Category: Meals

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DIY Gluten-Free Pizza Night

Over the past few years I have watched friend after friend turn gluten-free. Some have tested positive for Celiac Disease. Others simply feel better without gluten (a protein) in their system and likely have some degree of sensitivity or intolerance. I too have ventured down the less-bloated road devoid of bread, pasta and pancakes a time or two. Somehow I always find my way back to the (good) stuff–usually when they bring out the bread basket at a mussel bar.

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m a big believer in moderation. Many health experts, including  Dr. Alessio Fasano, Director of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland Medical Center, have concluded that gluten sensitivity exists on a spectrum. More anecdotally, I have experienced first-hand that by completely eliminating the protein from my diet I feel less sluggish, but the moment I slip the inflammatory and energy-zapping effects rebound with a vengeance.

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My suggestion? Eat everything in moderation (unless you have Celiac). Don’t eat pasta every night. Do eat quinoa–maybe even a few times a week. Be brave and try new grains–think amaranth, millet, buckwheat, etc. And, by all means, treat yourself to pizza every now and again–whether its the regular variety, or my homemade, gluten-free version below.

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Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Adapted from: www.glutenfreegirl.com

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 tbs ground flaxseed
  • 2 tbs boiling water
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 tsp active-dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (plus extra for brushing on top of the crust)
  • 3/4 cup warm water

How to Make It:

  1. Mix flaxseed in a bowl with 2 tbs boiling water. Whisk vigorously until it’s a thick paste. Set “slurry” aside to cool.
  2. Combine gluten-free flours, salt and turmeric (for color mainly) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix together.
  3. Pour yeast into a separate, small bowl with olive oil and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir and let stand a couple minutes to activate the yeast.
  4. Add slurry to dry ingredients in mixer and mix until combined. Pour yeast/oil/water into dry ingredients. Mix on medium for a minute, or until your dough starts to come together. If your dough is too dry, add remaining 1/4 cup of warm water in small amounts (or more if needed) until the dough feels workable. Remove from mixer, form into a ball and set  aside to rise for 1 hour–covering gently with a damp kitchen towel.
  5. Time to bake! Preheat oven to 450°. If you have a pizza stone or cast iron griddle pan (the smooth side), place it in the oven. If not, sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal.
  6. Generously dust a clean surface with cornmeal or gluten-free flour of choice. Roll out dough using a rollin pin dusted with gluten-free flour to your desired thickness (I went with super thin).
  7. To make individual size crusts and speed up the cooking process, use a large canister lid (approx. 6″ in diameter) to cut dough rounds. You may have to clump the scraps together into a ball and roll the dough out a few times to use it all up.
  8. Transfer dough rounds to pizza stone, smooth griddle or prepared tray. Brush the tops with olive oil. Bake until dough has started to crisp and brown around edges, about 4-6 min. Remove from oven. This is your pre-baked pizza crust.
  9. Top with tomato sauce or (my preference) mashed sweet potatoes and your favorite toppings (see suggestions below) and return to oven for another 4-5 min or until the cheese (if it’s on there) is melted.

Suggested Toppings to Please Any Crowd:

  1. Sauteed red onions
  2. Spinach
  3. Sauteed wild mushrooms
  4. Sauteed asparagus, zucchini or squash
  5. Super-thinly sliced eggplant rounds
  6. Roasted garlic
  7. Sun-dried tomatoes
  8. Goat cheese (or your cheese of choice)
  9. Sweet potato puree (literally just mashed, pre-cooked sweet potatoes) – great alternative to sauce!
  10. Prosciutto or small bits of pancetta
  11. Fresh basil
  12. Salt, pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil!
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Lemon Ginger Apple Butter for your Meatless Monday (GF) (V)

