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Managing Food Intolerances in Athletes

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<h1>Managing Food Intolerances in Athletes</h1>
<p>This playbook is designed to guide through the process of identifying potential food intolerances in athletes and modifying their diets to support gastrointestinal health and optimal performance.</p>

<h3>Step 1: Symptom Tracking</h3>
<p>Instruct athletes to maintain a food diary, noting what they eat, the quantities, and any symptoms they experience after eating. This should be done over a period of a few weeks to identify patterns.</p>

<h3>Step 2: Elimination Diet</h3>
<p>Based on the food diary, gradually remove common irritants (e.g., lactose, gluten, FODMAPs) from athletes' diets for a period, monitoring any changes in symptoms.</p>

<h3>Step 3: Reintroduction Phase</h3>
<p>After the elimination period, systematically reintroduce foods one at a time back into the athlete's diet, noting any returning symptoms, to pinpoint the specific food or foods causing intolerance.</p>

<h3>Step 4: Medical Consultation</h3>
<p>If the food intolerance is severe or if there are confusing patterns, refer the athlete to a healthcare provider or dietitian for further evaluation and testing, like allergy tests or systematic inflammation assessment.</p>

<h3>Step 5: Diet Adjustment</h3>
<p>Develop a customized diet plan avoiding the identified triggers, ensuring that nutritional needs are still met for the athlete's health and performance requirements.</p>

<h3>Step 6: Ongoing Monitoring</h3>
<p>Regularly review and update the athlete's eating habits and symptoms to accommodate changes in training, lifestyle, and tolerance levels.</p>

<h2>General Notes</h2>

<h3>Nutritionist Collaboration</h3>
<p>It's important to work with a sports nutritionist to ensure the athlete's diet remains balanced and sufficient in energy, macro, and micronutrients after eliminating problem foods.</p>

<h3>Record Keeping</h3>
<p>Athletes should be encouraged to keep a detailed log of both their dietary intake and any symptoms to assist health care providers in diagnosis and management.</p>