Showing posts with label importance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label importance. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2015
The Importance of Continuing Education at TDM
Each year we hold workshop intensives for Dailey Method studio owners, teachers and trainees. We just completed a series in San Francisco last weekend, and I am currently in Chicago along with Kerry Corcoran, our Berkeley/Lamorinda owner and brilliant in-house anatomy expert, teaching a series for our Mid-Western locations.
Because The Dailey Method is a practice, it evolves along with us as we continually deepen our understanding about the body and the science behind alignment and movement. We offer these intensives about 10 times a year as a way for us to provide necessary training and information to our new teachers and continuing education to our existing teachers and studio owners. It’s hard not to be inspired by a room full of thigh dancing fun and our barre boys showing off their moves!
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Every time we do one of these intensive weekends I am once again reminded of the importance of one of our TDM Core Values “always be a student.” I walk away from every single workshop series not only with a sense of joy for all the amazing people that care about this method as much as I do, but also with newfound information and a deeper understanding and awareness of all things Dailey related. I truly learn something at every single workshop that I teach or attend! (Yes, I do attend workshops when I’m not the primary teacher.) Whether it’s is a new way to cue something, or how to look at something from a different perspective, there is always something to be gained from stepping into the role of the student.
I believe this is true not only for being a student and teacher at The Dailey Method, but in general. If you take a moment to listen more carefully to how your kids explain something or how they came up with an idea, it might allow you find a new sense of creativity. If you ask an expert a question about their area of expertise, you may learn something new that you can then share with others. If you take a plunge and do something outside of your comfort zone, you will certainly learn something new and be better for it, even if it is not the thing you expected to learn!
I will continually strive to be student inside and outside of the studio with the hope that it will allow me to be a better teacher, mother, wife and friend. I actually have a very exciting continuing education intensive in my future - but I’ll save that for later! There is so much to learn out there, and I hope to take in all that I can!
-- Jill
Monday, March 9, 2015
The Importance of Iron for Performance
Iron is one of the most essential trace minerals for athletic performance and the general population. As a college athlete, your body demands extra nutrients, including iron. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) endurance athletes, especially long distance runners, have iron needs that are 70% higher than the general population. Iron is also one of the most common nutrient deficiencies seen in athletes, especially women.
A simple blood test allows to figure if you are deficient or not. The most common test is hemoglobin. However, low hemoglobin of < 12 g/dL for women and < 13.5 g/dL for men indicates iron deficiency anemia, which will require supplementation. You can be iron deficient with no anemia. In this case, it is highly recommended to test ferritin levels. Ferritin helps store iron in the body. If it is low, we have low iron stores as well. Although the normal lab values are 12-300 ng/dL in men and 12-150 ng/dL in women, it is found that ferritin below 35 ng/dL in athletes can affect performance and supplementation may be recommended.
How to improve iron status:
Eat a balanced diet that meets your dietary needs. Women (19-50 years) need a minimum of 18 mg of iron each day and men 8 mg. Consult your doctor or health professional about taking an iron supplement if you do not feel that you can meet your iron needs by diet alone.
Rich dietary sources of iron:
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Why is iron important?
Iron is essential for energy production, metabolism and to help carry oxygen to the cells. It is also essential for growth, development and the immune system to function normally.
Common causes of iron deficiency:
Iron is essential for energy production, metabolism and to help carry oxygen to the cells. It is also essential for growth, development and the immune system to function normally.
Common causes of iron deficiency:
- Individuals on vegetarian or vegan diets. Iron is less available in plant-based products.
- Inadequate energy intake.
- Iron loss in sweat, feces, urine, menstrual bleeding, GI bleed, foot-strike hemolysis (with every foot strike we break red blood cells), injury, and blood donation.
- Medical disorder that prevents absorption of iron
- Pregnancy. More demands due to a growing fetus
- Growth spurt
Symptoms of iron deficiency:
- Fatigue, irritability, shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, coldness in your hands and feet, pale skin, chest pain and weakness.
- Reduced endurance
- Muscle function weakens and ability to work is limited.
- Can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which can take 3-6 months to reverse.
- Improved work volume and endurance.
- Improved oxygen uptake.
- Decreased lactate concentrations.
- Decreased muscle fatigue.
A simple blood test allows to figure if you are deficient or not. The most common test is hemoglobin. However, low hemoglobin of < 12 g/dL for women and < 13.5 g/dL for men indicates iron deficiency anemia, which will require supplementation. You can be iron deficient with no anemia. In this case, it is highly recommended to test ferritin levels. Ferritin helps store iron in the body. If it is low, we have low iron stores as well. Although the normal lab values are 12-300 ng/dL in men and 12-150 ng/dL in women, it is found that ferritin below 35 ng/dL in athletes can affect performance and supplementation may be recommended.
How to improve iron status:
Eat a balanced diet that meets your dietary needs. Women (19-50 years) need a minimum of 18 mg of iron each day and men 8 mg. Consult your doctor or health professional about taking an iron supplement if you do not feel that you can meet your iron needs by diet alone.
Rich dietary sources of iron:
- The most bio-available (best absorbed) sources of iron (also called heme iron): meat, poultry, and fish.
- Other sources (plant derived sources are not absorbed as well. Called non-heme Iron): Ready-to-eat cereal, beans, tofu, nuts and dark leafy greens.
- Choose breakfast cereals that are fortified with iron
- Choose lean meat sources (e.g. Ground beef with less than 10% fat)
- Consume iron rich foods with foods high in vitamin C to help your body absorb the iron better (e.g. Oranges, tomatoes, red peppers).
- Avoid drinking tea with your iron containing meals. Substances in tea reduce the absorption of iron.
- Avoid drinking milk with your iron containing meal.
- Oxalates and polyphenols are compounds found in certain fruits, herbs, nuts, chocolate and vegetables such as: spinach, kale, tea, beets, strawberries and rhubarb to name a few, that limit absorption of iron from non-heme sources. Cooking the vegetables may assist in preventing this from occuring.
Guest Contributor: Emily Seidl, MS, RD
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