This formula intuitively sounds correct but is woefully incomplete. For the majority of people this approach fails over and over again. If it could work long-term it would have done so long ago. Underfeeding the body can slow metabolism as can over-exercising. Punishment gets you absolutely nowhere. True nourishment and joyous movement of the body will take you where you want to go.

 Myth #2: The reason you eat too much is lack of willpower.

Fortunately, the experts are off the mark on this one too. Your willpower is better than you could have ever imagined. We overeat not because we’re weaklings but because we’re physiologically driven to do so when our meals are deficient in relaxation, time, pleasure, awareness, and high-quality food.

Myth #3: As long as you eat the right foods in the right amounts, you’ll ensure good health and lose weight.

This principle seems scientifically sound but it’s caused way more damage than good. We can eat the healthiest food in the universe and in the perfect amount, but if we consume it in a state of anxious rushing, the physiologic stress-response will cause a dramatic rise in nutrient excretion and a deep decline in calorie burning capacity. What you eat is only half the equation of good nutrition. How you eat is the other half.

Myth #4: The experts are your ultimate source of reliable and scientifically accurate nutrition information.

If only this were true. We experts certainly have our lofty place, but we love to disagree with one another and we constantly change our minds. In actual fact, the most definitive nutrition expertise is literally found inside you. It’s called the enteric nervous system or ENS – the brain in the belly. This is your most faithful and accurate day-to-day dietary guide.

So, I turn to nutrition, which is my first choice when thinking about healing the body, good input = good output right?

This is what I’ve found…

Simply going for a run or lifting a few weights results in inflammation of your muscles as exercising causes microscopic damage to them – which is why you ache after a long or hard session. Pulling a muscle, leads to inflammation on an even grander scale but while it’s uncomfortable, some inflammation is actually healthy.

“During the inflammatory reaction, the body produces chemicals and cells that remove dead muscle fibres and start the repair process” explains Claire Small from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists “and you can help that repair process by eating the right foods”.

I began by trawling through the plethora of information on healing foods and the unavoidable companies trying to sell me supplements. It’s quite frustrating being bombarded with adverts for pill versions of natural foods, armed with my firmly held belief in natural nutrition. So, I’ve cut through the bulls**t and compiled a simple list of my top five foods which I believe to be paramount to the rate of recovery and also provide a good defence against future injuries.

My top 5 injury recovery/ prevention foods

1. Mackerel or salmon – oily fish is high in omega 3 which is a natural anti inflammatory. Vegetarian sources of omega 3 include flaxseed and walnuts.
2. Berries – any berry, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. They are all excellent sources of vitamin C, essential for wound healing.
3. Almonds – a good source of vitamin E which helps prevent scar tissue formation. Other good sources of vitamin E include hazelnuts, avocados and olive oil.
4. Red grapes – rich in potassium and a good source of the antioxidant quercetin, which helps the healing process. Dilute the juice 50:50 with water for a refreshing drink to put in your water bottle to help prevent muscle cramp and keep you hydrated.
5. Turmeric – the yellow powder found in curries and mustard. According to the website letstalkhealth.com “Turmeric contains curcumin which is an even better anti-inflammatory than cortisone, one of the most powerful of the steroids.

How I would present this in a recovery nutrition plan

• Breakfast Porridge made with milk or water, red grapes and a sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts
• Lunch Poached salmon salad with baby spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, red and yellow pepper
• Snack Bowl of mixed berries and a small handful of almonds
• Dinner Home-made chicken curry (see my recipe for chicken curry)