Women’s Health

training-fasted

Training Fasted

Training fasted involves exercising without food and/or energy drinks for a period of time. The most common fast lasts for 8–12 hours or extended to 16 hours as an ‘overnight fast’. During this period, we tap into fat stores in the form of ketone bodies and stored glycogen. Runners often train fasted unconsciously as a …

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seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and athletes

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression or seasonal mood disorder, can have many impacts to your way of life, including your athletic performance. While SAD’s prevalence in Australia may differ from other regions, it is still important to explore the experiences of female athletes living with SADs. In this blog post we …

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pumpkin soup

Ginger and Pumpkin Soup (GF)

We all know that winter weather calls for delicious, heart warming soups. This delicious pumpkin soup recipe has the added bonus of ginger – an ingredient that aids digestion and is packed with antioxidants that help prevent arthritis, inflammation and various types of infection. There are so many health benefits of ginger! Ingredients 1kg pumpkin, peeled, …

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premenstrual dysphoria disorder

PMDD-premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a health concern best described as a form of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMDD affects 3-8% of women worldwide but is not well understood or researched. What are the symptoms? PMDD symptoms include anger, irritability, depressed mood, anxiety, lack of pleasure, a sense of overwhelm, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, changes in …

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Salt tablets and electrolytes

Salt tablets and electrolytes

Most athletes consider the balance of electrolytes when thinking about hydration and recovery, especially over endurance events.  But are salt tablets and electrolytes really necessary? Before we answer this question, let’s recap on electrolytes and the role they perform in the body. Sodium is the key electrolyte responsible for controlling extracellular fluid balance while potassium …

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blueberries

Blueberries reduce inflammation

There are many benefits of blueberries for improving overall health. Of particular interest for our athletes is how blueberries reduce inflammation. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can cause significant discomfort after a race or hard session. This discomfort and heaviness in the muscles are thought to be due to micro tears in muscles and exercise-induced …

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10 symptoms of Endometriosis

10 symptoms of endometriosis

Endometriosis is a painful condition impacting over 830,000 Australian women and girls and over 176 million women worldwide.  With endometriosis, inflammation and estrogen dominance impacts tissue similar to the uterine lining and encourage growth in other areas of the body outside the womb such as in the pelvic cavity, the ovaries, fallopian tubes, intestines, or …

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Zinc deficiency and plant based athletes

Zinc Deficiency and Plant Based Athletes

Zinc deficiency is more common in plant-based athletes.  Fact is, zinc is the powerhouse that supports performance. And knowing how being deficient in zinc can affect your progress, is essential. Most athletes understand zinc’s role in supporting the immune system and wound healing, and its requirement for a proper sense of taste and smell but …

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iron and energy production

Iron and energy production

Iron and energy production are integral to sports performance. When it comes to physical performance, many female athletes find themselves caught between balancing dietary preferences and ensuring that iron intake is adequate. This is particularly the case for plant-based athletes or athletes with limited intake of red meat. Intense physical exertion increases the body’s need …

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