The foods that you choose to eat can ultimately affect your performance. Pre-activity eating can help you significantly by supplying energy for sustained exercise and preventing the lightheadedness, fatigue, and indecisiveness that can result from low blood sugar. The food you eat 5 minutes to 4 hours before activity helps fuel your muscles and brain, and it can help you perform better.

Carbohydrates are very important for maintaining normal blood sugar (the fuel used by the brain) and glycogen (fuel used by the muscles). Cereal, bread, fruit, and fruit juice are excellent choices for a pre-game breakfast.

The best pre-game dinners are carbohydrate-based: for example, spaghetti and tomato sauce; or potatoes and rice, vegetables, and dinner rolls with a small serving of chicken or other protein-rich food. Choose foods that you know will settle comfortably and digest easily. Be sure to limit fried and high-fat foods. These take longer to digest.

Plan to eat several hours before activity, and eat familiar foods that wonít cause a surprise upset stomach. If you are traveling, or simply run out of time, you are still responsible for fueling yourself throughout the day. Plan ahead.

Get up early and eat a hearty breakfast, pack some sandwiches for lunch. Make sure you have enough water and fluids to get you through the day without being thirsty.

So you wonít go hungry if youíre traveling to a night game, stash 1,000 calories in your gym bag. You may even pack extra snacks for underfed teammates. On game day you can add perishable items such as yogurt, bagels, apples, or other fresh fruit. Good nutrition and eating habits will keep you on top of your game.

Has anyone every told you how to pick a sports bra? Do you usually choose a bra that has a pretty color or that looks attractive? This is an article that all active women need to read.

With the vast increase in the number of females who are physically active, concern has been directed to protecting the breasts against movement that stems from running and jumping.

A bra should hold the breasts to the chest and prevent stretching of the Cooperís ligament, which causes premature sagging.

There are two basic types of sports bras: the classic compression style and the newer encapsulation models. The compression styles, which rely on powerful elastic-blend fabrics, press and hold the breasts tightly against the body and seem to work better for small to medium breasted women.

Encapsulation bras take a divide and conquer approach, surrounding each breast with supportive fabric and doing a better job for larger breasted women.

With these things in mind you are on your way to exercising comfortably.

Collision sports, such as football, provide frequent opportunities for body contact and requires special protective equipment. The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), has developed standards for football helmet certification and each helmet must have the NOCSAE certification label. When fitting helmets, always wet the athleteís hair to simulate playing conditions. A tongue depressor should fit snuggly between the ear and the ear pad. The forehead pad should rest two finger widths above the eyebrows.

Jaw pads should rest snuggly against the cheek bones. The face mask should be positioned three finger widths from the nose. The chin strap should be in the center and equal distance from the sides of the helmet.

The final piece of protective equipment for the head is the mouth guard.

Dental and head traumas can be prevented if the athlete wears a correctly fitted mouth guard, which protects teeth, absorbs the shock of chin blows and helps prevent concussions. A proper fitted mouth guard is retained on the upper jaw and projects backwards only as far as the last molar. Cutting down mouth guards to cover only the front teeth should never be done.

Make sure that you do your best to protect yourself. Be a leader and others will follow.

For more information call Towson Sports Medicine at 410.337.5310.