FOODS FOR BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE NOW

Sports can be wonderful for your health, but they can take a toll on your body as well. Intense training causes inflammation and free radical damage in athletes. The immediate symptom is muscle soreness. But repeated incidence contributes to heart diseases, cancer, and a host of other maladies.

We’ve put together a menu of some beautiful foods that recent studies have shown can boost your sports performance and improve your overall health. And we have a wonderful source for beautiful food that can be delivered, all ready to go, right to your door.

COCONUT

There is no question that coconuts are both beautiful and tasty on a warm summer day, but coconut oil is considered one of the most effective weight loss products because of its ability to raise metabolic rates. The saturated fat in coconut oil, MCFA, is also an effective source of fuel, essential for top notch athletic performance.

WILD SALMON

Wild salmon helps both mind and body sports performance.

Not only does the wild salmon and arctic char’s vivid colors catch one’s eye at first glimpse, but these beautiful fish are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Wild salmon has 10 times more than farmed salmon does.

Omega 3s also help to promote muscle growth, improve strength and physical performance, reduce muscle damage, improve heart and lung function, and strengthen bones. They can also improve cognitive function, improve decision making, and quicken reaction time.

CHLOROPHYLL

Chlorophyll is the chemical compound that gives plants their vibrant green colors. Taking a refreshing shot of liquid chlorophyll can actually increase the production of red blood cells, which as a result, enhances the movement of oxygen throughout the body.

Chlorophyll also helps athletes heal from wounds by accelerating the development of new tissues. When your mother tells you to “eat your greens,” eat them! Check out this easy and delicious chlorophyll-packed smoothie recipe by The Sweat Life.

MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

According to a double-blind clinical study, conducted with cyclists, at Pavia University in Italy, the medicinal mushrooms Reishi and Cordyceps boost testosterone levels and limit cortisol, allowing for athletes to recover from a rigorous workout or competition more quickly.

Reishi mushrooms also contain compounds that have been found to aid cardiovascular, lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation. It has also been found to be antiviral.

BERRIES

Some of the most beautiful and brilliant foods for athletes are berries. They are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. They also help to build and maintain muscle strength. You’ll do best with berries that have  the most intense colors — blackberries, raspberries, blueberries — because they have more phytochemicals, antioxidants, and nutrients.

Tiny acai berries are big performance boosters in particular. They contain 80% of the essential fatty acids your body needs to support cardiovascular, joint, skin, and brain health. And they are unusually high in protein and antioxidants. Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters and other athletes have used acai for centuries to increase their stamina.

NUTS

Nuts can keep an athlete highly energized with protein, vitamins and minerals. Many also contain high levels of antioxidants.

Walnuts are particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids, and they have nearly twice as many antioxidants as any other nut.

Almonds are the calcium queens. They pack magnesium too.

Pistachios pack potassium, vitamin A, B6, and zeaxanthin, a carotenoid that can prevent macular degeneration.

Cashews have the least amount of fat and are high in magnesium and iron.

Peanuts, not nuts but legumes, deliver concentrated folate, which helps to produce healthy blood cells and support optimal nerve function.

Brazil nuts are especially high in selenium, an antioxidant both the immune system and thyroid function. Just one Brazil nut gives you 10x your daily selenium requirement. We love them in Sakara Life Brazil Nut Bars, in particular. See more about Sakara Life below.

SAKARA LIFE

Those of us who live in NY and LA can enjoy a very special service, Sakara Life. It delivers the most beautiful food for your body, mind, and spirit.

Sakara Life, founded by Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise, is a very special organic meal delivery program, based on a whole-food, plant-rich diet that includes fresh, nutrient-dense, delicious ingredients.

Each recipe is created to optimize performance, with plant-rich, nutrient-dense, organic, delicious ingredients selected for their abilities to support your athletic pursuits, as well as the simple pursuit of living more beautifully.

Sakara Life promotes a few key “nutritional pillars” that help your body get game-ready:

• Hydrating foods - fruits and vegetables, and, of course, water, help hydrate the cells
• Good fats - like Omega-3-rich, plant-based foods.
• Eat the Rainbow - “We believe that food should be bright, vibrant, and beautiful! The greater the color, the higher the nutrient content. The more colors you eat, the more array of nutrients you’re getting.”
• Nutrient density - You might as well pack as much nutrient punch in your food as possible. You get more bang for your bite!

This week’s Sakara Life’s menu includes a beautiful sampling of foods that can boost your performance:

• Eat the Rainbow Wrap, with Ginger Plum Dressing
• Rose Petal Oats, with Yellow Pear & Chia Seeds
• The Cobb Salad, with Hemp-Crusted Avocado and Coconut “Bacon”
• Coconut Waffles with Amber Maple Syrup
• Sakara Caesar, with Heirloom Polenta Croutons

Even Sakara’s waters focus on delivering beautiful performance. Sakara Night Water mixes high quality alkaline water with trace minerals and chlorella to detox the earlier damage of the day.

Sakara’s Beauty Water is an elixir, made with the highest quality alkaline water, pure rose oil, which is an anti-inflammatory and strong metabolism booster, and trace minerals, including silica, which delivers deeper cellular hydration and helps your body form healthy connective tissue.

Read more about Beautiful Sports, as it relates to  Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 New Books Are Exploring Beautiful Sports Now and 10 Beautiful Places to Catch the Wind Now.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Badruddeen. Coconuts...Anyone?
2. Photo: Courtesy of sale.cookislands.travel. Coconuts.
3. Image: by Anjanette aka Momma Young. Wild Salmon.
4. Image: by The Sweat Life. Green Smoothie.
5. Image: by Jeff Moore. TN Clear Creek of the Obed River, Reishi Mushroom, Ganoderma tsugae.
6. Image: by jonbrew. Berries.
7. Image: by Lets. Açaí a beça.
8. Image: by macinate. I admit it...I’m a photography nut.
9. Image: by Chris Booth. Pistachio Green?
10. Photo: Courtesy of Sakara Life. Sakara Brazil Nut Bars.
11. Image: by Sakara Life. Sushi.
12. Image: by Sakara Life. Chopped Salad.
13. Photo: Courtesy of Sakara Life. Eat the Rainbow Wrap.
14. Image: Courtesy of Sakara Life. Sakara Love Smoothie.
15. Photo: Courtesy of Sakara Life. Sakara Life founders Whitney Tingle & Danielle DuBoise.
16. Image: by CIFOR. Acai fruits.
17. BN App - Download now!
18. Image: by Pedro Cardoso. Coconut on the Beach.