Fitness & Nutrition
Donna’s passion for optimum living began in 1988 after realizing that as a paid professional athlete in a heavily male dominated sport, it was her responsibility to show up as the best possible version of herself.
To be a jockey, she knew she had to be strong, she knew she had to be fast and she knew she had to be fit. So, when she set a course to be those things on the horses she rode, and for the clients she rode for, very early on she realized that being thoughtful about her food choices and her fitness regimens made her FEEL good on top of the athletic benefits she had originally set out to achieve. It seemed like she recovered from injuries faster, she got sick less and she felt GREAT! These were just a few of the happy side effects.
She was hooked, and this ensures that her interest in the health and fitness genre remains on her radar even years after her retirement as one of the winningest female jockeys of all time.
Donna has now been an ardent student of the benefits of health and nutrition for over 30 years. She strives to stay on top of the latest news and scientific discoveries in the field and she is always discovering new ways to improve her quality of life and overall health.
She is passionate about sharing these pearls with her family, friends and beyond. According to Donna, the effort to live as healthy as possible is not about looking good, but about LIVING GOOD, and it’s hard not to catch on to that enthusiasm!
DONNA’S TAKE ON BULLETPROOF COFFEE: BULLETPROOF TEA
(IT’S HER FAVORITE MORNING PICK-ME-UP!)
- 50/50 mixture of organic chocolate black tea and organic rooibos chai
- 1 tbsp Brain Octane Oil by Bulletproof
- 1 tbsp of heavy cream
- a few drops (to taste) of vanilla creme or cinnamon stevia
Directions: Steep tea for 5-6 minutes and while the tea is steeping, put your other ingredients into the blender carafe. Once your tea is ready, pour the hot tea into the blender with the other ingredients and blend to a froth. Pour and ENJOY!
Scout & Cellar Wines
Donna’s “allergy” to wines started years ago. She loved wine but couldn’t drink it—after even one glass, she’d wake up feeling lethargic and foggy. Oddly enough, that never happened when she was in France, Italy, Spain, or South Africa. She eventually suspected it was the pesticides in many American wines, but even then, her reactions were inconsistent. So, she gave wine up altogether.
Then she discovered Scout & Cellar. It turns out, there’s a lot more than pesticides and herbicides hiding in most wines—things like added sugars, synthetic preservatives, and unnecessary chemicals that can take a toll on your system. Scout & Cellar partners with growers who make wine the way it was meant to be made: clean-crafted, with nothing artificial added and nothing beneficial removed.
If you’ve ever loved wine but felt like your body didn’t love it back, these bottles are worth trying.
Explore and order clean-crafted wines through Donna’s Scout & Cellar link here.
Subscribe and Follow Donna on Social Media
You are uniquely beautiful, so be good to yourself! Subscribe to her blog, where she shares her personal opinions on the latest hot topics in horse racing, personal health and wellness, and even her favorite foods and recipes. Or, follow her on Instagram to see what entree she has on her plate with yoga, nutrition, wellness, and more!
@BROTHERS.DONNA
After five days of skiing at Niseko United, we headed over to Rusutsu. No fresh snow, but we found lots of powder stashes and beautiful terrain, thanks to our friends at Hagen Alpin, who lined up a local Rusutsu guide and then skied with us. Our Hagen Alpin ski buddies were Juliana Hagen (daughter of Rita Hagen) and Edgar Brigel (train_your_passion). Once again, we were blessed with beautiful views. The photos of water in the distance show Lake Toya in the foreground and the Pacific Ocean in the far distance.
On Day 4, we finally had a clear sky and a perfect day to hike to the summit of Mt. Niseko. These photos show the line of hikers in front of me, behind me, and from the summit. The photo of our group shows a rare, clear view of Mt. Yotei (normally cloaked in clouds). We also had a clear view of the Japan Sea from the summit! Juliana Hagen has been guiding groups here for eleven years and said this was the first time she could see the Sea of Japan from the top. After enjoying the view from the top, we skied down. Sometimes you hike to ski, other times you ski to hike. On this day, we did both. The last photo illustrates how tired I was after this venture (35-minute hike to the summit, in ski boots, packing skis… then a blissful run in knee-deep powder, a bit more hiking on the flat, a bit more skiing—through trees). Totally worth it!!!
