Hello Recovery

Our Wellness Wednesday is back. Today Deacon, our favorite Ayurvedic practitioner, talks to us about recovery and what your body needs.

Hello Recovery,
 
Almost as important as our pre-run fueling is our post-run fueling. When we run, we lose minerals & vitamins through sweating, and our immune systems becomes weaker, as our bodies are repairing the tissues we’ve used during our activity. What to eat and how to refuel?
 
A good stand by are bananas. They are high in potassium, which regulates heart, kidney, nerves and digestive function. They are also high in Vitamin C and manganese, which helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels. From an Ayurvedic perspective, bananas can be a little tough to digest, especially if your digestive system has been weakened after your run. 
 
Personally, I love to reach for cooked leafy greens – specifically spinach or kale. One of my favorite post-running fuel treats is steamed spinach on brown rice toast with a little olive oil lemon juice and sea salt (hear me out, I’ll get to the portable foods in just a sec).

Spinach is an amazing food for runners, because it’s completely loaded with fabulous nutrients, like Vitamins A, B6, B2, C, E, K, magnesium, foliate, manganese, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium, niacin Omega 3’s and protein! 
 
You can also use kale instead of spinach, and actually cook rice rather than use rice bread if you have the time.
 
Another one of my favorite post-run cooked treats is a smallish beet with a 3-minute egg mixed with a little olive oil and sea salt. Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds. Beets are high in foliate, manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron phosphorus and copper. Adding the egg adds protein, B2, 5, & 12 and Vitamin D, Omega 3’s.
 
If you like the idea of leafy greens, but think I’m insane if I think you have the time to make a meal after running, or if you want something after a race, I have two words for you: Kale chips. They are delicious, portable and nutritious. You can purchase kale chips at your local health food store or whole foods, or you can make your own from my recipe below. I like the ‘cheese’ flavor variety of kale chip  - not to worry; the ‘cheese’ is actually nutritional yeast.
 
If you have a sweet tooth, however, may I suggest the humble date? Dates are loaded with potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A and foliate. They are a little high in sugar, so I would recommend mixing it up a little pumpkin & sunflower seeds and maybe a few almonds. The nuts and seeds provide protein, B1, B2, B6, Vitamin E, zinc, copper and iron.

Remember, hydrating is also very important after running. Try to avoid drinking iced-cold water. You may have heard that drinking iced water makes you loose weight by making the body work harder to maintain body temperature, but in reality, it brings your metabolism to a grinding halt. Imagine throwing iced water on a camp fire. Try drinking room temperature water, or even warm water if you can get your hands on it!

Enjoy the recipes for portable post-run snacks. I’ve also included my recipe for an Ayurvedic trail mix, so you can take the mix with you for a post run munch.
 
Cheesy Kale Chips

1 bunch curly kale
1 cup cashews (soaked for a couple hours)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded
Juice of half a lemon (2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
 
Remove the toughest parts of the kale steams, wash then tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Place pieces in a large bowl 
 
Cheesy coating: 
Combine soaked cashews, bell pepper, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and sea salt in a blender or food processor and run for a minute or two until smooth.
 
Add the cheesy coating to your bowl of kale and massage it in with your hands.  
Spread kale pieces on parchment paper on baking trays, and bake at 200 degrees until crispy, about 45 minutes (but again, all that matters is that they MUST be crunchy).
 
Trail Mix (makes 4 cups)

1 cup of Sunflower seeds
1 ½ cups raisins
½ cup dried apricots (chopped coarsely)
½ cup dried apples (chopped coarsely)
½ cups raw almonds (chopped coarsely)
¼ teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
 
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a spoon, and store in a cool dry place.

Deacon founded Daily Veda after working in Global Advertising for 16 yrs. He practices yoga, runs and promotes healthy living through natural eating and Ayurvedic medicine. His Veda Bars are AMAZING. Best tasting bar ever and you can pronounce all the ingredients! He’s a wealth of knowledge and fun.

Wellness Wednesday: Supa Food

Our favorite Ayurvedic practitioner, Deacon Carpenter, is taking your nutrition questions and answering them every Wednesday. Today is he explains superfoods, read on:


For many of us, when we hear the term ‘superfood’, we automatically think of exotic foods, like goji berries or cacao nibs from far-flung locations which promise super health and nutrition – all with an air of elitism.

Although the idea of eating exotic ‘superfoods’ is quite attractive to many of us, the cost is higher than domestic foods, and there is a larger carbon footprint. Believe it or not, you can actually find ‘superfoods’ which have been grown right here in the US.

