In 2013, Lionel Messi decided to change his lifestyle after suffering a minor injury that derailed his form.
Admittedly, the former Barcelona hero didn’t have the best diet back then, as he subsisted on pizza and red meat.
But as he grew up, his intolerance to what he ingested caused a reaction in his body, and he began to see the little No. 10 vomit uncontrollably on the pitch.
Messi, 35, flew to Italy to meet Dr. Giuliano Poser in Sachile to discuss his problems.
Poser, a sports medicine practitioner for more than 20 years, preached a somewhat different approach than his contemporaries.
Nutrition, posture correction, osteopathy, Bachflower, kinesiology, massage, and emotional therapy are all important elements in a poser’s arsenal.
Tough on the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner
According to well-informed Argentine journalist Veronica Brunati, Messi was told to only eat what his body needed, not what it wanted.
Foods that the body cannot tolerate are passed out.
Wheat flour, yeast, and refined wheat in pasta, pizza, and white bread have been eliminated.
The dietary review also removed pork, beef, eggs, shellfish, and dairy products from the menu.
Naturally, alcohol consumption was also prohibited. So was Messi’s love of fizzy drinks.
Instead, more organic and fresh foods, mineral water and yerba mate, a caffeine-rich drink from South America, were used.
“Vegetables, seasonal fruit, and good quality bottled water are essential fuels for your muscles,” says Poser.
“We must reduce our intake of processed foods and foods contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and drugs.”
bach flower remedies
But it wasn’t just about diet.
As part of a more versatile approach, Poser encouraged Messi to do emotional work, psychotherapy and take Bach flower remedies.
While the latter may seem like a hip solution to combating stress and anxiety, Bach flowers are said to restore balance to mind and body.
Science says the research targets the limbic system, the part of the brain that deals with emotions, memory, and arousal.
What is Bach Flower Remedy?
Bach flower remedies were developed by British homeopath Edward Bach in the 1930s.
Dr. Bach argued that dew on wildflower petals can be used as an adjunct to affect underlying emotional stress and reduce physical illness.
It is believed to drive away negative emotions such as fear, indecision, hatred, and worry that interfere with a person’s overall balance, and gently restore balance to the mind and body.
Bach flower remedies are claimed to promote peace and well-being and allow the body to heal itself.
“Physical illness itself is the result of disharmony of soul and mind,” Dr. Bach said.
“When we remove disharmony, we restore harmony to soul and spirit, and the body becomes perfect again in all its parts.”
And it’s not just soccer players who are taking up Bach flower remedies, some movie stars are also believers.
Actresses Salma Hayek, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Aniston and Emma Watson have all revealed in the past that they take holistic medications to help them stay calm under pressure.
It is believed that simply dissolving a few drops on the tongue or in water can reduce fear, worry, hatred, and indecision.
Messi, 3 kg lighter, regained his strength in the 2014-15 season and scored 58 goals. He had scored 41 goals the previous year.
He also appeared in 11 more games that he previously might have missed due to injury.
Poser’s advice put Messi in good shape and helped him stay at the top for a long time.
Visits to POSER have been suspended
Messi’s visit to Poser was called off when he replaced Andres Iniesta as Barcelona captain.
The diminutive maestro then pinned his hopes on Dr. María Antonia Lizarraga Daro, who heads Barcelona’s nutritional team, before heading to PSG in 2021.
But Poser is well aware of the impact that caring for the health of one of the biggest names in sports has on his own life.
He told Mundo Deportivo: “I think my life changed completely because of Messi, especially in the first three months, because the phone never stopped ringing and there were journalists from all corners of the world who I didn’t meet, of course.
“It affects everyone’s daily life, but especially for someone like me who lives a very quiet life.
“But all over the world they have seen Messi, and since then they can no longer question my methods. It is seen every week.”
Higuain and Dybala
And Messi is not the only successful poser. Gonzalo Higuain joined the Italians in 2015 with a crisis of confidence.
Following his doctor’s advice, he stopped eating red meat, limited his intake of fish, and replaced sugar in his diet with bones.
The Argentine poacher had the best season of his life, scoring 38 goals in 42 games and dropping an astonishing 4kg.
After almost sacking Napoli for the Serie A title, he moved to Juventus for £75.3 million after one season, but has now retired after a spell at Inter Miami.
And in 2018, then-Juventus star Paulo Dybala visited Dr Poser to help him recover from injury in time for the Champions League last-16 match against Tottenham.
Dybala missed the first leg, but returned for the second leg and scored the winning goal in the tie that eliminated Spurs…it seems like the doctor knows exactly what he’s talking about.
