By: Susan Farago
Being a card carrying member of the Austin Herb Society for many years, I have always believed in the power of plants. Sore throat? Add some monarda leaves to tea -- the thymol agent in the leaves has very good anti-bacteria properties. Flying somewhere? Take along a little tea tree oil and put a few drops under your nostrils to help capture those nasty "who knows what" germs flying around in the cabin. So why not use plants in our sports?
Here are my top five favorite medicinals that help keep me going workout after workout:
1. Oil of Oregano
My number one "go to" is Oil of Oregano. Taken in caplet form, these little babies pack one heck of a whalloping boost to the immune system -- like little mini anti-bacteria bombs. Why is this important? The immune system is one of the areas most impacted by long and/or intense workouts and when the immune system is compromised, an otherwise benign bug can turn into a full blown cold or flu. I only take half the recommended dose (1 capsule) and that's enough on a daily basis. The capsules should smell like an Italian restaurant when you open the lid. No smell? The oils have lost their volatility. Return it for your money back or opt for another brand (I have good luck with Gaia Herbs).
2. Floradix Iron Supplement
While iron is not a plant, the elemental iron in Floradix is supplemented with plants such as nettle wort, quitch roots, spinach, angelica roots, fennel, and african mallow blossom which aid in the body's absorption of iron. Iron is a mineral found in the body that transports oxygen to blood cells (2/3 of iron in the body is found in the blood). Low iron can cause severe fatigue and body weakness. This is NOT helpful when you are trying to do hill repeats or a track workout! Additionally, women are more likely to suffer from anemia and low blood iron due to menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. If you're not sure where your iron levels are at, a lab or your doctor can run an iron test.
3. Peppermint
When I go on a long run, my stomach usually gets to the point where it does NOT want another *^@#% gel. It only wants one thing - peppermint. My not-exactly-from-mother-nature source comes in the form of Clif brand Luna Bar, Chocolate Peppermint Stick flavor. Peppermint is known to soothe the stomach and aid in digestion. If you don't want to carry around springs of peppermint to chew on, other portable sources of peppermint include: Altoid Curiously Strong Peppermints and even the old fashioned red and white striped peppermints. A side benefit: eating a peppermint after a salt water swim helps clear out the mouth and gets rid of any salt burns on the tongue.
4. Eleuthero Root
Eleuthero Root (ER) is known as Siberian Ginseng - even though it is not a true ginseng according to the U.S. Ginseng Labeling Act of 2002. Cited benefits include the prevention of adrenal burnout cause by ongoing physical/mental stress, boosts concentration and focus, boosts immunity. There are also many documents citing enhanced athletic performance and it was used extensively by Olympic athletes in the former Soviet Union. This alone would make me NOT want to use it but I was reassured by a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic master herbalist that for my overactive lifestyle, ER would definitely help my immune system. I ordered a one pound bag of this stuff from mountainroseherbs.com and when it came, I was staring at what looked like a plastic bag of straw. I make a tea out of it and now drink it fairly regularly. It tastes like it looks (like straw) but it's a nice alternative to tea or water and helps me stay hydrated throughout the day.
5. Holy Basil
Holy basil (HB) has become my husband's best friend. One of the key benefits of HB is to calm the nerves and provide balance, harmony, and to even out the high and low swings in mood and energy levels (think anti-depressant on a mental and physical level). I started taking HB capsules a few years ago and after about three months, I felt more physically balanced and mentally steady and focused. So when I stopped taking it, my husband got nervous. And every now and then the bottle of HB mysteriously reappears on our kitchen counter top - a hint that maybe I should start taking it again. HB also comes in tea form (called Tulsi) and my favorite brand is Organic India. It is not a true "tea", which only comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant, so it doesn't have caffeine. And on a related note, historical texts indicate it is used to treat snakebites and scorpion stings so maybe I should start carrying HB when I trail run!
Plants provide unlimited resources for us when it comes to our health and are frequently a better alternative to laboratory-made pills and concoctions. Do I feel overly energized and ready to conquer the world when I take these supplements? No. But I can certainly tell when I DON'T take them.
As with many plants and herbals, they do not magically work overnight and must be taken in steady doses over time to receive the full benefit. If you are taking any medication, check with your doctor first before embarking on any herbal/plant supplementation (for example, the Eleuthero Root may cause problems for people with high blood pressure). We already use the Earth as our playground for our sports, why not use the plants as well?
Go.Do.Be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need a way to jump start your week? SweatyShe Mondays are thoughts and humorous musings from the world of active Shes.
