Today I'm peeling back the curtain to discuss a very nuanced topic that definitely deserves a spotlight of it's own: the role of vitamins and minerals in your gymnast's diet. I'm taking you into the world of minerals for gymnasts and the impact they have on their overall long-term health.

Here at The Gymnast Nutritionist, I talk a lot about addressing adequate fueling first; and that will never change. Too many gymnasts are underfueled and are ticking time bombs as a result. But once the underfueling issues are fixed, the work doesn't stop there...

We know that minerals are the spark plugs that influence everything in the body, especially hormone function, muscle function, neurochemicals and so on and so forth. And there is a delicate balance of how these minerals interact and are absorbed by the body. So it's not just a simple fix of buying ALL the supplements at the store and hoping to see results.

In this episode you'll hear get a quick primer into minerals for gymnasts:

• Understanding overall mineral needs in athletes
• Iron deficiency and it's implications
• The connection between minerals and hormonal health

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 104: Nutrient Density, Real Food and Gymnastics
• Episode 08: Gymnast Nutrition + Endurance
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

I'm sharing 6 surprising benefits from fixing your gymnast's fueling issues that they might see over the course of weeks, months, and years of nailing their nutrition. Of course every gymnast is different, effort into fueling is different, and overall baseline of where they're starting varies.

But after years of working exclusively with gymnasts, I want to share with you six common health and performance issues that we often pleasantly see resolve when a gymnast gets appropriate nutrition. And we're not just talking about less injuries (which of course is a big one). I'm talking about some of the subtle nuances your gymnast just thought were part of the sport and along for the ride.

In this episode you'll hear about six results we see when your gymnast fixes her fueling issues:

• Gut health, constipation, bloating and other GI issues improve
• Nutrition's role in immunity
• Better skin health (huge one for self-conscious teens and preteens!)
• Menstrual health and nutrition link
• Reducing headaches (no it's not just a hydration thing)
• Improvements on mental blocks when your gymnast is properly fueled

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 32: What foods can gymnasts eat to “boost” their immune system?
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

There is NOTHING worse than feeling behind in Pre-Season, especially if your gymnast is injured and unsure if they'll even have a competition season.

There are 3 main reasons we see gymnasts and parents (and coaches!) alike panicking this time of year, and nutrition has to do with all of them.

1. Poor energy, poor focus (accused of not trying hard enough)

2. Not ready bc injured, sick, etc

3. Ignoring nutrition as comps seem too far away or you're "too busy"

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 03: The Busy Gym Parent's Guide to Meal Planning
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com