A Naturopathic Approach To Sports Nutrition

A Naturopathic Approach To Sports Nutrition

Spring and summer are the height of the season for people to take on a fitness challenge such as a marathon, bike race, or mudder.

Setting yourself a stretch like this helps you in staying youthful and healthy, but you have to know how to fuel your body for such an adventure.

Have a watch as I discuss a naturopathic approach to sports nutrition and how I prepared for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, complete with spandex gear.

Why Sports Medicine?

Sports medicine has been used for decades to help our athletes and Olympians gain a tiny edge over other competitors, by factoring in more than merely the training itself.

By leveraging nutrition, athletes are able to perform at a higher level and for longer periods.

Medicine has become a huge factor in exercise performance and preparation, and there is interest in incorporating holistic medicine as well.

Naturopathic Tips For Sports Nutrition

There aren’t a lot of naturopathic sources when it came to sports medicine and nutrition, but it’s not too difficult to create a list of recommendations based on common sense and some experience with endurance races.

1. Electrolytes

The number one most important thing to make sure you don’t go over the start line without is electrolytes.

There’s no excuse to miss out, as many races will offer electrolyte drinks at the water stations, such as Gatorade or Powerade.

On a hot day, without electrolytes, you can end up with muscle spasms, which could even lead to your limbs seizing up.

Other options for ingesting electrolytes would be powders, gels or gummies.

2. Ashwagandha

Ashwangandha is also known as Indian ginseng.

It is an adaptagen that helps you regulate your cortisol level, and is often given to patients for help with stress management, fatigue, and anxiety.

Take it the day before and the day of the race in order to have plenty of energy to see yourelf over the finish line.

3. Carbohydrates

You may have heard of marathoners who ‘carb load’ before the big race, and they can attest to the fact that this really works.

Fourty-eight hours before the race, start to eat lots of carb-dense foods – because all that fuel is stored in your body, ready to be turned into fuel to power you through your event.

4. Water

Separate from electrolytes, you also need to be sure to consume enough water.

Approximately every 15 minutes, you should drink something – so if you think that the water stations are too far apart for you to reach in that time, you should also carry a water bottle with you.

5. Magnesium

Magnesium is for afterward, because you still need to be able to walk when you’ve hung your medal up next to the others.

Magnesium helps with muscle cramps and spasms, and taking it before bed can help your muscles relax so you can get a good night’s sleep after your big day.

6. Proteozymes

Proteozymes are enzymes that break down proteins, and are often used to aid digestion.

However, when you do strenuous exercise, you build up a lot of scar tissue and muscle damage.

Proteozymes can help to repair the muscle damage that you experience when you complete an endurance event.

7. Fish Oils

Fish oils are great, and you should take tons of these prior to a race.

Fish oils are anti-inflammatories, so they are very adept at helping your body heal afterward.

Fish oils have so many other benefits that you might notice other improvements while you’re at it.

Questions? Ask Dr. JJ!

It’s definitely a best practice to have a naturopathic doctor help to tailor a program for you, if you’re considering taking on a fitness challenge.

Call now to set up an appointment with me, Dr. JJ, and let me help you achieve your new ‘personal best’ in your next race.