🔥Guest Writer: Why as a 7-Time Ironman and Father of Four Young Kids I’m all in on CBD and SummaForte

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Why as a 7-Time Ironman and Father of Four Young Kids I’m all in on CBD and SummaForte   

By Russell Newell  

Training for and competing in Ironman triathlons, marathons, or other long-distance races can put the body and mind through a torture chamber of physiological afflictions, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, muscle damage, and brain fatigue.  

This is especially true as an athlete firmly in the grasp of middle age, when I seem to spend more time on recovery to preserve my body than I do swimming, biking, and running.  

To continue to perform at my best I’ve sought every tool and technology to counter inflammation and muscle soreness. My diet has become filled with anti-inflammatory gladiators like blueberries, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and spinach. Ice baths and massage guns, foam rollers and electronic muscle stimulators have been essential aids to help my creaky body survive another Ironman season and daily steel cage wrestling matches with my four young kids.   

In my endless search for the next greatest tool to keep me going in my punishing pursuits, I discovered that many athletes take CBD to help with recovery and overall wellness.  

CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of over 100 natural compounds (so-called “cannabinoids”) extracted from the hemp plant. CBD interacts with our bodies in a variety of ways, including helping with the functioning of the human immune and central nervous systems.  

Until recently, I had no idea that humans have an endocannabinoid system that regulates stress, anxiety levels, inflammation responses and cognitive functions. CBD serves as a natural booster for that system, helping maintain balance in our bodies and minds in what’s known as homeostasis.   

Giving a natural boost to my endocannabinoid system helps me recover and repair sore muscles and ligaments faster so I can train harder and longer. CBD can also ease anxiety and pain, treat insomnia, improve stamina, and help maintain calm balance and all-around health amidst the chaos of my sometimes-stressful life.  Unlike regularly popping acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and pain, taking CBD won’t put you at risk for kidney damage or the other negative effects of prescription painkillers. It’s a natural, healthier alternative to combat soreness, pain, anxiety, low energy and restless sleep.  

When I looked into CBD products, however, I found countless brands touting miracle results, and several articles about the misrepresentations made by many of them in a still unregulated market. 

Then I found SummaForte. 

SummaForte (“top strength” in Latin) is a company focused on enhancing performance and recovery of athletes using premium CBD and other natural nutrients. I was drawn by their unique products and commitment to quality, innovative delivery technologies, and science-driven ingredients developed by top doctors and medical specialists.  

Currently, SummaForte offers three CBD products. The first is SummaTape™, a lightweight, stretchable kinesiology tape that reinforces and rehabilitates muscles, joints, and ligaments while helping to avoid overextension, enhancing dexterity, and facilitating faster recovery.  

Unlike other kinesiology tapes, SummaTape also delivers CBD and menthol through the skin, providing a cooling sensation and producing a triple anti-inflammatory effect. The menthol stimulates blood flow in inflamed areas and works with the CBD to accelerate muscle repair and improve circulation to help heal injuries. This tape has been a godsend and has helped relieve my toughest muscle aches and pains.   

The second product is SummaMix™, a delicious daily drink mix that features premium, award-winning CBD, as well as a nootropic called Neumentix™ and a lutein called FloraGLO® – the gold standards for cognitive and vision health, respectively. They enhance and improve vision, focus, and faster reactions.   

SummaMix™ became only the third product with CBD to achieve NSF Certified for Sport® certification, a requirement for supplements to be used by professional and Olympic athletes. SummaForte processes the CBD in a way that allows the cannabinoids to bypass the liver and enter directly into the bloodstream, ensuring faster onset and higher bio-absorption – up to 475% higher – than most other brands.   

SummaTape and SummaMix have helped me recover quicker, perform better, and race longer. I’m mentally sharper, and they also calm my nerves when my kids are running around screaming like banshees.  

SummaForte’s third product, SummaRest™, is a melatonin-free, all-natural sleep aid that features CBN, a cannabinoid with great restorative sleep benefits. Combined with a smaller dose of CBD plus valerian root extract, it has helped me fall asleep fast and sleep soundly through the night. A big differentiator to most sleep aids is the absence of any “morning after grogginess.”  I’m alert and ready-to-go. 

I’ll continue to rely on this suite of SummaForte products to help reduce injuries, burnout, and exhaustion and give me sustained energy to power through the long runs and rides. Recovery for older athletes is hard. CBD and SummaForte can make it easier, so when the big races come next summer and fall, I know I’ll be at my best.   

Russell Newell is a 7-time Ironman and author of the book “Irondad Life: A Year of Bad Decisions and Questionable Motives - What I Learned on the Quest to Conquer Ironman Lake Placid.” He liked the products so much, he recently joined SummaForte as a communications consultant.   

If you are interested in trying SummaForte’s products, click on the button below to claim a FREE sample pack on their website:

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