As the saying goes, an apple a day keep’s the doctor away. The old adage is more than just a common cultural phrase, it’s a health claim backed by science. According to one of my favorite NYT columns, Well, consuming apples is linked to a decreased risk of stroke. Apples are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which may be effective for those with high blood pressure. Like other colorful fruits, apples contain a number of antioxidants and  phytonutrients, including the flavonol quercetin, which has been associated with reducing inflammation in the body.
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The best part about apples, in my opinion, is that unlike berries and (my personal favorite) pomegranate seeds, they are relatively inexpensive. And at this time of year, it’s easy to source them locally–or better yet, pick your own!
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After a recent trip to Stribling Orchard in Markham, VA I was left with a bounty of apples in need of a purpose. Since my slow-cooker is my chosen culinary best friend this fall, I decided to give apple butter a whirl. The result is a deliciously lemon-ginger spiked treat, perfect atop your Sunday morning pancakes or cup of plain yogurt.

Lemon-Ginger Apple Butter 

What You’ll Need:

8-10 medium to large apples

zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon

1 inch grated fresh ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 cup Demarra cane sugar

How to Make It:
1. Wash and core apples, then rough chop them (leaving skin on).
2. Fill a 5 quart slow-cooker with your apples then toss together with lemon, zest, spices and sugar.
3. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours.
4. Blend the cooked apples until smooth with a hand blender or in a food processor.
5. Let cool then serve immediately or give canning a try to preserve your pickings all winter long.
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Pumpkin Spice Granola

I really thought my pumpkin obsession had subsided after eating one too many pumpkin-shaped Reese’s peanut butter cups on Halloween. I was truly convinced I’d moved on following my back-to-back pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin smoothie recipes. I was cured of my fixation–was until I caved and had an almond milk PSL (that’s a pumpkin spice latte for those of you haven’t been to a coffee shop in the last 6 weeks) this weekend. The flame was reignited and the inspiration instantly came to me–I would create my very own PSG (that’s Pumpkin Spice Granola), which it turns out was even better than that PSL.

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You’ve heard me rave about the nutritional powerhouse that is pumpkin, so I won’t inundate you with all those fun facts again. Okay well maybe just one sentence to reenforce this gorgeous gourd’s health profile. Pumpkin is packed with fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and a few grams of plant protein, and at only 50 calories per serving is a perfect balance to all that Halloween candy you’ve been eating (guilty as charged).

Without further ado, it’s PSG time!

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Pumpkin Spice Granola

What You’ll Need:

  • 5 cups gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (liquid or melted)
  • 3/4 cup (or half a 15 ounce can) pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1 Tbs vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean scraped
  • 1 Tbs ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 inch ground fresh ginger
  • Optional: 1 cup dried blueberries, chopped dates or tart cherries

How to Make It:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats and raw pumpkin seeds.
  3. In a blender, blend together the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until smooth.
  4. Pour blender mixture over your dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated
  5. Spread the mixture on a lipped baking sheet, pressing it down to evenly cover all the way to the edges.
  6. Bake for 1 hour, gently turning the granola with a spatula every 15 minutes. Flip in sections so that you’re sure to keep some tasty clumps. Also make sure you move some of the granola from the edges to the middle and from the middle to the edges about halfway through cooking so that it cooks evenly.
  7. After an hour, turn the oven down to 300°F and cook another 15 -25 minutes. You’ll know it is done when it is dry to the touch and piece left to cool on the counter turns crispy. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
  8. If you’re adding dried blueberries or cherries, stir them in while the mix is still cooling.
  9. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
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Kale Caesar Salad for your Meatless Monday (V) (GF)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Kale is where it’s at. All my fellow health-seekers out there already know the deal, but if you haven’t heard the good word on this super-veggie, listen up. Like its cruciferous cousins in the brassicacaea (say that three times fast) family—bok choy, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage—kale contains high concentrations of Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, important for safeguarding those peepers, and Vitamin K, essential for bone health and blood clotting. It is also a rockstar when it comes to phytochemicals and essential minerals like magnesium and calcium, which are especially crucial for us gals as we age and start to lose bone density. All of these healthy bits and pieces combined make Kale a key food in diets geared towards cancer prevention.

