The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) distributed its recently published Nutrition Guide to senior athletes at the fourth annual Senior Athletes Anti-Doping Education Workshop, which was held at the Jamaica Conference Centre (JCC) in Kingston on Saturday, November 18, 2017. The Nutrition Guide which focuses specifically on Jamaican food, provides a diet and hydration guide for Jamaican athletes.
Several senior athletes and their support personnel turned out to support the workshop, where they were educated about nutrition and the professional athlete, by one of the authors of the Nutrition Guide, Dr. Christine Fray-Aiken.
Speaking at the workshop, Sports Nutritionist, Dr. Christine Fray-Aiken said, “Having a well-planned eating strategy is a sound investment and it is a less expensive strategy than taking supplements to get needed nutrients. Jamaican foods can provide all the nutrients that an athlete needs.” She further added, “There is no one-size-fits-all nutrition prescription. For athletes to perform optimally, they should be working closely with both their coach and Sports Nutritionist.”
The Nutrition Guide can be accessed on the JADCO website at www.jadco.gov.jm.
Athlete of Table Tennis Jamaica, Onika Francis said, “This is my first workshop and I learnt a lot of things about the nutrients and the best type of Jamaican foods to eat to keep the body in shape. I even learnt that your diet can be determined by the sport you play and I got more information about the importance of hydration and exercise.”
Athlete of Jamaica Surfing Association, Ackeam Phillips, speaking at the event said, “The workshop was necessary and I am happy that I came. I learnt a lot today and when I go home I am going to ensure that I have a meeting with my surf group to share the information with them. If I was aware of this information when I just started surfing it would have made a big difference.”
Also speaking at the workshop, General Secretary of the Jamaica Badminton Association, Antonio Bell said, “A workshop of this nature is always necessary to inform athletes and federations of the changes that occur in anti-doping. I think federations should pay closer attention to workshops put on by JADCO because they are vital. I always learn new information whenever I attend the JADCO workshops and I try to impart this information to my federation.” He further added, “The presentation on nutrition and the professional athlete was beneficial, because it made the athletes aware of methods that they can use to keep their body in shape without relying on substances that can cause them to test positive.”
The workshop included presentations on the functions and responsibilities of JADCO and the doping control process. Dr. Jodi-Ann Smith, a representative of the Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA), also delivered a presentation on the health consequences of doping.
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