There's a lot of talk on here and elsewhere about the best things for recovery for runners.  Gatorade drinks, mouth strips, protein shakes and powders, etc.  What if you are unable to consume any of that?  If you are like me you can't.  I can't buy store bought health shakes because they are all made with soy, dairy, or both.  I can't have soy, dairy, or gluten, which is sometimes found in these drinks and powders as well.  While they are very quick and convenient for most people, they don't suit everyone.  Now that I run more I decided to do some reading on what runners need for nutrition and recovery and I have been coming up with ways to get those needed ingredients with natural and whole foods. 

Let me start with what everyone already knows.  Runners need more protein.  Protein is necessary for building and repairing muscle.  There are many different forms and ways of getting protein.  My favorite is meat and eggs.  Lean meat, specifically poultry and fish.  For breakfast, after a run, I like to scramble up a couple of eggs with some turkey lunch meat thrown in.  Pure, natural protein and it only takes about 10-15 to make from start to finish.  I also like to keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge for quick and easy protein snacks.  Another protein packed breakfast that I often eat in the winter is quinoa flakes.  Cook it up as a hot cereal, add some sugar and slivered almonds, and viola!  You have a breakfast that contains just about every nutrient you need. 

The next two things that runners need, particularly after a sweaty workout, are potassium and sodium.  Otherwise known as electrolytes.  For a post workout snack I have a small bag of salted peanuts and a banana.  If I need extra energy before my run I'll eat the banana pre-run and then the peanuts post-run.  With my water of course.  Don't want to get dehydrated.  The peanuts have sodium, potassium, and are a good source of protein.  Everything you need after a workout.  I add the banana for added potassium and natural carbs. 

Carbs, we all know we need carbs to keep up our energy.  The only problem with sugar is that what goes up must come down.  The same is true of caffeine.  If you're going to drink something sugary after a workout make sure you have some form of protein to help slow down the digestion of the sugar so you don't experience a crash.  My favorite natural carbs?  Fruit.  It's my vitamin packed carb.  I like to eat a variety of fruits throughout the day.  Since I can't have wheat I also eat a lot brown rice as my main carb and I'm just starting to get into quinoa.  If I'm particularly tired and need a little boost to help me get out the door in the morning I'll have a small piece of dark chocolate.  I also like to eat either corn or rice chex for breakfast after a workout.  I usually will save my banana to put on the cereal rather than eat it separately.

Here's an example of a typical day for me. 

I wake up at 5:30am, get dressed to running and leave my house about 5:45 to meet my friend at the lake.  I run around the lake, 2.8 miles (I'm still new and slow so this takes about 35 minutes with 5 minute walk warm-up and cool down).  I have a bottle of water in the car waiting for me when I'm done and drink some on my way back home.  I only live about a mile and a half or so from the lake so the drive is relatively short.  As soon as I get home I grab a boiled egg out of the fridge and eat it with some salt.  Then I make my coffee (yes, I'm guilty of being a coffee drinker but I only have my one cup in the morning).  While my coffee is brewing I eat a bowl of rice chex with a banana cut up on top of it.  I use rice milk that has vitamins added to it.  With my three key post-workout nutrients in me I take a shower and get ready for work.  I have to eat small portions so I bring snack type stuff for lunches with me to work.  I pack a couple of pieces of fruit, this week it's pears and plums, a banana nut muffin, and a turkey and avocado sandwich.  I typically have something every two hours or so.  When I get home I eat a balanced dinner.  Right now I have a pasta dish in the fridge and I'll have a salad to go with it so that I get my serving of vegetables in there too.  I hope this information will be helpful to someone.  Have a great day and keep running!