Clearly, this isn’t my first kale rodeo—exhibit A: Honey Ginger Carrots and Kale, and more recently, exhibit B: Lentil, Barley and Kale Soup—but my latest attempt to keep kale interesting and appealing is a winner for worker-bees in search of a healthy packed lunch. Top it off with some roasted chicken or your favorite type of beans and you’ve got a satisfying meal that will keep you full and energized all the live long day!

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Kale Caesar Salad

What You’ll Need:

  • 6 cups chopped organic kale (bulky stems removed)
  • Roasted Garlic “Caesar” Dressing:
    • 1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste
    • 1 tbs capers
    • 1 tbs Dijon mustard
    • 3 tbs olive oil
    • juice of 1 lemon
    • 1 1/2 cups spinach
    • 1 small head roasted garlic (plus 1 tsp olive oil for roasting)
    • salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

  1. Garlic first. Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel off the outer layers of a whole garlic bulb but leave the skins of the individual cloves intact. Cut off the top quarter of the garlic heads, exposing as many cloves as possible. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves and massage to coat. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.
  2. While the garlic is roasting, clean kale leaves thoroughly and pat dry. Remove woody stems and rough chop into bite size pieces.
  3. In a small food processor, blend together anchovy paste, capers, Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon, spinach and roasted garlic (note: use a small fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins). Taste for saltiness and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
  4. In a large bowl, pour dressing over kale and massage for a minute until all leaves are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight.
  5. Serve with a wedge of lemon and an extra dose of freshly ground pepper.
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Pumpkin Apricot Smoothie (GF)

No, you haven’t lost your mind, week 3 of my Meatless Monday Pumpkin Puree series is a week late—but I assure you, this one was worth the wait. Week 1 featured a healthy and hearty Vegan Pumpkin Soup, ideal for a quick lunch or comforting yet light dinner. Week 2 skipped straight to dessert with a sweet and satisfying dairy-free Pumpkin Bread. This time around, I’m helping you start your day out right with a protein and probiotic-packed Pumpkin Smoothie recipe that will please your palette and keep you full until the mid-morning snack or possibly even lunch. If you want to learn more about pumpkin puree’s superfood properties, refer to weeks 1 and 2. The key to this smoothie’s satiating power is Greek yogurt, which not only helps soothe tummy troubles with its probiotics but also boasts 22g of muscle-maintaining protein per 8-oz serving. The fiber found in the dried apricot and chia seeds called for by this recipe will also keep you full and help regulate your digestive system.

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This recipe is intended for two, but if you’re a morning workout warrior drink the whole batch for optimal muscle repair and calorie replenishment. It’s quick, easy, healthy and seasonal so slurp it up while fall’s in full swing.


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What You’ll Need:

  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 vanilla bean (scraped)
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 banana (frozen)
  • 1/4 cup apricots (soaked for 5 min hot water)
  • 2 dates (pitted)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 6 oz nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes
  • 2 tbs chia seeds

How to Make It:

  • Blend all ingredients except chia seeds together in your blender until smooth. Stir chia seeds in at the end, one tablespoon per serving (or both if you’re using this as a post-workout recovery fuel).
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Bison-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Inspired by fall and fellow Relay Foods blogger Tim Vidra, I decided to make my own version of a comforting and gluten-free-friendly stuffed acorn squash recipe.

A bread and pasta lover by birth (Italian heritage will do that), going gluten-free has always seemed practically impossible to me. It’s in my blood after all. Despite my innate opposition, I’ve decided that I’m ready for a new food challenge and admittedly quite curious to see how I feel without so much of the inflammatory stuff in my diet.

Starting tomorrow, I am making the impossible possible for one solid month—conveniently ending a few days before Thanksgiving (there is no way I’m giving up stuffing and pie). If it turns out that I feel a lot better without gluten I may decide to make it a lifestyle shift—of course allowing a cheat day every now and again for special occasions like my mom’s famous sugar cookies.

The key to going gluten-free is cooking for yourself. Considering the content of my blog, you’ve likely gathered that I cook a lot. Call me crazy, but it shouldn’t be too hard for me to follow and hopefully my readers will enjoy adding a few new “GF” MOARfit recipes to their repertoire. Eating out will be the greatest hurdle (bye-bye bread basket) but I’ll be sure to share any tips I pick up on that front as well.

