Among many accomplishments, including leading his team to more division titles than any quarterback in the history, Tom Brady is unquestionably one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. Brady has a long and established partnership with Alex Guerra, an alternative health practitioner who is a doctor of Chinese medicine. Guerra is not only Brady’s trainer - he’s also the godfather to Brady’s son, and his business partner at TB12.
Isn’t it curious that Brady has embraced aspects of Chinese medicine to help perfect his professional craft? Following the Patriot's sixth Super Bowl win, here are three quotes Tom Brady has made in regard to his relationship with Alex Guerra and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
1) On Alex Guerra and preventative medicine
"He's been an incredible influence on my life, and I think we're doing something really special with our business. So much of what we talk about, Alex and I, is prevention. It's probably a lot different than most of the Western medicine that is in professional sports."
2) Before the 2015 Super Bowl, he turned to “old remedies” over Western medicine
When Brady was battling a cold before the Super Bowl in 2015, he was quoted as saying:
"I've had it for four or five days. My kids got sick and my wife is pretty sick right now. I brought it unfortunately to Phoenix but I'll be fine. I'll be good. I'll be 100 percent. I'm not worried about it at all. It's been lingering, so I'm just trying to get some rest. A lot of garlic, old remedies, everything I can,"
In Chinese medicine, garlic strengthens lung and spleen, promotes Qi circulation, and removes toxins - all excellent for boosting immunity and promoting recovery.
3) He eats a super strict diet
When Boston.com interviewed Brady's personal chef, he revealed that Brady eats a diet designed to limit inflammation. It’s over 80 percent vegetables and excludes dairy, coffee, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, white sugar, white flour and iodized salt. In a radio interview Brady said, "You guys may think I'm full of crap, but the proof is what I see on the field."
Tom Brady isn’t the only athlete using eastern medicine to stay healthy and young. Aaron Rodgers treated an injured calf with acupuncture in 2015. In a quote from ESPN, he said, “I’ve got to give a lot of credit to our training staff. They spent a lot of hours with me this week. They did a great job of getting me ready. My acupuncturist as well. She really helps.” Acupuncturist Lisa Ripi treats 40 NFL players in 5 cities. Her patients include James Harrison, James Farrior, Darrelle Revis, and Tony Richardson.
We’re not saying we had a favorite team for this year's Super Bowl, we’re just saying that taking care of our bodies from the inside out is crucial for optimal performance, so we wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another Super Bowl ring in Tom Brady’s future.
