LeBron James and Tom Brady: Kings of Longevity

 

Athletes and fans of sports would probably put LeBron James and Tom Brady in their Greatest of All Time conversations in their respectable sports. While those conversations may spark debates in lunch and family tables all over the world, I have often wondered what has allowed these two giants of their sport be able to play as long as they have. It is beyond impressive for LeBron to have played 22 NBA seasons and Brady to have played 23 NFL seasons. That is just remarkable. We have to ask ourselves, are some people just blessed from a genetic standpoint to get to this level of longevity, or are there measures these two athletes are doing that set them above everyone else. 

The first thing that I wanted to investigate was the diet for each athlete. There has to be something they are putting into their bodies that are doing physiological wonders for their durability. Tom Brady's diet is known as the TB12 method. He has a plant based and anti-inflammatory diet that is catered around eating whole foods, as well as eliminating the abundance of processed foods within them. In this rule, 80 percent of the meals will come from grains, vegetables, and fruits while the other 20 percent will be lean proteins such as fish chicken and beef. Brady also drinks about 25 cups of water to be able to sustain this diet, as well. It is safe to say that this all boosts his energy levels, as well as inflammation, and of course his athletic performance. LeBron also follows a strict diet and regime to keep his performance at an all time high. He eats a healthy amount of carbs for game day, moderate amounts of protein, and limits the fat consumption for satiety and hormone regulation. In the off-season, LeBron limits his carbs to focus on building muscle with protein. And during the playoffs, he restricts himself from sweets to lock in for the post season. He also will drink a substantial amount of water and healthy shakes to keep himself hydrated during this time. So, it is safe to say a balanced diet is essential for keeping their longevity.

    To help aid their diets, a dive into the supplements each athletes takes is key into understanding how their physiology is supported so well. LeBron has a company called Ladder. After the 2014 Finals where he was cramping, he wanted to find high performance supplements. These daily supplements include nutrional shakes, whey protein, greens, hydration products, and pre-workout formulas. LeBron emphasizes taking the natural approach as he does have vitamins every day. He also states that he does not take creatine. In the TB12 method, Tom Brady has openly disclosed that he takes electrolytes, protein powder, ashwagandha, recovery enhancers, omgea-3 fatty acids, and mutivitamins. The blend of all these supplements are designed to help peak their athletic performance.

    Along with a strict diet plan, these two Kings of Longevity will have to maintain sleep as well. LeBron will shoot to have eight to nine hours of sleep, and that is also including naps on some days. This is vital for his recovery and performance. He even ensures that his sleeping in an environment that is most optimal for his sleep hygiene. He sleeps in dark room that has to be between 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. As a sponsor for the Calm app, he also utilizes the app for deep sleep as he enjoys having sounds of rain help enhance his sleep. We can definitely credit sleep as a reason his career has been going for as long as it has. Tom Brady, also shoots for the same amount of sleep per night. He prefers to wake up very early in the morning, and he will avoid electronics up to an hour before it is time to sleep. Through Under Armour, he has sleepwear that includes bioceramic technologies to reflect infrared energy back to the body. It is vital in reducing inflammation and promoting cell regeneration. This amount of sleep is necessary for the enhancement in the sport and helps their overall health. 

    Advanced recovery methods are used by both athletes to keep their athletic performance to a peak. LeBron has been known to use technologies such hyperbaric chambers, red light therapy, and cryotherapy to help him recovery quicker. These technologies are why is it rumored that he spends up to a million dollars and counting on his body every year. This does not exclude the daily massages he will get on his body as well to maintain energy. His portable hyperbaric chamber helps him promote healing and reduce inflammation. More oxygen is able to be delivered to his tissues and cells. These systems also encourage stem cells and that helps recover damaged tissue. The oxygen being delivered will enhance his body's circulation, too. This helps prevent injury, increase endurance, stabilize stamina, and encourage longevity. Tom Brady, on the other hand, has a body coach that he uses for manual therapy. He focuses on Pliability. Brady will use a combination of foam rollers and resistance bands in his recovery sessions. He has a "pre-hab" mindset when it comes to working out and performing at the best of his game. He participates in floatation therapy, where he has sensory deprivation tanks to aid his mental and physical components of the body. He also will utilize a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to help his body recover tremendously. 

Through some of this extensive research, I believe there is a lot to be learned from Tom Brady and LeBron James when it comes to keeping our bodies in peak condition as we age. It starts with our diet. There is far too much processing in the typical American diet. Alterations have to made in order for the physiology of our bodies to operate in the way it was intended to. We have to also aid our diet by taking natural supplements too. This must be a way of life, the consistency is what matters the most. Along with a healthy and balanced diet, sleep is imperative too. And sleep is not just your typical six to seven hours, it has to extend to eight or nine on the daily. Removing distractions and eliminating electronics before bed will help our sleep hygiene. Sleep is far too important as we should be exercising almost everyday in some fashion. To add on to that, we have to look into advanced recovery methods to supplement our recovery. While most of us cannot afford a hyperbaric oxygen therapy machine, we can take it upon ourselves to stretch and do forms of active recovery. All in all, I think it is safe to say that these two are not only the best of all time in their games, they are the best of all time in the physiology of longevity. 

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