Some women just breeze through their menstrual cycle with no symptoms or issues. For other women, it can be much more of a challenge. Our female gender does not change the fact that we are still individuals, meaning we must take an individual approach to understand our nutritional needs.Assuming you have a healthy regular menstrual cycle (and not taking any form of contraception), your nutrition needs may change during various phases of the menstrual cycle as a result of the fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, which influences energy and nutrient metabolism. Your nutrition intake may also be influenced by the…
Author: Rebecca Dent
As I’m writing this here in the Chamonix valley, we are 6 days in to a 15 day lockdown, only being allowed out for essential journeys and to exercise within 1-2km of our home. Apparently it takes around 10 days to adjust to being in isolation. For anyone who feels daunted by this prospect or is currently struggling to adapt to self isolation this article from two expert psychologists who work with those in extreme environments (such as astronauts, expeditions, solo explorers, polar scientists all whom choose to live in isolation) share some insights and practical tips on how to…
No one likes to be injured. But given the nature of the continuous repetitive movement required to train and take part in endurance sports, and the very often extreme environment these sports are undertaken in, the chances of an injury occurring are pretty high. In this article I will be referring to musculoskeletal injuries (skeletal muscle, bones, tendons, and ligaments) incurred as a result of physical activity. The role of nutrition strategies in injury can be both a preventive measure and an important part of the rehab process. There are specific nutrition strategies an athlete can follow after an injury that have…
Nutrition is a vital component of an athlete’s health and performance. As we age, there are foods and supplements we can take to prolong our performance.Often in my practice, I hear the echoing of “I’m getting old,” “It’s my age,” “You get to [insert age] and all of a sudden everything starts to go downhill.” Usually at this point my excitement sparks, knowing that emerging science is showing that we don’t necessarily have to succumb to the ticking of time and give in to the degenerative physiological effects that ensue. We can leverage some control. It is possible to continue…
Hydration is key to performing well in endurance sports, in everything from mountain running to rock climbing. In Training for the New Alpinism, Steve House and Scott Johnston advocate starting climbing days well hydrated and carrying much less water than you might think necessary—certainly less than was considered normal at the time the the book was published. Their sound advice has changed the way many mountaineers hydrate. The simple fact is that the weight of water often limits how much a climber can carry. And with access to fluids often limited at high altitude, the problem is further exacerbated. In…