Endurance Planet

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! On this episode we welcome professional triathlete Sarah True. Sarah is one of the few endurance athletes to reach the top of her sport at multiple distances—including two Olympic Games, top finishes at ITU WTS, and IRONMAN racing. She now focuses on Iron-distance racing, and she has finished as high as 4th place at the Ironman World Championships in Kona. Sarah is also a newer mom having had a baby boy in 2021. In addition to racing professionally and motherhood, Sarah has been very open over the years about her struggles with depression and is candid about breaking the stigma and sharing behind the scenes. On this episode we talk with her about everything from her approach to pregnancy and postpartum—with great insight and tips for all you mamas out there—to what tools have worked for her in healing from depression, how she’s been able to get herself out of some the darker chapters in her life, and the prevalence of depression in sport especially with professionals. Article mention: The Athlete’s Paradox: Adaptable Depression.    The post Sarah True: On Motherhood, Depression, and Professional Triathlon — Fine-Tuning the Juggling Act With Grit and Grace first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. Article discussion: Interoception in Athletes We examine new research on interoception in athletes, and an article in Triathlete Magazine that dissects it further. Study: Interoceptive differences in elite sprint and long-distance runners: A multidimensional investigation Article by Alex Hutchinson: The Case Against Listening To Your Body Interoception vs Intuition: “Interoception” – the felt sense; processing of visceral-afferent neural signals by the central nervous system, which results in the conscious perception of bodily processes. Your brain’s perception of your body’s state, transmitted from receptors on internal organs; i.e. cardiovascular system, lungs, gut, etc. Communication between brain and organs. E.g. being able to tell your HR just by feel without taking pulse. “Intuition” – an inner knowing; the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning; a hunch or also gut feeling generated by the unconscious mind (experience and cumulative knowledge aids) Hutchinson quote from the article: “It could be that training and competing actually interfere with interoception. Perhaps repeatedly pushing your body beyond its comfortable limits forces you to ignore all the distress signals bombarding your brain. Over time, ignoring them becomes a habit, and you’re less able to judge how you’re feeling. Or perhaps it’s only modern runners whose interoception is impaired, thanks to their reliance on external sources of feedback like GPS watches and heart rate monitors.” The study: Used world-class (ranked in the top 100) sprint and long-distance athletes, and non-athletes. Two questions were addressed: (1) whether sprinters, distance runners and non-athletes differ in their interoceptive abilities, and  (2) whether elite athletes differ from non-elite athletes in their interoceptive abilities.  Study 1:  213 subjects – 50 sprinters, 67 distance runners, 96 non-athletes 70 elite, 47 non-elite self-reported interoceptive attentional and regulatory styles via online questionnaire (Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) – 32 questions), included anxiety/depression question. Study 2:  29 athletes: 14 elite (top 100 national rankings), and 15 non-elite (outside top 100 national rankings). There were 17 sprinters (100m, 200m and 400m), 12 distance runners (800–10,000m) and 29 non-athlete controls. Only males? Heart beat counting task and a ‘gold standard’ Heartbeat Detection Task to examine differences in interoceptive accuracy, confidence, and metacognitive awareness.  Two conditions: (i) in silence, and (II) whilst listening to pre-recorded crowd noise that simulated the live sounds of spectators during a sporting event.  Had to report their felt heartbeats and not try to guess or use an exteroceptive aid (such as taking one’s pulse) [44]. HDT: The task required participants to judge whether heartbeat sensations are or are not simultaneous with the circle presentation. RESULTS (I) compared to non-athletes, athletes (i.e., both sprinters and distance runners) had more confidence (Study 2) in their interoceptive percept, and reported trusting their body more, using it to self-regulate and having better attentional control towards their body (Study 1);  (II) sprinters reported having better regulation of attention to internal sensations, more emotional awareness, better self-regulation, and a greater propensity to listen to their body for insight than both distance runners (Fig 3),  (III) athletes (i.e., both sprinters and distance runners) were better able to maintain heartbeat detection performance when distracted compared to non-athletes (Fig 5), and  (IV) elite athletes were characterised by lower emotional awareness, self-regulation, and body listening (Study 1), and were less accurate at counting their heartbeat when not distracted (Fig 4), and characterised by a higher interoceptive prediction error (Study 2).  Good question that was asked by researchers: It should also be considered whether these are innate characteristics of sprint athletes, or a consequence of their participation in high intensity exercise.  It’s complicated though: Inconsistent findings across studies in athletes. It’s so individual because it brings in a lot of life experiences. Interoception (accuracy and/ or awareness) might be related to self-regulation during exercise and athletes may have better interoceptive abilities than non-athletes, but conclusions are limited due to studies taking a unidimensional approach [25], methodological inconsistencies [31, 32]’, and the recruitment of college-level, rather than elite athletes [29, 31, 32].  Why we would want to “turn off” the ability to feel our body, e.g. during a hard race where we want to check out or dissociate, to mitigate pain, etc. WHY IS INTEROCEPTION SO IMPORTANT? NOT JUST SPORTS PERFORMANCE There’s a link between compromised interoceptive function and psychiatric disorders, depression, anxiety, additicion. Mindfulness med improves insular functioning and connectivity to increase interoceoption Insular function correlated with increased empathy Gut feelings: interoceptive sensations, as GI tract responds to emotions and stress Maintaining hameostasis is an interoceptive process Interoceptive signals help us regulate emotional and physical states Sarah asks: “The gray zone” Why does the gray zone (i.e. Z3 range) get such a bad rep if so many programs have us focus on race specificity especially as the goal race nears? What the coaches say: What they say the problems are: Too easy to be useful and is too hard and too fatiguing When you spend too much or all your time in this zone as many do, esp those not aware of HR, effort/PE, zones, etc. Too much gray Z3 doesn’t help high end sprinting Harder than Z2/MAF so recovery is different—more of it needed, can lead to burout overtraining if too much here What is the Gray Zone: Z3 or tempo is ~2.0-2.5mmol which is quite mild! Put that into context for MOST people and running up a hill puts you in the “grey” zone. But the thing is: Too much Vo2 is also bad. Too much threshold is bad. Too much easy volume is bad. Too much of anything is bad. Duh.Depends on the race distance Depends on the base fitness Depends on how much time before race Everyone responds differently. To consider (the negatives): Athletes tend to do too much and plateau. Should only be ~20% or less of total run volume. For ultra athletes and marathon it is less effective, same as sweetspot. Works better for <70.3, <1/2 marathon. Not good if you use a TRUE polarized or MAF methodology The positives: More stimulation if you are time limited and plateau with the volume you’re able to run. Good mental practice Fun If used sparingly it is fine if you aren’t in a high quality focused block. If you’re very fit and limited on time available If you’re traveling and have very limited time Other Gray zone/Z3 concepts covered: Sweet spot podcast we did. Race specificity–what distances are benefited the most by training at Z3 or in the gray zone? When MAF becomes tempo? Used mostly in a final block as a “specific” intensity. Marathon pace/ effort. ZONES- if you are NOT measuring lactate then everything is on a spectrum. The shift from Z2 into Z3 is very subtle and there isn’t a definite line. Using lactate testing and the polarized method is the exception. No research showing Z3 is better or worse. Some evidence of an increase in mitochondrial density with SS training. Some evidence showing a drop in Vo2 if you do MOSTLY Z3/ SS Everyone responds differentlyBlumenfelt, Iden training ~85% in LT1 the remainder in LT2 or sweetspot/ tempo Still below MLSS ELITE athletes will elicit lower lactate levels at tempo/ Z3 than regular people. The post ATC 351: Know Thyself, How Well Can You Read Your Body’s Signals? Plus: The ‘Gray Zone’ – It Isn’t So Bad If Used Well, Here’s How first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! On this episode we have The Sock Doc, Dr. Steve Gangemi, joining us. Steve is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness. Intro Banter Toxic, Chemical Concerns in Everyday Foods and More Kerrygold bummer Label is found to contain “forever chemicals” PFAS. Our take and butter choices moving forward… Read more here. Salt choices for lowest microplastics and metals, etc. What are the best types of salt to buy as far as those lowest in microplasctics, heavy metals, etc. Celtic Sea Salt, Himalayan Pink salt, etc. Is there really a concern as far as how much of the “bad stuff” is in these salts? Crucial Four is a new brand dense in minerals that Tawnee is trying for her morning adrenal-health drink. Where else are concentrated sources of chemicals in our daily lives–look there! E.g. city water or water source for your home, drinking water, clothing, etc. Any recommendations for a good bathtub water filter? A healthy body should be able to handle low levels of heavy metals, microplastics, etc., and detox that properly. Holistic Hamstrings Hamstring Basics Read Steve’s in-depth article on hamstring injuries here. Quick hamstring 101: hamstrings consists of 3 muscles, the motion they provide, bridge between glutes and calves, etc. Generally, hams are more often injured in running, jumping. Upper hammy are more often injured in endurance athletes/runners than lower (behind knee, which is usually a calf muscle issue). Upper hamstring more often a glute issue, often weak due to pelvic instability–hamstring is doing extra work to make up for glute weakness Steve’s philosophy of “don’t treat the hamstring” when hamstring hurts or is injured. Either coming from a different muscle or the hamstring function is being disrupted by some other muscle imbalance somewhere else in the body. Hamstring might be in spasm–gastroc, soleus (i.e. calves) or glutes are not working well and hamstring is compensating. Upper Hamstring Injuries  What is usually going on, what needs to be done? i.e. glutes, hips Glute test, do this BAREFOOT: stand on one leg, how well can you support yourself, stabilize pelvis, feel pain-free, etc. If super solid on both side for 10-15 seconds, try doing it with your EYES CLOSED. Basic balancing exercises to begin with. Sacrum is really important when talking about glutes due to sacrotuberous ligament–remnant of bicep femoris, embryological piece, integrates sacrum to ischium. SI nerve/joint issues Sciatic nerve can go above, below or through piriformis. With pelvis, glute medius (lateral, stability) and piriformis (hip rotator) are critical. Piriformis balance each other, eg fatigue on one side and pain on the other. Glute med and piriformis issue WAY more common than true hamstring issues. if hamstrings have to kick on too often or too much, they get over-worked, too tight and hurt. Why are these areas so often affected? Basic movement patterns, sitting too much, shoe choices (heel lift), etc. Low back pain Low back pain and anterior (front side) hip flexor connection. Psoas or even obliques, look for trigger points to help. Simple test for psoas (hip flexor) tightness: If you lie on your back and low back hurts or if you can’t lie on back without putting something under your knees or bending them, then you have a hip flexor problem. Lower Hamstring Injuries  Lower hamstring pain (at back/inside of knee): way less common! Almost always an upper gastroc issue or tibialis posterior instead. Tibialis posterior: probably the most important muscle of lower leg for movement: involves plantar fascia, link between tibia and fibula, affects how you pronate, how you absorb shock, toe splay, etc. Actually, is that really MCL or meniscus pain or something else… Pes Anserine–what is it, why does it matter here? People confuse this with MCL or medial meniscus pain when it is actually a weak hamstring muscle issue. Adrenal Connection Muscle-organ relationship; applied kinesiology; biofeedback. When a muscle isn’t functioning properly is that muscle injured or is it an organ influence? Clinically: tibialis posterior, soleus, gastroc, sartorius, gracilis are very closely tied into adrenal gland function, more so on the right side of the body. Injuries include: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, medial knee pain, calf strain… tie in with over-stress happening in life (dysfunction in cortisol, aldosterone, DHEA, etc.) Muscle is not responding as it should, inhibited, instability, etc., when this over-stress is taking place (the organ connection). Then what will happen another muscle will over-compensate, leading to some kind of injury (e.g. hamstring, etc). Shoulder Issues…. for Hamstrings?! Shoulders often the hidden source of lower-leg injuries. Two main reasons: Force closure–it’s how the hamstrings affects the SI joint through the coupled action of the latissimus dorsi; lats reach from sacrum to humerus. Our gait cycle, which is contralateral. E.g. As hamstrings fire on the left side, lats fire on right side and vice versa. Integration of flexors and extensors. Glutes/hamstrings with lats/traps (on opposite sides)… and it goes deeper (e.g. knee and elbows). Shoulder girdle and hip joint connection is huge. Shoulder issues often from lack of movement; how often do we even have to reach overhead? How about posture awareness. Many shoulder exercises often do more harm than good, e.g. bench press problems! Why we don’t like it… Start focusing on the fundamentals with rotator cuff, proper shoulder mobility (e.g. external rotation), etc. Exercises To Do Steve’s philosophy on warming up… Single leg work, all of it! It starts with brain-body connection and reintegrating this back into our life. Get to the point of being able to close your eyes with SL exercises. SL RDL/SL DL with weights…. or SL RDL with knee drive (opposite side) and hop (with holding a weight if possible). Rocking… to crawling… etc. Dead hangs, scap pushups (protraction/retraction), scap pullups… take a video to know your form and work on it! Single leg work vs. something like a banded lateral monster walk. Caution with isolating muscles in your exercises; instead, think about using them as they are naturally used by the body i.e. functionally. The post Sock Doc 19: It’s Not The Hammy! For Hamstring Injuries, Look Elsewhere To Heal, Plus: Our Take on ‘Toxic’ Concerns with Butter and Salt first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. Intro Banter Ragnar SoCal! It’s coming and there’s still time to join the team for the race in Southern CA on April 14-15th, 2023. Email events@enduranceplanet.com for details. Athlete Retirements  Cam Brown: He’ll be retiring with his last appearance at IMNZ on March 4, which he’s raced 25 times and won 12 times. Can we just talk about an example of consistency and longevity in this sport, which seems to be increasingly rare?! AMAZING! Jan Frodeno: Speaking of retirement, this year is Jan Frodeno’s last as a professional.  