Our autumn issue is out now. We chat to Jo O’Connell on the power of omega-3 for post workout recovery. Dive on in to find out more…
Optimise Post-Workout Recovery
Connecting Mind To Muscle
by Jo O’Connell
“Omega-3s are crucial for hormone health and in turn combatting short-term inflammation –
helping post-workout recovery”
When we work out, particularly when we do resistance or weight training, we create micro tears in our muscles and cause inflammation. As a result, we experience soreness as our muscles heal and repair. This is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Fitness and nutrition coach Laura Burke offers her tips to combat DOMS and optimise post-workout recovery: “We create ‘positive’ inflammation when we are training, but the body treats all inflammation the same – it upsets the natural rhythm of the body and causes additional stress.
I am a massive fan of omega-3s for post-workout recovery. Omega-3 fatty acids are powerful anti-inflammatories, yet often get overlooked as most people don’t realise they are not consuming enough. A study by Westminster Uni showed DOMS was ‘significantly lower’ in people who took omega-3s compared to a placebo.
Omega-3s are crucial for hormone health and in turn combatting short-term inflammation – helping post-workout recovery. They are also important for chronic inflammation, brain function and anything that will help lift that brain fog will help with concentration during a workout and the all-important mind to muscle connection.
So many products don’t have sufficient amounts of DHA and EPA. My personal favourite is sustainably sourced Wiley’s Finest Fish Oils – the brand I always turn to as the high-quality content of DHA and EPA is so good. Quality is the key with omegas. For a high-quality post-workout dose take Wiley’s Finest Peak EPA, which is four times more potent than regular fish oils. For vegans and vegetarians there’s Wiley’s Finest Catch Free Omega-3 oil and capsules which deliver fish-free anti-inflammatory fatty acids.
Find out more at: wileysfinest.com
