to drinking sports drinks, as they will help your energy levels so you can sustain a good level of effort. Drinking only water for ten hours when you are burning up at least 8000 calories is dangerous for your body.

If you haven't eaten enough, you could experience bonking1. At best, bonking is deeply unpleasant, causing tunnel vision, a racing pulse and an odd feeling of detachment from your surroundings. At worst it can lead to serious accidents.

I've seen cyclists ride straight into cars or off the road because they were bonking.
The best way to avoid it is to keep a supply of sugary things close to hand and snack as much as possible. Bananas are a good preventative measure too - the potassium will help you avoid cramps as well.'

Whilst it is amusing, i found the idea of 'Bonking' (!!!) very interesting as it describes a lot of symptoms associated with anxiety, especially the feeling of detachment, or derealisation. Its interesting that to some this lack of fuel can cause this but as its related to nutrition and exertion the athletes experiencing it dont panic as a result, due to their interpretation of the symptoms. It is, in my eyes, further proof that not only does nutrition have a huge impact on anxiety symptoms but also that our abnormal/catastrophic interpretation of these symptoms can exacerbate anxiety conditions.

Hope this was of some use! Search on wikipedia for more information...its under the topic heading of 'hitting the wall'.

Cheers

Giz
12-22-2008, 07:29 PM
Interestingly many sports drinks will contain B vitamins, which are linked to the process of methylation (the recycling of neurotransmitters), and a lack of B vitamins can present as a mental disorder..

This is just another example of why we should all be looking at our diets in relation to our mental health. We may all have the most simple of answers all around us in abundance in the right foods!