How to Naturally Reduce Muscle Soreness & Promote Recovery

There is nothing better than the way you feel after crushing your workout, right? A little bit of sweat and a lot of endorphins later, and you feel like you are ready to take on the world! There is one little thing that can ruin that post-exercise high though – muscle soreness.

Although soreness can be a sign of progress, that does not mean it is welcomed all the time. Lucky for you, there are ways to help make that post-workout soreness a little more bearable. We all know that it is important to stretch, warm up and cool down if you want to avoid sore muscles the day after your workout. But do not forget another key player – proper nutrition! What foods you eat can help prevent or relieve delayed onset muscle soreness (aka DOMS).

DOMS is a muscle pain that typically occurs 12 to 24 hours after exercise and can last for days depending on the intensity and effort of your workout. Your body reacts to the damage to these muscles by producing an inflammatory response. Certain foods can help decrease this inflammation which will help with symptoms of DOMS and promote a quicker recovery. Check out the list of foods below and do yourself a favor and add them to your next grocery list!

Watermelon – I am going to start the list off with one of my most favorite foods in the entire world! I could literally eat a whole watermelon if I wanted to, haha, and I am sure I am not alone on that. There is nothing better than watermelon! It tastes amazing and comes with some added benefits as well. It is high in water content and it has important amino acids that can help with sore muscles.

Cherries/Cherry Juice – Cherries (and/or tart cherry juice) contain anthocyanins that help block specific enzymes that are responsible for inflammation. Another win, cherries also contain antioxidants which fight off free radicals in the body. Cherries will help decrease oxidative stress, inflammation, and will speed up the recovery period.

Turmeric – The main active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. It has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. One way to improve the absorption of curcumin is by consuming it with black pepper. Current recommendations are 1-3 grams of turmeric (0.5 – 1.5 tsp) per day. You can easily sneak that into your day by adding it to soups, quinoa, and roasted veggies. Some people will even sprinkle it into their smoothies! At most grocery stores you can buy turmeric shots. They’re so convenient! I like to drink one after every workout!

Salmon – A favorite in our house! Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids which help protect cell structure and fight tissue degradation. Physical stress (in this case exercise) triggers the inflammatory response and can lead to cell damage. Salmon also has antioxidant properties that could enhance the musculoskeletal recovery process. In just one 3 oz serving of salmon, you are consuming omega-3 fatty acids, 18-20 grams of protein (remember that protein helps repair muscle tissue and reduce muscle breakdown), vitamin D, and several B vitamins. Talk about a dish that has it all!

Eggs – Eggs contain all 9 essential amino acids which makes them a complete protein source. Eggs can help prevent muscle breakdown and aid in the recovery of damaged muscle tissue by providing amino acids to synthesize new proteins and signal protein-building pathways in the body. By preventing muscle breakdown and damage, nutrients found in eggs can help reduce muscle soreness and repair tissues.

Leafy Greens – I am talking spinach, kale, and arugula, etc. These are packed with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Spinach alone contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, and even more! These vitamins help relieve oxidative stress and reduce the damage it causes. The antioxidant properties allow these leafy greens to fight free radicals in the body. This will help reduce inflammation and speed up the recovery process.

Well that’s it! Nothing too crazy on this list, right? You can grab any of these items from your local grocery store. A healthy lifestyle is not complicated! You just need to do a little research and find what works best for your body. I hope you give some of these ideas a try after your next workout. It is time to make those “ugh, I can’t move” comments a thing of the past!

-Body By Riss