A blog to help you optimize your full-body and life performance

The holiday season is magical: we spend lots of time with friends and family , eat delicious, warm meals, and get to reflect on the past year. But let's be honest: these traditions also come with crowds, travel, and chilly, dry air: the perfect recipe for a seasonal cold.

And speaking of tradition, everybody has their own supposed immune-boosting or cold-relieving "secrets:" their grandma's tonic recipe, a laundry list supplement regimen, or even an intense sweat session. But do these methods actually work?

A common misconception about holiday meals is that we should starve ourselves before and after them. This isn’t true! In fact, we should try to stick to our usual routines as much as possible leading up to a big holiday feast and jump right back into them after it. Under eating before or after the meal can do more harm than the large meal itself.

We often associate a lower BMI with ideal weight and good overall health. In many instances, this is true. However, overall health does not continue to improve as BMI continues to decrease. Instead, BMI is associated with overall health in a U-shaped curve, where BMIs that are either too high or too loware associated with decreased longevity.

Each InsideTracker test is specifically built and balanced to paint a well-rounded picture of health and wellness. This precise architecture is what makes even our most minimalist tests a powerful tool for making meaningful changes towards a healthier life.

But sometimes, more really is, well, more. Think of your body like a car: You get the oil changed every few months to keep things moving along nicely. But every so often, you treat it to a special tune-up to ensure everything -- not just the engine -- is working smoothly and efficiently. And just as our cars need these tune-ups, so too do our bodies. This occasional extra level of maintenance can help us get a more complete picture of our health.

At InsideTracker we believe that eating is training. Eating is not only critical for workout fueling, but also for post endurance training recovery. Beyond what our biomarkers tell us, we recognize that it is important to eat to support training sessions and the recovery process in between.

This brings us to one of the most frequently asked questions sports dietitians hear, especially from those in the endurance sports world: "What should I be eating before and after my workouts?"

You made the plan, stuck to it, and smashed your workout. You’re done! Right? Well, not quite. Because if you want to squeeze every last drop out of your hard work (and keep exhaustion-induced wooziness at bay -- we've all been there), your routine should stretch beyond that last rep. Here’s how to make the most of your post-workout.

When we think about healthy aging, most people picture going to the doctor once a year to get a clean bill of health, maybe minimizing age-related illness or any disabilities that might arise as the years start to add up. Entering your golden years healthy and happy are all that most people can ask for. Well, not if you’re the three-time defending CrossFit Games Champion in the 60+ age group. Dave Hippensteel is just that, and his goal is to crush anything in his path looking to slow him down. To Dave, age is just a number, a number he’s aiming to lower year after year.

Everyone loves a big news flash, and this one takes the cake! InsideTracker is thrilled to announce that our very first scientific paper has been published in a peer-reviewed journal – and not just any journal, but a prestigious one: Scientific Reports, from the Nature Publishing Group. The paper, titled “Longitudinal analysis of biomarker data from a personalized nutrition platform in healthy subjects”, has been nine years in the making, thanks to contributions from our entire scientific team, staff, and scientific advisory board.

At InsideTracker, we strive to create a truly personalized approach to health and wellness through the use of blood-based biomarker testing. The best thing about blood biomarkers is that they are dynamic. Unlike genetics, blood biomarkers change over time and often can be influenced by specific diet, activity, and lifestyle habits. ^1,2,3 This also means that your blood test offers a snapshot of your current nutrition and exercise needs.