Functional Med + Pro Athletes
Learning to become proactive rather than reactive when it comes to your health and performance is a pivotal decision when considering the longevity of your career and quality of your life.
What’s Really Behind Better Performance and Better Health.
Frequent injuries, short career spans, and having to constantly “tough it out”, are all common themes amongst pro athletes, but they shouldn’t be considered normal.
The goal for majority of pro athletes is to be able to not only improve their game but also continue to play for as long as their bodies allow them.
Most athletes are dealing with high loads of stress, making them susceptible to deficiencies and immune dysfunction that are impacting their quality of life and performance without them knowing it.
The high threshold of stress that these athletes adopt is necessary for the success of their careers. That being said, this doesn’t exempt them from the negative effects of stress on the body. Many are not aware of the effects especially early on in their careers.
Dealing with high amounts of physical stressors can get the best of your body, and when the body gets stressed your gut and immune system are the first to get weak. Opening up the gateway for inflammation and systemic (system wide) imbalances that directly contribute to the frequency and severity of injuries, poor performance, and quality of your health.
For this reason, we work with athletes to address the deeper issues that tend to go undetected. Ensuring the health of their gut and immune system is as strong as possible, to aid them in avoiding injuries, to prevent chronic issues, and help them feel their best!
Working to optimize an athlete’s health can add a few more years to their career, maximizing their potential and impact. More importantly, it ensures their life after the sport is healthy and well, and that is invaluable.
A Statement From The Vagus Clinic, Ontario Canada
“Gastrointestinal symptoms are so common with these athletes because they are often on the road, and eating foods that are not necessarily the cleanest. These environments can cause stress, and stress lowers the immune system. Many have a damaged circadian rhythm from evening games, and no one teaches them how to eat or unwind after games, so they can sleep well. Due to easy accessibility and frequent injury, they are overly subjected to medical procedures or medications.
In addition, many of the athletes tested were low in basic nutrients, had multiple food sensitivities, and lacked basic lifestyle behaviors that support their well being!
All of this puts them at perfect risk for things like leaky gut, long term cognitive issues, and different autoimmune diseases. At around age 24-25 is when we see a tipping point and when the breakdown begins. This is when professional athletes testosterone lowers, and each year they become more vulnerable. The career span of an athlete tends to be short because of the reasons above, and this list just continues.
For that reason, we work with athletes to get their hormones as best as they can, to ensure the health of their gut is as strong as possible, to aid them in avoiding injuries, to prevent chronic issues, and help them feel their best!
Working to optimize an athlete’s health can add a few more years to their career, meaning more money in their pockets. More importantly, it ensures their life after the sport is healthy and well, and that is invaluable” ( Dr. Stephanie Canestraro, The Vagus Clinic, Ontario CA).
“With God, hardwork and focus, I can accomplish what is ahead of me.” – Manny Pacquiao