My traditional post-marathon celebratory meal consists of a juicy burger, fries, and ice cream chased with cinnamon whisky shots to numb my legs! In fact, when I “hit the wall” during a race, the promise of this feast often pulls me through.

“Give up or give in, and you can kiss that post-race treat goodbye!” Surely the protein, sugar, salt, and carbs after 26.2 miles is deserved … right?

Not so fast!

The fact is, running over fifteen miles causes micro-tearing of the muscles. Torn muscles—whether caused by aging tendons, degenerative joints, high volume or intensity with sport, or broken bones from a fall or car accident—all have one thing in common: they generate inflammation.

Inflammation isn't all bad: it is the body’s healthy reaction to injury and disease. But too much of it can delay recovery, and, if prolonged, it can cause a vicious cycle of chronic pain. Our goal in physical therapy is not to abolish the inflammatory process, but rather to control it. We can do that in a variety of ways, including evaluating our diet.

Some foods can increase inflammation, inhibiting or delaying healing. Some of these foods include:

• Refined carbohydrates and starches, like white bread and pastries

• Fried food, like french fries

• Red meat and processed meat

• Soda

• Sugars

• Foods with a high glycemic index

• Shortening/margarine

• Sunflower, corn, and soybean oils

Doctors have been telling us to avoid these foods—or eat them in moderation—for decades, so I guess it isn't shocking to discover that, along with other harmful impacts, they also cause inflammation. It may surprise you, however, to learn that some foods touted for their health benefits may make it more difficult to control inflammation. Enter the omega fatty acid debate.

As with many health-related topics, scholars and scientists don't always agree with each other. There is some controversy about omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation. If you go digging for more information on this topic, you may find yourself heading down a rabbit hole. An article posted in Harvard Health Publishing may shed some light if you feel like diving in for more information.

In a nutshell, when foods containing omega-6 are eaten in moderation and balanced with foods containing a higher ratio of omega-3 to omega-6, they may not cause inflammation.

The following lists contain omega-6 to omega-3 ratios for a few foods. I encourage you to look up the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of foods that you regularly eat. As always, if you are working with a dietician for health reasons, follow the specific diet plan that they provide to you.

Some foods containing a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids to eat in moderation:

• tofu

• ground fresh peanut butter (no sugar added)

• walnuts, almonds, cashews

• pumpkin seeds

• commercial eggs

• avocado

Some foods containing omega-3 fatty acids or a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 that are recommended by health/nutrition experts:

• fish, like salmon

• fish and flaxseed oils

• omega-3 enriched eggs

• flaxseed and chia seeds

• oatmeal

• spinach, broccoli, and kale

• kidney beans

Looks like my high post-marathon race reward needs a makeover in order to promote recovery and prevent injury. In moderation, alcohol can decrease inflammation, so maybe I will keep the promise of one cinnamon whisky shot to help me punch through the wall.

While carbohydrates, protein, and salt need to be replaced post-marathon or when recovering from injury, the source of those nutrients is key. We will further explore healthy sources for those key nutrients as we continue with our nutrition series.

Subscribe to our blog and stay tuned for the rest of the articles in our nutrition series to learn more about what we should eat to promote healing.

Follow us on Facebook for recipes, exercises, and more health and wellness tips.

In the state of Kansas, licensed health professionals including physical therapists may use nutrition tools as an adjunct to their profession. Coach Amy will not advise patients who require extensive meal planning, specific values for macro or micronutrients or patients with specific disease processes or on specific medication that are affected by dietary manipulation such as a diabetic. Patients in these circumstances should seek help from a registered dietician.