Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS

Personal Functional Medicine Physician to Pro Athletes - Experience Your Best Performance as a Fit and Healthy Athlete.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

One thing you can do TODAY to improve your energy during your training sessions:

- Focus on protein AND add a good source of starchy carbohydrates to your breakfast
- Test avoiding gluten and maltodextrin fuel sources around long training sessions take notes of any changes.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Easy Ways to Increase Your Protein Intake:
Eat your morning cereal but also add 1-2 eggs on the side
Add Greek yogurt as a snack (unsweetened, then add honey or fruit to taste)
Add high quality protein shakes for post workout recovery
Include a high protein food with every meal

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Common misconceptions about protein include:
Red meat is bad for the heart & will cause cardiovascular disease
That chronic conditions are due to animal protein (when there are some other foods that are far worse)
That plant based protein has the same benefits as animal protein

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

How do athletes achieve peak performance?

- Focus and commitment to the physical and technical aspects of their sport
- Mental and mindset preparation
- Use functional testing to track and reduce inflammation, nutrient deficiencies and improve gut health

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Living in the fear of issues with fueling & gut issues on race day holds you back. Often it’s small changes in your day to day that build a foundation of a healthy body and GI tract that allows you to perform like you know you're capable of on race day.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

@rubypaularcher YESSS!!!! First off congratulations, second thank you for doing this work. It is so critical and essential.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

When athletes focus on the health of their gut:

- Fueling & Hydration strategies become more effective
- Inflammation and fatigue improve
- Nutrient deficiencies are minimized

This reduces risk of injury and illness AND improves performance

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

One of the most important aspects of training that athletes need to focus on is eating enough food to support their goals and performance.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Most experts in sports medicine focus on mobility & conditioning when an athlete has:
Fatigue
A decrease in focus
Chronic inflammation
Persistent injuries (or illness)

... But they miss that there might be an issue with internal systems like gut health & nutrient status.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Beyond sleep, protein & food for sports recovery, your gut & stress play a role in your recovery too:

In fact, high stress can lead to a leaky gut, which can cause gut pain and can lead to the "aid station bathroom hop" on race day.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Ever felt like you can't get off the crazy stress cycle?

🔁You train
🔁 Your body starts adapting
🔁 And either you give the body what it needs or maybe you don't...
🔁 And you either adapt and improve OR experience more fatigue, breakdown and your performance continues to drop

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

We have been told to focus on the hours of sleep we get...

But research, especially for athletes, is showing that quality sleep deserves more attention.

Slow wave sleep is specifically for helping you recover.

... Sacrificing sleep for training more will hurt your performance.

[richroll @richroll]

I didn't reach my athletic peak until I was 43.
I didn't write my first book until I was 44.
I didn't start my podcast until I was 45.

At 30, I thought my life was over.
At 52 I know it's just beginning.

Keep running. Never give up. And watch your kite soar.
✌🏼🌱

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Leucine helps prime your body for building muscle.

It is essential especially for female athletes to trigger muscle recovery.

However, just like everything, you must maintain amino acid balance.

You can overdo BCAA's. Knowing what and when to take these is critical.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

You need digestive enzymes to break down protein into amino acids.

If your body is experiencing high stress from training - your body will push those enzymes to help with the immune system and inflammation - not to help break down protein.

This directly impacts your recovery.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Chronic NSAID use can hurt your mitochondria.

"I eat ibuprofen like candy" - regardless of whether you have symptoms, it is critical to evaluate your energy producers.

And bottom line: one of our primary goals for athletes is to make sure your mitochondria function well.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Irritable Bowel (IBD) is caused by an overactive immune system, inflammation, & can be caused by a specific bacteria called Ruminococcus overgrowth
The imbalances in the gut ⬆️ oxidative stress and contribute to inflammation
This can lead to decreases in training & performance

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Optimal gut health leads to ➡️signaling genes that control energy metabolism ➡️ which stimulates your Mitochondria to do their job ➡️ which means you experience better energy availability, and performing faster for longer.

The system functions as a whole. Treat it that way.

[Kirstin Lauritzen DC MS @drkirstindcms]

Which carbohydrates for preworkout? Look at timing & type:

- Simple to digest carbs like crackers, fruit, cereals within 45 min. of starting

- Eat a balanced meal with sweet potatoes or other complex carb 2-3 hours before

Gut health here is also critical for optimal absorption