IM World Championships Our thoughts on the new race format with rotating locations and moving beyond just Kona.   Questions    Luke asks: How High is Too High? (HR) Hi I’m 29 big fan of ATC. Recently I did an olympic distance triathlon. It was hot, about 30 degrees Celsius on the run. I took it easy on the first half of the bike and then pushed the 2nd half and was still feeling good going into the run, when I got out of T2 my heart rate was 196 on my Garmin. It’s only the wrist monitor(so could be wrong), but I was still a bit worried. My legs felt fine though so I kept pushing it. At the end of the run I checked my stats and I had 195 bmp average with a max of 204. I was dead by the end but I didn’t think it was possible for me to run 50minutes at that heart rate. In training I barely get up to that HR unless I am doing really hard running intervals. I am kinda fit, the race took me 2h35, and that was better than expected. Should I have slowed down and waited for my HR to go lower how dangerous is it to hold that HR for that long ? Cheers What the coaches say: For quick & direct heart rate reading: Take your pulse for 6 seconds and add a 0 to get an immediate read and you can compare this against your heart rate monitor to gauge accuracy. Feeling your lactate threshold is usually very easy to do, as it is correlated with ventilatory threshold (shift in breath), but feeling “max” efforts or HR over 200 bpm has a different feeling. Couple ways to look at this: 1) Conditions: Heat + humidity–conditions make a difference. Are you a good sweater? If you’re not sweating well or efficiently you can overheat more easily (humidity impacts this because sweat won’t evaporate as well). 2) Heart issues in athletes Podcast mention: Dr. Phil Maffetone 21: Heart Health For Athletes – Identifying Risks, Weeding Out Hype and Why Exercise Is Still Your Best ‘Medicine’ Study: Are Olympic athletes free from cardiovascular diseases? Systematic investigation in 2352 participants from Athens 2004 to Sochi 2014 Assessed the prevalence and type of cardiovascular (CV) abnormalities. 2,352 Olympic athletes average age of 25. 92 athletes (3.9%) showed abnormal CV findings. Accuracy of heart rate monitors–they are pretty good at this point, usually not off by more than 1-2 beats for the latest technology. Garmin Forerunner 45s is what Lucho uses and finds that the HR readings are very accurate. Consider your HR in training vs. racing, fitness levels (e.g. how’s your MAF pace and aerobic bace? Are you training your high end, what do you see?) At the end of the day, it’s your heart, so if there is ANY concern then follow that and get it checked. Dana asks: To train or not to train? Hey Team! I was experiencing extreme fatigue so I decided to get a DUTCH test. Let’s just say everything is low – sexy hormones (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone), DHEA, and neurotransmitters for dopamine and adrenaline. Also cortisol was off – my body is just not making enough which I was told is a later stage of adrenal burnout or HPA axis dysfunction. I have regained a period, but it’s irregular with difficult symptoms around the time I start (it’s typically every 35-60 days). I also have frequent anxiety and trouble sleeping. The problem is MY MIND! I want to keep racing and I’m at a crossroads on what I should do… I am signed up for a marathon this fall plus some other small races prior to that, and I honestly don’t want to pull the plug and lose the fitness. I think I’ll feel a bit lost and also fearing having nothing on the calendar and not any real training. Also, I have dealt with a hamstring injury issue that I am keeping at bay but wouldn’t say they’re healed fully (low hamstring by the back of inner knee). I know Tawnee gets this question quite often: how can i still train while working on healing?! HELP!!! What the coaches say: Total (metabolized) cortisol vs. free cortisol–what is the difference. And looking at different cortisol patterns. When your body is not producing (making cortisol), it’s usually indicative of burnout in the form of HPA axis dysfunction or adrenal fatigue. Body depleted. Harder for athletes to recover, constant fatigue, low level depression, etc. DHEA is a steroid hormone and precursor, also aids in our immune function, bone health among other issues. The decision to make: do you push through and keep going with training? How effective, fun and quality will training even be? Dealing with our demons, and getting comfortable with letting go, if that’s what we need to do. Races When HPA axis dysfunction takes place we have largely lost touch with ourselves, our body and our needs. Part of healing is learning to reconnect with our body and getting our intuition back when we’ve lost the ability to do so. Adrenal issues often correlated with HIIT; thyroid can often be affected over a longer period time of chronic endurance. Volume & intensity–those are the variables that need to change. So we can still exercise and move, but understand that our body is starved–starved of proper nutrition, starved of parasympathetic activity, etc. An example of still training, as Tawnee did back in the day: Adhering to strict MAF Method about 90-95% of training (but also cap volume–you cannot be doing big big volume as MAF often is). E.g. 20-30 mpw max for run volume for a marathon, and allowing some crosstraining at healthy levels, healthy intensities that promote healing and building back up: walking, strength training (but not HIIT circuits), time/mindful activity in nature, and so on. Shut it down if red flags pop up, like a missing period. What about the signs between each period to look for? I other words if you still want to train for a marathon while healing these things let go of the idea of peak performance and even if you run your slowest time ever that’s ok, rebuilding your health is more important in the long run and you can get back to faster racing again. Adrenal/HPA Axis healing basics: Supplementing helps (adaptogens, bioidentical hormones, etc.) but the priority is lifestyle and nourishing yourself with nutrient-dense foods, stable blood sugar, etc. Get sunlight upon rising for cortisol awakening response (CAR). Stillness and full quietness at least 5 minutes a day, even if not meditating. Adrenal drink in the AM: high-quality sea salt or Himalayan salt with lemon in filtered water. Don’t sacrifice sleep! 