With school back in full gear, it’s important for student athletes to maintain balance and perspective throughout their busy schedules. Staying healthy, both physically and mentally, can seem like a challenge in the midst of exams and competitions. Let’s analyze a few helpful strategies that you can use right now to improve how you manage your time and energy.

Have you ever heard someone talking about how great omega-3s are for your body? Have you seen fish oil and other supplements boasting omega-3 nutritional benefits? I have and because of these claims I made sure to incorporate these fatty acids in my diet throughout college. Looking back, I realized that I didn’t know exactly why I was so adamant about making sure I got in my omega-3s. Back then, I had not done any research on the topic and relied on others claims to fuel my salmon and flax seed consumption. That was the past, and now I have done the appropriate research and am ready to explain to you why you should consume omega-3s and how these fatty acids can improve your athletic performance.

We’ve all heard it: “Eat your breakfast! It’s the most important meal of the day!” A breakfast-lover myself, I never understood why someone would skip this nutritious and delicious meal. But then I entered college and experienced the rushed mornings that make it harder (not impossible) to prepare and eat a well-balanced breakfast. Athlete nutrition is not only about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also about fueling the body for intense training sessions, competition and proper recovery. This post is aimed at reminding athletes that one of the easiest ways to keep their mind and body healthy is to start the day with a healthy breakfast. The benefit to eating breakfast outweighs any perceived reason not to. With a little planning and mindfulness about your morning fuel source, you will be on your way to replenishing glycogen stores, improving your weight management and enhancing your concentration and cognition. If you’re already a breakfast champion, read on to find out what professional athletes are eating in the A.M. to see how you compare!

Coconut water has increased in popularity among athletes in recent years. From post workout rehydration to a quenching beverage on a warm afternoon, coconut water sales have doubled since 2011. Popular brands such as Vita Coco® and Zico® sell their water through slogans like “Natural OOMPH” and their emphasis on the drinks’ pure and natural nature. It also helps that pop culture magazines blow up celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian buying Vita Coco® at the store. Whatever the reason for this newest craze, there is no doubt that coconut water has something to offer elite athletes if mixed in their daily hydration routine.

Injuries are an inevitable part of athletics. From a mild sprained ankle to invasive shoulder surgery, recovering from these injuries quickly while minimizing fitness loss is a common goal among athletes. There are many strategies to help alleviate the detrimental effects of injury including rehabilitation exercises, rest and, what we will be discussing in this post, nutrition. This often-overlooked factor in the recovery process is important in maintaining muscle mass and overall health throughout the length of the injury and recovery processes. It’s widely known that a well maintained diet is vital to fuel an athlete and provide them with the energy for elite performance, however how does this plan change when an injury occurs? And how can altering one’s diet speed up recovery?

Most people know that working out is a great way to stay fit, healthy and happy. Additionally, and lesser known, physical activity helps increase cognition. When you exercise your heart- you exercise your brain! Previous studies involving exercise and cognition were focused on decreasing the risk of dementia in the elderly. However, with new technological advances, there is more research showing the cognitive benefits of exercise at all ages. In this post, we will explore these new advances and how they translate to the positive influence on cognition and brainpower.

As elite athletes, we take pride in doing everything we can to ensure personal and team success. Whether it’s lifting 5 more pounds than last week or opting out of a weeknight social event to study or sleep- the time we commit to our sport is no small feat. Most collegiate teams train 20 hours a week (the maximum amount regulated by the NCAA). That number grows to over 1000 hours per year of high intensity training. However, one common aspect that many young athletes do not consider with regard to their training is alcohol consumption. In college, our sports nutritionist told us that one night of drinking can undo an entire week’s worth of exercise.

Whether it's flu season or allergy season, your immune system is your first defense when it comes to staying healthy. With increasing numbers of ads for immunity boosting foods, what is the research behind these claims and are these “super foods” really going to boost your immune system?