Inventory Updates

The following items are back in stock:     

• Beef Tallow Shortening  
• Beef Marrow Bone Stock 
• Beef Liver 
• Plain Turkey Jerky 
• Spicy Turkey Jerky   
• Ground Lamb 
• Lamb Spare Ribs 
• Lamb Osso Bucco 
• Leg of Lamb Steaks 
• Raw, Organic Almonds 
• Pecan Love Bites 
• Mystic Mountain Trail Mix 

Dr. Eric Serrano MD, MS, BC

Question and Answer Column

Dear Dr. Serrano,

I have a question regarding nutrition and athletes. More specifically, manageable ways to monitor potential nutrient deficiencies that can affect optimal hormone efficiency - which in turn relates to athletic performance.

I played major college football, and during my career, I'm convinced my body chronically fluctuated between sub-optimal and optimal performance due to my thyroid disease (hashimoto's - which wasn't determined until a year after playing).

After my career, I trained and completed a triathlon. During this period, I developed at least one or two more autoimmune issues (skin related) due to over-training and chronic inflammation. Switching to grass-fed protein, eliminating grains and other toxins, and supplementing vitamin D and fish oil helped me overcome these problems (for the most part). Throughout the process, my knowledge of nutrition, hormones, and training increased tenfold, and I am now more familiar with how everything is connected.

My question(s) relates to optimal nutrition for athletes. I work with young athletes, and I'm researching ways to ensure my kids aren't handcuffed by chronic deficiencies, inflammation, or diseases, like I was when I played.

In my case, I believe the following tests, monitored every couple months, would have proved immensely beneficial: 

• Complete thyroid panels (trainers and doctor usually just checked my T4 and TSH)
• Additional hormone tests - specifically Testosterone (total and free) and Estradiol
• Glucose and Insulin
• Vitamin D
• C-reactive Protein
• Other tests for autoimmune issues - especially those that affect digestion and absorption of nutrients 

By painting a complete picture of what was going on inside my body, I think I could have monitored my diet, supplement, and training protocols more efficiently, which would have improved my performance immensely (e.g. Less stress from toxins and deficiencies due to thyroid disease = less inflammation = less stress overall = improved hormone function (increased natural testosterone, Hgh, T3, etc) = increased performance)

Do you think the tests I listed are appropriate for establishing baselines for athletes? Do you recommend any others that can be easily monitored to ensure adequate nutrient intake and optimal hormonal function? Is it even worth it?

Thanks in advance. Hope all is well.

Take care,
Adam

________________________________________ 

Dear Adam,  

Before you address any of the nutritional issues we need to address the two must important equations in this particular problem:

1. Overzealous parents
2. Grandiose coaches

Sometimes we forget that our kids are just kids, and we, as parents don't look at the real picture but only look at how good or bad our child is in a particular sport or activity and we start thinking: how can I make him better?  Instead of, what is my child good at so i can cultivate or encourage that area?

With a new breed of coaches that only care about winning it is very hard not to address practices, which by the way are too long, or seasons, which now are all year.  We don't allow breaks, and these seasons and practices in return cause over-training, under-eating, health problems, etc.

Because you are an advanced athlete and you are interested in some type of testing for athletes, I am going to make some recommendations for what you are looking for.

1. The tests your recommend are not good enough to find out how you or the child are doing health wise
2. Blood tests are just guidelines, not the answer
3. Best test is a performance record keeping:, write everything you have been doing, eating, supplementing, competing, companionship, friends, dates, times of what you did, how you did and how you felt, this is way better than any blood test
4. You are looking for very specific values and to capture the general public or kids that are having problems, some of those test will not show what you are looking for
5. If I had a choice of what test to order, the first one will be a food dairy, then a food allergy test
6. If money and time were not a decisive factor then I would order other tests but they would be specific for each situation
7. If you are going to establish baselines then I would use saliva for the hormones, immunolab for the allergies, and then would check for each vitamin

Thank you Adam, I hope these recommendations help you with your questions.

Good Luck,  

Dr. Serrano

Wine-Braised Short Ribs  

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Beef Short Ribs, cut into pieces 
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 1 can (28 ounces) Crushed Tomatoes with Italian Seasonings 
• 1 cup Dry Red Wine 
• Cooked Soft Polenta or Pasta (optional)

1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat until hot. Place beef short ribs in stockpot; brown evenly.  
2. Remove from stockpot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  
3. Add onion to stockpot; cook and stir 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and wine.  
4. Return beef to stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until beef is fork-tender. 
5. Remove beef; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid.  Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.  
6. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. 
7. Serve short ribs with sauce and polenta or pasta, if desired. 

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