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Our ski trip to Japan was next-level. For the first three days, we had heli-skiing conditions without needing a helicopter. We began our ski sojourn at Niseko United, in the Sapporo region of Japan (northern Japan). While there are many on-piste (marked trails) options at Niseko United, people really go there for the back gates. The on-piste portion of Niseko Mountain makes up about 1/3rd of the mountain. The gates allow you to access the other 2/3rds of the mountain (off-piste). Let me be clear: I would not do this trip without a guide! We had Hagen Alpin guiding us at every turn (Rita Hagen in the first photo). They’ve been leading groups of skiers and boarders at Niseko for eleven years, and they know the terrain as if it’s their own backyard. All of these photos are from the first three days in Niseko, when we had plenty of fresh powder but not always great visibility. That’s when the guides are even more valuable!
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The three days I spent at Royal Ascot were unforgettable. Three magical days filled with fantastic horse racing and fabulous fashion 🤩! The Brits definitely know how to do racing (of course they have been racing over this hallowed ground since 1711). A huge thank you to Damon Thayer for hosting us. And gratitude to Rachel Dunn for being my best mate! Till next time, the memories will sustain me for a while.
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Another Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the books, and it was memorable for so many reasons. Godolphin Racing has pursued the Kentucky Derby dream for as many years as I can remember, and then they captured the Oaks/Derby double. Well played! Thanks to Generation Love Clothing for my “pretty in pink” Oaks jacket 💗. Can only thank NBC Sports for Derby Day attire, though—rain suits for everyone! Thank you, Sherman (my horse), and Ron Moquette Racing for giving me the best horse to ride that anyone could ask for. He’s a dream. It was great to spend time with my friend Barbara (lifewithmybowie) and get a quick hug from my good friend Chanda (day_chanda). I picked Sovereignty because he looked like a man amongst boys to me when I saw him in his morning training (and he ran like that, too). And it wouldn’t be Derby week without an appearance on the morning show with Shannon Cogan. Your Derby Week joy and enthusiasm are palpable and refreshing. Happy Kentucky Derby 151, everyone! I’ll see you in Baltimore.
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It’s finally available! The Fourth Edition of my book 🤩. Let’s face it, horse racing can be complicated! “Inside Track: Insider’s Guide to Horse Racing” makes it easy and demystifies the complexities. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about horse racing. It even has a glossary of terms to explain the sport’s insular language. In this newly updated fourth edition, you’ll find updates on “names to know”, Hall of Fame inductees, races to watch (before the Kentucky Derby), and more. As always, 100% of proceeds go to Thoroughbred aftercare via donations to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Available only on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Track-Insiders-Guide-Racing/dp/B0F53N8FLS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HFCIERX6EABK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xNu-U-tu0fPb6kM5PTZpdYCJKnMG9fmJrbzXJEBj2XTb4YvecqRnho8SCWHKpL6uZNzlgImdHcyhHSHeQvo6uuGuBaYf8Ck5AKp_3sBJA0BftACnop8-mUhhdBpoY1umneLsTf8I_tKaQyQ0HkMMWcCiNL4R6d_unXA8o_VVkGPWmmGheYeb9VuUZOwOwCbU1GYSl55zmhym1TKvM3EIbw.4TYTE7irFx3qoba7kp28XXUmJNWRh5bAteeUC3C_ugc&dib_tag=se&keywords=inside+track+donna+brothers&qid=1745342728&sprefix=,aps,129&sr=8-1
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I really can’t speak highly enough of SoHum Mountain Resort. I do an Ayurvedic cleanse every spring and fall, and in the spring, I add “Panchakarma,” which is just a deepening of the cleanse in the Ayurvedic tradition. The property at SoHum is beautiful, and the energy is so peaceful. The therapists are angels. The food is delicious! Seriously. Delicious. Yes, it’s “cleanse” food, and yes, it’s delicious. The skyline photos are of sunset and sunrise in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. These are not enhanced photos! They were taken with my iPhone from the balcony of my room. If you’re considering it, go. You can thank me later 💙
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Finally, a book that explains the nutritional implications of drinking alcohol! The gut/brain connection is real, and this book describes how food choices and your microbiome may be driving you to reach for a drink even when your brain says, “Not today.” It also breaks alcohol use into Four Categories: 1. Nonchalant Driker, 2. Social Drinker, 3. Stress Drinker, and 4. Habitual Drinker, and then goes on to address the biological response to alcohol for people in each category. If you’re “sober curious” or wish to cut back on alcohol consumption, you need to read this book. The Audible version comes with a PDF link—or you can just buy the book, which already includes everything you need ❤️
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