The 2024 Olympic Games have officially come to an end. Like every major sporting event that features countries from around the world, this year’s Olympics, hosted in Paris, had its share of triumphs, losses, viral moments, and even calls for returned medals. Despite any controversies, this year’s game awarded 1,039 medals, with the United States leaving France with the most medals.
With 126 medals, over 30% of Team America left the games with Olympic wins, and the nation even tied with China with 40 gold medals. Now, while you may not become an Olympic champion overnight, there are a few things we can learn from the best of America’s athletes that can boost both our health and longevity.
Olympics 2024: Longevity Tips from Team USA
A’ja Wilson – Tea Lover
Leading the Team USA basketball team, A’ja Wilson helped the team defeat France 67-66 in the final, earning the nation its eighth consecutive gold medal for women’s basketball.
Speaking to SELF about her morning routine, the two-time WNBA champion revealed that she’s becoming a huge lover of tea, raspberry in particular. Raspberry tea is a great source of many nutrients, such as vitamins C and E, calcium, zinc, and antioxidants, all of which can benefit the body in several ways.
That said, if you’re not a fan of raspberries, might we recommend other teas? Especially because drinking two or more cups of tea a day has been associated with a lower risk of death. So, here’s our guide to the best teas for your longevity.
Caroline Marks (Surfing) – Healthy Eyes
Earning her first Olympic medal, a gold one at that, Caroline Marks could credit her win to her clear vision,
“Eye health is often overlooked, even though it’s one of the most important factors in overall performance.” – Caroline Marks
Marks adds that her regular exposure to the sun, wind, and sand and attachment to her phone means her eyes are being put to the test every day. So, how can she ensure her vision is clear for the next Olympic games?
She snacks on raw carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene – a form of vitamin A that can improve eye health. Beta-carotene can also be found in spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, and winter squash.
Aside from dietary habits, the best way to protect your vision is by going for regular eye exams – regardless of how great you believe your vision is. Based on your age, there are recommendations for how often you should get your vision tested;
- 20 to 39: Every 5 years
- 40 to 54: Every 2 to 4 years
- 55 to 64: Every 1 to 3 years
- 65 and up: Every 1 to 2 years
Also, as Marks mentioned, our attachments to our electronic devices expose us to increased amounts of blue light, which can be harmful.
Investing in a proper pair of UV protection sunglasses, as well as blue light glasses for when you’re working on your laptop, can help to protect your vision from blue light damage.
Gabby Thomas (Running) – Pilates
Proving that she’s one of the fastest people in the world, Gabby Thomas managed to win three gold medals after coming first for the women’s 200-meter race, and helping Team USA win the 4×100 meter relay and the 4×400 meter relay.
So, how does the 27-year-old track star maintain her speed?
Aside from prioritizing sleep and mental health, Thomas told Women’s Health that she enjoys low-impact exercises, particularly Pilates,
“Pilates is humbling. As an Olympian in that room, not being able to do a lot of the exercises that they’re doing, you really realize how many small muscles that you don’t activate every day.”
Aside from humbling a future Olympic legend, Pilates has many benefits that include improved brain health, sleep and posture, a stronger core, alleviated back pain, and even better lung function.
Grant Holloway (Running) – Joint Health
As a runner, Grant Holloway understands the importance of joint health, and this habit is one of the factors that helped him win gold for the 110m hurdles in Paris.
Speaking to GQ, Holloway revealed that he does Pilates, deep tissue massages, acupuncture, and visits a chiropractor, in an effort to take better care of his joints.
Keeping your joints healthy won’t only help you win a hurdle, but it’s incredibly essential for a better quality of life as healthy joints allow you to walk, run, jump, dance, and just be a functional human being.
To take better care of your joints, we’d recommend managing your weight, regularly stretching, staying active, and quitting smoking.
Katie Ledecky (Swimming) – Protein Packed Meals
Aside from coming first in the women’s 1500m freestyle, by winning the women’s 800m freestyle and her ninth gold medal, Katie Ledecky made history by becoming the only female swimmer in Olympic history to win the same event in four straight Games.
Ledecky understands that what she does outside of the pool is just as important as what she does in the waters, which is why she enjoys a protein-packed diet. From salmon and eggs to oatmeal and peanut butter, in following a protein-backed diet, Ledecky enjoys maintenance, repair and growth of her muscles, as well as increased energy.
Salmon, eggs, and peanut butter are all great sources of protein, as are Greek yoghurt, legumes, chickpeas, quinoa, and almonds.
Lebron James (Basketball) – Get Enough Sleep
Cinching his third gold medal by helping the United States men’s basketball team defeat host nation France in the final game, Lebron James once again proved his title of one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
So, how does the 39-year-old ensure that he’s always ready to shoot some hoops on the court? By getting enough quality rest.
“Sleeping is something that is very important on a day-to-day basis.” – Lebron James
According to the Sleep Foundation, poor sleep has been strongly associated with increased risk of car crashes, heart problems, obesity, reduced immune function, and earlier death.
