My Top 5 Foods for Athletes and Decreased Inflammation
If you’ve heard from me lately, you know that I’m sharing about a Plant-Based Eating E-Course that can bolster both your health and nutrition knowledge, as well as a chance to get the results you want for your body.
One of the things I hear the most from interested clients, friends and family members is, “I get that eating plant-based is good for the planet and animals too, but what exactly can eating plant-based do for my body?”
I’ll give you a short list: improved labs (i.e. reduced cholesterol, healthy blood pressure levels, stable blood sugar), decreased inflammation, better digestion, increased energy, losing unwanted weight, and even better sleep.
And that all sounds fine and dandy, but I’d like to share with you personally why I am passionate about fueling by body with plants instead of relying on animal products for my health and fitness goals.
As a dancer, runner, yogi and fighter, my body is constantly being pushed to new physical limits. I say new, because as I become stronger, the bar gets higher. However, this also means that to avoid injury, I must take time to recover. For many years, I found myself constantly fighting soreness after my workouts and into my next practice. But I didn’t feel like waiting several days until soreness subsided to get moving again.
Transitioning to a plant-based diet was one of the best things I did for my body. I noticed within weeks of focusing on plant-foods that my healing time (soreness time) plummeted to overnight recovery and I was getting injured less frequently. I also had more energy to get up and get moving! This happened for many reasons, but the two biggest reasons were that I was 1) eating more anti-inflammatory foods, and 2) increasing my anti-oxidant load.
Exercising, no matter how much or how intensely, can cause inflammation. Inflammation is also a result of exposure to toxic pollutants, allergens, free radicals from fried foods, or effects of aging. Plants have natural chemicals, also called phyto-chemicals in the form of polyphenols or flavonoids, that can reduce inflammation. You’ve likely heard of the power of turmeric as it has now made its way into trendy diets and modern pharmaceuticals, but there are other [less expensive and more popular] foods packed with anti-oxidants that fight inflammation and free radicals (or those bad cancer-causing things that float around in your body from pollution, bad food, stress, and even breathing)!
Here are my top 5 plant foods for athletes and anyone who wants to treat their muscles right and keep inflammation in check:
Dark, leafy green veggies are a staple in altering your health for the better, no matter who you are or your exercise routine. You can’t go wrong here as long as you aren’t smothering them in salt & margarine. Kale, collards, cabbage, broccoli leaves, beet greens, Swiss chard, spinach, and bok choy are best lightly steamed for 3-5 minutes. I like to add lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, black pepper, a dash of hot sauce and often times a few drops of toasted sesame oil for extra flavor!
Berries are powerhouses. Strawberries & blueberries have an extremely powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine (read: the plant substitute for Ibuprophen and Benadryl, respectively) called quercetin. Strawberries also have a high vitamin C content, which is an anti-oxidant that does more than boost your stressed-out immune system; vitamin C is extremely important in absorbing iron in the blood, forming collagen to strengthen the elasticity of skin (read: greater resilience against wrinkles), and healing wounds.
Pineapple is a great snack, especially before meals on an empty stomach or after a hard workout. What pairs well with the quercetin in berries is the digestive enzyme bromelian, found in pineapples. Bromelain not only aids in breaking down the food that makes its way to your stomach, but it also has the natural ability to prevent blood clotting (like Aspirin). Bromelain works in a way that it reduces the body’s reaction to physical stress by preventing the immune system’s inflammation response.
Celery and celery seed not only fight inflammation, but the natural sodium and potassium help to balance electrolytes in the body. The potassium in celery aids in the body’s ability to flush out toxins, and less toxins in the body means less soreness and faster recovery. Reconsider celery as a pre- or post-workout snack (but don’t overdo it with the fiber – instead add it or make it into a green juice). Combine it with pineapple to really take things up a notch.
Walnuts & flax seeds. These little guys contain
anti-oxidants that are rare in many foods and are full of omega-3’s. Omega 3’s, “healthy” fats, reduce inflammation and also dryness or flakiness of skin or hair that can present themselves as a result from exercise-induced stress on the body. Additionally, they are high in fiber and protein to promote a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time!
So, let’s do a very brief recap: eating more plants, especially the ones listed above, can decrease inflammation inside and out, prevent wrinkles, improve digestion, reduce chances of cancer, boost your immune system, prevent both short- and long-term diseases, and keep you fuller longer.
Allie’s Bonus Round:
Still in the ring with me? Here are some of my favorite anti-inflammatory supplements, in both whole food and powder form that you might consider adding to your daily routine…
Fermented foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, sourdough, and lacto-fermented pickles. Bolstering the gut with naturally-occurring probiotics has positive side-effects such as better digestion, improved mood, satiety, and decreased inflammation.
Turmeric & ginger. These roots are especially great for decreasing inflammation of or related to the gut. It is important to keep gut inflammation in check to avoid harsh consequences like food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome or even colon cancer.
Holy Basil or Tulsi. Holy basil is not only extremely easy to grow in a pot on the front porch or in a backyard garden bed, but in its its leaves (fresh, dried, pill or capsule form) is the power to decrease cortisol levels (a hormone that the body releases when it is stressed). Consistently elevated cortisol/stress levels can cause unwanted weight-gain (especially around the mid-section), a die-off of good bacteria in the gut, and increased inflammation just to name a few. Keep it in check with a Tulsi tea, adding holy basil leaves to smoothies, or buying a reliable supplement form.
Boswellia (frankincense). This extremely powerful anti-inflammatory is great for inflammation all over the body. It has been shown to alleviate symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases in addition to acting like a plant-based NSAID pain-reliever for short-term inflammation.
Maca root. Maca is an ancient root that can increase stamina and decrease inflammation. I mix maca and cacao powder with stevia in hot water as a nice morning drink instead of coffee.
What types of foods have you heard of that are good for inflammation or stress on the body? Do you currently take any herbal supplements as an alternative to traditional over-the-counter medications? I’d love to hear in your comments below!
Think you want to learn more about plant-based eating and what’s in it for you? Take a moment to check out Nutritionist Trisha Mandes’ latest Plant-Based Eating E-Course! And let me know if you have any questions!
Happy healing,
Allie