Always get a good night’s sleep
She felt it was very important to go to bed early and wake up with the sun. “Without enough sleep,” she would tell me, “you won’t be at your best.” While this is certainly not rocket science, I am always surprised to find out how many athletes don’t prioritize the importance of adequate sleep. Companies such as Fatigue Science now track professional athlete’s sleep cycles and have proven that even low levels of sleep deprivation reduce both reaction time and overall, physical performance.
Stay active
My grandmother never exercised formally a day in her life. But living in Brooklyn, she walked every day to go to the market, take my mother to school, and manage daily errands. Even when she was at home, I never remember her sitting down for an extended period of time—except during mealtimes or while watching an occasional TV program. She was always on the go. And as we now know that the negative effects of extended periods of sitting can’t be reversed, even by the best training program. While she could have certainly gained many benefits from a more structured exercise program, she achieved and maintained a very adequate level of functional fitness by simply moving regularly.
Go outside
As a child, my grandmother would always tell me to go play outside. She told me that the men who worked the fields in Ukraine would take their shirts off to get sun, even when it wasn’t that warm out. These people instinctively knew that it was possible to work harder, feel better, and got sick far less often with the sun.
Eat more (healthy) fat
My grandmother ate a generous amount of fat from animal meats dairy products throughout her life. She also ate lox made from salmon, which provided her with a great source of omega 3 fats. Only later in her life, when her doctors became concerned about her cholesterol, did she reduce her fat intake (to her detriment) and start eating more carbohydrates and grains.
Eat your reds and greens
In the cold, Russian climate, it wasn’t possible to grow vegetables all year round. But it was possible to grow a lot of beets and dark, leafy greens such as kale. And they would eat a lot of these foods. My grandmother would always tell me that Borscht and kale were great for energy. While they were nutritious and the carbohydrates in beets provided some fuel, what my ancestors didn’t know was that these foods contained performance-enhancing nitrates—nutrients that the body requires to produce nitric oxide, a powerful molecule that scientists call the spark of life. By eating these foods, they were naturally elevating their nitric oxide levels and dramatically improving their health and performance.
Chew your food well
Yes, we have all heard this one. Chewing food is good for digestion. And while that is true, what my grandmother did not know was that the benefits of nitric-oxide-rich foods (such as beets, kale, chard spinach, arugula) begin in the mouth. By chewing your food well, you are increasing the amount of time your healthy, oral bacteria have to create nitric oxide from foods you eat.
Eat fermented foods
My grandmother intuitively knew that a healthy stomach makes for a healthy person. And while she did not know it, all the sauerkraut, pickles, pickled herring, and kefir she ate contributed to her exceptional level of intestinal health. While fermenting foods to extend their storage life was a necessity in Ukraine, their hidden benefits promoted strong GI health which, in turn, contributed to higher nitric oxide production, better digestion, and improved immune function.