Let’s start off with our beloved spinach. Spinach is an anti inflammatory, it’s been suggested that it can prevent certain types of cancer (specifically stomach and prostate).  It's loaded with calcium and vitamin K, so it helps build strong bones and muscle tone.  I recommend steaming a healthy portion of spinach and mixing it with a good extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt after a run. It’s amazing how quickly your body can recover! This leafy green is packed with the following nutrients: Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Magnesium, Foliate, Manganese, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Dietary fiber, Copper, Selenium, Niacin, Omega-3 fatty acids & Protein

Let’s keep it green, and move onto another superfood: broccoli. It too has been determined to prevent colon, breast and prostate cancer; it’s an anti-inflammatory, it helps the body purge toxins as it’s a powerful anti-oxidant, it supports cardiovascular function and helps maintain clear skin. I used to call them little trees when I was a boy, but you can’t deny that broccoli can rock your world with these nutrients: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K Magnesium, Foliate, Manganese, Iron, Calcium, Selenium, Zinc & Phosphorus.

For those of us with a sweet tooth, I recommend blueberries. They can be found in many nutrition bars in some variation, but fresh and in season blueberries pack the biggest punch. We all know that they are an amazing anti-oxidant, but blueberries can also lower triglycerides, raise HDL (good cholesterol), improve memory, support eye health and, because of their high content of anti-oxidants, they have been studied as a way to prevent certain types of cancer. Blueberries also contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Manganese, Iron, Calcium & Dietary Fiber.

Lastly, there’s the humble yet delicious red table grape. I live in Sonoma County, California, so between the Napa Valley and Sonoma County we produce more wine grapes than we know what to do with. Ok, we know what to do with them, but did you know that the red table grape has been shown to reduce the risk of a heart attack and heart disease, can reduce your chance of a stroke and getting colorectal and breast cancer, and prevent you from getting Alzheimer’s disease? They are packed with Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin K & Manganese.

In Ayurveda, we believe in eating seasonally, which also means eating locally. If you can, visit your local farmers market or farmers coop.  I personally love connecting with the local farmers in my area, mostly because we are using several local ingredients for our line of Nutrition bars.

You can find your local farmers market at LocalHarvest - or by downloading the free Itunes app, Farmers Market Finder.

Deacon founded Daily Veda after working in Global Advertising for 16 yrs. He practices yoga, runs and promotes healthy living through natural eating and Ayurvedic medicine. His Veda Bars are AMAZING. Best tasting bar ever and you can pronounce all the ingredients! He’s a wealth of knowledge and fun.

Wellness Wednesday: What's Up, Carbs?

Our favorite Ayurvedic practitioner, Deacon Carpenter, is taking your nutrition questions and answering them every Wednesday. Today is he talking carbs, read on:

Many of my clients who are runners, cyclists or Tri-athletes always ask me about the carbohydrate-to-protein ratio in their diet. For example, if you are a 130lb woman in your 30’s, what’s the correct ratio to consider when training and when not training for an event. We’ll get into that a little later, but for now, let’s talk good carbs.

The most important thing to remember is your glycogen levels. Glycogen is made and stored in the liver and is the ‘storage form’ of glucose, which, as we all know, comes from carbohydrates and is the fuel we tap into when we are active.

Food’s high in carbohydrates are fruits, sweets, soft drinks, breads, pastas, beans, potatoes, bran, rice, and cereals. The trick, however, is to consume the right amount of carbs to fuel us; too many carbs will cause us to gain adipose tissue (fat) and too few can compromise muscle tissue, so you want to select carbohydrates which are lower on the glycemic index.

Foods like Quinoa (keen-wah) are not only low on the glycemic index, but they are both a complete protein and a carbohydrate. I love quinoa and amaranth (a smaller version of quinoa) but sadly, some of my clients are a little tired of boiling their quinoa. I discovered that you can dry cook quinoa, as you would corn kernels for pop corn. Simply heat up a deep saucepan, drop a tablespoon of quinoa or amaranth into it, and stir until it’s popped. You get more bang for your buck with amaranth, but both are nutty and delicious. They are great for a morning breakfast cereal with ground up flax, pumpkin and chia seeds!

Apples are also low on the glycemic index and also provide athletes with longer lasting energy and are full of fiber, so you get to detox as you carbo load. I actually love pealing my apples and cooking them in water and freshly grated ginger. It’s a great way to fuel for a run, and the process of cooking them helps the body to digest them faster.

Now, getting back to your specific body type, and what you should be eating. When I work with my clients, I give them a comprehensive diet and lifestyle plan to follow, which is designed specifically for them. In the interest of time, I’ll review the three major body types in Ayurveda, and some dietary guidelines.

