Helping Your Body Recover

If you are a super active person who engages in many strenuous physical activities throughout the day, it is important that you are helping your body recover from that activity.  Remember, anytime you exercise vigorously or complete a challenging physical task, you are breaking down the body to some extent.  This “minor damage” to the body can actually be a very good thing as long as your body is allowed to repair and rejuvenate.  If you are properly recovering, your body should become stronger and healthier.  Here are three important factors to consider:

Sleep – The number one time period in which the body heals, repairs, and grows is when you are fast asleep.  There are many important hormones in the body involved with the repair process including human growth hormone, which could also be called the “repair hormone.”  Your body releases this hormone to stimulate healing from the wear and tear your body experienced during the day.  Elementary kids need 9-10 hours of sleep per night, teens need 8-9 hours, and adults need 7-8 hours.  If you are not making the time to sleep, plan on making the time to be sick and tired.

Nutrition – The food we put in our bodies has a direct affect on our energy, immune system, growth & repair function, and mood.  It is important to eat as many whole real foods as possible.  Avoid the junk whenever possible.  Junk would include cookies, cakes, chips, crackers, candy, pop, or anything else filled with mysterious ingredients found in a package.  It is especially important that athletes get adequate protein.  Protein provides essential nutrients that build and repair body structure, including muscle tissue.  The two most important times to get protein in the body are at breakfast (to boost energy & nourish the body first thing), and after intense physical activity (to start the repair process right away).  Good sources include:  beef, chicken, pork, turkey, fish, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, whey protein, milk, and eggs.  Veggies and fruits are also very important because they provide electrolyte minerals for your body.  Electrolyte minerals allow you nervous system to fire the impulses needed for your muscles to move.  Without them, you will fatigue easily and possibly cramp (your muscle will spasm or contract irregularly).  Veggies and fruits also contain antioxidants, which protect your body from free radicals.  Vigorous exercise generates free radicals, so it definitely helps to have a supply of antioxidants on hand to act as a “shield” against them.  There are many great choices; just make sure they are fresh, or fresh-frozen.  Juice does not count.

Stretching – Stretching after a workout can help speed the repair process by flushing out some of the waste products from exercise.  It can also help maintain flexibility that may be lost if muscles are allowed to tighten up.  Two muscle groups I definitely recommend stretching post exercise are the hip flexors and the hamstrings.  For proper demonstration of these stretches, just search for “hip flexor stretch” or “hamstring stretch” in the search bar at the top left corner of this blog.

I hope these tips can be beneficial to you.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me, or post in the comments section below!