👋 Hey. Welcome to issue #91 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (4 min read):
🥣 Food demonisation
There’s f*ckery afoot.
And it’s social media's demonisation of quality foods, like oats.
Yes but yes but yes but, you say: what about my blood sugar?
And indeed, oats can cause a significant spike in blood sugar…
In some people.
When eaten by itself.
When we sit for the next few hours after eating it.
But oats can also decrease all-cause mortality and inflammation. They’re full of fibre. They're cheap and easy.
The problem with the short-form nature of social media is that there’s no room for context.
So we hear something like oats cause blood sugar spikes.
…which can lead to an energy crash as well as longer-term health impacts.
And we ban them from our lives.
Without considering what happens if we — let's say — add some protein and fat to it.
Yep, we’re now reducing the spike and running one of the most nutrient-dense meals there is.
Like nut butters, greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, chia/hemp/flax seeds, protein powder, etc.
Or a bit of activity (like a 10-minute walk) can completely cut that spike too.
Because when we start to label food as “good” or “bad”, we feel guilty eating anything that’s “not good for us”. Which causes more stress and anxiety.
Always consider the context. Especially on the social pipes.
🏃 Outrunning disease
Health and performance aren’t the same thing.
But if you’re not out to win an Olympic gold medal or a UFC title, they basically are.
The actions we take to be healthy generally help us perform better day to day.
Even still, a recent study looked at the longevity (health) of elite runners. Specifically, those who’ve broken the 4-minute mile (performance).
They found these guys lived an average of 4.7 years beyond their predicted life expectancy.
Push it up. It’s good for you.
🔥 Article: sauna and ice bath myths
Recovery centres are getting as busy as the English change room door when Nathan Lyon meets a Day 5 WACA pitch.
And fair play, the science behind the benefits of tools like sauna and ice are overwhelming.
But there’s also a lot of misinformation.
PJ Nestler is the Director of Performance at XPT. In this article, he debunks a few popular sauna and ice claims.
And they’re bang on. I often hear them quoted in conversations, on social media and recovery centre websites.
- Myth #1: Sweating in the sauna is a great way to detox
- Myth #2: The more you sweat, the better the sauna session
- Myth #3: Time in the sauna drives weight loss
- Myth #4: Extreme cold helps you burn calories
- Myth #5: Ice baths are less effective than cryotherapy chambers
You can read the article here.
And if you're interested, read my summary of traditional vs infrared saunas from newsletter #48.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
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The Everyday Athlete Newsletter is not a licensed health service and is not a substitute for professional health advice, treatment or assessment. The information given in this email is general in nature, written for a specific audience. If you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional.
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