8-9 hours is non-negotiable. Have good sleep hygiene. E.g. what lights are on in at night? Bright white/blue lights aren’t ideal. Look to nature, not your phone. Break the cycle that got you into this rut in the first place. Low neurotransmitters: We will be more likely to seek out activities that give us a dopamine hit, which just makes it harder for us to let go from our training and racing. Low dopamine and adrenaline often go hand in hand with low cortisol or later stage adrenal fatigue. Dopamine made in gut (~50%), so look at that as a factor. Don’t let yourself be addicted to exercise where you can’t even let go or shift how you do it for your own well-being. Overall, training/exercise while healing: You can give it up and go all in. That’s the fast track… Of you don’t have to give it up; Tawnee always exercised while healing, but also had many huge transformations and major shifts to her approach, and you’ll heal but it just takes time… up to a year or more. How long does it take? Just depends how hardcore you go with your healing; how “all in” you are or not. And once you heal, can you come back and train and race at a high or elite level? This process allows a self-discovery process. You gain self-awareness in this process, and that’ll serve you so well going forward! Will help prevent mistakes in the future or setbacks. Or if you do have a setback you can bounce back more quickly. The post ATC 350: To Train or Not To Train Through Hormonal Imbalances (With Healthy Comebacks), High Heart Rate Concerns, Heart Health Check, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by LMNT, a tasty electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. That means lots of salt — with no sugar.  LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and is perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or paleo diet. LMNT contains a science-backed electrolyte ratio: 1000 mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium. With none of the junk. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Click on our link for a free sample pack with any purchase. The sample pack contains one packet of every LMNT flavor so you can find your favorite or share with a friend. And with LMNT’s no questions asked refund policy, there is basically no risk to you. Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! Welcome to episode 35 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, CPT, a certified holistic nutrition coach who you can find over at wildandwell.fit. Intro Banter Ragnar SoCal 2023 A spot opened up on our team! The race is April 14-15, 2023 in Southern California. To get more info and join the team email events@enduranceplanet.com. What’s On Our Menu? Julie and Tawnee share some of their latest happenings in their respective kitchens: Julie – a day in the life: AM:  coffee with collagen if I have it. Something sweet like biscotti or a graham cracker or a cookie. Breakfast: depends on my workout and time of the workout. Either oatmeal with chia, maple syrup, PB, ¼ tsp MCT oil, creatine, cinnamon OR eggs with salted cucumber and slice of bread Lunch: usually eggs if I didn’t have them for breakfast, or sometimes even IF I had them for breakfast. Dinner leftovers if I have them, but normally don’t. But it’s mostly been oatmeal for breakfast and eggs/toast for lunch. Snacks: bobo bites, EPIC bars, rice crackers with PB, deli meat, oysters, herbal tea on the reg in the afternoon (tulsi, licorice, throat coat if I’ve had a presentation) Dinner: start with an app of chips and salsa and then make a big bowl of veg, protein, and starch with a side of bread! Rotating proteins are chicken, beef, bison, salmon. Usually the sauce is a primal kitchen dressing Dessert: chocolate is eaten throughout the day and also before bed Tawnee – assortment of current favorites: Homemade gluten free bread Using Happy Campers flour mix Cost savings and can make without seed oils! Love this bread for “salmon salad” sammies with Primal kitchen mayo + local spinach Vitamin C gummies with gelatin, tart cherry juice, raw local honey & camu camu About 5-8 mg C per gummy Fun to do with kids Using: Vital Proteins Gelatin Terrasoul Camu Camu powder Raw milk Finally made the switch! Local source. 5 bucks a gallon. Wow. Force of Nature meats Good grassfed/grass-finished meat can be hit or miss at the store Buying this in addition to a local farm source Go the next step for your meat/poultry! Also on oatmeal and finding a healthy balance & approach with a carb-rich breakfast (especially for breastfeeding mamas) Mention: Toxic chocolate? Female Athletes Wanted! New study aims to discover: Should women train with respect to their menstrual cycle? You can participate… Our friend and past guest Paul Laursen is looking for female athletes on new study taking place that he is part of with fellow researchers. This new study includes three novel technologies in an attempt to gather deeper insight to answer an important question for female athletes — should I train to my cycle? Triathlete Meredith Kessler is an ambassador for the study, and we’re collaborating with IOC expert in the area Professor Monica Klungland Torstveit. Their new blog explains more specifically why and what they are doing and what female athletes will get from participation. Criteria and what you gain (freebies!) If you are a female athlete and qualify based on above criteria, you can sign up for the study here! New Article & A Discussion: Perfectionism How much does perfectionism play a role in your life and influence your physical and mental health? The Study (full text): “Cumulative lifetime stressor exposure and health in elite athletes: the moderating role of perfectionism” What this study did: In 2020, online survey 45min Examined how cumulative lifetime stressor exposure was associated with general mental and physical health complaints in elite athletes, and the extent to which these associations were moderated by perfectionism. Participants were 110 elite athletes (64 female 45 male 1 self-described, averaging ~29-30 years old; range 18-59) Competed at international or professional level In survey, assessed athletes’ exposure to 55 major life stressors, including their underlying dimensions (e.g., frequency, timing, duration, and severity) – this is rare. ALso, it only measured non-sport stressors and did not assess stressors experienced specifically in the sporting context What they found , according to the study: More severe lifetime stressors related to poorer physical and mental health. Self-oriented perfectionism moderated (even helped offset) lifetime stressor count + severity + physical health outcomes, in a positive way (but no effect on mental health). They said, that these results suggest that self-oriented perfectionism may attenuate or buffer the positive association between lifetime stressor exposure and physical health complaints. This finding is consistent with prior research in sport, suggesting that this dimension of perfectionism is more complex than the others and can sometimes be associated with adaptive functioning. (In contrast, no significant moderation effects were found for self-oriented perfectionism and mental health complaints.) Take-home message: address and assess lifetime stressor exposure and perfectionistic tendencies in order to improve athlete health and well-being. This includes youth vs adulthood, acute vs chronic stress. Previous research found: Relatively high lifetime stressor exposure fostered poorer health and well-being by promoting greater use of maladaptive long-term coping strategies, mental and physical health issues (depression, colds, respiratory infections). Especially chronic difficulties (not acute) and adulthood (not youth). What makes us more vulnerable or resilient (to stress-related diseases etc), though? Personality traits…mental health… PERFECTIONISM 101 as outlined in the article: Defined as “striving for flawlessness and overly critical evaluations of behaviour;” three main types: Self-oriented– Demand of perfection from the self. More ambiguous as far as neg/pos outcomes; potential to energise behaviour, which might explain why it is sometimes positively related to performance. IN this study, self-oriented perfectionism was found to moderate the relation between lifetime stressor exposure (count and severity) and physical health. Socially prescribed– THIS! Belief that others expect one to be perfect. Strongest positive corr with mental health outcomes (depression and disordered