The Right Tools for Lifters

Think of all the tools you have in your garage. You don't haul every one of them upstairs when you've got a drippy faucet. Instead, you grab your small toolbox that contains the basic tools that fix most problems around the house.

Most lifters and bodybuilders have the same "drippy faucet" issues:

1. Our tendons and joints are cranky. We use them a lot. It happens.
2. We're not eating a wide variety of veggies, berries and fruits to take care of our overall health. If we are, then we're probably not eating enough of them to actually reap the longevity benefits.
3. We're not feeding our good gut bacteria. That means the bad bacteria take over, and THAT means it's much easier to gain fat, suffer from inflammation, get our blood sugar levels out of whack, and perhaps even become more susceptible to mood disorders.

Let all three of these slide and soon you'll be sad, chubby, and not as likely to meet your grandkids.

One Drink to Fix You Up

Three powdered supplements can be combined into one convenient drink to tackle all these problems. Think of this drink as your handy "small toolbox." It should contain:

• Inulin: This is a prebiotic dietary fiber that feeds your beneficial gut bacteria so those super critters can kick the microscopic asses of the harmful gut bacteria.
• Superfood: A blend of 18 berries, fruits, and vegetables, many of them exotic "super foods," hence the clever name. A couple of tiny scoops of this stuff is like eating the entire produce section of Whole Foods without going broke or getting bloated. (Get Superfood here.)
• Collagen: This is a type of protein that's been shown in studies to work better than glucosamine and chondritin for making your tendons and joints feel better. As a bonus, it's also good for your digestive tract and your hair, skin, and nails. Collagen peptides seem to work best.

Mix Them Up and Slam It

I recently discovered that all three can be mixed in a small amount of water. Tastes like an herbal tea with hints of blueberry. Since this isn't a thick shake, it's easy to slam a glass down before bed or first thing in the morning.

One drink, 20 seconds to make, lots of tools that benefit hard-training lifters. Can't beat that. Make it a staple.