Supporting an Active Body: Strength, Mobility, Creatine, and a Healthy Mindset
How strength training, mobility work, creatine, and body neutrality help support lifelong movement and athletic health
Hello!
As per usually I have been thinking about bodies lately - especially ways to support bodies so that they can frolic and have fun.
Specifically thinking about my own body, as I am right in the middle of snowboard season and truly have been feeling great, despite the subpar snow conditions! I recently went on a women's weekend trip to Silverton organized by Backcountry Beauties and we got super lucky with a dumping of snow right before we got there and bluebird conditions the whole weekend. I even did my first heliski! Of course, I paired this adventure with some best friend time and some hot springs. Plus, I met some new adventure buddies. Community, nature, adventure and movement - so many of my values all at once - definitely filled the cup :)
Why Strength Training Matters for Long Term Athletic Health
A few years back I started working with a PT (Dr. Klain at Physio Yoga and Wellness - she is so good!) to structure an 8 week pre-season strength training program and it has made a huge difference. A key component to staying athletic as you age is more intentional training. Often when we make up our own training programs it is common to skip the things we don't like (Bulgarian split squats anyone)? Or we can get stuck in a rut without progression or not notice our own patterns of imbalance or weakness. For example, for years I dealt with knee pain while snowboarding that I attributed to an old injury that I would just have to live with. On assessment, we realized my knee was still super weak from not being all the way rehabbed. I did a lot of single leg work and have had multiple knee-pain free seasons since then - amazing! Love the flexibility and adaptiveness of the musculoskeletal system!
Mobility Work for Recovery and Injury Prevention
Two new things I am doing this season that seem to be making a big difference:
How Daily Mobility Exercises Support Muscle and Joint Health
1. Mobility Coach: I got this app and try to do the Daily Mobility video as much as possible (3-4 times a week on average). They are 10-20 min videos using foam rollers and balls to mobilize different areas of the body. I have been searching for good foam roller videos that actually seemed therapeutic for a while now and I finally found them. They also have specific pain protocols for different body parts and conditions. Bodywork is great, but having tools at home to work on the tissues a little bit most days is really impactful. In general I feel much less sore and creaky. Highly recommend!
Creatine Benefits for Strength Recovery and Brain Health
2. Creatine: OMG - so boring I know. I was hesitant to jump on the creatine train. When I was in school we sort of joked about the creatine bros and really dismissed it as a supplement with applications outside of the weight room. However, the research is pretty undeniable at this point. Not only is it helpful for muscle strength and recovery, but also seems to be helpful for brain health as well. It seems especially beneficial for peri/post menopausal women. However almost everyone can benefit - including during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
We can make creatine in our bodies out of 3 amino acids and we can absorb it from food as well. It is stored mostly in the muscle and brain where it is used in the mitochondria to create cellular energy. It is especially important for folks who favor a more plant based diet, as creatine is naturally found only in animal products. A reasonable dose for most folks is 3-5 grams.
It comes in a powder form that doesn't have much taste or texture. Skip the gummies - recent analysis showed most gummy products didn't have the amount advertised and it is not very well absorbed in this form. Brand isn't super important. You want a creatine monohydrate and most reputable brands will use this form. I use Designs for Health. Thorne is also great. Costco has some good options. I generally recommend that folks skip the "influencer brands" and go with brands that have been around and have a solid reputation.
Stop taking it 3 days before blood work - the research is very clear it does not cause an issue for the kidneys, but it will interfere with lab results that test kidney function.
I recently ran out for a couple weeks and noticed I was way more sore after my workouts. It was a really discernible difference which definitely made me happy I had jumped on the creatine train - toot-toot!
Indoor cats! Am I losing you with all this meathead content?
One way I like to categorize people is into the designation of indoor cat versus outdoor cat. I am very much an outdoor cat - I don't mind being inside for snuggles and pets - but if I am locked up too long I start scratching at the door and tearing down the curtains.
But some of my best friends are indoor cats! They can spend days curled up by the fire, snoozing and cuddling, impervious to the call of the wild.
Of course, most folks will be a mix of both - but it is fun to think about which type of cat you are and how that relates to how you might build sustainable health habits for yourself. While I think all humans thrive with movement and time in nature - there are many ways to make this both enjoyable and sustainable.
Do not worry indoor cats - I understand your nature and will keep that in mind when we work together :)
Body Neutrality and a Healthier Relationship with Your Body
Liberation:
Bodies, bodies, bodies - it can be hard to talk and think about bodies without judgement creeping in. While body positivity is a great goal, body neutrality is more accessible for many. Body neutrality is a practice that involves minimizing judgement or critique of the body. So you don't have to love how a specific body part looks or functions, but you also can try to neutralize any negative stories or associations you may have and focus on on facts. So you don't have to look at your legs in the mirror and think "I love my legs, they are so beautiful!" but you might think - "Ah look - a pair of legs. There are 2 of them and they help with locomotion."
Another way to move away from body judgement is to critically assess the messages you take in. When I was in college and grappling with my own thoughts about bodies (thanks women's studies!) I made the decision to stop reading fashion/beauty/fitness magazines. I understood they were vehicles meant to drive an industry based off of insecurity and the creation of "problems" that they could sell me solutions for. Just cutting out this input made a huge difference in how I perceived myself and my place in the world. You can choose to opt-out.
Nowadays, magazines are probably less impactful, but social media has stepped in. Social media can be a great place to connect and learn - but at its core it is an industry created to collect and store your data and use it to sell you things. And many of those things are to solve "problems" with your body. Take a critical assessment of your social media feed - not just what people say but what they show. What images, what filters, what curated lifestyles are being highlighted. Do you have people in your feed that look like you, that celebrate your values, that celebrate the diversity of the human form? And again, not just with words but with action. Do you often leave your scroll session feeling like you are wanting, less than or doing it all wrong? If so, it is time for refresh! Pay careful attention to those you allow into your sacred brain space and what messages are being planted there. Maybe less influencers and more kittens are in order?
Continuing Education in Women’s Health and Perimenopause
Recent learning:
Just registered for the Harvard Women's Health and Perimenopause conference - 45 hours total of content! It will take me a few months to work my way through this one since I am doing the virtual, on-demand vs in-person, but I am very excited for the focus on sexual health, cardiovascular health and bones! The learning never ends - yay!
Meow - meow,
Dr C.
PS: Oh yeah! I launched a new website! Almost forgot that was supposed to be the point of this email!
Take a peek - drcaitlin.com - no new rebranding so it looks pretty similar but I think the flow is more fresh and the content more accurately represents what I do. Shout out to Callie at Rise Up Web Design :)