eating) as well as physical health (e.g., migraines, gastrointestinal illnesses, hypertension) Other-oriented– Demand of perfection from others. Positive corr but effects smaller Theoretical pathways through which perfectionism may affect stress according to the article: Stress perpetuation, refers to the tendency for those high in perfectionism to maintain a stressful episode via the use of maladaptive coping techniques (e.g., rumination over mistakes). Stress enhancement, refers to the tendency for those high in perfectionism to adopt self-defeating cognitive appraisals (e.g., threat, harm, loss), resulting in the magnification of stress (e.g., over-emphasising the importance of minor mistakes). Study flaw(s) according to the article: Small sample; not enough data to get a significant finding Bias or trying to hide the truth in responses to the survey Not a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study… Relevant points to consider: Threat vs challenge … what do we see it as when appraising potentially stressful situations Elite athletes = signs of perfectionism = Perfectionism = linked with ill health Perfectionism + adrenal health correlation What is driving us? How is this tied into our identity? What should we lean into and work on/shed? How can we apply all this to our own lives? Tawnee and Julie get very candid on their on experiences as perfectionist, what was driving their perfectionism, the roots of these traits, and how they manage perfectionism in their lives now (better awareness and eliminating negative effects that come with perfectionism as best as possible) Stress-reduction techniques for a perfectionist Podcast mention: Dr. Phil Maffetone on Self-Care During Uncertain times   The post HPN 35: How is Perfectionism Influencing Your Health and Wellbeing? Plus: Stress Reduction Tips For Perfectionist Types, Inside Our Kitchen, DIY Foods and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by LMNT, a tasty electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. That means plenty of salt and minerals–with no sugar. LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and is perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or paleo diet. LMNT contains a science-backed electrolyte ratio: 1,000 mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium. With none of the junk. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Click on our link for a free sample pack with any purchase. The sample pack contains one packet of every LMNT flavor so you can find your favorite or share with a friend. And with LMNT’s no questions asked refund policy, there is basically no risk to you. Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. On this episode with Tawnee and Lucho: Steven asks: Competitive Master’s Runner – But Slow MAF, What Gives? Started maf training 1 week ago. Was running avg. 7:50 pace which is moderate. I’m 59 and my pace with maf is 11:30. I literally can’t run slower. Problem I and my garmin hate this training. Performance condition is in the toilet every run. My V02 has dropped and training load went from maintaining to recovery to unproductive to retraining. My training load the last 2 days after 5 mile runs was lower than before the run. Garmin says fitness is dropping. I’m a very competitive runner high rankings and state records. Is this normal. I was expecting maybe 9:30 pace. Marco asks: Broken Big Toe Comeback Hi guys, Any tips about dealing with a broken big toe?I broke mine while moving some furniture (nothing to do with running). I’m off from running of course, even walking actually. I’m wondering what I could do when I return to running in 4-6 weeks of time. Apart from going easy and increasing the volume progressively of course.A shoe with a rigid sole maybe? Some exercises to regain strength in the foot? Other tips?I’m an experienced sub-3 marathoner running 5-6 times a week. Also I’m afraid I cannot run like before. I’m qualified for Boston 2023, so I still have some time to prepare when I’m healed (around 11 weeks, a bit short but I have to do with it). Par asks: Snotty Snow Sports & The Energy Toll of Introversion Just been cross country skiing here in Sweden and can’t help wondering why I’m covered in snot. As soon as I start skiing there is a constant outpouring of mucus. Why? Is it the same for you guys while training in the snow/cold? Also, if you’d like to discuss: I’m quite introverted and have very little need for outward social interactions. I’m always very content being the listening one at a gathering or a party and when I make an effort of being more extroverted it always drains me . If a day at work has been full of meetings for example, my poor wife has to deal with me being quiet and introspective. Now, listening to you fulfills my need of social interactions since my need is mostly listening to other interactions and it always recharges my social batteries. So I’d like to thank you for being there and making me a better person so that my social energy can be directed towards my wife. I know that for most people this will sound crazy and otherworldly but it is the world some of us live in. Do you guys have some introvert sides or know people that do? Would love to get your “take” on this topic. Thanks for being my distant friends! The post ATC 349: Humbled by MAF Training, Big Toe Rehab for Runners, Deep Dive on Introversion and Extroversion, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by LMNT, a tasty electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. That means lots of salt — with no sugar.  LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and is perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or paleo diet. LMNT contains a science-backed electrolyte ratio: 1000 mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium. With none of the junk. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Click on our link for a free sample pack with any purchase. The sample pack contains one packet of every LMNT flavor so you can find your favorite or share with a friend. And with LMNT’s no questions asked refund policy, there is basically no risk to you. Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! On this episode we’re joined by Christopher McDougall and Eric Orton, who just recently released their new book, Born To Run 2. Chris is a runner and author including the original born to run book, and Eric, who is a longtime coach of Eric Orton Running Academy. Grab your copy of Born To Run 2 here. Together they have teamed up to create Born To Run 2, a wonderfully informative and entertaining holistic guide to your running or endurance endeavors with similar to concepts often discussed on this podcast. Everything from nutrition considerations, exercises and drills to improve your running form, minimalist shoes and the barefoot approach, training plans, compelling stories, and much more. In this episode we’re going to dive deeper into components presented in the book by Chris and Eric including: Footwear, bare feet and the minimalist shoe debate A friendly discussion: on minimalist vs. “mainstream” shoes. If going minimalist is so much better for us and as quoted in the book, “study after study has shown that running shoes did nothing to prevent injuries or improve running performance,” then how come shoes like the Nike vapor fly and alpha fly fare so well for runners and their performance? Injury prevention starting with back-to-basic type drills Wearing different kinds of shoes from minimalist to more cushiony The Altra story… and shoutouts to Xero, etc. Run-specific and healthy-feet drills to incorporate, including the concept of “Foot Core” The “five minute fix” – what is it, why do it Why you probably need to be running fast more often (and how this complements MAF training) Using music as a specific tool, specifically songs that are at 90 bpm to help with run cadence And also when to use music, when not to, and some personal philosophies tied in with this Chris’ go-to warmup before runs Running in winter condition as a “minimalist runner” with Eric’s experience living in Jackson Hole, Wy. What is the one-mile test and why you need to try it out. Stories of Chris’ running journey and working with Eric as his coach. And much more!    