1. If you have more of an ectomorphic body frame (long, lean and have a hard time gaining weight) eat every 3 hours, or up to 5 meals per day. Start small, have your biggest meal at lunch, and end small. Take advantage of your digestion when your digestion is functioning most optimally. Eat foods high in protein and get your carbohydrates more from whole wheat pastas, fruits and well cooked beans. By the way, this body type in Ayurveda is called Vata.


2. If you have more of a mesomorphic frame or Pitta in Ayurveda (medium height, good musculature and intolerant to heat), eat every 3-4 hours or up to 4 meals per day. Much like the Vata body type, start small, have your largest meal at lunch, and try to have a moderate to small dinner in the evening, or about 3 hours before you go to bed. Favor foods which are equally high in carbs and protein, such as well cooked beans, fruit and pastas, but make sure you eat enough. Generally people with this body type have a very strong metabolism, and if aren’t fed properly, can wind up ‘hangry’ (angry because you’re hungry).


3. If you have more of an endomorphic frame, or Kapha in Ayurveda (solid, perhaps stocky build, strong stamina and well developed muscle), eat every 4-5 hours or up to 3 times per day, again favoring your biggest meal at lunch. Since the Kapha body type tends to have more adipose than Vata and Pitta, it’s ideal to eat more light proteins, such as fish or plant-based protein than heavy meat protein, and to limit your carbohydrate intake, unless you are training for a serious triathlon!

You can learn more about Vata, Pitta and Kapha at www.dailyveda.com

Deacon founded Daily Veda after working in Global Advertising for 16 yrs. He practices yoga, runs and promotes healthy living through natural eating and Ayurvedic medicine. His Veda Bars are AMAZING. Best tasting bar ever and you can pronounce all the ingredients! He’s a wealth of knowledge and fun.

Wellness Wednesday: Pre-Run Fuel

Our favorite Ayurvedic practitioner, Deacon Carpenter, is taking your nutrition questions and answering them every Wednesday. We are drawn to Ayurveda because it takes the whole person into account and provides guidelines based on you and your body; not arbitrary guidelines based around calories, proteins or carbs. If you have questions, send them to us at hotbirdrunning@gmail.com and we'll get them to Deacon. He is answering your questions every Wednesday. Here are his suggestions for pre-run fuel.

"How do I fuel my run with out feeling too heavy or running out of gas?”

Many of my clients are athletes, and this question comes up quite often. One of my clients was so overwhelmed with his research that he felt eating ½ box of pop tarts before one of his 10-mile runs would be ideal. Suffice to say that he crashed and burned at mile 5, and didn’t feel so hot shortly after.

As a runner, I know that eating appropriate foods before a run can take a little planning, but the better the fuel we put in, the better performance we put out. Therefore, I tell my clients who are runners that there are four golden rules to pre-run fueling from an Ayurvedic perspective. They are:

1. Eat foods which are easily digested. Oatmeal with a little ghee (clarified butter) and maple syrup, brown sugar or sucanut is ideal. Would also add some raisins or dates to the mix as it’s cooking. It’s a great blend of carbs, quick-burning and slow burning sugars. You can also spices like cinnamon or a little cayenne pepper. You can switch out oats with white basmati rice. If you simply can’t bring yourself to cook that much in the morning, choose a simple cereal and add hot milk.

2. Cook your food! Eating cooked grains actually allows our bodies to digest food faster versus eating a bowl of cold cereal or an energy bar. Cooking food is a form of pre-digestion, so when it hits the stomach, there has been some breakdown already, so your body turns food into fuel faster. Although cooked food is pre-digested.

3. Give it 30 minutes. Ideally, you should wait up to an hour after eating to run, but since many of us want to get up and go. Running 30 minutes after eating will give the body enough time to get the digestive process started, and give you enough fuel to get moving. It will also prevent you from getting a cramp or feeling too weighed down.

4. Eat until you are 2/3 full. It’s an odd fraction, but you want to not completely fill up on breakfast, otherwise, you’re risking a food coma. You want to eat until you are satisfied, not full. If this happens, I recommend waiting an hour before running.

Remember, a cup of coffee and an energy shot is NOT fuel for your run. Your body needs the fuel, so eat, otherwise, you may risk passing out!

For more information on Ayurveda or to understand what foods are best for your body type, visit Daily Veda and email Deacon.

Deacon founded Daily Veda after working in Global Advertising for 16 yrs. He practices yoga, runs and promotes healthy living through natural eating and Ayurvedic medicine. His Veda Bars are AMAZING. Best tasting bar ever and you can pronounce all the ingredients! He’s a wealth of knowledge and fun.

Deacon founded Daily Veda after working in Global Advertising for 16 yrs. He practices yoga, runs and promotes healthy living through natural eating and Ayurvedic medicine. His Veda Bars are AMAZING. Best tasting bar ever and you can pronounce all the ingredients! He’s a wealth of knowledge and fun.