The Recovery Playbook: Hydration, Nutrition & Contrast Therapy Simplified

Gday mate!

I hope you had a fantastic feast with your family—or at least sparked a debate over turkey vs. chicken after last week’s newsletter 😉. We’re now in that awkward stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas, recovering from indulgence, resetting, and gearing up for the next round. This week’s newsletter is all about helping you bounce back from the holidays, recharge, and crush the next two weeks before it’s time to celebrate again. Here’s your ultimate guide that focuses on three simple action steps,

Today’s Newsletter (3 min read):

• 💧The ultimate guide around hydration for recovery

• 🍷 what alcohol actually does to your hormones

• 🔥❄️ How contrast therapy works and how to do it

Congratulations to Josh Park on winning the Centr Vest… the first to respond with 34g of fiber… but I had a very proud moment with 100s of correct responses coming through within the first hour. More quiz and prizes coming your way, now lets get into the guide.

1. So what does the alcohol actually do to our hydration?

Alcohol messes with your hydration by suppressing a hormone called ADH (antidiuretic hormone), which makes you lose more water (and electrolytes) than you take in. So essentially your body is not told to stop peeing…. so you pee out all the stuff you also need such as potassium and sodium. Here’s how to bounce back:

Replenish Your Electrolytes

In the days following a holiday weekend I do this:

• Add 1/8 tsp Himalayan salt and the juice of half a lemon to 500 ml of water for a quick boost. Its legit natural

• Sip on an electrolyte beverage (not the store bought ready to drink, but the ones I mentioned in this article—aim for 500mg of additional electrolytes for the 3-4 days after the big week.

Hydration Hacks

• Kickstart your day with 500 ml of water before breakfast to reset. Before I go to bed i put a bottle in my fridge then as I am making my coffee in the morning i smash that 500ml. It is now part of my morning routine.

• Most people say aim for 2–3 liters of water.. pending how much you consumed, however i would add an additional 0.5-1L for every hour of exercise you do. I also have a formula you can use for your relative weight, let me know if if this could be useful to you.

(DC’s Fun facts: Your liver processes about 10–12 grams of alcohol per hour—that’s one standard drink. Hydration won’t speed up the process, but it helps your body recover.)

2. Restorative Foods = Fuel for Recovery

Im sure you smashed a lot of these during the weekend festivities.. but just in case you did not:

• Leafy Greens: Spinach and kale pack chlorophyll, which supports liver detox. So if you are lining up for lunch, aim for the addition of that spinach

• Citrus Fruits: Oranges and lemons provide vitamin C to bolster your immune system. Just a squeeze of lemon juice over a creamy dressing is all you need.

• Garlic and Onions: These humble ingredients activate enzymes that help flush out toxins. I cook with these every day, so these wont be a problem for you

• Berries: Antioxidants fight the oxidative stress caused by alcohol. Get the frozen berries and add them to your power bowl!

Daily Action: So just remember have one leafy green a day, squeeze lemons on something (you should be doing this already when seasoning), the meal you cook just start with onion and garlic and then pop the odd berry or two in for a snack or just have the The Power Bowl 

3. Contrast therapy

I’m a big fan of contrast therapy—it mimics a natural "pump" to flush out toxins. Unlike blood, the body’s lymphatic system lacks a pump, but alternating heat and cold helps. Heat boosts circulation by drawing blood to your extremities, while cold sends it back to your core, simulating lymphatic drainage. This process clears toxins, reduces inflammation, and supports recovery.

Action:

1. Use heat (100–180°F) for 15 minutes (e.g., hot tub, sauna, or warm shower).

2. Switch to cold (44–60°F) for 5 minute (e.g., cold plunge, ice bath, or cold shower).

3. Repeat this cycle 3–5 times post-workout or on recovery days. Even 1–2 cycles with a hot-to-cold shower can help, though it’s less effective than traditional methods. Stay tuned for more on contrast therapy in future newsletters!

Quick Notes

• 🎥 If you ever wanted to know how to get the Crispiest potato when roasting.. Check my instagram today :)

• 🏃🏻‍♂️ One of our new treadmills, the Centr Runr-S was awarded one of Runners Worlds best! 

• We have an epic announcement with Hone Health coming next week, I am a big believer in knowing my hormone numbers, just as much as my track efforts.

Keep crushing it legends

DC

#EatGoodFeelGood