As athletes, we often ride that very fine line between maintaining and over reaching in training and balancing all the other things we have going on in our lives. Of course, following a structured plan and learning how to listen to our bodies, knowing when and how to rest and recover, and of course our nutrition all play into keeping our bodies and minds fresh while also adapting and getting stronger. But sometimes it can be super useful to occasionally take an objective snapshot and measure some things to monitor how we're doing more specifically.
So I'm excited to bring you a conversation with Dr. Steve Parcell, a naturopathic doctor with specializations in cardiovascular health, athletic performance, and nutrition. I first met Steve at the Steamboat Gravel race over the summer, as he's an incredibly strong master's cyclist and athlete himself. Dr. Parcell has written extensively on the health considerations of exercise, particularly in older adults, as well as a background in medical research and has a clinic in Boulder, Colorado called Nature Med integrative medicine. He's also written a book called Dare to Live, a Naturopathic Doctor’s Complete Guide to the Prevention and Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease.
I sat down with Steve to cover a lot of important topics like iron and the endurance athlete, measuring and tracking blood markers for athletes, fad diets, lifestyle factors, the potential downsides of too much exercise, heart health, and more. I thought it was a really fun conversation and I learned a lot, so it's always great to hear from someone in a completely different field from myself on how to live and move more healthfully. For more on Dr. Parcell, check out http://naturemedclinic.com