The post Chris McDougall and Eric Orton: On Holistic Training, Healthy Feet, Minimalist Shoes and Why We Need To Be Running Faster in Training first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by LMNT, a tasty electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. That means lots of salt — with no sugar.  LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and is perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or paleo diet. LMNT contains a science-backed electrolyte ratio: 1000 mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium. With none of the junk. No sugar. No coloring. No artificial ingredients. No gluten. No fillers. No BS. Click on our link for a free sample pack with any purchase. The sample pack contains one packet of every LMNT flavor so you can find your favorite or share with a friend. And with LMNT’s no questions asked refund policy, there is basically no risk to you. Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. Intro banter: Mentions: Article: When is it too cold to run outside? Winter wear for kids with PFAS/PFC-free materials   Our Top 5 in 2023: Unlearn technology—with the goal being to reconnect with your body, this includes listening to music! Barefoot strength—for ground up results, but don’t just abandon your shoes. More functional strength (transferable) work and true speed work. Adopt a de-stress practice/activity—as simple as a couple minutes of deep breathing (to better balance out sympathetic with parasympathetic); but also be mindful of how you’re breathing and responding to things around you and thoughts that come up. Try something new, pursue fit for life attitude! Don’t get stuck in the same routine with mediocre results. The post ATC 348: Our Top 5 For 2023 – Incorporate These Things For Better Results first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by UCAN, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers steady, long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash and keeps your blood sugar steady. The perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete… UCAN is offering a “training bundle” to give you an assor. EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.com for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Body Health’s PerfectAmino® 300-count Tablets are NSF Certified for Sport, so you can trust that they’re clean and free form contaminants and banned substances. What you see is what you get. Please note: at this time it’s just the PerfectAmino® 300 count bottles that are NSF certified but all PerfectAmino® is made under the same roof with the same standards.  PerfectAmino helps you fight fatigue, maintain and/or build lean muscle mass, and better sustain your training loads. It literally counts toward protein grams in your diet and vegan friendly. Buying PerfectAmino through us helps support the podcast and ensures that you are getting the highest efficacy and quality care in your supplements rather than risking old, poorly stored, less efficacious supplements bought elsewhere on the internet. On this episode we have The Sock Doc, Dr. Steve Gangemi, joining us. Steve is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness. In part 2 of this 3-part series we take a deeper dive into immune system function. If you haven’t yet, listen to part 1 here. Exercise options for optimal immune function Exercise- some is good, too much has negative effect. Thorne article: How Athletes Can Support Their Immune Function (with links to relevant studies) Equation of fitness isomer than just the exercise itself- so many other variables from sleep to work stress to family stress, diet and so on. Endurance athletes have a greater demand since the amount they mush themselves, and if not careful can be more susceptible. Overtraining runs system down (even if you’re not doing high intensity). Immune cytokines- some are inflammatory and other anti-inflammatory, this impacts immune system function and other systems in the body. Too much HIIT can put us into sympathetic overdrive – symptoms manifest in many ways and could include: skin issues like eczema, fungal infections (including toenail issues), you catch every cold going around, allergies and asthma, and so on. How to find our sweet spot with exercise for robust immune function? Trial and error: See how you respond to different exercise modalities and stimuli. Listen to your body. If you have cravings this could be a sign that things are off. If you had done too much long slow aerobic training and switch to HIIT with low volume helps, you may see better sleep, sharper cognitive function, and so on. If craving sugar, this could be a sign you’re burning too much sugar and not a great fat burner. If craving salt, this could be a sign you’re depleted in electrolytes and/or adrenal glads. Sensitivity to bright lights or sensitivity to sounds are a sign of sympathetic overdrive. Are you peeing during seeing hours? This is not a normal thing. What about people who have a lot of stressors that can’t just change everything, such as shift workers or people traveling to different time zones? Quality diet and training have a bigger positive impact than we may even realize- and those are well within all our control. Sleep habits as well. Offseason, training in winter and vitamin D Should we worry about training too much in winter months when we’re not getting an immune boost through the sun? Not necessarily, it depends and shouldn’t negatively affect every single person. Why? You can still supplement with Vitamin D. And also when it comes to illness and things like seasonal affective disorder (SAD), there are typically other issues going on not just a low D thing. The “Vitamin D border” in winter The changing angle of the sun in the winter, and why the latitude in which you live matters. Above the 37th parallel where you won’t get D from the sun in winter months (can get D from the sun above that latitude in summer months). More info: Vitamin D winter by Sock Doc Shadow trick- what is it? D Minder app to monitor your Vitamin D status and more Self assess & healing Blood markers discussed in detail in part 1. The path to healing and building a stronger immune system. So many speciality labs exist these days. But too much information can be overwhelming. Blood is a great way to start cheaply. Past that, measuring immune markers via blood even just basic Vitamin D. Vit D ideally in 50-80 ng/ml range. Labs are great to point you in the right direction but use caution to not be overwhelmed. Food sensitivity tests- Steve is not a big fan because of false positives. Not really addressing where the problem actually is. Hormone tests via saliva are more accurate than blood because you can see free levels more accurately for both men and women. In blood- there are a lot of issues that can affect hormone measurements that won’t give you the info you need. Saliva tests may be a better bet especially if symptomatic. If you’re seeing that you’re extra sensitive to minor things even smells of all kinds, chemicals or seasonal things (like pollen in spring), indication that immune system needs work regardless of what the bloodwork may say. Don’t try to just push through it or push harder, it’s ok to go easy and take care of yourself