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[H1530]How To Recover Faster

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Or do you just feel a low level of energy the next week. Then from this you might be susceptible to colds, flus, or other simple virus that are attacking your immune system.

All of these symptoms could be from not getting enough antioxidants in your system.

Antioxidants are necessary for athletes as intensive exercise creates high levels of free radicals in your body which can go on to attack your cellular health, internal organs, and can cause chronic inflammation.

From Dr. Keith Scott, medical doctor and keen cyclist, " The body requires higher than normal levels of antioxidants to cope with the vastly increased quantities of free radicals produced during prolonged, strenuous exercise."

He further points out the benefits of more fruits and vegetables, "As a result of exercise-induced free radical overload endurance athletes also need to boost their intake of plant-derived antioxidants. A number of clinical studies have shown that taking a wide range of plant-based antioxidants can help to counter free radical damage in endurance athletes. In addition they improve post event recovery and accelerate muscle repair - especially in older athletes."

Here's five high antioxidant sources that can help your recovery from long runs:

1. Berries. The darker the berry the more antioxidants it will have. Good berries to digest are acai, blueberries, billberries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Our ancient ancestors ate a rich diet of berries. You can put berries in your morning smoothy, have some for desert, or just snack on them all day. Frozen are very good to buy also. Blueberries are the king of the crop for antioxidant value. I had only one cold last year and think daily blueberry consumption was a big reason for this.

2. Kale and Spinach. These two dark green vegetables have the highest antioxidant values in the vegetable kingdom. Both are great juiced, stirfried, or steamed and a favorite of SoCalRunning.com.

3. Green Teas and other Teas. Green tea has been keeping Asian people living long lives for centuries. Start dropping off the coffee consumption which is high in caffeine and acid and begin replacing with teas. White tea, Roobios, and oolong are all high in antioxidants.

4. Dark Grapes. Lots of new research has been coming out on the health benefits of grapes. But this is nothing that the Mediterranean people have not known for thousands of years. Have a whole bunch of grapes one morning for breakfast and notice how you feel all day.

5. Daily MultiVitamins. After my first ultramarathon, a guy in his sixties who had run four! one hundred mile races that year brought me over to his car to make sure I was taking Vitamin C after the race...of course, I had my own supply but you get the point. Really you should taking a multivitamin rich in antioxidants which is easy to find at any health food store.

When a bodybuilder enters the gym, he is there to destroy muscle fibers. Not only in the figurative sense, but actually in the literal sense! When a muscle is trained, the individual muscle cells incur small tears. These muscle cell breakdowns slowly re-heal over the next 48 hours. They use amino acids and oxygen in the bloodstream as building blocks for rebuilding purposes - the fuel and materials to rebuild. When the muscle cells are completely healed, usually within 96 hours, they are slightly larger due to the healing areas holding new aminos. This is how muscle growth occurs.

Sometimes, a muscle tears beyond the desired levels that training is aimed to deliver. Most of the time, this is an injury which can be self-diagnosed, and self-treated with a few simple adjustments to lifestyle. Obviously, having it checked out by a doctor is the best move, but the reality of situations often leads us to self-diagnosis and repair. If you believe you have a small muscle injury and would like to encourage your body to recover faster, there are a few measures you can take.

RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, & Elevation

RICE is the standard recovery process for muscle injuries and/or soreness of most types. Rest is most important. Maintain some level of activity and mobility for the first 5 days of the injury to ensure the area retains its flexibility, but definitely remove all nonessential activity which drain your body's ability to recover. Applying ice to the injured area reduces swelling and is highly recommended. Using compression in the affected area relieves material buildup and soreness. Finally, elevation of the injured area whenever possible assists with nutrient and blood flow to the region.

Protein

Adding 50 to 100 grams of protein for the 7 days following the injury can lead to faster recovery times. Remember, your body uses amino acids in the bloodstream to repair injured areas. Having additional resources on-hand (delivered from the protein you consume) is a good idea.

Supplements

Several supplements help the body recover and boost the immune system during the muscle recovery period. Chodroitin and glucosamine help repair injured connective tissue. Glutamine boosts the immune system, as does Vitamin C. Zinc activated enzymes which facilitate better blood flow - which helps both recovery and improves sleep, which is crucial at this time.

Risks

Be very cautious about utilizing over the counter (OTC) pain medications or prescription painkillers to treat injuries. RICE, protein, and supplements are used to fix the SOURCE of the pain, while medications are used mainly for pain management. This might mask the pain for a bit while the body heals. However, one must be very cautious not to let an injury worsen while using painkillers. Some people will ignore an injury for months, hoping it will "go away". Always consult a doctor whenever possible regarding chronic muscle injuries.

Article Source : Most Powerful Anti Oxidant

Dane Fletcher has sinced written about articles on various topics from Detoxification, Body Building and Health. Dane Fletcher is the world's most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more. Dane Fletcher's top article generates over 301000 views. to your Favourites.