Reduce Inflammation Like a Pro With 4 Easy Tips From an NBA All-Star

You don’t need a multimillion dollar salary to optimize your body.

Take it from NBA All-Star Kevin Love, who makes a living out of being in perfect shape, reducing inflammation, and avoiding injury.

While Love is a fan of some high-end wellness treatments like longevity IVs, he said the vast majority of his routine is about perfecting the basics.

“In a lot of ways, I’m just like everybody else,” Love, 36, told Business Insider in an interview on his partnership with plant-based protein brand Koia.

“Simplify, simplify, simplify, and then build out your routine and your schedule from there.”

Love swears by habits anyone can implement like cold showers, a consistent sleep schedule, and more time in nature for better recovery.

A cold shower in the morning to activate your mind and body

Love said he takes a cold shower for one to five minutes after waking up in the morning or after a nap.

“When I need to really wake up and get that, boom, dopamine hit and be firing, I’ll do that,” he said. “My mind is working at a very high level as well as my body being just refreshed.”

Ice baths or cold plunges are a popular wellness trend because small doses have shown promising benefits to improve mood, reduce pain, and lower risk of injury or illness. Exposure to the cold prompts the release of endorphins in the body that help lower inflammation.

The tradeoff is that icy baths or showers too soon after a workout might impair muscle growth, so scheduling them early in the day can be a better option for optimal gains.

Exercising outdoors to reduce stress and boost vitamin D

Love is a big fan of being in nature, and said heading outside helps to maximize the benefits of his workout sessions, whether he’s taking a walk or strength training.

“It kills two birds with one stone. Just walking and being outside in nature keep my cortisol levels down and keep me feeling really good, getting my vitamin D out in the sun,” Love said.

Consistent exercise helps to reduce chronic inflammation (the kind that leads to illnesses like heart disease).

Spending time outdoors has health benefits like relieving stress, another source of inflammation. The exposure to sunlight helps your body get enough vitamin D for healthy muscles and a strong immune system.

Foods like fish and berries fight inflammation

Love said his team has weigh-ins throughout the season, so it’s important to stay lean and avoid eating too much added sugar.

Instead, he opts for nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, salmon is a staple source of protein and healthy fats like omega-3s.

“Keeping inflammation down, a lot of that moved in the right direction through food like fatty fish,” Love said.

Other favorites include high-iron veggies like leafy greens, nuts, berries, dark chocolate, eggs, almonds, and olive oil. For a quick boost after a workout, Love is a fan of Koia’s plant-based protein shakes.

Love also drinks coffee and enjoys wine in moderation, both of which have also been shown to lower inflammation in some people.

He includes tart cherry juice and beets in his diet for an extra athletic boost, thanks to antioxidants that can speed recovery.

A sleep routine is key to good rest on a busy schedule

Love’s bedtime routine is all about maximizing good sleep. It includes a hot shower or Epsom salt bath for muscle relaxation, some light stretching, and keeping his room cool, since a lower body temperature can facilitate deeper sleep.

It’s not always possible for Love to get enough on a busy schedule, traveling coast-to-coast for games and fighting jet lag. Instead, he tries to be as consistent as possible about going to bed and waking up around the same time, which research suggests may be even more important for health than hours spent sleeping.

When things get off track, Love tries to focus on long-term consistent rather than a perfect routine on any given day to avoid unnecessary stress.

“I give myself a little bit of grace, to not turn up the anxiety and get my mind racing on why I’m not getting to bed at the exact same time,” he said,