![Delicious Immune Support Recipe: Mango Chickpea Salad with Grilled Chicken Kabobs]()
Apr 17, 2020 | Community
By: Diana Davis, RDN Without Limits Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
April 17, 2020
Take a look at this recipe! It is packed with good nutrition and flavor. It contains a variety of immunity supporting ingredients including protein, iron, and zinc-rich chicken, edamame (green soybeans), chickpeas and tahini, as well as leafy greens, and mango to really boost your intake of vitamins A & C in a salad that will leave you truly satisfied!
A high fiber salad eaten once daily should be part of your nutrition plan to promote healthy gut bacteria. Eating a variety of veggies and fruits which are high in soluble fiber (beans, peas, lentils and apples are a few examples) contribute prebiotics which “feed” the healthy bacteria in our guts and in turn help regulate the body’s immune response to illness.
I love everything about this recipe and the simplicity with which it can be made vegan. Just eliminate the chicken kabobs! The new version of the dish is still an excellent source of protein, with 19 grams per serving and rich in iron, zinc, fiber, vitamins A and C.
Eat well, be well and enjoy!
![Delicious Immune Support Recipe: Mango Chickpea Salad with Grilled Chicken Kabobs]()
Feb 2, 2020 | Community, Training Advice, Uncategorized
Written By: Dr Gabe Frank
February 2nd, 2020
Distance running is one of the most taxing and difficult sports you can put your body though. This type of endurance and high intensity exercise can cause significant taxing on your body systems. It is not uncommon to have changes in vitamin levels, iron levels, and hormone levels over time. These are a result of significant physical and emotional stress during training. Many times, with mild or moderate 
changes in these systems, there are usually not any symptoms. Once the symptoms do appear, the damage is usually fairly significant and difficult to recover from. This makes treating these hormonal imbalances very difficult and time consuming.
When your body systems are not in balance, or your body does not have the ability to recover and heal the way it should. This makes your workouts harder, your muscles more sore, your energy lower and your sleep worse. When your body systems are out of balance, or recovery and healing are delayed, workouts become harder, muscle soreness intensifies, you fatigue more easily, and sleep much worse.
The most common vitamin deficiencies that are seen are B12, iron, magnesium and Vitamin D. The common hormones that are often abnormal, or not in optimal range are thyroid and testosterone. It is a common misconception that a woman’s testosterone level is not important in overall health. Research over the last several years has shown that maintaining healthy and optimal testosterone levels in women help with muscle recovery, bone density strength, mental clarity, mood and energy. For men, we know that testosterone levels are associated with lowered libido and a decreased sex drive. But we’ve also come to understand that unexplained weight gain, loss of muscle mass, chronic fatigue, and mood swings are all also symptoms that can easily be associated with low testosterone. Proper management of these testosterone levels in women and men should be performed by physicians
who understand the stresses of endurance athletes, and are well versed in the best ways to obtain optimal levels. When done appropriately, you see all the benefits of healthy testosterone levels and recovered vitality without the side effects often associated with treatment.
Without regular testing of these hormones and vitamins, you cannot truly know how your body is working, and you will lack the proper information to make the changes to your diet and lifestyle, allowing you to always be training to be your best!
You work hard, let us help.
Here’s to Better Health for a Better Life!
Frank Institute for Health and Wellness
O: 910.679.8534
![Delicious Immune Support Recipe: Mango Chickpea Salad with Grilled Chicken Kabobs]()
Sep 25, 2019 | Community
By: Diana Davis, RDN, LDN, CDE
Without Limits Dietitian/Nutritionist
September 25th, 2019
This week I want to take a look at the research on running in a fasting state. I hope that this discussion can help each athlete consider whether the potential benefits warrant a change in fueling before a morning workout or a later day second workout, and when you might want to practice this strategy versus when you truly need to take in food/fuel prior to training.
