Get off the Sports “Drinks”

Well, I may not be too popular here with my latest advice — but please, get off the sugary sport drinks. They’re full of stuff your body does not need.

I know some surfers who drink the stuff all day long. (Bobby — are you listening?!)

Just for fun, I tracked down the ingredient label for a really popular brand. Read it and weep:

A 20-ounce bottle (the smaller size) of this popular sports drink contains:

calories: 125

sodium: 275 mg (hint: you only need 1500mg the entire day)

potassium: 75 mg

total carbs: 35 mg

sugars: 35 g (arggh! Listen to my radio show about the dangers of sugar!!)

protein: 0g

Ingredients: water, sucrose, glucose-fructose syrup, citric acid, natrual flavors, salt, mono-potassium phosphates, ester gum, yellow 5, bominater vegetable oils, yellow 6, red 40, blue 1, caramel 1.

How’s that for artificial ingredients?

The second and third ingredients are highly-refined forms of sugar, which actually accelerate aging, bone loss and muscle damage. Processed sugar also depletes your energy, due to the surge of insulin and resultng crash.

Yellow, red and blue dyes? Ester gum? Brominated vegetable oils? Not so appealing after all.

Instead, get some pure apple juice or other fruit juice and dilute it 50-50 with water. MUCH better for you !!!

Or, here’s a quick recipe for you to make your own version of a nutritious thirst-quencher:

one quart of water

one tablespoon of green powder (dried, powdered fruits, vegetables, herbs and grasses — try Trader Joe’s Daily Greens)

one tablespoon of Vitamin C powder from acerola cherries (not crystallized Vitamin C)

one tablespoon of maple syrup

Shake it all up and drink it all day long. Better for you, and better for your wallet, too!

Is it Okay to Stretch Before Surfing?

There seems to be some debate as to whether you’re supposed to “stretch” before going surfing or not.

I actually agree with those who say you shouldn’t stretch before surfing.

Save this one for days you don't surf

What? What’s that? Don’t stretch?

I know this might seem funny coming from yours truly, the Yoga for Surfers guru — but please, hear me out.

Here’s the deal: it’s a good idea — no wait,  it’s a great idea — to warm up before you go surfing, but that is entirely different than doing deep stretches. You want to save those for after surfing.

If you’ve done the pre-surf session of Yoga for Surfers I or Yoga for Board Sports then you know that the moves I recommend are designed to get your blood flowing and your muscles warm so you’ll be able to paddle out with more energy and ease. You’ll also do some deep breathing to oxygenate your body and your muscles, creating more energy.

But perhaps most important of all is that taking a few minutes to warm up before you surf will also give you the chance to get your mental focus going so you can prepare for your best session  — every time.

Here’s a great move you can do to start getting the blood moving. This “torso sway” warms up your back, shoulders and hips and can be done anywhere, anytime. Even if it’s the only thing you do before paddling out, it will help.

Click here to watch torso sway warm-up

But if you want an even greater edge, then you owe it to yourself to the best pre-ride moves (just like the pros do). You can get your free yoga stretches for surfing right here.

And then let me know what you think!

Foods for Flexibility

Did you know that certain foods can actually help improve your flexibility? It’s true!

You see, different foods affect us in different ways. Some foods cause an inflammatory response in the body, which can cause stiffness in the joints, muscle pain, headaches, allergies, skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, sinus pain and congestion, sciatica, neck pain and a whole host of other ills.

What foods cause inflammation? Well, it’s what you might call the “good stuff” — coffee, sugar, flour, alcohol, red meat, dairy products (yogurt is okay), deli meats, fried foods, foods high in sodium, and most packaged, processed foods which are basically bankrupt when it comes to nutrition.

Foods for flexibility, on the other hand, are wholesome, nourishing natural foods like chicken, fish, beans, whole grains (not wheat or corn), raw, unsalted nuts and seeds, avocado, olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables. All green vegetables are considered very healing, so fill up on green beans, asparagus, broccoli, artichokes, zucchini, salad. Use lemon juice and olive oil for your dressing and stay away from any packaged food that has more than 200 mg of sodium per serving.

Too much salt can cause swelling in the joints as you body holds onto fluid in an attempt to dilute the blood and tissues.

Your best bet? Drink up to three liters (100 ounces) of pure water daily. The first few days you’ll be getting rid of the excess built-up fluid, but in a matter of days, your body will self-regulate.

Be sure to drink at least a cup of water before you go surfing and another cup or more every hour during your surf session.

If you are a coffee drinker, cut back to one or two cups a day. Green tea or Yerba Mate tea are  good replacements. If you like iced tea, just remember that it’s a diuretic, just like coffee, so add in another cup of water for every cup of coffee or tea you drink.

For your own fast-track to better health, try out my Three-Day Detox program or my High Energy Eating: Nutrition for Surfers program.