If you’d like to take this 30-day GF challenge with me, drop a comment below. It would be great to create a community hangout on Google+ or Facebook so that we can call share our experience.

…on to the first GF recipe!

Bison-Stuffed Acorn Squash (Gluten-Free)

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1/4 lb bison meat
  • 1/4 sweet vidalia onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 ancho chile in adobo sauce (left whole)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbs sherry vinegar
  • 1 tbs chives
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 sun dried tomato halves (soaked in water)

 How to Make it:

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Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400F. Halve and seed your acorn squash. Paint with a light coat of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Bake for 30 minutes.

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Step 2: While that’s cooking, heat 1 TBS of olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add onions and sauté a few minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic, chile, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add 2 TBS of sherry vinegar and stir until evaporated. Add bison meat, cooking about 10 minutes until brown all the way through.

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Step 3: Add 1/2 the bison mixture to each acorn squash halve. Top with three sun dried tomato halves, rehydrated for 5 minutes in warm water. Bake another 10 minutes at 400F.

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Step 4: Remove your acorn squash from the oven. Crack an egg on top to finish each off. Bake for another 10 minutes at 400F then crank it to a broil for another 3-5 minutes depending on how you like you eggs.

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Step 5: Garnish your autumn bounty with fresh chives and a generous crank of black pepper.

Bon apetit!

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Pumpkin Spice Bread for your Meatless Monday (DF)

If you missed my last Meatless Monday post for Vegan Pumpkin Soup, then you also likely missed me gushing over this fall gourd’s health benefits. Pumpkins get their orange hue from beta carotene which your body converts into vitamin A–essential for good eye sight and a healthy heart–as well as disease fighting vitamin K and powerful antioxidants. Like last week, the recipe I’ve created for you today uses canned organic pumpkin. According to  Greatist, one cup of  the canned stuff has 7g of fiber and 3g of protein—that’s more than two times the fiber and 50% more protein than pulling it fresh from the pumpkin patch. Mixing in a hearty portion of raw pumpkin seeds will add a powerful dose of essential minerals including zinc, potassium and magnesium—great for muscle recovery and healthy bones, hair and skin!

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I don’t have to tell you how tasty Pumpkin Bread is, but mine amps up the health factor without compromising on texture and flavor. I made some simple swaps, including coconut oil and apple sauce instead of butter, to make it dairy-free and more figure-friendly. The result is a moist, seasonal bread that can be treated like dessert or a special breakfast treat.

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What You’ll Need:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup raw cane or coconut sugar
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
  • 4 oz apple sauce
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cans (15-oz each) pureed organic pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

How to Make It:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flours, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
  3. In your mixer’s bowl, beat together the sugar, molasses, coconut oil, apple sauce, eggs, and vanilla. Add the pureed pumpkin and mix until combined. Lastly, add the dry ingredients a little at a time, whipping until smooth.
  4. Fold in the toasted pumpkin seeds by hand then transfer the contents into a non- stick 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan and 4 small ramekins or 12 cup cupcake pan, filling two-thirds of the way in whichever pan(s) you choose. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.
  5. Bake for 1 h 20 min, at which point a toothpick stuck into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Let cool for at least 20 min before slicing. If you went with muffin tins, up the temperature to 325 F and bake for only 35 min (the same clean toothpick test applies).
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Get the MOARfit for iPhone App

In just 3 easy steps, download MOARfit to your home screen for one-click access to my advice on optimal nutrition, yoga, functional fitness, and overall mind/body wellness. Grab your iPhone and follow along with the directions below.

STEP 1: Go to www.moar-fit.com in your browser (typically Safari for iPhones) and click on the arrow icon at the bottom center of your screen.

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STEP 2: Click on the “Add to Home Screen” icon with my Roaring Down Dog Lion logo.

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STEP 3: Voilà! You now have MOARfit on your home screen for easy, one-click access to moves + meals + motivation.

