How Vitamin C & Other Nutrients Can Combat Exercise-Induced Side Effects

When I was young, I remember Linus Pauling, who won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1954, advocating the great health benefits of vitamin C.

Vitamin C has taken a backseat in recent years with the advent of many “newer” antioxidants, but that doesn’t make it any less important.
Vitamin C still has potent health benefits that have been clearly established. It’s a powerful antioxidant, which helps neutralize cell-damaging free radicals when taken orally.

When used intravenously, the vitamin appears to also directly attack pathogens and has shown promise for treating a wide range of infectious diseases, burns and boosting your immune system.

Most recently, a study from Finland suggests vitamin C may also reduce bronchoconstriction caused by exercise, also known as exercise-induced asthma, by nearly 50%! Symptoms of exercise-induced asthma include cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath. An estimated 10% of people are affected.

Bioflavanoids are also important to consume, since bioflavanoids work synergisticly with vitamin C. The more colorful your diet, the higher it will be in bioflavonoids and carotenoids. Eating a colorful diet (i.e. plenty of vegetables) not only helps increase your vitamin C levels but also ensures you’re naturally getting beneficial phytonutrient synergism needed for maintaining optimal health.

One of the easiest ways to ensure you’re getting enough vegetables in your diet is by juicing them.

What You Eat Matters:

Good Protein Sources:

1. Whey protein (minimally processed, and derived from organic, grass-fed, non-hormonally treated cows).
2. Humanely raised, free-range pastured chicken
3. Organic eggs from pastured hens
4. Grass-fed beef
5. Wild caught salmon

Beneficial Sources of Carbohydrates:

1. Virtually any non-starchy vegetable (limiting carrots and beets, which are high in sugar). Sunflower seeds sprouts are one of the best and pack nearly 30X the nutrient density of most vegetables.

2. Dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale or Swiss chard

3. Low fructose fruits like lemon, limes, passion fruit, apricots, plums, cantaloupe, and raspberries. Avoid high fructose fruits like apples, watermelons and pears

It’s important to combine a quality protein with a veggie-type carb in every meal, no matter whether it’s a resistance training day, an interval cardio day, or a non-workout day. However, after strength training (as opposed to cardio training), your body tends to need more rapidly absorbed nutrients and a higher glycemic (fast released, starchy) carbohydrate.

Another slight difference between interval cardio and strength training days is the timing of your meal.

After cardio, you want to wait 45-60 minutes, and then consume a high-quality protein (whole food) and vegetable-type carbohydrate. (An example would be a spinach salad and some chicken, or high-quality whey protein).

After a resistance workout (muscle-building day), the ideal time to consume your post-workout meal is 15-30 minutes after finishing your session, in order to help repair your damaged muscles.

Other Nutrients that help post workout recovery are:

1. Ginger: A natural pain reliever with a long history of medicinal uses, ginger (both raw and heat-treated) has been shown to reduce muscular pain by about 24 percent.

2. Curcumin: Studies have shown curcumin (the pigment that gives the spice turmeric its vibrant yellow-orange color) is effective in relieving pain, increasing mobility, and reducing inflammation.

3. Omega-3 fats: These beneficial fats are highly anti-inflammatory, as well as very beneficial for your heart. My favorite omega-3 fat is krill oil, which has unparalleled ability to quell pain and inflammation.

4. Sulfur/MSM: MSM, which is 34 percent sulfur, is well known for its joint health benefits, improving metabolism, and reducing inflammation. MSM also appears to improve cell wall permeability, so it is useful in helping deliver other active ingredients. Sulfur also plays a critical role in detoxification and is the primary component in your body’s most important native antioxidant — glutathione.

5. Astaxanthin: This naturally-occurring supernutrient is a powerful antioxidant boasting an encyclopedia of health benefits, including decreased post-exertion soreness and faster recovery time. It even increases your body’s ability to metabolize fat! In a 2007 study, mice given astaxanthin showed heightened body fat reduction when given astaxanthin with exercise, compared to exercise alone.

6. Cherries: Cherries are a proven anti-inflammatory, as well as reducing your uric acid level. Cherries have been scientifically shown to help with things like arthritis and gout, and may have some usefulness for general muscle soreness. One study8involving a group of long distance runners found that tart cherry juice significantly reduced post-exertion pain.

7. Arnica: Homeopathic arnica was demonstrated to reduce muscle soreness among marathon runners in a 2007 study.

8. Carnosine (which consists of two amino acids, beta-alanine and histidine) is an antioxidant that helps reduce muscle soreness by buffering acids in your muscle tissue, thereby reducing localized inflammation. Carnosine appears to be important for high-intensity anaerobic muscle performance.

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