Kellsey Frank, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN

Nutrition can be a key factor in helping an athlete gain a competitive edge, although it is just one piece of the puzzle.
 
Transcript: "Okay, this is one of my favorite questions. Do you think nutrition guidance is critical to becoming an elite athlete? Yes and no. So there are a lot of different factors that play into whether or not one person becomes an elite athlete, right? So genetics being one of them, training, status, all of that. Nutrition is just one piece of the puzzle, right? So think about an athlete that is competing at the division one level, the best of the collegiate atmosphere. When they're on an equal playing field with every other division one athlete that's out there as well, which they are, they're all division one athletes. What is one thing that's within their control that they can use to their benefit to have the upper hand against their opponent? Nutrition is one of those things. The same thing goes when you get to the professional level, even at the high school level. It gets narrowed down more and more the more elite you become, but nutrition is definitely one of those things that can set you apart and can give you the upper hand."

I love my air fryer because it's quicker and easier than preheating the oven, and it gives me that fried food taste without the added calories and fat from deep frying.
 
Transcript: "I love this question. What do you think of an air fryer? I personally am obsessed with mine. We just got a new oven that has an air fryer built into it. And I like it because it's a lot quicker and easier than preheating the oven and using the oven for your standard cooking. It is a great way to get that kind of fried food taste without deep frying, which adds a lot of calories and a lot of fat. So yeah, I am a huge fan of air fryers and there's a ton of recipes out there and a ton of options rather than cooking, or conventional baking or cooking air fryer options. So hope that helps."

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a biomarker in the blood that shows a two to three month window of your average blood sugar levels. It is more useful than a single blood glucose test because it gives a wider range of data.
 
Transcript: "What is HGBA1C and why is it important? HGBA1C stands for hemoglobin A1C. This is a biomarker in your blood, which is a kind of snapshot of the previous two to three months worth of your blood sugar data, essentially, in your blood. So it's basically looking at a two to three month window of time and giving you a value for what your blood sugar levels are over that period of time. This is really a great biomarker to use as compared, or I should say alongside, with a spontaneous blood sugar or blood glucose test. And the reason being is that it gives you that long-term data, right? Whereas a blood glucose test only gives you whatever your blood glucose level is in that one moment of time. You may be fasted, you may not be fasted, but it can be impacted a lot by what you just ate, what you ate the night before, things of that nature. So the hemoglobin A1C gives us a wider range of data."

Calcium and Vitamin D are both important for bone health, and should be taken together if you decide to supplement. Look at your diet first to see if you need supplements, and ask your doctor for a blood panel if necessary.
 
Transcript: "What is better for bone health, vitamin D or calcium for supplements? Great question. They both play a very important role in bone health. So calcium is stored in the bones. It helps keep our bones strong, helps them from breaking down as quickly. But if you're going to take a calcium supplement without a vitamin D supplement, you're not getting as much bang for your buck, really. So what vitamin D does is it helps to absorb the calcium. So they work together hand in hand, among other things. But you want to make sure you're really getting both of those in your diet. So look at your diet first. If you're a big dairy consumer and you're already eating yogurt, milk, cheese, things of that nature, you may or may not need a supplement. You can always ask your general practitioner for a blood panel so that you can look at those levels. But yeah, make sure you are first assessing your diet, and then if you feel the need to take a supplement for bone health, calcium and vitamin D would be a great option. Hope that helps."

Yes, it is possible to drink too much water, which can lead to hyponatremia. It is best to have a balance of sports drinks and water, and to consult a doctor if you think you may be suffering from this condition.
 
Transcript: "Is it possible to drink too much water? Yes, definitely. This is something that we do see specifically in sports nutrition, but can apply to anyone. Drinking too much water can lead to something called hyponatremia, which means your electrolytes are essentially out of balance. Like I said, this particularly we see in sports nutrition with athletes who are overconsuming water and underconsuming electrolytes. So we typically recommend a balance of sports drinks with water, salt your foods, things like that. But always refer to your doctor if you think that this might be something that you have."

Red wine has more antioxidants than white wine, which can provide some extra health benefits. However, it's important to note that drinking in moderation is key for overall health.
 
Transcript: "Okay, is red wine better than white for your health? Great question. I'm going to preface this by saying that wine in general is not necessarily good for your health. The current dietary guidelines for men are two or less drinks per day and for women, one or less drinks per day. However, that being said, when comparing red wine to white wine, yes, there absolutely are some added benefits from the darker grapes that are used to make red wine and that being in the form of antioxidants. So resveratrol specifically is a super potent antioxidant that's present in red wine. Antioxidants in general are very great for overall heart health, promoting a healthy inflammatory response and things like that. So if you are choosing between red or white, you will see some extra health benefits from the red compared to the white. Hope that helps."