In a nutritionist’s fantasy world, you’d get all of your daily essential nutrients from organically produced foods as part of a perfectly balanced, healthy diet. This, however, is not always a reality. We’re busy training…working…always on the go. If you don’t plan out your meals every day, you’ll end up with less than optimal food choices. Because of this, there are a few key supplements that can act as your insurance policy against life’s nutritional accidents.
Eat Clean
Sometimes the simplest solutions are right in front of you. Be aware that your body will always absorb and utilize nutrients from clean, unprocessed “real food” better than even the best supplements. So, eat some veggies! Many of them even come washed in ready-to-eat bags these days. Always strive and plan for the cleanest eating, but know that you have an array of natural supplements in your arsenal… just in case.
Multivitamin
You don’t need a multivitamin with massive amounts of nutrients—a basic one is fine. Liquid multivitamins are readily available and superior to most tablets due to their higher absorption rate. However, if you’re going to purchase tablets, look for whole-foods based tablets or capsules. These tablets have nutrients that can belinked directly back to their natural source (i.e. iodine from kelp). Both liquid and wholefoods supplements will typically contain a “greens blend” (wheat grass and other greens). Think of this as insurance for those days you don’t eat your veggies.
Glutamine
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and considered conditionally essential (the body can make it, but in certain individuals such as elite athletes, the body may not be able to keep up with the demand). During increases in training intensity and frequency, glutamine levels may plummet, leading to decreases in strength, energy, endurance, and immunity. Research has shown supplementation of 5 to 10 grams of glutamine per day is both practical and sufficient.
Omega-3 Fish Oil
Omega-3 fish oil is known for its great benefit to cardiovascular health. For athletes, especially those involved in MMA, the anti-inflammatory properties make it vital to your workout supplementation. In addition, omega-3 fish oil has been shown to improve focus and concentration, key elements to success in the art of each discipline that makes up MMA.
Protein Powder
For many athletes,whey protein isolate is a popular choice. It’s complete, fast ingesting, and has the perfect amino blend for muscle building, strength, and recovery. It’s also been shown to increase immune function,primarily due to its ability to increase glutathion eat the cellular level. Not only is it perfect when blended with fruit as a quick post-workout recovery meal, it may also keep you healthy during long, high intensity training sessions.
“
Comments are closed.