Hormonal Health and Wellness of the Female Athlete: Heart, Hormones and Athletic Performance This February.

By Drew Mulvey MS, CDN, CNS, CLT, PNL1

National Heart Health Month

One of the leading causes of death in women is heart disease. Statistics show that every 1 in every 5 female deaths occurs in women each year. 1 Why is it particularly women? We are nurturers, caregivers and we tend to put ourselves to the wayside. Yes, I am talking to the overachieving, active women out there too!  One of the main causes of inflammation is constant hustle and bustle of everyday life and anxious thoughts. Since we are pushing ourselves to the extreme, low-grade inflammation can add up. When looking at lab tests this usually shows up in the form of C Reactive Protein, a marker commonly elevated in endurance athletes as they are generating several oxidative species when they train.  

So what are some things that we can do for our body to help keep our heart pumping?

1. Refueling properly from your workouts and establishing a healthy sleep-wake routine. Less sleep has been linked to increased inflammation.2

2. Balancing hormones, particularly insulin, will be important for the prevention of heart disease. When under elevated states of stress, elevated cortisol can increase sugar in the blood and decrease insulin sensitivity. High insulin levels have been linked to an increased incidence of heart disease.3

3. Eat a rich variety of plant foods and clean, healthy proteins. The more color and plant material you have in your body the greater the antioxidant load. The greater the antioxidants, the lower the CRP levels. If you are looking to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet, check out this product!

Juice Plus Fruit and Vegetable Capsules

Another great way to balance hormones and help your heart is to exercise!  Strength training and endurance exercises are incredible ways to activate your body’s Endocannabinoid System (responsible for “runners high”) and decrease anxiety and pain perception.4

 This overall helps with decreasing inflammation which may contribute to preventing the development of heart disease. 

Valentines Day

Also known as singles awareness day, this can be a day that is lonely for others. Women can feel this more at times as we are more emotional creatures. Why? I was just reading an article that stated  “The day is a celebration of something very special in their lives – love.” 5 If you are single, that love does not have to come from a partner. Single or not, thriving to be a healthier version of yourself is one of the best ways that you can invest in yourself, show self-love, and improve your heart. What are some things that you can do to celebrate and pamper yourselves for all the effort we give day in and day out?

• Do something that makes you tick and makes you feel alive. 

• Get your nails done.

• Take a bath and light a candle while eating a little chocolate and watching a good movie. (Plus chocolate has serotonin to help boost your mood, magnesium to bring a sense of calm, and nitric oxide precursors great for blood flow, heart health, and muscle recovery.)

• If you are single, have a fun girls’ night! Relationship or not, surround yourself with people who treasure you and you treasure. 

• If this is a hard day, instead of being upset and stuffing your face, look up a new recipe on Pinterest and experiment. 

If you are going out, it is one day. Please remember to enjoy yourself and treat yourself as you have all the other days to stay on track. Remember, today is about love and you are worth it!

National Cherry Month

If there was a favorite fruit I would have to say this is it. If you are an athlete or have ever experienced joint pain, you know that this is a go-to for recovery and decreasing overall inflammation. Let’s take a look at all the health benefits. 

They are a natural source of melatonin, the compound involved in regulating your body’s internal clock and sleep cycle which may be beneficial if taken as a bedtime snack. (I sometimes pair them with almond butter for a source of tryptophan to help me to sleep.)  Cherries are high in Vitamin C to improve immunity and rich in other antioxidants such as anthocyanins which are excellent for decreasing inflammation. This property may attribute to tart cherries’ ability to potentially improve joint pain in those with Rheumatoid Arthritis, improve recovery time in athletes and decrease one’s risk of developing chronic disease, such as cardiovascular disease. In a recent study, exercisers given anthocyanin-rich extract an hour before activity demonstrated a significant reduction in post-exertion malondialdehyde, a marker commonly elevated in those with joint pain, and inflammation and an elevation in anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, a compound important for balancing the immune response. 6,7  They are also a great source of other nutrients such as potassium and manganese for energy pathways and smooth muscle contraction!

So what am I thinking about for the Valentine’s Day season? Chocolate-covered cherries! You can incorporate this into a post-workout protein shake ( my favorite ) or breakfast shake, or make homemade chocolate-covered cherries.

(See video here)
Chocolate Covered Cherries

National Hot Breakfast Month

The weather is getting colder and it is more of an incentive to have those hot meals. This may also help with the winter blues as well! According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, warming foods help to decrease anxiety and can actually improve digestion!  It also helps with blood flow, which is important for brain function, detox, and overall a feeling of warmth. If you are like me, you like that! 

