Herbal Help for Marathon Training

Picture the scene

It’s loud. The roaring of thousands of people is slightly muffled through your headphones. Though your volume isn’t set low, you can hear the repetitive chanting even over your music and heavy breathing. It sounds like your name. It is your name. You look up from the road which is blurring past your rapidly moving feet.

All around you people are looking at you, smiling, still chanting your name. Many of them are holding huge signs with your face on, and what looks like the words ‘Our Hero’ on. The adrenaline surges for one last time, and as the finish line draws ever closer all the pain drains out of you – this is it, the moment you’ve been training for.

Arms raised in the air, head held high, you give it everything you have left as you feel the ribbon stretch and then break across your chest. You’ve done it. You’ve done it.

Farfetched? Perhaps. But the only limits you have are the ones you set for yourself. And some of those limits easily can be eroded with the help of the correct natural nutrition during your training. That’s right – instead of looking to questionable powders in large, shiny tubs, there are hundreds of healthy ingredients which can supercharge your exercise regime.

So, without further ado, here are our top health recommendations to help boost your exercise efforts – even if you aren’t training for a marathon.

Before Exercise

Before going out and pounding the tarmac, hitting the weights, or assaulting any other type of object, you need to prepare your body and mind for the challenge ahead. As they say – if you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail. For an optimal pre-exercise boost, we highly recommend brewing up a cup of ginseng tea drink during your workout; a recipe which has been used for centuries as a natural energiser.

For an added boost, drink around 500ml of beetroot juice about 2-3 hours before starting. Beetroot juice has been shown to support stamina in endurance athletes by promoting blood and oxygen flow to the muscles. It does this by widening the blood vessels and dilating the arteries, allowing you to exercise longer and harder.

During Exercise

Whether you’re out running through the fields, or in the gym unleashing your energy on the treadmill, you’re going to need some sustenance to keep your energy levels from dropping too far. Nobody wants to crash halfway through their exercising, and that’s why we recommend regularly sipping on water infused with chia seeds. These have been used by Central American and Mexican natives since 2,600 B.C and were referred to as “the running food”. It’s rumoured that the native warriors in these regions would mix Chia seeds and water to maintain energy levels and stay hydrated during conquests.

Another tip: drink a small amount of grape juice – it acts as a source of quick-burning carbs, as well as offering great antioxidant support for your body. And that’s not to mention the fact that it can aid stamina and endurance.

After Exercise

The hours after a particularly strenuous bout of body punishment can be gruelling if not done in the right way. To help make sure your body is in the best position to repair itself after your exercise we suggest rubbing your muscles with Arnica Gel, which is one of the most effective herbal healers for inflammation and muscle pain.

Try also drinking a cup of pineapple juice as a post-workout aid. Pineapple contains an enzyme known as bromelain, which is widely used to support muscle recovery and help with promote a healthy inflammatory response.

Top tip: mix the juice with around 100ml of coconut milk to create a delicious, refreshing, muscle-repairing recovery drink.

So, there you have it

The days of dodgy sounding chemicals in unlabeled pouches are over. Your body deserves better, especially after you’ve put it through so much. Use our health tips next time you’re putting on those lycra running pants and neon headband and we’re sure your body will be thanking you.

Good luck.

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