By Drew Mulvey MS, CDN, CNS, CLT, PNL1, CPT
Many of us have been enjoying the outdoors, running along the beach and soaking up the rays. Unfortunately the triathlon season is coming to an end up north but that does not mean that has to end with the transition of the seasons! In fact, Autumn is a perfect time for cycling, running and hiking, as many more races are now popping up. Many people tend to suffer from seasonal anxiety disorder in which the transition may be hard on them. It is important during this time that the athlete continue to fuel with the proper food, incorporating spiritual balance and ensuring that the body is in full working order again after the summer. Here are some tips.
The Metal Element and Seasonal Produce
Autumn is associated with the Metal element and with the lungs. This is spiritually relevant as the lungs are associated with “letting go.” That could mean allowing your spirit to be in harmony during the transition and letting go of the mistakes, failures, and struggles of the past season and using these obstacles and challenges to strengthen you for the next season.
Lungs are also associated with breath or life. We can choose to grow and gain strength from our failures, to set visions, and harness all aspects of health. With this comes being honest with oneself and seeing a clear path and direction. This type of nourishment can come through self-care activities such as a walk in the park, hiking and stopping to enjoy the scenery or, for me, apple picking with friends, and baking treats afterward such as pies and crisps, and going on long hikes and bike rides enjoying the foliage. Whatever you want to see happen during this harvest season, it is time to align your passions, knowledge, and strengths with your vision. This can also be in the form of using food, as this too is an expression of your personality.
What can this do? Decrease the amount of stress being placed on the body and give the mind, body, and spirit a rest. This switch from activation of the sympathetic nervous system, better known as fight or flight, and to the parasympathetic, or rest and digest, can offer your body a myriad of benefits. Digestion can improve, assimilation of nutrients can improve overall bodily processes and increase energy, vitality, and stamina, and more importantly, the generation of inflammatory proteins decreases which can prevent the development of several diseases and aid in muscle recovery.
Just as the summer is associated with red foods, the Autumn is associated with foods such as pears, pumpkins, apples, cauliflower, onion, garlic, and yogurt.1 Eating seasonally also ensures that foods are at their nutrient peak which can lead to better energy and stamina and better recovery time. Some of these include root vegetables such as carrots, squash and pumpkins; apples, pears, pomegranates; and vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach and celery.1
Exercise and Weather
Now that the weather is getting cooler and crisper, it is important to make sure that your lungs are protected from the dry, colder air of the new season. Another beneficial addition for those that will continue to train outside is N-Acetyl-Cysteine. N-Acetyl Cysteine is the backbone of your body’s natural antioxidant, glutathione, which at proper levels can increase recovery time, immunity and detoxification. In fact, supplementing with 600 mg 2x a day for those with low glutathione levels may enhance athletic performance and decrease oxidative stress.2
Since this is responsible for decreasing inflammation corporately, it is also important for breaking up mucus in the lungs and decreasing inflammation in the lung tissue. This is incredibly important for those long runs and also prevention of coughs. I personally took this over the summer to prevent any sort of lung irritation.
My persona favorite brand in Integrative Therapeutics NAC. You can pick up a bottle from my dispensary below.
Detox
The transition from summer to fall can bring some instability, but it can also bring creativity and a harvest from all one’s labors. With that, it is important to prime the body to face upcoming challenges and obstacles this new season may bring. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the Fall is associated with the metal element which brings organization. Why is it then important to do a liver detox during this time? Fall is also a time of release, which means it is time to let go of those toxins in which we accumulated from all the BBQs, in the environment, and any sort of bacterial or viral debris.
According to Traditional Chinese medicine, Fall is associated with the lungs and the large intestines. The large intestines are the last part of detoxification as the liver packages toxins in a substance known as bile and transfers it to the large intestine to be eliminated through the stool. Thus, fiber and water are essential nutrients as any part of a detox for “moving things along” so to speak. Other beneficial nutrients are nutrients such as antioxidants and vitamins such as B vitamins Folate, B6, and B12 as these help with energy and stamina. A description of these foods can be found in my 21 Day Whole Food Detox Guide and my blog posts “Beneficial Nutrients for Liver Health and Immunity” and “How to Do A Detox with Whole Foods.”
https://www.redeeminglifenutrition.com/blog/beneficial-nutrients-for-immunity-and-liver-health
https://www.redeeminglifenutrition.com/blog/how-to-do-a-detox-with-whole-foods
Why is this essential for the athlete? If the athlete is not detoxifying properly it can significantly impair athletic performance and recovery time. If you are looking for a way to increase your energy and stamina while clearing out toxins and decreasing inflammation, this detox is for you!
Want to undergo a safe, satisfying and effective detox this Autumn? Check out my 21 Whole Food Day Detox. This program is designed with the athlete in mind and does not require fasting, ingestion of only shakes and severe restrictions, only the power of whole food nutrition.
Want to learn more? Detox is one module in my new 6-week course! In this course you will also be learning about the importance of each macronutrients, how hormones can affect athletic performance and how to balance them, how to break the diet culture and find your own unique style of nutrition for longevity in sport, and how to use the power of whole food nutrition and supplementation to boost athletic performance. Sound like something you are interested in?
References:
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The Seasonal Foods You Should Be Eating This Autumn. ShaMagazine Website. October 9, 2017. Accessed September 17, 2022. https://shawellnessclinic.com/en/shamagazine/the-seasonal-foods-you-should-be-eating-this-autumn/
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Sanatkar, C. How to Eat and Exercise Based On 5 Element Theory. Wongu University of Oriental Medicine Website. 2022. Accessed September 18, 2022. https://wongu.edu/how-to-eat-and-exercise-based-on-5-element-theory-presented-by-canan
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Paschalis V, Theodorou AA, Margaritelis NV, Kyparos A, Nikolaidis MG. N-acetylcysteine supplementation increases exercise performance and reduces oxidative stress only in individuals with low levels of glutathione. Free Radic Biol Med. 2018 Feb 1;115:288-297. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.12.007. Epub 2017 Dec 9. PMID: 29233792.
