Imagine a world where joint pain, ADHD, and autoimmune conditions are treated with nutrition before medication. I’m here to tell you that we already live in that world! Integrative and functional medicine is gaining popularity every day for good reason.
Don’t misunderstand, conventional medicine is a blessing and medication does have a place, but did you realize that we need nutrition for every function in our bodies? When the body does not get proper nutrition things begin to go wrong. If we treat these imbalances with medication alone and continue to lack proper nutrition, we aren’t really correcting the issue.
Integrative medicine treats the whole person, not just the disease, because whole-body balance makes for optimal health. Functional medicine focuses on environmental influences and all of the systems in the body to create a disease-free state.
For athletes, functional nutrition means making wholesome food choices:
- to build the healthiest body possible,
- to gain a competitive advantage,
- to support the body in fighting disease.
This webpage provides information about functional nutrition as it relates to the athlete. If you aren’t already, I hope this information encourages you to become a life-long student and patient of integrative and functional medicine, adding it, along with conventional medicine when needed, to your health care regimen.
SUPPLEMENT SAFETY
I recommend trying to meet your body’s needs with food first, before reaching for nutritional supplements. Supplements are not regulated like drugs. The Food and Drug Administration does not review supplements for safety or efficacy. Random testing has shown that in some products, ingredients were missing or included in different amounts than listed on the label, or that harmful substances not listed were added. In 2012, the UK Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency found that 84 energy and muscle-building products purchased from online and retail stores contained dangerous ingredients including steroids, stimulants, and hormones.
Some manufacturers choose to have third parties test their products to verify their safety and content for consumers. It is best to choose supplements that voluntarily have this third party testing. Two organizations that provide testing and verification are U. S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) and National Science Foundation (NSF). These organizations verify that:
- A product contains what it says it does.
- A product contains the proper ingredients in the amounts the label states.
- A product does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants.
- A product is made according to the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices.
In addition, the NSF screens sports supplements for banned or prohibited substances and marks them as “NSF Certified for Sport.” You can find supplement brands that carry this certification at www.nsfsport.com.
GENOMIC TESTING FOR NUTRIENT UTILIZATION & PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE
Genomics is an exciting up-and-coming field of science that evaluates variations in DNA called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that influence the way a gene is expressed. These expressions can be problematic and lead to disease. Many of these variations can be overcome with lifestyle changes and proper nutrition that changes the way the gene is expressed. The MTHFR SNP, for example, influences folate metabolism, which can affect heart health and lead to miscarriages. By knowing that you have this SNP, you can personalize your food choices and supplements to meet your nutrition needs, thus decreasing your risk of heart disease and miscarriage. Besides nutrient utilization, you can also test your genomics to personalize your physical activity to focus on power or endurance, decrease inflammation and injury, and gain more insight into recovery time. If you are interested in genomic testing, see Genomic Solutions Now and email star@rockitcoaching.com.
TOXICITY/DETOX DIETS
When I was in school we learned that detox diets were a silly fad. Our bodies come equipped with their own detox mechanisms, right? While it is true that our bodies can detoxify, we must take into consideration that we live in an extremely toxic world where new chemicals are being introduced all of the time. In fact, one estimate shows that 2.6 billion pounds of pesticides are added to the environment each year. Sometimes our bodies are overloaded and can’t keep up with the demand. Some of us know we have SNPs that slow the detox process. Chemicals like pesticides, heavy metals, and waste products from bacteria are a few examples of toxic substances. Toxicity can show up as a variety of symptoms including fatigue, anxiety, and decreased immunity. Toxicity can play a role in cancer, heart disease, arthritis, allergies, and obesity.
I suggest taking an inventory of the toxic burdens in your environment. Learn more about the products you use at www.ewg.org, then plan a strategy to decrease the toxins in your life.
Detox diets, while sometimes helpful, are serious business and should only be performed under the care of a knowledgeable health care provider. Detoxification requires toxins to be released into the bloodstream and a carrier to escort the toxins out of the body. If done incorrectly, toxins can be released into the blood but have no way to leave the body. This can cause more health problems than it will solve.
Some ways you can support your body’s detoxification process include:
- Exercise, which helps release toxins through sweat. However, exercise also produces toxins, so don’t overdo it. Exercise must be accompanied by plenty of fluid, antioxidants, vitamin and mineral replenishment from a varied diet that includes an abundance of vegetables.
- Saunas. Stay hydrated if you go this route!
- Lymphatic massage therapy.
- Regular bathing to cleanse the skin of toxins already released and to open pores to eliminate more (bathe between two-a days please).
- Eat organic foods as much as possible (at least follow the dirty dozen and the clean 15 lists on ewg.org).
- Drink plenty of filtered water.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (at least 5 cups per day), and vary your choices.
- Cook in cast iron, stainless steel, glass, or porcelain.
- Minimize your intake of conventional meats, cured meats, refined foods, canned foods, sugar, trans fat, coffee, alcohol, and nicotine.
Foods that Support Detoxification
The following are specific foods that support Phase I and Phase II detoxification. Including more of these foods in your diet will help your body release and excrete toxins safely.
JOINT PAIN
Pain from osteoarthritis can sometimes be decreased by identifying and eliminating food sensitivities (the most common include gluten and dairy). Supplements like niacinamide, glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and S-adenosyl methionine can produce drastic results. Discuss these supplements with your doctor before taking.
INFLAMMATION
Inflammation comes from stress, trauma, smoking, oxidative stress, gut permeability, diet, and exercise. Inflammation can result in abnormal labs, gum disease, autoimmune conditions, and more. In my experience, treating inflammation can also alleviate joint pain that comes along with exercise. Antioxidants, sufficient vitamin D, and fish oil are a few nutrition tactics that support healthy inflammation. Two of my favorite anti-inflammatory supplements are curcumin and quercetin. You should discuss your current medications, health history, and unique needs with your doctor before taking any supplements. Adding turmeric to your food is a great way to help your body fight chronic inflammation.
FUNCTIONAL FOODS
Functional foods offer some health benefits in addition to their nutritional content. Turmeric, for example, helps calm inflammation. Substituting or adding functional foods in your favorite recipes (like using grass-fed beef, which contains omega 3 fatty acids, instead of conventional beef or adding turmeric to a shake) can provide additional nutrition and health benefits that will improve your health and give you a competitive edge. Pure tart cherry juice is another of my favorite functional foods for athletes. A study published in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition found that consumption of 12 ounces of tart cherry juice twice a day, seven days prior to a race resulted in significantly less post-race pain than the placebo group (Kuehl). For recipes using a few of our favorite functional foods, see the Rock It Top DIY Sports Food.
Where To Find More Info
If you would like to dive deeper into nutrition to improve your health, consider getting in contact with a doctor of naturopathy, but be aware of credentials. Choose a physician who graduated from an accredited four-year residential naturopathic medical school and passed a postdoctoral board examination.
References
Kuehl K., Perrier T., Elliot D., Chesnutt J. (2010). Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7 (17).
Rosenbloom C., Coleman E. Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals, 5th Edition. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2012.
