You started working out? These are the plants you should add to your diet

In recent years, awareness has been growing regarding the importance and significance of regularly incorporating physical activity into daily life, and this is a very positive and important thing. However, maintaining a sports routine is not simple—whether it is due to a busy schedule and fast-paced lifestyle, or incorrect training such as overly intense workouts that cause injuries, it is quite easy to break an exercise routine. And that’s a shame.

Proper physical activity will help improve and maintain our quality of life and our health, even at an older age. Walking, climbing stairs, bike riding, soccer, dancing and more lead to the secretion of various hormones such as adrenaline, which is responsible for increasing heart rate and raising blood pressure, with the aim of providing better blood flow to skeletal muscles. Cortisone raises blood sugar levels, with the aim of supplying high and available energy. The body’s metabolic activity begins to work faster, and the end result is stronger skeletal muscles and preserved bones, enhanced and improved cardiovascular endurance, maintaining normal body weight, and preventing the development of various diseases.

Sports are of great importance not only to our physical health but also to our mental health. Additional hormones released during physical activity include endorphins, norepinephrine, and serotonin— all three of which are responsible for our mood and help maintain it, so any physical activity we perform will immediately improve our mood, and the more we stick to it, the more we can maintain stable mood levels.

In 2022, a journal based on a scientific research project conducted by the Institute of Psychology and Education at ULM University in Germany was published. It stated that students have a higher tendency to develop mental symptoms such as anxiety, symptoms of depression, and low mood. The research examined the effects of incorporating daily physical activity and found a clear decrease in these symptoms in the group that adhered to regular physical activity.

To start and maintain a workout routine, it is important to understand what kind of physical activity we enjoy so that we will want to keep doing it over time. In addition, it is important to start gradually, and it is advisable to consult a professional to avoid injuries and damage to our bodies. Also, incorporating whole and nutritious food containing all nutrients, with an emphasis on sufficient protein according to training intensity, good carbohydrates, and healthy fats, will support performance, energy levels, and recovery.

In many cases, after several months from the start of the activity, symptoms such as noticeable fatigue, lack of energy, pain in certain areas, muscle cramps, and sometimes a feeling of muscle weakness may appear. There is something to do to avoid breaking the routine.

Medicinal mushrooms and various medicinal plants may support improved performance, accelerate muscle recovery and energy replenishment, support muscle mass building, general maintenance, and treatment of sports injuries—such as inflammation, muscle strains, tendons, and more—and in doing so allow us to maintain our workout routine over time and get the most out of it.

One of the advantages of using medicinal plants is that they do not cause any type of addiction, and unlike supplements of chemical origin, whose mechanisms of action replace the body’s natural mechanisms, plants support these mechanisms and improve their function.

To achieve improved athletic performance, it is recommended to consume cordyceps about an hour before training, at a dosage of 2 capsules / mushroom powder at a dosage of 4 grams per teaspoon.

To support rapid recovery, it is recommended to consume spirulina after training, at a dosage of 2 capsules with a little water / a teaspoon of powder in a shake up to an hour after training.

It is highly recommended in cases of sports injuries for those suffering from recurring inflammation as prevention at a dosage of 2 capsules a day, or in cases of acute inflammation at a dosage of 4–6 capsules a day (a capsule at 500 mg of curcumin is recommended).

Today, there are products on the market adapted for athletes that combine curcumin with MSM (a sulfur compound) that helps maintain the integrity of connective tissues and/or an addition of Q10—a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent oxidative stress damage in the body, improves athletic performance, and increases energy.

Place everything in a blender until a thick texture is achieved.

The shake contains a total of 16 grams of protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals essential to our body after a workout and in general.

In conclusion, physical activity is very important for the proper functioning of the body and mind, prevention of metabolic diseases, and maintaining quality of life. To maintain a continuous workout routine and get the best out of it, it is recommended to start gradually, consult a professional to avoid injuries and damage to our body, and incorporate a balanced diet along with medicinal plants that will support and improve the body’s natural mechanisms.

Before starting to take dietary supplements, it is recommended to ensure that the products have undergone supervision and analysis, and it is always good to consult a professional who will help match the plants and supplements to the personal goals and needs of each individual.