when you need it- listen to how you feel and function. Bloodwork is not going to tell you everything. Listen to your body. LINK And genetic testing? It’s not the be all end all. Our podcast with The Sock Doc on genetic testing here. He’s also not a fan of vitamin and mineral tests in blood because your blood is typically one of the last things to change when there’s an imbalance in the body. You could do a major chemistry analysis and it may not accurately reflect little imbalances, nor does it address why that imbalance is there and supplementing alone may not be the long-term effective answer. Maybe it’s major diet and lifestyle changes. Is it worthless to test those things? Eg B vitamins? No… just don’t rely on single lab tests. Vitamin D is another example that we can’ trust that one marker along- don’t jut test 25-hydroxy Vitamin D, also test the 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D to measure the balance between the two. But few people do this. If you see levels go up with supplementation then plummet back down after you stop supplementing, then that could be indicative of needing to test both. But then where does the testing end? The bigger issue is that we’re seeing less critical thinking and clinical observations, instead relying too much on labs and numbers not the thorough exam and history. A case for holistic healthcare and functional medicine. Nutrition & supplements for immune health and overcoming illness Are there supplements we should take daily? Stick with the ones that are proven to support and improve T regulatory response: EPA/DHA, grassfed/grass-finished fats, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, zinc. Vitamins A& D Don’t need to fear Vitamin A. Not going to toxic taking it for a short period of time. High doses up to 100,000 IU have been used for certain illnesses. Throughout the winter a normal supplementing routine could include 10,000 IU Vitamin A to 2,000 IU Vitamin D (10:2 ratio), a few times a week. Half that for kids 12 years old and under. Based on your diet or sun exposure, you may not need to supplement that much with these. Warning signs off too much A: headaches, pressure behind the eyes, and others… it takes a while to actually reach toxic levels and poison yourself with Vitamin A. Forms of Vitamin A and what other ingredients are in your supplements? A lot of vitamin A is beta carotene, and just about 30% of that is converted. Buy Vitamin D in D3 form. Biotics Research is a good brand for these supplements. Ingredients and sources matter! Watch out for seed oils in your supplements and/or a long list of unnecessary ingredients added into supplements. You get what you pay for with supplements, don’t go cheap. Especially things like fish oil that can so easily go rancid, and don’t buy non-triglyceride form. Titanium dioxide was pulled from Europe’s safe ingredient list but has potential side effects, yet is found as an ingredient in MANY supplements. Buy from trusted sources like Wellevate, Fullscript, Thorne, and so on. They stand by their products and have great customer service. Why is Vitamin C perhaps isn’t as powerful or as necessary as we have been led to believe? Most comes from GMO corn. Over 500mg of ascorbic acid caused some DNA issues. In regulating your immune system better, Vitamin C is not even in that pathway. Vitamin C sacrifices itself when other deficiencies are present, i.e. C can make up for other antioxidant deficiencies. Zinc Huge value in zinc. Astragalus Can aid in immune health in athletes. Reference: Latour E, Arlet J, Latour E, et al. Standardized Astragalus extract for attenuation of the immunosuppression induced by strenuous physical exercise: randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2021;18(1):57. doi: 10.1186/s12970-021-00425-5. Anti viral and anti microbial. Can support immune system generally speaking and actually strengthen it; improves Th1 response in the body Anti inflammatory due to high concentration of flavonoids. It’s been used for diabetes, male hormone and sperm health, asthma, decrease mucus production, protect kidneys, anti-cancer properties, can even help methylation issues. Very few if any side effects; don’t take if on immune suppressants or lithium drugs. How it’s produced matters, herbs can easily be screwed up. A good source for quality herbs: HerbPharm Comes in powders, tinctures, capsule form- keep as pure as possible. Multivitamins or immune supplements stacks? Biotics Research Immune Support packs to cover a lot of your bases without going crazy picking and choosing a million different bottles. Elderberry Used with astragalus, works really well. Diminish viral replication. Sambucal syrup loaded with sugar isn’t it. Get a good quality tincture, locally made, used with a natural sweetener. Only use it when you are actively sick, great for that, won’t help just taking regularly to strengthen immune system (unlike astragalus is good to take regularly for oil support). Can use it pretty heavily when sick, especially in the early phases. Dilute your liquid herbs in water! Glycine Great to improve liver function, break down cytokines in the liver (diminish the cytokine storm and detoxify through the liver). Sweet tasting amino acid, and you can’t really overdose on it. Can take it throughout the day while sick. Quercetin Antioxidant, found in onions, lemon peels. Really good at repairing cell damage and improving IL10- the most important anti-inflammatory interleukin, thus improve immune system. Can also use to negate effects of NSAIDs and detox when NSAIDs were overdone. Safe to take. Things that get attention but are the worth it and necessary: Probiotics- ok to take but not something you shouldn’t need to stay on them long-term. You’re taking live cultures that should grow and thrive, to the point where you don’t need it anymore. When using a gut protocol go through the proper phases of cleaning up- kill phase to repopulate and so on. Oil of oregano- more so used to clean up gut, anti-fungal; good to take but not one that you want to stay on or take long term Digestive enzymes to support gut health – don’t take long term, could lower the bodies own ability to produce these enzymes so don’t keep taking them too much too long. You can become reliant. More on immune health support for athletes: Nieman D. Moderate exercise improves immunity and decreases illness rates. Am J Lifestyle Med 2011;5(4):338-345. doi:10.1177/1559827610392876 Pyne D, Gleeson M. Effects of intensive exercise training on immunity in athletes. Int J Sports Med 1998;19(s 3):s183-s194. doi:10.1055/s-2007-971991 The post Rerelease: Sock Doc 15: Your Immune System, Part 2 – The Exercise ‘Sweet Spot,’ Deep Dive on Immune-Supporting Supplements, Self-Assessing Your Needs, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by UCAN, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers steady, long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash and keeps your blood sugar steady. The perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete… UCAN is offering a “training bundle” to give you an assor. EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.com for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. So let’s make sure you’re not running yourself into any deficits—this list is a good place to start:  Magnesium Bisglycinate Stress B Complex Vitamin D/K2 drops Multivitamin Elite Prenatal Meriva L-Glutamine BioGeset  Go ahead, click on each supplement if you’re curious to learn more about how these supplements may serve you. Maybe one of these or one of Thorne’s targeted bundles for sleep, stress, or performance, will complement your needs and round out your diet this season.  