WHAT THE ELITES EAT
With excitement building around this summer’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics, what better time than now for InHealth to feature the Olympic-hopefuls with whom we’re fortunate enough to work? Working with these elite athletes provides InHealth the opportunity to develop and refine the most innovative and cutting-edge approach to treatment, which we then apply to our patients. This is all done with the intent of fulfilling our mission of expanding what is possible for each individual.
This week Oiselle professional steeplechaser Jamie Cheever provides insight into how she fuels to keep her body operating at its peak. In just a few days, Jamie will be racing the 3000m steeplechase at the Olympic Trials with the hopes of solidifying her spot on the US Olympic Team. With 2016 being arguably her best year yet, Jamie largely credits her successful return from injury to a strategic rehab plan and solid nutrition. Running up to 70 miles a week with high intensity workouts causes a high-degree of soft-tissue breakdown. In order to expedite recovery and boost her body’s natural rebuilding process, Jamie focuses on anti-inflammatory foods. She lists her 3 go-to foods below:
1. Garden of Life Raw Green Powder (Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Carrot, and Beet): I blend one serving with juice and take a shot each morning (well, probably every other morning). Green leafy veggies are full of folic acid, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. They also contain beta-carotene, which can be turned into vitamin A, and helps boost the immune system.
2. 100% pomegranate juice: I use this in my smoothies. The smoothies are usually sweet enough from the fruit in them, so I don’t need any sugar added to the juice. Pomegranates are great because they reduce inflammation through punicalagins. And of course they are bursting with nutrients: vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium.
3. Seaweed: I sometimes use seaweed as the outer shell of a wrap with veggies and meat in the middle. More often, I’ll cut up chunks of seaweed and add them to a burrito bowl for some flavor. Seaweed is a great source of iodine, which plays a significant role in thyroid and hormone function.