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As always, thanks for getting your moves + meals + motivation with MOARfit!

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Vegan Pumpkin Soup for your Meatless Monday (GF)

‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread (recipe to come), pumpkin smoothies (recipe to come) and, my personal favorite, pumpkin soup!  As iconic a fall staple as apple-picking and Halloween, pumpkins and pumpkin products are abundant this time of year. The orange gourds are packed with beta carotene which your body converts into vitamin A–essential for good eye sight and a healthy heart–as well as disease fighting vitamin K and powerful antioxidants. Pumpkin can definitely be deemed a superfood.

The recipe I’ve created for you today uses canned organic pumpkin. Chances are some of you out there may experience a certain skepticism for anything that comes out of a can. Before you throw the fresh-food-is-better book at this one consider this: according to  Greatist, one cup of  the canned stuff has 7g of fiber and 3g of protein—that’s more than two times the fiber and 50% more protein than pulling it fresh from the pumpkin patch. Topping this semi-sweet soup with a sprinkle of raw pumpkin seeds will add a powerful dose of essential minerals including zinc, potassium and magnesium.

I’ll have more pumpkin-perfect recipes later this month, so stock up on your canned pumpkin and spices now!

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What You’ll Need:

  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 1 sweet onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
  • 2 – 15oz cans organic pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
  • 1 tbs maple syrup
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp smoked chipotle chile flakes
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

  • 2 tbs tahini
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

How to Make It:

  1. In a large pot or casserole dish, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic (both coarsely chopped) and sauté until translucent (about 5-7 min). Add spices and cook another minute.
  2. Add 3 cups of vegetable stock and bring mixture up to a simmer.
  3. Add two cans of pumpkin purée and maple syrup, stirring to combine.
  4. Remove mixture from heat and pour it into a blender. Blend until thoroughly combined.
  5. Add blended soup back to your pot and mix in one cup of coconut milk. Taste for seasoning and adjust according to taste. (Note: if you want to thin this out, add another cup of vegetable stock at this point).
  6. Bring mix back to a simmer and serve immediately, or remove it from the heat, let cool, and store in your fridge for up to a week (or 1-2 months in your freezer).
  7. Serve with a spoonful of the optional coconut milk/tahini blend (whisk together the tahini and coconut milk until smooth) and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for a little more flavor and texture.
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Sports Injuries: How to Treat the Mind and Body

For athletes and fitness seekers, sports injuries are par for the course. The fact that they’re commonplace if not somewhat inevitable does not make them any easier to cope with. The best way to address sports injuries is to avoid them in the first place by properly warming up before exercise, cooling down and stretching afterwards, and most importantly, listening to your body when it’s telling you to pull off the throttle. Unfortunately, most of us don’t learn (and apply) this good sense until we’ve experienced a sports injury that sidelines us long enough to feel beyond frustrated to the point of resolve—I’m going to treat my body better from this point onward.

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So, what do you do when you find yourself injured? Do you go with tried and true techniques like RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation)? Or more high-tech therapy methods like ultrasound? And what about the all too often neglected mental aspect of recovering from sports injuries? The answer: all of the above.

The Tried and True: RICE

Most athletes are familiar with the term RICE. RICE is a crucial first step in post-injury triage. Rest, ice, compression and elevation are particularly important in the first 24-48 hours following sports injuries. Rest means exactly what it sounds like—significantly pulling back on your normal activity levels immediately following an injury and continue to moderate for a period of time after that agreed upon by you and your doctor. Step one of this tried and true method is often the hardest part for active individuals and can have the most challenging psychological effects—less endorphins means lower energy and more frustration. While difficult, stepping on the brakes then modifying for days, weeks or hopefully not week, is absolutely essential to proper, lasting recovery.

Ice, compression and elevation are all about reducing inflammation localized at the site of damage, not only providing comfort but also speeding your body’s healing time. All three are important immediately after injury but can also be used as you starting gearing back up and exercising again. If you’ve never given compression tape a try, next time you’re heading out to train wrap your injured area snuggly (without cutting off your circulation) and see how you feel. You might be surprised what a little targeted pressure and passive support can do.

