Dancers, more so than those who don't dance, are acutely aware of their bodies and keeping them healthy for their craft. There are a multitude of tips and tricks to help along the way, however a few unexpected methods of staying healthy are also important.
Make sure you eat the right foods: smelly, but surprisingly, garlic, onions, spring onions and leeks all contain vitamins and nutrients that are especially good for you. Eating raw garlic can help fight serious childhood infections - heating garlic destroys these properties, so eat it raw or take it in tablet form.
Starting your morning with coffee is not unhealthy, but consuming caffeine improperly can seriously disrupt your sleep-wake cycle. Caffeine blocks adenosine, the byproduct of active cells that drives you to sleep as it accumulates: consuming caffeine even six hours prior to bedtime affects sleep, so stop drinking it by mid-afternoon and watch out for surprising sources of caffeine, such as some fizzy drinks, energy water, chocolate bars and painkillers.
When stretching, make sure your body is warm and there is adequate blood flow around the body. Ease yourself into position until you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25 seconds. Breathe deeply to help your body move oxygen-rich blood to any sore muscles and make sure you don't bounce or force yourself into an uncomfortable position.
For bedtime snacks, the best consist of foods containing tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body make serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that aids in the sleep process. For the best bedtime snack, try combining a food containing tryptophan with a carbohydrate that will help the tryptophan to function more efficiently, so fish, eggs, nuts and seeds to name a few. Try a healthy bedtime snack that includes complex carbohydrates, some protein and some calcium for good measure.