5 Foods That Fight Back

As an active person, you likely eat a lot of carbohydrates. Runners in particular often have a high carb diet. And while carbs are important, they shouldn’t dominate your diet to the detriment of healthy fats and anti-inflammatory-rich foods.

There are a number of things you can easily add to your diet to help modulate inflammation, enabling you to recover from hard workouts faster – and heal injuries faster. These foods also help build healthy brain cells and promote oxygen delivery to working muscles.

Here are five foods with powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients.

1. Tart Cherries

Contain phytonutrients including anthocyanins and ellagic acid that studies repeatedly show help runners to recover faster and feel less sore, as well as perform better during the run. Use 1/2–1 cup tart cherry juice daily (or 2 Tbsp. concentrate). While tart cherries are most potent, all berries contain various antiinflammatory properties.

2. Turmeric

Contains over two dozen phytonutrients including curcumin, the strongest and most studied component shown to reduce oxidative damage sustained during exercise as well as assist in healing from inflammatory conditions. Use ¼ tsp. powdered (or 1 cm piece of fresh) turmeric daily for preventative measures, double that to speed healing. While turmeric is the most anti-inflammatory spice, ginger and cinnamon are also highly useful.

3. Leafy Greens

Quite simply, leafy greens are by far the most nutrient-dense food available (that is, they contain the most vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients per calorie). Getting 4-6 cups of leafy greens daily will benefit any runner.

4. Cacao

Rich in flavonoids that studies show can help us run faster, improve brain health and strengthen the cardiovascular system. Plus, it’s a great source of iron and magnesium – two very important minerals for runners. Just 2 Tbsp. cacao powder daily (or 30 g raw dark chocolate) will do the trick.

5. Matcha

Contains EGCG’s, catechins unique to green tea known to powerfully reduce inflammation, boost recovery, prevent inflammatory conditions and build protective immunity. One cup (1/2 tsp.) of matcha daily is all you need to get these benefits.

Omega Tips

Omega-3 fatty acids are also highly anti-inflammatory.You can get these from algal/algae oil supplements. In addition, you can get ALA ( unconverted form of omega-3’s) from hemp hearts, chia and flax seeds.