Scientific Therapy

So you’ve gotten through the first two days post-incident using RICE, but you’re still in pain. Now what? Time to see a doctor, or if your healthcare doesn’t require a primary care physician’s reference, maybe go straight to a trusted physical therapist (PT). Whether seeing a doctor or PT, a medical professional will help determine your action plan for getting back in the game.  Quite often they can also provide a timeline for when you can expect to start feeling “normal” again, which is most people’s top concern when it comes to sports injuries.

A doctor or PT will likely suggest a multi-faceted course of action including light stretching, modified exercises (both assisted and unassisted), and possibly some more high-tech options like ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound therapy may help accelerate the healing and repair process of soft tissues (think hamstrings, gluteal muscles, lower back, etc). Ultrasound, a.k.a. sound waves of a high frequency, causes tissues to vibrate, which ultimately produces heat within ligaments, tendons, scar tissue and fibrous joint capsules. This heat is thought to reduce inflammation by attracting protective mast cells and increasing blood flow to the site of injury. It may also increase collagen production, an essential process for tissue repair because it is the primary protein component in soft tissues. Though studies are mixed, ultrasound is a worthwhile therapeutic option to explore with your physical therapist as a part of your overall strategy for pain reduction and the healing process for sports injuries.

The Mind-Body Connection

It is no secret that athletes (and all humans) have ego. It can be really hard to admit to yourself, let alone others, that sports injuries range from frustrating to utterly devastating. Apart from the diminished endorphins experienced in the wake of injury, the affected individual may grapple with something akin to the Kübler-Ross model, more commonly referred to as the “five stages of grief.” You may laugh but sports injuries have serious psychological impacts and you’re wise to give them the attention they deserve or they will undoubtedly hinder your path to recovery.

This series of five emotional stages starts with denial and leads to anger, bargaining and depression before reaching the ultimate stage of acceptance. When it comes to sports injuries, not everyone will experience every stage in this model. Denial usually sounds something like, “I’ll be back at it in no time” or “it’s probably nothing. I’ll just ice it and be good to go tomorrow.” Nobody wants to deal with the realization that they might be out of commission for an unknown stretch of time, thus we often move into the anger phase. Anger may rise up and fall away pretty quickly, but a majority of the time it rears its feisty head in one way or another—hopefully you surround yourself with compassionate and empathic people when you go on the woe-is-me war path. Once the anger subsides, the “if onlys” arrive—a.k.a. bargaining. If only I had pulled back when I felt that first tweak of pain; if only I hadn’t run those extra 5 miles; If only, well, you get the idea. We all do it, but those questions get you nowhere other than mad at yourself and exhausted by all that mental circling. Perhaps it is that fatigue that makes way for depression. When depression settles in post-injury, it is a weight that can be hard to shake. It’s important to surround yourself with good friends, good doctors, and a good outlook at this stage in the process in order to move into the world of acceptance ASAP. Acceptance should be called forward motion. It’s all about putting one foot in front of the other and taking concrete, positive steps toward healing your body and spirit.

Some of us get from stage one to stage five in a matter of days. For others it may take longer. The quickest way to get from denial to acceptance and avoid dwelling in the trenches of the less productive emotions is to learn about your injuries and ask questions. The better you understand your injury, the recovery time, the reasoning behind your treatment plan, alternative exercises you can safely do, the big no-nos, and how to know if you’ve gotten worse in some way, the easier it will be to move forward. By understanding your injury and knowing what to expect during the recovery process you will experience much less anxiety and feel a sense of control over the outcome.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking. If your self-talk is self-defeating you’re going to get in your own way. A positive outlook is arguably the most important factor influencing your path to recovery. Healing can’t happen if you don’t listen to what your body and mind need and attend to those needs compassionately and with conviction. Remember, the body is an amazing machine. You will be amazed at how quickly it remembers how strong, fast and enduring it was prior to your injury.

View the STACK Media version of my article here.