Dr. Oz is an accomplished author, surgeon, health advocate and American television personality. A former water polo player, he provided 28 steps to start off the new year. His friend and fellow television star and swimmer Oprah Winfrey agreed on these daily bits of advice.
His first two bits of advice are to (1) Go Green, and (2) Indulge in Dark Chocolate. That sounds like excellent advice for open water swimmers, especially those who swim in cooler waters for longer distances.
Dr. Oz writes, “Green tea…contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called catechins. Research suggests that downing multiple cups daily can lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and promote weight loss.”
And if the water is salty, some swimmers believe the astringent taste is minimized, while others prefer coffee, other kinds of teas or hot chocolate.
Dr. Oz, who was definitely one of the hardest working athletes this publication has ever seen, continues about an open water swimming favorite: chocolate. “Flavonols, the antioxidant-rich compounds found in cocoa, improve circulation. Now new research indicates that because those compounds increase blood flow to the brain, they may also help you see more clearly. Two and a half hours after consuming 720 milligrams of flavonols (the amount in about one ounce of dark chocolate), study participants’ visual function and ability to detect motion direction improved dramatically.”
So it seems, if you are looking for a landmark or the next turn buoy in a race, wake up in the morning to a cup of green tea and eat some chocolate before your race.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.