BodyHealth

The chicory root has been a staple of the human diet for over 2,000 years. Records of the chicory plant as part of regular meals date as far back as ancient Egypt, through ancient Rome, and into modern times.

Sadly, many people are unfamiliar with this incredible root, and an understanding of its many health benefits has begun to fade into obscurity.

Today we are going to discuss the benefits and uses of this extraordinary plant, one of nature’s most effective weapons in the battle for optimal health.

When you go to your local grocery or health food store, you probably see ten or twenty brands of protein bars, lined up in eye-catching packaging, each promising to supply your body with impressive levels of protein and nutrition.

So – with that in mind, I decided to research and develop a protein and energy bar that would incorporate my discoveries on the perfect protein and organic nutrition into a tasty, convenient snack that would keep me at peak performance.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (or BCAAs for short) are a chain of three of the EAAs: Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine.

BCAA supplements have been said to help build muscle mass, increase strength, boost your stamina, and help your muscles recover after a workout. Sounds ideal, right?

Unfortunately, not really. BCAA supplements come with a downside: because they only have three of the eight EAAs, and high doses of these supplements can lead to an imbalance in your amino acids – with pretty severe adverse effects.

It takes the right combination of all eight essential amino acids to make a protein – the three BCAAs can’t do the job on their own.

The importance of having a well-functioning and healthy immune system has become increasingly obvious in recent times.

Sadly, everyone seems to have a different answer as to how you should go about strengthening your immune system. When you go to your local health and wellness shop, you might see twenty or thirty products that tout their “immune boosting” powers. An Amazon search reveals thousands of results.

Well, we’re here to tell you about an effective and ancient remedy that has been in use for over two thousand years: the red reishi mushroom.

We’ve all heard about all the negative effects of stress and the modern lifestyle. 

We’re all rushing around, overworked, in a constant state of fight-or-flight and it has disastrous effects on our health. 

But what if “stress” wasn’t the real problem? 

What if our bodies knew exactly how to cope with the intensity of modern life… if we just gave the body what it needed to thrive? 

And the key may be one little mineral.

I hope this finds you healthy and able to still get outside (or inside) for a daily run during this trying time of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of us are grieving several losses including race cancellations. Though it's a bummer, I want you to know that your hard-earned training is far from wasted.

Those miles are in your legs and all kinds of wonderful benefits have occurred including the addition of mitochondria, adding new capillary beds for increased blood flow, and strengthening the heart muscle for future training.

As athletes, it's important for us to be proactive in maintaining a strong immune system. We're not only doing this for our own prevention but also our loved ones that we spend time with.

Read on for 5 tips to consider as you seek to stay healthy.

Chronic obesity often persists because of hormone dysregulation. The hormones regulating appetite, body weight, and metabolism create a normalized “set-point.” This is a key feature of how the intelligence of the body maintains homeostasis across our lives. 

When we deviate from this set point by losing weight, the body will attempt to regain homeostasis. There are many reasons this can occur and in this article we'll discuss them.

When we were kids, our parents always tried to make us eat those horrible multi-colored things called “vegetables.” From lettuce to broccoli and beets to cucumber, the dinner table can sometimes feel like a fight to the death.

But let’s be honest, our parents were right.

The nutritional and health value of vegetables cannot be overstated.

Critical vitamins, minerals, proteins, and countless other essential components for a well-functioning body are all found in veggies.

Today, we want to discuss an often-underrated star of the vegetable kingdom: beet root.

In 2003 a 51 year old woman took on one of the most impressive feats of endurance of the last 20 years.

And chances are you never heard about it. Not even once.

Because she didn’t do it for media attention or earning a world record or even as part of a competition.

She did it to prove it was possible. She did it for science.

It’s hard to believe that (as you’re reading this) we’re moving quickly toward the spring season. Although here in Colorado, we sometimes bypass spring and move right into summer. If you’re like me, you begin getting a little more excited about your summer racing plans this time of year. You’ve been working hard over the past months to build a solid endurance base which will prepare your body for faster, more intense workouts.

If you wake up feeling exhausted and not fully alive until you’ve had your daily dose of coffee, your body is sending you a message: it’s missing the nourishment it needs to perform.

The lack of energy, sluggish feeling, and inability to enjoy life to the fullest often exists as a result of your body trying to function without critical nutrients.

Imagine trying to run your car with low-grade fuel that only burns at 20% efficiency. Are you going to be driving at top speed?

Well, that’s what happens when your body doesn’t have what it needs to perform.