Thorne is always available to you on our Shop page, and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast!   On this episode we have The Sock Doc, Dr. Steve Gangemi, joining us. Steve is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness. In part 1 of this multi-part series we take a deeper dive into immune system function.   Immune system 101 We’re in an era where research on the immune system is exploding, and ever-evolving Components of the immune system include Gut Spleen Thymus Lymph system Skin Point is, it’s not just one specific area Every organ may affect the immune system in one way, and vice versa The idea of practicing hygiene but also not trying to be overly sterile and germ-free. There’s a symbiotic relationship between The role of the gut in immune system- it matters, but so do other things Steve is seeing a strong need for other players too, and they’ve been minimized by our love for the gut. For example, he’s seeing a need to help spleen and thymus aide. Signs to looks for: If you’re constantly fatigued, get sick and have a really hard time kicking it (weeks+), or you have some ongoing subtle health issues Chronically high cortisol suppress thymus, therefore impairing If you’re stressed out very easily this cold indicate spleen or thymus issues. Blood labs analysis CBC w/ Differential can direct or guide you on what is going on inside if you’re a bit unsure. Do not just rely on conventional ranges on these tests. Here’s a helpful guide of functional ranges (for optima health) to keep around and help you understand your results: WBC 5,500-10,500 (5.5-10.5 mcL) Some normal ranges go down to 3.5 but, anything below 5 is a sign of being run down Neutrophils (eg Segs) 50-60% If these are high over 60% that could indicate bacteria infection or some cases could be a virus Also increase in a bad accident, etc. When these drop below <40% and lymphocytes go up >40%, this indicates folate or B12 deficiency or malabsorption type problem If MCV is also high, eg red blood cell is larger than it should be, this could also point to folate/B12 deficiency or malabsorption. FIGLU test- only accurate way to test for folate deficiency. Folate breaks down FIGLU, and this breaks down histadine. If don’t have 5MTHF you’ll have high FIGLU in your urine, and this indicates inadequate folate levels in the body. Lymphocytes 25-40% Viruses increase these Monocytes 3-8% These get high when there’s a viral infection such as Epstein Barr, Hepatitis—but usually they are high after infection not necessarily in the acute illness phase Heavy metals can also cause monocytes to go high Eosinophils 1-2% If these are over 2-3% this can indicate allergies or systemic infection (2-9%) If they go high and stay high (>10%) it could indicate a parasitic infection Esophogitis and how these drive up eosinophils Basophils 0-1% Too high indicate allergies Individual immune systems- why does it vary so much? Why are some people more robust, whereas others have weaker immune systems, and why is it that our own immune systems can change over a lifetime (eg developing autoimmune) Genetics play a role to some degree, whereas others are born with a compromised immune system and that carries forward with them through life. Is it healthy to get sick? If you catch everything that goes around and are often sick, that’s not great and indicates a problem. But if you’re always well and never get sick, that doesn’t mean you’re “better off”. Occasional sickness does help our immune system and it’s a part of normal functioning. The rise of autoimmunity: why are we seeing this? It begins with T helper cells, these come from thymus, and suppressor cells. These cells “self-check” and help decide which way your immune system goes. These Cd4 cells have certain pathways, and they make T regularity cells, which make autoimmune cells. They make certain cells suppress or extenuate infections, they make cells that help you deal with allergies, etc. Th1 & Th2 cells – T helper 1 and T helper 2. Either end of a see saw- if they’re equally weighed you’re more in balance. When you have an infection, your Th1 gets more robust. When you have too many allergies, toxins, high stress, etc, your Th2 get more robust. Either way these things cause you to be out of balance. How about vaccines? Vaccines increase Th2 response, so it’s like putting a weight vest on that side of the seesaw (heavy Th2 light Th1) and this can exacerbate with more intervention. So now if you get sick your TH1 may not be as capable- it’s “too light” whereas Th2 is “too heavy” and this makes it harder to fight off viruses, bacteria, infections. Th2 response combines cytokines and can create an autoimmune response. More people have autoimmune because they’re living in an Th1/Th2 imbalance. This is becoming more common. Look at things you can improve in your own life: don’t eat things you’re allergic to or even sensitive to, clean up environmental toxins, etc. The other pathway to developing autoimmunity: And it’s not just a medical intervention like a vaccine. Autoimmune issues can happen independent of that. Th17 reaction- a more direct route to developing an autoimmune issue. Extracellular bacteria, fungi, candida, chronic yeast infections, allergies, food sensitivities, gut infection, or any other infection with skin and so on. Toxins & chemicals in our environment, food and bodies How do we know if these things are present and affecting us negatively? Mold: Some stats say that 50% or more homes in the US have a mold problem, and some people (maybe not everyone) seem susceptible to mold illness—how this fits into a immune function conversation. To some degree we can and should be able to live symbiotically live with mold because it exists everywhere. However, what about issues like living in a home with excessive or dangerous mold (something we may or may not be aware of)? individuality matters a lot here, as does the location of the mold (eg in a bedroom where you spend a lot of time). Basic mold tests are available online or in stores. Varying degrees of in-depth testing depending how deep you want or need to go with it. For example of a place with petri dishes for mold testing: microbalancehealthproducts.com Changing your health for the better can often drastically improve our tolerance to mold. It’s often more than just the mold! We don’t necessarily want mold growing excessively all over the place; however, often it is the case where someone who is reacting to mold is also having some other health issues going on. If you are having a chronic health issue, it would be wise to do a deep dive on your environment and clean up what you can. Mold needs a “food supply” (eg wood, etc) and water source. If you see a spot of mold, don’t just “paint over it.” Bottom line: Steve rarely sees it where it’s just a mold issue affecting one’s health. Usually there are other things going on too. And then there’s glyphosate Remove it as best you can, and don’t use it (i.e. RoundUp) Yes, its effects can be felt and add up in a negative way over time Ecoblend- a healthier alternative Monitoring the food you buy, and be weary of produce such as the “dirty dozen” (ewg.org) Cooking and eating at home as much as possible makes a positive difference, but don’t go overboard by being orthorexic or paranoid Environmental concerns like bee colonies dying off Other ideas: Use low/no VOC paints Personal care products with cleaner ingredients (even nail polish) You may see over time that you could be getting sick fewer times when you start cleaning up your life and environment more. The post Rerelease: Sock Doc 14: Your Immune System, Part 1 – What Is It, Blood Markers To Analyze It, How It Can Be Affected by Toxins and Our Environment, The Rise of Autoimmunity, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.