Scholastic, professional, and recreational athletes may be surprised to learn that nutrition can play a major role in enhancing both performance and the healing of sports injuries.
While ice packs, bandages, rest, and physical therapy are significant in both the short and long-term treatment of injuries such as sprains, strains, cuts and bruises, swelling, and broken bones, researchers are discovering that what an athlete consumes after injury and during the treatment phase can either promote recovery or sometimes delay healing.
The nutrition can not only affect injury rehabilitation positively or negatively, but also aid or hinder the recovery of general and / or chronic muscle or joint soreness following intense exercise workouts, practices, and games. Anti-inflammatory foods and beverages can contribute to the healing of sports injuries are also excellent for post workout / post practice / post game muscle and joint recovery.
The following foods and beverages that have anti-inflammatory qualities and may even accelerate recovery from sports-related or non-athletic injuries:
Grapes, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, kiwis, olive oil, celery, ginger, garlic, curry powder, eggplant, nuts, tuna, salmon, mackerel, black and green tea, and red wine and beer (only when consumed in moderation with food and no more than two alcoholic drinks per day).
Foods rich in vitamin C (citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, peppers) and vitamin E (nuts, olive oil) have anti-inflammatory effects. Omega-3 rich fish oil and fatty salt-water fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel) also fight inflammation, besides the wide-spread publicity in recent years of such fish benefiting both heart and brain health.
Another food that has been shown to reduce inflammation is the herb turmeric which is an even better anti-inflammatory than cortisone, one of the most powerful of the steroids.”
Curcumin is found in curry powder, another anti-inflammatory source. Athletes and non-athletes alike who experience chronic shoulder, back and knee pain, for example, may take note of curcumin’s powerful role in easing inflammation.
Another wonderful anti-inflammatory food is eggplant which “contains the important mineral potassium, as well as phytochemicals that have antihistaminic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities.”
To reduce inflammation, athletes and non-athletes must focus on the #1 beverage: drink ample amounts of plain water in practices and games, both in solid form (when ice packs are applied immediately following an injury to prevent inflammation such as swelling) and in liquid form to hasten recovery during injury rehabilitation as well as help heal chronic joint and back pain.
While water might be king beverage on and off the athletic field, athletes and non-athletes should take advantage of the possible anti-inflammatory capacity of another bodybuilding beverage: milk.
Athletes and non-athletes should also monitor their protein intake and note that high-protein diets boost inflammation.
Another area in which nutrition affects inflammation is overeating or consuming excess calories contributing to either obesity or simply becoming overweight with more body fat than lean muscle.
In general, what an athlete consumes in the hours, days and weeks following an injury may indeed determine how fast he or she returns to action. Some foods and beverages can prevent or reduce inflammation, thus speeding the healing process.
To help the athlete on a quicker road to recovery, some simple anti-inflammatory meals may be just what the doctor ordered.
. Current scientific studies now drill down and display genetic variations being correlated from mining into huge shared medical databases that support an individual’s need for increased amounts of specific nutrients to produce body cells for strength and endurance which plays into naturally increasing the performance of athletes by discovering what natural nutrients may be needed in larger daily amounts to product 100% functionality. This ultimately enhances the athlete’s performance.