The health benefits of eating fish regularly cannot be overstated. They include, among others, a reduced risk of heart disease. Fish is also a rich source of protein, so why do so few of our aspiring GAA stars not include it as part of their regular diet? As an island nation, surely it's time we started to swim with the tide

Richelle Flanagan (MINDI) and Joanne Corbett (MINDI) give dietary tips, which parents and coaches can use, on how to help young GAA players feel energetic and play to the best of their ability.

During training and games, players naturally generate heat leading to a rise in body temperature. A rise in body temperature can be both detrimental to performance but also contribute to fatigue. Our bodies attempt to compensate for rising temperature by sweating.

When players do not consume enough fluids during training and games to compensate for these sweat losses, dehydration can quickly occur. As loss as low as 2% of body weight has been shown to affect performance in a 13.5 stone player, 2% is as little as 3.75lbs. This may not sound much but in a single training session or game a player can easily lose up to 4% of their body weight.

Many players do not deal adequately with dehydration, and in fact never fully rehydrate after training or a game. This leads to players taking part in further training sessions already in a dehydrated state exposing themselves to a greater risk of injury.

There are 3 key time frames for sports nutrition. 1. Pre-Training/Game; 2. During Training/Game; 3. Post Training/Game. Read on for more information on all stages of nutrition.

The All-Ireland final is looming, history is in your hands, you can’t sleep and your stomach is in knots. How do you get your diet right in the lead up to the biggest occasion in your life? Sports Dietician Richelle Flanagan explains what you should eat and drink in the lead up to the big day

WHAT you eat and drink leading up to a big game is very important. Resorting to a big bowl of pasta on the night before your game is not enough - you need to fuel your body properly during the week. The key nutrient to focus on is carbohydrate. Protein is also important for the recovery of your muscles, while fluids are essential to keep you hydrated and your daily FIVE fruit and vegetables to keep illness at bay. The benefits of fuelling your body properly are outlined in Figure 1.

Building your defence line. Nutrition for the Immune System: eating to stay well during training and competition. The immune system consists of a vast number of cells, tissues and messengers, for example "cytokines," that play a key role in protecting the body against infection and in healing after injury. In football and hurling terms its your half back and full back lines!

Players are often told to ensure that they consume a sports drink with carbohydrate, some electrolytes and protein to refuel after training and matches, and to ensure that they have a diet high in carbohydrate with plenty of protein and limited fat. In some cases these are not provided with much information on how to chose which foods are a good source of carbohydrate or protein.

Often players look at food labels and not know what some of the ingredients are or how beneficial they are to their overall well being. The drink label printed on the right with information on what each heading means will help you to make sound nutritional choices to suit your own tastes.

What should I eat before a big game - The Player's resident fitness experts put you in the picture - follow the three hour rule and don't forget your water. KERRY football legend Páidí Ó Sé tells a hilarious story about the 1975 All-Ireland final against Dublin.