Research with endurance athletes provides evidence for the success of this strategy. However, recent 
interest is centered on a concept termed “train low, compete high” in which endurance athletes train with low glycogen stores to improve their response to training but compete with high glycogen stores to enhance performance. The purpose of the “train low, compete high” approach is to enhance the body’s ability to utilize fat in energy metabolism during exercise and, thus, spare limited glycogen stores to be used most efficiently during prolonged endurance exercise or intermittent high-intensity exercise that rapidly depletes carbohydrate reserves.
The benefits of “train low” techniques include the following:
- Enhanced muscle and metabolic shifts in response to training, such as enhanced transcription of several genes involved in training adaptation.
- Greater utilization of fat to fuel exercise.
- Less reliance on carbohydrate as a fuel during exercise.
- Decreased risk of gastrointestinal problems resulting from high carbohydrate intake during exercise.
However, despite evidence of metabolic adaptations to training and promotion of greater fat burning during exercise with “train low” approaches, no clear evidence of improved performance has been shown as a result of using “train low” strategies and it is not without risks.
Potential negative effects of repeated use of “train low” strategies include the following:
- Increased perception of effort during training (workouts feel harder).
- Reduced power output during training because of lower self-selected levels of power output (lower effort).
- Possible increased risk of illness.
- Possible increased risk of overtraining.
Another study found that body composition changes associated with aerobic exercise in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet are similar regardless of whether or not an individual is fasted prior to training. Hence, those seeking to lose body fat conceivably can choose to train either before or after eating based on personal preference.
Related
How much Carbohydrates do I need before I exercise?
Nutrition-Related Fatigue in Sports
Packing and Planning for the School/Work Day
Hydration in the Heat
Herbal Supplements and Benefits for Athletic Performance: Fact or Fiction
Without Limits Nutrition
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Aug 27, 2019 | Community
August 27th, 2019
By: Diana Davis Without Limits Registered Dietician
How Much Carbohydrate Do I Need Before Exercise?
Most athletes should consume 30 g of carbohydrate at least 5 to 10 minutes before exercise to improve performance.
If you are going to exercise for more than 1 hour at moderate intensity, eat about a half of a gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight 1 hour before exercise. For a 150 lb. athlete, try to eat 75 grams of carbohydrates 1-2 hours before exercise. Choose foods low in fiber that are easy to digest.
Pre-Exercise Foods
Before exercise, choose easy-to-digest foods that are low in fiber. Liquids are digested more rapidly than solid foods, so if you have less than 30 minutes to eat before exercise, consider drinking carbohydrate- containing liquids.
- Granola bar or cereal bar
- Low-fat fruited yogurt
- Oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice or grits
- Mini bagel, or ½ of a regular or gluten-free bagel
- 1-2 toaster waffles, gluten free if needed
- Banana or orange sections
- 1-2 slices Toast
- 1 ½ oz Pretzels
- 8 ounces of Tart Cherry Juice
Aug 27, 2019 | Community
August 27th, 2019
By: Diana Davis Without Limits Registered Dietician
Nutrition-Related Fatigue in Sport
Exercise-related fatigue is the inability to continue exercise at the desired pace or intensity. There are several nutritional factors that contribute to fatigue.
- Depleted muscle glycogen stores
- Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels due to blood glucose uptake by skeletal muscles)
- Dehydration (McArdle 2008)
In addition to these factors, iron deficiency anemia is associated with fatigue during aerobic exercise performance. If you have a history of anemia or suspect that you may be anemic, ask your healthcare provider to check your iron levels.
Prolonged intense endurance exercise heavily relies on muscle glycogen and blood glucose as fuel for energy (ATP) production. Depletion of these reserves results in sensations of fatigue and reduced exercise intensity. The terms “hitting the wall” and “bonking” are typically used by endurance athletes to describe the sensations they experience when muscle glycogen or blood glucose drop to levels that impair exercise performance.
Although fatigue cannot be entirely prevented, it can be delayed by implementing the following strategies:
- Maintaining adequate carbohydrate availability (pre-exercise, during exercise, recovery)
- Maintaining adequate fluid intake
- Adhering to appropriate aerobic exercise training
- Wearing appropriate clothing for the environmental condition
*Photo Credit Fitbit
