The nature of our role in an athlete’s ecosystem – Paul Ehren
The ethos of CISN is to bring functional medicine and functional nutrition practices into the sporting arena. Paul Ehren expands this thinking further with his incredible theory of an athlete’s ecosystem. “Would you be the one to prescribe the ‘magic bullet’ in the knowledge that your athlete (and you) may be able to bask in the glory […]
Overtraining revisited from an integrative perspective – Ian Craig
Overtraining is a well-studied phenomenon in sports medicine, but it may also be viewed as adrenal fatigue in integrative health practices. Ian Craig pulls together a few physiological models and considerations to help us understand this term better. Overtraining interests me a lot, not just because during my own athletic career, I often pushed my […]
A focus on: Coconut water – Simone do Carmo
Coconut water has gained immense popularity in sports and fitness over the past few years. It is viewed as a ‘natural’ low-calorie drink, and athletes have been using it as a replacement for typical sports drinks due to its high electrolyte content. However, athletes do not realise that these electrolytes are not the ones they […]
The connectivity of injuries – Ian Craig
Muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints are often viewed as mechanical structures; if injuries occur, it’s just unlucky. Ian Craig looks at how to nourish our injuries. Connective tissue networks in relation to injuries A decade ago, unfortunately, after my time as an exercise specialist, there was almost an awakening and the start of a mini-revolution […]
Bone broth: what’s old is new again for athletes – Rachel Jesson
Despite being around for centuries, bone broth has become a new food trend for athletes. Rachel Jesson explains the benefits of bone broth and why it should be part of every athlete’s nutritional regime. There seems to be growing interest in ancestral foods and a move towards the diets and habits that sustained our predecessors, […]
History of sports nutrition: a 50-year review – Ian Craig
Research, in part, shapes the way we think, so Ian Craig has taken a historical view of sports nutrition research and how it may have influenced how we think about the subject today. Returning home after hosting the IHCAN Functional Sports Nutrition conference in London recently, I must say that I was incredibly inspired with […]
Exercise-induced gastrointestinal distress: Can a low-fodmap diet help? – Simone do Carmo
Exercise practitioners are thankfully becoming more aware of gastrointestinal distress in athletes, and various strategies have been suggested. Simone do Carmo investigates the therapeutic usefulness of the low-FODMAP diet. Despite months of training and careful preparation, a bout of gastrointestinal distress on race day can wreak havoc on an athlete’s performance and subsequent recovery. The […]
The functionality of energy – Ian Craig
Rather than thinking of energy in terms of macronutrient contributions, let’s understand more about how it is made. Ian Craig unearths three important areas of functional energy provision. Energy is the cornerstone of every good athlete’s armoury: having vibrant energy means coping with tough training sessions and racing with passion; to be without high energy […]
Harnessing your nervous system energy – Ian Craig
It’s long been considered important to balance your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, but in reality, most athletes don’t even try. Ian Craig explores this complex topic, which has some simple take homes. In 2014 (1), I wrote an article on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, primarily focussing on the regulation and support of the endocrine […]
Thyroid dysfunction in sport – Ian Craig
Recent revelations that certain high-profile athletes have been taking thyroid medication have made us question whether athletes might suffer from thyroid problems and the impacts had on performance. Ian Craig investigates. In August of 2012, I watched two scintillating performances by British hero Mo Farrah as he strode to victory in the 5,000 and 10,000m […]