After a heavy work out the next 48 hours can be quite sore ones. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is the reason for this soreness. One of the most effective ways to reduce the feeling of DOMS is by using certain foods. Here I will list a few of them and explain the reasons behind why they help you recover faster.
Drink plenty of water.
Simple and effective. Water is critical for the body to regulate its temperature not to mention heart and muscle function. There is evidence that becoming dehydrated can affect the testosterone to cortisol ratio, which can prolong the recovery time after training significantly as cortisol is a catabolic hormone and breaks muscle down you want it to be as low as possible after training.
Eating a variety of natural fats helps to keep the balance of different forms of fat within the body. Brazil nuts can be used to raise testosterone levels and they also contain magnesium, zinc and selenium which are essential for keeping hormones at the right levels within the body.
Eggs are a complete protein source. The more muscle tone you have the more calories you burn on a daily basis meaning you burn more fat for fuel. Eggs contain Leucine which is a amino acid that is involved in the muscle building process. Eggs also have been found to reduce inflammation within the body because they contain antioxidants. All great things.
Eggs have a bad reputation for having a high amount of cholesterol but they aren't the deciding factor in having high cholesterol or developing heart disease. High simple carb, high trans-fat, refined foods and unhealthy habits are. Contrary to common knowledge there has also been no scientific research to prove that cholesterol is a risk marker for heart disease. So don't worry about eating whole eggs.
Eat green vegetables.
You literally can't eat enough green vegetables. They alkalise the body, help to detoxify, reduce inflammation and help improve metabolic processes. Green vegetables can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after training which will help you to reduce body fat and stay healthy.
You can eat green vegetables anytime as they are low-glycemic carbohydrates. Being low-glycemic means that they have a low effect on blood sugar not effecting insulin in an undesirable way. When you eat vegetables you will not suffer an energy crash.