That’s pretty concerning, so how can you ensure that you get your eight hours?
Speaking to Tim Ferriss alongside James, James’ trainer Mike Mancias shared Lebron’s go-to hacks for a quality night’s sleep,
“For LeBron, it’s always in his hotel room, making sure the temperature’s set at a particular – probably 68 to 70 degrees is probably optimal, making sure the room is completely dark, you have no distractions, trying to turn off your electronics.”
Lee Kiefer (Fencing) – Daily Dose of Vitamin D
Successfully defending her gold medal, 30-year-old medical student Lee Kiefer triumphed over fellow American Lauren Scruggs 15-6 in the final.
As a medical student and athlete, Kiefer understands the importance of adequate nutrition, which is why her top supplements are vitamin D and iron.
“Because fencing is an indoor sport, I take care of my bone health with vitamin D supplements.” – Lee Kiefer
“At baseline, my iron levels are a little low – menstruating female here! – but it is even more important that I take an iron supplement after donating blood, which I do a few times each year.”
Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with poor bone health and depression, whereas low iron levels may increase susceptibility to illnesses and diseases.
Aside from supplementation, you can get vitamin D from (moderated) sun exposure, as well as eating fish or fortified milks, cereals and orange juice. Iron, on the other hand, can be found in beans, dark green leafy vegetables, and dried fruit.
Rai Benjamin (400m) – Practice moderation
As an athlete, it can be easy to develop an obsession with a healthy lifestyle, to the point where you forego things that may give you pleasure and offer relief. However, that’s not the case for Rai Benjamin.
The 27-year-old, who won gold for the 400m hurdles, shared to Men’s Health about how life is all about balance, without it, you will probably be affected mentally,
“You could go about three or four weeks or so, and then your body just naturally craves stuff. If your body’s craving something, it’s important to listen to your body and do things in moderation.” – Rai Benjamin
Ryan Crouser (Shotput) – Rest Days
Winning his third consecutive Olympic gold medal, 31-year-old Ryan Crouser is on his way to being one of the greatest shotput athletes of all time.
While an intense training regime is needed to match his accomplishments, Crouser also understands the risks of burnout, admitting that, “It’s easy to burn out and feel like ‘Why am I doing this? What am I doing this for? I’m not enjoying this.’”
In an effort to combat these feelings, Crouser makes sure to unplug and spend time outdoors away from his training responsibilities at least once a week.
Rest days aren’t only important for your mental health, but they also give your body time to recover and prevent muscle fatigue, as well as reduce the risk for injury.
Simone Biles (Gymnastics) – Prioritize Mental Health
Becoming the most-awarded American gymnast in history, Simone Biles won her seventh gold medal during the women’s gymnastics vault apparatus final – just two days after celebrating with Team USA following their win in the team competition.
While it definitely takes gladiator-level training to become one of the most decorated gymnasts in history, Biles credits her return to the Olympic podium to one simple thing: better mental health.
“I’m in a really good spot mentally and physically, so you can’t take that away from me.” – Simon Biles
Having withdrawn from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics following high levels of stress, it’s refreshing to hear that the 27-year-old is now in a better place mentally, especially since she describes her weekly therapy sessions as “kinda religious.”
Aside from reaching out to a mental health professional if you’re feeling mentally unwell, self-care habits you can adopt include:
- Taking mental health breaks
- Setting boundaries
- Auditing social media feed – unfollow pages that affect self-esteem and self-perception
Torri Huske (Swimming) – Have Hobbies (Painting and Reading)
After redshirting her junior year at Standford University to focus on her athletic goals, Torri Huske took home three gold medals.
It’s clear that her decision to put college on hold was worth it, and not just for the gold but also for her mental health,
“I think taking care of your mental health is really important too, and finding stuff that you enjoy outside of the sport,” she shared, explaining that her spare time allowed her to work on art projects and read.
“I get bored with one medium really fast, so I’ll do pastels, watercolor, pencil, acrylic pen, pretty much anything.”
Hobbies are a great way to unwind and relax, but reading and painting in particular have been found to foster creativity, strengthen memory, and even combat the risk for cognitive decline and depression.
Valarie Allman (Discus Throw) – Daily Affirmations
After winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Valarie Allman successfully defended her title in Paris with her longest throw being nearly two full meters better than the next closest.
While she dutifully focuses on her eating habits and training sessions, Allman also understands the importance of positive self-talk, having repeated, “I am capable of winning. I deserve to win. I will win,” right before she secured the gold medal in Tokyo.
Now, while daily affirmations may not help you win Olympic gold, research has found that it can help reduce stress, and improved behavioural changes.
End note
While the Paris games may be officially over, and we await the next phase of the Summer Games -set to take place Los Angeles in 2028, why not spend the next four years getting ready by adopting a few of these Olympic-level health habits?