With that in mind, how about adding something nice and hot to your morning routine. Last month we celebrated National Oats Month. These are incredibly beneficial for one’s “qi” or vitality. Add a little cinnamon and you have a blood sugar regulating and antimicrobial component, and cherries for an extra anti-inflammatory kick.

What about the eggs? Eggs provide a perfect ratio of all 20 amino acids which make it ideal for those looking to boost their performance. Adding this in the morning also provides the body with adequate protein and nutrition. Why is protein important? Having adequate amounts of protein can be beneficial for balancing hormones and can also provide a greater thermic effect to ramp up one’s metabolism.  In fact, protein has the highest thermic effect of all the macronutrients or higher energy expenditure.8

Why else are eggs great? This could also be one of the best ways to add in extra antioxidants by loading eggs up with veggies. Sometimes, I even have these two together to provide a complex meal to fuel me for the morning. 

National Snack Food Month

In light of National Cherry Month, sleep is one of the most important things for recovery and balancing hormones, two things crucial for female athletes. When it is hard to sleep, what is it that we can reach for that bedtime snack? Well first, let’s look at the nutrients which are calming. 

Magnesium: decreases transmission of excitatory neurotransmitters and is a cofactor in the production of serotonin, which can help with mood and sleep.

Pumpkin seeds, organic green leafy vegetables, avocados, broccoli, asparagus, nuts (cashews, almonds), seeds, legumes, whole grains, chocolate, organic tofu, quinoa.

Tryptophan: is the precursor to well-being neurotransmitter serotonin and our sleep neurotransmitter melatonin. 

Organic turkey (this is why you get sleepy), wild caught fish, pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed dairy, Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, organic peanuts, organic tofu and whole soy.

Phenylalanine/Tyrosine: are direct precursors to dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for our wake/sleep cycle, mood, focus, and it is also our reward center. Low dopamine levels can contribute to anxiety which second handedly decrease insulin sensitivity and dysregulate blood sugar.

Grass-fed, pasture-raised meats, wild-caught fatty fish such as salmon, oats, oregano oil, seaweed, almonds, chocolate, organic coffee, bananas; organic berries, apples, and papaya; avocado. 

B6: is a cofactor in the generation of 5-HTP to serotonin and melatonin, our well-being and sleep neurotransmitters.

Organic sweet potatoes, organic potatoes, bananas, brown rice, organic peanuts, organic carrots, organic spinach, green peas, bananas, chickpeas, avocados.

Melatonin: Compound  involved in regulating your body’s internal clock and sleep cycle. It is also an important antioxidant and potent anti cancer compound. 

Bed Time Snacks for Better Sleep and Mood

Looking for bed time snacks that my help with sleep? Try these! 

Pistachios and Cherries.

Natural sources of melatonin and pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6 for the production of melatonin and magnesium to help calm down the central nervous system. 

Kiwis

Contain neurotransmitter serotonin, a precursor to melatonin.

Bananas and Almonds

Both foods are excellent sources of tryptophan. The carbohydrates in the banana also help with this particular amino acid crossing the blood/brain barrier to help you mellow out quicker. 

References:

1. Women and Heart Disease. CDC Website. 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/women.htm. Accessed January 26, 2020.

2. How Does Sleep Effect Your Blood Pressure? CDC Website. 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm. Accessed January 24, 2022

3. Diabesity 2015; 1 (4): 34-43 doi: 10.15562/diabesity.2015.19 www.diabesity.ejournals.ca

4. Sparling, PB, Piomelli, D. Rosskopf, L. Deitrich, A. Exercise activates the Endocannabinoid system. Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology. 2003. 14(17). https://doi.org/10.1097/00001756-200312020-00015

5. Samra, J. Why do Women Like Valentine’s Day So Much? The Globe and Mail Website. 2013. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/valentines-day/why-do-women-like-valentines-day-so-much/article8508307/. Accessed January 24, 2022. 

6. Hurst RD, Lyall KA, Wells RW, et al. Daily Consumption of an Anthocyanin-Rich Extract Made From New Zealand Blackcurrants for 5 Weeks Supports Exercise Recovery Through the Management of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Front Nutr. 2020;7:16. Published 2020 Feb 27. doi:10.3389/fnut.2020.00016

7. Saraiva, M., O’Garra, A. The regulation of IL-10 production by immune cells. Nat Rev Immunol 10, 170–181 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri2711

8. Manuela PGM Lejeune, Klaas R Westerterp, Tanja CM Adam, Natalie D Luscombe-Marsh, Margriet S Westerterp-Plantenga, Ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide 1 concentrations, 24-h satiety, and energy and substrate metabolism during a high-protein diet and measured in a respiration chamber, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 83, Issue 1, January 2006, Pages 89–94, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/83.1.89