EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

How Naturopathic Medicine Can Help Triathletes

Triathlon Trainer

Training for a triathlon is grueling. For many, you need to be prepared to be in the best shape of your life both physically and mentally. When it comes to training for your triathlon, you’re likely concerned with the type of gear you need and your nutritional wellness. But when it comes to improving your performance, what else can you do? In some cases, an athlete may face the temptation of illicit or dangerous drugs or chemicals to boost their performance. However, there is a natural, legal, and safe way to do this as well. When triathletes use naturopathic medicine, they find that it can help prevent injuries from occurring and balance their bodies out during training.

When Should a Triathlete See a Naturopathic Doctor?

Many people assume it is time to see a doctor when they are sick or have sustained some type of injury. While these are both good reasons to visit a naturopathic doctor, it can be even more beneficial for a triathlete to visit one before any type of injury has occurred. A naturopathic doctor will look at the triathlete’s lifestyle as a whole: their sleeping patterns, their training, their emotions, and their diet. In doing so, they can begin providing triathletes with the fuel they need to prevent injuries and sustain themselves through training and races.

How Can a Naturopathic Doctor Help?

There are many forms of treatment and preventative treatment that a naturopathic doctor can provide. Some of these are:

  • Testing For Food Allergies
  • Natural Supplements
  • Acupuncture, and
  • Nutrition

Testing For Food Allergies. Many people suffer from food allergies and don’t even know it. When this is the case, it can cause people to be sluggish, feel unwell overall, and perform poorly. Naturopathic doctors can determine if a triathlete has food allergies through elimination diets, blood tests, and skin prick tests. Food allergies can destroy a person’s digestive system. When this happens, your body cannot get the proper nutrition it needs.

Natural Supplements. Instead of traditional supplements, naturopathic doctors can find the right mix of natural supplements that can help a triathlete improve their wellness and performance. Common supplements used by naturopathic doctors are minerals, omega 3 fatty acids, and multivitamins.

Acupuncture. Acupuncture can help triathletes by reducing swelling in certain painful areas of the body, speeding up the healing time of injuries, and even helping with the triathlete’s mental clarity. Because acupuncture increases blood flow, it can bring healing properties to areas of injury.

Nutrition. Any triathlete, working with a triathlon trainer, knows that what they put in their body is fuel for their workouts. If they do not get the right amount of protein or carbs at the right time of day, they may not make it through to the end of the race. A naturopathic doctor can help provide you with natural food options and eliminate the highly-processed food that can cause digestive problems and inflammation throughout your body.